Integrated Inquiry Planner

Year 7 Unit: Ancient Civilisations

Year Level: 7 VELS Level: 5

Overview

In this unit students will explore a variety of Ancient Civilisations. They will investigate the lifestyle and organisation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in Ancient times, and recognise them as the oldest continuous living culture in the world. They will then explore other Ancient Civilisations such as; Egypt, Greece, Sumer, China and Rome. They will compare some of the Ancient Civilisations and identify aspects of their lifestyle and organisation that have influenced today’s society.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Perspectives

· Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture is the oldest continuous living culture in the world.

· From Ancient times through to 1788 there were estimated to be 500 different Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander groups speaking over 250 different languages or dialects.

· The lifestyles and cultural traditions of the groups differed from one region to another.

· Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander lifestyles in ancient times included complex social systems and highly developed traditions reflecting a deep connection with the land.

Understandings

· Some communities in ancient times developed advanced levels of development and organisation.

· A diversity of communities and cultures existed in ancient times.

· Changes to ancient civilisations were often brought about by interconnections and conflict.

· Significant people, places and events of the past have influenced aspects of society today.

Rich Question

How have ancient civilisations helped shape societies today?

Contributing Questions

Why do we study history?

How can we find out about the past?

How did people in ancient times live?

What patterns are evident in the lifestyles of ancient people?

How is society today similar or different to ancient civilisations?

Why have Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures endured when many other ancient cultures didn’t?

Background Notes

From the Yarra Healing website: essential learnings.

When developing units of work on this particular topic, the following learnings need to be considered:

Land Organisation

· Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples cared for specific areas of land. Knowledge regarding the extent of and responsibilities for this land was passed on by the elders through generations. Territories were based on language group and clan associations, which in turn gave a people their strongest sense of identity.

· Each territory was further sub-divided among the clans of that territory. The boundaries of clan land were well known by all. With some exceptions, sovereignty was respected.

· Clan groups lived in broader regional alliances based on language and on economic and social co-operation. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people continue today to identify strongly with the places from which their ancestors came.

Relationships

· Clans invited neighbouring clans into their territory for social and economic reasons. The interaction was usually mutually beneficial. These occasions were governed by custom and ritual. Conflict sometimes occurred between adjacent clans in the form of warfare, raids and abductions.

Environment

· As with all societies, the resources, climate and topography within a territory strongly influenced the way of life of the Indigenous people who lived there. The distribution of plants, animals and other resources was unique in each territory and affected the precise way the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples developed a relationship with that specific environment.

· Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples saw themselves as a part of the environment and formed sustainable relationships with it.

On Sacred Ground: Learning About the Dreaming and Indigenous Beliefs

· For many thousands of years, Indigenous people used songs and stories to express their beliefs about the origins and meaning of life and land forms, the cycles of nature, and the harmony and conflict among human life and the animal world.

· The Dreaming refers to how Indigenous peoples explain the beginning and the continuity of life.

· The Dreaming is not fixed in the ancient era of creation. It continues in the spiritual lives of Indigenous peoples today, and its influence is embedded in many aspects of everyday living.

· Different Indigenous groups in Australia have their own Dreaming beliefs, Dreaming stories and Spirit Ancestors.

Resources

Written texts

“Australian Dreaming: 40,000 Years of Aboriginal History”, New Holland Publishers, Sydney 2005

French, J, ‘Fair Dinkum Histories: Shipwrecks, Sailors and 60,000 Years.’ by Jackie French, Scholastic, 2006

Presland, G, ‘Aboriginal Melbourne,’ McPhee Gribble, Ringwood, Victoria, 1994.

Read, T, ‘Gunjitmara Country’ Hawker Brownlow Education, 2007.

Websites

http://www.aboriginalculture.com.au/index.shtml Contains information about traditional life.

http://www.cultureandrecreation.gov.au/articles/indigenous/ An Australian Government website which provides information about traditional life and links to many other useful sites.

http://www.show.me.uk/topicpage/teachers/tAncient-Civilisations.html gives links to a range of interactive websites enabling students to explore aspects of Ancient Civilisations in fun ways.

http://www.history.com/ Contains documentaries on Ancient Civilisations.

http://videos.howstuffworks.com/ Contains videos on Ancient Civilisations

Audio Visual

‘Imperium: Fall of Great Empires’ DVD an SBS series, Roadshow Home Entertainment, 2005

‘Ten Canoes’ DVD, Madman, 2006.

‘Kanyini’ DVD, Roadshow, 2007.

Community

Koorie Heritage Trust

Botanical Gardens- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Resources Trail

Aboriginal cultural performers (eg. Koorie Heritage Trust or Cultural Infusion)

VELS Standards
Physical, Personal and Social Learning Strand
INTERPERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
Working in teams
At Level 5, students accept responsibility as a team member and support other members to share information, explore the ideas of others, and work cooperatively to achieve a shared purpose within a realistic timeframe. They reflect on individual and team outcomes and act to improve their own and the team’s performance.
PERSONAL LEARNING
Managing personal learning
They complete competing short, extended and group tasks within set timeframes, prioritising their available time, utilising appropriate resources and demonstrating motivation. They initiate and undertake some tasks independently, within negotiated timeframes. They review the effectiveness of the management of tasks, identifying successes and suggesting strategies that would improve outcomes. They develop and use criteria to evaluate their work, and use these criteria to make appropriate refinements.
Discipline Based Learning Strand
HISTORY
Historical knowledge and understanding
At Level 5, students analyse and describe key events in ancient societies. They use a variety of sources to describe key aspects of these societies. They describe aspects of daily life in these societies such as work, the division of labour, family, clothing, housing and education. They explain key features of community life including myths and legends, religious beliefs and practices and cultural expressions such as art and drama. They analyse the ways that ancient societies were governed, identify political features and explain the nature of the political system, the dominant groups and how they established and maintained power. They describe the roles of key individuals and evaluate their contributions and legacies.
Students analyse change and continuity over time and compare key aspects of past and present societies; for example, aspects of daily life, social and political ideas and structures, and cultural values and beliefs. They demonstrate understanding of key concepts such as democracy, governance, the rule of law, justice, religion, liberty, authority, leadership, culture and feudalism. They explain the influences of ancient societies on contemporary societies.
Historical reasoning and interpretation
At Level 5, students frame key research questions, plan their investigations, and report on their findings. They use a range of primary and secondary sources including visual sources that record features of the societies in their investigations. They identify the content, origin, purpose and context of historical sources. They evaluate historical sources for meaning, point of view, values and attitudes, and identify some of the strengths and limitations of historical documents. They use relevant historical evidence, concepts and historical conventions such as bibliographies to present a point of view. Students use a variety of forms to present their understanding.
Interdisciplinary Strand
COMMUNICATION
Presenting
At Level 5, students use the communication conventions, forms and language appropriate to the subject to convey a clear message across a range of presentation forms to meet the needs of the context, purpose and audience. They provide and use constructive feedback and reflection to develop effective communication skills.
THINKING PROCESSES
Reasoning, processing and inquiry
At Level 5, students use a range of question types, and locate and select relevant information from varied sources when undertaking investigations. When identifying and synthesising relevant information, they use a range of appropriate strategies of reasoning and analysis to evaluate evidence and consider their own and others’ points of view. They use a range of discipline-based methodologies.
Reflection, evaluation and metacognition
At Level 5, students explain the purpose of a range of thinking tools and use them in appropriate contexts. They use specific language to describe their thinking and reflect on their thinking processes during their investigations. They modify and evaluate their thinking strategies. They describe and explain changes that may occur in their ideas and beliefs over time.

Assessment Strategies
When / What / Why / How
Pre assessment. At the start of the Building stage. / Triple entry journal / To track the development of students’ understandings about ancient Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander civilisations.
History, Thinking Processes / Students reflect on their current understandings or perceptions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander society by responding to questions in the first column of the triple entry journal. They revisit the journal at the end of the Building stage as well as in the Personalising stage of the unit. They compare their entries to determine how their ideas have changed.
End of Building stage / Personal Presentation in a mode of choice / For students to demonstrate their understanding about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander life, culture and land in Ancient times.
History, Communication, Personal Learning / Students draw upon the information collated on the charts and then choose a way to demonstrate their understandings of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander life, culture and land in Ancient times. They can choose from one of the methods suggested, or design a presentation of their own. A rubric will help students to clearly understand expectations.
During the Investigating stage / Scaled Timeline / To assess students’ understanding of time sequence and span.
History, Personal Learning / Students construct individual timelines. The timeline will need to be constructed to scale spanning 60,000 years. On the timeline students include their knowledge of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history.
They add knowledge of other Ancient Civilisations during the course of the Investigating stage. They may add detail to their timelines in words and illustrations to further demonstrate their understanding.
During the Investigating stage / Group research task into an Ancient civilisation / To assess students’ ability to conduct historical research, and to contribute to a group task.
History, Communication, Interpersonal Development / In small groups students research one Ancient Civilisation and record their findings on a data chart. They present their findings to the whole class.
Personalising stage / Comparing Ancient Civilisations Task / To make comparisons and generalisations about the similarities and differences between Ancient Civilisations.
History, Thinking Processes, Personal Learning / Individual assessment task in 2 parts; comparing 2 or 3 Ancient Civilisations; and identifying how Ancient Civilisations have influenced today’s society. Students draw upon all they have learned throughout the unit to complete the task.

BUILDING

Activities planned during this stage of the unit are designed to build the foundational knowledge and skills the students will need to investigate this topic.
Purpose / Activity / Teacher notes
To determine students prior knowledge about some of the issues in the unit, and to engage them in the topic. / Prior knowledge- tuning in activity
Hot Potato activity. Divide students into 5 groups. Each group has one poster with one of the following question prompts on it. Students brainstorm on posters what they already know or think they know about this. After 10 minutes rotate the posters. Groups must read what the previous group has written and then add additional ideas. They can add to existing ideas but not repeat something that has already been written.
· How did Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples live before European Settlement?
· What do you know about the origins of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander civilisations? (Where did they come from, when? Etc)
· What questions do you have about ancient Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander civilisations?
· What do you know about the Dreamtime?
· What contributions have Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples made to our modern day society? / Student responses to these questions will allow teachers to adapt the unit based on the needs of their students.
Teachers may need to clarify what an ancient civilisation is with students before commencing the unit.
To track the development of students’ understandings about ancient Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander civilisations. / Triple Entry Journal
Students reflect on their current understandings or perceptions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander society by responding to these 3 questions in the first column of the triple entry journal. Students chose a question of their own to add to the triple entry journal;
· How did Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people live in ancient times?
· How have Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities changed?
· What elements have remained the same, or ‘endured’ over time?
They will revisit this twice during the course of the unit to record further reflections on the questions enabling them to track the development of their knowledge about Ancient Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander civilisations. / Ensure students date their entries. They could record in their journals more frequently than suggested to record development of their thinking. Other questions may be added to the journal as the unit progresses.
To provide authentic experiences to allow students to find out what life was like for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the past. / Excursion to the Koorie Heritage Trust and Botanical Gardens- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Resources Trail
· Individually have students record information they gathered from the excursion about the lifestyle and organisation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander society in pre-contact times. They record each separate piece of information on post it notes.