Celebrating Harmony Week: Everyone belongs

This lesson is an ideal opportunity to celebrate Harmony Week. Harmony Week is a time to celebrate Australian multiculturalism and the successful integration of migrants into our community. The central message is "Everyone Belongs," fostering inclusiveness, respect, and a sense of belonging for all Australians, regardless of cultural or linguistic background.

Teaching sequence

Work through this resource material in the following sequence:

10 minutes

Tune In: The mystery bag of belongings

40 minutes

Find Out: Our class story circle

20 minutes

Take Action: Our friendship hand-chain

Learning intentions

We are learning to understand that Australia is made up of people from many different backgrounds.
We are learning to recognise and celebrate what makes each person in our class unique and special.
We are learning to respectfully acknowledge and appreciate the unique and diverse cultures, stories, and languages of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Success criteria

I can share something about my own family or background.
I can show respect for the different ways my classmates and their families live and celebrate.
can participate respectfully in learning about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and stories.

💡 Tune In: The mystery bag of belongings

Step 1

The teacher presents a decorated mystery bag or box to the class.

Step 2

The teacher explains that inside are items that belong to different people, representing things that are special to them, but the students won't know who they belong to.

Step 3

The teacher slowly pulls out a few diverse items (e.g., a small toy kangaroo, a picture of a special family meal, a small book in a different language, a miniature musical instrument, a photo of a specific landmark) one by one, asking students what they notice about each item and what it might tell us about someone's family or culture.

Step 4

The teacher connects the items to the idea that everyone has special things, traditions, or stories that come from their backgrounds, and how exciting it is that Australia is full of people with so many different special things.

🔍 Find Out: Our class story circle

Step 1.

The teacher introduces the picture book "Whoever You Are" by Mem Fox (or another age-appropriate book celebrating diversity like "All Are Welcome" by Alexandra Penfold).

Read-Aloud of Whoever You Are by Mem Fox – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0J6tKoT53Y

Step 2

The teacher reads the story aloud (or plays the read-aloud version above), pausing to discuss key illustrations and phrases that highlight differences and commonalities among people around the world.

For example:

🛑 Pause on a Key Page With Different Faces or People

Teacher: 👉 “Look at this picture, can you see how people are dressed differently? What do you notice?”

Student Responses Might Include: “They’re wearing different clothes.”, “Some people have darker skin, some have lighter skin.”

Teacher Reflection: “People come from many places and may look different, but everyone has feelings, families, and dreams.”

Step 3

Following the initial story, the teacher explains that before anyone else, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have been the custodians of this land for tens of thousands of years.

The teacher shares a simple, age-appropriate resource about the local Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander community (e.g., a book like 'Welcome to Our Country' by Adam Goodes and Ellie Laing, or a short, respectful video showcasing local Indigenous culture or language).

This could include showing images of Country, sharing a simple Dreamtime story, or teaching a few words in the local Indigenous language. Emphasise that these cultures are diverse and rich, with many different stories and languages across Australia.

Here is an example you could use:

Bunjil's Story for the City of Casey - Bunjil's Place – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aj59SRULZ7I

Step 4

The teacher models by sharing one special thing about their own family or background (e.g., "In my family, we love to bake a special cake for birthdays, and it reminds me of my Nanna").

Step 5

Students sit in a circle, and each student is given an opportunity to share one thing that is special or unique to their family or background (e.g., a favourite family food, a special celebration, a word they know in another language, a family tradition). The teacher encourages active listening and positive comments.

✨ Take Action: Our friendship hand-chain

Step 1

The teacher explains that just like everyone has a unique handprint, everyone has a unique story, and when we hold hands, we connect.

Step 2

Each student receives a piece of coloured paper and traces their hand onto it, then cuts it out.

Step 3

On their paper hand, students draw or write one thing they learned about a classmate's background, something they have in common with a friend, or something respectful they learned about Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander cultures from the story circle.

Step 4

The teacher collects the paper hands and, with student help, links them together to create a long "Friendship Hand-Chain" to display in the classroom, symbolising how our diversity brings us together.

✨ Take Action: Time: 20 mins: Our Harmony Handbook

This activity empowers students to see themselves as changemakers, building hope, meaning, and real-world relevance.

Step 1. Introduce the idea of creating a Class Harmony Handbook: a living document that outlines how students and teachers can collectively ensure everyone feels included, respected, and valued in their classroom.

Step 2. Divide students into small groups. Assign each group a section for the handbook (e.g., "Respectful Communication," "Celebrating Differences," "Helping New Classmates," "Resolving Disagreements", “Respecting personal space and boundaries”).

Step 3. Instruct each group to brainstorm and write 2-3 clear, actionable statements or 'rules' for their section using positive, inclusive language. Model some examples that align with your particular school setting and learning community.

🌱 Story of Change: Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS)

Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) is a First Nations-led organisation dedicated to preserving, celebrating and strengthening Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, histories and knowledge systems. Through research, education and community partnerships, AIATSIS supports the continuation of the world’s oldest living cultures and ensures First Nations voices are respected, protected and shared on their own terms.

Understanding and respecting First Nations cultures is essential to understanding Australia itself. Alongside AIATSIS, Aboriginal Land Council and other First Nations-led organisations play a vital role in caring for Country, strengthening communities, and passing cultural knowledge from generation to generation.

Assessment opportunities

Observe students' participation in the mystery bag discussion, noting their ability to infer connections.
Listen to students' contributions during the story circle, assessing their ability to share personal connections and listen respectfully. Observe students' engagement and respectful responses when learning about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.
Review the "Friendship Hand-Chain" contributions for understanding of classmates' backgrounds or shared commonalities. Assess the inclusion of respectful learning about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures within their hand-chain contributions.

Differentiation

Support: Provide sentence starters or visual cues for students who find it challenging to share their ideas. Pair students with a supportive peer during sharing activities. The teacher can have pre-written examples on hands for students to trace over or copy. For learning about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, provide simple visual aids or pre-selected phrases for students to draw or write about.
Extension: Encourage students to ask follow-up questions during the story circle or during the mystery bag activity. Challenge them to create a small drawing on their paper hand that represents a cultural symbol or a specific detail about their background. Challenge students to find out the meaning of a word learned in an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander language, or to draw a symbol that represents their understanding of ‘Country’.
Extension: Students can write a short sentence or two about why it is important to learn about different backgrounds and how it helps make Australia a friendly place. Students can write or draw why it is important to learn about and respect the cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Where to next

This lesson provides a foundation for understanding community and diversity. Future lessons could explore specific cultural celebrations, the concept of being a global citizen, or focus on local community helpers and how they contribute to our shared spaces. Students could also explore different types of texts that tell stories about different cultures. Further lessons can delve deeper into specific Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, their connection to Country, significant Dreamtime stories, and the importance of language. Exploring the contributions of Indigenous Australians to Australian society and understanding the significance of reconciliation would also be valuable next steps.

Key vocabulary

Diversity: Many different kinds of people or things.
Background: Where someone comes from, their family history, culture, or experiences.
Unique: Being the only one of its kind; special and different.
Community: A group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common.
Respect: Treating someone or something with care and politeness.
Celebrate: To enjoy a special event or occasion.
Country: The land, waters, and seas recognised by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as being integral to their identity and culture.
First Peoples: Referring to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, the original inhabitants of Australia.

This lesson was created by Thea + CoolPlus AI

Our Amazing Australian Tapestry

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Summary

Learning intentions

Success criteria

Lesson Guides and Printables

Lesson Details

Prior Knowledge

Skills Required

Curriculum Mapping

Resources Required

UN Sustainable Development Goals

Additional Information

Related Professional Learning

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