First Nations Games in Physical Education | Why I Love This Resource!
Feb 17, 2024
Kas
Yep, you’re right. This is another article on the amazing ‘Yulunga Resource’. As discussed in a previous article, this is potentially the best starting point for any teacher looking to incorporate more First Nations perspectives in their classroom or school. (In my opinion)
If you want a more general overview on incorporating First Nations perspectives in your classroom, please read our previous article where we go more in-depth about where to start. This article will discuss why The ‘Yulunga Resource’ is so great.
Indigenous games and activities have a rich history as they have been passed down through generations by Indigenous Australians. Many of the games and activities were recorded by explorers, government officials, settlers, scientists and missionaries in the nineteenth century. (Yulunga Resource, Australian Government 2024)The Games and Activities in Yulunga: Traditional Indigenous Games are:
- Played in their traditional forms with modern equipment
- Modified for safety, ease of use or to cater for all ages and abilities
- Reconstructed from incomplete accounts
Background & Language
Each game in this resource (there are 100s) provides you with a paragraph of the history of the game, how it was originally played and why it was played. It also typically explains where in Australia it originated from and by which Indigenous tribe it came from. One of my favourite things to read and share with my class is the descriptions of what the children of that tribe used to play the game and compare it to what we use today.
Another included detail in this resource which serves as an important and powerful teaching point is about the language. It discusses the traditional name of the game, the meaning behind it and its relevance to that culture/ tribe. These detailed paragraphs is what sets apart this resource from others and each activity provides you and your students with so many great discussion points and learning opportunities just in the background and language section alone. It provides authenticity to the game and goes much deeper into the culture and origin of First Nations People. The lesson becomes focused on awareness and appreciation rather than just an opportunity to play a game.
Amazing.
Comments and Teaching Points
Basic and simple teaching points are also included which can be really helpful when you are identifying where this particular game would be most appropriate to include in your term overview. It also provides you with some teaching cues if you are not an experienced HPE teacher and also a really important aspect to include if you plan this lesson for a relief teacher to use. (P.S. check out our article on surviving as a relief teacher!)
Variations and Modifications
If this resource has not provided enough, this is where it goes miles above anything else out there in terms of resources based around First Nation awareness. It provides a very detailed and extensive amount of modifications for each lesson. These can be used to cater the game to your particular class, create variations for individual learning needs and also provide you with an avenue to change the game to make it more engaging to continue teaching it for multiple lessons.
This resource does not waste words, provide you with unnecessary additional information or have a complex construction. It is simple, relevant, straight to the point and provides you with exactly everything you need to create impactful physical activity lessons for your students and teach them about Aboriginal and Indigenous Culture and history in a physically active and informative way.
I have said it once and I will say it again, this is a seminal resource for every HPE teacher and if you are not using it currently, you need to start implementing it in your class today!!