Lesson Plan
Lesson 5: The Myth of Terra Nullius
A 60 minute lesson in which students will examine the myth that Australia was a Terra Nullius land before contact with the British.
This lesson plan includes the following resources:
Lesson Plan
Tuning In
- Students watch and listen to the Terra Nullius video on YouTube. At the end of the video, ask the students:
- Was Australia empty of people when James Cook arrived?
- Why did James Cook declare Australia as ‘Terra Nullius’?
- What was the impact of this for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people of Australia?
Teacher Instruction
- Display and discuss slide 12 of The Explorations of Captain James Cook PowerPoint. Emphasise the following historical details to the students:
- ‘Terra Nullius’ was the term used to describe a land that was empty of people.
- James Cook informed the British government that Australia was a Terra Nullius land.
- The Aboriginal and Torris Strait Islander people had been living in Australia for over 40 000 years; it was not Terra Nullius.
- Display slide 13. As a class, discuss the reasons why James Cook told the British government that Australia was a Terra Nullius land.
Guided/Independent Learning
- Display slide 14 and discuss the independent task. Explain to the students that they will be writing a letter, as James Cook, to convince the British government that Australia is a Terra Nullius land and is a great place to establish a penal colony.
- Monitor and support the students as they independently write their letters. Once the students have finished, encourage them to read their letters to the class.
Wrapping Up
- As a class, discuss the evidence that proves Australia was not Terra Nullius when James Cook arrived.
Differentiation
Extending Students
- Encourage more capable students to share their letters with the class.
Supporting Students
- Allow students with lower literacy levels to verbalise their ideas with a teacher or teacher aide before commencing the writing task.
Assessment Strategies
Suggested Assessment Strategies
- used strategic whole class or individual questioning
- observed student participation during learning activities
- recorded student progress on a checklist
- annotated student work samples
- collected and reviewed student work samples
- facilitated whole class or peer feedback sessions
- encouraged student self-reflection
- administered formal assessment tasks.
NSW Curriculum alignment
Australian Curriculum alignment
- ACHASSK086
The nature of contact between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and others, for example, the Macassans and the Europeans, and the effects of these interactions on, for example, people and environments
- ACHASSI082
Present ideas, findings and conclusions in texts and modes that incorporate digital and non-digital representations and discipline-specific terms
- ACHASSI077
Examine information to identify different points of view and distinguish facts from opinions
- ACHASSK084
The journey(s) of AT LEAST ONE world navigator, explorer or trader up to the late eighteenth century, including their contacts with other societies and any impacts
- ACHASSI079
Draw simple conclusions based on analysis of information and data
Find more resources for these topics
HistoryAustralian HistoryEarly ExplorersBritish Colonisation
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Very helpful! Will do with students this term.
Suzette Windridge · Jul 6th, 2017
Thank you Suzette for your positive comment!
We hope your students enjoy discussing Terra Nullius and taking part in the activities in this lesson.
Kind regards,
Victoria.
Victoria (Teach Starter) · Jul 6th, 2017
Terrific!
Celia Nichols · Feb 27th, 2017