Blue Water Empire - Episode 1

Australian Curriculum (v8.4) content descriptions:

Year 8 Geography

• Spiritual, aesthetic and cultural value of landscapes and landforms for people, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples (ACHGK049)
• Human causes and effects of landscape degradation (ACHGK051)
• Ways of protecting significant landscapes (ACHGK052)

Year 9 History & Geography

• Changes in the way of life of a group(s) of people who moved to Australia in this period, such as free settlers on the frontier in Australia (ACDSEH084)
• The extension of settlement, including the effects of contact (intended and unintended) between European settlers in Australia and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples (ACDSEH020)
• The perceptions people have of place, and how these influence their connections to different places (ACHGK065)

Year 10 Geography

• ‘The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ approaches to custodial responsibility and environmental management in different regions of Australia (ACHGK072)

NSW Syllabus outcomes: GE4-3, GE4-4, GE4-5, GE5-3, GE5-4, GE5-5

General capabilities: Intercultural Understanding, Ethical Understanding, Critical and Creative Thinking

Cross-curriculum Priorities:

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures: OI.1, OI.2, OI.3, OI.4, OI.5, OI.6, OI.7, OI.8, OI.9
• Sustainability: OI.2, OI.7, OI.8, OI.9

Level of teacher scaffolding: Moderate - The information presented can help support you in facilitating classroom discussions.

• Device capable of presenting a website to the class

Blue Water Empire is a 3-part dramatised documentary series that gives a unique insight into the history of the Torres Strait Islands. Cool.org and Bunya Productions would like to acknowledge the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Screen Queensland and The Indigenous Department of Screen Australia for their support in developing these teaching resources.

If your school has access to ClickView, you can access the Blue Water Empire series here. You can also purchase the first episode of Blue Water Empire here.

NOTE: This series has been given an M rating. You will need to follow your school protocols for screening an M film when viewing this series. This episode contains some brief scenes of violence that may upset some younger viewers; consider briefing students about the inclusion and content of these scenes before viewing them with the class.