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Afloat Front Cover

Afloat

(9781760505899)

Written by Kirli Saunders

Illustrated by Freya Blackwood

Published by Little Hare Books

Theme/topic: Culture, First Nations Culture, Identity, Producing, Sustainability, and Weaving

The book is a poetic and reflective story that gently explores connection to Country, identity, and community through the metaphor of water and weaving. Rooted in Aboriginal perspectives, the text provides a meaningful opportunity to learn about weaving as a cultural practice that strengthens identity and builds unity within community (AC9HP2P01 – Years 1 and 2, Health and Physical Education).

The story also opens conversations around sustainability and traditional knowledge, showing how weaving products are crafted from native plants found in local environments (AC9TDE2K01, AC9TDE2K03 – Years 1 and 2, Design and Technologies). By recognising the environmental sources and cultural significance of materials, Afloat supports an appreciation for First Nations practices and their role in caring for Country.

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Curriculum Alignment:

  • These AC codes are suggested purely based on the book’s content and are provided for reference only.

AC9HP2P01 9.0 (Health and Physical Education Year 1,Year 2): Describe their personal qualities and those of others, and explain how they contribute to developing identities

• describing the personal qualities of characters in stories and how they are similar to and different from their own
• describing how belonging to First Nations Australian cultural groups contributes to identities
• exploring examples of cultural practices, including those of Australians of Asian heritage, that recognise the contributions of family and friends to identities
• explaining how personal and cultural identities are influenced by the groups and communities to which we belong
• describing personal achievements and sharing how they felt and how it influenced their personal identities

AC9TDE2K01 9.0 (Design and Technologies Year 1,Year 2): Identify how familiar products, services and environments are designed and produced by people to meet personal or local community needs and sustainability

• exploring how First Nations Australians have long understood their dependence on living systems to meet their local and community needs, for example exploring the material culture of the Ngarrindjeri Peoples who sustainably make woven items from a grass-like sedge
• exploring how particular services meet different needs of people in the community, for example describing why doctors provide medical care to people in many ways including by phone, video conference, plane, car or outdoor clinic
• asking questions about the design of a range of shelters provided for the public and how they meet the needs of people in the community, for example the structures of a school or local sportsground or how to improve accessibility
• exploring how local products are designed, for example brainstorming the materials and processes needed to create a costume for a school or community event including using recycled clothing or components to minimise waste
• exploring how people come up with new ideas or modify existing designs, for example preventing water wastage when caring for plants

AC9TDE2K03 9.0 (Design and Technologies Year 1,Year 2): Explore how plants and animals are grown for food, clothing and shelter

• exploring how First Nations Australians grow plants and animals for food, for example how land is transformed through the construction of terraces at Wagadagam on Mabuiag Island in the Torres Strait, or how the Kombumerri Peoples of South East Queensland developed an important aquaculture industry farming mangrove worms

• identifying which plants and animals can provide food or materials for clothing and shelter, for example looking at a range of items and sorting them according to plant or animal source

• exploring where plants and animals are grown for food, clothing and shelter in Australia, for example citrus fruit in South Australia; cotton in New South Wales, which is harvested and made into yarn and fabric for clothing; or timber for building homes from sustainable forests in Tasmania

• identifying products that can be designed and produced from plants and animals, for example food products, paper and wood products, fabrics and yarns

• considering a range of tools and equipment that can be used to grow plants for a purpose and their suitability, for example naming and describing tools such as a spade or rake used to cultivate or mulch a home vegetable garden, or equipment such as a seed spreader or global positioning system (GPS) tractor to sow wheat, or a tubestock planting tool and drones to manage forestry plantations

Afloat is a lyrical and visually rich book that gently immerses students in First Nations perspectives through the traditional practice of weaving. This poetic narrative opens a doorway for meaningful learning in both Design and Technologies and Health and Physical Education, offering deep cultural insight and authentic Australian Curriculum connections.

Health and Physical Education

  • AC9HP2P01 (Year 1/2): Afloat beautifully illustrates how cultural practices contribute to First Nations identities and community wellbeing. Weaving is presented not just as an artform, but as a living tradition that connects generations. Through the gentle narrative, students begin to understand how engaging in cultural practices like weaving fosters belonging, pride, and personal strength. Teachers can use this as a way to discuss how traditions are carried forward, how wisdom is passed down, and how culture continues to thrive across time. This supports respectful classroom conversations about diversity, resilience, and the importance of community and identity.

Design and Technologies

  • AC9TDE2K01 (Year 1/2): Afloat invites students to explore how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples design and produce woven products to meet functional needs and support sustainability. The book gently introduces weaving as a purposeful practice tied to living on and with Country. Through the story, students learn that weaving is not only creative but also deeply practical and used to carry, hold, or protect. Teachers can build on this by discussing the significance of design for purpose, encouraging students to reflect on how cultural designs are shaped by environment and necessity.
  • AC9TDE2K03 (Year 1/2): The book also supports learning about products made from native plants, providing context for understanding where materials come from and how they are processed. Through richly illustrated scenes, students are introduced to natural resources like bark and grasses, prompting inquiry into what plants are used for weaving, where they grow, and how they are harvested respectfully. This allows students to trace the journey from plant to product and appreciate the ecological knowledge embedded in First Nations practices.

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