Advocacy and Activism

Year Level

Year 8 (Australia)

Unit

Understanding the Stolen Generations (Lesson 6 of 10)

---

Lesson Duration

45 minutes

---

Curriculum Alignment

Learning Area: Humanities and Social Sciences
Subject: History
Year Level: 8
Australian Curriculum Content Descriptions:

• AC9HH8S08: Create descriptions, explanations and historical arguments, using historical knowledge, concepts and terms that reference evidence from sources【6:AC9HH8S08.md】
• Focus on understanding advocacy, activism and their impacts within Australian history, especially related to the Stolen Generations.

---

Learning Objective (WALT)

We Are Learning To:
Analyze the influence of advocacy and activism in raising awareness of the Stolen Generations.

---

Success Criteria

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

• Identify key advocacy groups and activists involved with the Stolen Generations.
• Describe the contributions and methods of activism used to promote awareness and change.
• Evaluate the influence advocacy has had on Australian society’s understanding of the Stolen Generations.

---

Differentiation

• Pair students with stronger readers with those who may benefit from peer support to assist comprehension in group work.
• Provide dyslexia-friendly reading material (clear font, short paragraphs, visual supports) for all reading activities.

---

Extension Activity

• Plan a brief outline for a class awareness campaign on Indigenous issues related to the Stolen Generations, considering format, target audience and key messages.

---

Materials Needed

• Dyslexia-friendly fact sheets on major advocacy groups and activists (e.g., Bringing Them Home report contributors, Aboriginal rights activists)
• Short video/audio excerpts featuring activists’ speeches or interviews (subtitled)
• Large paper/posters or digital devices for campaign planning
• Whiteboard and markers

---

Lesson Activities and Timings

1. Introduction and Recap (5 minutes)

• Teacher briefly revisits key facts about the Stolen Generations from previous lessons to activate prior knowledge.
• Introduce today's focus: the role of advocacy and activism in raising public awareness and driving change.

2. Mini-lecture with Visuals (7 minutes)

• Present a short overview of important advocacy groups (e.g., Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission, bringing them home report advocates) and well-known activists who raised awareness about the Stolen Generations.
• Show images/posters of protests, campaign events, and significant reports.
• Explain concepts of advocacy and activism in accessible terms.

3. Group Reading & Discussion (12 minutes)

• Students form pairs (pairing stronger readers with others) and receive dyslexia-friendly fact sheets about different advocacy groups/activists.
• Each pair reads their fact sheet, highlighting key contributions and methods of activism used.
• In pairs, students discuss questions:
  • Who was involved in advocacy for the Stolen Generations?
  • What kinds of activities did they do (e.g., protests, reports, media campaigns)?
  • How did their actions influence public opinion or government policies?

4. Whole-Class Share & Synthesis (7 minutes)

• Pairs share insights with the class; teacher facilitates a mind-map on the board linking groups, activists, and advocacy methods.
• Guide discussion to highlight the influence of advocacy on societal understanding and government apology.

5. Extension / Campaign Planning (10 minutes)

• Individually or in small groups, students brainstorm and briefly plan an awareness campaign on a related Indigenous issue, considering:
  • Message focus
  • Target audience
  • Medium (poster, video, social media post)
• Encourage creative thinking but keep plans brief given time.

6. Closing and Reflection (4 minutes)

• Recap key points: Identify one advocacy group or activist each student remembers and one fact about advocacy’s impact.
• Remind students of the ‘success criteria’ and how today’s lesson related to them.
• Set expectation that next lesson will build on activism and reconciliation efforts.

---

Assessment and Feedback

• Formative assessment through observation of pair reading discussions and class sharing.
• Informal questioning to check understanding.
• Review campaign plans for engagement and application of knowledge (can be expanded in future lessons).

---

Additional Notes for Teachers

• Ensure content is presented respectfully and sensitively, acknowledging the trauma related to the Stolen Generations.
• Integrate multimodal resources to aid understanding, including short videos or audio clips with subtitles.
• Provide clear instructions and scaffold discussions to support all learners.
• Encourage empathy and critical thinking about activism's role in social change.

---

This lesson plan addresses Australian Curriculum Year 8 history requirements by developing historical explanations and analysis of advocacy's role, referencing evidence from sources, and linking to contemporary civic awareness and action【6:AC9HH8S08.md】. It incorporates differentiation and extension strategies tailored to the diverse needs of Year 8 learners while fostering respectful engagement with a sensitive topic.