Aboriginal Perspectives Resources

Update: 27/1/13

To access other posts about this topic, click the Aboriginal art and culture and/or Aboriginal perspectives across the curriculum tag in the RHS menu.

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Aboriginal Perspectives Across the Curriculum : Flow charts linking indigenous content with themes

In 2008 Mossgiel Park PS was funded by AGQTP to re-design our intergrated units to include Aboriginal perspectives. Below you can see various charts which supplement our unit planning to include aspects of Aboriginal history and culture.  They are generally not meant to be whole lessons; they are meant to be inclusive, that is, they are planned so that when discussing any topic, Aboriginal perspectives are included when relevant.

NB The first ones we developed are at the bottom of this page.  From September 2011, they are intended to be used in conjunction with units developed using the Australian Curriculum which has included Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history and culture as one ot three priorities woven through the entire curriculum at all year levels.

July 2014 (doing rather a lot of updating this page at once)

BTW My apologies for the blurry text in this first flow chart, if you click on it, it is perfectly clear.

 

 

 

September 2011

This flow chart complements a Year 1 & 2  science/literature unit of work about Animals in their Environment (under construction, see Goodies to Share) and is designed to show that Aboriginal families have always educated their children about values education through storytelling, and continue to do so by creating contemporary children’s literature.

August 2011   See the Book reviews page for reviews of various picture books written by Aboriginal authors.

16.8.09 See my review of Collecting Colour a lovely picture book which celebrates traditional basket and bag making in the Top End.  It’s been shortlisted in the CBCA Book of the Year 2009.

20.7.09  The ABC has developed some terrific animated versions of many Dreaming stories from central Arnhem Land. Click here.

24.6.09 This chart complements a Prep unit of work about Safety Education and is designed to show that Aboriginal families have always educated their children about how to stay safe in their environment.

20.4.09 This flow chart complements a Level 3 library unit, From Farm to Plate, about Farming in Australia.  Other useful resources found subsequently include

http://australianscreen.com.au/titles/bush-tucker-is-everywhere/clip1/

http://australianscreen.com.au/titles/bush-tucker-is-everywhere/clip1/#teachers_notes

http://www.mjhall.org/bushtucker/index.htm (Larapinta PS)

8.6.09 Check out the Muru Mittigar site which although a site promoting Aboriginal tourism, explains the use of Aboriginal artefacts.

13.10.08  This one complements a library unit about Rainforest animals for VELS Level 3.

 8.10.08

These are the first of our Aboriginal Perspectives supplements.  This year we have been funded by AGQTP to re-design our intergrated units to include Aboriginal perspectives.  The first chart shows how a Level 4 unit on Space can be enriched by discovering how Aboriginal people viewed the night sky and wove stories about its creation.

This one is for a Level 2 integrated unit about Food.

This one includes Aboriginal perspectives in a Level 1 unit about mini-beasts.

17.9.08

The NSW Board of Studies has just published some beaut new curriculum units that incorporate Aboriginal Perspectives.

Early Stage 1: Maths with the Mob – integrated maths and visual arts activities.

Stage 1 My Place – concepts of belonging with people and places, linking with Aboriginal relationships with family and community, environment and place.

Stage 2:  Terra Nullius – The Very Early Years – problem solving activities that explore decisions made during the early years of European settlement.

Stage 3 Unit Aboriginal Technology – explores the complexity of traditional Aboriginal communities, their management of their environment and their technologies

I’m not sure how these NSW stages match up with Victorian VELS  -oh, wouldn’t you think we could at least have the same stages/levels across the country?? – but they’re all meant to be for primary students.

Source: http://k6.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/linkages/IntegratedUnits/aboriginal/aboriginal.html

7.4.08 Today The Age reported that miners have found  tools dated at more than 35,000 years old, in a cave in the Pilbara, Western Australia. This discovery proves that the Martidja Banyjima people have lived in the area since prehistoric times.

‘Our stories and songs tell us this.  It is a good feeling to know archaeologists have proved what we say is true.  It makes us feel strong. Now we want this place preserved.  It is part of our heritage and culture’, said a senior elder of the Martidja Banyjima people.

In other places nearby, they also found stone tools, fireplaces and plant remains such as seeds and bark.  Charcoal in a fireplace is 25,000 years old, which proves that people lived and cooked there all those years ago.

According to archaeologists, there could be other finds as old as 40,000 years, similar to the famous Lake Mungo site.   At Lake Mungo, scientists found the bones of Mungo Man, the old human found in Australia, and Mungo Lady, the  oldest person in the world to be cremated.

19.4.08 There are some new digital resources at the Learning Federation.  They can only be accessed if you are a registered user and log in – through DigiLearn for government schools in Victoria, but who knows how in other states or systems?

http://www.thelearningfederation.edu.au/for_teachers/sample_learning_materials/tm_-_arts_and_design.html

http://econtent.thelearningfederation.edu.au/ec/viewing/R6797/index.html