Evolving Culture A middle-years Drama unit Based on activities from the 2020 Drama Victoria Theatre Festival stimulus-day workshops created by the Festival teaching team: Krystalla Pearce, Paul Bongiovanni, Lyall Brooks, Kristy Griffin, Danielle Hradsky, and Dr Meg Upton.
We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples as the First Nations of Australia. They have never ceded sovereignty, and remain strong in their enduring connection to land and culture. We acknowledge their Elders past, present and emerging. Š Danielle Hradsky & Jane Carter 2020
Key questions
What is culture?
How do cultures evolve over time?
How do we use stories to express ourselves and our cultures?
How do we appropriately and respectfully explore First Nations histories, cultures, and languages?
© Danielle Hradsky & Jane Carter 2020
The complexities of working with First Nations concepts and content We need to learn about the devastation of First Nations peoples and cultures. It’s
We also need to celebrate First Nations BUT
part of our shared Australian history.
First Nations artists want to share their works, ideas, and stories.
First Nations peoples want to invite nonIndigenous students into their cultures.
cultures. They are the oldest living cultures on Earth.
First Nations artists also fear that their works, BUT
ideas, and stories will be taken from them, disrespected, and misunderstood.
BUT
First Nations peoples want to protect their cultures from appropriation. Bell-Wykes, Forgasz, & Hradsky (2020) Š Danielle Hradsky & Jane Carter 2020
Unit Title: Evolving Culture
Sem: 1 Term: 2
Year: 9/10
Suggested Unit Outline Week, Lesson
Week 1 Lesson 1
Learning Goal
WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT…? To understand the role of First Nations people in shaping Australian culture
Learning activities New information: How much do students know about First Nations Australians? • Gauge students’ knowledge first with Activity 1, then discuss before research task Application: • Activity 1: Five things (approximately 5 min) o Internet access: complete in pairs in breakout-rooms o No internet: students complete individually with stopwatch • Activity 2: Research a famous First Nations person o Internet access: collect students’ data in this Google Spreadsheet. Make sure you make a copy for your own class. Some possible First Nations persons are suggested; however, do not be limited to this list. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1w m1Z7WuqOCrMRudGgkvg7NXEkzXR212vDto43 H7j9e4/edit?usp=sharing o No internet: print off some resources for students to research with. If this is the case, limit the number of people studied within the class.
Drama Victoria Remote Teaching Resource: Evolving Culture – Yrs 9 & 10 © Danielle Hradsky and Jane Carter 2020
Strategies
•
For students who need more guidance, set specific bio info and discuss how people can shape culture. You might like to turn this into a comprehensi on task and write the resources yourself.
Assessment Tasks
Resources (with links)
•
•
Completed research notes
• •
Evolving Culture booklet (pp. 1-2) Google Spreadsheet Internet access or printed resources for research
Page 2 of 17
Unit Title: Evolving Culture
Year: 9/10
Sem: 1 Term: 2
Suggested Unit Outline Week, Lesson
Week 1 Lesson 2
Learning Goal
WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT…? To develop an interactive installation performance
Learning activities New information: What is an art installation performance? • Internet access: discuss as a class and watch some examples on YouTube • No internet: brief description is given in booklet Application: Activity 3: Creating an art installation • Installations are based on previous research on famous First Nations people. Should include: o Student’s freezeframes expressing the quote o Objects relating to the person’s contributions to culture o Soundscape telling the story of person’s life without words • Internet access: Options include students videoing their installations, using Google Slides/PowerPoint, or other collage websites. • No internet: Students create physical installation. If possible, they record it for later viewing. Reflection: Activity 4: Reflection • Reflections should be completed by both the audience and the student.
Drama Victoria Remote Teaching Resource: Evolving Culture – Yrs 9 & 10 © Danielle Hradsky and Jane Carter 2020
Strategies
Assessment Tasks
Be flexible with what an installation can be! Emphasise that it is about the audience’s reaction to being in a space created by the artist.
• Art installation performance. • Suggested sub-strands from the Rubric: Developing ideas Engaging the audience Design elements Analysing
Resources (with links)
•
•
Evolving Culture booklet (pp. 34) Equipment and objects available to students at home
Page 3 of 17
Drama Victoria: Evolving Culture Workbook
© Danielle Hradsky and Jane Carter 2020
Contents Hello! ........................................................................................................................................................ii How this works – your questions answered (hopefully!) ................................................................... iii What do you know about…? .............................................................................................................. 1 Five things .................................................................................................................. 1 Research a famous First Nations person. ............................................................... 2 Creating an art installation ...................................................................................... 3 Reflection ................................................................................................................... 4 What do you notice? ........................................................................................................................... 5 “I know it like the back of my hand!” ..................................................................... 5 Noticing the five senses ............................................................................................ 6 Culture: Now you see it, now you don’t. ........................................................................................... 7 Frozen culture ............................................................................................................ 7 Moving culture .......................................................................................................... 8 Expressing your culture ............................................................................................. 9 In the palm of your hand ................................................................................................................... 11 Playing your own hand .......................................................................................... 11 Interrupted storytelling............................................................................................ 12 Respecting others’ stories ...................................................................................... 13 Playing the Australian hand .................................................................................. 14 Thoughts, debates, and culture ........................................................................................................ 16 What’s your opinion? .............................................................................................. 16 One, two, three, four, I declare a puppet war! .................................................. 17 The Reconciliation Barometer ............................................................................... 18 Archetypes…Stereotypes? ................................................................................................................ 20 What’s your archetype? ........................................................................................ 20 Playing First Nations characters............................................................................. 22 Hero monologues ................................................................................................... 24 Monologue 1: Truganini ............................................................................................................. 25 Monologue 2: William Barak ..................................................................................................... 26 Monologue 3: Margaret (Lilardia) Tucker ............................................................................... 27 Monologue 4: Archie Roach .................................................................................................... 28 Monologue 5: Ella Havelka ....................................................................................................... 29 Monologue 6: Adam Goodes .................................................................................................. 30 Rubric ................................................................................................................................................... 31 How to use the rubric ..................................................................................................................... 32 VOCABULARY .................................................................................................................................. 32
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Drama Victoria: Evolving Culture Workbook
© Danielle Hradsky and Jane Carter 2020
Hello! This Drama unit is designed to help you explore ideas around culture – your own culture, your classmates’ cultures, and the many different cultures that make up Australian culture. Some of the questions we’ll be asking during this unit are: •
What is culture?
•
How do cultures evolve over time?
•
How do we use stories to express ourselves and our culture?
This unit was inspired by a dance-work by Gunnaikurnai/Yamatji artist Brent Watkins. Parts of this unit will explore First Nations peoples, histories, and cultures; in particular, how First Nations cultures have evolved to survive colonisation. You and your classmates may be First Nations peoples. For some of you, though, learning about First Nations cultures might be pretty new. Exploring, knowing, understanding, and respecting First Nations peoples, histories, cultures, and languages is really important. But sometimes it can make you feel confused, upset, or angry. While you’re learning, here are some key ideas that we’d like you to keep in mind. We need to learn about the devastation of First Nations
We also need to celebrate First
BUT
peoples and cultures. It’s part of
Nations cultures. They are the oldest living cultures on Earth.
our shared Australian history. First Nations artists also fear that First Nations artists want to share their works, ideas, and stories.
BUT
their works, ideas, and stories will be taken from them, disrespected, and misunderstood.
First Nations peoples want to invite non-Indigenous students into their cultures.
First Nations peoples want to
BUT
protect their cultures from appropriation. Bell-Wykes, Forgasz, & Hradsky (2020)
Complicated, right?! But it’s really important to try and understand, and make sure that you are always learning, respecting, and reflecting.
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