Lesson summary
Through the lens of the feature-length documentary, The Last Daughter, students explore how the forced removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families caused trauma to flow through families and has serious long-term impacts. They will investigate the opportunities we have to do better as a country going forward.
Learning intentions:
Students will...
- examine the history of forced child removal in Australia, including the Stolen Generations
- understand the concept of intergenerational trauma and how it affects people.
Success criteria:
Students can...
- explain key points about the history of forced child removal in Australia
- demonstrate their understanding of the concept of intergenerational trauma and how it affects people.
Lesson guides and printables
Curriculum links
Select your curriculum from the options below.
Lesson details
Curriculum mapping
Australian Curriculum (v9.0) content descriptions:
English:
Students learn to:
- analyse and evaluate how people, places, events and concepts are represented in texts and reflect contexts (AC9E10LY01).
- analyse the representations of people and places in literary texts, drawn from historical, social and cultural contexts, by First Nations Australian, and wide-ranging Australian and world authors (AC9E9LE01).
General capabilities: Literacy, Personal and Social Capability, Intercultural Understanding, Critical and Creative Thinking, Digital Literacy
Syllabus outcomes: EN5-8D
Cross-curriculum priority: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures
Relevant parts of Year 9 & 10 English achievement standards:
Students discuss ideas and responses to representations, making connections and providing substantiation. They analyse and evaluate representations of people, places, events and concepts, and how interpretations of these may be influenced by readers and viewers.
Resources Required
- Access to The Last Daughter
- Device capable of presenting audio and video to the class
- Student laptops or access to schools’ devices (laptops, iPads etc)
- Student Worksheets - one copy per student.
- Writing materials
Skills
This lesson is designed to build students’ competencies in the following skills:
- communication
- critical thinking
- cultural understanding
- empathy
- social skills
Additional info
Teachers wanting to watch The Last Daughter in the classroom with their students can register and purchase the film here.
The film is also available to view on Clickview.
Level of teacher scaffolding: High - facilitate class activities and discussions, maintain a safe environment for all students.
Australians Together is a not-for-profit organisation that brings together non-Indigenous and First Nations staff, consultants and collaborators located across Australia. Their mission is to help non-Indigenous Australians listen and learn from First Nations people. Building a greater awareness of our shared history and its ongoing impact, gain a deeper respect for First Nations perspectives, and help pave the way for meaningful actions for an Australia together. You can learn more about Australians Together and their Learning Framework here.
Related professional learning
How to Teach Critical Thinking - Secondary
Quick summary: This course will help you to view the world with a more critical eye by introspectively exploring your own biases of thinking.
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