Year 9/10
Geography
Suggested duration: Two lessons
Summary
Students will use the included Activity cards as the stimulus to think critically about restrictions to land access, and the effects of these restrictions on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples both past and present. They will engage in thoughtful discussions about these issues and share their discoveries with their peers.
Land was cleared of trees and scrub that were key environments for many animals. With their destruction, we lost access to some of the basic components of our diet, and came to rely on the colonisers’ less nutritious white flour, tea and sugar. The impact of the disappearance of, and restricted access to food, cannot be underestimated (The Little Red Yellow Black Book, p. 41).
Learning outcomes
- Students will be able to appraise and discuss issues of land access and use that have impacted and continue to impact Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
- Students will create a slogan which represents the views of their group.
| General capabilities | Cross-curriculum priorities |
|---|---|
| Literacy | Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures |
| Intercultural understanding | Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures organising ideas: 2, 3, 6 |
| Ethical Understanding | Sustainability |
Australian Curriculum content descriptions
Year 9 Geography
- Apply geographical concepts to synthesise information from various sources and draw conclusions based on the analysis of data and information, taking into account alternative points of view (ACHGS068).
Year 10 Geography
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ approaches to custodial responsibility and environmental management in different regions of Australia (ACHGK072).
- Apply geographical concepts to synthesise information from various sources and draw conclusions based on the analysis of data and information, taking into account alternative points of view (ACHGS077).
Provisions for differentiation
Learning support
Students with special learning needs can engage in the discussion without additional assistance.
Extension
Students wanting an additional challenge could read `Singing the Coast`, a book published by Aboriginal Studies Press, which explores the nature of the relationship of people to Country and artificial boundaries.
Resources
- A set of Activity cards (PDF), photocopied, cut out and laminated
- Pen and paper for each group’s scribe
- Printer (lamination is optional)
- The Little Red Yellow Black Book - an introduction to Indigenous Australia (4th edition), ‘Who we are’, Aboriginal Studies Press, AIATSIS, Canberra, 2018.
For teachers
Ensure that the guidance notes included in The Little Red Yellow Black Book teacher resources have been considered.
Vocabulary
- Access
- Boundaries
Preparation: Print the Activity cards. Cut out the cards. You may wish to laminate them for re-use. Just one set is needed.
Step 1.
Organise the class into groups of 5 or 6. Designate a student in each group to act as the scribe.
Step 2.
To introduce the topic, read the content on page 41 of The Little Red Yellow Black Book. As a class, summarise the content and the context of the reading.
Step 3.
Hand out one Activity card to each group.
Step 4.
Ask students to discuss the content of their card. They should use the key words on the card to guide their discussion. Have the scribe write down a single sentence that summarises the conclusions reached by the group in response to the Activity card.
Step 5.
Circulate the Activity cards around the groups until each group has seen each card. Each group should reach the end of the activity with five sentences written down.
Step 6.
Ask the groups to come up with a slogan that summarises the message about imposing boundaries and the impact that such practices have had on Australian Indigenous peoples in the past and how it affects them today.
Step 7.
Ask a spokesperson from each group to present their slogan to the class. Have the class discuss the effectiveness of each idea in light of the content that you read them at the start of the lesson about the effects of people encountering barriers to accessing Country.
Assessment ideas
- Peer assessment based on a rubric for the slogan and presentation