Essential Question

How do texts by First Nations authors in Australia reflect unique ways of being, knowing, thinking and doing?

Warning — First Nations teachers and students are advised that this curriculum resource may contain images, voices or names of deceased people.

Unit details

Y9 English
Lesson Time: 40 minutes
Lessons: 16
Duration: 4 weeks

Australian Curriculum
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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures cross-curriculum priority.

Unit overview

In this unit, students will explore how First Nations authors in Australia reflect unique ways of being, knowing, thinking and doing. Students will:

  • review the early history of First Nations literature and the struggles of First Nations authors to be acknowledged
  • examine the difficulties of storytelling and the impact differing perspectives and stereotypes have on how and why stories are told
  • research, contextualise and closely analyse protest poetry, as First Nations writers begin to be more readily published
  • explore how and why First Nations languages are increasingly being used in literature
  • consider how overtly Indigenous themes and cultures are being presented and explored in literary texts
  • explore contemporary autobiographical writing and develop their own autobiographical pieces.