Information Literacy
Information skills
Getting started
Worksample units
References

Identity and Values

Stage three integrated unit.

HSIE

Subject Matter Focus In this unit students learn about:

• cultural and other factor affecting identify
• the cultural diversity of Australia and other nations
• traditions, belief systems and practices of Australians
• significant events that have shaped Australia's identity
• origins and place names and other words and expressions
• contributions of groups, movements, policies and laws to the development of fairness and social justice in Australia
• how national identity is reflected in ballads, songs, colours, and significant sites

Implications for learning In this unit, students have opportunities to:

• investigate the ways in which people express their identity through clothes, language or activities
• investigate Australian characteristics, features and symbols that have been recognised both nationally and internationally
• investigate characteristics of various cultural groups
• reflect, acquire information, form judgements and express points of view about issues and influences in Australia
• critically discuss and provide opinions on local, national and global issues, problems and trends
• examine life in Australia for particular groups
• select examples of cultural change in Australia and discuss how cultural change occurs

ENGLISH

Implications for Learning In this unit, students have opportunities to:

• use increasingly technical vocabulary in spoken texts and how to clarify meaning for listeners
• deliver a variety of oral presentations for more varied audiences
• converse, debate and hypothesise about issues
• contribute to discussions on more abstract topics in pairs, small groups and class
• discuss how information is organised and presented differently in a variety of texts
• access, record and present information in a variety of ways
• engage in discussions and debates on topical issues
• discuss how spoken language differs from written language, and the purpose and audience of each

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Implications for Learning In this unit, students have opportunities to:

• collect, store and organise data to assist in solving problems
• discuss and investigate structures and products that exist to access, promote and distribute information
• challenge and test predictions based on careful observation and selected information

MATHEMATICS

Implications for Learning In this unit, students have opportunities to:

• formulate questions, investigate problems, verify solutions and reflect on processes
• use a variety of ways to record the processes used to investigate and solve problems
• use their own language to clarify observations and discoveries and to communicate their findings to others
• question responses of peers and teacher in order to seek further clarification, reassurance, cooperation and approval as a means of extending their mathematicval understanding

CREATIVE ARTS

Implications for Learning In this unit, students have opportunities to:

• analyse and respond to subject matter by closely observing details, qualities, viewpoint and distance
• discuss and visually record responses to what they see, feel, hear, touch and smell
• undertake further investigations of subject matter, building abetter understanding of qualities and details
• apply concepts from particular artists' work to their own work
• explore a theme through sound or as a movement activity
• distinguish between the uses of concepts in music from different times, places and cultures
• makes a record of the sounds discovered and different ways of producing them
• move freely to music, responding to the character and mood of the music

Learning Sequence 1

Define Australian identity through
- brainstorm and collate data to represent patterns and relationships
- concept maps (examples, eg fishbone, spider)
- develop matrix of images of Australian identities

(p143 HSIE units)

Learning Sequence 2

Brainstorm what students predict may be available in the local community for signs of cultural diversity.

Explore local community for visible and/or olfactory (cooking, incense, perfume) signs of cultural diversity. Activity on walk could include note-taking, recording, interviewing, photographing, demonstrations ,eg noodle cooking, guest speakers

Document and discuss findings on returning to school. This could include
- Was there evidence of different cultures/religions?
- Food from how many nations did we find?
- Were there signs and symbols in other languages?
- What community organisations did we see, eg clubs, scouts
- Was there evidence of different language groups supporting community services?

Compare findings with predictions.

BRIGHT IDEA SYMBOL write predictions and findings in different coloured pen

Read "Onion Tears" (or another text) - as class novel - book rap '

Some suggested novels

"The Day Grandma Came and Spoilt My Life" - Diana Kidd
"Dancing in Anzac Deli" - Nadia Wheatley
"Different Voices" - Warren Flynn
"Misery Guts" - Morris Gleitzman (reason for migration and adaptation)
"Into the Melting Pot" - Rigby
"I'm an Australian" - Dianne Bates (discuss points of view)
"No Gun for Asmir" - Christobel Mattingley (reasons for migration)
"On Loan" - Anne Brooksbank
"Mates" - Young

Learning Sequence 3

1. Explore "What is Australian Citizenship?" (Define and investigate- use Australian Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs website) - Discuss Rights and Responsibilities and Requirements

2. Brainstorm and discuss how new arrivals can be assisted in school and in the community
- Involve SRC in policy formation
- Invite community workers to talk about issues for new arrivals

3. Discuss bias and stereotypes and raise awareness when reading/viewing/listening to information in cartoons, websites, pictures, video games, advertising

Where to from here?

Opportunities to expand this unit in order to focus on post WWII migration (see unit)
"The Power of Water" - Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Authority.

Book Rap

School libraries: book rap (online) on
School libraries: empowering learning at:
http://www.det.nsw.edu.au/schoollibraries (click on Teaching and learning, then Book rap)

Resources

Websites

Department of Immigration and Multi Cultural Affairs
http://www.immi.gov.au/citizen
Schools Kit - including Teachers' Notes