Shifting Ground, together with a National Portrait Gallery educator, invites Kindergarten to Year 2 students to take part in a gentle, interactive 30-minute online session celebrating the 2026 NAIDOC theme, 50 Years of Deadly. This theme celebrates 50 years of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leadership, courage, creativity and community strength.
Designed with Shifting Ground, this early‑primary program uses culturally informed, age‑appropriate storytelling to help young learners connect with big ideas in simple and meaningful ways.
Students will be guided to look closely at a small selection of portraits that show the strength, kindness, creativity and deadly excellence of First Nations people over the last 50 years. Each portrait helps children explore ideas including identity, community, looking after each other and learning from Elders and leaders.
Throughout the session, students will be guided through:
- structured discussion and visual analysis
- age‑appropriate critical and creative thinking prompts
- hands‑on activities.
These activities are designed to build children’s confidence in listening, sharing and understanding different stories. The session encourages young learners to recognise the achievements of First Nations peoples and to think about how they, too, can help care for community in the future.
About Shifting Ground
Shifting Ground is a First Nations‑owned and led education consultancy that engages teachers and schools in learning about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, histories and ways of knowing. They create learning that is culturally safe, respectful and connected to community, supporting educators to teach in ways that honour First Nations knowledge and storytelling.
Their partnership ensures this early‑primary program is guided by strong cultural advice, thoughtful teaching practice and the values at the heart of 50 Years of Deadly.
Together, Shifting Ground and the National Portrait Gallery invite young students to celebrate five decades of deadly culture, leadership and community strength and to imagine the bright future today’s children will help shape.
Curriculum Connections
Learning areas: The Arts – Visual Arts
General capabilities: Creative and Critical Thinking
Cross-curriculum priorities: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures
Materials
Please ensure each student has access to paper and pencils for the drawing activities.
