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Listed under:  History  >  World history  >  Australian history
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Mary Watson and the Sea Cucumber Tank

These four activities are contextualised by the stories told about an iron tank, acquired by Queensland Museum in 1882. This tank tells the stories of the Dingaal Aboriginal people and of European settlers; it also highlights the impacts of colonisation.

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Magna Carta - Is it a part of your life today?

This unit of work consists of five classroom activities that introduce students to the Magna Carta, or Great Charter that describes the civil liberties granted by King John of England in 1215. The activities explore the key concepts established in the Magna Carta, including the rule of law and the parliamentary system of ...

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Work sample Year 6 HASS F-6: Australia’s Federation

This work sample demonstrates evidence of student learning in relation to aspects of the achievement standards for Year 6 HASS F-6. The primary purpose for the work sample is to demonstrate the standard, so the focus is on what is evident in the sample not how it was created. The sample is an authentic representation of ...

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Work sample Year 5 HASS F-6: Establishment of a new colony

This work sample demonstrates evidence of student learning in relation to aspects of the achievement standards for Year 5 HASS F-6. The primary purpose for the work sample is to demonstrate the standard, so the focus is on what is evident in the sample not how it was created. The sample is an authentic representation of ...

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Banjo Morton: the untold story

In 1949, after many years of being paid only in rations, Banjo Morton and seven other Alyawarra men decided they wanted proper wages for their work as stockmen and station hands at the Lake Nash cattle station in the Northern Territory. They walked off in protest. This rich media site records the history of that protest ...

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Eureka: Protest, riot, rebellion or revolution?

This unit of work consists of four activities that examine the causes and consequences of the 1854 Eureka Rebellion. The activities include a decision-making exercise through which students consider the rebellion from the point of view of the diggers and the realities of life on the goldfields. A short video provides background ...

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Hey History Episode 4: Gold fever

What were the Gold Rushes? Why did people from all over the world get ‘gold fever’? What was life like on the Ballarat goldfields of Victoria, on Wada Wurrung Country? With so many different groups of people, how did everyone get along? Did First Nations people mine gold too? What was the Eureka Stockade? How did the Gold ...

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Hey History Episode 3: Convict kids

Why did kids get transported from Britain to Australia? What were their crimes? Did they miss their families? What was life like as a convict in Van Dieman’s Land, an open air prison on Palawa land? Students from Princes Street Primary School in Hobart tell us what they know about convict kids. Find out more about the ...

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Hey History Episode 2: First meetings at Kamay Botany Bay

In 1770, Captain Cook got secret instructions to find the ‘Great South Land’ and subsequently The Endeavour sailed into Kamay Botany Bay, the land of the Gweagal people. How did the Gweagal people meet Captain Cook and his crew? How did they communicate? What happened over the eight days that Captain Cook stayed in Botany ...

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Electricity Brings Prosperity

In this activity, students use visual and written stimulus to imagine what life was like at the turn of the 20th century, when electricity was introduced into our lives for the first time. Students firstly consider and reflect on an electrical advertisement from the early 20th century. They then develop an understanding ...

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BTN: The Australian constitution

A constitution is a set of rules that describe how a country should be run. What does the Australian Constitution contain rules about? When was it mostly written?

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BTN: Young drovers: reviving a proud tradition

Did you know that Aboriginal pastoral workers were the backbone of the wealthy Australian cattle industry, but that until 1968 they were never paid an equal wage? Find out what it took for these stockworkers with valuable work skills to achieve equal pay. Watch, too, how some Aboriginal students in the Roper Gulf country ...

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Welcome to Bonegilla Migrant Camp

Following World War II, the Australian government was eager to increase the country’s population. The war reminded Australians that their small population would not withstand an enemy invasion. Further, a larger workforce was needed to develop the postwar economy. European people, many displaced by the war and the spread ...

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Australian Constitution in focus

The Australian Constitution is the legal framework for how Australia is governed. This article explores in detail the history of the Constitution, its key features and the High Court’s role in interpreting it. The page describes processes for amending the Constitution including through referendum as well as two case studies ...

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Significant Individuals - Frank Hurley

In this learning activity, students explore the work of James Francis 'Frank' Hurley and his photographic documentation of historical events. These include the Antarctic expeditions of Mawson and Shackleton, World War I and World War II. Students use primary source material and their own research to prepare an interview ...

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Repat and Rabbits: WW1 soldier settlement in the ACT

This site provides a collection of documents, guides and information to support research on the Australia's Soldier Settlement Scheme that was implemented the end of World War 1. Soldier Settlement Schemes were established in all states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), now the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). ...

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Ben Chifley's Australia, 2008

This clip is an excerpt from the documentary 'Infamous victory: Ben Chifley's battle for coal', produced in 2008. This documentary about coal, communism and the Australian Labor prime minister who went to war against his own during the national miners' strike of 1949 is a Screen Australia Making History production, made ...

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Environmental and Zoo Education Centres – primary school resources

A collection of digital resources for primary school teachers and students to support teaching and learning from home, with a particular focus on geography, science and history. The resources were developed by Department of Education teachers from 25 Environmental and Zoo Education Centres in NSW and include Google Sites, ...

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Journeys to Australia

This unit presents a learning sequence for Year 6 students to develop their historical inquiry skills by investigating the key immigration policies and programs Australia has implemented, identifying a range of reasons for migration, highlighting key events from post Federation to present day.

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What house is that?

This is an interactive streetscape of nine houses, each from a different era and of different styles. They represent the nine main housing styles in Victoria. Information about each of the houses includes: features and style; the Architect; designers; historical observations; house owners; and general social history of ...