Voyage to the Pacific

• This is an excellent resource for the Polynesian expansion across the Pacific depth study and for the Historical skills strand in the year 8 history curriculum. It concentrates on the content description in the depth study that refers to theories about the origin and spread of Polynesian settlers throughout the Pacific, providing a comprehensive range of sources not only for the topic but also for student use in developing their historical skills. The skills emphasised connect closely to content descriptions about using information from a range of sources as evidence, drawing conclusions about their usefulness, identifying the points of view they contain, and developing explanations using evidence.
• Alternatively, the resource, particularly its second and third activities, is of considerable value for the Investigating the ancient past depth study in the year 7 history curriculum. It provides a fascinating context for content descriptions that refer to how historians and archaeologists investigate history, the range of sources that can be used in an historical investigation, and the methods and sources used to investigate a historical controversy that has challenged historians or archaeologists.
• The range of student activities in the unit of work helps students' development of a number of the general capabilities, particularly Literacy and Critical and creative thinking. They are especially relevant to the organising elements of comprehending texts through listening, reading and viewing, and composing texts through speaking, writing and creating in Literacy and to the inquiring - identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas element in Critical and creative thinking.

7; 8