About
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Peoples have used traditional fire-starting techniques for thousands of years to ignite fire - demonstrating deep cultural connections to Country and community. Year 8 students are invited to explore a range of these traditional fire-starting techniques to develop their understanding of energy and energy transformations. Through teacher-led lessons, classroom activities, experiments, and eLearn activities, students will explore how force, friction and motion are used to produce fire.
Students will learn about the deep ecological Knowledge that Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Peoples use to understand materials and their environment to successfully start a fire. Students will also make connections between these traditional practices and scientific concepts, including energy types, energy transfer, and energy transformations.
All educational materials are linked to the New South Wales (NSW) syllabus and Australian Curriculum (AC).
Use the diagram below to navigate your way through our resources.
Cultural Sensitivity: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be aware that this module may contain images, voices and names of deceased persons. In some Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, hearing recordings, seeing images or the names of deceased persons may cause sadness or distress and in some cases, offend against strongly held cultural prohibitions.
Curriculum links
Australian Curriculum and syllabus connections
View how the fire-starting resources can be linked to key learning areas within the NSW syllabus and Australian Curriculum.
Australian Curriculum and Syllabus Links
Australian Curriculum and Syllabus Links - accessible version
Student and teacher resources
Example teaching sequence
This teaching sequence supports Year 8 teachers to deliver the fire-starting topic aligned to the NSW syllabus and the Australian Curriculum. Use this as a guide when planning lessons and structuring learning across the unit.
AC Example Teaching Sequence - accessible version
NSW Example Teaching Sequence - accessible version
Context PowerPoint
This presentation provides background context for the fire-starting topic including an introduction to energy and energy transformations. Use it at the beginning of the unit sequence to build a foundational understanding of key concepts.
Fire-Starting Context PowerPoint
Classroom activities guide
This guide outlines a range of classroom activities to support students’ understanding of energy and energy transformations in relation to fire-starting. Use it to plan lessons to reinforce key ideas through discussion and hands-on learning.
Classroom Activities Guide - accessible version
Experiment resources
To prepare for the fire-starting experiments, teachers should read the Teacher Experiment and Procedures Guide, which provides step-by-step instructions for conducting the experiments. The Equipment List and Hazard Management Guide outline the materials required and key safety considerations. Teachers should use this resource during planning and before any practical activities.
Begin lessons with the fire-starting Experiment PowerPoint, which guides students through the investigation process and provides visual support for the experiments. Students use the Student Experiment Procedure and Planners, which detail the step-by-step procedures and provide space for recording observations, analysis, and reflections. These should be used during the practical activities alongside the PowerPoint to support student learning.
Click the button below to download the Fire-starting Experiment Resources zip file, containing 4 experiment resource files.
Experiment Resources- accessible version
Student eLearn module
This interactive eLearn module supports students in building their understanding of fire-starting through videos and interactive activities. It is designed for students and can be used before, during or after the unit to introduce concepts, reinforce learning or support revision.
This self-paced online module for students will take approximately 45 minutes to complete.
About
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Peoples have used traditional fire-starting techniques for thousands of years to ignite fire - demonstrating deep cultural connections to Country and community. Year 8 students are invited to explore a range of these traditional fire-starting techniques to develop their understanding of energy and energy transformations. Through teacher-led lessons, classroom activities, experiments, and eLearn activities, students will explore how force, friction and motion are used to produce fire.
Students will learn about the deep ecological Knowledge that Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Peoples use to understand materials and their environment to successfully start a fire. Students will also make connections between these traditional practices and scientific concepts, including energy types, energy transfer, and energy transformations.
All educational materials are linked to the New South Wales (NSW) syllabus and Australian Curriculum (AC).
Use the diagram below to navigate your way through our resources.
Start with -> Example Teaching Sequence & Curriculum Links -> Context PowerPoint -> (optional) Student self-paced eLearn module -> Classroom Activities -> Experiments.
Cultural Sensitivity: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be aware that this module may contain images, voices and names of deceased persons. In some Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, hearing recordings, seeing images or the names of deceased persons may cause sadness or distress and in some cases, offend against strongly held cultural prohibitions.
Curriculum links
Australian Curriculum and syllabus connections
View how the fire-starting resources can be linked to key learning areas within the NSW syllabus and Australian Curriculum.
Australian Curriculum and Syllabus Links PDF (322 KB)
Australian Curriculum and Syllabus Links - accessible version TXT (5 KB)
Student and teacher resources
Example teaching sequence
This teaching sequence supports Year 8 teachers to deliver the fire-starting topic aligned to the NSW syllabus and the Australian Curriculum. Use this as a guide when planning lessons and structuring learning across the unit.
AC Example Teaching Sequence PDF (551 KB)
AC Example Teaching Sequence - accessible version TXT (18 KB)
NSW Example Teaching Sequence PDF (541 KB)
NSW Example Teaching Sequence - accessible version TXT (18 KB)
Context PowerPoint
This presentation provides background context for the fire-starting topic including an introduction to energy and energy transformations. Use it at the beginning of the unit sequence to build a foundational understanding of key concepts.
Fire-Starting Context PowerPoint PPTX (12 MB)
Classroom activities guide
This guide outlines a range of classroom activities to support students’ understanding of energy and energy transformations in relation to fire-starting. Use it to plan lessons to reinforce key ideas through discussion and hands-on learning.
Classroom Activities Guide PDF (2 MB)
Classroom Activities Guide - accessible version TXT (21 KB)
Experiment resources
To prepare for the fire-starting experiments, teachers should read the Teacher Experiment and Procedures Guide, which provides step-by-step instructions for conducting the experiments. The Equipment List and Hazard Management Guide outline the materials required and key safety considerations. Teachers should use this resource during planning and before any practical activities.
Begin lessons with the fire-starting Experiment PowerPoint, which guides students through the investigation process and provides visual support for the experiments. Students use the Student Experiment Procedure and Planners, which detail the step-by-step procedures and provide space for recording observations, analysis, and reflections. These should be used during the practical activities alongside the PowerPoint to support student learning.
Click the button below to download the Fire-starting Experiment Resources zip file, containing 4 experiment resource files.
Experiment Resources ZIP (17 MB)
Experiment Resources- accessible version ZIP (14 MB)
Student eLearn module
This interactive eLearn module supports students in building their understanding of fire-starting through videos and interactive activities. It is designed for students and can be used before, during or after the unit to introduce concepts, reinforce learning or support revision.
This self-paced online module for students will take approximately 45 minutes to complete.
Open the student module [Link will open in a new window]