HASS · Year 7

Active learning ideas

Archaeological Methods and Discoveries

Active learning helps students grasp the vast time scale and cultural depth of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories. By handling evidence directly, students move beyond abstract facts to see how archaeology and oral traditions document 65,000 years of continuous culture.

• ACARA Content Descriptions
• AC9H7K01
• AC9H7S01

• 25–50 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 3 activities

Activity 01

• Inquiry Circle
• 50 min · Whole Class

Inquiry Circle: The 65-Metre Timeline

Using a long rope or a playground space, the class creates a physical timeline where 1 metre equals 1,000 years. Students place markers for the arrival of First Nations peoples (65m), the Pyramids (4.5m), and British colonisation (0.23m) to visually grasp the scale of Deep Time.

Explain the process archaeologists follow when excavating a site.

Facilitation Tip

During Collaborative Investigation: The 65-Metre Timeline, assign small groups to research and present one section of the timeline so every student contributes meaningfully.

What to look for

Provide students with a scenario: 'You have discovered a potential archaeological site.' Ask them to list three initial steps you would take, explaining the purpose of each step. Then, ask them to name one ethical consideration they must keep in mind.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Self-Awareness

Activity 02

• Gallery Walk
• 30 min · Pairs

Gallery Walk: Evidence of Continuity

Display images and descriptions of different evidence types: DNA studies, carbon dating from Madjedbebe, the Lake Mungo burials, and oral stories of volcanic eruptions. Students move in pairs to identify how each piece of evidence proves the longevity of First Nations culture.

Compare the types of information archaeologists gain from artefacts versus written records.

Facilitation Tip

During Gallery Walk: Evidence of Continuity, place artefacts or images at eye level and provide a simple graphic organizer so students record observations systematically.

What to look for

Pose the question: 'Imagine you found two artefacts at a dig site: a stone tool and a fragment of pottery. What different kinds of information could each artefact tell you about the people who made them? How might written records from the same period offer complementary or conflicting information?'

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Create
• Relationship Skills
• Social Awareness

Activity 03

• Think-Pair-Share
• 25 min · Pairs

Think-Pair-Share: Oral Traditions as Records

Students listen to or read a First Nations story that describes a geographical change (like the flooding of Port Phillip Bay). They discuss in pairs how this story functions as a historical record and then share why this method was effective for preserving history for thousands of years.

Assess the ethical considerations involved in archaeological digs and discoveries.

Facilitation Tip

During Think-Pair-Share: Oral Traditions as Records, set a two-minute timer for pairs to share before inviting whole-class reflections to keep the discussion focused.

What to look for

Present students with a list of dating methods (e.g., stratigraphy, radiocarbon dating, dendrochronology). Ask them to match each method to a brief description of what it measures or how it works. Include a question asking which method would be most suitable for dating organic material older than 50,000 years.

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

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teachers should treat this topic as a dialogue between evidence and culture, avoiding a ‘Western science vs Indigenous knowledge’ binary. Use archaeological case studies to validate both systems equally. Avoid rushing the timeline activity, as pacing matters when students confront deep time. Research shows that when students physically lay out a 65-metre timeline, the cognitive shift from centuries to millennia becomes tangible.

Students will demonstrate understanding by constructing a timeline, analyzing artefacts, and explaining how oral traditions preserve knowledge. They will compare scientific and Indigenous knowledge systems with confidence and respect.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Collaborative Investigation: The 65-Metre Timeline, watch for students who assume the timeline stops at 1788.

  Use the timeline activity to explicitly mark 1788 as a single event on a 65-metre strip. Ask groups to calculate what percentage of the timeline 1788 represents, making the limited span of colonial history visually clear.

• During Think-Pair-Share: Oral Traditions as Records, watch for students who dismiss oral traditions as ‘just stories’ compared to written records.

  During the activity, provide a Venn diagram for pairs to fill in. One side lists features of oral traditions, the other features of written records. Ask them to identify overlaps to highlight the sophistication of both systems.

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Methods used in this brief

• Inquiry Circle
• Gallery Walk
• Think-Pair-Share