Museum catalogue: Australia’s federation
Summary of task
Students were provided with a collection of printed and digital images depicting people, places and events from the Australian colonies at the end of the nineteenth century. They were asked to make a selection from this collection for inclusion in a new Museum of Australia’s Federation and to create the sample pages for the catalogue published to mark the museum’s opening. Students were required to research each selected person, place or event and write an explanation of its importance for Australia’s past and present. They used a teacher-created template as the basis for the catalogue pages. The task was completed in class over five 50-minute lessons and included time to plan, draft, edit and word-process the final text.
Achievement standard
By the end of Year 6, students explain the significance of an event/development, an individual or group. They identify and describe continuities and changes for different groups in the past. They describe the causes and effects of change on society. They compare the experiences of different people in the past.
Students sequence information about events and the lives of individuals in chronological order and represent time by creating timelines. When researching, students develop appropriate questions to frame a historical inquiry. They identify a range of primary and secondary sources and locate, collect, organise and categorise relevant information to answer inquiry questions. They analyse information or sources for evidence to determine their origin and purpose and to identify different perspectives. Students develop texts, particularly narrative recounts and descriptions. In developing these texts and organising and presenting their information, they use historical terms and concepts, and incorporate relevant sources.
By the end of Year 6, students explain the role and importance of people, institutions, and processes to Australia’s democracy and legal system. They describe the rights and responsibilities of Australian citizens and the obligations they may have as global citizens.
Students develop appropriate questions to frame an investigation about the society in which they live. They locate, collect and organise useful information from a range of different sources to answer these questions. They examine sources to determine their origin and purpose and describe different perspectives. They evaluate information to draw conclusions. When planning for action, they identify different points of view and solutions to an issue. They reflect on their learning to identify the ways they can participate as citizens in the school or elsewhere. They present ideas, findings, viewpoints and conclusions in a range of communication forms that incorporate source materials and civics and citizenship terms and concepts.
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Annotations
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Learning Area
Describes the development of Australia’s identity -
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Subject - Civics and Citizenship
Describes the development of Australia’s identity -
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Learning Area
Creates a timeline of events in late nineteenth century Australian history -
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Subject - History
Creates a timeline of events in late nineteenth century Australian history
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Annotations
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Learning Area
Chooses an image to represent an event from Australia’s past -
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Subject - History
Chooses an image to represent an event from Australia’s past -
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Learning Area
Describes an event from Australia’s past using simple text structures -
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Subject - History
Describes an event from Australia’s past using simple text structures
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Annotations
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Learning Area
Chooses an image of a place associated with the development of Australia’s democracy -
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Subject - Civics and Citizenship
Chooses an image of a place associated with the development of Australia’s democracy -
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Learning Area
Describes a place and its connection to Australia’s democracy using simple text structures -
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Subject - Civics and Citizenship
Describes a place and its connection to Australia’s democracy using simple text structures
