Hopalong: YEAR 1 - HPE - Explain

When B-Boy comes to stay overnight, Little J becomes envious of the attention he is getting from everyone. Out walking on Country, Nanna, Little J, Big Cuz and B-Boy find an injured joey. Uncle Mick, a Search and Rescue officer, tells them how to care for the joey that they name ‘Hopalong’. The children feed and look after Hopalong until Mick finds him a place in a wildlife shelter.

Explain - Explore actions that help make the classroom a healthy, safe and active place

Theme - WELLBEING

As a class, revisit Little J’s story within episode 7,Hopalong’, and ask students to recall what type of animal Hopalong was and how and why he got lost from his ‘mob’.

After viewing Little J & Big Cuz, Episode 7 ‘Hopalong’, ask students to observe the relationships in the family such as, who cares for Little J & Big Cuz, who are their friends, neighbours and helpers outside of the family.

Examine the relationships students have with other members of their family. Provide students with a ‘concept map’ model and have students label the centre shape or circle with their own name. Have students ask and respond to questions about who cares and looks after them.

**Teacher to note: Use of the term family may be problematic for some Aboriginal families and/or Torres Strait Islander families, as communities don’t really differentiate between close and extended families. Children in kinship/care arrangements will still have these layers but they will be called something else, e.g. Layer one: immediate care givers, Layer two: extended care givers.

In these situations, refer to:

Conceptualise their responses into headings: (1) close family, (2) extended family/friends, (3) neighbours (4) school, (5) sporting/activity club, (6) community. Ask students to insert the names of people who they know who look after them and who care for them. Students may have difficulty with labelling the names of people for this activity, so students can draw a figure instead of naming.

Ask students to explain how family and community teach us about being capable and safe.

Discuss how following rules and routines help to make us safe, such as in school, at home, on the road, in a car, and other everyday experiences. Have students explain why we have rules and routines, and who makes the rules and routines.

Ask students to share some of the examples of rules and routines. and have students consider:

  • Do the same actions and behaviours help someone learn how to behave in their community or on Country?
  • How do peers, family and Elders give us confidence, and help us to grow?

Ask students to document the rules and routines they follow over the course of a week, e.g., cleaning teeth, washing up, doing homework, being on time for school, etc. This could take the form of an online diary or a chart where the students tick off what they have completed.

Suggested resource: