Changing Perspectives

Year Level

Year 10

Duration

70 minutes

Class Size

30 students

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Curriculum Alignment

Australian Curriculum Version 9 Reference (Humanities and Social Sciences - History)

• Content Description:
  • AC9HH10K11: The significant events and methods in the movement for the civil rights of First Nations Australians and the extent to which they contributed to change
  • AC9HH10S05: Analyse cause and effect, and evaluate patterns of continuity and change in historical events

General Capabilities and Cross-Curriculum Priorities

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures
• Critical and creative thinking
• Ethical understanding
• Intercultural understanding

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Learning Objectives

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

1. Explain the role and significance of the Australian Freedom Rides in challenging racial segregation and changing Australian views on Aboriginal rights.
2. Analyse cause and effect relationships between the Freedom Rides in the USA and Australia, linking civil rights movements internationally.
3. Evaluate how specific events during the Australian Freedom Rides contributed to social and political changes for First Nations Australians.
4. Develop and express historical arguments with supporting evidence using a variety of sources.

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Resources Required

• Short video excerpt summarising the Australian Freedom Rides (approx. 5 mins)
• Copies of primary source excerpts (e.g., newspaper reports, photographs from the 1965 Freedom Rides)
• Timeline handout of key civil rights events in Australia (right to vote federally in 1962, 1965 Freedom Rides, 1967 Referendum)
• Whiteboard or interactive board
• Worksheets for group activity
• Projector for video and images
• Sticky notes and markers

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Lesson Outline

1. Introduction and Stimulus (10 minutes)

• Begin by asking students what they know about "Freedom Rides" in Australia and the USA; record brief ideas on the board.
• Present a 5-minute video summarising the Australian Freedom Rides led by Charles Perkins in 1965 and their connection to the American civil rights movement.
• Pose a key inquiry question: "How did the Australian Freedom Rides contribute to changing views and rights for Aboriginal Australians?"

2. Historical Context and Explanation (15 minutes)

• Using the timeline handout, guide students through key events that shaped the Aboriginal civil rights movement: federally gaining voting rights (1962), the 1965 Freedom Rides, the 1967 Referendum.
• Present a mini-lecture outlining:
  • The racial segregation and discrimination in rural NSW at the time
  • The influence of the US civil rights movement on Australian activists
  • The outcomes and media impact of the 1965 Freedom Rides

3. Analyse Primary Sources in Groups (20 minutes)

• Divide the class into mixed-ability groups of 5.
• Provide each group with different sets of primary sources from the Freedom Rides (photographs, newspaper clippings, excerpts from participant interviews).
• Task: Using the worksheet, groups identify causes, effects, and perspectives shown in the sources. They should note:
  • Evidence of segregation and discrimination
  • Public and media reactions
  • Immediate and longer-term effects on Aboriginal rights (e.g., shifts in public opinion, policy changes)
• Groups use sticky notes to annotate source copies or direct the teacher to highlight key points digitally if available.

4. Whole-Class Discussion and Historical Argument Development (15 minutes)

• Each group shares one key discovery from their sources.
• Facilitate a discussion linking their findings to the broader civil rights movement in Australia.
• As a class, develop a historical argument answering the key inquiry question:
  • “The Australian Freedom Rides were a pivotal moment that helped change public attitudes and promote Aboriginal civil rights.”
• Highlight how cause and effect, continuity, and change are demonstrated.

5. Reflection and Exit Task (10 minutes)

• Individually, students write a short paragraph responding to:
  • "How did international influences affect Aboriginal rights movements in Australia, and why is the Australian Freedom Ride still significant today?"
• Collect responses for formative assessment of their understanding of cause, effect, and significance.
• Conclude by previewing how this links to future study of subsequent civil rights milestones (e.g., 1967 Referendum).

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Assessment & Differentiation

• Formative Assessment:
  • Observation during group activity and whole-class discussion.
  • Exit task paragraph to assess understanding and ability to articulate historical perspectives.
• Differentiation:
  • Mixed-ability groups encourage peer support.
  • Provide scaffolded worksheets with guiding questions and sentence starters for students needing support.
  • Extension challenge: higher-achieving students can compare and contrast Australian and US Freedom Rides more deeply or critique differing historical interpretations.

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Reflection & Follow-Up

• Encourage students to consider how activism and social movements can bring about change.
• Follow-up lessons to explore the 1967 Referendum and other key civil rights milestones for First Nations Australians.
• Suggest creative projects, such as digital storyboards or oral history interviews with community members, to deepen engagement.

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This lesson plan provides a structured, interactive approach consistent with the Australian Curriculum (v9) History standards for Year 10. It balances content knowledge, historical inquiry skills, and critical thinking through engaging multimodal resources and group collaboration, designed to inspire deep understanding and empathy with the Aboriginal civil rights movement and its legacy. It also links local history to global contexts in a way that resonates with young Australians and their diverse experiences.