teachers’ guide

J E N N E T C O L E - A D A M S
 introduction
These learning activities are designed to learning approach
help teachers work with Young Dark Emu.
They are aligned with the HUMANITIES AND Some of the themes explored in Young Dark Emu
SOCIAL SCIENCES CURRICULUM AT YEARS are confronting and contested. These learning
4 AND 5, where the text’s content has strong activities encourage an inquiry approach. They aim
relevance. to help students engage with the text, including
numerous historical sources, before drawing their
Young Dark Emu, like the original Dark Emu, own conclusions regarding Indigenous and colonial
provides students with the opportunity to histories. To encourage critical thinking and reflection,
explore a different perspective regarding a number of visible-thinking routines and perspective-
Australia’s First Nations and colonial taking activities are included.
histories. Too often, Indigenous perspectives
about the past have been dismissed, along Young Dark Emu contains language and concepts
with the oral traditions on which they rely. that may be challenging for students at the Year 4
With this book, Bruce Pascoe confronts and 5 levels. Consequently, the learning activities are
the silencing of Indigenous voices and organised by chapter to enable teachers to explore
the entire text or only those sections they consider
histories. Using the written documents of
appropriate for their students. Similarly, teachers are
early European explorers and colonists as his
encouraged to select and adapt the activities to best
evidence, Pascoe provides irrefutable proof
meet the learning abilities and needs of their students.
of complex First Nations societies which
existed prior to colonisation.

ILLUSTRATION: Scenes from Aboriginal Life by Kwat Kwat artist, Tommy McRae, 1862. State Library of Victoria Pictures Collection

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 curriculum
curriculum
These learning activities are aligned to the Australian Curriculum Humanities and Social Sciences,
particularly History and Geography. The learning activities also support the development of HASS
skills, and are organised around the HASS inquiry process.

year 4 year 5
• T he diversity of Australia's First Nations and the • T he nature of convict or colonial presence,
long and continuous connection of Aboriginal including the factors that influenced patterns
and Torres Strait Islander Peoples to Country/ of development, aspects of the daily life of
Place (land, sea, waterways and skies) the inhabitants (including Aboriginal Peoples
(ACHASSK083 - Scootle) and Torres Strait Islander Peoples) and how
the environment changed (ACHASSK107 - Scootle)
• T he nature of contact between Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander Peoples and others, for • T he influence of people, including Aboriginal and
example, the Macassans and the Europeans, and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, on the environmental
the effects of these interactions on, for example, characteristics of Australian places (ACHASSK112
people and environments (ACHASSK086 - Scootle) - Scootle)

• T he custodial responsibility Aboriginal and • T he impact of bushfires or floods on environments

Torres Strait Islander Peoples have for Country/ and communities, and how people can
Place, and how this influences views respond (ACHASSK114 - Scootle)
about sustainability (ACHASSK089 - Scootle)

ILLUSTRATION: Bara by Leanne Mulgo Watson

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 learning activities

indigenous and sensitive content

Young Dark Emu contains many historical primary Providing opportunities for individual reflection
sources, some of which contain language and can be useful, and many of the suggested
descriptions regarding First Nations People that learning activities encourage critical, reflective
are considered inappropriate today. Teachers are and empathetic thinking.
advised to acknowledge such examples as they
arise by clarifying meaning and discussing the While students should be encouraged to express
original author’s motivations for using such terms. their thoughts and opinions, it is important
Questioning can be useful: Why do you think he to challenge stereotypical or discriminatory
used that word/description? What word would we statements made by students. The best way to
use today? do this is to ask them to explain the basis for their
statements, so any assumptions or misinformation
Some of the ideas and themes explored in Young can be quickly corrected (e.g. What makes you
Dark Emu, such as frontier conflict, may be say that? What are your reasons for saying that?
distressing or challenging for some students. How do you think others might feel about that?)
Students may not wish to be active participants in
class discussions and this should be respected.

questioning – Imagine the types of places these First Nations

peoples lived and slept. Was it comfortable?
How many people lived there?
• P rior to reading the text, ask your students to close
their eyes and imagine life in Australia before it – Imagine how Aboriginal and Torres Strait
was colonised in 1788. Keeping their eyes closed, Islander peoples spent their days. What
ask students the following stimulus questions: activities and tasks did they do?

– Imagine a mealtime. What would Aboriginal and As a class, share student responses, without
Torres Strait Islander peoples be eating? How judgment or commentary.
might they have got this food?

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researching and analysing
Students are then challenged to consider differing
perspectives regarding the use of these terms.
Introduce this activity by exploring the image on
page 12 with your students. Point to the settlers
and ask students what these men might be thinking
and feeling, then do the same with the Aboriginal
men.

• O
 n page 14, reference is made to the Myall Creek
massacre. Research this event further with students
by exploring the letter written by William Hobbs
informing authorities about the massacre. It is
available online, and using this link will take you to
the New South Wales State Archives digital gallery:
https://gallery.records.nsw.gov.au/index.php/
Introducing the text galleries/50-years-at-state-records-nsw/2-10/

• D
 isplay the front cover for students and pose the • O
 n page 14 Pascoe writes: The war between
question: Why do you think this book might be Aboriginal people and settlers is rarely mentioned
called Young Dark Emu: A Truer History? Accept any in Australian history books as the ‘settlers’
ideas from students before reading the blurb on the deliberately covered up the massacres and the
back cover, the ‘About the Author’ section on the terrible cruelties inflicted on the Aboriginal people.
final page, and the picture and explanation of Dark
Emu on page 7. Re-pose the question about the title Ask students to reflect on this statement using the
and discuss. thinking routine Connect Extend Challenge:

Be sure to read the 'Note to Readers' on page 7, – How does the statement connect to what you
and warn students that they may find some content already know?
sad or confronting.
– How does the statement extend or push your
The land grab thinking in new directions?

• C olonisation and frontier conflict are contested – What is still challenging, confusing, or puzzling
areas in Australian history and, consequently, so is about the statement?
the language around these issues. Worksheet A
asks students to define some of the terms used in
Young Dark Emu.

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 learning activities
Agriculture They should write ‘Colonisation’ in the middle of
the page and draw connections to impacts (e.g.
• In this chapter Pascoe argues that the majority of sheep introduced, fences, tree clearing) and the
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians consequences of these.
were not living as ‘hunters and gatherers’ but rather
as members of an established agricultural society. Aquaculture
Worksheet B challenges students to find evidence
of this from the primary source material presented. • E xplore the various images and descriptions of
Before students complete the worksheet, discuss as fish traps in Young Dark Emu. Challenge students
a class the definition of agriculture provided on the to design their own fish trap for a waterway of
sheet (and see page 70). their choice. They should draw a plan that includes
details about materials and how it works.
• F ocus students on the image and description of
women harvesting yam daisies on pages 22/23 • F ocus students on the Brewarrina Fish Trap and
before watching this short video from ABC consider the introductory paragraph on page 34:
Education. It highlights an organisation in Victoria The old people’s stories say Baiame, the creator
which is teaching young Australians today how to spirit, made the trap. It was designed in such a
harvest and prepare yam daisies using traditional way that all families could receive enough fish but
First Nation practices. Use this link to see more: sufficient numbers could pass through the trap to
http://education.abc.net.au/home#!/ breed further upstream. Everyone can have their
media/2872205/murnong-daisies share and the fish can also prosper.

• A
 s a class, explore the map on page 26, which As a class, discuss what this tells us about the
shows Aboriginal and contemporary grain growing beliefs of the Aboriginal peoples that are specific
belts. Analyse this map with reference to an to that region, regarding the interconnectedness
Australian climate map and a population map (both of spirit, land, people and animals. Select a local
freely available online). Theorise about why the waterway to research or visit and challenge
grain growing areas vary so considerably (e.g. use students to develop an ‘interconnected’ plan to
of native species). manage the area, which considers the needs of
people, animals and the environment.
• C olonisation had immediate and profound effects on
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander agriculture and
livelihoods. Ask students to create mind maps to
explore some of the consequences of colonisation.

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Home As a class discuss the following questions:

• Explore the images of houses on pages 45, 46, – 

Do you think that Aboriginal and Torres Strait
49 and 51. Use visual literacy skills to compare Islander people thought Australia was ‘a land
belonging to no one’? Why?
the variations in construction style, materials and
features. Brainstorm the possible reasons for
– 
Do you think the British thought it was a land
variations in housing across Australia. Working in
belonging to no one? What reasons might the
small groups, challenge students to design houses
British have had for claiming this?
suitable for different areas across Australia using
only locally available natural materials. Allocate a
– 
Do you think Australia was a land belonging to
place/region (tropical, alpine, desert etc) for each
no one? Why?
group to research. They should investigate the
climate and local materials before designing their
It may be helpful to facilitate this discussion with
house. Each group should present their design,
follow up questions, such as, ‘What makes you say
including details of proposed construction methods
that?’ or ‘Can you give an example of that?’
and materials, and justify their design decisions to
the class.
Food storage
• T his activity develops empathy by encouraging • E xplore the CSIRO interactive Indigenous season
students to consider different perspectives calendars, which offer insights into the seasonal
regarding the same event. Before distributing/ foods available to different Indigenous groups.
displaying Worksheet C read to the class the With students working in small groups, allocate
entire text relating to Charles Sturt’s expedition to calendars and ask each group to identify what,
central Australia in Young Dark Emu (last paragraph when and how foods might have been stored by the
on page 47 to end of first paragraph on page 50). First Nations people they have been allocated. Use
Students will then write about these same events the following link:
from the perspective of one of the Aboriginal www.csiro.au/en/Research/Environment/Land-
villagers. management/Indigenous/Indigenous-calendars

• A
 fter exploring this chapter refocus students on the • C hallenge your students to create a small storage
first paragraph: Before the British claimed Australia vessel, suitable for nuts or dried fruit, using only
as their territory, they declared it terra nullius – natural items found in the local area. Test the
which means ‘land belonging to no one’. Although vessels in the elements to see if they keep the food
they knew Aboriginal people lived here, the British dry and fresh.
argued Australia was not settled because there
was no evidence of houses, towns, roads or farms.
Britain used this reasoning to claim Australia.

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 learning activities
Fire Sustainable futures
• Worksheet D encourages students to explore • A
 sk students to complete a PMI (Plus, Minus,
the different ways Aboriginal and Torres Strait Interesting) about changing Australian agricultural
Islander peoples and colonisers used and viewed industries to produce mainly native plants and
fire. Students brainstorm words describing fire (e.g. animals. Encourage students to think globally,
dangerous, useful, powerful, warm) and complete a nationally and personally.
Venn diagram to record the differing perspectives.

• W
 hile the early colonists prevented Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander peoples burning their
land, many specialists today recognise how useful
fire can be in managing the land and preventing
catastrophic bushfires. Ask students to research
the use of prescribed (or controlled) burning
today, which remains a controversial issue.
Students should write a report which identifies the
arguments for and against the practice and offers
their own opinion.

Sacred places

• S hare Mitchell’s image and description of an

Aboriginal burial ground on page 66/67. Use the
See, Think, Wonder visual thinking routine to help
students reflect on this special place.

– What do you see?

– What do you think about that?

– What does it make you wonder?

ILLUSTRATION: Yam and tuber by John Conran

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evaluating and communicating
reflecting • W
 orking in groups of five, students should create
a resource to share their knowledge about how
• R emind students of the introductory activity where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples lived
they closed their eyes and imagined how various prior to colonisation with other audiences. Groups
First Nations people lived. Ask them to reflect on should decide on the approach and format they
their learning by writing a response using these will use – visual display, book, exhibition, power
stems: point (or similar). Each group member should take
responsibility for researching and presenting
– I used to think … information regarding one of five themes:

– Agriculture
– But, now I think …
– Aquaculture
Share and discuss learnings as a class.
– Home
• U
 se the Think Pair Share strategy to help students
– Food Storage
reflect on history and how it is told. Display the
following questions for your students. They should – Fire
reflect in silence before discussing their thoughts
with a partner. Then share responses as a class. Remind students that their aim is to educate others,
as many Australians are unaware of these aspects
– Why did Bruce Pascoe call this ‘A Truer History’ ? of Australian history.

– How is it different to other histories? • R emind students of the features of a persuasive

text and ask them to use their learning to write a
– Do you think it is a truer history? Why? persuasive text on the theme: Was Australia ‘a land
belonging to no one’ prior to British colonisation?

ILLUSTRATION: A reconstruction of a Gunditjmara village, western Victoria, by Paul Memmott

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 worksheet a: strong words

Research and write your own definition for each of these words:

Colonist _______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Invader ________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Land owner _____________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Murderer ______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Native_________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Pioneer ________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Resistance fighter _______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Savage ________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Settler _________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Thief__________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Uncivilised _____________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Warrior________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Aboriginal people and colonisers did not see things in the same way. Use the words on the previous page to
reflect on the different ways the two groups may have seen themselves and each other. Write words in the
thought bubbles.

I am...

They are...

I am...

They are...

ILLUSTRATION: Details from ‘A Skirmish Near Creen Creek’, published in the Illustrated Australian News 1876, State Library of Victoria
 worksheet b: evidence of agriculture

According to European scholars, five signs indicated that a society was practising agriculture.

There had to be evidence of people:

• selecting seeds for planting • storing the surplus produce
• preparing the soil • living in permanent houses
• harvesting the crop

Each of the sources on the following pages provides evidence of at least one of the five signs of agriculture.
Examine each source. Decide which of the five signs it demonstrates and tick the box.

Source: This is evidence of Aboriginal people:

 selecting seeds for planting
Lieutenant Grey:  preparing the soil
…passed two native villages, or as the men called  harvesting the crop
them towns – the huts of which they composed differed  storing the surplus produce
from those in the southern districts, in being built, and  living in permanent houses
very nicely plastered over the outside with clay, and
clods of turf…

 selecting seeds for planting

Isaac Batey noticed:  preparing the soil
The soil (on a sloping ridge) is rich … On the spot are  harvesting the crop
numerous mounds with short spaces between each, and  storing the surplus produce
as all these are at right angles to the ridge’s slope it is  living in permanent houses
conclusive evidence that they were the work of human
hands extending over a long series of years.

 selecting seeds for planting

Andrew Todd sketched:  preparing the soil
 harvesting the crop
 storing the surplus produce
 living in permanent houses
Source: This is evidence of Aboriginal people:
 selecting seeds for planting
Arthur Ashwin found a shelter which:  preparing the soil
… stored 17 large wooden dishes [each more than a  harvesting the crop
metre long] filled with grass seed as large as rice.  storing the surplus produce
 living in permanent houses

 selecting seeds for planting

Walter Smith explained:  preparing the soil
They chuck a bit there … Not much, you know,  harvesting the crop
wouldn’t be a handful … one seed there, one seed  storing the surplus produce
there … [of ] course they chuck a little bit of dirt on,  living in permanent houses
not too much though. And soon as first rain comes
… it will grow then.

 selecting seeds for planting

George Augustus Robinson recorded:  preparing the soil
… the native women were spread out over the plain  harvesting the crop
as far as the eye could see, collecting [native yams] …  storing the surplus produce
I inspected their bags and baskets on return and each  living in permanent houses
had a load as much as she could carry.
 worksheet c: strange events

In 1844, Charles Sturt was amazed to come across an Aboriginal village in the middle of the desert.

'…on gaining the summit [we] were hailed with a deafening shout by 3 or 400 natives, who had assembled
on the flat below… The scene was of a most animated description, and was rendered still more striking
from the [size] of the native huts, at which there were a number of women and children …

Had these people been of an unfriendly temper, we could not in any possibility have escaped them …
but, so far from exhibiting any unkind feeling, they treated us with genuine hospitality, and we might have
commanded whatever they had. Several of them brought us large troughs of water, and when we had taken
a little, held them up for our horses to drink … placing the troughs they carried against their breast, they
allowed the horses to drink, with their noses almost touching them. They likewise offered us some roasted
ducks, and some cake. When we walked over to their camp, they pointed to a large new hut, and told us
we could sleep there… and (later) they brought us a quantity of sticks for us to make a fire, wood being
extremely scarce.'

Exercise
How do you think the Aboriginal villagers felt? It was the first time they had seen European men or horses!
Imagine you were an Aboriginal child living in the village at the time – describe these events from your point
of view.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
 worksheet d: fire

What does fire mean to you? Write down the first five words you associate with fire.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

Now think back to colonial Australia. European settlers saw the use of fire as a threat. Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander peoples saw it as an important land management tool.

Brainstorm words that each group may have used when thinking about fire and place them in the Venn
diagram below. Put words that both groups might have used in the overlapping area.

Settler: To me fire is... First Nations: To me fire is...