Introduction:
This learning sequence is going to be focussed on perspectives. Through activities and resources students will be able to determine how Aboriginal, British and the convicts felt during the arrival of the First Fleet. Students will be able to appreciate the differing perspectives of these people and should come away with an understanding about their experiences and reasons for their travel.
- In order to fully participate in the lesson, students will need an understanding of the knowledge taught in the previous History lesson (Cause & Effect).
Teaching Learning Activities:
Students will explore the first contact between the First Fleet settlers (British & Convicts) and the Aboriginal People in the early days of colonisation.
- Get students to watch the YouTube Clips below. These clips should give children an overview of the various feelings and emotions from both Aboriginal People and the Settlers.
- Make sure the students have a notepad with them so they can take notes on the emotions and the feelings of these people.
- The class should also draw on their knowledge from the previous lesson in order to effectively fill out the table.
- Here is an example template that students should use to take effective notes.
They have come to stay (2008) – All three videos accessible through one link (the number of the episodes are along the bottom).
First Video – Life before contact (2008)
http://aso.gov.au/titles/documentaries/first-australians-episode-1/clip1/
Second video – Can you imagine? (2008)
http://aso.gov.au/titles/documentaries/first-australians-episode-1/clip2/
Third Video – A genuine relationship (Optional to watch)
http://aso.gov.au/titles/documentaries/first-australians-episode-1/clip3/
First Video – Life before contact (2008)
http://aso.gov.au/titles/documentaries/first-australians-episode-1/clip1/
Second video – Can you imagine? (2008)
http://aso.gov.au/titles/documentaries/first-australians-episode-1/clip2/
Third Video – A genuine relationship (Optional to watch)
http://aso.gov.au/titles/documentaries/first-australians-episode-1/clip3/
Organisation:
Children should sit in a group on the carpet – this setup provides the students with the ability to fully engage with the topic and not become distracted.
- This way of sitting also means the teacher can keep an eye on all students and it offers for a more intimate setting.
Resources:
Behind the News – Introducing kids to the world of news
This online resource investigates what it is like to be an 18th Century Britain, and discusses the stories from the first fleet and the contact established with the Aboriginal People.
- The first activity has been scaffolded from this resource
Video Descriptions:
First Video - Life Before Contact
First Video - Life Before Contact
- Shows images of the Australian landscape and recounts the Dreamtime stories.
- Demonstrates the prehistory experience of Australian Indigenous peoples.
- This clip with pictures, maps and the landscape gives clear imagery of before the colonisation and links effectively with the second clip of the series.
- Conveys the aboriginal point of view of this event.
- Describes the attempts by both Aboriginal and British people to meet on peaceful terms.
- The phrase ‘Can you imagine’ encourages the students to really think about how it would feel to be an Aboriginal person witnessing the landing.
- Shows the peace created between both Aboriginal people and British people and also demonstrates that it’s not all about violence and destruction.
- Cultural exchange between Lieutenant Dawes (British) and Patyegrang (Aboriginal) and the relationship they formed.
- Trusting and loving relationship.
- Learnt each others culture and each other’s language and cultural protocol and shared their views freely and without reproach.
Assessment:
Ask students to answer questions to ensure they understand the videos watched. Questions to ask are below.
Formative Assessment
- What did the video tell you about Indigenous life before European settlement? (Refers to first video watched)
- How is the landing of the First Fleet described in the video? (Refers to the second video watched)
- What do the videos tell you about contact between the First Fleet settlers and Aboriginal people? (Refers to second video watched)
Stories of the First Fleet, including reasons for the journey, who travelled to Australia, and their experiences following arrival (ACHHK079)
Body:
Teaching Learning Activities:
Now that the students have written down their opinions on how the Aboriginal, British and Convicts felt during this time they are required to get into pairs and perform these differing perspectives.
First activity – discuses British perspectives of Australia: Imagine it is 1787 and you are a European person on a ship arriving in Australia. You might be an officer, a crewmember, a marine or a convict. You have been on the ship for eight months and you have finally arrived in a strange land on the other side of the world.
Imagine you are one of the Aboriginal people watching from the shore as the European people row towards the land that has been inhabited by your people for thousands of years.
This activity ties into the second as the children are now going to link these together and demonstrate the perspectives of all people and perform a role-play of these interactions.
Second Activity – Shows the varying perspectives on all three (Aboriginal, British and convicts) and the interactions the students assume would have happened. (This comes from the knowledge they have already attained from the previous lesson and from the videos showed in this session).
First activity – discuses British perspectives of Australia: Imagine it is 1787 and you are a European person on a ship arriving in Australia. You might be an officer, a crewmember, a marine or a convict. You have been on the ship for eight months and you have finally arrived in a strange land on the other side of the world.
- Get students to think about how they might feel if they were to sail towards a foreign land.
Imagine you are one of the Aboriginal people watching from the shore as the European people row towards the land that has been inhabited by your people for thousands of years.
- Get students to use the emotive words written in their table from the previous activity
This activity ties into the second as the children are now going to link these together and demonstrate the perspectives of all people and perform a role-play of these interactions.
Second Activity – Shows the varying perspectives on all three (Aboriginal, British and convicts) and the interactions the students assume would have happened. (This comes from the knowledge they have already attained from the previous lesson and from the videos showed in this session).
- For this activity students are to role-play the first interactions and demonstrate how each group of people have different feelings and therefore different perspectives.
Organisation:
First Activity: Start in pairs or groups of three if uneven number of students, ensure there is enough space for all children to act out and be able to participate.
Second Activity: Organise students into three large groups (make them as even as possible) each group of students will be acting as a different group of people from the first colonisation. (Aboriginal, British and Convicts).
Second Activity: Organise students into three large groups (make them as even as possible) each group of students will be acting as a different group of people from the first colonisation. (Aboriginal, British and Convicts).
Resources:
The site below helps children grasp an understanding in regards to the First Fleet and provides many activities for teachers to incorporate within the classroom.
A Convict Story - First Australians (This link helped scaffold the role-play activities)
Assessment:
Summative Assessment
- Assess the students in their role-play.
- Take a copy of their workbooks to gain an understanding of their knowledge on the differing perspectives.
Curriculum Links:
Perspective and interpretations: Identify different points of view (ACHHS085)
History/ Historical skills/ Explanation and communication: Use a range of communication forms (oral, graphic, written) and digital technologies (ACHHS087)
Conclusion:
Teaching Learning Activities:
- Students come together and write an individual reflection on the activities they participated in.
- Get students to write down some questions that they are still unsure about.
- Get students to draw a picture of the second role-play they participated in (this should show the perspectives through body language and the emotions).
Organisation:
- This should be done individually – students seated at desks.
- Provides students with time for personal reflection.
Resources:
- Workbook
- Pencil
- Coloured pencils
Assessment:
Check for understanding
- Reflecting on facts and knowledge they have learnt throughout the lesson
- Mini quiz presented at the end of the lesson (multiple choice)