Humanities and social sciences / Year 3 / Knowledge and Understanding / Geography

Curriculum content descriptions

The representation of Australia as states and territories and as Countries/Places of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples; and major places in Australia, both natural and human (ACHASSK066)

Elaborations
  • using geographical tools (for example, a globe, wall map or digital application such as Google Earth) to locate and name significant places such as the states, territories, major cities and regional centres in Australia
  • identifying and describing the major natural features of Australia (for example, rivers, deserts, rainforests, the Great Dividing Range, the Great Barrier Reef and islands of the Torres Strait) and describing them with annotations on a map
  • comparing the boundaries of Aboriginal Countries with the surveyed boundaries between Australian states and territories to gain an appreciation about the different ways Australia can be represented
  • describing how the territory of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples contains the Country/Places of many individuals and language groups
  • exploring how oral traditions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples were used to map landscapes
General capabilities
  • Numeracy Numeracy
Cross-curriculum priorities
ScOT terms

Cultural identity,  Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples,  Australian languages

Video

Say hello in Dharug

Watch this video to learn how to greet someone in the Dharug language, spoken by the Indigenous people of the Sydney Basin area. How do you say 'hello, how are you?' in Dharug? And what are the words for good and bad? Practise these phrases with Jacinta Tobin and then teach them to a friend or family member.

Online

GeogSpace: year 3 - exemplar

This is a web page consisting of an overview and two illustrations of practice on the GeogSpace website, a resource for teachers. The illustrations develop the concept of place into a more complex idea with subtleties of function, and contrasts in settlements between different places. Illustration 1 develops students' knowledge ...

Online

Local seasons: exploring First Nations weather knowledge

First Nations peoples across Australia have a detailed understanding of their environment, passing it down from generation to generation. They observe their environment closely, and use this knowledge to understand the changes in plants, animals and climate. Changes in the environment indicates what to eat, when to eat ...

Online

Whose Country: exploring First Nations peoples languages map (7-13yrs)

Learning about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages can help children build their understanding of land, water and people. This activity helps to assist the identification of the language group/s on which the school, youth group or home is situated. To understand local perspectives and support these activities, ...

Video

Counted: Australian culture in the 1960s

What was Australia like in the 1960s? Why does reporter Stan Grant say that "change is coming" at this time, for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people? Choose one of the people mentioned in this video and do some research into their sporting, artistic or political achievements.

Interactive

The Orb

The Orb is a collection of multimedia learning resources about Tasmanian Aboriginal histories and cultures. It explores the interconnections between people, Country, culture, identity, and the living community. The multimedia resources have between three and five sections in which Tasmanian Aboriginal people share their ...

Video

The Traditional Owners of Perth: Whadjuk country

Ever wondered what life was like for the traditional owners of Perth before the British arrived in 1829? Whadjuk [pronounced wod-JUK] Noongar Elder and ambassador Dr Noel Nannup talks about traditional Whadjuk ways of life and key cultural places in Perth, and he teaches us the Noongar words for some Perth suburbs (such ...

Interactive

Standing on Country

The purpose of this resources is for students in Stages 2 and/or Stage 3 to create meaningful Acknowledgements of Country collaborating with your local Aboriginal community; local Aboriginal Language group and/or Aboriginal Education Consultative Group (AECG). The Standing on Country resource includes lessons with comprehensive ...

Interactive

The importance of protecting local Indigenous heritage

Students research the history of The Hills Shire Darug tribe in the importance of Indigenous sites in the area and Indigenous names associated with the North West region of Sydney. Students gain an understanding of local Indigenous groups’ connection to North West region communities through individual Indigenous inspired ...

Interactive

Waters of Kamay

This learning sequence explores the salt and fresh waters of Kamay Botany Bay, its importance as a life source and the cultural connection it has to the Aboriginal people living at Kamay. Water is essential for life. It nourishes our bodies, our lands and supports all life on earth. It is home to wondrous and significant ...

Interactive

Who lived here first and how do we know?

In this lesson students explore the importance of country and place to Aboriginal people, with a focus on the Darug proper of the North West Sydney region. Students examine a range of evidence about the Darug to help answer the questions ‘Who lived here first?’ and ‘How do we know?’.

Online

The world of Mickey of Ulladulla

This series of learning activities is based on a past State Library of NSW exhibition, Mari Nawi: Aboriginal Odysseys containing links to video content and collection items including artworks by Mickey of Ulladulla, letters, journals and official documents. Activity 1, explores how life for the Aboriginal people changed ...

Interactive

Botany of Kamay

This resource explores the plants of Kamay Botany Bay – their significance to the Aboriginal people of Kamay, and to the botanists on the Endeavour in 1770. This resource is one part of the 'Endeavour – eight days in Kamay' resource.

Online

Commemorating Anzac through engaging learning

This resource supports quality teaching and learning through specific curriculum learning opportunities to engage students, as well as enhancing whole school and community interactions and events commemorating Anzac. Part of the Bringing communities together series in response to the NSW State Anzac Centenary.

Interactive

Waste and materials – sustainability action process (Years 3–6)

This resource guides students through an extended school-based or local investigation focussed on waste and materials using the five-step sustainability action process. The resource supports the investigation of a real-world issue or problem. Students develop and implement a chosen sustainability action and then evaluate ...

Interactive

Endeavour – eight days in Kamay

This learning and teaching resource provides a range of viewpoints and works to challenge current perceptions of the arrival of Captain James Cook and the HMB Endeavour at Kamay Botany Bay in 1770. It is an inclusive resource, placing value on the Aboriginal perspective to "balance the history books" by looking both from ...

Interactive

First contacts

In this lesson students explore what life was like for Aboriginal people before the arrival of Europeans, with a focus on the Sydney region. Students investigate what the natural environment was like and how Aboriginal people made use of the resources around them, managing them sustainably.

Interactive

Indigenous weather knowledge

An interactive map of traditional weather and climate knowledge that has been developed and passed down through countless generations by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The site provides descriptions of the sixteen seasonal calendars used by First Nations peoples across Australia.

Video

Through our eyes: series 1

This series of 18 short videos provides insights into the land management practices and social, spiritual and cultural knowledge of the Ngemba, Kamilaroi and Euahlayi Aboriginal language groups in north-western NSW. The videos are presented by the Aboriginal Elders and knowledge-holders and cover a range of topics including ...

Interactive

Kitchen gardens – sustainability action process (Years 3–6)

This resource guides students through an extended school-based or local investigation focussed on kitchen gardens using the five-step sustainability action process. The resource supports the investigation of a real-world issue or problem. Students develop and implement a chosen sustainability action and then evaluate and ...