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.

Explore - Interpret data and information about the history of a significant person

Theme - HEROES & HEROINES

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.

Using a concept map, explore the concept of a hero/heroine and have students pose questions about the type of person who can be regarded as a hero or heroine. Develop a list of human qualities students nominate (prompt them to include others). Graphic organiser templates for displaying students’ suggestions:

• Graphic organisers

Use PowerPoint or other presentation software to load images and names of Australian wartime and cultural heroes/heroines and ask students to indicate if they are familiar with the names and images. Discuss the acts of heroism for each of the identities in the presentation. Examples of historical identities could include: Simpson and his donkey, Sister Kenny, Weary Dunlop, Caroline Chisholm, etc.

Prepare a second presentation loaded with images of Aboriginal warriors and activists and/or Torres Strait Islander warriors and activists. Explain how significant people who are considered as heroes and heroines are socially and culturally recognised. Discuss the importance of recognising Aboriginal heroes and heroines and/or Torres Strait Islander heroes and heroines, and talk about their stories of bravery and/or activism. In doing so, instruct students about the superstition/protocol of warning Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islander people about viewing images of people who have died. Refer to sources such as:

• Cultural Protocols relating to deaths in Indigenous communities
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Protocols

In groups, have students present a poster about an Aboriginal historical heroic figure and/or Torres Strait Islander historical heroic figure, e.g.

• William Barak (1824–1903): Wurundjeri, police tracker, then artist
• Bennelong: Eora People, taken to England by Governor Phillip
• Barangaroo: Cammeraygal clan, second wife of Bennelong
• Billibellary (1799–1846): Wurundjeri-willam clan
• Jackey Jackey: assisted Edmund Kennedy expedition into Cape York and awarded solid silver breastplate for heroic deeds.
• Jandamarra: Bunuba man who resisted European occupation
• William Lanne: King Billy, last surviving male of the Oyster Cove clan of Tasmanian Aborigines
• Mokare: Noongar guide and peacemaker
• Pemulwuy: Eora people (Botany Bay) area, resistor of white colonisation
• Fanny Cochrane Smith: first Tasmanian Aborigine born on Flinders Islander
• Truganini: one of the last surviving full-blooded Tasmanian Aborigine
• Yagan: Western Australian leader in 1830s

Show students the image of David Unaipon on the Australian fifty-dollar note and explain why he is honoured. Invite students to design a new Australian coin or note with the image of their selected Aboriginal historical figure, hero/heroine and/or Torres Strait Islander historical figure, hero/heroine. Display the designs in the classroom or as a digital presentation and have students share their description of the new currency with the class, orally or written. Upload the designs as an image gallery.

Suggested resources

• Australian Heroes and Heroines
• Famous Indigenous Australians
• David Unaipon
• Famous Aboriginal People
• Famous Aboriginal people and role models