Backward Design MULTICULTURALISM UNIT PLAN

Title: What is Multiculturalism and why is it important in Australia?

Year Level: 3
Teacher: Mr Parera
Focus Curriculum Area (s): Humanities and Social Science (Geography, History) Duration: 4-5weeks
STAGE 1: Curriculum Links
General
Capabilities
(GP)
Crosscurriculum
Priorities
(CCP)
Year Level
Content
Descriptors

Literacy

Numeracy

ICT

Ethical Behaviour

Personal and Social

Intercultural
Understanding

Aboriginal and TSI

Histories and
Culture

Asia and Australias

Engagement with Asia

Sustainability

English
Draw connections between personal
experiences and the worlds of texts, and
share responses with others (ACELT1596)
Listen to and contribute to conversations
and discussions to share information and
ideas and negotiate in collaborative
situations (ACELY1676)
Use comprehension strategies to build
literal and inferred meaning and begin to
evaluate texts by drawing on a growing
knowledge of context, text structures and
language features (ACELY1680)
Identify the point of view in a text and
suggest alternative points of view
(ACELY1675
Create imaginative texts based on
characters, settings and events from
students own and other cultures using

Year Level
Achievement
Standards

Critical and Creative

Thinking

English
They identify literal and
implied meaning
connecting ideas in
different parts of a
text.
They select information
, ideas and events in
texts that relate to
their own lives and to
other texts.
They demonstrate unde
rstanding of grammar
and choose vocabulary
and punctuation
appropriate to the
purpose and context of
their writing.
They select information
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visual features, for example perspective,

distance and angle (ACELT1601)
Plan, draft and publish imaginative,
informative and persuasive texts
demonstrating increasing control over text
structures and language features and
selecting print, and multimodal elements
appropriate to the audience and purpose
(ACELY1682)
Use interaction skills, including active
listening behaviours and communicate in a
clear, coherent manner using a variety of
everyday and learned vocabulary and
appropriate tone, pace, pitch and volume
(ACELY1792)
Mathematics
Collect data, organise into categories and
create displays using lists, tables, picture
graphs and simple column graphs, with and
without the use of digital technologies
(ACMSP069)
Geography
The similarities and differences between
places in terms of their type of settlement,
demographic characteristics and the lives of
the people who live there, and peoples
perceptions of these places (ACHASSK069)
The location of Australias neighbouring
countries and the diverse characteristics of
their places (ACHASSK067)
History
How the community has changed and
remained the same over time and the role
that people of diverse backgrounds have
played in the development and character of
the local community (ACHASSK063)

, ideas and events in

texts that relate to
their own lives and to
other texts.
HASS (Geography and
History)
They describe the
experiences of an
individual or group in
the past.
They identify and descr
ibe aspects of their
community that have
changed and remained
the same over time.
They describe the
diverse characteristics
of different places at
the local scale
and identify and descri
be similarities and
differences between
the characteristics of
these places.
They identify connectio
ns between people and
the characteristics of
places.
They identify the
importance of different
celebrations and
commemorations for
different groups
They examine informati
on to identify a point of
view and interpret data
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Arts
Explore ideas and artworks from different
cultures and times, including artwork by
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists,
to use as inspiration for their own
representations (ACAVAM110)
Identify intended purposes and meanings
as they listen to music using the elements
of music to make comparisons, starting with
Australian music, including music of
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples
(ACAMUR087
Identify how the elements of dance and
production elements express ideas in dance
they make, perform and experience as
audience, including exploration of
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander dance
(ACADAR008)
Use voice, body, movement and language
to sustain role and relationships and create
dramatic action with a sense of time and
place

to identify and describe

simple distributions.
They reflect on their
learning
to suggest individual
action in response to
an issue or challenge.
Mathematics
They interpret and com
pare data displays.
Arts
They make and
respond to artworks,
students explore
meaning and
interpretation,
elements and forms,
and social and cultural
contexts of the arts
They describe and disc
uss similarities and
differences between
dances they make,
perform and view.
They collaborate to
plan, make and
perform drama that
communicates ideas

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Knowledge
English

Skills
English

Use comprehension strategies to build literal and

Monitor their own comprehension when they understand
inferred meaning
what they read and what they do not
Plan, draft and publish informative texts
Use metacognition strategies to think about and have
demonstrating control over text structures and
control over their reading
language features
Write a research report using the appropriate text structure
Effectively gather reliable information on
for a writing purpose and sequencing content for clarity and
multiculturalism
audience impact

Participate in class discussion, share their understandings

Mathematics
and ask questions about what they want to know about the
Effectively collect data to investigate the history of
topic
immigration in Australia
Reorganise data and develop organisational skills to Mathematics
represent the data in different ways
Effectively collect information from statistics to construct a
Geography
bar graph to reorganise data based on the history of
Justify the similarities and differences between their
immigration in Australia
daily lives and those of people in another place in
Geography
Australia
Examine information in text and distinguish the similarities
Justify factors that influence peoples attachment to
and differences to identify a point of view
place, through reading stories and pictures
Identify and describe some of the differences in how people
Describe the similarities and differences between
eat, dress, say things, sign and gesture
their local place and places in neighbouring
countries
History
History
Make meaningful connections to the people, place,
events, issues and ideas in the text
Determine important ideas and events drawing on
growing knowledge of Indigenous culture
Develop a deeper understanding of indigenous
history and culture
Arts

explore meaning and interpretation, forms and

Describe aspects of the community that have changed and

remained the same over time by justifying the similarities
and differences in text
Explore the role that indigenous people have played in the
development of what Australia is today
Identify meaning and describe purposes in dances from
different social and cultural contexts

Arts
Use voice, body, movement and language to sustain role
and relationships and create dramatic action with a sense
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elements including voice, movement, situation,

time and place, and tension as they make and
respond to drama

of time and place

Use language appropriately such as expressions and choice
of words with confidence when speaking in front of a large
audience

LEARNING OUTCOMES:
English

Participate in class discussion, share their understandings and ask questions about what they want to know about
multiculturalism
Draw on literature from different cultures to explore commonalities of experience and ideas as well as recognise
difference in lifestyle
Determine important ideas, events or details in texts commenting on things learned or questions raised by reading,
referring explicitly to the text
Create and write a short story drawing on personal experience influenced by a family tradition
Write a research report using the appropriate text structure for a writing purpose and sequencing content for clarity
and audience impact
Participate in class discussion discussing relevant prior knowledge and past experience to make meaningful
connections to people, places, events and ideas

Mathematics
Effectively collect data to investigate the history of immigration in Australia
Construct a bar graph to reorganise data and develop the organisational skills to represent the data in different ways
Geography
Make meaningful connections to the people, place, events, issues and ideas associated around multiculturalism
Justify factors that influence peoples attachment to place, through reading stories and pictures
Describe the similarities and differences between their local place and places in neighbouring countries
Investigate the diversity of students who live in Australia and compare them among other students
History
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Make meaningful connections to the people, place, events, issues and ideas associated with Multiculturalism in
Australia
Develop an understanding of indigenous history and culture by exploring the role that indigenous people have played in
the development of what Australia is today
Identify individuals and groups from the past of diverse backgrounds who have contributed to the character
development of the student

Arts
Identify and explain choices in art making, including forms, styles and visual conventions in their artwork
use language appropriately such as expressions and choice of words with confidence when speaking in front of a large
audience
use voice, body, movement and language to sustain role in assembly in front of a large audience
Identify meaning and purpose in music from different social, cultural or historical contexts

UNDERSTANDING BY DESIGN STAGE 2: ASSESSMENT EVIDENCE

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Task description:
Over this five week unit of work, students will explore the world around them as they investigate what multiculturalism is
and why it is important in Australia. Across the five weeks students will participate in class discussion, share their
understandings and ask questions about what they want to know about multiculturalism. They will also make meaningful
connections to the people, place, events, issues and ideas associated around multiculturalism and document it in their
writing journals after each lesson. At the end of the five week program students will write a report about their parents or
grandparents country and their culture. Students will need to use books and internet resources to collect information about
the countries of their parents or grandparents. The report must include topics of clothing, education, food, popular sports,
holidays and festivals. At the end of the report students will write down what multiculturalism is and what it means to be
Australian. The final rich assessment task for this unit will be an assembly item where students will dress up as a person from
which their parents or grandparents are originated from. Each student will do a cat walk in front of the school showing off
their costume. They will then walk up to the microphone and share some interesting facts about their culture demonstrated
in their finalized report. At the end of the assembly students will come together, holdings hands, singing the I am Australian
song.
Assessment Criteria:
Students will be assessed on their developing understanding of what multiculturalism is and why it is important in Australia.
In order for students to further develop their knowledge of multiculturalism, they will need to use metacognitive strategies to
think deeply into what they are learning, in other words think about their thinking. Students will be assessed on their ability
to effectively gather reliable information, justify the similarities and differences between other cultures, and make meaningful
connections to the people, place, events, issues and ideas associated around multiculturalism. Students will be required to
write a research report using books and internet resources to collect information about their parents or grandparents culture.
They will be assessed on their ability to demonstrate genuine knowledge of their selected culture, write using the appropriate
text structure, and how informative and accurate the content is. At the end of the five week unit of work there will be an
assembly item for students to embrace their culture and demonstrate to their school and parents what they have learnt
about multiculturalism and other cultures. The assembly will require students to use voice, body, movement and language
appropriately when presenting in front of an audience.
Assessment recording template:
During each lesson across the five weeks, the teacher will closely observe students as they further develop their knowledge
of multiculturalism and why it is important in Australia. The teacher will record observations of students through writing
anecdotal notes about how their knowledge of multiculturalism is developing. Students ability to effectively gather reliable
information and make meaningful connections to the people, place, events, issues and ideas associated around
multiculturalism will be observed across the five weeks. Checklists and rubrics will be used to record students level of
understanding.
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Feedback:
Students will be provided with immediate and constructive feedback from both the teacher and their peers during the unit of
work. The teacher will provide informal feedback through questioning and continuously conferencing with students. The
feedback received by the students during the unit of work will guide and improve student learning. The written research
report and assembly item will receive feedback through rubrics aimed at addressing students ability to demonstrate genuine
knowledge of their selected culture and their ability to perform in front of an audience.
Self-assessment:
During the unit of work students will continuously reflect after each lesson on what they have learnt. By using thinking
strategies such as PMI charts, KWL charts and Venn diagrams that are documented in their writing journal after each
lesson, students are able to reflect back on the learning to further develop their knowledge and skills. Questioning will
also be used by the teacher to guide student learning as it further develops student level of thinking and enables critical
thinking.
UNDERSTANDING BY DESIGN STAGE 3: PLAN LEARNING EXPERIENCES AND INSTRUCTION

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Learning Experiences
Week 1:
Lesson
1
English
History

Assessment For/As
Learning (Formative
Assessment)

WHOEVER YOU ARE BY MEM FOX

Hook: Have pictures of five different landmarks
around the world. Cut each picture into four and give
each student one part of the picture. Students are to
try and solve the puzzle by finding another student
with part of a picture that can be used to form a
whole. Once the puzzle is solved students can discuss
what country the landmark is based in and how they
know this.
Introduction: We are going to focus on what is
multiculturalism, how we are different and how we are
the same.
Begin: Prompt the children: Can anyone tell
me by looking at the front cover what this
book could be about? What are the people in
the cover doing? Where are they going? Do
the people all look the same? Discuss
Facilitate (Whole Class Discussion). After
reading the book write the questions below
on the whiteboard.
- Why does the author repeat the words
Whoever they are, wherever they are, all
over the world?
- What are things that make you special and
different?
- What are things that may make you smile,
laugh, and cause you pain?
- Do you think those may be the same for
other people?
Children will think-pair and share to answer

Geography Checklist:
Observation:
- Students comprehend
the story during thinkpair and share
- Students make
meaningful connections
to the people, place,
events, issues and ideas
in the text

Resources

Whiteboard
Venn diagram
handouts

English Checklist:
Observation:
- Students participate in
whole group discussions
contributing relevant
questions and responses
to discussion.

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the questions
Provide children with a handout of a blank
Venn diagram. The children are to write
things that make us unique or different on
the outside parts of the circles and in the
middle write similarities that they share
Choose some students to share what they
have written down in the Venn diagram to
the class.

Conclude Reflective questions After this lesson

can anyone tell me what it means to be Australian?
Can we all be different but still be Australian

Week 2:
Lesson
2
English
History

ANHS STORY
Hook: Organise students in pairs to share where they
are from. Ask the class if anyone in their pairs have a
mix background they would like to share.
Introduction: We are going to read Anhs story about
what she might take to school on the special day
where student are to celebrate who they are and
where their families are from.

English Checklist
Observation:
- Students participate in
whole group discussions
contributing relevant
questions and responses
to discussion.

Whiteboard
A4 paper
Anhs Story

History Checklist
Observation:
Sequence:
- Students comprehend
the story during think Begin: Read Anhs story to the class
pair and share
Facilitate Whole Class Discussion (WCD). After
- Students make
reading Anhs story write the questions below on
meaningful connections
the whiteboard.
on how the people of
- Anh describes herself as an Aussie. What do
diverse backgrounds
you think it means to be an Aussie
have played in the
- What values and beliefs do you think that
development and
Australians share?
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Week 3:
Lesson
3
English
Art

Is it possible for Anh to be both an Aussie and

Vietnamese?
What would someone mean if they described
themselves as a Vietnamese Australian?
Children will think-pair and share to answer the
questions
Further facilitate WCD asking the class:
Did you agree with the other students?
Were there some questions that you had
different responses to?
Do you think this may create problems?
Students will now draw images on an A4 paper
what they think Everyone Belongs might look
like
Conclude Choose some students to share with
the class what they have drawn and how it
symbolises Everyone Belongs

CREATE YOUR OWN FLAG

Hook: Hand out four flags to each group of students.
As a class have students number from one to four
which is the best flag being 1 and the worst being 4.
Collect and add up results to show the most popular
flag. Discuss how the choice of symbols, colour and
designs may have made the flag the best or worst.
Introduction:
Each student is going to create their own flag using
symbols, colour and designs that represent
themselves.
Sequence:
Begin: As a class, the teacher and students
view flags of other countries and discuss what

character of the local

community.

English Checklist
Observation:
- Students participate in
class discussion
discussing relevant prior
knowledge and past
experience to make
meaningful connections
to people, places, events
and ideas

A4 paper
Student
colouring
pencils/textures
Four different
designed flags

Art Checklist Work Sample:

- Students are able to use
symbols, colour and
design to portray their
own experiences
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Week 2:
Lesson
1

the symbols, color, and designs stand for.

Discuss with the class about creating their own
flag to represent themselves
Give each student a blank A4 paper to begin
designing their flag
During the designing process instruct the class
to go for a gallery walk to look at other students
flag designs
Conclude - Once each student has finished
designing and colouring their flag, ask each
student to share their flag with the person next
to them

THE LITTLE REFUGEE

Hook: Have pictures of five situations that lead

people to becoming refugees. Cut each picture into
English
four and give each student one part of the picture.
Geograp Students are to try and solve the puzzle by finding
hy
another student with part of a picture that can be
used to form a whole. Once the puzzle is solved
students can discuss what the pictures are portraying
Introduction: Today we are going to read the book
The little Refugee that portrays a life of a refugee
that will help you develop an understanding of what it
means to take refuge, and why people have migrated
to Australia

English Checklist: Observation: The Little Refugee

- Students participate in
book
whole class discussions
on how a text presents
the point of view of the
main character, and
what other characters
might think or feel
Geography Checklist: Work
Sample:
- Written scenarios justify
factors that influences
peoples attachment to
place

Sequence:
Begin: Read the Little Refugee to the class
Discuss the situations which Anh Dos family
encountered on their journey to Australia
Divide the class into groups of four and ask each
group to write a scenario in which people would
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Week 2:
Lesson
2
English
Mathem
atics

be forced to flee and seek refuge outside

Australia
Discuss the likely feelings of a person prior to
leaving their country
Conclude: Have students share their written
scenarios to the class

IMMIGRANT STATISTIC RESEARCH

Mathematics Checklist
Hook: Display the world map on the whiteboard. Have Observation:
students predict which country will have the highest
- Students research data
and lowest number of immigrants migrating to
efficiently by using
Australia
reliable websites

Computers
World map
Bar graph
graphic
organiser

Introduction: We are going to research the countries

listed to find out why each group came to Australia.
We are going to use the data we have found to make a
bar graph to show the number of immigrants from
each country listed
Sequence:
Begin: Divide the class into pairs where in pairs
students will research on the computers the
countries listed on why each group migrated to
Australia
Students will then research the approximate
number of immigrants during the 20th century
Students will use the data they have found to
make a bar graph to show the number of
immigrants from each country listed
Students will research the number of immigrants
that migrated to Australia each year from year
2000-2010 and organise the data into a line
graph
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Week 2:
Lesson
3
English
History

Conclude: Students will share their findings to

the class

EXCURSION: MUSEUM HISTORY DEPARTMENT

Students will be taken on an Indigenous tour learning
about Indigenous history and culture. Students will
learn about the Wadjuk people and develop a greater
understanding of the connection between the
Indigenous people and the land
Introduction: Today we are going on an Indigenous
tour learning about Indigenous history and culture
Sequence:
Begin: The registered representative of the
museum will introduce themselves and guide
the class through the museum educating the
students on indigenous history and culture
The representative will show the class
Indigenous History collections including
costumes and textiles, materials, and the story
of migration
Conclude: After the excursion students will
reflect on what students learnt using the
following questions:
- Can anyone tell me what you learned today?
- What did you find interesting?
- What important ideas and events can you think
of from the excursion?
- What do you know, what do you want to know,
what have your learned?
Record the childrens responses using a KWL
chart to reflect on the excursion

Week 3:

AUSTRALIAN INVASION SCENARIO

English Checklist
Observation:
- Students can determine
important ideas and
events of Indigenous
culture demonstrated in
the KWL charts
History Checklist
Observation:
- Ability to identify the
role indigenous people
have played in the
development of
Australian culture
through whole class
discussions

Education
assistant
Three parent
volunteers
Registered
representative
Parent consent
form
KWL chart
Reflection
questions

A4 Paper
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Lesson
1

Hook: Ask students to write down the five most

important things in their life at the moment and
English
choose a few students to share what they have
Geograp written down
hy
Introduction: Read out the following scenario:
Australia has been taken over. The government has
been overthrown and Australian citizens are no longer
allowed work, children cannot go to school and their
own homes are not safe. Children under the age of 15
and adults above the age of 50 are being killed
because they cannot work hard enough. You and your
family are forced to flee Australia on a boat in order to
stay alive. All you have is each other and the clothes
on your back, You arrive safely in Indonesia and are
accepted as refugees

English Checklist: Observation:

- Students participate in
whole group discussions
contributing relevant
questions and responses
to discussion.

Australian
invasion
scenario

Geography Checklist: Work

Sample:
- Students persuasive
writing texts describe
the similarities and
differences between
their local place and
places in neighbouring
countries.

Sequence:
Begin: Ask the students to cross off any of the
five most important things in their life that they
do not have anymore
Ask students to put their hands up if they have
zero things left, 1 thing, 2 thing and so on
Encourage students to share with the class what
they have lost and what they still have
Ask students to now make a list of the 5 most
important things to them living in a new country
as refugees
Students will think-pair and share their first list
and second list to another student then to a
group of four
Instruct students to write a short persuasive text
on how lucky we are to live in Australia and how
Australia is the similar and different to other
countries
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Week 3:
Lesson
2
English

PARENT/GRANDPARENTS RESEARCH
Hook: Display a range of pictures on the whiteboard
portraying different clothing and foods from other
cultures
Introduction: Today we are going to research the
country either parents or grandparents are from
focusing on three topics of research out of the
following; Clothing, food, education, landmarks,
housing, holidays and festivals

English Checklist: Observation:

- Students are able to
effectively research on
the computer their
parents or grandparents
culture exploring
commonalities of
experience and ideas as
well as recognising
difference in lifestyle

Computers

I Am Australian
lyrics handout
I Am Australian
music video by
the Seekers
Computer

Sequence:
Begin: Inform students that they are to use the
computers to research three topics, either being
clothing, food, education, housing, landmarks,
holidays and festivals.
Once students have collected the research they
are begin writing a draft written report on their
findings
Conclude: Choose a few students to share what
they have written in their draft report and what
they found interesting
Week 3:
Lesson
3
English
Music

POPULAR CULTURE AND DIVERSITY

Hook: Play the music video of the song I Am
Australian by the Seekers
Introduction: We are going to read, listen and
interpret the song lyrics of I Am Australian to explore
the theme of cultural diversity

English Checklist: Observation:

- Students responses in
their writing journals
addresses the important
ideas raised through
reading the lyrics

Art Checklist: Observation:

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Sequence:
Begin: Give each student a I Am Australian
lyric handout and play the song again
Write down the following questions on the
whiteboard for each student to answer in their
writing journals:
- What message do you think the artist is trying
to communicate through the music?
- What values and attitudes are being portrayed?
- Do the lyrics relate to the issues of cultural
diversity in Australia?
- Does the music add to the meaning of the
lyrics? How?
Students will now think-pair and share their
responses to the questions
Conclude: Choose a few students to share with
the class their responses and reasoning behind
it
Week 4:
Lesson
1

Students identify meaning and

purpose in music from
different social, cultural or
historical contexts

AUSTRALIAN TRADITIONS AND DIVERSITY

Hook: Read the story My Girrangundji of the
Australian Readers to the class

English
Geograp Introduction: We are going to read the text My
hy
Girrangundji and brainstorm how family traditions
have influenced people and their identity
Sequence:
Begin: Prompt the children after reading the
story with the following questions
- What is the boys relationship with the land?
- How are the values and traditions of the boy
developed?
- How significant are the events and activities to
the boys Australian identity?

English Checklist: Observation:

- Students responses on
the whiteboard draw
personal experiences
influenced by family
traditions

Whiteboard
Writing journal
My
Girrangundji
story

Geography Checklist: Work

Sample:
- Ability to identify
individuals and groups
from the past of diverse
backgrounds who have
contributed to the
character development
of the student
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Week 4:
Lesson
2

As a class, brainstorm how family traditions

have influenced people and their identity and
how personal beliefs, values and identity are
developed through family traditions? Use the
whiteboard to note down students responses
Students will now write a short story in their
writing journals retelling an experience of their
life that was influenced by a family tradition
(experiences, events, cultural celebrations)
Conclude: Choose a few students to share their
short stories with the class
After the lesson inform students and parents
that the students will be participating in an
assembly the following Friday about the country
they have researched. Students will need to
dress up in a costume that represents their
country

demonstrated in the
written short story

OUR DIVERSE CLASSROOM

English Checklist: Observation:

Hook: Write on the whiteboard How well do you know
- Students actively listen
your classmates. Encourage students to ask
for specific information
English
questions such as where they have travelled, what
taking on the role of a
Geograp they enjoy to do, what they can do that makes them
note taker and reporter
hy
special, in order to better know their classmates
Geography Checklist:
Introduction:
Observation:
Today we are going to build relationships through
Students investigate through
exploring the diverse background and experiences of
their discussion and findings of
our classmates
the diversity of students,
Sequence:
comparing similarities and
difference among other
Begin: Distribute the diverse classroom activity
students
sheet and introduce each item. Some of the
items on the sheet will involve finding someone
who:

Diverse
classroom
activity sheet

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Week 4:
Lesson
3
English
Dance

Has travelled outside of Australia

Can count to five in another language
Can say hello in two different languages
Can fluently speak another language at home
Takes off their shoes before entering their home
Has a parent born in Europe
Students are to get a different student for each
item to encourage students to speak to other
students they would not normally associate with
Observe the students as they walk around the
classroom talking to each other
Conclude: Choose a few students to share with
the class what they found in their diverse
classroom

INCURSION CULTURAL INFUSION

A cultural group will visit the school and set up
workshops to build awareness, harmony and
understanding among youth. This will be a very
interaction session for students as they will
experience other cultures in Australia. Students will
also experience different dances in culture and will
enact that dance. Through this session Students will
develop an awareness and understanding of others,
value dance works from other cultures and develop an
understanding of some of the differences in how
people eat and dress, sign and gesture.
Introduction: Today a cultural group will visit the
school and set up their workshop in the assembly to
build awareness, harmony and understanding of other
cultures in Australia
Sequence:
Begin: The group of engaging people will
introduce themselves to the class about who

English Checklist: Observation

and KWL chart sample
- Students have
developed an
understanding of other
cultures in Australia
demonstrated through
their KWL chart

Culture Infusion
group
KWL chart
Reflection
questions

Art Checklist: Observation and

written reflection sample
- Students can identify
meaning and describe
purposes in dances from
different social and
cultural backgrounds
demonstrated in their
written reflection

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Week 5:
Lesson
1
English

they are, where they come from and what they

will be doing today
The engaging people will focus on cultural
diversity as they perform a play in front of the
class to develop students understanding of
some of the differences in how people eat and
dress, sign and gesture and say things
The group of people will then perform to the
class different dances in culture, and will also
involve students in enacting some of the dances
and what it means
Conclude: After the group of engaging people
have concluded their incursion students will
return to class to reflect on what they learnt
answering the following questions on the board:
Can anyone tell me what you learned today?
What did you find interesting?
What is the meaning and purpose of the dances
you enacted from different social and cultural
backgrounds?
What important ideas and events can you think
of from the incursion?
What do you know, what do you want to know,
what have your learned?
Students will record their responses using a KWL
chart to reflect on the incursion

DEEPER RESEARCH INTO CHILDRENS PARENTS

AND GRANDPARENTS

English Checklist: Observation:

- Students effectively
Hook: Revisit first parent/grandparent research lesson
research on the
and what student did
computer their parents
or grandparents culture
Introduction: We are going to further research our
exploring commonalities
parent or grandparents country and finish writing a
of experience and ideas
research report of the findings
as well as recognising

Computers
Printer

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difference in lifestyle.
Sequence:
- Begin: Inform students to further research the
parent or grandparents country for 10 minutes
- Instruct students after 10 minutes they have to
finish writing their research report on the
computer using Microsoft Word
- Have each student print out their research
report
- Conclude: Choose a few students to read out
their research report to the class
- Inform students that they will use their findings
in the research report to present at the
assembly that they found interesting about their
country
- Give students a I Am Australian lyric handout
for them to read, memorise and rehearse for
Wednesday

Week 5:
Lesson
2
English
Drama

ASSEMBLY REHEARSAL
Hook: Play the I Am Australian song for students to
listen to
Introduction: We are going to rehearse our play for
the Assembly on Friday that will demonstrate what we
have learnt about multiculturalism in Australia
Sequence:
Begin: inform/remind students that they will be
strutting their stuff on a catwalk showing off
their costume in front of the audience
Have each student rehearse their catwalk
Have each student use a microphone to

English Checklist: Observation:

- Students use
appropriate expressions
and choice of words
when rehearsing in front
of the class

Microphone
I Am Australian
song lyric
handout Student
writing about
their country

Art Checklist: Observation:

Students are able to
effectively use voice, body,
movement and language to
sustain their role in the
rehearsal assembly
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Week 5:
Lesson
3
English
Drama

rehearse to the class one by one saying what

they found most interesting about their country
Provide students with the I Am Australian lyric
handouts, play the song in the background and
rehearse the song as a class
Organise students in a choir formation
Repeat each step of the assembly until each
student is prepared and confident in their role
and what they have to do
Encourage students to rehearse at home their
cat walk, what they are saying to the audience
and the I Am Australian song

FINAL RICH TASK ASSESSMENT

Hook: In the classroom revise the stages of each part
in the assembly
Introduction: We are going to revise and rehearse
what we are doing in the assembly
Sequence:
Begin: Revise the stages of each part in the
assembly to the students involving:
- Walking on stage in groups of countries
- Strutting their stuff on a catwalk showing off
their costume
- Tell the audience using a microphone what they
found most interesting about their country
- Get into choir formation and sing the I Am
Australian song to conclude the assembly
Get students ready for the assembly including
making sure all students are in costume and
feeling confident ready to perform
Walk the students to where the assembly is held

English Checklist: Observation:

- Students successfully
use appropriate
expressions and choice
of words when
performing in front of a
large audience

Microphone
Costumes
I Am Australian
song audio

Art Checklist: Observation:

- Students successfully
and effectively use
voice, body, movement
and language to sustain
their role when
performing in front of a
large audience
Program Rubric

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and rehearse all stages of the assembly before

the audience begins to enter the building
Once students are ready and excited have
students sit down in their country groups ready
to start the assembly
Begin assembly
Once the students have been given their
applause and the assembly has officially ended,
guide the students back to the classroom
Conclude: Congratulate students on an
outstanding performance

Appendix 1
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Appendix 2
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Appendix 3
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Appendix 4
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Written Explanation
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Over the next 5 weeks this integrated program will focus on the inquiry question What is multiculturalism and why it is
important in Australia? This integrated program will support students in Year 3 to build on their knowledge of
multiculturalism in Australia. The purpose of multicultural education is to prepare Year 3 students for the responsibility of
citizenship by valuing and considering the cultural backgrounds of all people that make Australia what it is today (Dukes,
2006). An inquiry based learning approach will be utilised over the 5 weeks incorporating a range of different learning areas
such as English, Mathematics and Art, that will help students develop their personal and social sense of the world (Wang,
Kinzie, McGuire, & Pan, 2010). The framework for school aged care (FSAC) suggests taking a holistic approach to recognise
childrens physical, personal, social, emotional and spiritual wellbeing (DEEWR, 2011). The support of an integrated, holistic
approach will focus on childrens connections towards the world they live in as well as understand, respect and appreciate
the interdependence between people of different cultures (DEEWR, 2011). It is important through this program students
understand their own identity in order to understand and respect the identity of others (Arasaratnam, 2014). The aim of this
is to encourage positive attitudes towards childrens own cultural identity and provide them with the awareness,
understandings and skills in order to respect and appreciate other cultures other than their own.
This integrated unit of work will focus on the content descriptors and achievement standards from learning areas English,
Humanities and Social Science (HASS), Mathematics and Arts. Through the learning area English, students will draw
connections between their personal experiences, share their experiences with others, use comprehension strategies to build
literal and inferred meaning, and plan, draft and publish a research report. Students will be provided statistics of the number
of immigrants of each country that migrated to Australia. Through Mathematics, students will learn how to effectively collect
reliable information from statistics and reorganise it in a bar graph to identify further connections and possible reasons why
particular countries would have a high number of immigrants. This unit of work addresses HASS as students identify and
describe the similarities and differences between other cultures, providing students with the awareness, understandings and
skills in order to respect and appreciate other cultures. Students also research and participate in class discussions on how the
Australian community has changed and remained the same over time, and what role people of diverse backgrounds have
played in the development of this community. In order for students to further develop meaning into what they are learning;
Art (Drama, Music and Dance) is integrated into this unit of work. Through Art students are able to identify meaning and
purpose in music by listening to the words and discussing what they mean. An incursion has been included where students
experience a number of rich cultural dances. In this incursion students explore the background and history of dance, and how
the elements of dance can express different ideas. For the final rich task an assembly will be held for the students to
demonstrate to the school and to their parents what they have learnt about multiculturalism. This assembly requires
students to use voice, body, movement and language appropriately when presenting in front of an audience.
When planning this unit of work the Understanding by Design (UbD) approach was applied. Using the UbD approach assists
the teacher in clarifying learning goals, planning assessments of and for student learning, and creating effective and
engaging learning activities (McTighe, 2013). Planning a unit of work with an UbD approach ensures the teacher has clear
learning objectives and learning activities. It is important that the learning objective is clear to all students. If the learning
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objective does not make sense to a student they will not be as engaged into the learning activities as they will not
understand the purpose of it (McTighe, 2013). In order for students to have a goal they need to understand what the
objective is and how it can be achieved. The main focus of UbD is put on assessment and the requirement to be clear about
what is essential. In order to be clear about what is essential in assessment, UbD allows the teacher to reflect on why as
well as what they are doing. This allows the teacher to think deeply into their assessments and answer the main questions,
what do you want students to learn and why? Another model that can be used to guide planning and teaching as well as
support students thinking and questioning is the Murdoch inquiry model. The Murdoch model (Murdoch, 2010) provides a
clear guideline that outlines the phases of inquiry that effectively works to build on students previous knowledge. Identical
to the Ubd, the Murdoch model works in correlation with a range of learning areas to enhance a deeper and more meaningful
experience. By the end of the unit of work both approaches have the same goal. The goal is for students to come to
understand more deeply the big ideas and concepts of multiculturalism in Australia, such as cultural diversity, acceptance,
family and intercultural understanding.
Throughout this unit of work, formative and summative assessments have been used to provide information on student
learning. Formative assessment such as observations, questioning, discussion, graphic organisers, think pair share, and
peer/self-assessments have been incorporated in this unit of work. The reason why these types of formative assessment
have been included is because they all assist teachers in recognising how much learning is taking place and provides
information needed to adjust teaching and learning while they are still happening. Formative assessment is an ongoing
assessment throughout this unit of work as it allows teachers to monitor students on a day-to-day basis and provides
students with timely, specific feedback that they need to make adjustments to their learning (Myrick & Yonge, 2002). For
example, when students think-pair-share or participate in class discussion, they are sharing understandings and providing
immediate feedback to other students. Students are also questioning to further develop level of thinking and enable critical
thinking which is needed to achieve their learning objectives. Summative assessments such as checklists and rubrics have
been used to guide students on the outcomes required. The checklists and rubrics have been designed to address students
ability to write a research report using the appropriate text structure and to demonstrate genuine knowledge of
multiculturalism. Once the rubric is marked it will provide students with constructive feedback. Students will be able to
visually see what areas they excelled in and what areas need further improvement. At the bottom of the rubric will be space
for the teacher to write some formative and constructive feedback that will inform what the student did well and if
improvements are needed, how they can improve in the future.
During the unit of work students will continuously reflect after each lesson in their HASS writing journals on what they have
learnt. By using thinking strategies such as PMI charts, KWL charts and Venn diagrams that are documented in their writing
journal after each lesson, students are able to reflect back on the learning to further develop their knowledge and skills. At
the end of the unit of work in order to report to parents about the achievement of their child, their childs HASS writing
journal will be presented. Their HASS writing journal will show parents the learning journey of their child, what they have
learnt and any concerns with the development of their learning. If a student is demonstrating learning difficulty and needs
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extra support, parents will be informed through email, phone or in a meeting. By having anecdotal records, checklists and
rubrics addressing the development of student learning, parents are able to see evidence that supports the teachers claim
on either their child needing extra support or to be advanced to extension activities.
The goal of this unit of work is to increase awareness of multiculturalism in Australia, strengthen cultural consciousness,
strengthen intercultural awareness, and encourage critical thinking whilst providing a safe, acceptable and successful
learning environment for all. The lessons building up to the final rich task involve authentic activities that match real world
tasks through investigation of complex issues, collaboration with students, and reflection of student learning. The final rich
task assembly enables students to connect the knowledge they have gained from this unit of work and apply it to the real
world in authentic ways. This unit of work is built on the Australian values of freedom, justice, opportunity, and equality. This
assessment is about engaging in a rich performance task that students really care about and can be immersed with in a
meaningful experience. To conclude the assembly the class will sing together We are Australian by the Seekers. The lyrics
are filled with many historic and cultural references and is so popular that it is considered an alternative to the Australian
anthem. This song concludes a very rich and creative assessment that celebrates the diversity of the Australian society.

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