Incorporating First Nations Picture Books in the Classroom: Meaningful Ways to Engage Students

So many wonderful First Nations children's picture books have been published in recent years, and there are so many ways we can genuinely incorporate and learn from these books in the classroom. Here are a few suggestions:

Acknowledgement of Country

Begin the year by creating a unique and meaningful Acknowledgement of Country with your new class. Use First Nations books to learn about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, cultures, languages and protocols.

• Somebody's Land by Adam Goodes and Ellie Laing

• Welcome to Country by Aunty Joy Murphy

• Come Together by Isaiah Firebrace

  
  

Cross-curriculum Book Study

Choose a First Nations book to be the focus of a cross-curriculum unit of work.

• Ask Aunty: Seasons, an introduction to First Nations seasons (there are opportunities to link this text to all subject areas!)

  
  

Significant First Nations Dates

Use First Nations books to support lessons about significant Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander days/events, e.g. Sorry Day.

• For 60,000 Years by Marlee Silva (Australia Day/Invasion Day)

• Day Break by Amy McQuire (Australia Day/Invasion Day)

• Freedom Day: Vincent Lingiari and the Story of the Wave Hill Walk-Off by Thomas Mayo and Rosie Smiler

• Found by Bruce Pascoe (Sorry Day)

  
  

Specific Subject Areas

Introduce or reflect on a topic by reading a First Nations book, e.g. reading Kick with my Left Foot by Paul Seden at the beginning of a PE lesson.

• First Scientists by Corey Tutt (at the beginning or end of a relevant science lesson)

• Albert Namatjira by Vincent Namatjira (at the beginning or end of a relevant art lesson)

  
  

Shared Reading

Read First Nations books or books with First Nations characters/representation in your teacher or shared reading time.

• Kookoo Kookaburra by Gregg Dreise

• I Love Me by Sally Morgan

• Black Cockatoo by Carl Merrison and Hakea Hustler

• Charlie's Swim by Edith Wright

  
  

Model Texts

Intentionally include First Nations books to model particular language features, punctuation, grammar, types of sentences, text types, etc.

• Shapes of Australia by Bronwyn Bancroft for alliteration, similes, metaphors and descriptive language.

• The River by Sally Morgan for nouns, verbs, adjectives and questions.

  
  

Diverse Bookshelves

Making sure your classroom/school library has a variety of First Nations books that students can read and borrow.

• Sea Country by Aunty Patsy Cameron

• The Trees by Victor Steffensen

• Country by Aunty Fay Muir and Sue Lawson

• Bush Tucker Counting by Maureen Glover

• We are Australians by Duncan Smith and Nicole Godwin

• Our Flag Our Story by Bernard Namok Jnr and Thomas Mayo

• My Culture and Me by Gregg Dreise

See my 'Recommendations' page for more of the First Nations books and resources I recommend for Australian classrooms!

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