Indigenous Perspectives Unit Overview

Unit
Topic:

Dreamtime

AusVELS
Level:

AusVELS
Domain:

Level 4

History

Unit
Duration:

Approximately 11
consecutive
lessons

Content Descriptors:

The ways Aboriginal people are connected to Country and Place (Land, sea, waterways and skies).

Unit Overview:
This inquiry History unit will allow students to explore and analyse traditional Aboriginal Dreamtime stories and the importance of song,
dance and stories to the unique Aboriginal culture. Students will rewrite a Dreamtime story as a play and upon completion of the unit
students will showcase that Dreamtime story.
Lesson 2:
Lesson 1:
Lesson
Local
Aboriginal
3&4:
Aboriginal
Dreamtime
Dreamtime
person &
and the
story three
their
Rainbow
and four
Dreamtime
Unit Concept(s):
Serpent
Aboriginal Dreamtime story
Aboriginal connection to Country and Place

Lesson
Lesson 8Lesson
5&6:
10:
Lesson
7:
Rewriting a
Preparatio
11:
Excursion
Dreamtime
n for the
Showcase
to an
story asUnit
a
play
Understanding(s)
of
Aborigina
play Identifies the
importance of songs, dances and stories
in
Dreamtime
l art
Aboriginal culture
Identifies the importance of passing on stories in Aboriginal
culture
Recognises that there are many different groups of Aboriginal
people in Australia
Identifies the Aboriginal group(s) in the local community
Identify totems in the lives of Aboriginal Peoples and examine
the differences between their totems.

Rich Question(s):

Contributing Question(s):

What was life like for Aboriginal People before the arrival of the
Europeans in Australia?
How are Aboriginal people connected to Country and Place?

Unit Vocabulary:

What lessons might Dreamtime stories teach us about?

Why is the Dreamtime important to Aboriginal people?
What is a totem and why are they important in Aboriginal
Dreamtime stories?
Why are songs, dance and stories important to Aboriginal
people?

Background Notes:

Indigenous Perspectives Unit Overview

Totems, reserves, song, Place, Country, Native title, language group,

land rights, land, Indigenous peoples, Kinship, Elders, The Dreaming
and Dreamtime, Creation, culture, community, bush tucker, Aboriginal
Art, dot painting, cross hatching, rock art, Aboriginality, Aboriginal,
oral tradition, Aboriginal Dance, ceremony, gatherings, myth,
didgeridoo, European settlement, Wathaurung, lighting, voice, pitch,

This unit not only covers and addresses one element of the
year 4 History strand, it also addresses many of the English
and Art strands as well.
Prior knowledge- students should have a solid understanding
that Aboriginal people are the first people of the Land,
European settlement and the affect settlement had on the
Indigenous population
This unit can be extended to have students creating their own
creation (Dreamtime) story by planning, drafting and
publishing their story. Students create a front cover for their
story. Students may sell their books to raise money for an
Aboriginal group in need.
8Ways of Knowing is important when teaching Indigenous
people http://8ways.wikispaces.com/

Resources:
Lesson Resources

Tales of my Grandmother's Dreamtime by Naiura.

Variety of Aboriginal Dreamtime stories
Variety of activities to explore each Dreamtime story
The Rainbow Serpent story digital or book
Resources and materials to create props and costumes such
as paint, cardboard, clothing, cloth, etc.
Music- online access or CD or even a didgeridoo, clap
sticks, etc.
Microphones (depending on need, space and audience)
Invitations to play to be sent to school, families, local
community and local Aboriginal community
Scripts (students create)
Props and costumes (students create)
Rubric to assess students learning
Self-assessment rubric for students

Websites/books-

People/Places-

I accessed information about the Dreaming and

Aboriginal culture from these websites as well as
some lesson ideas:

http://www.curriculumsupport.education.nsw.
gov.au/primary/hsie/assets/pdf/caring/caring
place.pdf

http://www.lindakreft.com/pdf/dreamtime.pdf
http://ecm.det.wa.edu.au/connect/resolver/vi
ew/APAC082/latest/apac082.pdf
http://ecm.det.wa.edu.au/connect/resolver/vi
ew/APAC031/latest/apac031.pdf
http://www.australiancurriculumlessons.com.

Local Aboriginal
storyteller or
Elder
A local
Aboriginal art
centre that
offers programs
http://www.wath
aurong.org.au/
Performing arts
area e.g. a stage
or large area for
the students
plays

Indigenous Perspectives Unit Overview

Access to Aboriginal books, resources and iPads/computers

to research Aboriginal culture including art, music, dance
and stories.
Bus

au/2013/11/09/aboriginal-dreamtime-storiesunit-year-3-4/

Ideas and Activities Per lesson:

Lesson 1- Aboriginal Dreamtime and The Rainbow Serpent (PoLT 1, 2, 3)

Discuss and explore Aboriginal Dreamtime. Illuminate the purpose and meaning of the Dreaming to Aboriginal people as well as
examples of Dreamtime stories. Why is the Dreamtime important to Aboriginal people? Discuss how Dreamtime stories illustrate the
strong connection between Aboriginal people and Country and Place. What lessons might Dreamtime stories teach us about Country
and Place?
Read/watch the Rainbow Serpent Dreamtime story (which students may be familiar with).
Discuss main messages. What lessons might Dreamtime stories teach us about?

Identify the Rainbow serpent as the totem for this story. Identify and discuss- what is a totem and why they are important to Aboriginal
dreamtime stories?

Students complete an activity based on the rainbow serpent e.g. illustrate favourite part of the story, create quiz questions for the
story, write a summary of the story, change the ending of the story, create a story map of events, make a short performance on
favourite character or part of the story.
Lesson 2- Local Aboriginal Person and their Dreamtime story (PoLT 1, 2, 3, 6)
Read the story The Rainbow Snake in Dreamland from Tales of my Grandmothers Dreamtime by Naiura.
Explain that there are various Aboriginal groups in Australia and each have their own special culture including languages, Dreamtime
stories and totems.
Listen to a creation/Dreamtime story from a local Aboriginal storyteller or Elder.
Reflect on what is a creation/Dreamtime story and elements of Aboriginal culture, such as the importance of Country and Place,
expressed in each story.
Lesson 3&4- Dreamtime stories (PoLT 1, 2, 3)
These two lessons will provide students with more opportunities to listen to and discuss Dreamtime Stories
Each lesson read a different Dreamtime story.
Annotate and discuss with students the main messages including the totem. What is a totem and why are they important in Aboriginal
Dreamtime stories? What lessons might Dreamtime stories teach us about?
Students complete an activity of choice based on the Dreamtime story explored e.g. illustrate favourite part of the story, create quiz

Indigenous Perspectives Unit Overview

questions for the story, write a summary of the story, change the ending of the story, create a song about their favourite character,
etc.
Lesson 5&6- Rewriting a Dreamtime story as a play (PoLT 1, 2, 3, 4)
Students are grouped to rewrite a Dreamtime story as a play.
Discuss and explore elements of a play e.g. script, props, costumes, music, dance, etc. and variety of ways a play can be presented
e.g. puppet show
Students must first create a script then assign roles, begin designing props and design and incorporate dance and music.
Lesson 7- Excursion to an Aboriginal art centre (PoLT 6)
Excursion to a local indigenous art centre to undertake a program that explores Aboriginal art, music, dance and stories.
The purpose of the excursion is to assist students in understanding the importance of song, dance, art and story to Aboriginal people.
This new understanding and knowledge will further assist students to create props that incorporate Aboriginal art, music and dance
into their play e.g. decorating didgeridoos that they will use for their play
Lesson 8-10: Preparation for the play (PoLT 1, 2 ,3 ,4)
Students use their new skill, knowledge and understandings about Aboriginal culture from the excursion by altering their designs for
props, dance and music appropriately.
Students create their props and costumes and/or choreograph their dances
Students practice rehearsing their play
Lesson 11- Showcase of Dreamtime play (PoLT 5 & 6)
Presents their play to the class as practice and finally presents it to the whole school community at assembly. Students address the
rich and contributing questions of the lesson to the audience.
Invite local community including the local indigenous community to view
Students are assessed based on unit understandings, effort and contribution. Students also self-assess and reflect on their learning by
completing their own self-assessed rubric.