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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have occupied the lands and waters of Australia for millennia (AIATSIS 2022:Australia’s First Peoples). I have chosen a YouTube video of the Acknowledgement of Country as a resource to represent the theme of Country. It is a source from the Queensland Government of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people of all ages, honouring and respecting the original owners of the land. The purpose of an Acknowledgement of Country is to allow for anyone to show respect for the traditional owners, country, culture, heritage and ongoing relationship Aboriginal people have with the land (NSW Government 2022:para3). A Welcome to Country is needed in significant events such as National Sorry Day, National Reconciliation Week, Survival Day and National NAIDOC Week (NSW Government 2022:para4). Some schools have included the Acknowledgement of Country in the beginning of their assembly’s and have it posted in their classrooms. The theme Country was chosen for this resource as it is a broad yet critical theme. It signifies the healing of Country, the right to protect Country and culture, and using this resource to represent that is a simple way to pay respects to Country (NAIDOC 2021:para2-4).

This resource is appropriate for all age groups, as while it is addressed at some schools, there are other schools that do not make their students aware or familiarise their students with the Acknowledgement of Country. AITSL Standard 2.4 focus’ on the understanding and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to promote reconciliation between Indigenous and non-indigenous Australians (AITSL 2022:5). The Acknowledgement of Country encourages everyone to pay their respects to the traditional owners and is an important part of living in Australia. The Alice Springs (Mparntwe) Education Declaration goal 1 also supports this resource as the goal is for the Australian Education system to promote excellence and equity (Education Council 2019:5). In collaboration with the Government, it is to be insured that young Australians of all backgrounds are supported to achieve their pull educational potential, and by addressing the Acknowledgement of Country, it prevents discrimination and naivety within the classroom (Education Council 2019:5). The video resource of the Acknowledgement of country is an appropriate resource to take through, supporting the theme of Country and supporting AITSL Standard 2.4.

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Acknowledgement of Country – we honour and respect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders

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According to Collins Dictionary, reciprocity is defined as the “exchange of something between people or groups of people where each person or group lives” (Collins Dictionary n.d:para1). It is the basis for relationships in many Indigenous communities (Sub Cuc and Camp 2014:para2). I have chosen an online resource created by Australians Together, which is a non-for-profit organisation both First Nations and non-indigenous, who aim to bring Australians Together by sharing stories (Australians Together n.d:About Us). Their online resource “Sharing Stories’ contains a lesson plan, surrounding the connection between personal experiences and the words of texts. The activity consists of discussion of the characters, events and settings, followed by drawing connection between personal experience and finished off with creating a text that adapt the language features and patterns. Throughout the activity, students will brainstorm their prior knowledge, respond to culture, participate in class discussion and create a response. This lesson plan elaborates reciprocity as this allows for the students to grasp the importance of reciprocity in a first-person perspective to gain knowledge and respect.

This resource is specified for Year 3 students, as it directly corresponds to the Australian Curriculum elaborations ACELT1594 Literature and Context, ACELT1596 Responding to Literature and ACELT1719 Creating Literature (Australian Curriculum 2022). Alternatively, Australians Together have many resources from Prep to Year 10. AITSL Standard 1.4 focus’ on strategies for teaching Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students (AITSL 2022:5). It ensures for demonstrated broad knowledge and understanding of the impact of culture, cultural identity and linguistic background on the education of students from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds (AITSL 2022:5). This resource ensures for this focus as students gain an understanding a knowledge through reading stories and creating literature in this lesson plan. The Alice Springs (Mparntwe) Education Declaration goal 2 also supports this resource as the goal is for all young Australians become confident and creative individuals and informed members of the community. This activity helps to develop personal values and enables students to relate well to others, which is one of the purposes of goal 2 (Education Council 2019:5) The resource allows for students to grasp the understanding of the theme reciprocity with support with AITSL standard 1.4 and goal 2 of the Alice Springs (Mparntwe) Education Declaration.

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Australia is the home of many different and distinct Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander groups (AIATSIS 2022:Australia’s First Peoples). Identity can be defined as the distinguishing character or personality of an individual (Merriam-Webster n.d:para1). The theme of identity was chosen for the third resource which is a picture story book titled ‘Respect’ by Aunty Fay Nuir, Sue Lawson, illustrated by Lisa Kennedy (Nuir and Lawson 2022). This book is specified for children ages 6 and under and is a story of the way Aunty Fay shows respect, how we should respect each other and provides an understanding of what respect means in the context of Aboriginal cultures. Aunty Fay Muir is a Senior Boon Wurrung and Wamba Wamba Elder, First Nations’ community leader and Koori Court Elder (Victorian Government 2020:para1). Aunty Fay is a highly respected Elder who has served the Victorian community for over 40 years (Victorian Government 2020:para1). This resource is a great introduction to the theme of identity to younger children as it portrays an important message, accompanied with fruitful images. At a younger age, it can be hard to grasp Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander culture, especially to non-indigenous students that come from countries outside of Australia, and this story book is a great way to introduce such themes.

This resource can be supported by many content descriptions in the Victorian Curriculum, for example, VCELT148 (recognising that texts ate created by authors who tell stories and share experiences that may be similar or different to students’ own experience) (Victorian Curriculum 2022:VCELT148) . The elaboration of this content description is to view stories by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander storytellers, and Aunty Fay is exactly that. The book ‘Respect’ not only allows for storytelling, as well as implies the example to respect Indigenous and non-Indigenous people. This also gives the students the opportunity to relate or compare their own stories with Aunty Fay’s and engage with the text on a personal level. This resource also supports AITSL Standard 2.4 as it allows for the understanding and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (AITSL 2022:5). This book is a great way to expand the student’s knowledge, understanding and respect for Indigenous culture through the history and storytelling. This can avoid unconscious bias and promote inclusivity within the classroom and outside of the classroom. ‘Respect’ by Aunty Fay Nuir, Sue Lawson and Lisa Kennedy is a great resource to be used in the classroom and is supported by AITSL 2.4 and VCELT148.

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The final resource is an image of a map of Victorian Aboriginal Tribes with the theme of Country. This map depicts the traditional owners of the land, specifically in Victoria. This map is a visual reminder of the diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australia, created in 1996 (AIATSIS 2022:para3). The map I have chosen only depicts the larger groups as it is to give the students an introductory understanding of the Tribes in Victoria. I have chosen this resource as some students are greatly unaware of the Tribes and original owners of the land, and it is extremely important to be aware of this. The map is not coloured in as the students can use this as an activity to identify, and colour in each section, making this a Humanities and Visual Arts activity. Acknowledgement of country is made at the start of events such as formal occasions, speeches or meetings but without fully understanding this concept, students may not retain this information (Common Ground n.d:para1). By breaking down the Owners of the Land in Victoria, students allow for a greater connection to the Acknowledgement of Country. First Nations people have faced extreme discrimination and many Indigenous people have not felt included or respected (Common Ground n.d:para4). It is tremendously important to partake in the Acknowledgment of Country to express the respect and inclusivity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

This resource is supported by VCGGK063 in the Victorian Curriculum. VCGGK063 covers the representation of location of places and their features on maps and models, with the elaboration of identifying how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples represent the location of Country (Victorian Curriculum 2022:VCGG063). This map allows for students to examine the location of places on the map and allows for greater understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people represent the location of Country. This resource is also supported by AITSL standard 2.4 as this allows for understanding and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures and languages (AITSL 2022:5). Students will identify each Tribe and its location which creates respect for the original owners of the land and creating a deeper understanding for the places we visit and reside. This will further enhance a students’ respect for Country and the land we live on. This map resource with the theme of Country is supported by AITSL standard 2.4 and VCGG063 of the Victorian Curriculum.