Astronomy in Indigenous Cultures

Astronomy in Indigenous Cultures

Grade 10th Grade · Social Studies · 10 min

What's Included

Learning Objective

I can explain how First Nations, Métis, and Inuit cultures connect astronomical events to seasonal ceremonies.

Warm-Up Video

CSIRO · 11:09

Fitzroy Valley: Indigenous seasonal calendars on Many Lands, Many Seasons

Guided Notes

3 key concepts

  • 1

    Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have their own names and times for their seasons, and this knowledge has been passed down through generations for over 65,000 years.

  • 2

    In Walmajarri, the three seasons are Parranga, Yitilal, and Makurra, each indicating different times for picking food, hunting, and fishing.

  • 3

    Learning seasonal knowledge is important for understanding cultural practices, such as knowing when the Kurrumba flowers to collect Kakaru or when the Purlurru flowers to collect crocodile eggs.

Practice Questions

3 questions · Short answer

Exit Ticket

Quick comprehension check

Describe one example from the video of how a specific plant or animal behavior signals a seasonal change that influences First Nations peoples' activities.

Complete Lesson Package

Get all 3 ready-to-use resources:

Teacher Guide
Student Doc
Slides