Voices and Faith

Overview

• Unit Title: Colonisation: Voices Unheard
• Lesson: 5 of 10
• Lesson Title: The Role of Religious Organisations in Colonisation
• Subject: Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS)
• Year Level: Year 8
• Time: 120 minutes
• Australian Curriculum Link:
  • History (Year 8):
    • ACHHK077 – The nature of contact between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and others, for example, the Macassans and the Europeans, and the effects of these interactions
    • ACHHK078 – The impact of colonisation, including the introduction of Christianity and the consequences for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples

---

Learning Intentions

By the end of this lesson, the student will:

• Understand the historical role of religious organisations during the colonisation of Australia
• Evaluate both supportive and oppositional positions taken by religious groups towards colonisation
• Critically assess how faith-based actions impacted Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples
• Communicate their perspectives on these historical influences through creative and analytical tasks

---

Success Criteria

• Can identify and explain the major religious organisations involved in colonisation
• Can describe both positive and negative influences of religious involvement
• Can draw conclusions from case studies using evidence
• Can express and defend a viewpoint on the role of religion in colonisation through a visual or written piece

---

Resources

• Printed case study packs (3 curated examples)
• Timeline handout outlining major colonial and religious events (1750–1901)
• A3 sheets for concept maps
• Artefact gallery cards (images and descriptions of missionary sites, key figures)
• Reflection journal
• Coloured pencils, markers, glue, scissors

---

Lesson Breakdown (120 minutes)

⏰ 0–15 mins | Activating Prior Knowledge — “Faith or Fortune?”

Activity: Provocative Question Warm-Up

• Ask the student to respond in writing to the question:
  “What do you think motivated religious organisations to get involved during colonisation?”
• Share stimulus images: a missionary school, Bible in an Aboriginal language, and a protest pamphlet.
• Quick think-pair-share with the teacher (mini-discussion to warm up thinking)

Purpose: Activate background knowledge and introduce the tension between guidance and control in religious roles.

---

⏰ 15–30 mins | Content Input — Direct Teaching & Timeline Integration

Mini-lecture and discussion:

• Discuss major Christian organisations active during colonial expansion — Anglican, Catholic, Methodist, Moravian
• Introduction of two contrasting perspectives:
  1. Assimilation and control → forced conversions, suppression of language and culture
  2. Advocacy and protection → some missionaries opposed violence, provided shelter, criticised government policies
• Integrate key events into a visual timeline handout, e.g.:
  • 1820: Establishment of Parramatta Native Institution
  • 1838: Myall Creek Massacre and response from clergy
  • 1880s: Rise of Aboriginal Christian leaders

---

⏰ 30–60 mins | Case Study Investigation — “Voices Unheard, Actions Seen”

Activity: Case Study Rotation (Modified for a 1:1 setting)

Student will explore three curated case studies using printed resource packs:

1. William Cooper – Aboriginal pastor and activist
2. Moravian Missions – Cultural erasure or community building?
3. Bishop Polding – Early calls for Indigenous rights

For each, the student will:

• Summarise the role of the religious figure or organisation
• Highlight two actions and their direct impact (positive or negative)
• Write one compelling question they would ask the historical figure if they could
• Place each case on the shared timeline

---

⏰ 60–75 mins | Analyse and Compare — “Two Sides of Faith”

Activity: Concept Map

• Student visually creates a concept map on A3 paper titled: “Religion and Colonisation: Conflict, Complicity & Compassion”
• Categories:
  • Motivations
  • Actions
  • Impact on Aboriginal Peoples
  • Legacy today
• Use colour coding to show opposing forces (e.g., red for suppression, green for advocacy)

---

⏰ 75–95 mins | Creative Expression — “Faithful Futures”

Activity: Position Piece (student choice)

Prompt:

Choose whether you believe religious organisations ultimately helped, harmed, or both in regard to the lives of Indigenous Australians during colonisation. How would you explain this to a younger student?

Options:

1. Create a mini-booklet or zine (non-digital)
2. Write a short speech (1–2 minutes)
3. Design a symbolic artwork with meanings explained

Support: Teacher offers guidance, provides printed templates for zines or speech scaffold for students who require literacy support

---

⏰ 95–110 mins | Sharing and Review

Activity: “Teach the Teacher”

• Student presents or shares the key insights from their task (informally)
• Teacher asks reflective questions:

  What surprised you the most?
  Do you think religion can be both good and bad in history? Why?

Time built in for verbal feedback and class discussion

---

⏰ 110–120 mins | Reflection and Exit Ticket

Reflection Journal Prompt:

"Write about how the actions of religious organisations during colonisation might still be affecting communities in Australia today. What new perspective did you gain today?"

Exit Ticket:

• “One thing I learned…”
• “One thing I want to learn more about…”
• “One feeling I felt today…”

---

Differentiation & Individual Learning

Since this lesson is designed for a class of 1:

• The teacher can use a co-learning approach, allowing dynamic dialogue and spontaneous discussion
• Activities like Think-Pair-Share become Think-Say-Reflect (discussing with the teacher or journalling)
• Creative output choice ensures student autonomy, catering to multiple learning preferences
• Instructional scaffolding like sentence starters, visual organisers, timeline integration supports lower-literacy learners

---

Assessment Opportunities

• Formative: Case study summaries, journal, exit ticket
• Summative: Position piece — clarity of argument, evidence usage, and empathy shown toward historical perspectives

---

Extension Opportunities

• Research and present a contemporary Aboriginal Christian leader
• Explore religious resistance to colonisation in a global context for comparison (e.g., Māori or Inuit communities)
• Collaborate on a mural or visual art piece for school display about “Voices Unheard in Faith”

---

Teacher Reflection Prompts

After the lesson, the teacher may reflect on:

• Did the student demonstrate empathy and historical understanding?
• Did the one-on-one format support deeper critical thinking?
• Did students grasp the complex duality of religion's role in colonisation?

---

Pedagogical Strategies Included

• Inquiry-based learning
• Explicit teaching
• Visual literacy
• Personalised learning
• Cross-curricular integration (Art, History, Civics)

---

This lesson invites students to grapple with nuanced perspectives — a critical skill for Australia’s future changemakers.