Out and About in the Ocean Community

Going further: Sample Activities

What was here before?

The purpose of this activity is to increase student awareness of the idea of change and to consider traditional uses of these areas by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander groups.

Read Window by Jeannie Baker to the class, then ask students what they think might have been on the land where their house or school is now. Ask similar questions in relation to the ocean.

Arrange a visit to an area of importance to local Indigenous groups. Seek advice about places to visit. During the visit, draw students’ attention to the ways Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people used:

• Areas within the ocean for shelter
• Animals from the ocean for food
• Plants and animals from the ocean for medicines
• Natural objects to make tools, hunting weapons and other equipment
• Plants, soils and seeds for ceremonial purposes, rock and cave painting and decorative art work
• What areas of the ocean mean to their culture and traditions.

At school, organise a program of Aboriginal arts and crafts. These could include:

• Using different coloured soils and clays
• Making paint or dye using grasses, pine needles etc.
• Building models of shelters using natural products.

Making Connections: Sample Activities

A problem on the ocean

Ask students to identify problems they think could occur on the ocean. Group together those that relate to caring for the ocean, safety and sharing areas.

Generate possible solutions for these problems.

Tip
Assessment tip: Prepare a chart to record student findings

Role-Plays

Role-play the following scenarios:

You want to stop on an island in the ocean for a picnic. A family is just leaving a beautiful spot and leaves the area littered with rubbish. What might you do?

You want to use a barbecue on an island during the Christmas holidays, but fires are not permitted from November 1 until April 30. What might you do?

You notice people cutting down and damaging trees and plants on an island. It is an offence to cut down or damage any standing trees or plants. What might you do?

You see someone throwing out their bait bag whilst fishing on the ocean. This is against the Fishing Code. What might you do?

Sign-making

Students design signs to promote acceptable behaviour. Paint, draw or write about the place where the sign could be erected.

Present students with a problem situation found on areas of the ocean.
Invite students to place their sign with others that relate to the problem.

Who looks after the ocean?

From the class database, select people found using the ocean. Students draw pictures, which show how different people such as rangers, divers, snorkelers, fishers, tourists and families care for ocean areas. In this activity students begin to understand that care of open places is the joint responsibility of those who work there and those who use the area.

Rules of the ocean

Students refer back to the grid made to classify problems. Students suggest a rule for some of these problems to make the ocean safer, cleaner and to protect its natural values.

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