Why Educators Use This Program
Many educators want to teach children about nature and sustainability. However, Aboriginal cultural knowledge offers a deeper perspective about how people live respectfully with the environment.
Gather, Hunt and Heal helps educators:
— introduce bush foods and native plants in culturally appropriate ways
— explore Aboriginal knowledge of bush medicine and healing plants
— teach children about animals, ecosystems and natural habitats
— introduce traditional gathering and foraging practices
— guide conversations about caring for land and environment
Consequently, educators can embed First Nations environmental knowledge while supporting early childhood learning about nature.
Structured Lessons Across the Term
The program provides a sequence of educator-guided lessons delivered throughout the school term.
Lessons explore themes such as:
— weaving and storytelling using natural materials
— learning about bees and pollinators
— bush foods and native edible plants
— bush medicine and healing plants
— mangrove ecosystems and coastal environments
— animals that live between land and water
— foraging knowledge from beach and sea environments
— seasonal knowledge connected to land and sea
Each lesson builds on previous learning while helping students understand how Aboriginal communities cared for the land and used natural resources responsibly.
Term 3 — Gather, Hunt and Heal
A Full-Term First Nations Learning Program for Kindy Classrooms
Gather, Hunt and Heal is a comprehensive Kindy term program that introduces young learners to Aboriginal knowledge of food gathering, bush medicine and caring for Country. The program helps children explore how Aboriginal peoples understood plants, animals and ecosystems while living sustainably with the land.
Rather than presenting isolated nature activities, this program delivers a structured term of learning aligned with early childhood curriculum outcomes. Through storytelling, observation, cultural discussions and creative exploration, students begin to understand how Aboriginal communities gathered food, used plants for healing and cared for their environments.
As a result, children develop curiosity about nature while learning that Aboriginal knowledge systems hold deep environmental wisdom.
What Students Will Explore
Throughout the term, students explore how Aboriginal communities gathered food and cared for the land.
Topics explored in the program include:
— gathering bush foods from woodland environments
— understanding native plants and bush medicines
— the role of bees and insects in caring for Country
— traditional knowledge about plants, fruits and natural resources
— mangrove ecosystems and coastal environments
— animals and food sources from land and sea
— seasonal knowledge connected to different environments
These experiences help children understand that Aboriginal peoples developed deep knowledge of plants, animals and ecosystems through thousands of years of observation.
Learning Through Nature and Culture
Students explore nature through storytelling, cultural knowledge and creative activities. Lessons introduce different environments including bushland, woodlands, mangroves and coastal areas.
Through these experiences, children begin to understand that Aboriginal peoples learned from nature and developed knowledge about plants, animals and seasons that supported sustainable living.
Designed to Support Educators
Gather, Hunt and Heal provides educators with structured teaching materials and cultural guidance.
Educators receive:
— a complete term program with sequenced lessons
— educator background reading explaining cultural context
— structured lesson plans and classroom activities
— videos and supporting cultural resources
— quizzes and learning checkpoints
— downloadable teaching materials
These resources help educators confidently deliver First Nations learning in early childhood classrooms.
Optional Yarn and Learn Cultural Support
Schools may also choose the Yarn and Learn program option, which provides additional cultural support for educators delivering the program.
This option allows educators to deepen their cultural understanding and strengthen confidence when embedding First Nations learning in the classroom.
Further details are provided within the course for participating educators.
Program Options
Gather, Hunt and Heal — Kindy Term Program
Complete term program with educator resources and structured lesson plans.
Course Price:
$1500 + GST
Gather, Hunt and Heal — Including Yarn and Learn
Full term program plus optional Yarn and Learn cultural support for educators.
Course Price:
$2130 + GST
Begin Teaching First Nations Learning with Confidence
Help Kindy students explore bush foods, nature and cultural knowledge of gathering and healing on Country.
