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Inquiry Question:
Who are the people in Australia and how do they contribute to our society?
Big Ideas:
Teaching Proposal:
Understandings:
At the end of this unit, students will understand that:
There are many different people in our community
Discover how we as individuals are uniquely Australian
That Australias ATSI peoples are unique and significant to our country
Understanding the influences of people coming to or leaving Australia
Recognise that there are people/entities that dictate certain aspects of
our everyday lives
Acknowledge that there are people and groups who try to improve the
world around us
Become agents of change and understand how to make our own positive
impact on people and the planet
For this humanities sequence, we are exploring all the domains under the heading The People of Australia. This scope and sequence is specifically tailored for and aligned with
the curriculum for Level 5/6 students.
The overarching idea present in this sequence is for students to investigate, understand and acknowledge that there are many different people in our world. The big ideas include
that Australia is very diverse, that people come to Australia for many different reasons and that people have done and will continue to do many different things which have an
effect on Australia today and into the future.
The flow and effect from this scope are positively endless, with students being given the opportunity to investigate these questions, learning from each other and extending their
knowledge and understandings to each other, within the school, home and the wider community. Through inquiry, students will more deeply explore the topic by using skills to
evaluate and develop social skills that are democratic in nature and are characterized by reflective reasoning, free expression of ideas and mutual respect (Canuto 2015, p.4).
Webster and Ryan (2004) also suggest that inquiry allows students to take their own path in learning, rather than be taken down a passageway that has little to no interest to
them.
Using this notion students, will firstly explore the diversity of Australia. Whilst doing this, children begin to understand the complexities of our society and begin to break down
preconceptions about what makes someone Australian. They will understand that as well as people who colonised and migrated to Australia more recently, that Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander have an extensive history that dates back tens of thousands of years. It is very important for students to acknowledge the importance of all the people who
make up Australia and be particularly respectful to the original custodians of the land who have a very specific identity in Australia. Gilbert & Hoepper (2014) describe how
valuing others helps build students empathy, tolerance and open-mindedness to those around them, despite their varying views and beliefs. Aside from that students will also
begin to appreciate the uniqueness of our country and our own individual identities. Gilbert & Hoepper (2014) address that identity for non-dominant cultures in our society may
be misrepresented or stereotyped in mainstream messages. Even within the one culture, students may struggle to understand how they form fall into the category of Australian
or even how they fit into a certain group. The issues above affirm the importance of this topic and how it can allow students [to] have access to a range of perspectives (Gilbert
& Hoepper 2014, p.348).
Following on students will begin to consider the push pull factors that influence why people come to Australia. Students will learn that there are many factors as to why people
leave their home countries to visit or resettle in another. Gilbert & Hoepper (2014) list various reasons for migration including global problems such as conflict and environmental
disasters. They describe how some move willingly and enthusiastically; others reluctantlyothers driven by desperation (Gilbert & Hoepper 2014, p.25). It is important for
students recognise that there are both positive and negative influences for people to migrate and those are shaped by the historical context.
The conclusion to the unit will look into the way that students understand their role as citizens, by looking at their morals and ethics and how they work towards sustaining and
improving the world around us. Students will begin by looking at those who have a powerful voice in our community and discover the ways in which people take action to help
society. Students will then begin to look at ways they can take action and begin vying for what they believe in. By learning how to take responsibility students begin to take
accountability for their actions whilst gaining a sense of power (Alexander 2001, sighted in Gilbert & Hoeppler 2014, p.229). Within this area, the final summative assessment
will involve looking at sustainability in their school and a focus on plastic packaging and its effect on the environment. This again will look at the way students can be responsible
for the livability of our world (Gilbert & Hoeppler 2014, p.397).
As an overall unit students will have experienced a variety of new perspectives on people in our society, their responsibilities and understand that they are agents of change in
creating a better world.
Key Skills:
At the conclusion of this unit students will be able to:
Identify the very diverse cultures, beliefs and background of the
people that make up our community.
Analyse the complex reasons for why people migrate to Australia.
Find and describe connections between themselves and people in the
wider community both historically and presently.
Relate to the influences that the ATSI peoples have contributed to
Australia.
Discuss the types of influences higher entities (government, school,
police etc) have on our daily lives and to speak up when they believe that
changes should be made.
Construct ways to solve problems that affect their community.
Identify issues at both a local and wider community level and take
appropriate action.
Assessment evidence:
Week 4, Lesson 2: Students will submit a video where they apply their
new understandings and interpretations of a selected Australian identity
in response to the Australian Values. (VCGGK091, VCGGK092,
VCGGC088, VCGGK093, VCGGC089, VCCCC017)
Week 7, Lesson 1: Students will generate a list of questions that are
appropriate for an interview which are strategically used to identify and
clarify information and ideas for an immigrant visitor. Students will
present their findings as a poster which will be presented to the class(
VCHHC082, VCHHC083, VCHHK094, VCHHK095, VCHHK096,
VCHHC084, VCHHC086, VCGGC087, VCGGC088)
Week 7, Lesson 2: The Skrappy task card is designed to connect and link
much of the content in weeks 1-6 and allow students to see this real-life
connection as well as assess their understandings in a variety of ways.
Activity 1: ability to collect relevant data in response to topic. Activity 2:
Make connections between prior understandings and new information
from a timeline. Taking relevant photos using ICT. Activity 3: writing
task. Activity 4: Responding to a question for their pledge for support
in diversity (VCGGK092, VCGGK098, VCCCC017, VCCCTQ021,
VCCCTQ022, VCCCTQ023, VCICCB009, VCPSCSO030)
Week 10: Week long investigation, design and implementation project.
Leading towards a written reflection which sums up the project and
demonstrates students understanding of the units big ideas and
objectives (VCEBE010, VCCCC016, VCCCC017, VCECU010, VCCCTQ022,
VCCCTQ023)
Victorian Curriculum:
History, Geography, Economics & Business & Civics & Citizenship.
Intercultural Capability, Personal and Social Capability, Critical and
Creative Thinking, Ethical Capability and cross curriculum priorities of
Indigenous, Asia & Australias engagement with Asia and Sustainability.
(Please see attached document)
Week 7: MIGRATION
Understandings: 1, 2, 4
Activity: Students will generate a list
of questions which they will use to
interview an immigrant visitor.
Students will find out about the
push/pull factors and history behind
their migration. Poster will be
created to represent findings.
EXCURSION Immigration
Museum
Students will complete a range of
tasks which closely link with the
learnings in Week 1-6. Skrappy Task
Cards: outlines four activities for
students to complete both in small
groups and individually.
Resources: iPad, Poster, Incursion
visitor, interactive whiteboard,
YouTube video
Victorian Curriculum: VCHHC082,
VCHHC083, VCHHK094, VCHHK095,
VCHHK096, VCHHC084, VCHHC086,
VCGGC087, VCGGC088, VCGGK091, VCGGK092,
VCGGK098, VCCCC017, VCCCTQ021,
VCCCTQ022, VCCCTQ023, VCICCB009,
VCPSCSO030
Week 8: WHO/WHAT
CONTRIBUTES TO THE WAY WE
CAN LIVE OUR LIVES IN
AUSTRALIA?
Understandings: 5, 6
Activity: In lesson one, students
examine who, what and how
influences the way we live our lives.
In lesson two, students will
undertake a scavenger hunt about
laws and government. Students will
investigate levels of government,
policies, democracy and link this to
their own lives and how it influences
them.
Resources: posters, scavenger hunt
cards
Victorian Curriculum:
VCCCL013, VCCCG009, VCCCC017, VCICCB009