Australia as a Nation: A Four-Week Unit

Big-Picture Goals

By the end of the unit, Grayson will be able to locate Australia on a map, name and describe some Australian places and environments, explain that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are Australia’s First Peoples, identify important Australian symbols, and describe how Australia became a nation.

He will practise using maps, listening to stories, asking questions, sorting information, speaking clearly, and creating a simple presentation about Australia.

Materials for the Unit

• World map or globe
• Map of Australia, printed or hand-drawn
• Blank paper, drawing paper, and cardboard
• Coloured pencils, crayons, markers, scissors, and glue
• Sticky notes or small pieces of paper
• Ruler and pencil
• Small container of sand or soil, a leaf, and a cup of water
• Pictures or drawings of Australian animals, places, flags, and landmarks
• Children’s books about Australia, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, or Australian animals
• Optional: a toy animal or soft toy to use as a lesson prop

Week 1: Where Is Australia?

Day 1: Finding Australia

Show Grayson a globe or world map and ask, “Can you find where we live? Can you find Australia?” Help him locate Australia and notice that it is surrounded by water. Together, trace Australia’s outline with a finger and draw a simple map showing Australia and the surrounding ocean.

Day 2: Australia’s Shape and Neighbours

Look at a map of Australia and identify the mainland, Tasmania, and the oceans around Australia. Show that Australia is both a country and a continent, using the simple explanation that a country has its own government and a continent is a large area of land. Grayson can label “Australia,” “Tasmania,” and “ocean” on a copy of the map.

Day 3: States and Territories

Explain that Australia is divided into six states and two territories to help people organise and govern the country. Point to New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania, the Northern Territory, and the Australian Capital Territory. Grayson can colour the map and place a star on Canberra, Australia’s capital city.

Day 4: Australian Environments

Show pictures or drawings of a beach, rainforest, desert, bushland, and city. Discuss how these places are different and ask, “What might you see, hear, or feel in each place?” Grayson can choose two environments and draw one Australian place in each.

Day 5: Australian Places

Introduce several well-known places, such as Uluru, the Great Barrier Reef, the Sydney Opera House, the Australian Alps, and Kakadu. Explain that these places are important because of their natural beauty, history, culture, or the people who care for them. Grayson chooses one place and makes a “postcard” drawing with its name and one fact.

Simple Check for Understanding

Ask Grayson to point to Australia on a world map, name the capital city, name one Australian environment, and tell one fact about a special Australian place.

Week 2: First Peoples and Australian Stories

Day 1: Australia’s First Peoples

Explain that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are the First Peoples of Australia and have lived on and cared for the land and waters for many thousands of years. Say that Australia has many different Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander groups, each with their own languages, histories, and cultures. Look at a map showing some language groups, explaining that the map represents only some of Australia’s many groups.

Day 2: Caring for Country

Discuss the idea of “Country,” which can include land, water, animals, plants, people, stories, and responsibilities. Ask, “How can we care for the place where we live?” Grayson makes a list or drawing of three ways to care for Country, such as saving water, protecting animals, and not leaving rubbish.

Day 3: Symbols and Art

Show the Aboriginal Flag and the Torres Strait Islander Flag, explaining that these are important symbols and should be treated respectfully. Discuss the colours and shapes without copying a particular artist’s work. Grayson creates an original pattern using lines, dots, shapes, or colours to show a place that is important to him.

Day 4: Learning Through Story

Read a children’s book by an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander author, or tell a respectful story from a reliable children’s collection. Ask Grayson what the story teaches about people, animals, place, or responsibility. He draws a favourite part and completes the sentence, “This story teaches me that…”

Day 5: Languages and Names

Explain that Australia has many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages and that many Australian place names come from these languages. Look at the names of places near your home and discuss whether Grayson knows what they mean or where they came from. Make a respectful “place name” card for a nearby place, including its name and why places should be treated with care.

Simple Check for Understanding

Ask Grayson to explain who Australia’s First Peoples are, describe one way to care for Country, and name one reason stories, languages, and flags are important.

Week 3: Symbols, People, and Government

Day 1: The Australian Flag

Look at the Australian flag and identify the Union Jack, the Commonwealth Star, and the Southern Cross. Explain that a flag is a symbol people use to represent a country. Grayson draws or makes a paper Australian flag and labels one symbol on it.

Day 2: National Symbols

Introduce the golden wattle as Australia’s national floral emblem and the kangaroo and emu as animals on the Commonwealth Coat of Arms. Explain that these symbols help tell stories about Australia. Grayson chooses one symbol, draws it, and says what it represents to him.

Day 3: What Is a Nation?

Explain that a nation is a large community of people who share a country, laws, public places, and symbols. Compare Australia with a family or local community: people may be different, but they can share rules and responsibilities. Together, make a list of things people in a nation might do, such as follow laws, vote when old enough, help others, and care for the environment.

Day 4: Australia Becomes a Federation

Explain that before 1901, Australia’s six colonies were separate communities with their own governments. On 1 January 1901, they joined together to form the Commonwealth of Australia; this joining is called Federation. Make a simple sequence: “six colonies” → “join together” → “one nation called Australia.”

Day 5: Canberra and Parliament

Explain that Canberra is Australia’s capital city and that the Australian Parliament meets there to make laws and decisions for the country. Use a pretend vote: Grayson chooses between two simple options, such as which healthy snack to prepare. Count the votes and discuss that voting is one way people have a say in decisions.

Simple Check for Understanding

Ask Grayson to name one Australian symbol, explain what Federation means, identify Canberra as the capital city, and describe what voting helps people do.

Week 4: Australian People, Places, and Responsibilities

Day 1: Australian Communities

Discuss the different kinds of communities in Australia, including cities, towns, rural areas, remote communities, and island communities. Talk about how people may have different languages, cultures, family traditions, and ways of living while all being part of Australia. Grayson draws a community and includes homes, people, places, and services such as a school or shop.

Day 2: Australian Animals

Look at pictures or drawings of a kangaroo, koala, echidna, platypus, emu, wombat, and Tasmanian devil. Sort them into groups such as mammals, birds, and animals that lay eggs, explaining that the platypus and echidna are unusual mammals that lay eggs. Grayson chooses one animal and creates a fact card with its name, food, home, and one interesting fact.

Day 3: Protecting Australia

Discuss how people can protect Australia’s land, water, plants, animals, and cultural places. Use the sand or soil, leaf, and water to talk about natural resources and why they should not be wasted or polluted. Grayson makes a “care for Australia” pledge with three actions he can take.

Day 4: Reviewing Australia as a Nation

Spread the week’s drawings, maps, cards, and notes on the floor or table. Ask Grayson to sort them under the headings “places,” “people,” “symbols,” “history,” and “nature.” Review the key ideas: Australia is a country and continent, Australia’s First Peoples have deep connections to Country, and Federation formed the nation in 1901.

Day 5: Preparing the End-of-Unit Project

Help Grayson choose the information he wants to include in his project: a map, one First Peoples connection, one Australian symbol, one important place, one animal, and one way to care for Australia. He organises his work, practises explaining each part, and checks that every picture has a label or short sentence. Encourage him to speak in his own words rather than memorising a long script.

Simple Check for Understanding

Ask Grayson to explain one way Australian communities are different, name one native animal, describe one way to protect Australia, and tell what happened at Federation in 1901.

End-of-Unit Project: My Australia Display

Grayson creates a poster, booklet, or cardboard display titled “Australia as a Nation.” It should include:

• A simple map showing Australia and Canberra
• A drawing and sentence about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples or caring for Country
• One Australian symbol, such as the flag, golden wattle, kangaroo, or emu
• One important Australian place
• One Australian animal and a fact about it
• A sentence explaining that Federation joined the colonies together in 1901
• Three ways people can care for Australia

Grayson presents the display to the adult or family. Ask him to answer: “What makes Australia a nation?” Accept answers that mention its people, land, laws, shared symbols, history, and communities.