Unit Title:

Australias changing face

Focus Question : How has Immigration changed Australia overtime?
Year Level 3

AusVELS (2015)
Civics and Citizenship
Humanities
Personal learning
Thinking Processes

Curriculum Focus (Why This Unit?)

Snapshot of Unit
The unit looks at Immigration and the important role
it has played in the shaping of our nation in past, the
present and in the future. It is also asks students to
consider the celebrations of our nation, other nations
and the celebrations of a students individual family.
Students will investigate how immigration has played
a role in the changing face of Australia and how
celebrations bring people together as our one nation,
Australia. Events may include, Chinese New Year,
Christmas Day, Diwali, Easter, Hanukkah, the Moon
Festival and Ramadan (AusVELS, 2015). And those
that are suggested by students.
History enables students to develop an
understanding of histories of the diverse peoples of
Asia and their contributions to the region and the
world, and an appreciation of the importance of the
region for Australia and the world. This happens as
students learn about the importance of the traditions,
beliefs and celebrations of peoples from the Asia
region and through the study of ancient societies,
trade, conflicts, progressive movements and
migration to Australia by people from
Asia(AusVELS, 2015).
The children gather information through a variety of
resources and listen to real life immigration stories
told by guest speakers and asking questions to clarify
their understanding. Visits from guest speakers
enhance their understanding of immigration.
Children begin to understand that people leave their
home country for a variety of reasons. Students
explore what it means to be an Australian and the
importance of citizenship.

Understandings

There is an immigration story in the life or

family history of every non- indigenous
Australian
People have come from many different
countries to Australia bringing with them a
variety of skills and traditions.
People leave their country of origin to make
Australia their home for many different
reasons and experience migration in different
ways.
A countries national days and
commemorations have cultural and historical
significance
Australias national identity and culture has
been, and continues to be, shaped by
immigration.

Generative Questions

Why and how do people come to Australia from different countries?

How has Australia been shaped as a result of Immigration?
How does immigration affect people?
How do we celebrate and why is it important?

Key Concepts: change, culture, history, challenge, struggle, *indigenous, identity, differences,
similarities, belonging, time, history, celebration, religion

Thinking Skills
Comparing and
contrasting

Research Skills
Interviewing,
Recording information

Cooperative Skills
Communication Skills
Pairs
Speaking and listening,
Sorting opinion and ideas Discussing, sorting,
classifying

TUNING IN
How can we engage students in this topic?
What can we do to spark
interest/enthusiasm/curiosity/motivation?

How can we assess students prior

knowledge, values and experiences, in
relation to the topic?

How can we involve them in negotiating the

direction of the unit and setting goals?

Students draw a typical Australian. What does an

Australian look like? What do they wear? What
might they be doing or have with them? Students
draw their picture, and using sticky notes write in
why they have drawn things in particular ways. Eg. I
included a kangaroo because.Students sit in a
circle and have a silent exhibition, passing the
pictures around on the teachers cue. Pause to
question half waywhat do we notice about these
pictures? Discuss responses (stereotypes, incorrect
representations). To reflect, student return to seats
and write this activity has made me think.. and
finish the sentence
What would you pack in your suitcase?
**Lesson One detailed : see attachment
Learning Intention : To understand the difference
between a holiday and immigration
Ref : Cuc Lams suitcase (nsfa, 2004),

FINDING OUT

SORTING OUT

What experiences/resources/activities
could be used to assist students to gather
information in relation to our planned
understandings?

How can we help students make sense of the

data they have gathered? How will they
process, sort out and organise their ideas?
(Arts, Mathematics, English, Technology).

Family origins.
Students investigate the birthplace of grandparents,
parents and themselves.
Construct a family tree and place countries of
origin onto a big class world map.

Students continue to add collected data onto the world

map including the pictures and names of guest speakers or
the names of case studies; eg; Cuc Lam, James and Lucy
and so on

Guest speakers Letter home to parents requesting

they share any immigration stories with the class.
Students prepare a list of questions based on
leaving, journey, arrival, settling and impact.
Also explore texts, written and visual containing
stories such as video Cuc Lams suitcase (nfsa,
2004), James and Lucys Story (liveinvictoria,
2015), Mai-Linhs Story ( Hope,1992) p.236

Data Chart. Create a class data chart (with headings such

as ; journey, arrival, settling and impact), to record
information gained from guest speakers and texts

Family Celebrations
Students view Primary Source to observe, describe
and pose questions about family celebrations.
Show silent video, Childrens Birthday Party by

Celebrations Sorting Out

**Lesson Two detailed : see attachment
Name of Lesson: How does my family celebrate?
Learning Intention: What is important to my family and
my familys origins and culture.

Douglas, (1921). **Acess via scootle**

What do you see happening?
When do you think this film was made?
How does this celebration compare to a childs party
today?
Work in pairs to compare and contrast using aVenn diagram.
Present to class.

Journey

Arrival

Settling

Impact

Students brainstorm questions that will seek information

from their families about significant celebrations.
Each students describes their personal celebrations to a
partner using the responses to the questions.
The partner is required to listen and record this oral
perspective. They need to put themselves in the shoes of
their partner to retell their stories. Students depict this
through drawing, cartoon etc and use written text to
portray the partners story/celebration.
Share with the class,

This is the story/celebration

of

**Lesson Three detailed : see attachment

Name of Lesson: How do others celebrate?
Learning intention: Students will reflect on the
celebrations of Australia and other countries
Assessment Task: Demonstrate understanding of the
significance of celebrations
Maths
Use ABS website to access Census data.. Plan a
week or two of maths around number.
Survey the school: Who has arrived in Australia in
their lifetime and where from? Graph and analyse.
Investigate Australias immigration history as a
class. Immigration Timeline, (no borders, 2016).
Cut up descriptions and students create axis and
dates to recreate timeline as a reading task.

Create a whole class timeline using immigration timeline

and add personal history as it unfolds including key dates
and events. Add to this throughout the inquiry.
Establish groups of 3-4 students. Assign each group a
section of the timeline below and investigate further.
Using the Question Matrix students write one question for
each of the Present, Past, Possibility, Probability,
Prediction and Imagination. Assign tasks within the group
to answer and respond.
Immigration timeline sections;
Aboriginals
Convict transportation
Free Immigrants
The Gold Rush
Labourers
White Australia
Populate or Perish
Boat People
Asylum Seekers

Investigate entry schemes: Expert group (Jigsaw)

strategy. Each group to investigate a type of visa or
way of entry to Australia, including the
humanitarian program for refugees and asylum
seekers (no borders, 2016)

Visual Literacy: Explore photos of immigration

throughout unit.
Students respond to various photos using a, See,

Expert groups to present their information to the class

Rest of the class needs to collect information from them
as they present and carefully and show their
understandings in a mind map with detail of each
scheme/way of coming in. Students record their
understandings as a report (Literacy skill Writing an
Information report taught explicitly) on Australian
Immigrations
Assessment Summative
Establish a wondering wall in which students can add
their wonderings and questions onto sticky notes to the
wall as the unit develops. Eg.
http://www.naa.gov.au/about-us/publications/fact-

Think, Wonder.

sheets/fs254.aspx
This is a formative assessment task

GOING FURTHER/PATHWAYS
AND POSSIBILITIES

How can we further students experience

and understanding about this topic?
How can we challenge their ideas and give
them new perspectives?
How can we cater for individual for small
group pathways as they emerge during a
unit?

Negotiated Topic
Use questions developed through the inquiry. Bundle
these to define interests, eg. Feelings, emotions, culture,
celebrations
Children negotiate a research task. It may be a new
question or it may extend a question already asked to
develop further.
This negotiated topic must come from students
themselves in response to the question; How has
Immigration changed Australia overtime?

DRAWING CONCLUSIONS AND

REFLECTING (ongoing or one off)
Ongoing: Wonder wall of questions AND
understandings have both and revisit regularly.

How can we assist students to pull it all

together and reflect on their learning?
How can we see if they are making
connections?
How can we encourage higher order
thinking (synthesis evaluation)?

Art Self Portraits, add to these symbolism to create

the background of your families story.
PMI: immigrating to a new country as an asylum
seeker. Children can demonstrate their
understandings of the issues by identifying the
pluses, minuses and ideas on the issue.

Plus +

Minus -

Ideas

Laying it on the Line: Give controversial

statements, students can mark on paper first if they
agree, diagree or sit in the middle. Then do it
physically as a class. Ask kids to share why they
stand where they do, and that they can move if they
wish at any time. When they return to their seat
remark the line if they moved and say why. If they

didnt move, maybe a comment on something they

found interesting that someone else said. Do 5 or so
statements. Eg. All illegal entrants to a country
should be sent back. Australia should take anyone
who wants to come here. The citizenship test should
be abolished.

Re-draw a typical Australia: Look at initial

pictures what have we learnt in this inquiry? How
can we now show what we know through drawing?
Follow same procedure as initial activity.

**Lesson Four detailed : see attachment

Name of Lesson: Australia Day
Learning Intention: For students to show what
Australia day means to them and their family within
the changing face of Australia

TAKING ACTION/SO WHAT?

Get involved in the community.

How can we empower students to act on

what they have learnt?
Is there a rich authentic task (preferably
one that integrates a range of skills and
processes) that will help give the unit real
purpose?
How will kids show what they know?

Students already showing a want to take action with

refugees.
What can we do : Explore possibilities
Write a letter to the newspaper
Submit article for the school newsletter
Suggest a social fundraiser for Unicef or World
Vision as examples
Send letters to the local parliament member
Most importantly this will evolve out of the unit.
We need to hear and respect student voices. What do
they think they can do to make a difference?

Reference list:
AusVels,2015, Australian Victorian Essential Learning Standards, viewed March 11,
2015, <http://ausvels.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Level8?layout=1&d=M>
Bellamy, R, Hoskin, R, Fitzgerald, G & Harvey, A, 2010, Journeys to this place,
Ringwood Heights Primary School,
Douglas, 1921, Childrens birthday party, ICT in everyday learning, viewed 17 April
2016, <http://www.ictineverydaylearning.edu.au/pedagogies/ph1/ph1-la-1.html>
Hope, C 1992, Ideas for Multicultural Education, Thomas Nelson Australia
Kath Murdoch, 2007, Integrated Inquiry planning model, Kath Murdoch, viewed 17 April
2016,<http://www.inquiryschools.net/page10/files/Kath%20Inquiry.pdf>
Live in Victoria, 2015, Migrant stories, Victorian state Government, updated 19
February 2015, viewed 17 April 2016
National Archives of Australia, 2016, Your history: our history, Australian Government
<http://www.naa.gov.au/collection/fact-sheets/fs254.aspx>
No borders, 2016, Immigration Australia Timeline: Australias Immigration History
Viewed 17 April 2016, <http://www.noborders-group.com/about-us/History-ofImmigration-Australia>
ICT in every day learning, 2016, activity 1: Personal and family histories: birthday
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National Film and Sound, 2004, Cuc Lams suitcase, viewed 17 April 2016,
<http://dl.nfsa.gov.au/module/1425/>

Image references:

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<http://thestringer.com.au/a-rose-by-any-other-name-2191>
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<http://www.gettyimages.com.au/pictures/balinese-hindus-pray-at-a-temple-to-celebrate-galungan-day-newsphoto-460573972>
The Express Tribune, 2011, Thai cultural night an evening high on dance and the mythical, viewed 17 April
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