Local Places Connected

Overview

This 50-minute lesson for Year 2 students in an Australian classroom focuses on the inquiry into how students are connected to local places such as their school, park, and shops. The lesson is explicitly designed to meet the Australian Curriculum (v9) Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS) content and achievement standards, and supports the Berry Street Educational Model with trauma-informed and differentiated practices. Instructional structure follows the I do, We do, You do model for explicit teaching and learning.

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Learning Objectives (WALT)

We Are Learning To:

• Identify and describe local places they are connected to
• Understand the importance of these places in their daily lives
• Share information about local places using appropriate vocabulary
• List local places they visit regularly and explain how they are connected to these places

Aligned Australian Curriculum Content Descriptions (Year 2 HASS):

• AC9HS2S05: Draw conclusions and make proposals related to local places and connections
• AC9HS2K01: Understand the importance of a local place and reasons for its significance
• AC9HS2S06: Develop narratives and share observations about places and connections using subject-specific terms

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Curriculum Links

Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS) Year 2:

• Students explore connections to local places and their significance socially, culturally, or spiritually.
• Develop narrative skills by sharing observations and using relevant location and time vocabulary (e.g., “near,” “opposite,” “years ago”).
• Draw conclusions about how they connect to local places and how these places matter to them and their community.

Achievement Standard:

• By the end of Year 2, students describe their connections to local places and the significance of these places to people, supporting responses with observations and sourced information.
• Students make proposals on how to care for places that are important to them.

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Lesson Duration

50 Minutes (for a class of 25 students, with differentiated support)

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Lesson Plan & Activities

Time	Activity	Instructional Focus	Differentiation / Extension
0-5 min	Introduction & WALT	Discuss lesson purpose and write/display WALT: "We are learning to talk about places we visit." Use a visual map or photos of local places familiar to Darwin students (school, park, shops).	Use clear, simple visuals and concrete objects to support language comprehension. Scaffold vocabulary with visuals.
5-15 min	I Do (Teacher Modelling):	Teacher models how they are connected to local places. For example, "I visit the local park to play on weekends. I go to the shops with my family to buy food." Use visuals and simple sentences, incorporating spatial terms ("near," "next to").	Use storytelling, gestures and show photos to engage diverse learning needs. For EAL or below benchmark students, use sentence frames e.g., "I go to ____."
15-25 min	We Do (Guided Group Work):	As a class and in small groups, generate a list of local places students visit regularly. Use a large shared chart or digital tool with images and labels. Discuss these places' importance and how they help us (e.g., parks for playing, shops for buying food). Use sentence starters ("I go to ___ because...").	Provide visual word banks and pictorial prompts. For students needing support, allow verbal sharing instead of writing. For advanced learners, encourage adding reasons or describing changes (e.g., "I used to go to this place when I was little").
25-40 min	You Do (Independent Activity):	Students create their own list/drawing of local places they visit regularly, and write a simple sentence about each place using guided sentence starters. They can use a provided worksheet with space for drawing and sentences or digital device if available.	For students below benchmark, allow drawing or oral explanation supported by visuals. For advanced students, write additional sentences or a short paragraph describing how they feel connected to the place.
40-45 min	Sharing & Reflection:	Invite students to share their lists/drawings with a partner or small group. Use a simple sentence frame to encourage sharing and listening ("I go to ___." "Why do you go there?").	Pair students strategically for peer support. Encourage advanced learners to ask questions or add new ideas.
45-50 min	Closure & Summary:	Recap key points about local places and connections. Revisit WALT. Praise participation. Provide a takeaway prompt: "Tonight, talk to your family about places you visit in your community."	Reinforce with positive feedback. Provide students needing extra time or support with take-home materials or sentence starters to practice.

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Teaching and Learning Strategies

• Explicit Direct Instruction: I do, We do, You do. Clear demonstration, guided practice, and independent application.
• Use of Visuals: Photos, maps, icons, word banks to support comprehension and engagement.
• Language Support: Sentence frames to scaffold oral and written language. Repetition and modelling of spatial and temporal vocabulary.
• Berry Street Model Alignment: Safety and well-being by creating a predictable, supportive lesson structure with clear instructions and opportunities for success.
• Hands-On & Concrete Materials: Use physical maps or representations of local places, drawing tools, and picture-based worksheets.
• Gamification Idea (Extension): Create a simple "Local Places Bingo" or matching game with pictures and names of community places for advanced learners or as a wrap-up activity.

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Assessment for Learning

• Formative observation of participation during discussions and group activity.
• Review students’ place lists and sentences for understanding of connections and vocabulary use.
• Oral sharing to assess narrative abilities and use of location terms.
• Provide feedback focusing on content understanding and communication skills.

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Additional Notes on Differentiation

• For students below benchmark:

  • Provide extra visual supports, sentence starters, and one-on-one assistance.
  • Allow oral responses or drawings instead of writing if needed.
  • Repeat instructions and check understanding frequently.

• For advanced learners:

  • Encourage using more complex sentences, such as describing how places might have changed or their feelings about the place.
  • Provide an extension where students can interview a family member about places important to them and share findings next lesson.

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Resources Needed

• Photos or images of local places (school, local parks, shops in Darwin community)
• Large chart paper or whiteboard for shared list making
• Student worksheets with space to draw and write
• Visual vocabulary cards and sentence frames
• Drawing materials (crayons, pencils) or digital devices (optional)

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This lesson plan, grounded in the Australian Curriculum (v9), supports social sciences inquiry for Year 2 students focused on their lived experiences and community connections, enhanced with trauma-informed practices and explicit instruction for maximum engagement and learning equity.