UNIT OUTLINE: Team Quokka Page 1

Unit of Work 102085: Preserving Culture and Environment

Site Details: Minerva Pool at the Dharawal National Park

Site Description:
Dharawal National Park is the traditional land of the Dharawal Aboriginal people. Their long connection with this Country; the land and waterways, and the
plants and animals that live in it feature in all facets of Aboriginal culture and are associated with Dreaming stories and cultural learning that is passed on
today. The park protects several ancient Aboriginal sites, including drawings and axe-grinding grooves.

For a short, relaxing bushwalk, set aside some time to explore Minerva Pool walking track in Dharawal National Park. This picturesque walk leads you through
bushland towards a lookout with views of Minerva Pool.
As you wander, keep an eye out for Sydney golden wattle and mountain devil shrub, which the Dharawal People use for bush food and medicine. If you're
lucky, you may spot the swamp wallabies or yellow-tailed black cockatoos that call this park home.
At the end of the trail you'll arrive at Minerva Pool, a pristine waterhole with sandstone features and a small stone island. Unpack a picnic lunch and spend
some time enjoying the view as you watch the waterfall cascade into the rockpool below.
This is a sacred site for the Dharawal People and an important part of Aboriginal culture, so please remember to tread carefully and with respect during your
visit. The Tharawal Local Aboriginal Land Council asks that only women and children enter the waters of Minerva Pool.

Group member Lesson plan Outline Curriculum area covered and link to your site
number X/10
1 – Jacob Fleming 1/10 English – Listening to stories from Dharawal elder and thinking creatively about representing
Dharawal culture
2 – Luke Jones 17700724 2/10 Technology - Developing signs to help inform visitors of the Dharawal National Park. Signs may
include Aboriginal art, guided by an elder to help link wording and imagery to
Dharawal culture.
3 – Thomas Chan 18069743 3/10 Science- Develop a cultural and environmental understanding of care for country through applying
concepts learned in the topic of the Water Cycle.
4 – Jayden Lach 17691622 5/10 Mathematics – Finding symmetries in pictures taken at Minerva Pools (Dharawal National Park)
5 – Timothy Drummond 18036158 6/10 Music – Analysing and recreating soundscapes of an important cultural site
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Unit description Resources
This is a 10-lesson unit of work which focusses on how we can redesign Board of Studies NSW, 1995, Invasion and resistance: untold stories, kit,
signage to better inform visitors to conserve and respect Dharawal National Board of Studies NSW, Sydney.
park. The unit is taught around sustainable practices through the lens of • Local community resources including AECG, Land Council, ASPA.
Dharawal culture. • Information on local historical sites, including from the local council
and the local historical society.
• Video for the national park
Students in year 8 will be tasked with making new signage, and a
• Worksheets (attached to relevant lesson plans)
proposal/presentation for a plan which helps visitors of Dhawaral National Dhawaral Park details:
Park respect its cultural, environmental, and historic importance. https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/visit-a-park/parks/dharawal-
national-park

Design software/programs:
https://www.canva.com/
GIMP
Photoshop
Adobe illustrator or Corel Draw
Digital Audio Workstation (Audacity or Garageband)
Equipment:
Laser cutter (Trotec)
Feathers and other craft materials
Cardboard
Laptops
Time allocation 10 × 60-minute lessons
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Targeted outcomes

Science:
Outcome:
SC5-9WS: presents science ideas and evidence for a particular purpose and to a specific audience, using appropriate scientific language, conventions and
representations
Content
WS9: a. selecting and using in presentations, for different purposes and contexts, appropriate text types including discussions, explanations, expositions,
procedures, recounts or reports
Outcome:
SC4-12ES: describes the dynamic nature of models, theories and laws in developing scientific understanding of the Earth and solar system
Content:
ES4- Science understanding influences the development of practices in areas of human activity such as industry, agriculture and marine and terrestrial
resource management.
d. research how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' knowledge is being used in decisions to care for country and place, eg terrestrial
and aquatic resource management
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Technology:
Outcome:
DT4-5 describes designed solutions that consider preferred futures, the principles of appropriate technology, and ethical and responsible design
DT4-7 communicates design ideas and solutions using a range of techniques
Content:
evaluate and explain the impact of past, current and emerging technologies on the individual, society and environments, for example: (ACTDEK041) –
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Peoples
– Indigenous Peoples
– people with disability
– unique environments

English:
EN4-5 - thinks imaginatively, creatively, interpretively and critically about information, ideas and arguments to respond to and compose texts
- understand and use conventions of storytelling in a range of modes and media, eg digital storytelling
- compose a range of visual and multimodal texts using a variety of visual conventions, including composition, vectors, framing and reading
pathway
EN4-8 - identifies, considers and appreciates cultural expression in texts
- identify and explain cultural expressions in texts, including those about gender, ethnicity, religion, youth, age, sexuality, disability and social
class
- explore the interconnectedness of Country and Place, People, Identity and Culture in texts including those by Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander authors
- explore and appreciate the ways different cultural stories, icons, Aboriginal images and significant Australians are depicted in texts
- explore and appreciate the ways different cultural stories, icons, Aboriginal images and significant Australians are depicted in texts
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Mathematics:
Outcome:
MA4-3WM Recognising and explains mathematical relationships using reasoning
Content:
Identify line and rotational symmetries (ACMMG181)
• investigate and determine lines (axes) of symmetry and the order of rotational symmetry of polygons
• investigate the line and rotational symmetries of circles
• identify line and rotational symmetries in pictures and diagrams, e.g. artistic and cultural designs

Music:
Outcome:
4.4 demonstrates an understanding of musical concepts through exploring, experimenting, improvising, organising, arranging and composing
4.7 demonstrates an understanding of the musical concepts through listening, observing, responding, discriminating, analysing, discussing and recording
musical ideas
4.8 demonstrates an understanding of musical concepts through aural identification and discussion of the features of a range of repertoire
Content:
• experimenting and improvising music representative of various styles, periods and genres
• identifying, understanding and describing how the concepts of music have been used and manipulated
• creating simple compositions both individually and in groups
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LESSON SYLLABUS KEY OUTCOMES/ INTEGRATED TEACHING, LEARNING AND ASSESSMENT CONNECTIONS
NUMBER AND CONTENT TO 8 WAYS
KLA
Lesson 1 EN4 - 5 EN4-5 - thinks Introduction to unit and setting the scene for the problem:
English imaginatively, creatively,
Students are introduced to the unit providing a scope of the
interpretively and
significance. Students are also introduced to the big question;
critically about
information, ideas and “How we can redesign signage to better inform visitors to conserve
arguments to respond to and respect Dharawal National park”
and compose texts
Indigenous Storytelling:
-Understand and use
EN4 - 8
conventions of storytelling Students hear/ read traditional stories of the Dharawal culture from
in a range of modes and an elder.
media
Students utilise visual techniques to create a symbolic
EN4-8 - identifies, interpretation of traditional Dharawal stories.
considers and appreciates
Students will use traditional Dharawal language alongside poetic
cultural expression in
devices to create their own writing.
texts
Students will use their own understanding of environmental and
-Explore the
cultural strategies to brainstorm ideas for the preservation of a site
interconnectedness of
and culture.
Country and Place,
People, Identity and
Culture in texts including
those by Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander
authors
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Lesson 2 DT4-4 DT4-4 describes the work Sign design:
Technology and responsibilities of
Students will learn to identify appropriate shapes, colours, wording,
designers and the factors
materials and imagery for signs.
affecting their work
Students will describe appropriate meanings that are conveyed by a
DT4-5 describes designed
DT4-5 sign and how shape, colour, wording, imagery and material help
solutions that consider
achieve the design goal.
preferred futures, the
principles of appropriate Students will practise their visual communication skills through the
technology, and ethical drawing of their design ideas with different mediums, including
and responsible design charcoal.
DTLS-4
DTLS-4 explores the work If available, an Aboriginal elder will teach and guide the class on
of designers in terms of appropriate Aboriginal art to include for their signs.
the benefits to the
individual, society and Non-verbal demonstration:
environments
The teacher will provide non-verbal demonstrations to help teach the
investigate how designers students in an 8-ways inspired manner.
respond ethically and
responsibly to design
issues when they develop
design ideas and
solutions, for example:
(ACTDEK040, ACTDEK041)
– research an example of
an ethical and responsible
design in a focus area of
design – analyse the life
cycle of a product in
terms of sustainability
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and environmental
impact of resources being
used

develop design ideas and

solutions considering
ethical and responsible
design practices
(ACTDEK040)

Lesson 3 SC5-9WS Topic: Water Cycle:

Science WS9: a. selecting and
SC4-12ES using in presentations, for Students will use their prior knowledge and research of the water cycle
different purposes and to design a fact sheet about a body of water in Dharawal National park.
contexts, appropriate text Students will learn about the environmental significance of care of
types including country whilst they consider the cultural significance.
discussions, explanations,
Brainstorming:
expositions, procedures,
recounts or reports Students will have the opportunity to share their own ideas and
conceptions about Care of Country and environmental conservation.
ES4- Science
understanding influences Research:
the development of
Students will research different techniques and strategies which have
practices in areas of
been successful around the world in attempts to conserve our natural
human activity such as
ecosystems.
industry, agriculture and
Kahoot: WATER CYCLE
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marine and terrestrial Students will attempt a Kahoot for the topic of the water cycle so that
resource management. any gaps in understanding can be filled and they can appropriately
recall the concepts before applying them.
d. research how
Aboriginal and Fact Sheet (Assessment):
Torres Strait
Islander peoples' Students will be asked to design a persuasive fact sheet advocating for
knowledge is Dhawaral national park. They will demonstrate their understanding of
being used in the water cycle and the significance of sites located and around
decisions to care Dhawaral national park. They will need to choose 1 body of water
for country and
located on the site. They will need to include:
place, eg
terrestrial and • Minimum 1 photo
aquatic resource • An introduction with general information about the site.
management • Information including but not limited to:
o Other bodies of water connected to a chosen site
o Flora and Fauna beneficiaries
o 1 area of risk/conservation/necessary human
intervention
o Information about the Indigenous people or traditional
custodians of that place.

Lesson 4 N/A N/A Elder/ Local guide:

Site Visit
Students are led on a tour of Dharawal National Park’s walking tracks
and can listen to a local Elder talk about the significance of the National
Park, and Minerva Pool to the local Dharawal community.

Students are encouraged to take pictures of the surroundings, as well

as listen for the native wildlife, to assist them with the lessons in this
unit (Mathematics, Technology, and Music in particular)
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Using previous knowledge and experiences in English, students will
identify significant cultural sites within the park and show respect to
cultural expectations e.g. Male students respecting the female tradition
of Minerva Pools.

Lesson 5 Mathematics MA4-1WM – Symmetry:

Mathematics Stage 4: Communicates and
Students are given the names of an assortment of shapes, and asked to
Properties of connects mathematical
draw those shapes in their books. Once completed, students are asked
Geometrical ideas using appropriate
to find any lines of symmetry and/or any order of rotational symmetry
Figures 1 terminology, diagrams
for the shapes.
and symbols
Site Connection:

The teacher asks students to reflect on their time at Dharawal National

Park as part of their site visit, paying particular attention to the imagery
that they encountered, and the significance of country to the
Aboriginal community.

In small groups, students are to use the images they have taken when
on the site visit, as well as images taken by the teacher (see resources),
and sketch the shapes that are potentially relevant to their sign design
in their books, and find any symmetries in the images.

Sign Design:
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Students should then continue developing a design for their signs in
preparation for the end of the unit expo.

Students are assessed formatively through discussions with the teacher

and other students about the symmetries of the shapes they have
chosen. Assistance may be given with the design of signage, with
particular emphasis on the significance of the site to the design.

Lesson 6 MU4-4 Demonstrates an Listening:

Music
understanding of musical Students will analyse a recording taken at Dhawaral National Park and
concepts through attempt to identify the sounds they can hear, such as that of the
exploring, experimenting, stream, flora, fauna, and weather condition. They may also rely on
visual cues for this. Unidentified sounds should be researched, in order
improvising, organising,
to uncover specifics (what kind of bird made that sound? What type of
MU4-7 arranging and composing tree is rustling?) in order to familiarise themselves with the
environment of the area.

demonstrates an Recreating Sound Scape:

understanding of the Students will then, using a Digital Audio Workstation such as Audacity
musical concepts through or Garageband, mute the video and attempt to recreate the
listening, observing, soundscape of the environment in the area. They may use found
sounds in order to recreate environmental sounds, although for sounds
responding,
specific to the area such as bird calls, they may need to use sourced
MU4-8 discriminating, analysing, audio samples. This will be completed using the microphones on
discussing and recording student’s BYODs. This activity should be completed in small groups.

musical ideas Students will export these final products as an mp4 file at the end of
the lesson and submit this on Google Classrooms.
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demonstrates an
understanding of musical
concepts through aural
identification and
discussion of the features
of a range of repertoire

Lesson 7 MU 4-4 Demonstrates an Recreating Sound Scape:

Music
understanding of musical Students will, using their soundscapes from the previous lesson,
concepts through compose a short piece of music exclusively using these sounds. This
exploring, experimenting, activity will take place in the same groups.

improvising, organising, Students may, for example, use the sounds of snapping sticks and
arranging and composing footsteps to create a drum beat, animal calls to create a melodic line,
etc. This will be composed and recorded using the same DAW as the
MU 4-6 previous lesson.
experiments with
The idea is that then each group will have two audio recordings to be
different forms of used at their presentation to advocate for the wildlife preservation that
technology in the stems from the change in signage.
MU 4-7 composition process The teacher will wrap up the lesson by conducting a class discussion on
what has been learned about the biosphere of Dhawaral National Park
Demonstrates an and the importance of its preservation.

understanding of the
musical concepts through
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listening, observing,
responding,
discriminating, analysing,
discussing and recording
musical ideas
Lesson 8 DT4-4 DT4-4 describes the work Sign Design:
Technology and responsibilities of
Students will review their initial designs and make changes based on
designers and the factors
what they have learned thus far.
affecting their work
Differentiation:
DT4-5 describes designed
DT4-5
solutions that consider • Students who had finished their designs in the last lesson will be
preferred futures, the able to extend their performance with the analysis of their
principles of appropriate previous design and then make redesigns.
technology, and ethical • Students who had not finished their designs in the previous
and responsible design technology lesson, will have more time in this lesson to
DTLS-4 complete their design.
DTLS-4 explores the work • The teacher will make observations and provide guidance
of designers in terms of where it is required throughout the lesson.
the benefits to the
individual, society and Alternative task:
environments.
If the students have completed their work for the technology classes
thus far the following task will be completed. Additionally, on a needs
basis, students may be able to complete tasks from other disciplinary
classes within this unit of work.

• Students will watch the following video on natural building

techniques: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P73REgj-3UE
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NOTE: this video has no dialogue, it is a non-verbal video.
Captions can be turned on that the creator has provided to
inform the viewer on the techniques.
• Following the video, students can create clay adornments, sign
decorations and/or sculptures that would attract interest for
the signs.

Students will submit their works by the end of the lesson. The sign
designs must be completed by this lesson so the teacher can have them
laser cut out of a sustainability resourced wood.

Lesson 9 EN4-5 EN4-5 thinks Expo presentation preparation:

English imaginatively, creatively,
Students use their understanding of the Dharawal culture and their
interpretively and
experiences in previous lessons to create a multimodal presentation,
critically about
including visual stimulus.
information, ideas and
arguments to respond to
and compose texts Students will need to justify the choices they have made in the
development of their signs.
- compose a range of
visual and multimodal
texts using a variety of
visual conventions,
including composition,
vectors, framing and
reading pathway
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Lesson 10 MA4-1WM MA4-1WM – Expo:
Expo Communicates and
SC5-WS9 connects mathematical Students will present their signs and multimodal presentations at an
ideas using appropriate expo.
EN4-5 terminology, diagrams
and symbols Members of the community, including elders of the Dharawal people
will be invited to attend the expo.
SC5-WS9: a. selecting and
using in presentations, for Students showcase their laser-cut signs to members of the Dharawal
different purposes and community, and representatives from the National Parks. Students
contexts, appropriate text should be able to explain their choice of design, especially the links
types including
between the imagery of the National Park and the significance to the
discussions, explanations,
local community.
expositions, procedures,
recounts or reports
EN4-5 thinks
imaginatively, creatively,
interpretively and
critically about
information, ideas and
arguments to respond to
and compose texts
- compose a range of
visual and multimodal
texts using a variety of
visual conventions,
including composition,
vectors, framing and
reading pathway