Culture and Landforms

Overview

Lesson 8 of 24 in “Exploring Landforms and Landscapes” builds on students’ understanding of Australian landscapes and landforms by focusing on cultural significance—how different peoples value places, and how these meanings shape connection to Country/Place.

Learning intentions

Students will be able to:

• Explain that landscapes and landforms have spiritual, aesthetic and cultural value for people.
• Research a chosen culture’s perspectives on a specific landform and identify key reasons it is valued.
• Compare how cultural values shape the way people describe, protect or visit landforms.
• Present research findings clearly using an appropriate format.

Success criteria

“I can …”

• Describe a landform and explain why it is valued in one culture.
• Use reliable information to support my ideas about cultural meaning (not just facts about physical features).
• Clearly organise my findings (title, key points, evidence, and a short conclusion).
• Present to the class using a chosen format (poster, oral or digital) with audience-friendly clarity.

Curriculum links

• AC9HG8K03: explore the spiritual, aesthetic and cultural value of landscapes and landforms for people, including Country/Place of First Nations Australians.
• AC9HG8S02: collect, organise and represent information from secondary research, using digital tools as appropriate and represent findings in suitable formats.
• HASS/Geography inquiry skills: communicate using structured explanations and appropriate representations of information.

Lesson structure ({total minutes})

1. 0–5 min · Hook conversation. Teacher shows two quick images of the same landform: one showing a natural view, and another showing cultural practice/telling stories (teacher-prepared images). Students turn-and-talk: “What might people value about this place besides how it looks?”

2. 5–12 min · Mini-teach: values of places. Teacher explains that landscapes can hold spiritual, aesthetic and cultural meaning; names such meanings without requiring personal disclosure. Students complete a quick “Think–Pair–Share” chart: Spiritual / Cultural / Aesthetic values (examples offered, students add one idea each).

3. 12–22 min · Research planning (guided). Teacher distributes a one-page research scaffold and a short list of age-appropriate prompts (no hyperlinks; students use teacher-provided sources or saved files). Students choose one culture and one landform (from a class option list). They write:

• Landform + location (short factual sentence)
• 2–3 “Why it is valued” reasons (with evidence phrase stems)
• One quote/paraphrase from a source (teacher model for paraphrasing)

4. 22–33 min · Research time (teacher circulates). Teacher provides support for evaluating sources (relevance and reliability) and reminds students to respect cultural protocols; students gather notes, then select their best 3 evidence points. If using digital tools, students save files with their names and topic.

5. 33–41 min · Create and rehearse. Teacher allocates the creation format: poster, oral, or digital; students work on their product. Students do a 30-second rehearsal with a partner, using a checklist: clear title, key points, evidence, respectful tone, and conclusion sentence.

6. 41–45 min · Exit ticket (check understanding). Students submit: “One cultural value of a landform is… because…” plus one sentence starting with “I used evidence from…”

Resources

• Teacher-prepared image set showing natural views and cultural connections (printed or on screen)
• Student research scaffold (tables for values + evidence)
• Printed or offline source packs (teacher-curated) about cultural significance of landforms
• Sticky notes or note cards for evidence selection
• Poster paper, markers/colour pencils, glue sticks (for those choosing posters)
• Chromebooks/iPads or class computers (optional) with offline access to source documents
• Oral presentation prompt cards (structure: intro, reasons, evidence, conclusion)
• Teacher checklist for success criteria
• Dyslexia-friendly options: dyslexia-friendly font worksheets, audio recordings of directions/sources (where available)

Assessment

• Formative during research planning: teacher checks students’ “Why it is valued” reasons and evidence phrases.
• Product check using the success criteria checklist before presentations.
• Exit ticket to assess whether students link cultural values to reasons supported by evidence.

Differentiation

• Support for students needing scaffolding:
• Sentence starters for evidence and explanation (e.g., “This landform is valued because… The source explains that…”).
• Provide a simplified notes table with fewer cells and an example filled in.
• Offer a shortlist of cultures/landforms to reduce choice load.
• Extension for students ready to go further:
• Add a brief “Compare” line: “This value is different/similar to another culture because…”
• Encourage more than two evidence points and a stronger conclusion.
• EAL learners:
• Offer visual organisers and bilingual glossary for key words like “value”, “meaning”, “connection”, “tradition”.
• Allow oral rehearsal before writing; accept paraphrases rather than direct quotes.
• Dyslexia-friendly reading options:
• Provide audio read-aloud of source packs and instructions.
• Use clear chunking: one paragraph per note card; highlight key sentences in student sheets.
• Allow students to record notes orally to a partner or teacher while the partner writes.