What is a perspective?

A perspective is a point of view or the way someone looks at something.

A good example of different perspectives is what happened in 1788 when Arthur Phillip arrived with the First Fleet:

• The Aboriginal point of view is that their people had lived around the Sydney Cove area for up to 60,000 years before the British arrived and invaded their land.

• The British point of view (at that time) is that they sent "settlers" to a land they did not believe belonged to anyone.

Stimulus: Read the text below and discuss how there can be 2 sides (perspectives) to every story...

One night, when you were tucked up in bed, ready to go to sleep, your mother told you a very strange story which she told you was actually true! It went something like this…

“When I was a little girl I remember being at home one day, eating my breakfast, when I noticed something odd flying around in the sky outside my kitchen window. I went outside to take a closer look but couldn’t decide what it might be. At first I thought it must be a bird or an aeroplane but it was too large, flat and round to be either of those. It didn’t move very much, just hovered around for a long time. A few times during the day I went back out to see if it was still there. It was.

Late in the afternoon I went to check again but realised the strange object was closer now. In fact it was coming down from the sky. I thought to myself “oh no I think it’s going to land!” I turned and ran inside my house. I was so frightened!!! All of our neighbours, who had also been watching the strange object, did the same. I think we were all wondering what was going to happen next…

The strange object landed. Slowly a door opened and out stepped a number of creatures that actually looked just like us, except that their skin was purple and their hair was green! I could hear them talking to each other but I couldn’t understand what they were saying because it was a different language to ours. One of them pointed at my house then started to move towards my front door with the others following. I ran and hid in the laundry basket!

I heard the door open and then footsteps on the stairs. I thought “they are in my bedroom!” What could they be doing? After about 10 minutes I heard them go back down the stairs and out through the front door again. Quickly I ran to the window. “Oh no!” I thought. “They have my bike! How am I going to meet my friends without a bike?”

I decided to be really brave and go outside to ask for my bike back. I ran out through the front door and called out to them. They stopped and turned around and smiled at me (I think it was a smile!) but they couldn’t understand what I was saying. I pointed at the bike and then back at myself, trying to explain that I needed my bike back. They smiled at me again and then one of them stepped forward and gave me some space rocks. I thought “why are you giving me space rocks? They aren’t any use to me. I can’t ride space rock around the streets!” I shook my head and tried to take my bike but they wouldn’t give it back.

Then they got back into the flying object and left. This happened 30 years ago but I have never forgotten it. I wonder where my bike is now? And who WERE those strange creatures?”

In history it is important to remember that there are two sides to every story. This is one side of the story told from your mother’s point of view. What about the other side of the story? Why do you think the strangers were there? What were they thinking? Why did they take your mothers bike? Where do you think they came from? Do you think they were scared when they landed?

Activity 1: News report

The Gadigal child

Imagine you are a Gadigal child standing on the shore watching the First Fleet arrive. You can see many people that look different to you, rowing small boats from a very large ship and landing on the shore. There are strange animals (like sheep, horses and cows) that you have never seen before. These people are starting to cut down the trees and build a different kind of gunyah (Aboriginal shelter), right next to the stream that you use for your fresh drinking water. What might you be thinking as you watch this happening?

The Convict child

Imagine you are a convict child on one of the ships that has just arrived, staring at a landscape which looks very different to the English one you left behind. You have been told that this is where you will make your new home. You have no family or friends on the ship with you, so you are all alone wondering what is going to happen next. You can see people fishing in small canoes in the bay. They look different to people in England with their dark skin and unusual clothes. Are they friendly? What might you be thinking as you stand on the deck looking out?

Choose one of the children above. Working in pairs with an iPad to record the interview, one student is to be the news reporter from that time and the other is to be either the Gadigal or convict child who is going to be interviewed. Think of and write down some questions that might be asked, for example:

• How is the Gadigal child feeling as they watch the strangers come into their land? Maybe they are curious or worried?

• How is the convict child feeling as they come into land? Maybe they are excited as it's a new beginning but they could also be frightened or nervous?

• What do they think might happen in the future?

Share your interview with the class.