25-minute lesson
Foundation Geography: My special places
Lesson objective
- Name places that are special to them.
- Explain why a place is special.
Success criteria:
- I can name a place that is special to me.
- I can say why it is special.
- I can listen to why a place is special to someone else.
Materials
- Paper and crayons
- Photos of places the family visits (optional)
Introduction
3 minIntroduce today's words:
- place: A part of the world where something is, such as a home, park or town.
- special: Important, loved or different from the rest.
- home: The place where you live.
- Country: For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, the land, waters and sky they belong to and care for.
Ask your child what they already know about my special places.
Explanation
5 minA place is a part of the world where something is. Your home is a place. Your school, the park, the beach and the shops are places too.
Some places are special to us. A place might be special because we feel safe there, because we play there, because family members live there, or because something happy happened there.
Different people have different special places. Your special place might be a cubby house, and a friend's might be the library.
For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, Country is very special. Country means the land, waters and sky that a group belongs to, looks after and is connected to. The place where you live is part of the Country of a First Nations people.
We look after special places by keeping them clean and treating them with care.
Worked examples
4 minDrawing a special place
Draw a place that is special to you and tell someone why.
Step 1: Think of a place you love to be.
Step 2: Draw it, adding the things you see there.
Step 3: Finish the sentence: 'This place is special because…'
Answer: A drawing and a sentence, e.g. 'The park is special because I go on the swings with Dad.'
Listening to others
Ask a family member about their special place.
Step 1: Ask: 'Where is a place that is special to you?'
Step 2: Ask: 'Why is it special?'
Step 3: Tell them one thing that is the same or different about your special place.
Answer: The child reports a family member's special place and compares it with their own.
Guided practice (do together)
5 min1. Which of these is a place?
(a) Happy (b) A park (c) Running (d) Blue
2. Why might a place be special?
(a) Because we feel safe or happy there (b) Because it is always raining (c) Because it is far away from everyone (d) Because it has no name
3. Does everyone have the same special place?
(a) Yes, always (b) Only grown-ups have special places (c) No, people have different special places (d) Only on weekends
4. How can we look after a special place?
(a) Leave rubbish there (b) Break things (c) Pick all the flowers (d) Keep it clean and treat it with care
Independent practice
6 min5. For First Nations Australians, what does 'Country' include?
(a) Only towns (b) The land, waters and sky (c) Only shops (d) Only houses
6. The place where you live is your ____.
7. A place where you can borrow books is a ____.
8. A place where children go to learn with a teacher is a ____.
Questions to check understanding
- Can you name a place that is special to me?
- Can you say why it is special?
- Can you listen to why a place is special to someone else?
- What was the trickiest part today?
Answer guide
1. A park — A park is a place. The others are feelings, actions or colours.
2. Because we feel safe or happy there — Places are special because of how we feel and what we do there.
3. No, people have different special places — People can have different special places.
4. Keep it clean and treat it with care — Caring for places keeps them special.
5. The land, waters and sky — Country includes land, waters and sky and everything connected to them.
6. home — Your home is the place where you live.
7. library — A library lends books.
8. school — Many children go to school to learn.
Review
2 minRecap the success criteria together. Watch for these common misconceptions:
- Young children may think a 'place' must be big, like a city. A bedroom or a tree can be a place.
- Children may think everyone feels the same about a place. Encourage them to ask others.
Extension activities
- Make a 'special places' booklet with one drawing per page.
- Take photos of three favourite places on a walk and talk about them.
- Build a model of a special place with blocks or recycled materials.
Suggested follow-up
- Revisit my special places tomorrow with two or three quick questions from memory.
- Try the online practice check for this topic and look at any questions that need another go.
Tips for parents
- Find out the name of the Traditional Owners of the land where you live (local councils and land councils can help) and use it when talking about your local area.
- Talk about special places during walks and outings.
- Some First Nations places are culturally significant and have protocols for visitors. Follow signs and guidance from local First Nations communities.