Caring for Important Places

Overview

This is lesson 4 of 5 in Our Diverse Places. Students investigate why local places matter to different people, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ connections to Country/Place. They consider community perspectives and create a persuasive poster recommending respectful ways to care for an important place.

Learning intentions

Students will:

• explain why a place can be important to different people and groups
• identify ways Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are connected to Country/Place
• develop a question and use evidence from images and short statements
• create a persuasive poster encouraging people to care for a place
• listen respectfully to perspectives that may differ from their own

Success criteria

• I can explain why a place is important to at least two people or groups.
• I can describe a respectful connection to Country/Place without treating all First Nations peoples as the same.
• I can suggest a realistic action that cares for a place.
• I can use a clear message, reason and persuasive language in my poster.

Curriculum links

• Causes and effects of changes to the local community, including contributions from people of diverse backgrounds.
• Ways First Nations Australians in different parts of Australia are interconnected with Country/Place.
• Developing questions to guide investigations about people, places and issues.
• Representing Australia, including First Nations Countries/Places, and using geographical perspectives to locate and discuss places.

Lesson structure (40 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Hook and prior learning. Teacher displays a local place in two contrasting conditions, such as a cared-for park and a littered or damaged park, using the opening place comparison and asks, “Why might this place matter, and what happens when people do not care for it?” Students silently notice details, then share one observation and one question with a partner. Briefly connect to lessons 1–3: places have natural, managed and constructed features, and people can change places.

2. 5–12 min · Build understanding. Teacher explains that a place may be important for recreation, work, family memories, culture, history, nature or belonging. Use the reasons places matter slides to introduce Country/Place as more than land: it can include relationships with waters, skies, living things, ancestors, stories, responsibilities and community. Emphasise that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are diverse, each Country/Place has its own stories and protocols, and students should not copy or invent sacred stories or cultural designs. Students complete a quick think-pair-share: “A place can matter because…” and identify one respectful behaviour when learning about First Nations connections.

3. 12–18 min · Investigate perspectives. Teacher places four short, age-appropriate perspectives on the community perspectives slides: a local Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander perspective sourced appropriately by the school, a child who uses the place, a local worker or volunteer, and a native animal or environmental perspective. Model asking, “Who is speaking? What matters to them? What evidence supports this?” In pairs, students choose one perspective and formulate an inquiry question, such as “Why is this place important to them?” or “What could happen if it is damaged?” Invite two pairs to share.

4. 18–23 min · Plan a persuasive response. Teacher models a poster using the poster model and instructions: a specific title, clear recommendation, reason, evidence or example, and a practical action. Model respectful persuasive language such as “Let’s…”, “We should… because…” and “Our community can…”. Explain that a poster may focus on a local place such as a park, beach, creek, library, memorial, playground or community garden. Students select a place and complete the planning section of the important place poster planner. They identify who values the place, why it matters, one concern, and one action that could help.

5. 23–35 min · Create and conference. Teacher distributes paper and drawing materials, displays the poster success criteria, and circulates to question and support students: “Who is your audience?”, “What is your strongest reason?” and “How will your action show care?” Avoid asking students to represent restricted cultural knowledge or imitate First Nations artwork. Students create a persuasive poster using their plan. They include a heading, a drawing or labelled feature, a reason, and a specific caring action. Partners quietly check one another’s work against the success criteria before students revise.

6. 35–40 min · Gallery reflection and assessment. Teacher invites students to place posters where they can be viewed and uses the success criteria exit ticket for the closing response. Students read two posters, identify one convincing idea, and complete: “This place matters because…”, “One respectful action is…”, and “One question I still have is…”. Collect planners, posters and exit tickets to inform lesson 5.

Resources

• the Caring for Important Places slide deck
• the important place poster planner
• the success criteria exit ticket
• Projector or interactive display
• A carefully selected local place photograph or before-and-after image
• Teacher-approved local Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander community perspective
• A4 paper or poster paper
• Coloured pencils, markers and rulers
• Sticky notes or display space for the gallery walk

Assessment

• Listen for students’ explanations during pair discussion and check that they recognise different perspectives rather than making generalisations about First Nations peoples.
• Review the planning sheet for a relevant question, identified perspective, reason the place matters and realistic caring action.
• Use posters and exit tickets to assess whether students can communicate a persuasive message and connect care for a place with community responsibility.

Differentiation

• Provide oral rehearsal, picture prompts, a word bank and sentence starters: “This place is important to…”, “We should… because…”, and “If we care for it, …”.
• Allow students to dictate ideas, scribe, use speech-to-text or present their recommendation orally before creating the poster.
• Pair students strategically and provide a partially completed planning sheet for students requiring additional support.
• Extend confident students by asking them to address two audiences, include a likely consequence of inaction, or propose a community action involving local decision-makers.
• Use only publicly appropriate, teacher-approved First Nations materials; consult local community guidance where possible and acknowledge that cultural knowledge and permissions vary between Countries/Places.