Teaching Ancient Australia

Section A provides an introduction to Ancient Australia, which examines the archaeological history of Australia beginning with the arrival of the First Australians, when Australia was still part of the supercontinent of Sahul. This section explores how the First Australians settled into this new continent and made it their own. Commentary and perspectives from First Nations peoples are included, and specific archaeological terms are explained in a glossary. Section B focuses on teaching Ancient Australian history, with links to the relevant sections of the Australian Curriculum and activities that promote the development of historical thinking skills. Section C comprises six case studies of archaeological sites around Australia, suitable for classroom use. Each case study includes an informative lesson, a glossary, teaching notes and student worksheets. The case studies have been written in consultation with First Nations communities around Australia, with some case studies including contributions from Elders from these communities.