Art and Nature: Indigenous PerspectivesActivities & Teaching Strategies
Active learning lets students explore Indigenous art through direct engagement with symbols and stories, which builds empathy and deepens understanding faster than passive observation. By moving, creating, and discussing, students connect abstract ideas to concrete experiences, making cultural knowledge memorable and personal.
Learning Objectives
- 1Identify symbols used by Indigenous Australian artists to represent elements of nature.
- 2Explain the significance of Country and land in Indigenous Australian art.
- 3Compare how different Indigenous artworks convey stories about the natural world.
- 4Create symbols inspired by local flora and fauna to represent natural elements.
- 5Describe feelings and observations evoked by Indigenous artworks depicting nature.
Want a complete lesson plan with these objectives? Generate a Mission →
Symbol Hunt: Gallery Walk
Display printed Indigenous artworks around the room. Students walk in pairs, noting symbols for animals or land features on clipboards. Pairs then share one finding with the class, drawing their observed symbol.
Prepare & details
Explain how Indigenous artists use symbols to represent animals and landscapes.
Facilitation Tip: During Symbol Hunt, place artwork cards at eye level so students can study symbols closely without straining to see details.
Setup: Groups at tables with case materials
Materials: Case study packet (3-5 pages), Analysis framework worksheet, Presentation template
Nature Symbol Creation: Draw and Share
Students observe outdoor elements like leaves or rocks, then draw personal symbols representing them using dots and lines. In small groups, they explain their symbols' meanings before combining into a class display.
Prepare & details
Analyze the importance of the land in Indigenous Australian art.
Facilitation Tip: For Nature Symbol Creation, provide thick textas so students focus on symbol design rather than fine motor precision.
Setup: Groups at tables with case materials
Materials: Case study packet (3-5 pages), Analysis framework worksheet, Presentation template
Story Circle: Art Retelling
Whole class sits in a circle viewing a projected artwork. Each student adds one sentence to a group story based on the symbols, guided by teacher prompts about land connections. Record the story for revisit.
Prepare & details
Compare how different Indigenous artworks tell stories about nature.
Facilitation Tip: In Story Circle, sit in a tight circle so every child sees and hears the speaker clearly.
Setup: Groups at tables with case materials
Materials: Case study packet (3-5 pages), Analysis framework worksheet, Presentation template
Collaborative Land Map: Group Mural
Small groups contribute symbols to a large paper map of 'our place,' representing shared local features. Discuss how symbols tell stories, then present the mural to another class.
Prepare & details
Explain how Indigenous artists use symbols to represent animals and landscapes.
Facilitation Tip: When making the Collaborative Land Map, assign small groups to one section so everyone contributes without crowding.
Setup: Groups at tables with case materials
Materials: Case study packet (3-5 pages), Analysis framework worksheet, Presentation template
Teaching This Topic
Teaching Indigenous perspectives works best when you balance direct instruction with hands-on exploration, avoiding vague discussions that oversimplify culture. Focus on one region or artist at a time so students grasp differences without feeling overwhelmed. Use open-ended questions like, 'What might this symbol tell us about where the artist lives?' to invite curiosity rather than assumptions. Research shows that when students create their own symbols, their retention of cultural meaning improves significantly compared to lectures alone.
What to Expect
Students will show they understand that Indigenous art connects to Country by identifying symbols, explaining their meanings, and creating original works that reflect local nature. Successful learning appears when students discuss symbols with peers and use them to tell simple stories about land care or seasonal changes.
These activities are a starting point. A full mission is the experience.
- Complete facilitation script with teacher dialogue
- Printable student materials, ready for class
- Differentiation strategies for every learner
Watch Out for These Misconceptions
Common MisconceptionDuring Symbol Hunt, watch for students who assume dots and colours have no meaning.
What to Teach Instead
Pause the gallery walk at a work with concentric circles and ask, 'What might these circles represent?' Then have students sketch their own circle symbols in notebooks and explain their ideas to a partner before continuing.
Common MisconceptionDuring Gallery Walk, listen for comments that all Indigenous art looks the same.
What to Teach Instead
Point to two artworks from different regions and ask, 'How are these dot patterns different?' Have students work in pairs to list three visual differences before moving on.
Common MisconceptionDuring Nature Symbol Creation, some students may think Indigenous art only shows the past.
What to Teach Instead
Display a contemporary Indigenous artwork alongside a traditional piece and ask, 'How do these symbols connect to today’s environment?' Have students add one modern element to their symbol before sharing.
Assessment Ideas
After Symbol Hunt, hold up three new Indigenous artworks showing nature symbols. Ask each student to point to one symbol and whisper its possible meaning to a partner before moving to the next image.
During Story Circle, ask students to retell a story using one symbol from their artwork. Listen for connections to Country, seasons, or caring for land to assess understanding.
After Collaborative Land Map, give each student a sticky note to add one symbol to the mural and write one sentence explaining its meaning. Collect notes to check for accurate symbol-function links.
Extensions & Scaffolding
- Challenge: Ask fast finishers to research another Indigenous artist from a different region and add a small artwork to the gallery walk with a written label explaining one symbol.
- Scaffolding: Provide tracing paper or stencils for students who struggle with freehand drawing to help them focus on symbol meaning rather than precision.
- Deeper exploration: Invite a local Indigenous artist or Elder to share their perspective on symbols and Country, then have students revise their own symbols based on the conversation.
Key Vocabulary
| Country | In Indigenous Australian culture, this refers to the land, its waters, and its living things, and the spiritual and cultural connection to it. |
| Symbol | A simple picture or object that represents an idea, a story, or a specific thing, such as an animal or a waterhole. |
| Dreaming/Dreamtime | The spiritual time when ancestral beings created the land and all living things, and which continues to influence life today. |
| Visual Convention | A common way of using elements like line, color, or shape in art to represent something specific. |
Suggested Methodologies
More in The World as an Art Gallery
Indigenous Australian Art: Land and Symbols
Exploring Indigenous Australian art styles and the use of natural symbols.
2 methodologies
Art Criticism: Sharing Opinions
Learning how to talk about art politely and share personal opinions based on observation.
2 methodologies
Public Art: Art in Our Community
Identifying art in public spaces like parks, buildings, and streets.
2 methodologies
Art from Different Times
Looking at simple artworks from the past and comparing them to modern art.
2 methodologies
Art and Celebration
Exploring how art is used in celebrations, festivals, and special events around the world.
2 methodologies
Ready to teach Art and Nature: Indigenous Perspectives?
Generate a full mission with everything you need
Generate a Mission