Lucky Undies: FOUNDATION - HASS - Elaborate

Little J feels lucky when he wears a new pair of yellow undies. After Old Dog destroys them, he loses his confidence. Big Cuz saves the day with the remnants of the undies made into a sweat band, and Little J finds confidence to play the basketball game and win the day.

Elaborate - Present narratives, information and findings in oral, graphic and written forms using simple terms to denote the passing of time and to describe direction and location

Theme - SYMBOL

After viewing Little J & Big Cuz, episode 1, ‘Lucky Undies’, engage students with the following activities to support their understanding of Little J’s sense of luck and superstition.

As a class, read and discuss the following books:

  • Burarrwanga, L. & Ganambarr, R. & Ganambarr-Stubbs, M. & Ganambarr, B. & Maymuru, D. & Wright, S. & Suchet-Pearson, S. & Lloyd, K. (2013). Welcome to my country. Crows Nest, NSW : Allen & Unwin
  • Kwaymullina, E. & Morgan, S. (2011). My country. North Fremantle, WA : Fremantle Press
  • Wheatley, N. & Rawlins, D. (2008). My place. Newtown, NSW : Walker Books Australia
  • (video clip), My Place
  • Nadia Wheatley reading My Place (2008-1888)
  • Classroom Ideas for My Place

Have students concentrate on the maps of the land and pose questions about why the landscape and streetscapes change. Introduce the concepts of ‘change’ and ‘continuity’.

Examine a selection of the following Aboriginal artworks and/or Torres Strait Islander artworks about Country. Discuss with students how the style of representation and stories about the land have been handed down from generation to generation. Use the ‘I see, I think, I wonder’ visual thinking strategy with students to discover the meaning and symbolism of the artworks.

Suggested resources (Teacher reference):

Have students concentrate on the different ways the maps of the land were represented. Show students a map of their town or suburb where the school is located. Apply a grid to the map, dividing the map into enough sections for the number of students in the class. Print out each section of the map as A4 size and give a section to each student. Invite the students to embellish the map with names of streets, special monuments, historical sites, etc. Use a mixture of Aboriginal pictorial styles and/or Torres Strait Islander pictorial styles as well as non-Indigenous styles to colour and code the land.

Scribble Maps facilitates drawing and writing on maps for example by documenting features, marking routes or highlighting areas of interest.