HASS · Year 3

Active learning ideas

First Nations Governance and Law

Active learning works for this topic because First Nations governance and law rely on lived experience, oral tradition, and community practice. Students build understanding through doing, not just listening, aligning with the way lore is passed down and applied.

• ACARA Content Descriptions
• AC9HASS3K06
• AC9HASS3K01

• 25–45 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Placemat Activity
• 30 min · Whole Class

Story Circle: Lore Sharing

Gather students in a circle to share simplified traditional stories about law and governance, provided by reliable sources. Each student retells a key principle, like elder guidance, then discusses its purpose. Record principles on a class chart for reference.

Explain traditional First Nations approaches to governance and law.

Facilitation Tip

During Story Circle, invite students to sit in a circle and pass the speaker’s role deliberately to avoid interruptions.

What to look for

Pose the question: 'Imagine you are a community member in a traditional First Nations setting. How would you approach resolving a disagreement between two families based on the principles of lore and kinship?' Encourage students to use key vocabulary terms in their responses.

• Understand
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Activity 02

• Placemat Activity
• 45 min · Small Groups

Role-Play: Dispute Resolution

Assign roles in a scenario, such as kin resolving a resource sharing conflict. Students practice talking circles: speak in turn, listen actively, seek consensus. Debrief on fairness principles compared to school rules.

Compare traditional First Nations law with contemporary Australian law.

Facilitation Tip

Set clear time limits for Role-Play to keep the focus on process, not performance.

What to look for

Provide students with a Venn diagram template. Ask them to compare and contrast 'Traditional First Nations Law' and 'Contemporary Australian Law' in terms of how disputes are resolved and what is considered fair. Students should list at least two similarities and two differences.

• Understand
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Activity 03

• Placemat Activity
• 25 min · Pairs

Venn Diagram: Law Comparison

Provide visuals of traditional First Nations law and Australian law examples. In pairs, students fill a Venn diagram noting similarities like community focus and differences like resolution methods. Share findings with the class.

Analyze the principles of fairness and justice in First Nations legal systems.

Facilitation Tip

Provide printed kinship terms and Country names during Venn Diagram work to support vocabulary recall.

What to look for

On a small card, ask students to write the name of one person or group who held authority in traditional First Nations governance and explain their role in one sentence. Then, ask them to write one sentence about how lore was maintained.

• Understand
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Activity 04

• Placemat Activity
• 35 min · Individual

Kinship Map: Governance Web

Students draw personal family trees, then adapt to show First Nations kinship roles in governance. Label how kin groups make decisions collectively. Display maps to discuss interconnected responsibilities.

Explain traditional First Nations approaches to governance and law.

Facilitation Tip

Ask students to map their own family connections before starting the Kinship Map to activate prior knowledge.

What to look for

Pose the question: 'Imagine you are a community member in a traditional First Nations setting. How would you approach resolving a disagreement between two families based on the principles of lore and kinship?' Encourage students to use key vocabulary terms in their responses.

• Understand
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teachers approach this topic with cultural humility, recognizing that knowledge is relational and not fully transferable. Begin with local First Nations voices when possible, and model active listening yourself. Avoid simplifying complex systems into single lessons; instead, let students encounter contradictions and diversity through structured activities that invite curiosity over judgment.

Students will demonstrate their grasp of governance and law by explaining how kinship guides roles, participating in consensus-based resolution, and comparing systems with clear evidence. They will use appropriate terminology and show respect for diverse practices.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Story Circle, watch for students assuming First Nations law was informal or unwritten.

  After the circle, ask each student to point to one rule in the story that shows how lore guided behaviour, then confirm its connection to Country or kinship.

• During Venn Diagram, watch for students generalising that all First Nations systems were identical.

  Before they fill in the diagram, have students read aloud two different stories from distinct nations and note unique elements before comparing.

• During Role-Play, watch for students assuming punishment was the main response to wrongdoing.

  Use the talking stick to pause the role-play and ask each participant to explain what the group did to restore balance, then record their words on a chart.

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Methods used in this brief

• Placemat Activity