NAIDOC originally stood for ‘National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee’. This committee was once responsible for organising national activities during NAIDOC Week and the acronym has since become the name of the week itself.

NAIDOC Week will be held from 4-11 July 2021with the theme Heal Country! It calls for all of us to continue to seek greater protections for our land, our waters, our sacred sites and our cultural heritage from exploitation, desecration and destruction.

To celebrate NAIDOC these are a selection of lesson ideas to explore with your class.

• Play traditional indigenous games found on the SportAUS website

• SBS has some great resources online for celebrating NAIDOC Week

• The Brisbane Kids website has printables for colouring and dot painting

• Visit naidoc.org.au for more information to share with your students

• ABC iView has many choices of shows to watch - called Walking Together

• NAIDOC website has Teaching Guides

• Desert Pea Media have created Our Country film which is great to share with your students

• Books to share during this week may include; Stolen Girl by Trina Saffioti, Playground by Naia Wheatley, Mad Magpie by Gregg Dreise

• More teaching resources can be found on my Aboriginal Perspectives Pinterest board

• Research an iconic Aboriginal woman - where they are from, what they have done and why they are a significant figure for Aboriginal people. Examples may include; Deborah Mailman, Evonne Goolagong Cawley, Nova Peris, Cathy Freeman and Bronwyn Bancroft

• If you have the opportunity, invite a local Aboriginal elder to give a presentation at school

• Study Aboriginal artwork and create your own class piece

• Learn some movements to an Aboriginal dance such as the goanna, kangaroo and emu

NAIDOC celebrations are very important to show cultural understanding and respect. What do you do to celebrate NAIDOC Week at your school? We would love it if you joined the conversation and left a comment below.