Connecting Cultures – Berrinba East State School’s Journey

School Background Low social-economic, rural-

residential suburb of Logan City

Berrinba means ‘to the south’

School was established in 1975

515 students Multicultural population -

8% Indigenous It is classified a complex

and challenging school

OurJourney

3 year journey to implement ‘Embedding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Perspectives’ policy

2008 School Opinion Survey – significant increases in skills in teaching Indigenous culture (29% - 59%) and skills in engaging Indigenous students (29% - 55%)

Results brought the school to state level

Intercultural Investigations (IcIs)

Lets Go Shopping!

Students investigate the ways in which culture influences and language use reflects how people go shopping in Logan and how food is gathered by Traditional Aboriginal Australians.

You should demonstrate knowledge and understanding of

shopping practices in Logan food gathering of Traditional

Aboriginal Australians dominate attitudes of

shopping in Logan dominate attitudes of

Traditional Aboriginal Australians

language examples that carry a message about shopping and food gathering

Orientating PhaseWhat are some of the shopping practices sand attitudes to shopping?How can we design an inquiry and a survey into shopping practices and attitudes to going shopping in Logan?What are some common shopping practices/attitudes to shopping in Logan?Where do we mainly go shopping?What messages do we encounter when we go shopping?

Enhancing PhaseWhat are some food gathering practices of Traditional Aboriginal Australians?What are some dominate attitudes to food gathering of Traditional Aboriginal Australians?What are some common expressions that convey these attitudes that people use when food gathering?

Synthesising PhaseWhat similarities and differences are there in

people’s attitude to shopping/food gathering;shopping/food gathering practices;

in Logan and Traditional Aboriginal Australians?

Assessable Task

A Traditional Aboriginal Australian around your age will be staying with your family over the next holiday break. Plan a shopping trip that you would like to share with your guest.

Based on your knowledge of food shopping practices and attitudes in Logan and the way of life of Traditional Aboriginal Australians write an email to your guest outlining your place or places you plan to go shopping and explain why.

Explain your decisions to your teacher.

The Rabbits – A Story of Migration Students in 5b will be learning

about the migration of people to Australia, from the first Australians over 40 000 years ago, to the First Fleet and later African, European and Asian settlers. Through sharing a range of stories children will be exposed to different perspectives of these cultural groups. As part of this unit students will be encouraged and supported to read, comprehend, edit, write narratives, procedural texts and explanations, write from different perspectives, construct tables, as well as design and paint a boomerang and other Indigenous art.

How did the Australian Aborigines reach Australia?

Why are Dreaming stories significant for Australian Aborigines?

What impact did European settlement have on Australian Aborigines?

Are there differences of opinion between the Aboriginal and British settler view of European settlement?

What are common struggles that the Sudanese, Italian and Vietnamese shared settling into Australia?

Week 1: Teacher read “The Rabbits”. Brainstorm events from Australian History for each entry. Note taking in SOSE books

Week 2: The Ice Age – class discussion. Theories of Indigenous settlement – class discussion. The Dreaming Stories – Teacher read “Mungoon-Gali The Giant Goanna” and “Nungadin And Willijen”. For each story construct a table and respond to the following categories: Rules For Living; Teachings About The Environment; Spiritual Teachings. Children read “Tannar The Frill – Necked Lizard And Wonbri The Black Snake” and “Gaya – Dari The Platypus”. Children complete; Cloze activity, comprehension, spelling edit, punctuation edit and word banks. Week 3:Teacher read “The Magic Firesticks” and “Gidja”. For each story construct a table and record information under headings . Children read “Brolga The Dancer” and “Why The Possum Is So Small”. Children complete; Cloze activity, comprehension, spelling edit, punctuation edit and word banks.Week 4:Teacher read “White Clay And The Giant Kangaroos” and “How The Tasmanian Tiger Got It’s Stripes.Children read “Why The Wombat Has A Flat Forehead” and “The First Kangaroos”. Children complete; Cloze activity, comprehension, spelling edit, punctuation edit and word banks.

Children complete the following worksheets “Body Painting,” “Dreaming Story” and “Facts Sheet Aborigines”.

Week 5:Teacher read “The Quinkins” and “Warnayarra The Rainbow Snake.”Children read “Why The Emu Cannot Fly” and “The Numbat History Mystery”. Children complete; Cloze activity, comprehension, spelling edit, punctuation edit and word banks. Children complete the following worksheets “Dugong,” “Saltwater turtle“ and “Wallaby.”Week 6:Impact Of European Settlement-Children complete worksheet “Aboriginal View v British Settlers View” and “Eddie Mabo.”Colour Aboriginal flag.Play Indigenous games.Week 7: Australian Settlers From Sudan.Mapping activities.Construct timelines.Colour flag..Week 9:Australian Settlers From Vietnam.Mapping activities.Construct timelines.Colour flag.

Week 9:Excursion to Beenleigh Aboriginal Centre and Beenleigh Historical Village.

Assessable TaskStudents are to write a procedural text to demonstrate:  Knowledge and understanding. Interpreting purpose, audience, subject matter and correct text

type. Constructing text to suit audience and purpose. Reflecting on language choices and learning. 

Berrinba East State School – Making Teaching and Learning

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