Activity 1:
Look at the pictures and the information given in the concept map to answer the following questions;
1. In what ways did the manner in which Indigenous people use fire help to care for and preserve the land?
2. Choose 5 adjectives (describing words) that you think best describe Indigenous use of fire. One, for example, might be ‘knowledgeable’.
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/ 1.Appendix 3 (concept map used in Orientation and Activity 1)
Activity 2 (Appendix 1)
Story from an Indigenous girl:
Fire is really important. It has its own dreaming. There are people and families that are responsible for are responsible for the fire dreaming. They know the songs and the ceremony.
When I was a small girl, children were not allowed to play with fire. At the camp site, the area around the fire pit was cleared, just like making a fire break, making a safe place for sleeping.
My grandfather used to talk to the other men about the best time and place to burn. They would wait for the right wind and pick the right grass. They were careful not to burn country belonging to other people.
As we travelled around our Grandmother would tell us stories. When we camped at old camping sites, they would dig out the fire pits showing us the different coloured ash. The different colours showed the different times people had camped there.
As small kids we would go to the river, collect little pebbles and crush them up. Then we would make patterns in the ground telling fire pit stories.
YOU’RE TURN!
Write your own story about how you and your family use fire. Think about electricity, cooking, candles, etc.
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Activity 3:
1. Put yourself in the shoes of an Indigenous person. Think about European settlers taking over the land of Indigenous people.
2. Use Popplet to write the feelings of an Indigenous person when European settlers took over their land and took away their fire tradition.
3. Use the following websites to find some information to include in your response.
Websites:
- http://anpsa.org.au/APOL3/sep96-1.html
- http://www.dpaw.wa.gov.au/management/fire/fire-and-the-environment/41-traditional-aboriginal-burning
- http://www.alicespringsdesertpark.com.au/kids/culture/fire.shtml
- http://www.clc.org.au/articles/info/fire-management1
- http://theconversation.com/the-biggest-estate-on-earth-how-aborigines-made-australia-3787
Appendix 2
Venn diagram template students will use to create the similarities and differences comparison or how Indigenous people use fire compared to how we use fire today:
Appendix 4
Scaffolding questions- when students are working independently to create the Venn diagram comparison, ask students the following questions who are struggling:
- Teach students firstly how the Venn diagram works.
- Write down some points of how Indigenous people used fire.
- Did Indigenous people need fire to cook food?
- How do we cook our hot food?
- When Indigenous people were cold, what did they use to keep themselves warm?
- When we are cold at home, what do we use to keep ourselves warm?
- When we want to call our friends, how do we do this?
- Indigenous people did not have phones, email, etc., how did they contact their friends and family?
- What do we use in the environment to clear long grass or trees that we don’t want there anymore?
- Indigenous people did not have bulldozes so how did they clear these things away?
Appendix 5
Reflection and observation questions to review when looking at students work books and work from this lesson.
Question: / Yes/ No / Comments:Did the student include at least 5 similarities and differences in the Venn diagram?
Did these points reflect the knowledge gained from the lesson rotation activities?
Did the student think critically and appropriately about how they use fire themselves and with their family?
Did the student use appropriate and relevant facts regarding how Indigenous people used fire?
Did the student complete all activities (rotation activities and Venn diagram independent activity)