English
Lesson Ideas
My books: List the books that you have read in the last six months. Do any of these books explore (through characters or themes) a culture different to your own?
Two sides to every story: Write a short account of an event from two different points of view.
Oral presentation: Give a short presentation about a person who has made a positive contribution, directly or indirectly, to promoting diversity in Australia.
Popular culture: Select a form of popular culture eg cartoons, graffiti. Compare and contrast examples of this genre and how it is expressed in different cultures.
The power of words: Select a media item which focuses on race, ethnicity or religion. Identify any emotive words and phrases. Replace these with less emotive language. Does this change the message?
Winning the market: Analyse how stereotypes are used in advertising. Create your own advertising campaign making use of stereotypes to influence your chosen market.
Lesson Plans
Kofi’s story: Unravel Kofi’s story and explore three detailed activities ‘The Power of symbols’, ‘Refugees in Australia’ and ‘Everyone can be a lifesaver’. Experience an interactive way of learning!
Discuss it: A useful way to stimulate discussion on a range of cultural diversity issues and develop constructive discussion skills.
Stereotypes: A role play style activity that explores the concept of stereotypes and the assumptions that underlie them.
Popular culture and diversity: Students explore themes of cultural diversity through the lyrics of popular songs.
Activities
Discussion dice – Sporting teams: To develop the students’ awareness that sport contributes to a better understanding of the diverse cultures in Australia
Discussion dice – Sporting teams (231.4 kB)
Discussion dice – Origins of sport: To develop the students’ awareness of how sport contributes to a better understanding of the diverse cultures in Australia.
Discussion dice – Origins of sport (267 kB)
Languages
Lesson Ideas
Religion and language: Research and graph the religions practised by people across the world who speak the language you are studying.
Words in common: Identify words from the language you are studying that are also used in English language conversations eg faux pas, kamikaze.
Many languages: Conduct a survey to identify languages that are spoken in your school or local community. Graph the results.
Debate: ‘All Australian students should study a second language throughout their schooling’.
Arts
Lesson Ideas
Aussie art: Investigate some of the many techniques used by Australian artists that have been drawn from different cultures eg dot painting, batik, mosaics, papier mache, origami.
Colour of culture: Find out what meaning or significance colours have in different cultures. Create a design in one colour reflecting what that colour means in a particular culture.
Lesson Plans
Popular culture and diversity: Students explore themes of cultural diversity through the lyrics of popular songs.
Body decorations: Students learn why people from a range of cultures decorate their bodies and are introduced to Indian (Hindu) customs of henna hand painting.
Marvellous mosaics: Familiarises students with mosaic art as found in Muslim mosques and other cultural buildings.
Science
Lesson Ideas
Indigenous technology: Examine the scientific principles underlying traditional Australian Indigenous technologies eg boomerangs/flight.
Diverse nature: Look at ways that diversity exists and functions in ecosystems eg coral reef, rainforest, desert.
Bridging technology: Investigate how technology can help to bring people together and break down barriers.
Necessity is the mother of invention: Find examples of where cultural practice or religious need has been the catalyst for invention eg the Islamic practice of washing before prayer was a catalyst for the invention of soap.
History
Lesson Ideas
Two sides to every story: Write a short account of an event from two or more points of view. What does this tell us about the study of history?
Connection to country: Explore Indigenous Australian spirituality regarding connection to land. How does this differ from non-Indigenous notions of relationship to land? What impact did these beliefs have during the colonisation of Australia?
Songs in history: Collect the lyrics of songs that have been popular in Australia at different times over the last 100 years. How does each song portray diversity in Australian society at the time?
Lesson Plans
Driven out: This is a short activity which can serve as an introduction to the issues that refugees and migrants can face.
Geography
Lesson Ideas
Stats and facts: Why does Australia conduct a census every five years? Use the statistics from the latest Census (the Australian Bureau of Statistics) to find out some key information about Australia’s population for example most commonly spoken languages other than English, countries of birth.
Connection to country: Explore Indigenous Australian spirituality regarding connection to land. How does this differ from non-Indigenous notions of relationship to land? What impact did these beliefs have during the colonisation of Australia?
Mapping the land: Look at some Indigenous Australian paintings of the land. How do they show landforms and other natural features? How are the same features identified on contemporary contour maps?
Globalisation of English: How has the dominance of the English language impacted on diversity in the world today?
Lesson Plans
Driven out: This is a short activity which can serve as an introduction to the issues that refugees and migrants can face.
Discuss it: A useful way to stimulate discussion on a range of cultural diversity issues and develop constructive discussion skills.
Body decorations: Students learn why people from a range of cultures decorate their bodies and are introduced to Indian (Hindu) customs of henna hand painting.
Culture, race and ethnicity: Students are introduced to these concepts and how they differ from each other, then apply them to their own experiences.
Health and physical education
Lesson Ideas
24 hour menu: List all the foods that you have eaten in the last 24 hours. What are the origins of each dish you have eaten?
Food awareness: Investigate the laws and regulations that apply to food labelling in Australia. What are the requirements for importing and exporting fresh foods into and out of Australia?
Sporting Aussies: Does sport play a role in promoting an inclusive and harmonious community?
Alternative therapies: Identify some of the alternative medical or health therapies in Australia. Where did they originate?
Relax: Try some methods of relaxation that are practised in Australia (eg Tai Chi, yoga, meditation). What is their origin?
Lesson Plans
Stereotypes: A role play style activity that explores the concept of stereotypes and the assumptions that underlie them.
Mathematics
Lesson Ideas
Tessellations: What is tessellation? Find examples of tessellation from buildings reflecting different cultural and religious heritages in Australia.
Survey and graph: Design, develop and implement a survey to measure diversity in your school community. Analyse and graph your results.
Magnificent mathematicians: Identify leading mathematicians from different times and cultures. What have their contributions to mathematics been?
Values, civics, citizenship and religious education
Lesson Ideas
Harmony Week promotion: Explore the purpose of Harmony Week. Create and film a promotion for Harmony Week.
Acknowledgement of Country: What is the difference between an ‘Acknowledgement of Country’ and a ‘Welcome to Country’? Develop an ‘Acknowledgment of Country’ that can be used at your school.
Places of worship: Visit a range of places of worship in your community. Compare and contrast the beliefs and practices of the people who worship in these places.
Oral presentation: Give a short presentation about a person who has made a positive contribution, directly or indirectly, to promoting diversity in Australia.
Lesson Plans
Kofi’s story: Unravel Kofi’s story and explore three detailed activities ‘The Power of symbols’, ‘Refugees in Australia’ and ‘Everyone can be a lifesaver’. Experience an interactive way of learning!
Discuss it: A useful way to stimulate discussion on a range of cultural diversity issues and develop constructive discussion skills.
Stereotypes: A role play style activity that explores the concept of stereotypes and the assumptions that underlie them.
Popular culture and diversity: Students explore themes of cultural diversity through the lyrics of popular songs.
Driven out: This is a short activity which can serve as an introduction to the issues that refugees and migrants can face.
Culture, race and ethnicity: Students are introduced to these concepts and how they differ from each other, then apply them to their own experiences.
Activities
Diversity challenges chatterbox (287.6 kB)
All Lesson Plans
