I Belong Inquiry

Activity 1 - Where Do You Belong?

Learning Intentions

We are learning to understand cultural, religious and social groups in the community and how they may belong. 

Success Criteria

I can explore and explain how belonging can shape personal identity. 

I can identify my own cultural background, religious and social groups leading to an appreciation that as Australians we come from many different cultural backgrounds.

I can list and compare the different purposes, beliefs, traditions and symbols used by groups.

Tuning In - Circle Time

Questions to start circle time discussions:

1. What is a group?

2. What makes up a group? 

3. Who decides when to make a group? 

4. Why are groups formed?

5. What kinds of groups are there in our local community?

6. Who might want to join these groups?

7. Are groups all voluntary or are we born into them?

8. Who decides what makes up a group?

9. Why do people want to belong to groups?

Guided/ Independent

Brainstorm a list of different community groups.

Do you see any similarities or differences within these groups?

• political, cultural, ethnic, mutual interest, sports, religious, professional, and artistic 

Make a mind map with the word Community in the middle of the page listing a range of community groups around it.

Activity 2 - Where Do You Belong? .....continued

Learning Intentions

We are learning to understand cultural, religious and social groups in the community and how they may belong. 

Success Criteria

I can explore and explain how belonging can shape personal identity. 

I can identify my own cultural background, religious and social groups leading to an appreciation that as Australians we come from many different cultural backgrounds.

I can list and compare the different purposes, beliefs, traditions and symbols used by groups.

Tuning In  - From the mind map we made last session choose a community group that you are connected to, to make a leaf for the class community tree.

Reflection

All students add their leaf to the class tree display and make any connections between groups within the class.

Activity 3 - What is volunteering? 

Learning Intention 

 We are learning to Identify groups in the local community and explore their purpose.

Success Criteria

I can know the different kinds of activities that volunteers undertake and why people volunteer.

Tuning In

  Group Activity

Class brainstorm. On post it notes or small pieces of paper write down as many examples of volunteer work at your school /or within your local community. These may include people volunteering within cultural and religious groups. 

Examples may include:

• Help with canteen duty

• Help with special events

• Help students with their reading or mathematics

• Join the parents' and friends' committee

• Help on excursions

• Help on school camps

• Organise the Safety House Program

• Guide/Scout/Church group leaders

• Supporting the elderly

• Book Club

• Environmental Committee

• Church event organisation

• Rotary/Interact clubs

• Committee members

Reflection

Define the concept of volunteering. Ask students to list examples of when they have volunteered. Students explain their examples using 5W’s. 

Activity 4 - Volunteer Groups

Learning Intention 

 We are learning to understand why people volunteer in different community settings.

Success Criteria

I can identify different areas and organisations that people volunteer for. 

Tuning In

Activity

Reflection

What would be a community group you might like to volunteer in? Why?

Activity 5 - Volunteering Kids

Learning Intention 

To understand what motivates people to volunteer.

Success Criteria

I can identify different reasons why people choose to volunteer within our community.

I know that even children can volunteer within our community.

Whole Class Brainstorm

Shortly we will be having some volunteers come visit us in the classroom.

Lets brainstorm a list of questions we could ask to find more about volunteering and why they volunteer.  

Why were you interested in this job?

What is the ‘mission’ of the group, organisation or club?

What is your role? What do you do?

How does your organisation help others? How does your organisation create a sense of belonging? 

Tell us about what tasks you enjoy most and the least.

What would be your suggestions for anyone who would like to volunteer?

What have you done that has made you proud?

Keep a list of the questions for students to use later.

Paired/Independent Activity

Reflection

Activity 6 - Volunteer Week

Learning Intention

We are learning how to be a volunteer.

Success Criteria

To be successful I will volunteer and at home.

Whole Class Brainstorm

Reflection

How will volunteering at home make you and your family feel?

Activity 7 - Volunteering at school

Learning Intention

We are learning different ways to volunteer at school.

Success Criteria

I can identify different ways to volunteer within the school community.

Tuning In

Activity

Individually or in pairs choose an activity from the brainstorm list and make a plan.

Who do you need to ask to get permission to do this?

Where and when will you be volunteering?

Will you need any equipment? Where will you get this from?

Who will benefit from your volunteering?

Why should we vounteer at our school?

Reflection

For the next two weeks for inquiry lessons we will be volunteering around the school. Reflect and decide as a class what this will looks like.

Will everyone do the same activity, or will different groups have different roles?

Inquiry Project

Researching: 

In partners, find and research an organisation and work out a way that you can support this organisation through volunteering. You might like to choose a volunteer from this organisation to interview to help you with your research.

Use these links below to spark some ideas for who you might choose to volunteer and support.

https://www.volunteeringvictoria.org.au/for-volunteers/younger-volunteers/ 

https://www.volunteer.com.au/young-people-volunteering

https://www.ferntreegully.vic.au/volunteering/list-of-groups-2015/

www.knox.vic.gov.au/whats-happening/community-groups-and-volunteering/support-community-groups/environmental-volunteer-groups 

Taking action:

How are you going to take action and support a local community group through volunteering? 

You might choose to:

• Support KPPS by - Maintaining the Veggie Patch, cleaning up the school, helping with special lunches.

• Collect cans and donate the funds to a community group. 

• Visit your organisation and volunteer your time.

• Create a flyer that informs others about your organisation.

• Present information about organisation at assembly.

• Cleaning up the lake. 

• Plan a fundraiser for your organisation or community group. 

• Present to the SAT for further work for this group. 

Presenting:

Create a Google Slides presentation where you can present information about your community group and show evidence of your community action.  This will then be presented to the class.

Google Slides Presentation Example:
Supporting a Local Animal Shelter

Slide 1: Title Slide

• Title: Helping Paws Animal Shelter

• Subtitle: Our Community Inquiry Project

• Visuals: Picture of happy pets, school logo

• Optional: Student names and date
  
  

Slide 2: Introduction

• Heading: Who We Are Helping

• Text:
  “We chose Helping Paws Animal Shelter because they care for lost and abandoned animals in our community. They need volunteers to help look after the animals and raise awareness.”

• Visuals: Photo of the shelter or animals
  
  

Slide 3: Research

• Heading: What We Learned About The Organisation

• Text:

  • The shelter rescues cats and dogs.

  • They rely on volunteers for feeding, cleaning, and walking the animals.

  • They run fundraisers to buy food and medicine.

• Visuals: Icons for food, medicine, volunteering

Slide 4: Planning Our Action

• Heading: How We Will Help

• Text:

  • Visit the shelter on Saturday to help feed the animals.

  • Make posters to tell our school about the shelter.

  • Collect donations of food and blankets for the animals.

• Visuals: Clipart of posters, food, animals

Slide 5: Taking Action

• Heading: Our Community Action

• Text:

  • We visited the shelter and fed the dogs.

  • We created posters and displayed them around the school.

  • We collected 20 cans of dog and cat food from students.

• Visuals: Photos of students volunteering, posters
  
  

Slide 6: What We Learned

• Heading: Reflection

• Text:

  • Volunteering is fun and helps the community.

  • Small actions like posters and food donations make a big difference.

  • We enjoyed working together as a team!

  • Visuals: Smiling faces, teamwork clipart

Slide 7: Thank You

• Heading: Thank You!

• Text:
  “Thank you for listening. We hope you are inspired to help in your community too!”

• Visuals: Heart icon or community image
  
  

Design Tips for Students

• Use bright colours and large text.

• Add photos or clipart for each slide.

• Keep each slide simple: 3–5 bullet points max.

• Include evidence of your volunteering (photos, posters, or drawings).