Aboriginal PerspectivesThrough Integrated Units

Maths with the Mob

Early Stage 1

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Maths with the Mob

An Integrated Kindergarten Mathematics Unit

AimThis unit illustrates how teachers can incorporate Aboriginal contexts across a varietyof key learning areas.

The unit provides opportunities for students to investigate integrated mathematics andvisual arts activities through exploring Aboriginal lifestyles and perspectives usingcurrently available resources.

The unit enables teachers to introduce mathematics concepts through a variety ofaspects of contemporary and traditional Aboriginal culture. In addition it is possible tointroduce HSIE content that leads into the mathematical activities.

The HSIE content in this unit can be expanded at many points to make up acomprehensive Aboriginal studies unit.

Key learning areasPrimary focus Mathematics

Creative Arts

MathematicsES1.1 Asks and responds to mathematical questions using drawing, making,

describing, acting, guessing and checking and retelling.(Teaching units Length 1 p 111, Graphs 1 and 2 pp 104–105 Mathematics K–6)

ES1.3 Sorts and describes objects in terms of their features such as size andshape.(Teaching units Numeration 3 p 197, Space 3D 1 p 53 Mathematics K–6)

ES1.4 Uses everyday language associated with time, temperature and position.(Teaching units Position 1 and 2 pp 96–97, Time 1 p 176 Mathematics K–6)

ES1.5 Explores two-dimensional shapes and three-dimensional objects,describing them using everyday comparative language.(Teaching units Space 2D 1 and 2 pp 53–54 Mathematics K–6)

ES1.9 Manipulates groups of objects by combining and separating.(Teaching units Addition 1 p 211, Temperature 1 p 167 Mathematics K–6)

Creative ArtsVisual ArtsVAES1.1 MakingVAES1.2 MakingMusicMUES1.1 Performing

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Secondary focus EnglishPersonal Development/Health/Physical EducationHuman Society and Its Environment

EnglishTES1.1 Talking and ListeningTES1.2 Skills and StrategiesTES1.4 Language Structures and FeaturesRES1.7 Context and TextWES1.9 Producing Texts

PDHPEDAES1.7 DanceGSES1.8 Games and SportsSLES1.13 Safe Living

HSIECCES1 Change and ContinuityCUES1 Cultures

Developing relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families (Link tocontents)The process of developing Maths with the Mob (Link to contents)Learning Sequence 1 (Link to contents)Learning Sequence 2 (Link to contents)Learning Sequence 3 (Link to contents)Learning Sequence 4 (Link to contents)Key resources (Link to contents)Additional resources (Link to contents)Supporting experiences (Link to contents)Using Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islands resources to build integrated units (Link to

contents)

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Pointers from our experiences of developing relationships with

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families

These are some ideas that may help teachers develop two-way relationships with

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families in their schools. These relationships are

critical for children’s learning, especially in the early years of schooling.

• Make yourself available to talk about school, both formally and informally. This

may mean placing yourself outside the classroom at home time or before school.

Offer information about yourself before you expect the family to do the same.

• Take note of the friendship/acquaintance networks between different families as

well as the children’s networks. Talking to one parent may make it easier to

develop a relationship with another parent.

• Show your commitment to Aboriginal studies. Send home work samples that have

specific Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander content. This can give you a non-

threatening entry point to talk about Aboriginal studies. For example:

– Did Jim show you the Torres Strait Islander flag he made? He seemed excited

that the class was making them. Did I get the tone of the colours right?

– Look at Rachael’s recount of watching the football on the weekend. I couldn’t

work out what team it was.

• Take the first step and be prepared to follow through with an Aboriginal studies

idea on your own but casually make space for family members to contribute. For

example:

– Next week we are making Johnny Cakes from this book. What do you think of

the recipe? I thought you might like to give us a hand. (If the family member

says they have never had them, offer some personal information about whether

you have or not.)

• Inform yourself about Aboriginal popular culture as this may enable you to talk

with parents and children about topical issues. A good source is Deadly Vibe

magazine or the Koori Mail newspaper (see Additional Resource list).

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The Process of Developing Maths with the Mob

First we selected a range of resources about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander life.

We considered the importance of using both contemporary and traditional stories and

images, and resources that offered representations of urban and rural contexts. We

then examined each text, brainstorming ways they could be used to meet outcomes in

Mathematics and/or other key learning areas.

We selected the mathematics focus that had the strongest links to the Aboriginal

resource we had selected and to Aboriginal culture. For example, if the maths activity

could also include ideas about extended family or sporting heroes all the better.

Then we developed three activities that explored and reinforced the key maths

concept. We tried to ensure each concept was introduced with an Aboriginal focus

(that linked to HSIE outcomes) so the students were clearly learning about Aboriginal

and Torres Strait Islander culture. This context setting allowed us, in our role as

teachers and, importantly, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, to

continue talking about aspects of culture as the children worked through the activity.

The teaching/learning cycle we tried to follow was:

• introduction of the resource and its Aboriginal/Islander focus

• introduction of the mathematical concept and language

• modelling the specific mathematical language activity

• practising the language and exploring the concept in a hands-on activity

• reinforcing the mathematical concept and HSIE content.

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HSIECCES1CUES1

EnglishRES1.7TES1.1TES1.2

Learning Sequence 1

Activity 1.1Introducing the idea of Aboriginal familyYou will require a copy of A is for Aunty. (See Key Resources.)Introduce the book as a recount of an Aboriginal woman’schildhood. Discuss the author Aunty Elaine Russell, and look at herphoto on the back page. Select a few pages to discuss, compare andcontrast with the students’ lives (the letters E, G and O will be thefocus of the maths activities). Discuss the meaning of ‘Aunty’ and‘Uncle’ in Aboriginal communities. See ‘A’ and ‘U’ in the book.Read ‘My Mob’ big book from Big Mob Books for Little Fullas.(See Additional Resources.)Discuss the use of the word ‘mob’ by Aboriginal people to describefamily and encourage children to describe their own ‘mob’, drawingon the idea of extended family.Get children to draw their ‘mob’ (or those that live in their house).Work sample (link to my mob work sample.jpg)

MathematicsES1.4

Activity 1.2Modelling positional languagePrepare an overhead transparency of the illustration for the letter E,and some counters.• Teacher models positional instructions and students place

counter on OHP.– Put a counter on the boy/girl near a bush.– Put a counter on an emu near a tree.– Put a counter on a boy between two other boys near some

flowers.Students practise making positional instructions.

EnglishTES1.4

Activity 1.3Practising positional languagePrepare individual photocopies of the letter ‘E’ illustration and giveeach student 3 counters.Barrier Game:• In pairs, children sit back to back, and student A asks Student B

to place their counter in 3 positions while putting their 3counters on their own card.

• Compare and swap roles.Activity 1.4Reinforcing positional language• Students cut and paste 3 figures onto a scene and use positional

language to describe this to the assessing teacher.

Optional Activity• Use this image as the basis of a phonics lesson on ‘E’ – E is for

emu.

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HSIECCES1CUES1

Learning Sequence 2

Activity 2.1Night and Day talkSelect image from the letter ‘O’. Discuss what is happening in thepicture in relation to time of day, outside cooking, sleeping in a barnor a shack, being in the country. Encourage children to relate theirown experiences of cooking outside, camping, camp fires and beingin the bush/on farms.

Optional ActivityRead Gidja and/or Fire Stick Mountain as examples of traditionalcorroboree and Until the Fire is Out as an example of the waycamping is a contemporary form of gathering family andcommunity for cultural maintenance. (See Additional Resources forreferences.)

MathematicsES1.4

Activity 2.2Day and NightBrainstorm and record in 2 columns what children do at night and inthe day. This may also include experiences from A is for Aunty andthe children’s parent’s experiences.

Activity 2.3Investigating Light in the DarkChildren use torches in a dark space in the school to investigateshadows, role-play camping at night, power failure in the home, orbeing the Bullanji People (from Gidja) before the moon wascreated.

MathematicsES1.9

PD/H/PEDAES1.7SLES1.13

Creative ArtsMUES1.1

Activity 2.4Investigating the Camp FirePairs of children are given two cards each that add up to a‘countable’ number. They are instructed to collect sticks that equalthe total of their numbers. They then collect sticks and construct amodel campfire with cellophane and torchlight.

Optional ActivityChildren act out and sing ‘Until the Fire is Out’ from AuntyWendy’s mob CD.

Link to sound bite of Aunty Wendy’s Mob CD ‘Until the fire is out’and scanned image of the cover of the teacher’s book (teachers bookcover.jpg)Teachers who have the facilities can make a real fire and investigatetemperature and safety issues.

Optional ActivityRead Big Mob books Johnny Cakes, and ‘S is for suppertime’ in Ais for Aunty. This activity may include cooking Johnny cakes. (SeeAdditional Resources for references.)Distance Education website: Stage 1 Unit of Work Fire Firehttp://www.lmpc.edu.au

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EnglishWES1.9

Activity 2.5Writing about Day and NightChildren individually write and draw about an activity done in theday and in the night.Link to worksheet 2

MathematicsES1.1WMES1.1WMES1.4

Activity 2.6Representational Graphs about Day and NightYou will need one clothes peg per child per chart.Link to sample of chart. (number chart.jpg)

Teacher poses a question and children place their peg under ‘day’ or‘night’ heading on the 2-column chart.

Sample questions:• Do you like to go out in the day or the night?• Would you like to have a campfire in the day or in the night?• Would you like to cook and eat Johnny cakes in the day or in

the night?• Do you like to watch TV in the day or in the night?

As the children place their pegs teachers stop and discussmathematical questions using terms such as more, less, equal,guess, compare and count.

HSIECCES1CUES1

Creative ArtsVAES1.2

Learning Sequence 3

Activity 3.1Shapes in the Environment and ArtChoose a picture from A is for Aunty, for example ‘F’, and makeinto an overhead transparency. Also make transparencies of 2 or 3traditional style Aboriginal paintings with circles and straight linesas features of the landscape. These activities focus on Print 3 andPrint 8 from Diversity: A Celebration of Culture (see KeyResources).Contextualise the selected images as painted by Aboriginal artists.

Play I Spy for shapes, straight and curved lines (includingrepetitions such as concentric circles and stripes) in the picture,taking up opportunities to discuss similarities and differences instyle and artist, intent and meaning. For example, Print 3 is alandscape that portrays secret journeys.

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MathematicsES1.5

Activity 3.2Focus on Concentric CirclesEach activity should be completed by all students, rotating throughwork stations.1. Drawing concentric circles in the dirt or sand.2. Dropping pebbles in a clear tray of water on an overhead

projector (or in a pond, pool, bucket etc).3. Students given 4 or 5 pre-cut circles of different sizes. They order

them from largest to smallest, then glue them on top of each other.4. Monoprint: students fingerpaint concentric circles on a table and

lay art paper on top to make a print.

Creative ArtsVAES1.2VAES1.3

EnglishTES1.2

Activity 3.3Painting 2D Shape MapsYou will need ‘Print 3’ from Diversity: A Celebration of Culture(see Key Resources) or prints of your own with concentric circles;white art paper, coloured chalk and hairspray.

• Discuss Print 3 as a map of journeys (the circlesrepresenting a place and the straight lines the journey).Discuss journeys that take place in the child’s life. Teacherrecounts a journey of their own as they paint; eg ‘Yesterdayafter school I walked from the classroom to the staff room,then rode home in my spaceship.’

• Students paint a number of concentric circles using blackpaint, leaving some space between them for journey lines.

• Students add journey lines, let dry.• Students add coloured chalk to emphasise concentric cirlces

and lines.In pairs, students recount their journey using their painting as a cue.Teacher describes a brief account of the child’s journey as a talkingand listening assessment.

Link to work samples.(secret places work sample.jpg) (Turkey work sample.gif)

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HSIECCES1CUES1

Learning Sequence 4

Activity 4.1Select ‘G for games’ from A is for Aunty. Discuss the games shownin the book.Questions that highlight Aboriginal perspectives:

• Do you think all the people in the picture are Aboriginal?(Discuss skin colour variations within the Aboriginalcommunity.)

• Do the children play alone? (Discuss the importance ofbeing with community/family.)

• Why isn’t there a television, video or Game Boy? (Discussthe absence of this equipment as historical rather than afeature of non-urban Aboriginal communities.)

Compare the games children play at home and at school. Make a listof indoor and outdoor games.

PD/H/PEGSES1.8

MathematicsES1.1

Activity 4.2Games and MathsStudents rotate through the following activities illustrated in ‘G isfor games’:1. Hopscotch – counting.2. Marbles or bocce – measure with feet or hands using the terms

‘close’ and ‘closest’.3. Skipping to 10.4. Hoops – rolling hoop.

MathematicsES1.1

Activity 4.3Graphing Games PreferencesPrepare a wall chart with the different games represented.Students draw their favourite activity on a sticker.Place the stickers on the wall chart. Count and compare results.

MathematicsES1.3

Activity 4.4Racing with Ordinal NumbersRefer to ‘B is for billycarts’.Teach ‘first’, ‘second’, ‘third’, ‘fourth’ in the context of races.Introduce the ‘Cathy Freeman Story’ from Big Mob Books for LittleFullas as guided reading.

HSIECUES1CCES1

Activity 4.5Introduction to Doll MakingCollect colour images of Aboriginal people with different skin tones.Revisit ‘G for games’ and the previous discussion on skin colour.Children compare and discuss their own skin colour.Use posters and CD from Growing Up Strong kit by Wendy Notleyto discuss skin colour, and/or listen to ‘There was a Man’ [he had ason whose skin was fair] to reinforce the idea of a variety of skintones (see Key Resources).

Creative ArtsVAES1.1

Activity 4.5Doll MakingOrder some wooden dolly pegs. Mix up 5 or 6 different skin tonepaints.

• Children paint pegs different skin tones. Dry.

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• View and discuss ‘Print 2’ of wooden MIMI figures fromDiversity kit (see Key Resources).

• Draw on faces with textas, or paint with toothpicks/matchsticks.

• Decorate as desired.MathematicsES1.3

Activity 4.6Building 3D SettingsCollect various building materials, eg lego, clever sticks, cuisenairerods and environmental odds and ends – sticks, leaves etc.

• Put students in groups and tell them they are going to build ascene from A is for Aunty for their dolls to play in.

• Brainstorm and record students’ suggestions as to what theirscenes might include – camp fires, river, trees to climb,houses, school, hopscotch etc.

• Students build in groups and tell their classmates what theyhave built, and show which things they have included thatare from A is for Aunty.

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Key Resources

Russell, Elaine, 2001, A is for Aunty, ABC Books.

This resource is an alphabet picture book that recounts an Aboriginal woman’s

childhood.

Art Gallery of NSW, 2001, Diversity. A Celebration of Art and Culture.

An education kit for K–12 featuring 16 prints with teaching notes.

Notley, Wendy, Growing Up Strong, CD and teachers’ book.

Available from Wendy Notley, telephone (02) 9692 9641.

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Additional Resources

Berolah, L, Collins, L & Cristaudo N, 1996, Betty and Bala and the Proper Big

Pumpkin, Queensland University Press.

Board of Studies, 1997, Big Mob Books for Little Fullas, Kit:

Cathy Freeman’s Story

Johnny Cakes

My Mob

Lofts, Pamela, 1992, How the Birds got their Colours, Scholastic Australia Pty Ltd.

Notley, Wendy, 1997, Until the Fire is Out, Scholastic Australia Pty Ltd.

Notley, Wendy, 1997, The Wheels on the Holden, Scholastic Australia Pty Ltd.

Trezise, Percy & Roughsey, Dick, 1987, Gidja, HarperCollins Publishers.

Deadly Vibe magazine available from:

Deadly Vibe

PO Box 528

Strawberry Hills NSW 2010

or Freecall 1800 623 430. Many schools already receive this publication.

Check with your librarian before ordering.

Koori Mail newspaper available from:

Koori Mail

PO Box 117

Lismore NSW 2480

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Supporting Experiences

Aunty Wendy’s Mob – song, dance, language and drama show. To sing Until theFire is Out. For bookings telephone (02) 9692 9641.

Excursion to NSW Art Gallery – for an Aboriginal Art workshop and tour, and toview Aboriginal art works in the Yirribana Gallery that illustrate concepts studied inthe unit.

Excursions to local Museums and Art Galleries

Performers and artists:Local Aboriginal performers and artists whose work relates to the the lesson ideasmay be willing to come to the school.

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Using Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islands resources to buildIntegrated Units

Resource example:

Betty and Bala and the Proper Big Pumpkin

The strength of this resource is that it depicts contemporary life in the Torres StraitIslands which makes it a wonderful resource for teachers working with children withTorres Strait Island backgrounds.

Step 1 We read the text and identified the aspects that highlighted features ofTorres Strait Islander culture. We decided that the distinguishingfeatures of Islander life were: living on an island, transport on, to andfrom the island, beach culture, eating from the sea, tropical island food,family networks and island fashion.

Step 2 Then we reread the text to see how we could integrate these culturalfeatures with any of the key learning areas. We made a chartidentifying key outcomes that emerge from the activities.

HSIEENES1Patterns of Place and Location

MathematicsES1.5

Science and TechnologyPhysical Phenomena

HSIESSES1Social Systems and Structures

MathematicsES1.6

Creative Arts

Activities exploring islandseg building islands, visiting an island

Activities exploring island transporteg making boats, floating and sinking

Activities exploring food on tropicalislandseg fishing, going to the shops by boat,growing food, tropical fruits, coconuttrees, recipes

Activities exploring Islander fashionand patternseg hot and cool clothing, no shoes,patterns on dresses

Step 3 Investigate supporting resources and collect things needed toimplement the activities.

Step 4 After a few activities and work samples sent home, we would approachany Torres Strait Islander families for input.

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Worksheet 1Cut out the 4 boxes and place them in the picture. Tell your teacher where you haveplaced them.

Can you describe the position of an object in relation to other objects

Beginning developing achieved

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