Background Information

Content information:

The activities in this unit will help you to explore key aspects of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures. Exploring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives with your children will benefit both First Nations and non-Indigenous children.

For any Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in your centre, exploring their culture plays a key role in their development, identity and self-esteem, and contributes to the overall well-being of the child.

For non-Indigenous children, embedding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives in their early education experiences is fundamental in creating inclusive and accepting attitudes, and positive race relations. These perspectives are also about celebrating different cultures and the uniqueness of individuals. It is enriching for children to experience the different perspectives and diverse human experiences other cultures can bring to the melting pot.

For more information about why you should aim to embed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives at your centre - including terms of reference and cultural protocols - visit Caring for Country – Learning for Educators.
To access more activities to support you in exploring and embedding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and histories in your centre and activities, click here.

Before beginning this activity, it is strongly recommended that you complete the Tuning In Introductory Lessons. These activities will guide you to find out more about the Traditional Owners of your area. Having this information will support you in authentically embedding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives in your room and centre as well as guiding you to build genuine relationships with the Traditional Owners of your area.

Part A: Discussion

Step 1.

Begin by inviting children to sit in a discussion circle. This could be indoors or outdoors.

Pose the following question to children:

Imagine it’s a really cold day. You’re outside without your coat or hat on and you’re shivering. You really want to get warm; I wonder what you could do?

Invite children to suggest ideas such as:

putting on more clothes
going inside where it is warm
standing in front of the heater
having a hot chocolate
lighting a fire.

You can then explain to children that some of these options - a warm house, standing in front of the heater, having a hot chocolate - require electricity. Electricity is what gets the heater warm, keeps the lights on and heats our food.

I wonder what you could do if you didn’t have electricity?

You can then explain to children that for a long time in the past there was no electricity so people had to use fire to do these things. In Australia, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples used fire for thousands of years before electricity arrived and used it for all sorts of things.

Part B: Activity

Step 1.

You can then start showing these flashcards to children, using the information on each card to guide your discussion.

Step 2.

Now introduce your range of fire-related materials to children and invite them to explore them. You could prompt children with the following:

I wonder what this is?
I wonder what this looks/sounds/feels/smells like?
I wonder how this relates to fire?
I wonder what this makes me think about?
I wonder what I could do with this?

Encourage children to incorporate the materials into games, art, craft or other activities. Find out more about the value of child-led play here.

Part C: Possible Lines of Development

Children may have their own ideas about how to extend this activity with the materials used in this activity, or you could consider the following:

Use the fire-related materials as story prompts. Work with children to make up a story/role-play around a fire - can you use the materials to inspire the next part of the story?
Explore other Caring for Country Themed Activities.

Evaluation

Complete an analysis of learning, listing evidence about:

Belonging	Finding something of interest
Communication	Expressing an idea or feeling
Exploration	Engaging with challenge and persisting when difficulty arises
Wellbeing	Being involved

Caring for Country: Fire Connections

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Summary

Activity guides and printables

Activity Details

Curriculum Mapping

Resources Required

Additional Info

In this activity