This is a standard that I am very passionate about. I have provided opportunities for students to develop understanding of and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures and languages.
Through an English unit where we were looking at persuasive texts I exposed the students to Kevin Rudd’s Apology Speech. We were looking at persuasive texts including written, oral and pictorial persuasion so I therefore made a seamless link to this time in history. We watched part of the speech and then analysed a written version.
Kevin Rudd Apology Annotation Task
This lesson provided students not only the opportunity to meet the curriculum by looking at persuasive texts, but it also allowed them to question events that happened in the past. This lead to a great class discussion where students were considering Indigenous perspectives.
We also examined how Indigenous people used water in Geography earlier on this year.
Here are some extracts from students’ workbooks.
Where Early Indigenous Australians Lived
I have also given a devotion in Home Group about Reconciliation and how important it is for us to have some understandings of Indigenous Australians. Through this devotion students developed better understandings and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures and languages. It made us all more aware of our neighbours.
Stephanie Rodert 