Commemorations: Ceremonies and Special Places presentation

Teacher notes

The following teacher notes have been developed to support the Commemorations: Ceremonies and special places presentation and related student learning activities. The entire presentation is not intended to be shown to students in a single lesson. The presentation is designed to be used across several teaching and learning sessions with the accompanying student activities.

This resource has been created to make understanding commemoration easier for younger students and for students who have additional learning needs. Teachers will need to consider and be sensitive to the religious and cultural beliefs of their students, and any experiences of war or conflict, or parents serving in the defence forces, when showing the presentation and working through the activities.

Australian curriculum

The Commemorations: Ceremonies and special places presentation and related student learning activities have been developed for students from Foundation level to Year 2. The focus is on the Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS) area of the Australian Curriculum (Version 9.0).

The Australian Curriculum 9.0 content descriptors related to this resource are:

Foundation

Knowledge and understanding

History

• The celebrations and commemorations of significant events shared with their families and others AC9HSFK02

Geography

• The features of familiar places they belong to, why some places are special and how places can be looked after AC9HSFK03
• The importance of Country/Place to First Nations Australians and the Country/Place on which the school is located AC9HSFK04

Skills

Interpreting, analysing and evaluating

• Share a perspective on information, such as stories about significant events and special places AC9HSFS03

Year 1

Knowledge and understanding

Geography

• How places change and how they can be cared for by different groups including First Nations Australians AC9HS1K04

Skills

Interpreting, analysing and evaluating

Discuss perspectives related to objects, people, places and events AC9HS1S04

Year 2

Knowledge and understanding

History

• A local individual, group, place or building and the reasons for their importance, including social, cultural or spiritual significance AC9HS2K01

Geography

• How can places be spatially represented in geographical divisions from local to regional to state/ territory, and how people and places are interconnected across those scales AC9HS2K03
• The interconnections of Australian First Nations Peoples to a local Country/Place AC9HS2K04

Skills

Interpreting, analysing and evaluating

• Discuss perspectives related to objects, people, places and events AC9HS2S04

Learning intentions

Through these activities, students will:

• explain what a ceremony is and name some examples of different ceremonies
• discuss special places and why they are important
• describe a commemorative event and some features
• describe where commemorative events may occur during the year
• describe when Anzac Day is commemorated each year and why
• describe when Remembrance Day is commemorated each year and why

Presentation notes

The Commemorations: Ceremonies and special places presentation is designed to be accessible for a wide range of student abilities. It could be used with a whole class or cohort group. A Defence School Mentor could also use parts or all of the presentation with a student or small group of students to revise previously presented concepts. The presentation is supported by simple text, images and photos. Text and images will appear one by one, following the click of the mouse, so that educators can control the flow of discussion.

Slide 1: Introduction

Concepts to explore with the students:

• Photo ? What is happening in the photo? What do students see in the photo?
• Department of Veterans’ Affairs logo ? What is a logo? What does it mean? For older students, you could introduce them to the work of the Department.
• What symbols of commemoration can students identify?

Slide 2: Focus words

Learning intentions:

• To introduce the word ‘commemoration’.
• To introduce the word ‘ceremony’.
• To introduce the words ‘special place’.

Read out loud each word as it appears on the screen and ask your students to repeat them after you; ‘commemoration’, ‘ceremony’, ‘special place’.

Ask your students if they have ever heard these words before.

Ask your students what they think these words might mean.

Record student answers so that they can be displayed and referred to later – this could be a combination of words and images.

Slide 3: What is a ceremony?

Learning intentions:

• To understand what a ceremony is.
• To understand the features of a ceremony.

Explain a ceremony can be religious or non-religious. A ceremony is an important occasion. It is an event that has expected parts. A ceremony often happens in a public place where people can watch or join in.

Ask students to identify what is happening in each image and what they think the ceremony might be.

Add any new ideas to the list established with slide 2.

Ask students to identify what happens at different ceremonies.

Image 1: Australia Day parade. Image 2: Naming ceremony, christening or baptism. Image 3: Medal ceremony. Image 4: Opening ceremony. Image 5: Remembrance Day. Image 6: Graduation.

Other examples of ceremonies include commemorations, royal ceremonies (such as the Trooping of the Colour), weddings, funerals, citizenship ceremonies and award ceremonies.

Student activities:

• Activity 1: Miming activity.
• Activity 2: Matching activity.

Slide 4: Why do we have ceremonies?

Learning intention:

• To identify some of the reasons for ceremonies.

Watch the ABC video clip (5:36).

Explain that a ceremony can be a welcome, a celebration of an achievement, or a commemoration.

Ask students to identify the First Nations land where they live.

Ask students if they know the Welcome to Country ceremony for the nation where they live? How could they find out?

Ask students to identify some of the symbols used in the Welcome to Country ceremony. Discuss why these ceremonies are important.

Student activity:

• Activity 3: Reasons for holding ceremonies.

Slide 5: Ceremonies mark important moments

Learning intention:

• To identify ceremonies that they know about, have seen or have participated in.

Ask students to describe past events that have been important to them.

Ask students to describe future events they think will be important for them (or events that have been important in the lives of family and friends).

Ask students about a particular ceremony: What might you see? What might you hear? What might you smell? What might you feel? What might you taste?

Student activities:

• Activity 4: Have you seen or been part of a ceremony?
• Activity 5: A ceremony through your senses.

Slide 6: Commemoration

Learning intention:

• To introduce the concept of commemoration to students.

Ask students to think about special school assemblies they attended for Anzac Day.

Ask students to think about a time when they paused for a moment of silence on Remembrance Day.

Slide 7: Anzac Day

Learning intentions:

• To identify why we commemorate Anzac Day on the 25th of April each year.
• To introduce the idea that Anzac Day is the day used to commemorate everyone who has served in wars, conflicts and peacekeeping operations.

Explain This is the date used to commemorate the work of all people in wars, conflicts and peacekeeping operations.

Think-Pair-Share: What is different about the way Anzac Day is commemorated compared to other ceremonies you know?

For further information:

Here they come - A Day to Remember

Anzac Day 25 April

Planning an Anzac Day service or a commemorative event

Student activity:

• Activity 6: What we know about Anzac Day

Slide 8: Remembrance Day

Learning intentions:

• To identify why we commemorate Remembrance Day on the 11th of November each year.
• To introduce the idea that Remembrance Day is the day used to commemorate those who have lost their lives in wars, conflicts and peacekeeping operations.

Explain This is the date used to commemorate those who have lost their lives in wars, conflicts and peacekeeping operations.

Think-Pair-Share: What are the similarities and differences between the way we commemorate Anzac Day and Remembrance Day?

For further information:

Remembrance Day 11 November

Symbols of Commemoration digibook

Student activity:

• Activity 7: What we know about Remembrance Day.

Slide 9: Anzac Day and Remembrance Day

Learning intentions:

• To identify where ceremonies and commemorative events happen.
• To understand that people can choose to attend a public ceremony.

Explain Commemorative events for Anzac Day and Remembrance Day happen in many towns and cities in Australia and overseas. They are often events that can be attended by members of the public.

Suggest Televised ceremonies can be viewed and people can watch from their home if they live far away, are elderly or too unwell to attend. This can provide a feeling of participation and inclusion.

Ask students if they have ever been to one of these ceremonies at school.

For further information:

Why We Remember: P-3 Commemoration presentation

Slides 10 and 11: What happens at these ceremonies?

Learning intentions:

• To identify that particular things happen during a commemorative ceremony.
• To recognise some of the features of a commemorative event.

Explain Ceremonies often happen at a memorial or a special place. Veterans, serving members of the Defence force, dignitaries and members of the public may attend. There may be a parade, speeches and singing of the national anthem.

Discuss what a memorial is. Discuss what a speech is. Discuss what a wreath is. Discuss the Ode of Remembrance. Discuss The Last Post. Discuss what a bugle is. Discuss what one minute of silence is for. Discuss what flags are. Discuss what the National Anthem is.

For further information:

Commemoration

Symbols of Commemoration

Symbols of Commemoration digibook

Slide 12: Commemorations happen at special places

Learning intentions:

• To recognise that commemorative ceremonies happen in particular locations for a reason.
• To understand that a special place might be somewhere that something important happened. For example, it could be a memorial site.

Explain that a special place is a location that holds important meaning for a person or a group of people.

Discuss the images available on slide 12 of the presentation. You may have noticed the other images throughout the presentation of state memorials. The images have captions to make them easily recognisable.

Ask students to describe a memorial in their own town or city.

Slide 13: Commemoration at school

Learning intention:

• To increase awareness of special places in the local area.

Ask students to observe the special place at their school where ceremonies are held (school hall, memorial garden, courtyard, flagpole etc.).

Ask students to draw the special place at their school where ceremonies are held.

Ask students to reflect on why this is a special place and what makes it special for the school community.

Student activity:

• Activity 8: Which locations have special meaning for you?

Slide 14: Commemoration around the world

Learning intention:

• To recognise that people within Australia and around the world commemorate on the same date. This is a sign of respect to the commemorative date.

View video footage from local commemorative ceremonies and from those held around the world. The following videos are long, so teachers should show the section most relevant to students and the topic.

• IN FULL: The Australian War Memorial commemorates Remembrance Day 2021, ABC News (Australia) YouTube channel, 11 November 2021 (52.19 minutes)
• Armistice Day: Prince Charles, PM Johnson commemorate fallen troops with 2-minute silence in London, Global News YouTube channel, 11 November 2020 (5:12 minutes)
• Paris Ceremony marks 100th anniversary of WWI, Global News YouTube channel, 11 November 2018 (4:18:47 hours)

After each video, ask students where the commemorative ceremony was being held and make a note. Once you have viewed several clips, use a globe or Google Earth on an interactive whiteboard, and go on a virtual trip around the world to see where all of the ceremonies were being held.

Reiterate that each one was being commemorated on the same date because it is an important anniversary.

Slide 15: Conclusion

Learning intentions:

• To reflect on existing understandings (recorded while viewing and discussing Slides 2 and 3).
• To revise the concepts introduced in the previous slides.
• For students to reflect on their learning and close the topic.

Refer to the list of recorded ideas and illustrations created during the presentation of slides 2 and 3. This shows existing understandings students had before further learning was undertaken with this resource.

Ask students to sit in a circle. Each student shares their special place and why it is special (last two points on the slide). Use an item (such as a soft toy or sensory ball) to indicate which child is speaking. Students take turns holding the item and sharing with the group.

Student activities

There are 8 student activity pages to accompany the Commemorations: Ceremonies and special places presentation. They are designed to support learning about this topic. Teachers may choose to use one or more activities depending on the requirements of their students. The activities are free to download and print.

Download the student activities workbook (PDF 1.8MB)

1. Miming activity

For this activity, students work with a partner or in a small group. Each grouping selects one card (without anyone else seeing their choice). The audience attempts to guess the ceremony being mimed. Once someone has guessed correctly or an appropriate amount of time has been given, the performers show their ceremony image card and explain their actions.

Teachers will need to print copies of the ceremony image cards before the lesson. The individual cards can be cut out so each pair or small group can make a selection. Teachers will need to give students time to prepare before they present to other students.

2. Matching activity

For this activity, students need to match ceremony images with the correct labels. This can be done simply by drawing a line from each image to the correct label. If a more complex activity is required, students could cut out each image, glue them onto a separate page and write the labels. As a class, go through the answers before assessing each worksheet. This could also be done as a teacher-student conference.

3. Reasons for holding ceremonies

Through this activity, students share their ideas about why ceremonies are held. Students work individually or with a partner to illustrate 4 different ceremonies and write about why these take place.

4. Have you seen or been part of a ceremony?

This activity is designed for students to reflect on their own experiences and make links to the information in the presentation. Teachers will need a printed copy of the activity page for each student. On the activity page, students write about the ceremonies they have watched or had a role in. Teachers can scribe ideas for younger students or students with additional learning needs. Students can also illustrate their experiences.

5. A ceremony through your senses

Through this activity, students are encouraged to explore a ceremony using each of the 5 senses. Teachers can select a ceremony that all students have watched or been involved in (for example, an Anzac Day or Remembrance Day commemorative event). Teachers may choose to model this activity with the class, using an enlarged version of the student activity page before students complete the activity independently. Students are asked to consider what they could see, hear, touch, taste and smell during the ceremony. Teachers will need a printed copy of the activity page for each student.

6. What we know about Anzac Day

This activity is designed for students to demonstrate what they know about Anzac Day using their prior knowledge and what they have learned from the presentation. Students are asked to identify the date and record reasons that we commemorate Anzac Day each year. Students to illustrate their learning.

7. What we know about Remembrance Day

This activity is designed for students to demonstrate what they know about Remembrance Day using their prior knowledge and what they have learned from the presentation. In the first part of the activity, students are asked to identify the date by colouring the correct day and month. The second part asks students to write one fact they know about Remembrance Day on each petal of a poppy. Students can colour their poppy using coloured pencil and share their answers.

Option: Students could use a variety of art and craft resources to decorate their poppies. A green chenille ‘stem’ could be added to the flower head. Completed poppies could be displayed in the classroom or shared with the school community.

8. Which locations have special meaning for you?

Before the activity sheet, students share their ideas about which locations have special meaning for them and why. Students could sit knee-to-knee with a partner or make a knee-to-knee triangle for a group of 3. Students take turns to share about locations that hold special meaning for them and why with their partner/s.

On the activity page, students write about a place they have visited that is important to them and why the place is so special. For the last section, encourage students to explore ways to care for (preserve) their special place.

Other resources

Teachers may be interested in these other resources for Foundation to Year 6:

Why We Remember: P-3 Commemoration presentation (in Powerpoint and Google Slides)

Symbols of commemoration digibook

Here they come—A day to remember series

Printed copies of many resources are available. Email education@dva.gov.au with your request.

Glossary

anniversary the same date each year on which an important event happened for the first time

audience a group of people gathered to see or hear something

ceremony a formal act or series of acts done in a particular way to honour a special occasion

commemoration the act of remembering an event or person through a special ceremony, action or object

dignitaries people considered to be important because of high rank or office

memorial a ceremony, custom, building, or statue to honour someone who has died or a past event

podium a raised platform

preserve to maintain something in its original or existing state

special place a place where something important happened in the past. It can also be a place where people go for ceremonial or commemorative events.

Copyright

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.