Stories and Country

Learning Objectives

• Understand the significance of First Nations stories in Australian culture, focusing on their role in conveying cultural knowledge and relationships to Country.
• Recognise the diversity and cultural importance of First Nations dramatic works.
• Develop respectful listening, speaking, and reflection skills through engagement with First Nations narratives.
• Begin exploring the elements of drama as they relate to storytelling from First Nations perspectives.
• Familiarise students with the ABC Dust Echoes series as a contemporary example of First Nations stories told through drama.

Aligned Australian Curriculum content descriptions (Drama, Years 7-8):

• AC9ADR8E02: Investigate the diversity of drama created and/or performed by First Nations Australians, considering culturally responsive approaches to Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property rights.
• AC9ADR8E01: Investigate ways the elements of drama and/or conventions are used to communicate ideas, perspectives, and/or meaning in drama created and/or performed across cultures, times, places and/or other contexts.
• AC9ADR8C01: Improvise and devise drama and/or interpret scripted drama, manipulating elements of drama and applying conventions relevant to the style/form.
• AC9ADR8D01: Develop performance skills relevant to selected drama styles and/or forms.

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Lesson Duration: 54 minutes

Class size: 25 students

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Lesson Breakdown

1. Introduction and Welcome (5 minutes)

• Greet students and introduce the unit Stories of Country and Culture.
• Explain lesson focus: understanding First Nations stories and their cultural significance.
• Briefly introduce the ABC Dust Echoes audio drama series as a model for storytelling through drama.

2. Discussion: Significance of First Nations Stories (10 minutes)

• Pose open questions to the class:

• Why do you think stories are important to people and communities?
• What might First Nations stories tell us about Country and culture?

• Present key points:

• First Nations stories convey knowledge about connection to Country, cultural laws, history, and identity.
• Stories are a way to teach younger generations and maintain cultural heritage.

• Discuss how storytelling varies and is often performed through song, dance, visual arts, and drama to embody culture.

3. Viewing and Listening Activity – ABC Dust Echoes (15 minutes)

• Play selected short excerpts from the ABC Dust Echoes series, focusing on engaging and culturally rich stories.
• Before listening, set context: share that Dust Echoes features First Nations stories conveyed with respect and collaboration with communities.
• After listening, facilitate a guided class discussion:

• What did the story teach or express about Country or culture?
• What elements of drama did you notice (e.g., voice, sound effects, characterisation)?
• How did it make you feel or think differently?

4. Drama Exploration Activity: Story Circle (15 minutes)

• Arrange students in a circle.
• Introduce and model the Story Circle activity (based on process drama techniques):

• Each student contributes a sentence or idea inspired by First Nations stories or connection to Country.
• Encourage imagination and respect for cultural perspectives.

• Prompt students to add drama elements such as gestures, tone of voice, or space to enrich the shared storytelling moment.
• Aim to collaboratively create a small improvised scene or narrative demonstrating the significance of Country.

5. Reflection and Closing Discussion (8 minutes)

• Invite students to share what they learned about First Nations stories and their role in culture.
• Discuss briefly the importance of cultural respect and ethics in sharing and performing Indigenous stories.
• Provide an overview of the next lessons, including opportunities to create their own drama inspired by the stories and cultures explored.
• Assign a simple reflective journal prompt for after class: "Why are stories important for connecting people to Country and each other?"

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Assessment and Feedback

• Ongoing formative assessment through observation of student participation in discussions and Story Circle.
• Evaluate student understanding by listening to contributions about the significance of First Nations stories.
• Collect reflective journal entries to assess awareness of cultural respect and storytelling importance.
• Use questioning to gauge comprehension of dramatic elements introduced.

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Resources and Materials

• Audio playback equipment for ABC Dust Echoes excerpts.
• Classroom space arranged for circle discussion and movement.
• Reflective journals or paper for students.
• Whiteboard/markers for recording key discussion points.

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Teacher Notes

• Prioritise culturally responsive teaching practices: acknowledge Traditional Owners; respect Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property rights.
• Encourage empathy and respect in all discussions.
• Connect drama elements and conventions explicitly with the stories discussed to build foundational drama skills relevant to the Australian Curriculum.
• Use Viewpoints questions such as “What ideas/perspectives/meaning did the drama communicate?” and “How did the performers use voice/movement to make their characters believable?” to guide analysis.
• Emphasise collaboration and co-creation in drama activities to reflect community-centred Indigenous storytelling traditions.

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This plan blends curriculum content descriptions and elaborations with cultural sensitivity and active drama learning techniques to create an engaging foundational lesson for Year 7 students on First Nations storytelling through drama.