Australian Voices: Identity

Lesson 1 Introduction to Australian Voices - Identity Think Pair Share: What is your identity? How do we identify ourselves? Think Students individually brainstorm their own identity. What do you think your friends, siblings, parents would say if they were asked to identify you? Students individually consider how they are perceived by others. Teacher asks students to consider if they have described themselves in terms of their personality, their roles and relationships or their skills. Reflect - what does this say about you and what you have been taught to value about yourself? What is the Australian identity? Students individually brainstorm what it means to be ‘Australian’ or have an ‘Australian’ identity and share their ideas with a partner. Pair Students share their response with partners. Mind-mapping: Pairs join up to make groups of 4. In groups, students discuss the following questions and record their ideas in a mindmap: What does it mean to be an “Aussie”? What makes Australia unique? How would you describe the Australian identity? How has Australia developed over time into what it is today? Where does the Australia image/identity come from?

Overview

Students explore identity by linking personal values and perceptions to ideas and experiences in texts. They begin planning how “Australian identity” may be represented, setting up later learning where they analyse and respond to viewpoints in Australian texts.

Learning intentions

Students will:

identify ideas, experiences and values connected to identity in discussion prompts
explain how identity can be shaped by perspective and context
create and organise a group mindmap of key ideas about being “Australian”
practise respectful speaking and listening while sharing perspectives

Success criteria

Students can:

describe identity using personality, roles/relationships, and skills
share ideas about what “Australian identity” might mean, with at least one reason or example
contribute to a group mindmap with clear headings and supporting notes
listen to a partner and build on their ideas respectfully

Curriculum links

ENLS-URB-01: Students identify ideas, experiences and values in a range of texts through personal and class discussion
EN4-URB-01 (focus for meaning): Students examine and explain how texts represent ideas, experiences and values by considering perspective and context
EN4-RVL-01 (skills for understanding): Students use strategies to read/view/interpret ideas by focusing on meaning and reflecting during discussion
EN4-ECA-01 (composing): Students begin to create an organised response (mindmap) using conventions of text features (headings, notes) to express ideas

Lesson structure (60 minutes)

0–5 min · Welcome and prompt. Teacher writes: “What is your identity? How do we identify ourselves?” and briefly explains the goal: today we generate ideas for “Australian voices”. Students read the prompt and settle with one quick self-thought.
5–15 min · Think pair share (individual then partner). Teacher instructs Think: brainstorm what makes up your identity; then prompts students to consider how others might describe them. Students complete individual brainstorming, then pair-share: “What would your friends, siblings or parents say to identify you?”
15–20 min · Whole-class reflection check. Teacher asks guiding questions: “Have you described yourself by personality, roles/relationships, or skills? What does this say about what you value?” Students reflect in their brains; teacher calls on 2–3 volunteers to share one sentence.
20–30 min · What is Australian identity? (Think + share). Teacher asks students to think: “What does it mean to be ‘Australian’ or have an ‘Australian’ identity?” and reminds them to include a “because…” reason. Students brainstorm individually, then share ideas with a partner (short turn-taking: ~1 minute each).
30–45 min · Mindmapping in groups (4). Teacher forms groups of four and provides mindmap paper or a digital mindmap template with the central bubble “Australian identity”. Students discuss and record ideas with the following prompts (teacher writes them on the board):

What does it mean to be an “Aussie”?
What makes Australia unique?
How would you describe the Australian identity?
How has Australia developed over time into what it is today?
Where does the Australia image/identity come from?

45–55 min · Gallery walk and evidence talk. Teacher instructs a quick walk: each group leaves with 1 “interesting idea” and 1 “question” from another group’s mindmap. Students circulate, read other mindmaps, and write a brief note on sticky paper for one selected group.
55–60 min · Exit ticket and tidy-up. Teacher collects exit tickets and reminds students to keep language respectful and evidence-based (no personal attacks). Students complete: “One idea about identity I contributed today was… / One question I still have about Australian identity is…”

Resources

Mindmap templates (A3 or A4) or digital mindmap tool access for each group
Sticky notes (different colours for “idea” and “question”)
Board/slide with discussion prompts and group mindmap headings
Timer for partner and gallery walk tasks
Student notebook or worksheet for individual brainstorming

Assessment

Formative discussion check: teacher listens for student use of identity categories (personality, roles/relationships, skills) during think-pair-share
Group mindmap review: teacher scans for clarity of main ideas and at least one reason/example linked to each prompt
Exit ticket: checks understanding of ideas about identity and ability to generate thoughtful questions

Differentiation

Provide sentence starters on the board, e.g. “I think my identity includes…”, “Others may see me as…”, “Australian identity could mean… because…”
Offer an “ideas bank” for students who need support (identity, community, values, culture, belonging, experiences, history, media)
Extension for fast finishers: add one “perspective” note (e.g., “Someone new to Australia might see it differently because…”)
EAL/SEN support: allow brainstorming in first language, then students translate/select key words for the mindmap; provide reduced prompts on a smaller card if needed

Teaching Instructions