Summary of Unit Objective:

At the end of the unit students will critically reflect on roles and responsibilities within a friendship, and understand the significance of friendships and acceptance amongst any group of people.

Unit Rationale:

This unit is designed to incite students to think critically about their role within a friendship or social
group. Learning is centred on the Australian Curriculum Health learning area. The unit encourages
students to think critically about the diversity within a group by recognising that beliefs, values, and
characteristics of individuals creates diversity as well as potential for dispute and conflict. This unit
adopts a variety of teaching strategies to assist students in the development of respect for one
another in order to have a lasting effect on the relationships they develop.

The National Framework for Values Education in Australian Schools [NFVEAS] outlines that respect
for one another is a part of “Australia’s democratic way of life” (DEST, 2005, p. 4). Consequently, the
ability to recognise and reflect on diversity is necessary in order for students to establish and
maintain healthy relationships with their peers. Learning in this unit is also affiliated with the
Australian Curriculum Civics and Citizenship band, which emphasises that every child should learn to
think and act ethically (ACARA, 2012).

Australian Curriculum Links:

Health and Physical Education:

• Plan and practise strategies to promote heath, safety, and wellbeing (ACPPS054)
• Investigate and reflect on how valuing diversity positively influences the wellbeing of the
  community (ACPPS060)
• Explore personal and cultural identities and how they can change and adapt to different contexts
  and situations (ACPPS051)

Visual Art:

• Plan the display of artworks to enhance their meaning for an audience (Communicating a
  message though artwork (ACAVAM116)

English: Literacy

• Interpreting, analysing and evaluating texts (ACELY1702) (ACELY1703)

Personal, Social and Community Health:

• Communicating and interacting for health and wellbeing (ACPPS055)(ACPPS056)(ACPPS057).

Contributing to healthy and active communities:

• Instigate and reflect on how valuing diversity positively influences the wellbeing of the community (ACPPS0606).

Ethical Reasoning:

• Consider consequences; evaluate the consequences ofactions in familiar and hypothetical scenarios (ACARA, Ethical Understanding)

Download the Unit, Lesson Plans and Resources Below:

• The Friendship Kaleidoscope – Unit Overview and Lesson Plans (PDF)

• Learning from Goats – Reading (PDF)

• Dear Diary Friendship Analysis – Assessment Rubric (PDF)

• Respect Model (Lesson 3) (PDF)

• Values – Y Chart for School Matters (PDF)

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