Student Activities

Year 5

 
Theme 1   -   Australian Landscapes
Theme 2   -   Swan River Settlement
Theme 3   -   Heritage of the Past
Theme 4   -   Community Decision Making
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Australian Landscapes
Aims
To give the children an understanding of the land and its usage by the Aboriginal People
To recognize and understand the lifestyles of Aboriginal people in their natural environment
 

 
Social Studies
Invite local Aboriginal people to
accompany children to a place of
Aboriginal significance.

Students to learn of its meaning and
gain an understanding of why it is
important to Aboriginal people.

Discuss places that hold significance to
non-Aboriginal people e.g., Lourdes,
Melbourne Cricket Ground, Churches
etc., and make comparisons with places
of significance to Aboriginal people.

Take students  on a bush walk to
identify animal tracks and discuss howl
why the animals are important to the
lives of Aboriginal people.

Using a map of WA, students to locate
geographical regions
-- identify areas where a large
population of Aboriginal people live.
Recognise   differences   and
similarities in food gathering and
hunting techniques of the areas.
 

 Religious Education
Plants, animals and wonders of the
universe are a symbol of God's love.
The rainbow Serpent (in Aboriginal
Society) is the symbol of the all
powerful being that provides for their
people. 		Library
Display books on landscapes with
special emphasis on features that are
significant to Aboriginal people.
-- Uluru, an Aboriginal history of
Ayres Rock.
The Rainbow Serpent.
Research and write descriptive pieces
describing how Aborigines lived and
survived in different areas.

 
Art Craft
Create a collage of the landscape using
materials from the local environment
e.g., sand, seeds, leaves, bark and grass.
Students paint individual pieces of the
Rainbow Serpent, join them together
and display the work in the classroom or
library. 		 Language
Introduce an Aboriginal language
dictionary.
·   Identify towns  with Aboriginal
names and find out their meanings.
·  Read  Dreamtime  story  'The
Rainbow Serpent'
-- Discuss its connection with the
formation of the landscape.		 Science
Students go on a hush walk.
Focus on types of land formation in their
local area, rock formation, soil type,
natural vegetation.
Discuss how Aboriginal people used the
natural resources e.g. water, hunting tools
and food.
Health Education
Recognising plants and animals that are
dangerous. Being aware of the effects if
taken or bitten. How Aboriginal people
counteracted poisons.
Discuss how lifestyles of Aboriginal
groups/ families are determined by the
seasons and the natural environment.		 Music/ 
Music Appreciation
Play a song written and sung by an
Aboriginal  artist,  demonstrating
relationship with the land e.g. Archie
Roach.

 

 Maths
Study a map of WA. Identify all towns
with Aboriginal names. In kilometres,
estimate the distance of each town to
Perth
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Swan River Settlement  
Aims
To assist students to understand what took place at the first meeting of Aborigines and Settlers
To assist students to understand the impact on Aboriginal people at the time of settlement.
To emphasize the needs that both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people had for the same natural resources - water, land, food.
 

 
Social Studies
Allow students to study paintings of the
Swan River in the early 1800's and
compare them with photographs taken
of same area today. Identify similarities
and differences. A day's excursion
could be planned
Students may attempt to determine why
changes have occurred.
List the basic needs of both Aboriginal
and non-Aboriginal people at time of
settlement. 		Language
Experiment with the possible ways that
Aboriginal people and the settlers may
have communicated to enable both
groups to come together for an exchange
of ideas.
Role play what may have been the
response of Aboriginal people when
they first sighted the settlers.
Students write an account of the
problems encountered by a ten year old
settler child, or an Aboriginal child, at
rime of initial settlement.		 Library
A display to be set up in the Library
showing photos of the Swan River in
various  stages  of  development.
(Resources available from Battye
Library.)
Art /Craft
Paint pictures depicting life along the
Swan River prior to European
settlement.
Go to Art Gallery and view pictures
painted of the Swan River in the 1800's.
Students make notes on significant
changes they may identify		 Religious Education
First contact between Christian and
non-Christian people.
Questions
Were there differences in beliefs?
Were there differences in expression
of beliefs?
What were the attitudes of new
settlers to the lifestyle and values of
Aboriginal people.		 Science
What a change in diet can do to the body
-- introduction of processed foods
introduction of citrus fruit
introduction of excesses of salt used
in preserving
introduction of spices and herbs as
additives in meals.
Health Education
Discuss the effects that European
settlement had on the health of
Nyoongah people after 1829.		 Music
Comparison of the two styles of music;
that of the early settlers and traditional
Aboriginal music styles.		 Resources
Nungadin and Willijen.
How Crows Became Black
Pictures of paintings showing
River Colony in early 1920's.
Photographs of the Swan River today.
The Noongars (Kit) by Neville Green
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Heritage of the Past  
Aims 
To study interaction between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people of the past, in order to understand present relationships
To look at specific events ands decisions of the [past that have contributed to cultural and social changes in the lives of Aboriginal people.
 

 
 
Social Studies
Use maps showing where Aboriginal
people were removed from traditional
homelands and locate areas they were
taken to.
·  MullaBulla
· Wandering Mission
· BeagleBay Mission
New Norcia
· Mogumber.
Visit historical places,  study their
significance, discuss their importance to
Aboriginal people
non-Aboriginal people.
Write reports on the events that took
place. 		Language
Read stories of Aboriginal people's
involvement in the establishment of
missions e.g. New Norcia, Beagle Bay
Retell one of the stories from above.
Debate main issues that came out of
established mission policy,
E.g.
Children being removed
From parents
·  Traditional languages not
being practised.
Cultural practices and
experiences being 		Resources
The Legend of the Seven Sisters.
The Flying Fox Warriors.
The Quinkins., by D. Roughsy and
P. Tresire
Videos:
Yirritija -- The Way Of The Desert
People,
Triumph of the Nomads  Part 1 and
Pan 2.
Art/Craft
Students make a model or drawing of a
mia mia (Aboriginal dwelling) and a
settler's house.
Study what natural resources were used,
and make lists for each of these.
Compare methods of how the natural
resources were used for construction.
Describe the differences in the usage of
the material. 		Religious Education
Discuss the attitudes of the white settlers
towards the lifestyle of Aboriginal
people.
Discuss the differences in beliefs. 		Science
Go bush walking accompanied by an
Aboriginal person and collect bush food,
Invite students to taste bush foods, then
compare with flavours of familiar foods.
Health Education
Recognise plants that are edible and
those that are poisonous. Discuss how
Aboriginal people were able to make
poisonous plants edible.
Discuss the effects of the removal of
Aboriginal groups from traditional
homelands along seasides, rivers and
lakes to drier locations e.g. resulting in ill
health and homesickness 		Music
Display Aboriginal instruments used to
make music.
Discuss the natural resources and
techniques used in the making of
instruments.
Discuss the instruments non-Aboriginal
people used. Make comparisons with
instruments used by Aboriginal people. 		Maths
Demonstrate time lines using Aboriginal
history from 50,000 BP to the present,
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Community Decision Making  
Aims
Selection/appointment of decision-makers in Aboriginal groups
The importance and place of all Aboriginal people within their groups
The fact that traditionally Aboriginal law is passed on from generation to generation through
story
song and dance
ritual/ceremonies
 
 
 
 
Social Studies
Students collect newspaper clippings
with reference to Aboriginal com-
munities and people. Read and display
in an appropriate place 		Language
Students to learn the number and names
of Aboriginal languages.
Emphasis should be placed on the im-
portance of having Aboriginal interp
reters present when consultation takes
place between Aboriginal people and
nonAboriginal people. Even today this
is important for tribal or old people,
especially in courts and polling booths. 		Library
Have library displays on issues of
decision making in a variety of cultures
including Aboriginal society.
Art/Craft
Body paintings for special ceremonies.
Dot paintings expressing Aboriginal
people meeting.
Contemporary art/ craft (e.g. silk
screening). 		Religious Education
Create an awareness of the fact that in
Aboriginal society there were roles
equivalent to doctor, priest and lawyer 		Resources
Going for Oysters.
Aboriginal  Family, R.Brown;
C.Fairclough; S.Groome.
My Community, The One Arm Point
Community.
My Community, Doon Doon Station.
My Community, Wingellina.
Whitefellas are like Traffic Lights.
Groote Eylandt -- Music and Dance.
Lockhart Festival.
Kit  'You Can Have Your Say'.
Middar Dance Group Video.
Health Education
Identify  Aboriginal organisations/
agencies in WA e.g. Aboriginal Medical
services. Students to read literature on
history, aims, goals and objectives of
Aboriginal organisations/ agencies. 		Music
Show video of Middar Dance Group and Modern Dreamtime Dancers.
Play music of Ernie Bridge, Bran Nue
Day, Archie Roach. 		Maths
Students conduct a survey of local
community meetings having Aboriginal
participation e.g. a local council meeting,
or a P & F meeting.
Calculate number and percentage of
Aboriginal people present. Students
present results to class.
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Taken from Aboriginal Education Booklet
Published by the Catholic Education Office, Perth, Western Australia

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