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Sorry Day

National Sorry Day

Unit Plan

Teacher: Sarah Parker
Printable version: Unit Plan

Year
7-8
Level
4
Duration
4-6 weeks


Strand Achievement Objectives to be Assessed Learning Outcomes
Time, Continuity, and Change

Causes and effects of events that have shaped the lives of a group of people.

Students will:
  • Explain the effects cross-cultural contact had on the Indigenous groups in Australia.
Supporting Achievement Objectives Learning Outcomes
Culture and Heritage

Why and how individuals and groups pass on and sustain their culture and heritage.

Students will:
  • describe how Aboriginal society is interwoven with and connected to the land.
  • recreate a dreamtime story in a manner of their choosing.
Processes Learning Outcomes
Values Exploration

Explain why people hold different values positions

Students will be able to:

  • explain their position and those of three others in regards the question ‘should a Prime Minister apologise for the way the country treated people in the past?’
Requirements
Settings:The Pacific - Australia
Perspectives:Multicultural; Current Issues

Assessment
Via a poster, diary or newspaper article students will:
  1. show how the interactions of the past influenced the relationships between Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Australians

  2. express the impact that separations had on Indigenous families and their communities
8 to 10 Quality RESOURCES

  1. Group photo interpretation:
    Teacher prints and laminates the 8 photographs and cuts them using the prescribed cutting lines.

  2. Aboriginal society and connection with the land:
    A resource to copy onto OHP and an overview of Aboriginal society prior to the arrival of the non-Aboriginal people.

  3. Stories of the dreaming:
    Student groups choose one story video clip from stories of the dreaming that appeals and watch it as a group.

    [note: Free RealPlayer needed to run video, link available for download at this site]

  4. The stolen generation:
    Photograph of Aboriginal children and a Nun.

  5. The Burnt Stick:
    A story about growing up
    The Burnt Stick Hill, A. (1994) The Burnt Stick Viking, Penguin Books Australia, ISBN 0 670 85912 5.
    Click for the review: Review

  6. Personal Testimonies from the Stolen Generation:
    The personal accounts by adults taken as children from their parents as reported at the Bringing Them Home inquiry.
    or alternatively
    • Personal Testimonies: text

  7. Song: Took the children away:
    Archie Roach
  8. Vox Pop:
    'Voices' from four different people regarding whether an apology is the correct response to the Stolen Generation.
    Background information to accompany Vox Pop - What is National Sorry Day

8 to 10 Student-centred learning ACTIVITIES

1st attempt Select and adapt these learning activities to best meet the needs of your students, and to fit the time available:

  1. Brainstorm:
    Before breaking into groups scaffold brainstorm with discussion on why people say sorry.
    In groups students brainstorm the reasons why a country might hold a National Sorry Day and record ideas on the brainstorm sheet.
    Groups come together and record ideas on a classroom brainstorm sheet.

  2. Class photo interpretation:
    Students are given a laminated portion of a photograph. They must match their piece with the rest of the photograph. This newly formed group will analyse their photograph using the worksheet as a quide.

  3. Aboriginal Society and connection with the land:
    Students read and rewrite the overview of Aboriginal society as seven statements on 'The Land' worksheet.

  4. Dreamtime stories quest:
    Students visit the dreamtime stories website and as a group complete the task. or alternatively
    • Stories of the Dreaming: text

    Below are tools which may help students with their presentations.

  5. Photo of stolen generation:
    Students identify questions they have about the photograph using the fishbone chart Chart 1. They swap their questions with another group, answer that group's questions while their questions are being answered by the other group. Students use the Photo - 5 w's and 1 h graphic organiser during this activity. Chart 2
    Background information can be found on the web:

  6. Personal Testimonies from the stolen generation:
    Students read the accounts of children who were taken from their families. Students work through the internet based Comparison Chart, Group Discussion and Consolidating the Comparisons or alternatively
    • Worksheet: Personal Stories - Comparison Activity: text

  7. Song: Took the children away:
    Think/Pair/Share. What is Archie Roach telling us in verse two? Pairs of students use the worksheet to help them dig deeper .

  8. Song: Took the children away:
    In groups students rewrite verse two in their own words.
    Students put their verse to music (music of a popular song they like with the verse they have created)
    Students perform their songs to each other.

  9. Vox Pop / Values Continuum
    Each student interviews three people for their response to the question 'should a Prime Minister apologize for past injustices'. Students cut and paste the Vox Pops onto a group poster headed with a values continuum. The vox pops are organised and pasted accordingly.
    Students respond with their personal responses to the same question on the Values continuum.
Use the kit to develop the NEW DIRECTIONS of social studies
  • The focus on citizenship education is seen as a new direction of social studies. This kit offers students the opportunity to look at a historical social issue and its far reaching effects. In this unit citizenship education is achieved through encouraging openness to the cultures and ideas of others and developing an understanding of the value of human rights (Lynch, 1993).
  • The investigative approach to values exploration reflects another new direction of social studies. While exploring the issues and values stance of others, students examine and develop their own values position. ‘They are encouraged to think about the nature of social justice, the welfare of others’ (Ministry of Education, 1997).
  • Conceptual understandings of identity, values, cause and effect, prejudice, racism and diversity are reflected through this unit via Settings in New Zealand and Beyond - The Pacific: New Zealand’s close relationship with Australia. Once understood these concepts are transferable to other units of study and represent a new direction in social studies.
Resources
The extensive list of resources used for this kit can be found on these reference pages. Included are resources/websites used for information, web page design, creative inspiration for graphic organisers and images used in the making of this social studies resource kit.

Resources not included in reference pages:

ABC (2005) Ceremonies to mark ‘National Healing Day’ Text [on-line] Healing 2005 or hard copy: text

Branagh, K.(2002) [dvd] Rabbit-proof fence Magna Pacific Video

Is that you Ruthie? Hegarty, R. (2000) Is the you Ruthie? McPherson’s Printing Group, Australia.
This book provides excellent scaffolding for students writing a newspaper article relating to the dormitory image (first photograph of the assessment activity)

Pilkington, D.(2002) Follow the rabbit-proof fence Bolinda ISBN: 1740308085

The Age (1996) Of White Lies and Stolen Lives [on-line] The Story of Archie Roach or hard copy: text

Wyatt, K. (1998) Director of Aboriginal Education Sorry Day Address Text [on-line] National Sorry Day or hard copy: text