Indigenous studies

Year level: Reception

Duration: Wk 2-5 (8 Lessons)

Purpose:
The purpose of this unit is to ensure students are
exposed to and understand people have places that are
special to them, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander Peoples. The focus on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People,
particularly the Boandik tribe, will allow the children to understand about sacred
places, especially those in our local area. Visual art will be used to further
understand and express the ideas of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
Peoples and allow the children to have hands on approach to creating their own
sacred places and Indigenous artwork.

Outcomes:
Geography
The Countries/Places that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples belong to in the local area
and why they are important to them (ACHGK003)
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures
The reasons why some places are special to people, and how they can be looked after (ACHGK004)

Reflecting and responding

Reflect on their learning to suggest ways that they can look after a familiar place (ACHGS006)

Visual art
Use and experiment with different materials, techniques, technologies and
processes to make artworks (ACAVAM107)
Create and display artworks to communicate ideas to an audience (ACAVAM108)
Respond to visual artworks and consider where and why people make visual
artworks, starting with visual artworks from Australia, including visual artworks of
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples (ACAVAR109)

Cross curriculum links

OI.
3

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples have unique belief systems and are spiritually
connected to the land, sea, sky and waterways.

OI.
5

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples ways of life are uniquely expressed through
ways of being, knowing, thinking and doing.

Learning Activities:
We
ek

Learning experience

Activities

Introduction to
Indigenous people,
particularly the Boandik
tribe, known to our local
area. Discussion of
sacred areas to the
Boandik people and
areas/places that are
special to us, including
how we care for those
spaces.

Lesson 1: Discuss Aboriginal

and Torres Strait Islander
Peoples with a particular focus
on Boandik people. Show
children presentation with map
of Australia, our local area and
Boandik area to be highlighted
(mouth of Glenelg River to
Beachport), included will be
photographs of special
aboriginal places in our local
area.
Brainstorm with children
places/areas that may be
special to them and how/why
they care for those areas.
House
Bedroom
Holiday/camping spot
Children to create a picture of
their special place to share with
the class, this can be painted or
drawn.
Lesson 2: Reflect on the prior
lesson of special/sacred places,
revisiting difficult words such as
Boandik to support the learning.
Take children to visit the

Check for
Learning/
Assessme
nt
Childs
ability to
express
their
understandi
ng of a
special
place

Aboriginal Area at a local high

school

Introduce children to
Dreamtime Stories
and their importance to
Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander Peoples.

-Take photographs to display in

classroom
Lesson 3: Discuss prior lesson
and what we saw at the high
school in relation to the
Indigenous area and special
areas.
Discuss how Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander Peoples
also have a different way of
story telling and belief system
called dreamtime stories.
Share the book How the Birds
Got Their Colours. Also, share
in digital format on IWB to assist
diverse learner types to
understand the story.
Using paper plates as doves
allow children to explore with
shapes and colours to create
their own colourful bird from the
story.
Lesson 4: Revisit the discussion
on Dreamtime Stories and share
another story Tiddalik the
Frog, also share in digital
format.

Encourage children to
experiment with
different materials,
techniques,
technologies and
processes to make
artworks and express
ideas/stories.

Tiddalik art activity

Lesson 5: Discuss previous
lesson of the Dreamtime
stories and explain how
Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander Peoples also tell stories
using artwork such as dot
paintings and symbols. View
examples and display in the
classroom.
Using the scratch paper
encourage children to tell a
story using the aboriginal
symbols displayed. Do one as a

Childs
engagemen
t in
experimenti
ng with the
different
materials,
techniques,
technologie
s and
processes

class to start.
Lesson 6: Share the story Dunbi
the Owl and Youtube clip about
Dot painting. Provide a short
demonstration on dot painting.

Children will be able to

display and respond to
art work including
visual artworks of their
own and Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander
Peoples.

Using mask template of the owl

and kangaroo encourage
children to have a go at dot
painting to decorate the mask
to assist them with the retelling
and understanding of the story.
Lesson 7: Discuss the dot
paintings and their purpose of
story telling and providing art.
Encourage children to have a go
at creating their own free choice
art and/or using the technique
of dot painting.

Assessment
rubric

Lesson 8: Children are to be

given the opportunity to discuss
their artwork from the prior
lesson and provide each other
with feedback. This lesson will
be used as a time for reflection
on the unit and the assessment
rubric will be completed for
each student.

Story table:
A story table will be set up in the classroom, displaying the varying artworks of
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, maps highlighting the stretch of
land zoned for the Boandik people and their sacred areas, the books we have
shared during the unit and other relevant item/activities to allow the children to
play, explore and gain understanding as they desire.

Key Resources for Unit

Smart Board (IWB)
Paint
Paper
Scratch Paper

Cotton Buds
Small sticks