Evaluating Resources Report, Rationale and Lesson Sequence

Nyha Clifton

Murdoch University

EDN353: Country, Culture, Peoples: Aboriginal Studies and Perspectives Across the Curriculum

Jen Featch

May 4, 2021
EDN353- Resources report, Rationale and Lesson Sequence Nyha Clifton
Part One: Resources

ABC Gardening Australia. (2016). Dyeing eggs at Easter time. Retrieved:

https://education.abc.net.au/home#!/media/2308614/dyeing-eggs-at-easter-time

ABC This Place. (2019). Birian Balunah: the birthing of the rivers. Retrieved:
https://education.abc.net.au/home#!/media/3382912/birian-balunah-the-birthing-of-the-rivers

Albert, M. & Lofts, P. (2004). How the Birds Got Their Colours. Scholastic Press: Sydney, NSW.

Bancroft, B. (2016). Remembering Lionsville. Allen & Unwin Children: NSW.

Creative Spirits. (2020). “From the Oceans to the Dusts”: A poem by Zelda Quakawoot, QLD. Retrieved:
https://www.creativespirits.info/aboriginalculture/arts/poems/from-the-oceans-to-the-dusts

Creative Spirits. (2020). “The Australian”: A poem by Aaron Richardson, Nimbin, New South Wales.
Retrieved: https://www.creativespirits.info/aboriginalculture/arts/poems/the-australian

National Museum of Australia. (2020). Connection to Country. Retrieved:

https://www.nma.gov.au/learn/classroom-resources/connection-to-country

Pascoe, B. (2014). Dark Emu. Magabala Books: Broome, WA.

School Curriculum and Standards Authority. (2016). Year 4 Syllabus. Retrieved:

https://k10outline.scsa.wa.edu.au/home/teaching/curriculum-browser/humanities-and-social-
sciences/year-4

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EDN353- Resources report, Rationale and Lesson Sequence Nyha Clifton
Part Two: Resource Summary

Resource One: Picture Book- ‘Remembering Lionsville’, by Bronwyn Bancroft.

This text by Bronwyn Bancroft is a memoir providing insights into an extended family's life in Lionsville, in
the country of New South Wales. The author's note explains that she has written the book to develop a
greater understanding of black and white relations. In doing so, the memoir also offers historical
perspectives and encourages young readers to respect the past and its cultures. This is an effective
resource for teachers to encourage children to collect and retell their sacred family memories and places.
This resource is an effective teaching aid for educators intending to incorporate the cross-curriculum
priority Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures into the curriculum learning areas. The
author of this text is a Djanbun clan member of the Bundjalung Nation, increasing the reliability of this
resource. The language and use of illustrations are appropriate for primary aged students, allowing them
to understand the storyline and develop ideas on the meaning behind the text. Therefore, ‘Remembering
Lionsville’ is an appropriate resource to be implemented within a primary school learning program.

Resource Two: Poem- ‘From the Oceans to the Dusts’, by Zelda Quakawoot.

Zelda Quakawoot created a poem based on the aboriginal culture and their elders. The poem uses a lot of
poetic techniques one of them being personification, she uses this technique when saying “we will honour
our elders till the chains of time rust’’ to represent her topic. The author expresses her ideas with
continuous techniques throughout the entire poem. “Time has watched fete change” yet another form of
personification used to show the length and duration of this culture and change within. Zelda Quakawoot
emphasises the aboriginal elders and what they have done to create the aboriginal society that they have
today. This poem teaches students of the importance of what the aboriginal elders and the land provided
for their culture. This a reliable resource to be used within a History or English class, allowing the priority of
implementing the cross-curriculum learning area. The author is of Torres Strait Islander heritage, giving an
insight into her culture and encouraging others to respect and continue from her elders. This resource
would be more suitable for older primary aged students with its length and language.

Resource Three: Picture Book- ‘How the Birds Got Their Colours’, by Mary Albert and Pamela Lofts.

‘How the Birds Got Their Colours’ is based on a story told by Mary Albert, adapted from a Dreamtime story
illustrated to her during her childhood. The illustrations created by Pamela Lofts are inspired by the
children of which Mary Albert retold the original story to. The authors came together through a bold text
to present to children that good comes from helping others. This text presents the perspectives of
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, on the nature the land provides and how it came to be the
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EDN353- Resources report, Rationale and Lesson Sequence Nyha Clifton
way it is seen today. This resource is an effective tool used by educators to present to early aged students,
the history and cultural understandings of the indigenous elders and their community. This resource is an
effective method of informing young students on the topic of Dreamtime stories through its simplistic
language and bold imagery. This makes the text age appropriate and through following a Dreamtime story
presented by Indigenous peoples, it is further effective and reliable for educational purposes.

Resource Four: Poem- ‘The Australian’, by Aaron Richardson.

Aaron Richardson composed this poem to present the idea of reconnecting people to their land, bringing
about the traditional way to feel apart of the Earths nature. “And come and sit down in the dirt with the
owners of this land”, this encourages Australians and their visitors to come together with Indigenous
Australians and join the community. This is a great resource for demonstrating to early aged students to
welcome people, even from other communities and to experience nature through past traditions. For
example, “and we make them feel welcome, the people overseas, to our mother country we make them
feel at ease”. Aaron Richardson is an indigenous member of the Australian community, originally from
Queensland, who continues to write poetry to share his culture. Educators can use this resource within a
primary classroom, as it is composed with simplistic language, allowing students to understand what is
being expressed. This poem is useful for varies learning areas, as it paints a picture though its language, for
example this resource can be used within an English, HASS or the Arts class.

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EDN353- Resources report, Rationale and Lesson Sequence Nyha Clifton
Part three: Rationale and Lesson Plan

Resource: Picture Book- ‘How the Birds Got Their Colours’, by Mary Albert and Pamela Lofts.

This resource was selected for its suitability to assist Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to
identify and be proud of their heritage and provide non-Indigenous people a positive image of Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander peoples. This resource would be effective for use within a range of learning
areas, including History, English, and the Arts. When addressing History this resource will provide
educators with the basic knowledge on how Indigenous peoples view the world around them and how it
came to be through retellings of Dreamtime stories. When using this as a resource within a year four
classroom, an educator will need to address the major learning outcomes for students to achieve,
following the Australian Curriculum Standards. Two of the various outcomes that will need to be taken into
consideration when using this resource are; analysing the ways in which history, arts and culture inform
Indigenous Australian perspectives on a range of subject matters, including the shaping of the Earth, how
was the land formed, the living or phenomena came into being. Along with gathering understanding of
Australian Indigenous history and culture through the significance of Dreamtime stories. When using a
resource that displays Australian Indigenous history, educators need to consider any cultural sensitivities.
Educators need to be aware of certain aspects of connections with Country that are sacred or secret and
thus may not be suitable for a primary classroom environment. Many cultural similarities are apparent
among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander groups, however, there are also significant differences.
Therefore, it is important not to make generalisations. When encountering terminology that is now
considered offensive it will be necessary to clarify why this is the current view. Some Indigenous students
may be aware of the histories of their culture, so avoid unintentionally ‘shaming’ them by expecting them
to know about their traditional Lore. Educators should provide ways to enhance their students’ cultural
identity. Cultural protocol issues include the use of appropriate symbols and colours, when displaying
visual educational resources. Advice should be sought about appropriate themes and topics of artistic work
and whether certain things should not be used, for example, weapons or local land features.

Upon selecting a year and learning area, an educator should revise the Aboriginal Cultural Standards
Framework, School Curriculum and Standards Authority and or Australian Curriculum, Assessment and
Reporting Authority, to identify the Achievement Standards. The Year four HASS achievement standards, as
stated by SCSA are listed in the below lesson plan under Australian Curriculum Content Description.

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 EDN353- Resources report, Rationale and Lesson Sequence Nyha Clifton
Lesson Plan

Day: Tuesday Date: 04/05/21 Time: 11:00am till 11:45am Year: 4

Lesson number: 1 of 3 (expanded on in other learning areas- e.g. English & Art)

Learning Area: History

Topic: Dreamtime Stories

Australian Curriculum Content Description:

-The diversity and longevity of Australia’s first peoples and the ways Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
peoples are connected to Country and Place (land, sea, waterways, and skies) – ACHASSKO83.

-The custodial responsibility Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples have for country/Place, and how
this influences views about sustainability – ACHASSKO89.

-Identify characteristic features used in imaginative, informative, and persuasive texts to meet the purpose
of the text – ACELY1690.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Asia and Australia’s engagement
Cross-curriculum priorities: histories and cultures with Asia
Sustainability

Critical and Ethical Personal and Intercultural

General capabilities: Literacy Numeracy ICT
creative thinking behaviour social capability understanding

Students’ prior knowledge and experience:

Students in year 4 already have a good grounding in aboriginal history and culture. They are aware of the
structure of narrative storylines and can discuss plot and purpose of the text. Students have basic
knowledge of dreamtime stories and their relation to indigenous culture.

Teaching purpose:

-Establish an informed understanding of the sacred nature of Dreaming.

-Gather an understanding of Australian Indigenous history and culture through a text.

-Understanding the significance of contributions made by Indigenous Dreamtime stories.

-Demonstrate a connection to, respect for, and valuing of Indigenous culture and cultural diversity through
developing an understanding of traditional Lore.

-Understand the rich diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander texts and its ability to link the past
with the present dynamic, lively, and thought-provoking ways.

Learning objectives: Assessment:

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 EDN353- Resources report, Rationale and Lesson Sequence Nyha Clifton
On completion of this lesson, students will be able  Formative assessment based on the
to: observation of students’ engagement with
the lesson, and input into the discussions
 Discuss the origin of the story and the
they are having.
importance of the Dreaming stories in the lives
of all indigenous Australians.  Formative, product-based assessment:
Teacher would ask the students to hand in
 Ponder about the strong spiritual basis depicted
any completed hands-on activities. This will
in social behaviour that connects daily life with
be used to assess their understanding.
the Dreaming.
 Summative, product- based assessment:
 Understand the importance of conserving the
hands-on completed activities would be
remains of Australia’s past, including the
assessed to the degree to which they have
heritage of indigenous peoples.
met the lesson objectives, and level of
 Articulate an informed understanding of the role
understanding against the SCSA judging
of ancestral beings in the shaping and creation
standards and curriculum outcomes.
of the natural world, and connection to Country.

Preparation and Resources:

 Book- (main) How the Birds Got Their Colours- Mary Albert & Pamela Lofts.
 Indigenous Elder or Community member.
 Early finishers can read and work on other dreamtime texts provided.
 PowerPoint- to introduce topic, text, and further instructions can be visual for students.
 Grouping system (e.g. labelled pop sticks in a container, name in a hat or box etc.)
 HASS writing book, pencil, coloured pencils & blank paper.

Cultural Sensitivities:

 Certain aspects of connections with Country are sacred/secret and thus may not be suitable for a
classroom environment.
 Many cultural similarities are apparent among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander groups, however,
there are also significant differences. Therefore, it is important not to make generalisations.
 When encountering terminology that is now considered offensive it will be necessary to clarify why
this is the current view.
 Some Indigenous students may be aware of the histories of their culture. Do not ‘shame’ them by
expecting them to know about traditional Lore. Find ways to enhance their cultural identity.
 Cultural protocol issues, including the use of appropriate symbols and colours. Advice should be

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 EDN353- Resources report, Rationale and Lesson Sequence Nyha Clifton
sought about appropriate themes and topics of artistic work and whether certain things should not
be used (e.g. weapons or local land features).

Timing Learning experiences

Reflection:
5min
Toward the start of the topic, present students the name of the topic, and/or some key words of
relevance. Ask students to reflect on what they currently think about the topic, and how they feel
about it.

Text Reading:
10min
Reading of “How the Birds Got Their Colours”, by indigenous elder or indigenous community
member carried out in a whole group setting.

5min Effective questioning:

Refresh of chosen text accompanied with several questions which will help guide students’ focus
as they engage with the text.

10min Collaborative Learning:

In small groups, the teacher facilitates students sharing of responses to the questions and
building upon those responses.

5min Student Generated Questioning:

Further question for consideration might be introduced during the session by students- aimed at
furthering the thinking and analysis generated from the discussion. Allows students to display to
the teacher their learning, gained from the lesson.

9min Hands on Work:

Creative freedom to compose an ending to “How the Birds Got Their Colours”, through a written
or visual display. Can be used as an extension to the lesson for early finishers or a way to
conclude, leaving room to expand into another lesson.

Conclude:
1min
Summaries the topic and potentially link to next lesson.
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EDN353- Resources report, Rationale and Lesson Sequence Nyha Clifton

*Notes:
-Walk around room whilst activities are being completed, to keep students on task.
-Encourage respectful behaviour whilst Elder or community member is reading to students.
-Aid students when needed. Encourage questioning.
-Inform EA of lesson and responsibilities (if required).

Part 3: 1322 words