Teaching sequence

Work through this resource material in the following sequence:

10 minutes

Tune in: Activating prior knowledge

10 minutes

Find out: Understanding the difference between hot and cool burns

30 minutes

Take action: Cool burning and the seasons

10 minutes

Reflection

Please make sure to read the About Cool Burning fact sheet.

Tune In: Activating prior knowledge

Step 1. Discuss:

What are the seasons?
What changes occur in different seasons where you are?
Are the seasons the same around the world?
Are the seasons the same around Australia?
Do you know that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have their own seasons for different parts of Australia? What do you already know about these seasons?

Find Out: Understanding the difference between hot and cool burns

Step 1. Explain:

Because Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are incredibly diverse and live across many different landscapes in Australia, different groups will have different seasons. This means that the seasons where you live might be different to those in another part of the country.
The seasons identified by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in your area have been developed through an intimate and detailed understanding of the seasons and the environment. Each season is marked by the movement of the stars in the night sky and changes in the weather, coinciding with the life cycles of plants and animals.
Therefore, when conducting research into the seasons we first need to remind ourselves of the Traditional Custodians of the lands that students live on. Invite students to share what they already know, or conduct some research online to find out.

Step 2

Record the name/s of the Traditional Custodians in your area on the board. If you're not sure, here's a lesson to help. It might be worth undertaking our Caring for Country Professional Learning Course, which sets you up to undertake this work in a respectful manner.

Step 3

Break the class into small groups or pairs.

Give each student a copy of the Student Worksheet.

Independently, groups conduct research online to find out more about the seasons for the traditional custodians in your area.

If conducting research online, you could use the following search: ‘What are the seasons of the (name of people)’. You should also encourage students to check under the ‘image’ search on their search engines, as they may find existing seasonal calendars to support their research. Remind students to record sources and to remember the Online Search Strategies.

Students can use the following questions to guide their research (also available on the Student Worksheet):

When are the seasons?
What is the weather usually like in this season?
What animals and plants were available for hunting and gathering at this time?
How do these seasons align with your observations of the changing weather?
Through your research, can you find any reference to seasons and fire?

Take Action: Cool burning and the seasons

Step 1

As a class, discuss:

Through your research, can you find any reference to seasons and fire?

Step 2. Explain:

While we have always had bushfires in Australia, First Nations peopless used fire as a management tool for looking after their Country. This type of burning is called ‘cool burning’ because the fires don’t burn as hot burns (such as bushfires) so they don’t damage as much vegetation or cause harm to the soil or animals.

Step 3. Watch:

Historical burning from Cool Australia on Vimeo.

Step 4

Display the following webpage to students or invite them to access the page on their devices: Indigenous Weather Knowledge - Nyoongar calendar

This is the calendar of the Nyoongar peoples of southwestern Australia.

In the calendar at the top of the page you will see a reference to ‘burning time’ under Birak. If you scroll down the page you can find more information about this burning time and how it ties in with other seasons.

Ensure that students understand this refers to the practice of cool burning, and that this area would also be susceptible to bushfires at other times of the year (the first image on this website helps to explain the fire danger seasons in this area and around Australia).

Step 5

Independently, students create a communication piece (such as a poster or diagram) to show what they learned about the seasons in their area.

Seasons are often shown in a circle, because of their cyclical nature. Students could also consider representing the local First Nationss seasons by drawing the animals that were found and the plants that flowered or were gathered at this time.

Where possible, students should include information about cool burning seasons in their communication pieces.

Reflection

Discuss:

I used to think…
But now I think…

Teacher Reflection

Take this opportunity to reflect on your own teaching:

• What did you learn about your teaching?
• What worked well?
• What didn't work well?
• What would you share?
• Where to next?
• How are you going to get there?

Cool Burning Seasons

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Summary

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