Before and After

Australian Curriculum Links

Learning Area: Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS)
Year Level: Year 3–4
Sub-Strand: History
Content Descriptions:

• Year 4:
  • ACHASSK083: The diversity and longevity of Australia's first peoples and the ways Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples are connected to Country/Place (land, sea, waterways and skies) and the implications for their daily lives.
  • ACHASSK086: The nature of contact between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and the early traders, explorers and settlers, and the effects of these interactions.

General Capabilities

• Intercultural Understanding
• Critical and Creative Thinking
• Personal and Social Capability

Cross-Curriculum Priority

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures

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Learning Intentions

By the end of the lesson, students will:

• Understand key aspects of daily life for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples before European settlement.
• Compare and contrast life before and after 1788.
• Explore the impact of European arrival and early contact.
• Create a timeline showing significant events and comparisons between traditional and colonial life.

Success Criteria

Students will be able to:

• Identify and explain at least two traditional lifestyle practices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.
• Describe at least one way that European settlement changed daily life for Indigenous Australians.
• Construct a simple timeline with at least five key dates or periods.
• Work collaboratively to analyse and discuss historical change.

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Lesson Duration

60 minutes
Class Size: 21 students

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Resources Needed

• A1 paper (for timeline creation – 7 sheets, one per group)
• Glue sticks, scissors, coloured pencils/textas
• Pre-prepared image and text cards showing life before and after 1788
• Printed Dreamtime story (e.g., “The Rainbow Serpent”) for shared reading
• Whiteboard and markers
• Teacher laptop and projector for visual stimulus slides
• Floor mat or gathering space

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Lesson Breakdown

Introduction (10 minutes)

Hook:
Begin with a captivating visual: a split-screen slide showing two scenes — a traditional Aboriginal camp before 1788 and an early colonial settlement after 1788.

Pose the question:
"What do you notice that is different between these two scenes?"
Think-Pair-Share strategy. Allow students 2 minutes to talk with a partner, then collect responses on the board.

Key Inquiry Question Introduction:
Write on the board:
“What was life like in Australia before European settlement?”

Explain today's learning objectives and how students will be exploring changes that happened around 1788.

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Explicit Teaching & Exploration (15 minutes)

Part A: Life Before 1788 (8 minutes)

Using visual slides and teacher narration, walk students through aspects of daily life of a local Aboriginal group (use local nation if known, e.g. the Darug, Wurundjeri etc.):

• Connection to Country
• Hunting and Gathering methods (bush tucker, fishing traps)
• Tools and technology (stone axes, digging sticks)
• Art and storytelling (briefly introduce Dreamtime stories)

Read aloud a short section of a Dreamtime story - ask students to close their eyes and visualise the story (active listening strategy).

Discuss: “Why are stories important to Aboriginal culture?”

Part B: After 1788 – Early Contact (7 minutes)

Guide students through key moments after 1788:

• Arrival of the First Fleet
• Changes to land use (fencing, farming)
• Early interactions – some friendly, others with conflict
• Loss of access to traditional lands

As you teach, pin up key words and images on the whiteboard for later reference.

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Activity: Timeline Creation (25 minutes)

Students work in mixed-ability groups of 3 (7 groups total).

Each group receives a large A1 sheet with a horizontal timeline line already drawn.

They are given:

• Printed image/text cards showing life events (e.g. pre-1788: hunting kangaroos, storytelling by the campfire; post-1788: British flag raising, building of fences, introduction of European animals)
• Blank cards to write their own notes or captions

Task: Organise the cards chronologically and glue them along the timeline.
Include at least two of their own captions. Use coloured pencils to decorate and highlight key changes.

Teacher circulates during this activity, prompting with questions:

• “What changed after 1788?”
• “Can we see any examples of impact on Country?”
• “How might people have felt at the time?”

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Reflection and Sharing (10 minutes)

• Each group shares one event from their timeline they found most interesting or important.
• Class revisits the original Key Inquiry Question.
• Opportunity for students to answer:
  "Why is it important to learn about the lives of Indigenous Australians before 1788?"

Teacher guides discussion with a Yes/No Continuum on the floor:

• “Do you think life improved for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples after 1788?”
  Students stand along a line and share why they chose their place (respectful disagreement encouraged).

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Assessment Opportunities

Formative Assessment:

• Observation of group collaboration and historical vocabulary use
• Quality and sequencing of images on the timeline
• Student responses during reflection and class discussion

Optional Extension Activity:
Invite students to write a diary entry as either a young Aboriginal child in 1786 or in 1789, using what they’ve learnt about cultural practices and historical change.

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Teacher Notes

• Where possible, access local Indigenous community resources to enrich cultural accuracy.
• Ensure sensitivity when discussing dispossession and cultural impact – use affirming and strength-based language about Aboriginal Peoples’ resilience.
• Remind students of respectful storytelling protocols during Dreamtime story sharing.

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Big Idea Recap

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples had rich, sustainable, and meaningful cultures thousands of years before 1788. The arrival of Europeans brought great change, some of which had lasting impacts on Country, culture, and communities.

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Display/Take-Home Suggestion

Create a classroom wall display of the 7 timelines titled:
"Australia: Before and After 1788"
Include student quotes from the discussion to celebrate their insights. Parents and carers can be invited to view the display during open classroom hours next week.