Background Information

Content information:

The activities in this unit will help you to explore key aspects of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures. Exploring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives with your children will benefit both First Nations and non-Indigenous children.

For any Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in your centre, exploring their culture plays a key role in their development, identity and self-esteem, and contributes to the overall well-being of the child.

For non-Indigenous children, embedding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives in their early education experiences is fundamental in creating inclusive and accepting attitudes, and positive race relations. These perspectives are also about celebrating different cultures and the uniqueness of individuals. It is enriching for children to experience the different perspectives and diverse human experiences other cultures can bring to the melting pot,

For more information about why you should aim to embed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives at your centre - including terms of reference and cultural protocols - visit Caring for Country – Learning for Educators.
To access more activities to support you in exploring and embedding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and histories in your centre and activities, click here.

Before beginning this activity, it is strongly recommended that you complete the Tuning In Introductory Lessons. These activities will guide you to find out more about the Traditional Owners of your area. Having this information will support you in authentically embedding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives in your room and centre as well as guiding you to build genuine relationships with the Traditional Owners of your area.

Part A: Discussion

Step 1.

Begin this activity by inviting children to form a discussion circle. You could ask them to close their eyes to imagine the night sky, then pose the following questions:

When you think of space, I wonder what colours you see?
I wonder what colour the moon is?
I wonder what colour the stars are?
I wonder what colour the planets are? (you could use this Planets Image to help you)
I wonder what colour the sun is?
I wonder what colour earth is?

For more information about how to support oral language development in children, click here.

Explain to children that in the next activity they will have a chance to decorate a ‘moon rock’ with some of the colours they might find in space.

Part B: Activity

Nature provides limitless opportunities for developing creativity. Materials provided by nature stimulate our senses and promote development. Using natural materials for play and craft activities requires problem solving and creativity; things don’t fit together as neatly as Lego, and sticky tape doesn’t always work on rocks! Traditional cultures - including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures - may have deep connections to the land and to the natural objects found on their land. These objects may be used, for example, to create tools, glue, ovens, ropes, weapons, ornaments or artworks. Reminding children that nature can provide us with everything we need is a wonderful way to help children start looking at the world around them as something they can interact with, rather than observe.

Step 1.

Take your collection of rocks or pebbles and hide them in the yard or sandpit. Tell children there is a selection of ‘moon rocks’ hidden in the sandpit or yard and children to find them, ensuring they each find one each.

You can then invite children to sit at a painting table and decorate their moon rock something they might find in space, such as the sun, moon, planet, star, asteroid etc.

Step 2.

Once complete and the rocks are dry, invite children to take turns to hide their own rocks in the yard or sandpit and invite other children to find them - what did each child find?

As we know, children love finding things so you can repeat this activity for as long as they are interested!

Step 3.

Finally, you could collect all the painted rocks and lay them on a black background to create a space scene. You could add labels next to each rock to say what it is and who the artist is - if you have the traditional name for the night sky object it represents you could add that too.

Part C: Possible Lines of Development

Children may have their own ideas about how to extend this activity, or you could consider the following:

Find a selection of other natural materials that children can paint - what other scenes could you create? For example, underwater scenes, bush scenes or city/town scenes.
Explore other Caring for Country Themed Activities.

Evaluation

Complete an analysis of learning, listing evidence about:

Belonging	Finding something of interest
Communication	Expressing an idea or feeling
Exploration	Engaging with challenge and persisting when difficulty arises
Wellbeing	Being involved

Caring for Country: Space Games

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Summary

Activity guides and printables

Activity Details

Curriculum Mapping

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In this activity