Each Sharing Our Stories title focuses on one Indigenous Australian community. The opening of each book is built around a series of photographs describing the local community setting, and establishing the community in a particular place and time.
Following this is one story shared by that particular community, which conveys a message connected to the group's traditions or social conventions. The stories are illustrated with paintings and drawings by children from the local community. Using a mixture of traditional and modern-day influences, the artwork brings the stories to life through the children's personal interpretations. This is followed by quotes and photographic portraits of local children and elders. This provides a unique opportunity to meet the community that have shared their story, and to gain insight into what the story means to them. Each book concludes with the story retold in language.
This is the lap book version for shared classroom learning.
Key Features:
- Developed to be integrated into existing SOSE/HSIE/Humanities (strands/units on culture and beliefs) and English units of work
- Covers a diverse range of Indigenous communities
- Could have multiple uses in a literacy session, e.g. shared reading, comprehension, promotion of critical literacy skills
- Genre studies - traditional tales and oral histories/storytelling; provides opportunities for students to explore recounts and narratives
- Culturally relevant for Indigenous students
- Includes supportive teaching notes for educators who are not confident in teaching Indigenous studies