Culture and Relationships

Lesson Overview

• Year levels: 3 and 4
• Subject: Health
• Duration: 60 minutes
• Class size: 25 students
• Unit: Understanding Relationships (Lesson 5 of 10)
• Lesson Title: Understanding Culture in Relationships – Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Perspectives
• Focus: Exploring how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ connections to Country, Community, and Culture strengthen relationships; reflecting on students’ own cultural backgrounds; creating a personal connection map.
• Curriculum Alignment: NSW Health and Physical Education Curriculum, Years 3-4

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Learning Objectives

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

1. Identify how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ connections to Country, community, and culture strengthen and nurture relationships.
2. Recognise the role of culture in building respect and understanding within relationships.
3. Reflect on and articulate aspects of their own cultural backgrounds and how these influence their relationships.
4. Create a personal connection map to illustrate how culture strengthens their relationships.

NSW Curriculum Links

• Content Descriptions:
• AC9HP4M05: Investigate factors that contribute to the development and maintenance of respectful relationships.
• AC9HP4M06: Explore how personal and cultural identities influence relationships with others.
• AC9HP4M07: Examine how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples maintain connections to Country and cultural practices, and how this strengthens relationships within communities.
• Achievement Standard:
• Students identify influences that strengthen identities and describe strategies to manage relationships respectfully.
• Students apply strategies to interact respectfully with others and describe how cultural connections enhance understanding and respect in relationships.

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Lesson Structure and Timing

Time (mins)	Activity	Description
0–10	Introduction and Connection to Prior Learning	Brief recap of previous lessons on relationships and respect. Introduce the concept of culture’s role in relationships, especially in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander contexts.
10–25	Video and Story Exploration	Show age-appropriate video(s) and/or read a story that illustrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ connections to Country, Community, and Culture, focusing on how these strengthen relationships. (E.g., Dreamtime story or community connection video).
25–35	Group Discussion and Guided Questions	Facilitate a class discussion to relate the stories/videos to the students’ own experiences and understandings of culture. Use guiding questions to ensure respectful participation and deeper understanding.
35–55	Personal Connection Map Activity	Students create an individual visual connection map that represents their own cultural background(s) and shows how these cultural connections help strengthen their relationships. Encourage creativity (words, symbols, drawings).
55–60	Reflection and Sharing	Invite some volunteers to share their maps and reflections with the class. Summarise the lesson’s key ideas about culture and relationships. Provide positive reinforcement.

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Detailed Activity Descriptions

Introduction and Connection to Prior Learning (10 minutes)

• Teacher briefly reviews key ideas about respectful relationships from previous lessons.
• Introduce concept: "Culture helps us build strong and respectful relationships."
• Explain that today’s focus is learning from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s special connections to their land, community, and culture.
• Activate prior knowledge by asking: "What do you think ‘culture’ means?"

Video and Story Exploration (15 minutes)

• Show a short video (~5-7 min) featuring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people talking about their connection to Country and community, or tell a traditional Dreamtime story that conveys themes of connection and respect.
• Use visual and auditory materials suited to Year 3-4 English literacy levels.
• Pause to emphasise key points about connection, respect, and culture.
• Reinforce that these connections help maintain strong, respectful relationships.

Group Discussion and Guided Questions (10 minutes)

• Discussion prompts:
• How do you think connecting with your culture helps relationships?
• What are some ways your family or community shows respect to each other?
• How can learning about other cultures help us understand and respect each other?
• Ensure every student has an opportunity to contribute, respecting different communication styles.
• Teacher summarises key ideas on the board or chart paper.

Personal Connection Map Activity (20 minutes)

• Provide paper and coloured pencils/markers for each student.
• Instructions: Draw a "Connection Map" that shows things that are important to your culture or family. These could be traditions, celebrations, places, language, food, or people.
• Around the map, write or draw connections showing how these cultural aspects help build your friendships, family relationships, and community.
• Teacher circulates offering guidance, encouragement, and questions to deepen thinking.
• Incorporate elements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art styles or symbols if culturally appropriate and after consultation.

Reflection and Sharing (5 minutes)

• Invite 3-4 students to share their maps and explain how culture strengthens their relationships.
• Teacher acknowledges and affirms all contributions.
• Recap: Culture is an important part of who we are and helps us build respect and strong connections with others.
• Set a positive tone for the next lesson.

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Assessment and Follow-Up

• Formative Assessment: Observe student participation in discussions, their understanding of cultural connections as seen in verbal and non-verbal contributions.
• Artifact: Personal Connection Maps serve as evidence of students’ understanding of culture in relationships.
• Provide verbal feedback highlighting insights and respectful attitudes.
• Encourage students to show their maps at home and discuss with family.

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Classroom and Teacher Resources

• Age-appropriate video(s) on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander connections to Country and culture (teacher-selected or school library resources)
• Storybooks or Dreamtime stories that highlight cultural connections and respect
• Art materials for personal maps (blank paper, coloured markers/pencils)
• Chart paper or whiteboard for group discussion notes

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Differentiation and Inclusion

• Provide additional support through prompts or sentence starters for students who need assistance during the mapping activity.
• Use visual aids and concrete examples to support diverse learning needs.
• Ensure content respects cultural protocols; consult local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community resources if possible.
• Encourage multiple modes of expression (drawing, writing, oral explanation).

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This lesson plan embraces the NSW curriculum’s focus on respectful relationships and cultural understanding, specifically recognising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives, to build empathy, respect, and a sense of identity among Year 3 and 4 students.