Support your Year 4 students in their History: Experiences of People in Australia’s Past unit of work with the Considering First Nations Perspectives Interview Assessment task.

Created to coincide with Year 4 History Australian Curriculum, this activity will provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate their understanding of the concepts related to First Nations Australians, including their cultural diversity and how they were affected by the arrival of the British in 1788.

Students will design a series of open-ended interview questions that could be answered by a First Nations Australian living in the Port Jackson area at the time of colonisation. They will be guided by completing the worksheet, Considering the Perspectives of First Nations Australians, which includes a checklist of question openers and topics that students can base their questions on. It is recommended that students have their interview questions checked prior to completing the next step of the assessment.

Students are encouraged to select at least 4 open-ended questions to include on their My Interview with a First Nations Australian worksheet. The answers that students provide must be supported by evidence and include important details about the lives of First Nations Peoples and their perspective on the arrival of the British colonists. Students have the option to present their completed interview in its written form, as an oral presentation in front of the class or as a video recording.

This resource includes blank and lined versions of the task sheets as well as a self-reflection on the inquiry process. Teachers can assess this task using the Considering First Nations Perspectives Interview Assessment Rubric. A blank version of this document has also been included.