Humanities and social sciences / Year 6 / Knowledge and Understanding / Geography

Curriculum content descriptions

The world’s cultural diversity, including that of its indigenous peoples (ACHASSK140)

Elaborations
  • identifying examples of indigenous peoples who live in different regions in the world (for example, the Maori of Aotearoa New Zealand, the First Nations of North America and the Orang Asli of Malaysia and Indonesia), appreciating their similarities and differences, and exploring the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
  • investigating sustainability of the environments in which many indigenous peoples have lived sustainably over time
  • investigating the similarities and differences in official languages, religions and spiritual traditions between Australia and selected countries of the Asia region and other parts of the world
  • researching the proportion of the Australian population and of the population from their local area who were born in each world cultural region, using data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics and then comparing aspects of selected cultures
General capabilities
  • Critical and creative thinking Critical and creative thinking
  • Intercultural understanding Intercultural understanding
ScOT terms

Cultural diversity,  Regional culture,  Cultural awareness

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

Life expectancy PowerPoint

This teacher resource is a PowerPoint presentation designed to address common student misunderstandings about life expectancy. It emphasises that life expectancy is an average, that most people live for much longer or shorter than their life expectancy and that, when life expectancy is low, it is mostly because of a very ...

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, ...

Interactive

Dollar street

This is an interactive resource about the different standards of living of people at different levels of wealth. It shows a street containing photo-panoramas from households at different income levels in Mozambique, South Africa and Uganda. The user can choose the level of income ranging from $1-2 per day to over $100 per ...

Online

Journey’s end

This is website about emigrants arriving by boat to Victoria in the 19th and early 20th century. The resource has three sections: Introductory information; Story Objects; and Story Education Resources. There are 21 Story Objects, including a video and images with captions that depict the journey and way of life at this ...

Video

Nexus: Holden, the 'all-Australian car'

What made Holden cars symbols of Australia during the 1950s, 60s and 70s? During this period, more than any other vehicle, the Holden came to reflect changing lifestyles in Australia, and helped to define for many what it meant to be 'Australian'. Find out the impact that generations of Holden vehicles have had on the lives ...

Video

Counted: Faith Bandler on voting yes in the 1967 referendum

In 1967, after 10 years of campaigning, Australia voted yes in the referendum on changing the way Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were referred to in the Constitution. Faith Bandler played an important role in campaigning for the yes vote. Do some research and find out more about this remarkable activist.

Video

Counted: A new referendum

Today people are campaigning to hold a referendum that seeks to fully recognise Indigenous people in the Constitution. Why does Marcia Langton believe this is a crucial thing to do? What do you think? What makes Stan Grant Snr angry about the prospect of holding another referendum?

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

Marla Spivak: Why bees are disappearing

This is a video of a TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) talk by Professor Marla Spivak about the dramatic decline in the number of bees. The 16-minute video begins with a discussion of why humans should care about bees, including their critical importance for the world's food supply. Professor Spivak explains that ...

Interactive

Environmental and Zoo Education Centres – primary school resources

A collection of digital resources for primary school teachers and students to support teaching and learning from home, with a particular focus on geography, science and history. The resources were developed by Department of Education teachers from 25 Environmental and Zoo Education Centres in NSW and include Google Sites, ...

Interactive

Invictus Games Sydney 2018 – Stage 3 – Adaptive sports and games

Everyone can play. That's the message in this Stage 3 unit on adaptive and inclusive sports and games. Adaptive sports are not just for people with a disability, in fact adaptive sports make important changes that allow everyone to play in a fair and fun way. Learn about some of the adaptive sports played at the Invictus ...

Video

BTN: Aboriginal astronomy

Many ancient cultures studied the night sky, and we know this because it is reflected in some of the earliest stories we have on record. Learn about one of these stories in this video. Other than the Dreamtime stories, what other evidence might there be that the Aboriginal people studied the stars?

Video

Dust Echoes, Ep 10: The Wagalak Sisters

The Wagalak Sisters are creation sisters. In this telling of the story, there are two sisters, but there could have been three, four or more. The sisters carry their power in their dilly bags. When they walk, they use the contents of their dilly bags to create the landscape. In their hands, the landscape that is created ...

Video

The Snowy Mountains Scheme

How did the Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme come to be Australia's greatest economic achievement in the decades following World War II? In this clip, discover what Australia hoped to accomplish through the scheme, and some of the sacrifices that were made for it. Also learn what life was like for migrants from war-devastated ...

Video

Voice of fishers: Panama

This is a video about the rights and fishing practices of the Kuna people of the Comarca, an autonomous region of Kuna Yala, which is a 226-km long strip of Panama's Caribbean coast. Opening with a map of the area, the video consists mostly of interviews with Kuna people who tell how their fishing rights were secured; distinguish ...

Interactive

Perspectives on Kamay

This resource explores the perspectives of the Aboriginal people of Kamay Botany Bay and the men aboard the HMB Endeavour upon their meeting in 1770. It will also help students to understand the history of Australia's Aboriginal peoples and why their stories of the past are equally important to hear. Note to Aboriginal ...

Online

Indigenous Stories about War and Invasion

This is a website about Indigenous experiences of invasion and war during the British invasion, World War I and World War II. The resource is presented in three sections: Introductory information; Story Objects; and Story Education Resources. There are eight story objects that tell the stories of individuals, events and ...

Video

This place: Dreamtime story of the Nambucca River

Hear the Dreamtime story of the Nambucca River on Gumbaynggirr Country (North Coast of New South Wales). What is the river called in Gumbaynggirr? What made the imprint in the land around Nambucca River? There's a bend in the river called Baga Baga in Gumbaynggirr. Why is it called this?

Video

Dust Echoes, Ep 11: The Bat and the Butterfly

'Bat and Butterfly' is about Aboriginal moieties and what happens if you do not follow Aboriginal law. In central Arnhem Land there are two moieties, Yirritja and Dhuwa. Yirritja families must marry Dhuwa and vice versa. In this story the man, however talented he may be, behaves like a coward when he abducts a girl from ...