Representations of First Nations Peoples in Disaster Reporting

This lesson is designed to build students’ competencies in the following skills:

• critical thinking
• collaboration
• communication
• curiosity
• digital literacy
• empathy

Australian Curriculum (v9.0) content description:  

Year 9 and 10 English

• Recognise how language empowers relationships and roles. (AC9E9LA01)
• Understand how language can have inclusive and exclusive social effects, and can empower or disempower people. (AC9E10LA01)

Relevant parts of Year 9 and 10 achievement standards: 

• Year 9: By the end of Year 9, students read, view and comprehend a range of texts created to inform, influence and/or engage audiences. They analyse representations of people, places, events and concepts, and how texts respond to contexts.
• Year 10: By the end of Year 10, students read, view and comprehend a range of texts created to inform, influence and engage audiences. They analyse and evaluate representations of people, places, events and concepts, and how interpretations of these may be influenced by readers and viewers.

NSW Syllabus outcomes: EN4-URA-01, EN4-URB-01, EN5-URA-01, EN5-URB-01

General capabilities: Critical and Creative Thinking, Ethical Understanding, Intercultural Understanding, Personal and Social Capability 

Cross-curriculum priority: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures, Sustainability 

Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium/high - Guide discussions and small group work; scaffold students to apply a range of critical thinking and media literacy skills to the analyses of media articles and disaster reporting of First Nations peoples.

Goal 10 | Reduce inequality within and among countries 

• Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status

• Critically Thinking about Media Reporting Presentation
• Devices for students to access online media articles
• Device to share presentation with students
• Media Analysis of Representations Rubric
• Student Worksheet
• Whiteboard
• Whiteboard markers

Minderoo Foundation's Fire and Flood Resilience Initiative aims to reduce the harm caused to communities and the environment by fire and flood. It harnesses the collective power of communities, industry, government, philanthropy, and the research sector to lift Australia to be the global leader in fire and flood resilience by 2025. For more information, see Minderoo Foundation’s website.

We would like to acknowledge and express our gratitude for the expertise and advice provided in the creation process of these resources from the following parties.

The Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience (AIDR) 

Bhiamie Williamson (Monash University)

How to Teach a Unit on Fire and Flood Resilience

Quick summary: This course will provide a roadmap for how to approach teaching a unit on fire and flood resilience. While primarily focused on fire and flood resilience, it will reference the importance of an all-hazards approach to disaster resilience education.