Mapping Country Stories

Fix and improve Week 6 Teaching, Learning and Assessment Sequence
Lesson Focus Aboriginal Cultural Works and Mapping Country Graduate Qualities God-consciousness (Taqwa): Appreciates the beauty and diversity of Allah's (SWT) creation by recognising the deep connection Aboriginal Peoples have maintained with Country for tens of thousands of years. Ilm (Knowledge): Develops an understanding that Aboriginal Cultural works and Oral Traditions communicate knowledge of Country, navigation and caring for the land. Critical and Creative Thinker: Examines Aboriginal Cultural works as geographical evidence and compares them with modern forms of mapping. Vocabulary Tier 2: interpret, examine, represent, preserve, communicate, connection, tradition, evidence Tier 3: Aboriginal Cultural works, Oral Traditions, Country, Dreaming (or Dreaming Stories, depending on your school's terminology), songlines (introduced as a traditional navigation system where appropriate), landscape, mapping, stewardship, cultural knowledge Grammar Explanatory language (e.g. This artwork represents...) Evidence-based sentence starters (e.g. This Cultural work shows..., This suggests that...) Comparative language (e.g. Unlike modern maps..., Similarly...) Resources • Images of Aboriginal Cultural works that represent Country and landscape (from approved educational sources) • Examples of Aboriginal symbols used in artwork (where appropriate) • Videos explaining Aboriginal connections to Country (e.g. AIATSIS or ABC Education) • Large map of Australia • Comparison worksheet (Modern Maps vs Aboriginal Cultural Works) • Drawing paper and pencils NESA Syllabus Outcomes and Content Evidence of Learning HS3-ACH-01 Describes Aboriginal Knowledges and Practices that care for Country and the importance of Aboriginal Languages revival HS3-GEO-01 Examines global citizenship and how people organise, protect and sustainably use the environment, using geographical information

Aboriginal Cultural Knowledges and Practices that care for Country • Examine Aboriginal Cultural works as evidence of Oral Traditions and mapping of landscapes WALT Understand how Aboriginal Cultural works and Oral Traditions communicate knowledge of Country and the landscape.

Success Criteria • I can explain how Aboriginal Cultural works represent Country. • I can identify ways Aboriginal Peoples mapped and cared for the land. • I can compare Aboriginal Cultural works with modern maps. • I can explain why Aboriginal knowledge of Country is important.

Learning Experience 6

Introduction Display an Aboriginal artwork that represents Country (from an approved educational source). Ask students: • What do you notice? • What do you think the artwork is showing? • How is this different from a road map? Explain that Aboriginal Peoples have passed on knowledge of Country through Oral Traditions, artwork and stories for thousands of years. Islamic connection: Discuss how Islam teaches respect for knowledge and encourages us to care for the Earth as Khalifah (stewards), recognising that Aboriginal Peoples have long demonstrated deep knowledge and care for Country.
Explicit Teaching Explain that Aboriginal Cultural works are much more than artwork—they communicate: • important places • journeys • water sources • animals • seasons • relationships with Country Introduce the concept of Oral Traditions and explain how knowledge was passed from generation to generation before written maps. • Compare: • Modern road maps • Aboriginal Cultural works Highlight that although they look different, both communicate important geographical information.
Guided Practice As a class, analyse one Aboriginal Cultural work. Discuss: • What features can you identify? • What might the symbols represent? • What does this tell us about the landscape? • How is information shared differently from a modern map? Students complete a class comparison chart: Modern Maps Aboriginal Cultural Works Roads Journey pathways Labels Symbols and storytelling Compass directions Knowledge of Country Scale Relationships with landscape
Independent Task Students complete a comparison worksheet explaining similarities and differences between modern maps and Aboriginal Cultural works. Then students create a simple visual representation of a familiar place (such as the school, playground or local park) using symbols instead of words. Students write a short explanation describing how their symbols communicate information about the place.

Reflection/Tafakkur Reflection question: "Why is it important to respect different ways of understanding and representing the land?" Discuss how learning from different cultures helps us become respectful, knowledgeable and responsible members of our community.

• Completed comparison worksheet. • Student-created symbolic representation of a familiar place. • Written explanation of symbols used. • Participation in discussion demonstrating understanding of Aboriginal Cultural works as geographical evidence.

Overview

Students examine Aboriginal Cultural works as geographical evidence of knowledge of Country, and compare how this knowledge is communicated with modern mapping. They also create a simple symbolic map of a familiar place and explain how their symbols “communicate” information.

Learning intentions

Students will use WALT: understand how Aboriginal Cultural works and Oral Traditions communicate knowledge of Country and the landscape.
Students will identify how features, symbols, and storytelling represent places, journeys, and relationships with the environment.
Students will compare Aboriginal Cultural works with modern maps using evidence-based language.
Students will explain why Aboriginal knowledge of Country is important to stewardship and sustainability.

Success criteria

I can explain how Aboriginal Cultural works represent Country (e.g. places, journeys, water, animals, seasons).
I can identify ways Aboriginal Peoples mapped and cared for the land.
I can compare similarities and differences between Aboriginal Cultural works and modern maps.
I can explain why protecting and preserving Aboriginal Cultural knowledge (including Aboriginal languages where relevant) matters.

Curriculum links

Aboriginal Cultural works as evidence of Oral Traditions and mapping of landscapes (HS3-ACH-01; focus on Aboriginal knowledges and practices that care for Country and the importance of Aboriginal languages revival).
Investigating how people organise and protect the environment using geographical information (HS3-GEO-01; map comparison and stewardship links).
WALT directly targets “Aboriginal Cultural works and Oral Traditions communicate knowledge of Country and the landscape” through analysis, comparison, and student communication.
Students respond to information in texts by interpreting symbols and features in artworks and videos (information processing through class and independent tasks).

Lesson structure (100 minutes)

0–10 min · Introduction (Artwork noticing). Teacher displays one Aboriginal Cultural work image representing Country and asks: “What do you notice?”, “What do you think it is showing?”, “How is this different from a road map?” Students record quick ideas in their books using sentence starters. Teacher shows the video "Connection to country makes Zac feel free as a bird | Heywire | ABC Australia" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M39E6NChx3U) to introduce the concept of Aboriginal connection to Country.
10–25 min · Explicit teaching (Caring, knowledge, representation). Teacher explains that Aboriginal Cultural works are more than “art”: they communicate important places, journeys, water sources, animals, seasons, and relationships with Country. Teacher introduces “Oral Traditions” as knowledge passed through generations before written maps, and links stewardship to cultural responsibility. Students turn-and-talk to sort ideas into: “Place knowledge” and “Care/stewardship knowledge”.
25–50 min · Guided practice (Analyse one artwork). Teacher leads whole-class analysis of the same artwork using prompts:

What features can you identify?
What might the symbols represent?
What does this suggest about the landscape?
How is information shared differently from a modern map? As teacher guides, students help complete a class comparison chart (Modern Maps vs Aboriginal Cultural Works) including categories: roads/journey pathways, labels/symbols and storytelling, compass directions/knowledge of Country, scale/relationships with landscape. Students practise evidence-based sentence starters aloud: “This Cultural work shows…”, “This suggests…”, “Unlike modern maps…”, “Similarly…” Teacher shows the video "Connection to country makes Zac feel free as a bird | Heywire | ABC Australia" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M39E6NChx3U) again to deepen understanding of Aboriginal connection to Country during analysis.

Sample answer for comparison chart analysis:

Roads/Journey pathways: Modern maps show clear roads and paths for travel; Aboriginal Cultural works show journey lines that represent stories and connections between places.
Labels/Symbols and storytelling: Modern maps use text labels and symbols for places; Aboriginal works use symbols that tell stories and represent cultural knowledge.
Compass directions/Knowledge of Country: Modern maps use compass directions; Aboriginal works show relationships and directions based on knowledge of the land and its features.
Scale/Relationships with landscape: Modern maps use scale to measure distance; Aboriginal works focus on relationships and significance rather than exact measurements.

50–65 min · Check-in (Video connection). Teacher shows a short video about Aboriginal connections to Country (AIATSIS or ABC Education, pre-selected). Students add one new piece of evidence to their comparison chart: “One thing I learned about Country knowledge is…”
65–85 min · Independent task part 1 (Comparison worksheet). Students complete the comparison worksheet explaining similarities and differences between modern maps and Aboriginal Cultural works. Teacher circulates, prompts with question stems, and checks that students use evidence-based language (interpret/examine/represent/evidence/tradition). Teacher reminds students to treat artworks respectfully and avoid “guessing” beyond evidence; they should use cautious language (“might”, “could suggest”).
85–98 min · Independent task part 2 (Symbolic map creation). Students create a simple visual representation of a familiar place (school, playground, local park) using symbols instead of words. They include: at least 5 symbols, a clear organisation (e.g. key/legend area), and one “journey” line showing how to move through the place. Teacher provides a symbol starter sheet for support (e.g. gate, tree, water, building, path). Students must write 3–4 sentences explaining how their symbols communicate information.
98–100 min · Reflection / Tafakkur (Respect and responsibility). Students answer: “Why is it important to respect different ways of understanding and representing the land?” Teacher collects 2–3 oral responses and notes key ideas.

Resources

Images of Aboriginal Cultural works representing Country (from approved educational sources)
Examples of Aboriginal symbols used in artwork (as appropriate to the selected resource)
Short video explaining Aboriginal connections to Country (AIATSIS or ABC Education; pre-selected)
Video: "Connection to country makes Zac feel free as a bird | Heywire | ABC Australia" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M39E6NChx3U)
Large map of Australia (for teacher reference and optional anchoring)
Comparison worksheet: Modern Maps vs Aboriginal Cultural Works
Drawing paper, pencils, ruler (optional)
Evidence sentence starter cards displayed in the room
Symbol starter sheet (for scaffolding)

Assessment

Formative: Teacher observes guided-practice discussion, checking students use evidence-based and comparative language.
Formative: Worksheet review for accuracy of similarities/differences and respectful interpretation.
Summative for the lesson: symbolic map and written explanation plus participation in reflection; teacher uses a brief rubric/checklist (evidence explained, comparison included, respectful language, clarity of symbols).

Differentiation

Support: Provide sentence starters, a partially completed comparison chart, and a symbol starter sheet; allow oral responses before writing for students who need scaffolding.
Support (EAL/SEN): Offer word bank of Tier 2 and Tier 3 vocabulary; permit bilingual support for planning notes, then require final sentences using taught structures.
Challenge/extension for advanced learners: Ask students to include one “stewardship link” (how their place-care ideas connect to environmental protection) and to write one paragraph that begins with “Unlike modern maps…, Aboriginal Cultural works…” and includes at least two evidence phrases.
Choice: Students can choose a familiar place that best matches their lived experience, ensuring engagement and relevance while maintaining task requirements.

Extension (optional)

Omit (not requested).

Teaching Instructions