The Oasis - Exploring Issues Through Language

Students critically assess their understanding of the concept of ‘home’ by finding an image that represents their idea of home, and justify how and why their chosen image represents their ideas. Students then watch a section of THE OASIS that features Emma and Trent’s experiences, and use the See, Hear, Feel thinking tool to respond to the clip. In groups, students are asked to compare and contrast the concepts and ideas surrounding the concepts of ‘house’, ‘home’ and ‘shelter’ and perform a critical analysis of the concepts of ‘house’ and ‘home’. The class is encouraged to collaborate to form a list of terms that reflect the shared ideas. To reflect, students create a presentation that summarises their view of Emma and Trent’s situation, and whether they could be considered homeless.

Key ideas to explore:

• Youth homelessness is often invisible.
• There are differences between being houseless and homeless.