Lesson Plan: My Country's Story Map

Subject Focus: History, Geography, and English (Integrated Stage 2 Unit)

Student: Pat (Year 3)

Theme: Celebrating NAIDOC Week by connecting to local First Nations history and place.

Materials Needed

• Large sheet of paper or cardboard (A3 or larger is ideal)
• Drawing materials: pencils, coloured pencils, markers, crayons
• Optional craft materials: natural items like leaves, twigs, sand; craft paper, scissors, glue
• Computer or tablet with internet access for research
• Notebook and pen for taking notes and story writing
• A printout of the local area from Google Maps (optional but helpful)

1. Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, Pat will be able to:

• (History) Describe the historical significance of a local Aboriginal site or place of cultural importance.
• (Geography) Explain the connection of Aboriginal Peoples to Country/Place, using specific examples from their research.
• (English) Create a multi-modal "Story Map" and write a short, imaginative story using descriptive language to build setting.

2. Alignment with NSW Curriculum (Stage 2)

• History (HT2-2): Describes and explains the significance of people, groups, places and events to the development of Australia.
  • Content Focus: The importance of Country and Place to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Peoples who belong to a local area.
• Geography (GE2-1): Examines features and characteristics of places and environments.
  • Content Focus: The connection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, and all people, to places.
• English (EN2-2A): Plans, composes and reviews a range of texts that are more demanding in terms of topic, audience and language.
  • Content Focus: Creating well-structured imaginative texts, experimenting with figurative language and sensory details.

Lesson Steps & Activities

Part 1: Warm-Up & Introduction (15 minutes)

Instructional Strategy: Guided Discussion & Inquiry

1. Introduce NAIDOC Week: Start by discussing this year's NAIDOC theme (you can find it on the official NAIDOC website). Ask Pat: "What do you think this theme means? NAIDOC week is about celebrating the history, culture, and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Why is that important?"
2. Explore 'Country': Watch a short, child-friendly video explaining the concept of 'Country'. The ABC Education series "This Place" is excellent for this. As you watch, ask Pat to listen for what 'Country' means. It's more than just land; it includes the stories, animals, plants, water, and spirits.
3. Connect to Local Place: Say, "Today, we are going to be historians and geographers. Our mission is to find a special place right here in our local area that has a story and is important to the traditional custodians, the First Nations people of our land."

Part 2: Research & Discovery (30 minutes)

Instructional Strategy: Guided Research & Note-Taking

1. Identify the Traditional Custodians: The first step is to find out the name of the local Aboriginal nation on whose land you live. Use the AIATSIS map of Indigenous Australia as a guide. Write this name at the top of a page in the notebook.
2. Find a Local Site: Together, research a local Aboriginal site of significance. This could be a national park, a river, a mountain, a specific rock formation, or a known cultural site.
   • Search Tip: Use search terms like "[Your Suburb/Town Name] Aboriginal history", "Aboriginal name for [local river/mountain]", or visit your local council's website, which often has a section on Indigenous heritage.
3. Gather Clues: As you research, guide Pat to take notes on the following questions:
   • What is the name of the place (both its English name and its Aboriginal name, if you can find it)?
   • Why is this place important? Is there a Creation story associated with it? Was it used for ceremonies, gathering food, or as a meeting place?
   • What kinds of plants and animals live there?

Part 3: Main Activity - Create a "Story Map" (45-60 minutes)

Instructional Strategy: Hands-on Creative Application & Multi-modal Text Creation

This is where Pat becomes a cartographer and a storyteller at the same time!

1. Plan the Map: On the large sheet of paper, Pat will draw a map of the chosen place. This is not about being perfectly accurate like a street directory! It's a map that tells a story. Encourage creativity.
2. Add Key Features: Pat should draw the main features learned about in the research (e.g., the river, the special tree, the mountain).
3. Tell the Story on the Map: Instead of just labels, Pat should write short sentences or use symbols to explain the significance of each feature. For example, next to the river, they could write, "This river provided fish and fresh water for the [Name of Nation] people." Next to a hill, "This was a lookout point during ceremonies."
4. Decorate with 'Country': Use the drawing and craft materials to bring the map to life. Pat can add drawings of animals that live there, glue on leaves or sand to represent the environment, and use colours that feel right for the place.

Assessment (Formative): During this process, ask questions like, "Why did you choose that colour for the mountain?" or "Can you tell me the story of this part of your map again?" This checks for understanding as they create.

Part 4: Creative Writing Extension - An Animal's Perspective (20-30 minutes)

Instructional Strategy: Imaginative Writing & Perspective-Taking

1. Writing Prompt: Say to Pat, "Now, you're going to become an author! I want you to choose one animal from your Story Map. You are going to write a short story from the perspective of that animal living in that special place. What do you see, hear, smell, and feel?"
2. Focus on Senses: Encourage Pat to use lots of descriptive words (adjectives and adverbs). What does the air smell like after rain? What does the ground feel like under your paws/claws? What sounds do you hear at sunrise?
3. Write the Story: Pat writes the story in their notebook. The goal is a well-structured paragraph or two that creates a strong sense of place.

Part 5: Reflection & Sharing (10 minutes)

Instructional Strategy: Oral Presentation & Closure

1. Present the Map: Ask Pat to stand up and present their Story Map, explaining the different parts and why the place is important.
2. Share the Story: Pat reads their animal story aloud.
3. Final Discussion: End with a reflective chat. "After learning all this, how has your understanding of our local area changed? Why is it important for all Australians to learn these stories during NAIDOC Week and all year round?"

5. Differentiation and Inclusivity

• Support for Pat:
  • Provide pre-selected, kid-safe websites for the research phase to avoid overwhelm.
  • Offer a simple map template (e.g., a circle in the middle for the main site, with lines coming off it for details).
  • Provide sentence starters for the creative writing task, such as: "From my branch in the tall gum tree, I could see...", "The air smelled of...", "I heard the soft sound of...".
• Extension for Pat:
  • Challenge Pat to find some words from the local Aboriginal language (e.g., for 'hello', 'water', or an animal) and incorporate them into the map and story with a small glossary.
  • Encourage Pat to create a short "tour guide" video using a tablet, where they present their Story Map as if they were a tour guide at the site.
  • Write a second story from the perspective of a different element, like the river or a very old rock.

6. Assessment Methods

• Story Map (Summative): Assessed on its ability to clearly communicate the significance of the place, connecting features to their cultural importance (meeting History/Geography objectives).
• Imaginative Story (Summative): Assessed on the use of descriptive, sensory language to create a setting and the clear adoption of an animal's perspective (meeting English objectives).
• Oral Discussion & Presentation (Formative): Assessed through conversation to check for genuine understanding of the concepts of 'Country' and respect for First Nations cultures.