1998 Mohammed

A young boy with curly hair stands confidently while holding a cricket ball in one hand and gesturing with the other. He wears a light blue polo shirt, navy shorts, and black shoes, with a backpack slung over one shoulder.

Mohammed is a mad-keen bowler, desperate to join his new school’s cricket team. When no places are available, he joins the girls’ team, who turn out to be the better side. He learns about inclusion, strength, and challenging stereotypes.

1990s Decade Overview

The 1990s were a decade of reform, resilience, and reckoning. Australia grappled with its identity and place in the world.

1992: The High Court’s Mabo Decision overturned the myth of terra nullius, recognising native title and the Meriam people’s connection to land.
1996: The Port Arthur Massacre led to sweeping gun reforms under the National Firearms Agreement.
1997: The Bringing Them Home report documented the trauma of the Stolen Generations, prompting calls for reconciliation.
1999: Australia voted in a referendum to remain a constitutional monarchy, rejecting the move to become a republic.

First Nations Focus: Students can explore the impact of the Mabo Decision and the Bringing Them Home report, and how these shaped national conversations about justice and belonging.

Inquiry Sprint

Provocation Question

How do our passions, and those we inherit, shape who we become?

Tuning In

Watch Clip 1: The Ball of the Century

Clip description: Mohammed and his father discuss playing soccer, but Mohammed is not convinced he wants to take up the sport. His grandmother replays Shane Warne bowling a leg break to English batsman Mike Gatting during the 1993 Ashes series. They discuss the 'Magnus effect', which causes the ball to spin.

Watch Clip 2: Discrimination

Clip description: Mohammed and Danielle are discussing the fact that she can't play on the boys' cricket team. While Mohammed and his family are moving into the new house, Michaelis and Omar discuss why playing cricket is more important than playing soccer, which leads to a play-off for the rent money.

Reflect on the provocation and explore Mohammed’s experience of joining the girls’ cricket team. Through discussion and visual mapping, identify prior knowledge about inclusion, identity, and cultural expectations.

As a class, discuss the following questions:

What does belonging look like in a new environment?
What pressures is Mohammed facing?
How have gender roles in sport changed over time?

In small groups, show your thinking about inclusion, identity and cultural expectations by creating one of the following:

Belonging Collage (images and words)
Identity Venn Diagram (self vs. family expectations

Finding Out

Watch Clip 3: Ramadan

Clip description: Mohammed's family is moving into their new house, owned by Michaelis. It is nearing Ramadan and at mealtime the family is discussing whether Mohammed can participate this year.

Explore Mohammed’s spiritual and cultural practices. Reflect on the values expressed in family traditions and investigate the significance of Ramadan and fasting. Compare these with First Nations ceremonies such as Sorry Day or Smoking Ceremony.

In pairs, discuss and research the following:

What does it mean to take part in something bigger than yourself?
How does Mohammed feel about being included in the tradition?
The meaning of Ramadan and cultural rituals across communities.

Write a paragraph: “A tradition I connect with and why” from your research notes.

Sorting Out

Compare the cultural celebrations of NAIDOC and Eid using a Venn diagram.

As a class, reflect on the responses included in the Venn Diagrams and discuss the following questions:

What assumptions are being made?

What patterns am I noticing?

Going Further

Explore Mohammed’s relationships with his family and peers, examining how cultural expectations shape behaviour. Connect his story to broader ideas and stories on identity and belonging.

What voices are missing from the conversation?
How do these stories of cultural tension and emotional growth connect to my own?
Create a storyboard: “A moment I felt included”

Making Conclusions

Reflect on Mohammed’s emotional journey and the impact of his choices. Synthesise your learning through personal reflections and consider how belonging is shaped by courage, culture, and community.

Re-watch Clip 1 and reflect on your own emotional journey, identifying key takeaways about inclusion and respect.

Compose two journal entries, guided by the following questions:

What have I learned about identity and courage?
How have my ideas changed?

Taking Action

Create

Apply your learning by choosing how you might take action by co-designing a class initiative to celebrate diversity and inclusion. Where appropriate, engage with local cultural leaders or community events.

Explore real-world stories of cultural pride and leadership, to discuss the following questions:

How can I honour my identity and others’?
What actions show respect across cultures?

Express your responses by:

Creating a personal manifesto to share as a monologue
Performing a cultural expression piece (as a class or small groups) using visual arts, drama or music.

Australian Curriculum Links

Year	Content Description	CCP Integration
Year 3	AC9HS3K02 Significance of celebrations and commemorations in Australia	Explore community inclusion and multicultural contributions
Year 3	AC9HS3K01 Causes and effects of changes to the local community	Investigate how people from diverse backgrounds shape belonging
Year 4	AC9HS4K01 The role of shaping individuals, events and groups in shaping communities	Recognise First Nations contributions to shared values
Year 5	AC9HS5K02 Causes and effects of change in Australian society	Explore shifts in gender equality and cultural visibility
Year 6	AC9HSK01 Democratic values and processes in Australia	Link inclusion and fairness to civic decision-making

Year	Content Description	CCP Integration
Year 3	AC9E3LE01 Personal responses to texts, characters and events	Connect Mohammed’s experience to empathy and fairness
Year 4	AC9E4LY06 Create persuasive texts on social topics	Promote inclusion and respect through student voice
Year 5	AC9E5LE01 Analyse character motivations and emotional depth	Explore belonging and resilience in narrative form
Year 6	AC9E6LE01 Intertextuality and context	Challenge stereotypes and discuss respectful representation

Country/Place
Mohammed’s story presents an opportunity to explore how different cultural groups maintain meaningful connections to place. Teachers can invite students to reflect on how community spaces—such as mosques, parks, and neighbourhoods—serve as sites of belonging and cultural identity, similar to First Nations connections to Country.

Culture
Encourage comparisons between Mohammed’s family traditions and First Nations expressions of culture, focusing on storytelling, family rituals, and shared celebrations. This fosters a respectful recognition of cultural strength and diversity across communities.

People
Facilitate discussions around cultural leadership and lived experience. Highlight the importance of Elders in First Nations cultures and draw parallels with intergenerational wisdom in Mohammed’s community. Link to themes of inclusion and mutual respect across cultures.

Asia and its Diversity
Mohammed’s experience as a Muslim boy navigating Australian life opens pathways to explore Asian cultural diversity. Episodes featuring Ramadan, Family Dinner, and Cricket help illustrate personal traditions within broader Asian-Australian identity.

Achievements and Contributions of Asian Peoples
Use Mohammed’s fascination with sport and science to discuss how Asian cultures have contributed to Australian life. Connect learning to examples from broader society, highlighting achievements in areas like education, innovation, and community leadership.

Additional Resources

Episode Stills

A group of ten young cricketers stands on a grassy field, wearing white cricket uniforms. A boy holds a cricket ball, while another girl displays a bat and gloves, with smiles on their faces as they pose together in bright sunlight.

The girls' team.

A diverse group of six people poses together in front of a house. The scene features three adults, two girls, and a boy, with the young children dressed in colorful clothing. The adults appear to be smiling and relaxed, while a woman stands in the background, looking on from the porch. The setting includes a well-kept yard and decorative plants.

Mohammed's Family.

Two children stand on a path by a fenced area near a body of water. A girl in a pink tracksuit holds a cricket bat, while a boy in a blue shirt and shorts holds a cricket ball and has a backpack on.

Mohammed and Danielle.

A group of children in white cricket uniforms celebrate joyfully in a grassy field, with two kids running towards the camera, arms raised in excitement. In the background, onlookers and players watch the celebration, highlighting a vibrant atmosphere of sport and camaraderie.

Mohmmed taking a wicket.

Two smiling young players wearing cricket helmets stand side by side, showcasing their enthusiasm for the sport. They are dressed in white shirts, and the background features a lush green field.

Mohmmed and Danielle.

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