Symbols and Identity

Overview

Year Level: Year 9
Subject: Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS) – Civics and Citizenship
Lesson Duration: 45 minutes
Unit Title: Defining Australian Identity (Lesson 7 of 10)
Curriculum Link:

• Australian Curriculum: Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS) – Civics and Citizenship, Year 9
• Strand: Civics and Citizenship Knowledge and Understanding
• Content Descriptor:
  • ACHCK066: How and why individuals and groups, including religious groups, participate in and contribute to civic life.
  • ACHCK081: The influences that shape national identity, including the arts, language, music, sport and celebrations.
• General Capabilities:
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Intercultural Understanding

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Learning Intentions

• Students will identify and analyse key symbols of Australian identity.
• Students will explore how these symbols reflect evolving national values.
• Students will critically engage with debates around national symbols such as the Australian Flag.

Success Criteria

By the end of the lesson, students will:

• Explain the significance of at least three Australian symbols.
• Reflect on how national identity can evolve over time.
• Participate respectfully in discussion around the meaning and relevance of national symbols.

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Resources Required

• Printed copies of Australian symbols handout (flag, coat of arms, national anthem, Aboriginal flag, Torres Strait Islander flag, wattle)
• Butcher's paper and markers
• Sticky notes
• Whiteboard and markers
• PowerPoint presentation (with images of national symbols)
• Short video clip (provided by teacher) on the history of Australian symbols (approx. 3 minutes)

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Lesson Sequence

1. Welcome and Warm-up (5 minutes)

• Greet students and briefly recap the previous lesson on "Migration and Identity".
• Pose the question on the board:
  "What symbol do you think best represents Australia today?"
• Students quickly write their answer on a sticky note and post it on the "Identity Wall" at the front of the room.
• Read a few sticky notes aloud to showcase the diversity of opinions.

2. Introduction: Setting the Scene (5 minutes)

• Play the short 3-minute video clip explaining the history and significance of major Australian symbols.
• After the video, ask:
  "Did anything about our symbols surprise you? What questions do you have?"
• Gather 2-3 quick student responses to transition into the next activity.

3. Core Activity: Deep Dive into Symbols (20 minutes)

Jigsaw Group Activity

• Form groups of 5 students (5 groups total).
• Each group receives one symbol to focus on:
  • Group 1: Australian Flag
  • Group 2: Aboriginal Flag
  • Group 3: Torres Strait Islander Flag
  • Group 4: Australian Coat of Arms
  • Group 5: Golden Wattle (national floral emblem)

Task Instructions:

• Each group reads a short fact sheet about their assigned symbol.
• Groups discuss:
  1. The origins and history of their symbol.
  2. What values or ideas this symbol represents.
  3. How this symbol might be viewed by different Australians (e.g., First Nations peoples, new migrants, rural communities).
• Groups create a mini-poster on butcher's paper summarising their findings creatively (including drawings, keywords, and quotes).

During Activity:

• Teacher circulates, prompting deeper thinking with questions like:
  • "How might different groups feel about this symbol?"
  • "Has the meaning of this symbol changed over time?"

4. Group Gallery Walk (10 minutes)

• Each group displays their poster around the room.
• Students do a silent ‘gallery walk’, spending ~2 minutes at each group’s poster.
• As they move around, they must write one thought or question on a sticky note and stick it next to each poster:
  "What did you learn?" or "What do you wonder?"

5. Reflection and Discussion (5 minutes)

• Return to seats.
• Facilitate a full-class discussion:
  • "Which symbol do you think best reflects modern Australia? Why?"
  • "Should national symbols change as societies change? Why or why not?"
• Encourage respectful listening and constructive contributions.

Optional Challenge Question for Critical Thinkers:

"If Australia were to create a new national symbol today, what might it look like and why?"

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Assessment Opportunities

• Observation of group discussions and contributions during jigsaw activity.
• Quality and creativity of the group posters.
• Depth of student reflections in sticky-note comments during the gallery walk.
• Oral contributions during class discussion.

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Differentiation

• Support: Provide scaffolded question prompts for groups who need help getting started.
• Extension: Encourage faster groups to design a new modern Australian symbol on a second butcher’s paper sheet.
• ESL learners: Provide visual glossaries and allow oral rather than written participation.

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Reflection for Future Planning

Following this lesson, the teacher can review sticky-note reflections and class discussion notes to gauge:

• Students’ understanding of historical vs. contemporary national identity.
• Sensitivities around contested symbols.
• The need for more explicit instruction on Indigenous perspectives before the next lesson.

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Notes for the Teacher:

• Be prepared to sensitively manage discussions around contested symbols (especially the Australian Flag and Aboriginal Flag).
• Always frame discussions around respect, empathy, and historical context, reminding students that national identity is complex and multidimensional.

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Next Lesson: ➡️ Exploring Australian Identity Through Sport and Popular Culture

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