Teaching sequence

Work through this resource material in the following sequence:

10 minutes

Tune In: The importance of storytelling

20 minutes

Find Out: How to share stories and their connection to Country

25 minutes

Take Action: Tell a story to share knowledge

5 minutes

Reflection

Learning intentions

Students will:

explore how storytelling is used to communicate First Nations scientific knowledge and environmental practices
create a media project that conveys an aspect of First Nations environmental knowledge.

Success criteria

Students can:

evaluate how First Nations storytelling methods contribute to scientific understanding
create a communication piece that effectively highlights First Nations knowledge.

Tune In: The importance of storytelling

Step 1

Explain to students that the following video has been developed by Wunungu Awara from the Monash University Indigenous Studies Centre, in partnership with First Nations communities. The video is part of a project to continue and preserve First Nations languages through intergenerational learning, such as 3D animation tools. Outline to students that the video focuses on the journey of Budj Bim’s cultural landscape, highlighting cultural traditions, knowledge and practices of the Gundjitmara people.

Mayapa-U Budj Bim 2020 (Gindjit Mirring) - (vimeo.com/408223290?share=copy&fl=cl&fe=ci)

Step 2

Lead a class discussion to answer the question: How do stories help communicate knowledge across generations?

Suggested responses could include that stories can help us:

share knowledge by making the information memorable and interesting
learn about history and traditions
feel connected to others
use metaphors to teach moral lessons.

Step 3

Outline to students that storytelling is a vital way First Nations peoples pass on knowledge about caring for Country. Through stories, cultural traditions, language, and lessons about land and water are shared across generations. These stories teach people how to manage fire, protect animals, and respect sacred places, ensuring that land management practices continue to keep Country healthy for the future.

Find Out: How to share stories and their connection to Country

Step 1

Begin by explaining to students that First Nations peoples have a deep connection to animals and Country that goes beyond just survival. Animals are part of stories, songs, ceremonies, and law, teaching people how to live respectfully and care for the land. Many animals are seen as kin, or family, and are connected to people through totems. Totems guide responsibilities (for example, caring for a particular animal or plant, or ensuring its habitat is protected).

This connection shows that looking after animals and Country is about more than just looking after the environment. It is also about culture, identity, and community. By respecting animals and their habitats, First Nations peoples continue traditions that have protected Country for tens of thousands of years.

Step 2

Outline to students that a great example of this is the work of the Firesticks. This organisation is an Indigenous-led not-for-profit enterprise and charity that partners with First Nations communities to bring back cultural burning – small, cool fires that clear the land safely. These burns protect animal habitats, encourage plants to grow, and reduce the risk of dangerous bushfires. Firesticks shows how traditional knowledge and modern science can work together to keep Country, people, and animals healthy.

Step 3

Direct students to understand the different types of First Nations storytelling methods, such as Dreaming stories and artwork. Read to the class an example of storytelling provided in 1 of the Dreaming Stories from the Coomaditchie United Aboriginal Corporation here (coomaditchie.org.au/dreaming-stories). After reading, ask students how knowledge is shared through this story. For example:

The artwork is engaging and helps to make the story more interesting.
The story has a moral to it.
It uses the environment as a metaphor to share knowledge.

Step 4

Divide students into groups of 3-4. Ask the groups to choose an article from Common Ground on specific First Nations' scientific knowledge. In the Take Action part of the lesson, they will use this digital form of storytelling to inform their own story. The following case studies can be provided:

Take Action: Tell a story to share knowledge

Step 1

Now that students understand the importance of storytelling and the diversity of First Nations' scientific knowledge, let’s put this knowledge into practice and task students with creating their own communication pieces. Make it clear to students that they are not to make or write their own Dreaming story.

Students are to choose the medium of their story, which must highlight 1 element of First Nations’ scientific knowledge they have learnt about. They need to develop a story about the knowledge they have learnt, rather than recreate, repurpose or appropriate a story they have heard in order to protect First Nations’ intellectual property and cultural knowledge.

Medium options include:

a digital story (short video, animation, or slideshow)
a poster or infographic blending text and visuals.

Step 2

Invite students to explore and respond to each other’s work on a shared platform such as OneNote. Ask them to comment on 1 strength and 1 area for improvement in at least 2 peers’ stories to encourage constructive feedback.

Reflection

Step 1

Hold a short class reflection. Discuss questions such as:

Why is storytelling an important way to share knowledge?
How can these stories help others understand the value of First Nations scientific knowledge?
How can we use creative media to make science more inclusive and accessible?

Highlighting First Nations Storytelling in Scientific Conversations

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