Activity 5

Name: Indigenous suburbs.

Level: Year level 3.
Learning area: Geography.
Context: Pair and individual work.

Activity description
The Indigenous suburb names activity has been selected for students to gain an understanding of the
Indigenous groups which encompass Australia before the first settlers. To begin the activity the students
will be allocated into pairs; in these collaborative pairs the students will research the Brisbane area using
Google Earth and they will write down what suburbs they think still have Indigenous names and what these
names may mean. The students will then research these suburbs to discover if they were correct or
incorrect. Following this the students will then have the opportunity to individually research their own
local suburb. They will need to find out what significant local sites they have in their area (parks, wetlands,
heritage listed sites) Students will create a local map of their suburb on a white piece of paper and take a
photo of this to upload on the Educreations presentation tool. Students will use this tool to display all the
information that they have gained during their research. One complete all presentations will be played to
the class. This activity will allow students to recognise that Indigenous people have a great connection to
the land in which we live and it is important that this is recognised and respected.

Activity process and questions

1. To begin the lesson students will be asked to use Google Earth to explore the suburbs of Brisbane.
2. Students will work in pairs to identify what Brisbane suburbs sound like Indigenous words and list
them in their geography journal.
3. The class will come together for a grand discussion and the teacher will pose the following
questions.
o What were the Suburbs that you chose?
o What do you think these suburbs mean?
o What significance do you think these suburbs have to Indigenous people?
o Did you use any strategies to work these out?
o How could you discover more information about these suburbs?
4. The students will then investigate the suburbs which they chose, to discover more information
about them and what they mean.
5. The students will be asked to write down some interesting facts about these suburbs.
6. Individually each student will then be asked to research their local area.
7. They will be asked to complete a map of their area with significant local sites.
8. Once complete the students will take a photo of their map and upload it onto the presentation tool
Educreations.
9. Students will use this presentation tool to explain the information they have gained from their local
area.
10. This presentation will then be played to the whole class.

Student background knowledge

Students have an understanding of:
o Creating basic maps which show landmarks, streets and directions (Year 2, ACHGS015).
o The importance of land and counrty to Indigenous people (Year 2, ACHGK001).
o Collecting and recording geographical data and information (Year 2, ACHGS014).

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Learning objectives
By the end if this activity students will have the ability to:
1. Identify what Brisbane suburbs have Indigenous names.
2. Explain what each Aboriginal suburb means and its significance to Indigenous people.
3. Locate the languages spoken in this particular area.
4. Create a map of a local suburb and pinpoint any sacred sites or important landmarks in the area.
5. Produce a presentation showing what this suburb and landmarks mean to Australian people.

Learning intensions
In the activity today we will be learning:
1. Which Brisbane suburbs still have Aboriginal names.
2. The Indigenous language groups and tribes there were in Australia.
3. Indigenous people who lived in your local area.
4. Significant sacred sites and land in your local suburb.
5. Why these sites should be respected and protected.

Curriculum content descriptions

Geography:
Geographical Knowledge and Understanding:
o The many Countries/Places of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples throughout Australia
(ACHGK015)
Elaborations:
o Using language maps to show how Australia was (and still is) divided into many Aboriginal
Countries and Torres Strait Islander Places.
o Discussing how the territory of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples contains the Country
and Places of many individuals and Language Groups.
o Describing how the boundaries between Aboriginal Countries are quite different to the surveyed
boundaries between Australian states and territories to gain an appreciation about the different
ways Australia can be represented.
Geographical Knowledge and Understanding:
o The similarities and differences in individuals and groups feelings and perceptions about places,
and how they influence views about the protection of these places (ACHGK018).
Elaborations:
o Reading and viewing poems, songs, paintings and stories about peoples feelings about and
attachment to places to explore the factors that influence peoples attachment to place.
o Discussing why it is important to protect places that have special significance for people, for
example, a wetland, a sacred site, a national park or a World Heritage site.
Geographical Inquiry and Skills:
o Represent the location of places and their features by constructing large-scale maps that conform
to cartographic conventions including scale, legend, title and north point, and describe their
location using simple grid references, compass direction and distance (ACHGS022).
Elaborations:
o Making a plan of the classroom or home, using pictorial symbols.
o Annotating a map to show the natural and human features of Australia, using the appropriate
cartographic conventions including map symbols, scale and north point.
o Constructing maps to show the features of places, using basic cartographic conventions including
map symbols, scale and north point.
History
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Historical Knowledge and Understanding: Community and remembrance:

o The importance of Country and Place to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples who
belong to a local area. (This is intended to be a local area study with a focus on one Language
group; however, if information or sources are not readily available, another representative area
may be studied) (ACHHK060).
Elaborations:
o Identifying the language groups of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples who belong to
the local area and explaining the relationship between language, country, place and spirituality.
o Listening to Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Elders, grandparents and older community members
tell stories associated with the local language groups and the land they belong to.

General capabilities
Literacy:
o Throughout this activity students will use their literacy skills to rephrase and explain the
information they have gained from the selected websites. Students will then prepare a
presentation explaining this information to the class.
Numeracy:
o When creating a suburb map students will use letter and numeral coordinates to explain the areas
of significance in their local area during the Educreations presentation.
Information and communication technology (ICT) capability:
o A variety of websites and the presentation tool Educreations have been incorporated through this
activity. Students will need to use their research skills and creativity when developing their
presentation on their local suburb.
Personal and social capability:
o During the enhancing phase of the activity students will need to work in pairs to do their research
on the suburbs of Brisbane city. They will need to collaborate their ideas and support each other
during this task.
Intercultural understanding:
o The activity will allow students to gain an understanding of the cultural history of their local area.
Students will need to discover the first Australian tribe of the area and who the settlers were in this
particular area.

Cross curriculum
Aboriginal and Torrs Strait Islander histories and cultures:
o This activity will allow students to gain an understanding of the history which encompasses their
suburb. The students will be asked to gain as much information as possible about the history and
Indigenous significance of their suburb (OI.2, OI.3, OI.4).

ICT processes and skills

To complete the activity students will need to have:
o Basic operational skills.
o Efficient use of the internet.
o Navigation capability.
o Ability to take photos and use presentation tools display information.

Assessment for, as and of learning

Assessment for learning:
o Through questing techniques the teacher will gain an understanding of what students are having
difficulty with this task and which students require more support during the final assessment peace
for the activity.
Assessment as learning:
o Students will be required to set goals during this activity; these goals will allow students of higher
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ability to extend their knowledge and skills as well as differentiating the learning for those students
who may have difficulty with the task.
Assessment of learning:
o The Educreations presentation will be assessed for students comprehension. The teacher will use
this as an indication of what information students have gained throughout the lesson.

Risk assessment
o No food or during will be consumed while using the digital technologies.
o School and classroom rules will be followed throughout this activity at all times.

Materials and resources

Google Earth:
The Google earth website has been used for students to explore the city of Brisbane. They will select the
suburbs which they believe have Indigenous names and significance to Indigenous people. This will also be
used as a tool to explore their local suburb and create a map of their local area with significant sites.

Secret history of Brisbane suburbs A to Z:

Students will use the following website to gain an insight into the suburb which they live in. Students can
use this as a guide and research further into the interesting history of their suburb and city.

Indigenous language map:

The Indigenous language map will be used for the students to discover which language group was
prominent in their particular suburb. Students may wish to research this language group further to gain an
understanding of what this land meant to these people.

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Educreations:
This application will be used for the students to present the information they have discovered about the
suburb to which they live in. Students can insert the map they have created of their suburb and verbally
describe the questions which they have been requested to answer using the whiteboard tools.

Differentiation of learning
Collaborative learning:
o During Indigenous suburbs task students will be allocated into pairs to complete the research for
the introduction phase of the activity. Students will work as a team to discuss each suburb of
Brisbane and select the ones they believe have Aboriginal names (Loreman, Deppeler & Harvey,
2011).
Discovery learning:
o This activity has been based on a discovery learning concept where the students have been set a
task and will use their research and investigation skills to discover information about their local
suburb (Foster, 1972).
Blooms taxonomy:
o Questioning techniques have been used throughout this activity to ensure that all students are on
task and understanding the purpose for the activity (Whitton, Barker, Nosworthy, Sinclair, &
Nanlohy, 2010).
Zone of proximal development:
o The teacher will allocate the students into collaborative pairs. This will be to ensure that students of
different ability levels will be paired together to support each other during the learning experience
(Bodrova & Leong, 2007).

Evaluation
o
o
o
o
o

Did this activity cater for extending students and those students who may have difficulties?
Were there enough opportunities for students to display their skills of the particular concept?
Did all students work well in the allocated pairs? Did they support each other?
What could be improved to enhance students learning and mapping skills in geography?
Were all students able to use the technologies effectively throughout the activity?

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References
ABC. (2015). Indigenous language map. Retrieved from http://www.abc.net.au/indigenous/map/
Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority. (n.d.). Australian Curriculum. Retrieved from
http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/
Bodrova, E., & Leong, D. J. (2007). Tools of the mind : the Vygotskian approach to early childhood education
(2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
Educreations. (2015). Educreations: Teach anything to anyone anywhere. Retrieved from
https://www.educreations.com/
Foster, J. (1972). Discovery learning in the primary school. London: Routledge and Kegan Paul.
Google Earth. (n.d.). Google earth. Retrieved from https://www.google.com/earth/
Loreman, T., Deppeler, J., & Harvey, D. (2011). Inclusive education: Supporting diversity in the classroom (2
ed.). Crows Nest: NSW: Allen & Unwin.
The Courier mail. (2013). Secret history of Brisbanes suburbs from A to Z. Retrieved from
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/brisbane-from-a-to-z/story-fnkbjxqk1226739457543
Whitton, D., Barker, K., Nosworthy, M., Sinclair, C., & Nanlohy, P. (2010). Learning for teaching: Teaching
for learning (2nd ed.). Melbourne, VIC: Cengage Learning Australia Pty Limited.

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