1. WorlD War I and Aboriginal INVOLVEMENT

2. Learning Sequence Goals
This learning sequence will be lead through history and will focus on causes and consequences of the aboriginal involvement in World War 1 on their rights.
The learning sequence will span three lessons focusing on aboriginal rights before the war, (i.e causes for joining the military) aboriginals rights and treatment during the war, and aboriginal rights after the war(i.e consequences.)
At the end of this learning sequence the students will be able to:
Understand Aboriginals contribution to the first world war
Use historical terms and concepts (Australian Curriculum, 2015)
Understand the causes of Aboriginal involvement in the World Wars and the effects this had on their rights

3. Curriculum Information and Expectations
I expect the students to have basic knowledge of World War 1 and who the ANZACs were
I expect the students to know about ANZAC day and where the troops primarily fought (Turkey(Gallipoli) (Oxford, 2013, p. 62,63.)
The year six curriculum moves from colonial Australia to the development of Australia as a nation, particularly after Students explore the factors that led to Federation and experiences of democracy. This concept could be taught to year fives, but has more to do with the grade six curriculum (Australian Curriculum, 2015)

4. WALTs and WILFs WALT: WILF: Understand aboriginal rights before 1914
Previous knowledge of World War 1 and the ANZACs
Student attention through eye contact
Note taking
Active participation through questions both answered and asked and comments

5. Lesson 1: Checking on Student Knowledge
The first time Australia went to war as a nation was World War 1 in Today ANZACs are remembered as white Australians who fought for their country.
Check on previously learnt ANZAC knowledge with a short quiz about the ANZACs (questions like who was Private Simpson? Where is Gallipoli? When is ANZAC Day?)
If necessary after grading the quizzes, provide a short review on these basic facts using this video
Explicitly ask if the students are aware of aboriginal involvement in the war
Why do the students think the indigenous people participated in the war?

6. Aboriginal Rights Before World War I
Common-wealth Consti-tutional rights are denied to aboriginals
Aboriginals unable to vote in Common-wealth elections
Invalid and older Aboriginals are unable to receive allowance
Aboriginals are barred from serving in the armed forces
SA and Northern Territory- Aboriginal children may be taken from their homes and families and relocated
Indigenous mothers may not receive maternity allowance
NSW- Aboriginal children may be taken from their homes and families and relocated
1901
1902
1908
1909
1911
1912
1915
*More dates can be found here

7. Aboriginal Rights Before World War I
Go over the timeline with the children, answering questions and detailing what each date means in regards to their status in Australia. They were basically treated as subhuman with their children being taken away and almost no rights. They could not vote and were not counted in the census.
Why do the students think Aboriginals would want to serve a country that didn’t recognize them as a part of it? Have them jot down a few ideas and then talk about it in small groups.
This is an important part in regards to cause. Aboriginals hoped that by serving their country their rights and status in Australian society would change.
Other answers include payment and fighting for country.
During this time I will be looking for critical thinking about motivations for Aboriginals joining the military and understanding of just how unfairly the Aboriginals were treated

8. WALTs and WILFs WALT: WILF:
Look at Aboriginal contribution during the war
WILF:
Connections about Aboriginal rights pre-World War and the motivations for joining the military
Active participation
Student attention
Note taking

9. Second Lesson: Aboriginals During the War
Despite aboriginals being barred from the military approximately volunteered (New South Wales State Library, 2014) (Australian War Memorial, n.d.)
Why do the students think the numbers are so approximate and varied?
Aboriginals lied about their ethnicities, and race was not kept on military documents (Winegard, n.d.)
At the start of the war most Aboriginal volunteers were rejected on the grounds of race until March 1917,when men were harder to replace and “half-castes” were legally allowed to enlist (Australian War Memorial, n.d.)
Note that Aboriginal women involvement is almost nonexistent in World War I, but that indigenous women did play a role later on in World War II (Australian War Memorial, n.d.)
After going over these points, show the students the documentary Black Diggers of Logan (This is my main resource)

10. Aboriginals During the War
The Black Diggers covers most of what is necessary to teach in this section and provides a personal touch
Unsegregated battalions
This is a big deal because in America, black and white servicemen weren’t integrated until the Vietnam war in the 1960s. Compared to the treatment of Aboriginals, African Americans were relatively better off yet remained segregated for so long
They were treated as equals both by military standards and within ranks. With this treatment it wouldn’t have been unreasonable for them to think their treatment might change when they returned from war.
Race was not documented on military documents (Winegard, n.d.)
“Australian soldiers I met in the army were not colour-conscious towards the aboriginal…”
Reg Saunders (first commissioned aboriginal officer) (Reconciliation Australia, n.d.)

11. Activity #1: Historical Enquiry
As a class we will go through a historical enquiry. Reg Saunders is the topic of mine, but other incidents regarding Aboriginals in the war, or other men could be the focus. If Reg Saunders is chosen for the Enquiry, students may not use him for their second activity.
I will then give the students working in groups of five or six a new topic about Aboriginals in the war. For example, the March 1917 military order that allowed “half-castes” to join the military. They will then conduct their own historical enquiry as a group.
If a person is one of these topics they can not be used for the second activity
I will grade the enquirys afterwards to make sure they have understood how to conduct a history enquiry as well as their understanding of Aboriginal contribution and rights during the war.

12. WALTs and WILFs WALT: WILF: Look at Aboriginal rights after the war
What has changed?
What has stayed the same?
WILF:
Finished Aboriginal Soldier Poster
Student attention
Note taking
Active participation

13. Third Lesson: Rights After World War I (Consequences)
It needs to be reiterated that boriginals, after fighting in the war, thought their lives would improve and they would be given more rights
Almost no improvement is seen
Aboriginals still not citizens
No right to vote
No new rights are awarded
Culturally people still viewd them in racist ways (Australian War Memorial, n.d.)
Ask students why they think no change occurred even after the equal treatment during the war
Would those two white men have denied him rights?

14. Rights After the War
Soldier Land Settlement Scheme: Every returned member of the arms forces and even family of a deceased solder could apply for land (Queensland State Archives, 2013)
Only one aboriginal soldier is known to have gotten land
Aboriginals were forced off land in favor of white soldiers
Not only was this wrong, but a slap in the face to aboriginals as land is such an important part of their culture (See Jenna’s PowerPoint for further information on this )
John Lovett’s father fought in World War 1 but when he returned to Australia his homeland (Lake Condah) was given to white soldiers and he was no longer allowed to live there. John is now campaigning for this land.

15. Rights After War
White Australians typically have no contact with Aboriginals. Aboriginal population said to be at its lowest
Soldier Settlement Land Scheme denied to Aboriginal soldiers
Aboriginals can apply to “cease being aboriginal” and receive similar rights as white Australians
1917
1918
1925
1927
1934
Aboriginals unable to drink, possess, or supply alcohol, have firearms, marry non aboriginals without permission or have sex with non aboriginals
Family endowment excludes Aboriginals.
Payment goes to Aborigines Protection Board (responsible for taking children away)

16. Activity #2: Soldier Posters
The students will research their own aboriginal serviceman and put together a poster of them that explores:
Lives before the war (families, jobs, where did they live, ect.)
Motivation (either explicitly stated or assumed) for joining
Service during the war (where did they serve? What did they do? What was their rank? Ect.)
Life after the war
The students should be following the same format as the Black Diggers of Logan and can do a video presentation like it if they choose
This will be homework, but after the third lesson, class time will be allowed to get them started and cover any questions. They should be given three to five days to finish this task.
What I’m looking for in this activity is for the students to put all three lessons together to understand the aboriginal contribution from start to finish. This also gives them the opportunity to use historical terms and concepts, identify past points of view, and find information from different sources (Australian Curriculum, 2015).
Reg Saunders could be a students focus

17. In Conclusion
Aboriginals wanted to fight in the war for a multitude of reasons such as pay, country, and for more rights. These are the causes. After the war, the Aboriginals received no new rights, still faced discrimination, and lost even more land to white soldiers. These are the consequences, or lack thereof.

18. References APA
Black Diggers of Logan [Image]. (2015) Retrieved from
New South Wales Government (2014) Retrieved from (
New South Wales State Library (2014) Retrieved from
Australian War Memorial (n.d.) Indigenous australian servicmen Retrieved from
Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander Volunteers for the AIF [Image.] (2014). Retrieved from
Winegard, T. (n.d.) A case study of indigenous brothers in arms during the first world war. Retrieved from editions/~/media/Files/Our%20future/LWSC%20Publications/AAJ/2009Autumn/13- ACaseStudyOfIndigenousB.pdf
Logan City Council (2015). Black Diggers of Logan. Retrieved from recreation/libraries/library-services/indigenous-services/black-diggers-of-logan
Oxford Univeristy (2013). Oxford Australian Curriculum Atlas Victoria Australia: Oxford University Press
Oxford Univeristy (2013). Oxford Australian Curriculum Atlas Victoria Australia: Oxford University Press

19. References
eTraffic Web dDesign (30 May, 2015). eTraffic Presents: What Is ANZAC Day? [Video File]. Video posted to
Australian Curriculum (2015). Retrieved from and-social-sciences/history/curriculum/f-10?layout=1#level6
P [Image.] (n.d.) Retrieved from
Queensland State Archives (2013). Brief guide 35: Soldier settlement. Retrieved from ( ment.pdf
Burin, M. (2012) Equal on frontline, rejected on return: Battle for an aboriginal vetern’s justice. Retrieved from
Creative Spirits (2015). Aboriginal history timeline Retrieved from #axzz3lKOaEMue
Reconciliation Australia (n.d.) Let’s talk…Untold anzac stories Retrieved from PDF.pdf