VELS Details
Primary: Levels 1-4 (Prep-Yr. 6)
Humanities/History
The various themes and titles in The Storyteller’s Guide to Australia covers many of the cultures and histories that have contributed to Australian society.
The mix of archival and contemporary material invites comparisons between ‘then’ and ‘now’.
Through Jan’s travel experiences students get a sense of other parts of Australia – traditions, environment, as well as key events in Australian history.
Regarding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history, Jan has considerable working and friendship experiences with Indigenous Australians, and whilst he does not speak on their behalf, he has a range of songs and stories to pass on to students, both personal and historical.
Arts
Music, storytelling, singing, dance, puppetry, theatre.
English
The Storyteller’s Guide to Australia presents a range of texts through various song and story styles, including material in Aboriginal languages. An emphasis on the oral tradition teaches listening skills. Students can use this presentation to test their recall of a live presentation, and to discuss the points of view proposed in Jan’s presentation.
Secondary level 6 (Yr. 9-10)
History
The Storyteller’s Guide to Australia deals in ‘people stories’ associated with many events in Australia’s development, including:
- Convict songs relating to European colonization and the impact on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders
- Civil and political rights with songs about the Gurindji walk- off, and land rights dealt with through Jan’s stories of the hand back of Uluru
- Diggers tales of the gold rushes
- Trade unions from 1891
- Songs and stories of World War I.
Arts
Music, storytelling, singing, dance, puppetry, theatre.
English
Speaking & listening
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