• Explore the history and purpose of NAIDOC Week.

• Understand the 2025 theme

• Recognise the importance of celebrating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples

Independent  Practise
Class discussion: What does the theme mean? Why is NAIDOC Week important?

Task: 

Students create a visual response to the theme for NAIDOC Week.

(drawing, poem, or paragraph)

Reflection:

What did you learn about this year’s NAIDOC Week theme?

(What does it mean? Why is it powerful or meaningful?)

Explore and discuss artworks from local Aboriginal artists (use images or gallery websites)

Use the Google Docs for reference

Discuss meaning of symbols and how stories are told visually

Independent  Practise
Task: Create an artwork using symbols to represent personal values, family or place (not copying sacred symbols or Dreaming stories) 

Reflection:

What is one symbol or artwork that stood out to you? Why?

How did you feel while creating your own artwork inspired by what you learned?

What does “deadly” mean in First Nations slang? (Awesome, cool, strong!)

Why might a book say you’re deadly?

Introduce that we have many amazing and inspiring indigenous people. 

Share the book with students: This Book Thinks Ya Deadly!

Choose one figure from the book (e.g. Tui Raven, Corey Tutt, or Karlie Noon).

 As a class or in small groups, read their profile.

Discuss:

• What makes this person deadly?

• What did they overcome?

• What are they passionate about?

• How do they connect culture with learning or science?

• Write responses on a class anchor chart

Students select a ‘deadly’ person. 

• Tony Armstrong

• Baker Boy

• Dan Sultan

• Brook Blurton

• Barkaa

• Mahalia Murphy

• Adam Goodes

• Ashy Barty

• Tahluah Tillett

• Miiesha

• Thelma Plum

Create a class “Deadly Wall” with all the posters.

Learning Intention:

• I can share my understanding of NAIDOC Week with others.
  
  

• I can respectfully present my ideas and listen to my peers.
  
  

• I can celebrate and honour Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Explain that students will share their NAIDOC Week research in small groups or with the class.
They can:

• Talk about the theme and what it means to them

• Share an artwork or person they researched

• Reflect on why NAIDOC Week is important
  
  

Provide a simple oral presentation prompt sheet (can include sentence starters like “I learned that…”, “I found it interesting that…”, “This story/art made me think about…”).

Student Presentations 

Options for presentation:

• Gallery Walk: Students place posters or written responses around the room and take turns presenting them in small rotating groups.
  
  

• Oral Presentation: Each student or group presents to the whole class.
  
  

• Peer Pairs: Present to a partner, then swap partners every few minutes.

Come back together as a class and discuss:

• What did you learn from your classmates?
  
  

• How did hearing different perspectives help you?
  
  

• How can we continue to honour First Nations voices?