Year Four

Year Four Inquiry: Exploring the Impact of Exploration on Indigenous Cultures

This term, Year Four students have been inquiring into the central idea: Exploration has impacted Indigenous culture. Through this rich and meaningful unit, students have investigated the history of Australia before and after colonisation, focusing on how these events have influenced Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and their cultures.

A key part of our learning focused on Indigenous languages. In Australia, there are more than 250 Indigenous languages, including around 800 dialects. These languages are living, breathing connections to Country, culture, and ancestors. Inspired by this, we made powerful connections to our own classrooms. Students realised that our learning community is also rich in language, with many students speaking multiple languages at home that link them to their culture and families.

This led to a multidisciplinary exploration where we applied our data and graphing skills to represent the range of languages spoken in our class. Using both digital tools and traditional paper methods, students collected, organised and presented their findings, proudly showcasing the diversity within our classroom communities.

This inquiry has allowed students to develop a deeper understanding of both Indigenous cultures and their own identities. It has sparked thoughtful conversations about respect, connection, and the power of language in shaping who we are. We look forward to continuing this journey of learning and discovery together.

The Year Four Team

Claire Taylor, Imogen Westcott, Ayesha Katz, Angela Collins and Sarah Groves