Name of Unit: Tapa Tirkatitya (Path for

Learning)
Year 5-9
Collaborator(s): Steph Jolly and Tom
Leverenz
Term: Three Last Updated: 11/8

Overarching Theme Indigenous Garden

Essential Question How do we get people to engage with ATSI culture at REC?

1. How do the indigenous and Torres Strait Islander peoples use science knowledge
to care for the local environment?
Key / Guiding
Questions 2. What are the concepts of sustainable design?

3. How will the garden be used by students and the wider community?

4. What are the benefits of using Indigenous plants?

Blurb for Course Selection

This blurb could be used to give students a sense of what the course may entail. It should include enough
information to engage the student without giving it all away.

In this unit, students design and construct an indigenous community garden at REC. The process of
planning and constructing the garden will be monitored, observed and recorded daily. Students will
investigate the concepts of sustainable design and what plants need to grow.
Students will also research indigenous/ native plants, how specific plants are used by Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander peoples and therefore engage with ATSI culture.
Through ways of being, knowing, thinking and doing, students will develop an understanding that
aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have long standing knowledge and traditions about the
world.

Project Summary
This summary would be used by staff to guide the project. The overall summary should incorporate best
practices, such as:
Inquiry: students pose questions, gather & interpret data, ask further questions, and develop &
evaluate solutions or build evidence for answers.
Authentic issues/challenges that concern students, their communities, and/or professionals in the
field.
Tasks & products that replicate the real world and have purpose beyond the classroom.
Opportunities to express voice on important matters, e.g. questions asked, texts & resources, the
form products take, the use of time, & organization.
Opportunities for students to take assume responsibility for their learning.

What would we expect students to already know?

Some knowledge of indigenous peoples and cultures.

Some knowledge of plants and gardens.

Needed:

Concepts of sustainable design

Knowledge of indigenous plants and what these plants need to grow.
Knowledge of Indigenous plants and how these plants are used by Indigenous cultures.

Ideas:
Aboriginal people developed an intricate knowledge of plants over a long period of time. Plants
were significant in culture, survival and everyday lives of Aboriginal people

Possible questions/provocations:
What are the elements of a community garden?
What are the practical uses of indigenous plants?

Include pop culture - early cartoons to modern tv

General Capabilities

Literacy
Critical and creative thinking
Personal and social
Intercultural understanding

Cross curriculum priorities

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures

Sustainability

Culture: OI. 5 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples ways of life are uniquely expressed through
ways of being, knowing, thinking and doing

Geography:
Connections of people and their places, their cultures and perceptions

History:
Connections to the environment and how natural resources were used and traditionally passed on
through histories by the ATSI people
Science:
Enquiry skills and human endeavour
Students investigate ways that Indigenous knowledge is used in the care of the local environment.
How plants and resources are used by ATSI people.

Resources

Gardening with Indigenous Plants PDF

http://www.moreland.vic.gov.au/globalassets/areas/open-space/gardening-with-indigenous-plants-in-
moreland-guide-booklet.pdf

Sustainable Gardening PDF

http://www.moreland.vic.gov.au/globalassets/areas/open-space/gardening-with-indigenous-plants-in-
moreland-guide-booklet.pdf

Humanities & Social Sciences Achievement Standard(s)

Learning Area(s) Knowledge & Understanding (KU) Able to (AT)

9 History 1,3,4,5 4, 6, 7

9 Geography 2 4, 5, 6,

9 Civics 2, 3, 4, 5 2, 3

English Achievement standards

9 English 1,3,4,5 4, 6, 7

Maths Achievement Standard(s)

9 Maths 1,3,4,5 4, 6, 7

Science Achievement Standard(s)

9 Science 1,3,4,5 4, 6, 7
 Entry Event (The Hook!)

An Entry Event is like a warm-up to a lesson, in many ways. Its gets your attention, leads you to ask
questions, and makes you want to take further steps. An Entry Event has two basic purposes: to spark student
interest and curiosity, and to begin the inquiry process by leading students to ask questions.

Example learning experience:

Students are taken on an excursion to learn about Indigenous plants in Adelaide Botanic Gardens

Students see visual example of how this garden has been designed and constructed to spark interest in
creating their own indigenous community garden at REC.

Students will also follow a trail around Botanical gardens and learn about Indigenous plants and their
uses.

Students begin to form inquiry questions? What do we want our garden to look like? What plants do we
want to have? How will the garden space be used by students and the wider community?

Students are encouraged to observe, analyse, inquire, and connect knowledge they already have with new
learnings.

Before the visit:

This student guide should be photocopied so that each student has a copy of the student activity materials and
the map.
Prior learning it would be useful if students have a basic understanding of the terms used in the
trail.
This excursion is outdoors. Students may require sun protection. In the wetter seasons raincoats or
umbrellas are advised however there are lots of protected areas in the garden.
Discussions:
Traditional plant uses. Multipurpose plants.
Tyndale map of Aboriginal groups. How is this map useful?
Ask students to consider why aboriginal people would move from place to place. Why would they
move to the foothills in winter?
What roles would women, men and children have in the group? Why would they be different?

When in the Garden

(Guidelines for school groups)
In the garden students must be supervised at all times.
Before starting your walk please remind your group that:
Gardens are peaceful places for people to relax and enjoy
Walking slowly and talking quietly ensures everybody and everything will enjoy the gardens
Plants are fragile, touch them gently
Flowers, leaves, bark, seeds etc. growing on plants or lying on the ground are there for all to enjoy.
When you have finished with plant material found on the ground always return it to the garden
Keeping to paths and not walking on beds or borders avoids damage to plants

Project Sequence

Lesson Description (link to lesson plan) Checkpoints

(link to lesson plan/materials)
 i.e. this could be an entry/exit
card, quiz, learning
conversation with peer(s) or
teacher(s)

Week 1 Students begin to form

inquiry questions:
Excursion Belair National Park and Adelaide Botanic Gardens
What do we want our
Students see visual example of how this garden has been designed and garden to look like?
constructed to spark interest in creating their own indigenous community What plants do we want
garden at REC. to have?
How will the garden
Students visit Belair national park community garden and Adelaide botanic space be used by students
gardens. and the wider
community?
Students are encouraged to observe, analyse, inquire, and connect
knowledge they already have with new learnings. Make connections with
Indigenous plants and what they were used for as they fill out worksheet.

Week 2

Lesson objectives
Why should indigenous
1. Introduce students to program culture be acknowledged
2. Team building/ getting to know activities
in schools?
Procedure
How is indigenous culture
1. Welcome/ Student roll / Introduction to Program (10 minutes) represented at REC?
2. Team building Activities (20-30 minutes)
2 truths 1 lie
Back to back drawing
Birthday line
Chinese whispers
Tower

3. Guided practice (5 mins)

Students taken out to allocated area. View the space available. Brainstorm
questions about garden.

Students introduced to where we are a starting and where we are heading.

4. Group work (5-10minutes)

Students explore the following questions:

Why should indigenous culture be acknowledged in schools?

How is indigenous culture represented at REC?

Closure

Students were asked to provide the correct name of this program and given a
chocky.

Resources
 Butcher paper
Pens/pencils
Objects for team building activities (banana, corn cob, slinky)
Music

Stickie notes

Week 3 What can the students create

for the garden?
Students start gardening process with Gabby.
Do some plants need to be
Decide on roles students wish to take in the process of creating the garden. planted in specific areas of
the garden?

Plan for Garden open day?? (Once it has been finished) How can we create a
beautiful garden which has
Students research the benefits of using indigenous plants? low impact on our natural
Use indigenous (native) plants to make garden drought tolerant and environment?
fit in with Morelands natural environment.
A garden with indigenous plants uses less water, attracts native birds and
wildlife, celebrates the character of the local environment, conserves other
native plants in the area, and connects with the cultural history of the land
and its traditional owners, the Wurundjeri people.

SCHOOL HOLIDAYS
Week 4

Week 5 -

Week 6 -

Week 8

Week 9

Week 10

Team Checkpoint This is an opportunity for the team of collaborators to review progress and modify
accordingly

Team Checkpoint This is an opportunity for the team of collaborators to review progress and modify
accordingly
 Opportunity to Evaluate and Reflect

Product

Individual

Teamwork

Audience

Members of the local community. This will be determined by the inquiry focus of their choice.

Adjustments to meet the needs of all learners

Click the link above to view the list of strategies.

Copy and paste the following adjustment strategies that are relevant to the unit plan being developed.

Interaction Representation Action + Expression Engagement (?)

Materials Technology for Learning

(links to relevant documents)

Teacher device
Screen for display (TV, Projector, SMART Board)
BYOD Devices
iPads
iMacs
Webcam
Digital Camera / Mobile Phones
Video Camera
Calculators
Assistive Technology Apps
Google Voice Typing
Grammarly
Citethisforme
Beeline reader