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School Context:
The school is situated within the South-West of Western Australia, home to the Wardandi people of
the Noongar nation. The environment and land is supports many thriving ecosystems and the flora
and fauna is rich and diverse. The natural landscape of limestone ridges, granite coastlines and large
karri forests bring in many tourists throughout the year due to the beauty of this region and
therefore tourism is its largest industry. There are approximately 900 students enrolled at the
school, with 2% of these students being Indigenous. The school has an average Index of Community
Socio-Educational Advantage (ICSEA) of 1000. The school emphasises the importance of maintaining
and caring for the surrounding environment, and Indigenous perspectives are included within the
curricula.
General Outcomes & Purpose
Purpose: Student Outcomes:

 Gain appreciation and further  Collects relevant information and obtains it

understanding of Aboriginal Culture; from a range of sources, evaluates, uses
 Develop respect and acceptance of and communicates it with others;
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people  Students will learn that Aboriginal and
and culture; Torres Strait Islander Peoples have
 Acknowledge and identify the original longstanding scientific knowledge traditions
peoples of the South-west of Western and developed knowledge about the world
Australia as the Noongar people; through observation, prediction and
 View people as connected to nature. hypothesis, testing, and making
Nature and knowledges are a part of generalisations within specific contexts;
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander  Selects, uses and adapts technologies;
peoples’ identity;  Interacts with people and cultures other
 Identify the differences between than their own to further their
Indigenous and non-Indigenous cultures; understanding of the world;
 Students understand the elements of  Moves towards understanding their
Aboriginal and Torres Strait peoples living cultural, geographic and historical contexts,
communities as an interconnectedness of and gaining the knowledge, skills and
Country, Culture, and People; values necessary for active participation in
 Compare the way Noongar people life in Australia;
managed the land with the way Australian  Works individually and collaboratively;
society manages the land today;  Recognises that everyone has a right to feel
 Compare Noongar natural and cultural valued and be safe, and, in this regard, to
resource management practices with those understand their rights and obligations and
of the government; behave responsibly.
 Students understand the importance of
valuing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
cultural knowledges and how to help
Australian society build a sustainable
future;
 Involve student interests and relate these
interests to science understandings and
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
peoples’ knowledges.
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Key Background Points: Cultural & Protocol Considerations:

Understandings: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Appropriate terminology:

Islander People connected with Country rather When referring to Aboriginal people, use the
than separate from it, and therefore have term, ‘Aboriginal person’ and/or the local group
responsibility for maintaining and caring for the name, eg. Wardandi.
land.
Human Rights Commission and
Sustainability: Commonwealth Government definition
Aboriginal people’s cultural practices for over
50,000 years have been linked to success in The Commonwealth definition for Aboriginal
sustainable practices and caring for the land. and Torres Strait Islander people is someone:
They have much to contribute to Australian ... identified, recognised and accepted
society’s effort to innovate, incorporate and as an Aboriginal person in their local
implement sustainable practices. community.

Heterogeneity: Society and Traditional Lifestyles

Aboriginal peoples vary in their cultural The term ‘Traditional' does not apply only to
practices and ways of life differ in different the communities in remote areas; and
groups. simultaneously, the term ‘Contemporary' does
not apply only to urban communities.
Noongar People: Traditional beliefs and customs that are
The Traditional Country of the Noongar important in Aboriginal and Torres Strait
people’s covers the entire south-western Islander societies are no less important for
portion of Western Australia. Archaeological urban Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
evidence establishes that the Noongar people people than they are for remote area
have lived in the area and had possession of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
tracts of land on their Country for at least
45,000 years. Respect for Noongar Lore and Custom
The access and exchange of information in
Noongar Language Groups Noongar culture is different from what occurs
Noongar are made up of fourteen different in mainstream non-Aboriginal culture. Noongar
language groups: Amangu, Yued/Yuat, cultural protocol establishes who can and
Whadjuk/Wajuk, Bingared/Pinjarup, Wardandi, cannot ‘speak for country.’ These cultural
Balardong/Ballardong, Nyakinyaki, Wilman, protocols include age, gender and family
Ganeang, Bibulmun/Piblemen, Mineng, Goreng lineage under Noongar lore and custom. They
and Wudjari and Njunga. Each of these are to be observed as sacred, and any
language groups correlates with different digression from this is forbidden and
geographic areas with ecological distinctions. considered a breach of custom.

Communication Contemporary issues

Every culture has different ways of Teachers are encouraged to highlight issues
communicating, and in order to be able to work affecting contemporary people, such as:
with someone from a different culture in a  Colonisation exposed Aboriginal people
respectful way, you need to understand how to diseases and viruses, causing
people from that culture communicate. numerous fatalities and wiping out
entire communities. This also impacted
community structure and lifestyle of
Aboriginal peoples’ as a whole.
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Resources
Medium Author, Title Source
Producer,
Developer,
Etc.
Website Creative Aboriginal Fire https://www.creativespirits.info/aboriginalc
Spirits Management ulture/land/aboriginal-fire-
management#axzz4iHZFccj2

Website Kaartdijin South-West Boojarah https://www.noongarculture.org.au/south-

Noongar – west-boojarah/
Noongar
Culture
Website South West Living Culture – Living https://static1.squarespace.com/static/56ca
document Aboriginal Land and its people. c409d51cd4381775480d/t/57f25defe6f2e1
Land & Sea Noongar Protocols, 1074e8c283/1475501609428/Noongar+Prot
Council Welcome to Country ocols.pdf
(SWALSC)
Image Noongar Noongar Animals, https://www.noongarculture.org.au/langua
Culture Noongar Plants, ge/
(SWALSC) Noongar Seasons
Book Noongar Noongar Dictionary https://www.noongarculture.org.au/wp-
Culture content/uploads/2013/07/Noongar-
(SWALSC) Dictionary-Second-Edition.pdf
Website Creative Aboriginal Land Care https://www.creativespirits.info/aboriginalc
Spirits ulture/land/aboriginal-land-
care#axzz4iS0vaQrx
Website Parks and Management – Land https://www.dpaw.wa.gov.au/management
Wildlife use planning /land-use-planning

Website Parks and Nature Map https://naturemap.dpaw.wa.gov.au/

Interactive Wildlife
Website Creative Land Management https://www.creativespirits.info/aboriginalc
Spirits improves Health ulture/land/land-management-improves-
health#axzz4iS0vaQrx
Website Western Land & Sea Councils http://www.waitoc.com/now/land-and-sea-
Australian councils
Indigenous
Tourism
Operators
Council
Website Koomal Koomal Dreaming http://www.koomaldreaming.com.au/cultur
Dreaming Education al/
Programmes
 3

Lesson Plan 1 – Land Management and Aboriginal Bushfire Practices

Preparation:
 Consult and collaborate with school’s Aboriginal and Islander Education Officer (AIEO),
Aboriginal staff, parents/carers, Aboriginal Community Consultants, or the Aboriginal
Education team at the Western Australian Education Office to learn about how Aboriginal
groups used fire to influence their environment.
 Plan your lessons with your AIEO, other Aboriginal staff, Aboriginal parents/carers or the
Aboriginal Education Team in the Regional Education Office.
 Invite one of the above who has knowledge of Aboriginal Fire Management.
 Collect resources including reference materials.
 Read information about Aboriginal Fire Management and current CALM land management.
 View ‘Fighting carbon with fire in western Arnhem Land, NT’ about using fire to manage the
landscape. Compare different uses for fire by Aboriginal nations. Identify the significance
and meaning of fire to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Lesson Activities
AC Outcome # Specific Objectives Teaching/learning activities
Identifies information Teacher Introduction:
Science needed (and when),  Teacher to give an Acknowledgement of Country following the Noongar Cultural
Understanding locates and obtains it from Protocol format (in resources above).
a range of sources, and  Recap on previous lessons about sustainable land use
ACSSU176 evaluates, uses and shares  Explain to students that we will be looking at ways in which Aboriginal people used
it with others; fire to manage the land.
Science as a
Human Endeavour Students will learn that Class video:
Aboriginal and Torres  Engage students with video ‘Fighting carbon with fire in western Arnhem Land, NT’
ACSHE157 Strait Islander Peoples (link in resources above)
ASCHE158 have longstanding o What is a cool burn?
ASCHE160 scientific knowledge o What are the advantages of doing a cool burn?
ACSHE228 traditions and developed
knowledge about the Class activity:
Science Inquiry world through  Brainstorming activity to gather student understanding of bush fires, fire
Skills observation, prediction management/control practices, impact fire has on the environment (flora & fauna)
and hypothesis, testing, and the structure of the land.
ACSIS164 and making
ACSIS165 generalisations within Teacher input:
ACSIS169 specific contexts.  Explain to students that we will be researching how Aboriginal groups used fire to
ACSIS172 manage the land.
ACSIS174 Students will learn  Explain that we will be focussing on the South-west of WA natural environment
Noongar words of local (Noongar-Boojar region).
Cross Curriculum flora and fauna.  Write Karla (fire), Koorl (smoke), and other relevant Noongar words, incorporating
Priorities language to describe flora & fauna wherever possible.
Explain the impact of
OI.1 bushfires on native flora Student Discussion:
OI.2 and fauna.  Students are to discuss recent bushfires in the south-west such as the 2011
OI.3 bushfire.
OI.4 Identify the ways in which
 Questions to ask:
OI.5 Aboriginal peoples used
o What made this fire so severe/damaging to the bushland and homes of
OI.6 fire to manage the land
people and animals?
OI.7 and explain how these
o What was the impact of this bushfire?
OI.9 knowledges/practices can
o How could the severity of the bushfire have been lessened?
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add to Australian society’s o What knowledges and practices did the Noongar people have in place to
practices today. manage the land and prevent devastating fires?
o How do bushfires impact animal habitats and population?
Identify the difference in o How do bushfires impact flora?
world views of Indigenous
peoples and non- Student Activity:
Indigenous people.  Students are divided into groups of 2-3.
Consider the value of  Explain that groups will write a report about their findings to share with the class.
Aboriginal knowledges and Revise report framework/format and provide guidelines as to what is expected and
their intricate what will be assessed.
understanding of natural  Students research Noongar land management practices and fire management
phenomena. practices.
 Students are encouraged to speak or seek information from the Noongar
Use research techniques community, Elders, and/or the AIEO about their knowledges of the use of fire to
to gather information and manage the land.
add to prior knowledges.  What is the meaning of fire in Noongar culture? Does it hold a spiritual meaning?
What does this mean?
Understand the difference  How can Aboriginal fire management practices add to Australian society
between Western science knowledge?
and Indigenous science.
Teacher conclusion
 Ask students to share their findings/research. Reports are to be completed by end
of Lesson 3.
 Outline the significance and value of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
knowledges, and how these knowledges can help contemporary Australian culture
to understand our natural environment.

TEACHER RESOURCES:
Device and projector for class video viewing.
Information recorded from last lesson about natural and cultural resource management practices.
Writing materials.

STUDENT RESOURCES:
Student subject notebook.
Writing materials.
Computer or student device and internet access for research.

Evaluation of Student Learning:

 Does the student understand Aboriginal and Noongar usage of fire to manage the land?
 Does the student understand the cultural significance of connectedness to land and caring for land?
 What are the current land management practices in place regarding bush fire control?
 What are the impacts of fire on bushland, people and ecosystems?
 Does the student understand why Noongar and other Indigenous people’s natural and cultural resource management practices
enabled Aboriginal people’s survival in harsh terrains?
 Engagement in research activity. Does the student understand the nature of the research activity?
 Ideas proposed in class discussions
 The depth of inquiry in research activity
 Written skills such as content, use of text, maps, diagrams, illustrations.

Self-Evaluation/Reflection:
 Were the objectives achieved?
 Could students follow the levels of inquiry/research?
 Were students able to explore Aboriginal fire management practices?
 Were the activities appropriate for Year 9 students?
 Were the evaluative measures sufficient for in-class assessment?
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Lesson Plan 2 – Noongar Culture and Flora & Fauna

Preparation:
 Consult and collaborate with school’s Aboriginal and Islander Education Officer (AIEO),
Aboriginal staff, parents/carers, Aboriginal Community Consultants, or the Aboriginal
Education team at the Western Australian Education Office to learn about how Aboriginal
groups used fire to influence their environment.
 Plan your lessons with your AIEO, other Aboriginal staff, Aboriginal parents/carers or the
Aboriginal Education Team in the Regional Education Office.
 Invite one of the above who has knowledge of Noongar Flora & Fauna, Noongar Language,
Aboriginal History (Noongar region).
 Collect resources including reference materials.
 Read information about Noongar culture and history. South-west environment and climate.
Aboriginal history and Noongar history.

AC Outcome # Specific Objectives Teaching/learning activities

Identifies information needed Teacher Introduction:
Science (and when), locates and  Teacher to give an Acknowledgement of Country following the Noongar
Understanding obtains it from a range of Cultural Protocol format (in resources above).
sources, and evaluates, uses  Recap on previous lessons about sustainable land use
ACSSU176 and shares it with others;  Explain to students we will be covering other factors that affect our
environment.
Science as a Human Students will learn that
Endeavour Aboriginal and Torres Strait Student Brainstorming Activity:
Islander Peoples have  Students are asked to work in groups of 4-5 to brainstorm.
ACSHE157 longstanding scientific  Encourage discussion and questions with peers, teacher and/or AIEO.
ASCHE158 knowledge traditions and o What factors affect our local environment, ecosystems, including
ASCHE160 developed knowledge about water systems, forests and bushland?
ACSHE228 the world through  Question: How do these factors affect local fauna?
observation, prediction and o Which factors can we control?
Science Inquiry Skills hypothesis, testing, and o Which factors are out of our control?
making generalisations within
ACSIS164 specific contexts. Student activity:
ACSIS165  Students will then look at ‘Noongar Animals’, ‘Noongar Seasons’, ‘Noongar
ACSIS169 Student will outline the Plants’ posters to translate English words to Noongar words.
ACSIS172 difference of Aboriginal and  Research how environmental factors influence the abundance of flora and
ACSIS174 Torres Strait Islander cultures fauna in the south-west.
and British/Colonists culture o How did Noongar peoples care for the land?
Cross Curriculum and how these differences o What sustainable practices did the Noongar peoples have in place for
Priorities have contributed and food sources?
influenced the way we deal o How might we incorporate these practices into contemporary society
OI.1 with nature in the present food practices?
OI.2 day. o What were some uses of plants by Noongar peoples?
OI.3  Students encouraged to use ‘Nature Map’ on the Parks and Wildlife website.
OI.4 Outline and describe the Teacher to guide student inquiry.
OI.5 impact of British invasion on
OI.6 the lives of Aboriginal & Teacher and AIEO Input:
OI.7 Torres Strait Islander peoples
 AIEO overview of Noongar culture and the impact of Colonists on lifestyle and
OI.9 and the destruction of their
wellbeing of Aboriginal people in the southwest.
cultures.
 Ask students to differentiate world views/perspectives/cultures between
Aboriginal people and non-Indigenous people.
Identify the difference in
o How these differences influenced the environment in Australia and
world views of Indigenous
the original peoples of Australia at the time of invasion.
 6

peoples and non-Indigenous o What are the consequences of the events in the past? Students are
people. encouraged to consider many aspects of culture, knowledges,
language, identity, health and wellbeing, spirituality and connection
Consider the value of to Country.
Aboriginal knowledges and
their intricate understanding Class activity:
of natural phenomena.  Students are to create their own poster, story, song or dance of a Noongar
Animal and explore the interactions between other organisms in their
Use research techniques to ecosystem.
gather information and add to o Consider the way in which Noongar people communicate thier
prior knowledges. knowledges.
 Students are to research, and add to their understanding of animals.
Understand the difference  Brief presentation at the end of lesson.
between Western science and
Indigenous science. Teacher conclusion
 Overview of understandings and uses of flora and fauna in Western society
and Indigenous cultures.
 Explain that the research and ‘Noongar Animal’ activity is to be included in
final report, and work on the report will be continued in lesson 3.
 Get students to think about sustainable practices relating to flora & fauna,
and the environment as a whole.

TEACHER RESOURCES:
Device and projector for class video viewing.
Information recorded from last lesson about natural and cultural resource management practices.
Writing materials.

STUDENT RESOURCES:
Student subject notebook.
Writing materials.
Computer or student device and internet access for research.
Coloured pens or pencils.

Evaluation of Student Learning:

 Do students understand the cultural significance of connectedness to land and caring for land?
 Can students identify the current land management practices in place to care for native flora and fauna?
 Do students understand the impact of colonisation on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples?
 Does the student understand that Aboriginal people have an intricate understanding of the land (Country)?
 Engagement in research activity. Does the student understand the nature of the research activity?
 Engagement and participation in ‘Noongar Animal’ activity.
 Could students link their knowledges and identify the differences between their world views and world views of other peoples
cultures?

Self-Evaluation/Reflection:
 Were the objectives achieved?
 Could students use a variety of resources to complete the activities?
 Were students able to explore and explain Aboriginal understandings of the environment (flora and fauna)?
 Were the activities appropriate for Year 9 students?
 Were the evaluative measures sufficient for in-class assessment?
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Lesson Plan 3 – Practical Land Management Project

Preparation:
 Consult and collaborate with school’s Aboriginal and Islander Education Officer (AIEO),
Aboriginal staff, parents/carers, Aboriginal Community Consultants, or the Aboriginal
Education team at the Western Australian Education Office to learn about Aboriginal Land
Management Projects and government funding/general funding for these projects.
 Plan your lessons with your AIEO, other Aboriginal staff, Aboriginal parents/carers or the
Aboriginal Education Team in the Regional Education Office.
 Invite one of the above who has knowledge of Aboriginal Land Management Projects.
 Collect resources including reference materials.
 Read information about Aboriginal Land Management Projects
 View ‘Cape York Peninsula Aboriginal Land Management Projects’ which includes Aboriginal
Land Management Practices in the Cape York area of QLD.

AC Outcome # Specific Objectives Teaching/learning activities

Identifies information Teacher Introduction:
Science Understanding needed (and when),  Teacher to give an Acknowledgement of Country following the Noongar
locates and obtains it Cultural Protocol format (in resources above).
ACSSU176 from a range of sources,  Explain the final part of the research project. Students are to create a land
and evaluates, uses and management plan for a Noongar area of their choice:
Science as a Human shares it with others; o Students are to consider ways in which Government organisations
Endeavour and Noongar peoples and/or organisations can work together to
Students will learn that manage the land.
ACSHE157 Aboriginal and Torres o Students must include caring for environmental components such
ACSHE158 Strait Islander Peoples as water systems, flora & fauna ecosystems.
ACSHE160 have longstanding o Must consider protecting Noongar cultural sites, stories and
ACSHE228 scientific knowledge songlines, and recognise important cultural areas.
traditions and developed
Science Inquiry Skills knowledge about the Class video:
world through  Class to watch video ‘Cape York Peninsula Aboriginal Land Management
ACSIS164 observation, prediction Projects’. Choose sections to watch.
ACSIS165 and hypothesis, testing,  Ask students questions:
ACSIS166 and making o What was included at the beginning of the video?
ACSIS170 generalisations within o Which practices were put in place?
ACSIS172 specific contexts. o What Western practices were used in addition to Aboriginal
ACSIS174. knowledges of Country?
Students will understand o What opportunities were opened for Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Cross Curriculum Priorities the significance of Islander peoples?
Noongar cultural sites, o How does caring for the land relate to Aboriginal and Torres Strait
OI.1 stories and songlines and Islander peoples’ wellbeing?
OI.2 recognise important
OI.3 cultural areas. Class activity:
OI.4  Students are encouraged to find out about Noongar cultural sites and areas.
OI.5 Identify the difference in Local Noongar community people may be able to assist, and students can
OI.6 world views of talk to the AIEO about Aboriginal land management projects or areas that
OI.7 Indigenous peoples and require ‘caring for’.
OI.9 non-Indigenous people  Teacher to assist and guide with student ideas, questions and project
direction.
Use research techniques  Use data projector to view Department of Parks and Wildlife website,
to gather information demonstrating how to look up ‘land management projects’ and to find the
and add to prior information required, or students may work in pairs using computers if
knowledges. available.
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Identify the connection Student report:

between Aboriginal  Students are encouraged to summarise their findings, make final
wellbeing and adjustments and edit report before handing in to the teacher.
connection to Country.  Encourage final questions and discussion from class.
How caring for Country  Encourage constructive feedback about reports.
connects Aboriginal
people to the land. Further lessons may include:
 Visit to nearby national park/forest;
 Talk about Land Management projects by local elder;
 Local Elder to supervise/lead a bush walk on Country.
TEACHER RESOURCES:
Device and projector for class video viewing.
Information recorded from last lesson about natural and cultural resource management practices.
Writing materials.

STUDENT RESOURCES:
Student subject notebook.
Writing materials.
Computer or student device and internet access for research.

Evaluation of Student Learning:

 Do students understand the cultural significance of connectedness to land and caring for land?
 Can students identify how land management practices are important for cultural maintenance and Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander peoples’ wellbeing?
 Do students understand the impact of the introduction of foreign flora & fauna in Australia?
 Does the student understand that Aboriginal people’s Identity is connected to the land (Country)?
 Engagement in the land management project. Does the student understand what the importance in creating a plan?
 Engagement and participation in discussion around the class video.
 Could students link their knowledges and identify the differences between their world views and world views of other people’s
cultures?
 Answers to questions outlined in the above activities.

Self-Evaluation/Reflection:
 Were the objectives achieved?
 Could students create a land management plan?
 Were the activities appropriate for Year 9 students?
 Were the evaluative measures sufficient for in-class assessment?
 9

Resources

© SWALC
 10

© SWALC