The Stolen Generations

• This is an valuable resource for historical inquiry and Reconciliation action in the context of the curriculums for humanities and social sciences (HASS) in the early and primary years and history and civics and citizenship in year 10. It also provides an outstanding opportunity for incorporation of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures cross-curriculum priority in the English curriculum.
• The middle years unit of work in the resource is particularly relevant for year 10 history in both the Knowledge and understanding strand and the Inquiry and skills strand. Four of the five inquiry themes are of considerable value for the year 10 case study 'Rights and freedoms (1945 - the present)' especially for the content descriptions about the background to the struggle of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples for rights and freedoms before 1965, including the Stolen Generations; and the significance of the Bringing Them Home Report, the Apology, and Reconciliation for the civil rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The themes of historical inquiry provide an excellent context for students to enhance their skills in relation to content descriptions that refer to identifying and locating relevant sources; analysing the perspectives of people from the past, and developing texts that use evidence from a range of sources.
• Reconciliation is an important national civic issue and the unit's call for students to develop an action plan is very useful for the content descriptions in the year 10 civics and citizenship curriculum that refer to reaching consensus on a course of action relating to a civics or citizenship issue and plan for that action; and to how Australia's international legal obligations shape Australian law and government policies, including in relation to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. The unit identifies the life expectancy gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australian children as the focus for class Reconciliation Action Plans.
• The inquiry themes in all three units are of value for the HASS learning area. The emphasis on the family in the Foundation and year 1 curriculums connects well with the thrust of the early years unit. The inquiry themes in the primary years unit are relevant to year 3 content descriptions that refer to collecting information and data from different sources and presenting ideas, findings and conclusions in texts. One of the unit's inquiry questions - Who are the Stolen Generations? - has a strong connection to the year 3 content description about the days celebrated or commemorated in Australia including National Sorry Day. The middle years unit is very useful for the year 6 content description referring to experiences of Australian democracy and citizenship, including the status and rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, and children.
• All three units call upon students to read and discuss a range of literary texts including songs and this provides an excellent example of how the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures cross-curriculum priority can enrich the English curriculum. The use of such texts exemplifies the priority’s organising idea that refers to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples demonstrating resilience in responding to historic and contemporary impacts of colonisation.

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