Teacher Information
This teaching-learning sequence has been developed to introduce the main concepts that would be developed in a Stage 5 earth science unit of work such as Our Changing Earth, provided in Science 7-10 Advice on Programming and Assessment.
The introductory sequence focuses on an Aboriginal Dreaming Story and provides the opportunity for students to explore how traditional Aboriginal peoples’ understanding of the physical and metaphysical worlds is communicated through narrative and art.
An extension activity is provided for teachers who wish to develop students’ learning experiences beyond the mandatory syllabus content. The activity requires students to gather and present information about Australia’s megafauna. A sample assessment for learning includes a scaffold for students to extend their communication skills in constructing a scientifically accurate media report about the Newcastle earthquake.
Transcript text
Our stories told of the creation. Creation stories tell how things were made, why they were made, how they were made and then from the creation we have the Dreamtime and the Dreamtime stories were moral stories. Every animal, everything around us had a story. These stories were told to the children and morals were learnt by the children. It helped them to grow up to be better people and [to learn] the rules and the laws under which they lived. It stopped them from being … like … from stealing, jealousy, disobedience. All these things were learnt through stories because the Aboriginal people never had a written language. It was all passed down verbally and these were passed down through the stories of the Dreamtime.