People in our World: I am, you are, we are Australian.

Understandings:
At the end of this unit, students will understand that:
1. Australians come from many diverse cultural
backgrounds
Big Ideas:
2. The history of Australia is important in shaping
I am: How does being Australian shape the person that I am?
You are: aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are the first Australians. Australian identity
3. Our personal history is important in shaping our
We are: Australia is a multicultural country; Multiculturalism shapes
unique identity.
Australian identity and culture.
4. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were the
Teaching Proposal
first people of Australia and the original, rightful owners
of the land.
Throughout Level 3 and 4 humanities, students have the opportunity to explore the people and
processes that have influenced the modern world and ultimately recognise their role in a common
5. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have a
humanity and global society (VCAA, 2016). Within this 10 week unit, students will investigate, research
rich history and culture.
and reflect upon their identity as Australians, who is Australian and what it means to be Australian.
6. Celebrations and symbols are important in forming
Hoepper (2014, pp. 36-38) discusses the significance of preparing students for an increasingly
globalised world and recognise their position in this world. This unit provides learning experiences in
our Australian
identity.
Key
Skills:
which students are to explore the history of Indigenous people and other multicultural people groups in
7.
Australians
from many
different backgrounds
Discuss
their identity
as Australians
in terms of have
their
Australia and acknowledge their value to both Australia and the global community. Hoepper discusses
valuable
and important things to contribute to our
cultural background
the significance of critical pedagogy within an inquiry approach to humanities as it provides students
with experiences and skills that help them to describe, explain and evaluate their world in order for
community.
Explain that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders are
them to become active citizens who work towards improving the world in terms of peace and
the first people of Australia
sustainability (2014, p. 53).
Explain the significance of key Australian celebrations
This unit incorporates multiple disciplines from within humanities and beyond. This multi-disciplinary
approach seeks to integrate knowledge and understandings from history, geography and civics and
and symbols
citizenship whilst developing a number of general capabilities as outlined within the planner. It is
Discuss their personal understanding of what it means
important that these areas are integrated in a meaningful way that enhances student engagement with
to be an Australian
the inquiry topic (Gordon, 2014, pp. 336-337). With this in mind, we decided that much of this unit
would utilise small group work in their tribes. Gilbert (2014, p. 89) suggests that this kind of
Explain that Australia is a diverse country and that
cooperative learning can enhance cognitive development and promote meaningful reflection through
people from different cultures contribute equally to our
exploratory talk.
community.
When planning an inquiry unit, there are a number of factors and questions that must be considered in
Assessment Evidence:
its development. A key feature of an inquiry based approach to humanities is in the production of
- Oral Presentation in group, with accompaniment of
knowledge through investigating a situation (Hoepper, 2014, p. 46). The inquiry pedagogy also relies on
ICT program to demonstrate their understanding of
all teaching and learning linking back clearly to the key inquiry question. (Hoepper, 2014, p. 46). The big
ideas for this unit are designed to support students in a deeper understanding of the key question of
Australian Identity.
Australian identity and the significance of Australias history. They ultimately give the unit its direction
- Role Play an Indigenous Dreamtime Story, with
and focus as the lessons are built around generating links and unpacking these major ideas. (Gilbert,
respect for tradition and culture
2014, p. 71).
- iMovie, to represent Australian identity form many
The shape of our unit was influenced deeply by Hoeppers social investigation strategy (2014, p. 50) and
Gilberts three stages of inquiry (2014, pp. 75-77). In the first three weeks of our unit, the immersion
view points such as indigenous, multicultural or
stage, the activities are designed to explore student perceptions and understanding as formative
personal.
assessment. The class also develops some questions for investigation that fall under the overarching
- Ongoing formative assessment, through use of
question What does it mean to be Australian? These immersion weeks have lesson titles that begin
with I am as it is ultimately focused on students accessing prior knowledge and their personal response
anecdotal
notes and observation.
Victorian
Curriculum:
to Australian identity.
History, Geography, Civics & Citizenship.
The unit then moves on to researching, collecting and analysing information with lessons titled you
are. Students will spend four weeks engaging deeply with the history, culture and traditions of
Cross Curriculum priorities including Indigenous and
Australians focusing particularly on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history and multiculturalism.
Sustainability.
Finally, students will move into a stage of celebrating and innovating under the heading we are as they
General Capabilities including Intercultural capability,
present their findings and critically reflect on what it means to be Australian in light of their new
understandings. Students also have the opportunity to reflect on how their views have changed
Personal and social capability, critical and creative
Inquiry Question:
What does it mean to be Australian?

throughout the unit and recognise that this is a valuable skill of being an inquiry learner.

Lesson 1: I am

Lesson 2: I am

Lesson 3: You are

Lesson 4: You are

Lesson 5: You are

Learning Intention:
Our personal history is
important in shaping our
unique identity.
Activity: This lesson will
stimulate student thinking
relating to the overarching
concept of identity and
encourage students to think
about their personal identity
in terms of their nationality,
cultures, family traditions,
likes, dislikes, education,
values, beliefs etc. students
will go beyond this to think
about a quality or value that
would shape an Australian
identity.
Resources: Channel 10
YouTube video, kinder circles,
magazines, newspapers,
poster paper.
Victorian Curriculum:
VCICCD007, VCICCB005,
VCCCC007, VCICCB005

Learning Intention:
Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander people were the first
people of Australia and the
original, rightful owners of
the land
Activity: Students are
famous explorers from
another country who have
just discovered the people of
Australia for the very first
time. In small groups, they
must collect information to
bring back to their country
explaining what they found.
Resources: YouTube clip,
computers, iPads.
Victorian Curriculum:
VCPSCSO023, VCPSCSO022,
VCCCTQ012, VCICCB005,
VCCCC006, VCGGK083,
VCHHK074, VCHHC068
Assessment: Oral
Presentation in group, with
accompaniment of ICT
program to demonstrate their
understanding of Australian
Identity.

Learning
Intention:Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander people
have a rich history and
culture.
Activity: Explore the beliefs,
history, lifestyle and flag
significance of the Indigenous
people. Show students an
interactive map of Indigenous
tribes. Have students form
own tribes to explore
concepts for the rest of the
unit. Create flag for personal
tribes thinking about
symbolism and meaning of
their personal identity.
Resources: PowerPoint,
ABC interactive map,
recycled materials and
natural elements including
sticks, rocks and leaves.
Victorian Curriculum:
VCHHC068,VCHHK072,
VCGGC076, VCGGK080

Learning Intention:
Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander people have a rich
history and culture.
Activity: The class discusses
the meaning of the particular
features of dreamtime stories
and the way that these
stories explain part of
creation. Discuss the way
that stories are passed down
from generation to
generation through verbal
storytelling, particularly from
elders. Watch BTN video
about modern day
storytelling.
Resources: BTN video,
Dreamtime stories.
Victorian Curriculum:
VCICCD007, VCHHC068,
VCHHK072, VCGGK080
Assessment: Role Play an
Indigenous Dreamtime Story,
with respect for tradition and
culture.

Learning Intention:
Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander people were the first
people of Australia and the
original, rightful owners of
the land.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander people have a rich
history and culture.
Activity: Students head to
Melbourne Museum for an
excursion. Students will be
immersed in Aboriginal
culture and history, hearing
from Aboriginal elders,
creating Aboriginal art and
discovering the significance
of place, plants and animals
to Indigenous culture
Resources: Melbourne
Museum
Victorian Curriculum:
VCGGK080, VCGGK083,
VCHHK072, VCHHC071,
VCCCC007, VCICCB006,
VCICCD007, VCGGK80

Lesson 6: You are

Lesson 7: You are

Lesson 8: We are

Lesson 9: We are

Lesson 10: We are

Learning Intention:
Australians come from many
diverse cultural backgrounds.
Activity: Students will look
at the multiculturalism within
our classroom. Using a world
map, map out where all our
families come from. Have
students individually place a
drawing pin in each country
that their ancestors came
from. Connect each pin to
Australia with string to
symbolise moving to
Australia.
Resources: world map,
string, drawing pins, cork
board, Y-charts.
Victorian Curriculum:
VCHHC068, VCHHK074,

Learning Intention:
Australians from many
different backgrounds have
valuable and important
things to contribute to our
community.
Activity: Students
participate in a class
museum bringing in items
that reflect their families
beliefs and culture. Parents
will also be asked to share
with the students their
personal identity as an
Australian giving students a
first hand look into the
diversity of their community.
Resources: Parent
volunteers, artefacts for
museum.

Learning Intention:
Australians from many
different backgrounds have
valuable and important
things to contribute to our
community.
Activity: Students will have
the opportunity to
individually respond to
Australian identity and
multiculturalism in todays
session. Through painting,
drawing, a collage, a poem,
song, speech or journal entry,
students will work
independently and reflect on
what it means to them to be
Australian and celebrate how
multiculturalism links with
this

Learning Intention:
Celebrations and symbols are
important in forming our
Australian identity.
Activity: Students research
Australian celebrations such
as ANZAC day or Australia
day. Students will answer
questions based on their
celebration such as what
significance it holds in
Australian History, what does
it mean for Australian
Identity? What does it mean
for you personally? What
does it mean for other
people? (eg Indigenous,
soldiers, immigrants)
Resources: Computers,
iPads, Books, BTN video

Learning Intention: The

history of Australia is
important in shaping
Australian identity
Activity: Students create
iMovie's about what
Australian Identity means.
This may be presented as a
news report, documentary
style or role play
Resources: iPads
Victorian Curriculum:
VCPSCSO022, VCPSCSO023,
VCHHC068, VCHHC07,
VCHHK074, VCHHK072,
VCHHK076, VCGGK083,
VCCCC006, VCCCAS,
VCICCB005, VCICCB006
Assessment:
Students will be assessed on