For Teachers/Educators & Schools

Engaging an Indigenous Guide is a rich and fascinating way explore the Aboriginal culture. Knowledgeable community members are really the only people qualified and authorised to teach about the detail of their own culture. While having an Indigenous person in the room to give these lessons is optimal, practicalities and budget mean that for some schools, this is not an option.

These lesson plans are intended to assist in those instances so that children can still be introduced to Aboriginal art. This page presents quality educational resources that may be useful for teachers and educators in primary and secondary schools who would like to incorporate information about Australian Aboriginal artists and their art into lessons. The resources have either been developed or reviewed by Japingka Aboriginal Art Gallery using material artists have chosen to share.

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Table Of Contents

Click any of these links to visit the section, or scroll down the page to view.

  • Teachers/Educators: lesson plans and interviews with teachers
  • Themes: resources by theme such as animals, weather & elements, place and culture
  • Languages: resources by language
  • Stories: resources relating to Aboriginal storylines
  • History: resources relating to history and Aboriginal art
  • Styles: traditional, dot painting, contemporary
  • Regions: resources by locality or origin of the artists
  • Artists: resources relating to individual Aboriginal artists
  • Guides: introductory guides to relevant topics - custodianship, styles & colours, cell biology
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Teachers/Educators

Lesson Plans

Thinking About Jimmy Pike is a Visual Arts Programme for Foundation to Year 2 primary school students designed for the Australian and West Australian curriculum. A set of 6 Lesson Plans provides teachers with resources to teach confidently about visual arts reflecting on and drawing ideas from the artwork of Jimmy Pike.

View: Lesson Plans

Bush Medicine is a Visual Arts Programme for middle primary school students designed for the Australian and West Australian curriculum. A set of 11 Lesson Plans provides teachers with resources to teach confidently about visual arts reflecting on and drawing ideas from the artwork of Rosemary Petyarre.

View: Lesson Plans

Aboriginal Art Lesson Plans for Visual Arts Teachers

My Family is a Visual Arts Programme for Year 4 primary school students. Students create an artwork based on the theme “My Family”, inspired by conversations with artist Sarrita King and her Ancestors work. This is a set of 13 Lesson Plans for visual arts teachers.

View: Lesson Plans

Aboriginal Art Lesson Plans My Family

Remote School Mentors Project

This is a case study of a Visual Arts Project for indigenous high school students designed to promote school attendance as well as facilitate the transfer of traditional knowledge and skills. Students worked alongside older mentors from their community to put together a collection of paintings for a dedicated exhibition. The project had a powerful impact on school attendance and confidence in learning across all learning areas.  The following interviews describe the project from the perspective of the school Principal, the project facilitator and the gallery director.

View:

Wangkatjungka Remote School Mentors Project

Year 7 Visual Arts Project

In 2016 Seton College ran a project for Year 7 students exploring Aboriginal Art and Culture as part of their Visual Arts program.  The following interviews describe the project from the perspective of the coordinating teacher and an indigenous artist and educator who was involved in the project.

View:

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Kimberley Rock Art

Australia has incredible Indigenous rock art. This interview series explores the work being carried out to document and preserve these important sites. This resource includes interviews with Professor Peter Veth from the University of Western Australia and Leah Umbagai from Mowanjum Arts Centre.

Kimberley Rock Art 5 Part Article Series:

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Interviews about Aboriginal Art & Education

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The Invitation

The Art of Education is an online magazine for art teachers. This article issues an invitation to teachers to take a fresh look at how they approach Australian Aboriginal art.
Read: Aboriginal Art: Revisited, Researched, and Revamped!

Aboriginal Art- Revisited Cover Image
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Regions

There are thriving art communities in many different regions of Australia. Artists from these regions may sometimes have a common style, and will in many cases be representing their own storylines.

Visual Index To Regions

Alice Springs:

Ampilatwatja:

Arnhem Land:

Balgo Hills:

Bidyadanga:

Daly River:

Darwin:

Docker River

Fitzroy Crossing

Haasts Bluff

Hermannsburg

Iwantja

Kalumburu

Kintore

Kiwirrkura

Kununurra

Lajamanu

Lockhart River

Maningrida

Mount Liebig

Mowanjum

Mt Allan

Murray River

Papunya

Roper River

South West WA

Spinifex

Tiwi Islands

Torres Strait

Utopia:

Wangkatjungka

Warakurna

Warmun

Yinjaa-Barni

Yuendumu

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Artists

Interviews

One to one interviews with Aboriginal artists

Abie Loy Kemarre

Alma Nungarrayi Granites

Anna Petyarre

Betty Mbitjana (Mpetyane)

Biddee Baadjo

Bill Whiskey Tjapaltjarri

Charmaine Pwerle

Clifton Mack

Collaboration Wangkatjungka Artists

Damien Marks & Yilpi Marks

David Downs

Dennis Nona

Djambu Barra Barra

Doris Gingingara

Dorothy Napangardi

Douglas Abbott

Dulcie Long Pwerle

Edward Blitner

Eileen Napaltjarri

Eubena Nampitjin

Eva Nelson Napaltjarri

Fabrianne Peterson Nampitjinpa

Freddie Timms

Galya Pwerle

George Tuckerbox

George Ward Tjungurrayi

Gloria Petyarre

Hamish Garrgarrku (Karrkarrhba)

Helen McCarthy Tyalmuty

Jack Britten

Jack Dale Mengenen

Jeannie Mills Pwerle

Jill Jack

Jimmy Pike

Jock Mosquito

Jorna Newberry

Joylene Reid Napangardi

Judy Napangardi Martin

Judy Watson Napangardi

Julie Nangala Robertson

June Peters

Katarra Butler Napaltjarri

Katherine Marshall Nakamarra

Kerry Madawyn McCarthy

Kim Butler Napurrula

Kudditji Kngwarreye

Kurun Warun

Lily Karadada

Lily Kelly Napangardi

Linda Syddick Napaltjarri

Lorna Fencer Napurrula

Lorna Ward Napanangka

Maisie Campbell Napaltjarri

Maisie Ward Nungurrayi

Makinti Napanangka

Marcia Purdie

Margaret Lewis Napangardi

Marlene Harold

Mary McLean

Maureen Hudson Nampijinpa

Mercy Fredericks

Minnie Pwerle

Mitjili (Mijili) Napanangka Gibson

Mitjili Napurrula

Nada Rawlins

Narpula Scobie Napurrula

Nellie Marks Nakamarra

Ningura Napurrula

Patrick Tjungurrayi

Penny K Lyons

Polly Ngale

Queenie McKenzie

Regina Karadada

Ronnie Tjampitjinpa

Rosella Namok

Rosemary Petyarre

Rosie Goodjie

Rover Thomas

Sarrita King

Spinifex Artists

Stumpy Brown

Summer Matthews Glass Artworks

Tarisse King

Thomas Tjapaltjarri

Tjawina Porter Nampitjinpa

Turbo Brown

Walala Tjapaltjarri

Walangkura Napanangka

Wentja Napaltjarri

Willie Kew

Yinarupa Gibson Nangala

Yondee Shane Hansen

Visual Index To Artists
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