TITLE OF UNIT

INQUIRY QUESTION / TITLE OF UNIT

The First Fleet - Why did the Europeans settle in Australia?

YEARDURATIONYEAR LEVEL

20138 weeksYear 3/4

FOCUS QUESTION/S Why did the Europeans settle in Australia? What was the nature and consequence of contact between Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Peoples and early traders, explorers and settlers?

AUSVELS

Achievement StandardsBy the end of Year 4, students explain how and why life changed in the past, and identify aspects of the past that remained the same. They describe the experiences of an individual or group over time. They recognise the significance of events in bringing about change.Students sequence events and people (their lifetime) in chronological order to identify key dates. They pose a range of questions about the past. They identify sources (written, physical, visual, oral), and locate information to answer these questions. They recognise different points of view. Students develop and present texts, including narratives, using historical terms.

Historical knowledge and understanding(content descriptors)The diversity and longevity of Australias first peoples and the ways Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples are connected to Country and Place (land, sea, waterways and skies) and the implications for their daily lives.The journey(s) of AT LEAST ONE world navigator, explorer or trader up to the late eighteenth century, including their contacts with other societies and any impacts. Stories of the First Fleet, including reasons for the journey, who travelled to Australia, and their experiences following arrival.The nature of contact between Aboriginal people and/or Torres Strait Islanders and others, for example, the Macassans and the Europeans, and the effects of these interactions on, for example families and the environment.

Historical SkillsYears 3 & 4Chronology, terms and concepts Sequence historical people and events. Use historical terms.

Historical questions and research Pose a range of questions about the past.

Analysis and use of sources Locate relevant information from sources provided.

Perspectives and interpretations Identify different points of view.

Explanation and communication Develop texts, particularly narratives. Use a range of communication modes (oral, graphic, written) and digital technologies.

Opportunities for Integration

LiteracyStudents apply literacy skills to explore, analyse and pose questions about historical sources such as letters, written records, interviews, paintings and drawings, maps, tables and timelines. They discuss and communicate historical information, concepts and ideas with their teacher and peers. They develop comprehension skills through listening to, reading and viewing historical texts. They create oral, written, visual and multimodal texts.

NumeracyStudents use mathematical knowledge and skills to organise and interpret information about historical events. They analyse numerical data to make meaning of the past, for example by reconstructing the scale of a First Fleet vessel. They use timelines to understand cause and effect. They use calendars and dates to interpret information about significant events from the past

ICT capabilityStudents use available technologies to access a range of digital information sources. They may communicate, present and represent their learning using digital tools.

Critical and Creative ThinkingStudents apply critical and creative thinking skills in clarifying historical concepts and ideas, generating possibilities, considering alternatives and solving problems. They pose questions about sources, interpret the past from incomplete documentation, draw conclusions from available evidence, and assess the reliability of sources.

Teaching and learning sequence

Activity 1 Life in 18th Century BritainWhat was life like in England 300 years ago?Activity 2 Crime and PunishmentHow were criminals punished in England in the 1700s?Activity 3: A flood of PrisonersHow was the problem of Englands overflowing prisons addressed?Activity 4: Setting SailWhat preparations were made for the eight-month sea voyage?Activity 5: The VoyageWhat would it have been like to travel on the First Fleet?Activity 6: The First FleetersWho were the people of the First Fleet?Activity 7: Strangers Come to StayWhat was the nature of contact between First Fleet settlers and Aboriginal people in the early days of colonisation?Activity 8: Survival in a New LandWhat was life like for people of the First Fleet in the new settlement?

Instructional Model

ENGAGE

Tuning In

Tuning in

Activity 1: Life in 18th century BritainFocus question: what was life like in England 250 years ago? Show students excerpts from the filmOliver Twist(2005 / Ronald Harwood, screenplay / Roman Polanski, director) to answer the question: What was life like in London at this time in history?Discuss living conditions for the poor in London, as depicted in the film. Why might many people have resorted to crime? How did those in authority deal with misbehaviour?

Discuss the value of this film as a 'historical source'. Ask students to suggest possible primary sources (drawings, letters, court records etc) that might provide more useful 'evidence' for further investigation of this topic. Students use theChronology(PDF, 104 KB) exercise to sequence events leading to British settlement in Australia, exploring cause and effect. Use the events shown in theChronology(PDF, 104 KB) exercise to create a classroom timeline.Assessment Can students identify relevant aspects of the film to answer the inquiry question? Can students explain a sequence of events based on likely cause and effect?

EXPLORE

Finding Out

Experiences to assist students to gather new information about the topic.

Activity 2: Crime and punishmentFocus question: how were criminals punished in England in the 1700s and 1800s? As a class, students examine theCase Study of John Walker.Share responses.What factors led to John Walker's crime of stealing onions?How do you feel about what John Walker did?What does the evidence tell you about the kind of person he was?What might happen to John Walker if he committed this crime today? In groups, students look at the list of convicts confined on the hulk,Censor: 1787-1788. Ask: What interesting evidence do you see? What do you think about the ages of the convicts? What do you notice about their crimes? What questions are raised? How do we get answers or more information?

Invite a solicitor or police officer from the school or local community to visit the classroom, to answer students' questions about the legal consequences of similar crimes in the present.Ideas for extension Students explore more prisoner records at theVictorian Crime and Punishmentwebsite. Use a variety of search parameters to investigate records and draw conclusions. Model use of a table to record data to assist with analysis and making generalisations.Assessment How well do students frame open-ended, probing questions for a guest expert? Are students able to record relevant data and draw valid conclusions from it? (Extension)

Activity 3: A flood of prisonersFocus question: how was the problem of England's overflowing prisons addressed? UsingImages of the prison hulks(PDF, 330 KB), ask students in groups to examine one or more images of prison hulks on the Thames. Then, ask them to useProbing the prison hulks(PDF, 164 KB) to record the results of their examination of these sources. Once finished, groups should report their findings to the class. Students explore the Port Cities web pagePrison Hulks on the River Thames. Ask:How does this information add to your understandings from the images?Where might this information have come from? Show students the handwritten recordReport of Convicts under Sentence of Transportation. Record any information that students can gather from this source. What questions do students have about the source? Using theSix hat thinking(PDF,142 KB) discussion guide, students explore and evaluate the sentence of 'transportation' as a solution to the prison situation.

Assessment Can students use the six hat thinking strategy to organise and improve their thinking process?

Activity 4: Setting sailFocus question: what preparations were made for the eight-month sea voyage? In groups, students usePreparations for the journey(PDF. 102 KB) to examine a primary source document, a letter regarding provision of the First Fleet. Model the deconstruction of unfamiliar language. For example, highlight significant phrases and transcribe them in more familiar terms. Circle unfamiliar words and use a dictionary to find their meaning. Ask:What do we know about this source?What does it tell us about the First Fleet?What questions could we ask to find out more? UsingPacking the Provisions(PDF, 112 KB), students examine the list of the livestock and provisions carried on the First Fleet, found online atFirst Fleet Fellowship. UsingShips of the First Fleet(PDF, 111 KB), students explore information about the 11 ships atFirst Fleet Fellowship

Assessment Can students use effective strategies to deconstruct unfamiliar language? Can students suggest appropriate categories to sort First Fleet provisions?

EXPLAIN

Sorting Out

Activities to assist students to process and work with the information and ideas they have gathered about the topic (including exploring values)

Activity 5: The voyageFocus question: what would it have been like to travel on one of the ships of the First Fleet? UsingReconstructing the voyage(PDF, 89 KB), students investigate how the First Fleet travelled to Australia from England and how long the journey took. Students reconstruct the size of some First Fleetpassenger ships using information fromShips of the First Fleet. Students mark the ships' dimensions outdoors to visualise the scale. Ask:How much space would have been available toeach person on board?What do we need to know to work this out?Students reflect on what this suggests about conditionson board. UsingFor the term of his natural life(PDF, 175 KB), students investigate a literary description of conditions on board a convict transport. (The language in the extract is demanding and this activity may need to be teacher-led or used as an extension activity.) UsingConvict voyages(PDF, 132 KB) andDaily routine(PDF, 156 KB), students examine two more sources about conditions on board ship for transported convicts.Students may also like to explore Google Earth's animation of the weather conditions for theFirst Fleet voyage

Assessment Can students compare and contrast evidence fromdifferent sources? Can students accurately and perceptively describe an experience from various points of view?

Activity 6: The First FleetersFocus question: who were the people of the First Fleet? Students sketch 'a typical convict' of the First Fleet. Encourage students to explain their thinking as they share their sketches. Students explore theFirst Fleet database.Ask students to perform 'Simple Searches' based on name or gender. Share any notable findings. Ask: What does this database tell us about the 'typical' convict of the First Fleet? Brainstorm questions, such as 'Who was the youngest First Fleet convict?' or 'How many First Fleet convicts were women?' Students use the database to answer as many questions as they can. Students revisit their sketch of a 'typical' convict. Discuss this in the light of their findings from the database. Using the three resourcesFirst Fleeters1(PDF, 167 KB),First Fleeters 2(PDF, 219 KB) andFirst Fleeters 3(PDF, 144 KB) along withFirst Fleeters discussion points(PDF, 100 KB), students examine and discuss three sources about the people of the First Fleet. Students could be provided with chart paper or sticky notes for recording questions and findings.Assessment Can students justify their image of a 'typical convict' based on current knowledge? Can students perform simple database searches and make sense of the results? Can students critically evaluate their initial drawings in the light of historical evidence?

ELABORATE

Going Further

Activities to challenge and extend. These may be in the form of further shared experiences, individual or group projects, etc.

Activity 7: Strangers come to stayFocus question: what was the nature of contact between First Fleet settlers and Aboriginal people in the early days of colonisation? Students examine theAboriginal languages map. According to this source, which language group would have observed the landing of the First Fleet? UsingFirst Australians 1(PDF, 115 KB) andFirst Australians 2(PDF, 134 KB), students explore the impact of the First Fleet's arrival on the local Aboriginal people.

UsingReading historical images(PDF, 182 KB), students examine images depicting contact between early settlers and local Aboriginal people:William Bradley's paintings 1(PDF, 535 KB)William Bradley's paintings 2(PDF, 527 KB)William Bradley's paintings 3(PDF, 495 KB)The images could be printed and displayed around the classroom.Groups could use sticky notes to record their findings.Students read notes from other groups and add their own observations and questions. (The State Library of New South Wales' Discover Collectionswebsite may provide students with useful background information on William Bradley.) As a class, students readExcerpt from the diary of Lieutenant Bradley. Model the deconstruction and analysis of this historical document. Ask:Who wrote this account and for what purpose?What events are described here?Why might another person describe the events differently?What does this account reveal about contacts between settlers and Aboriginal people?Assessment Can students identify evidence of the success and productivity of Aboriginal peoples in Australia throughout their long history? Can students understand and explain the Indigenous perspective on the landing and settlement of the First Fleet? Do students demonstrate an awareness of potential bias in illustrations or written accounts?Activity 8: Survival in a 'new' landFocus question: what was life like for the people of the First Fleet in the new settlement? Have students explore the interactive image of William Bradley's journal,A Voyage To New South Wales. Ask:Why did Bradley keep this journal?What might we learn from it?How might our understanding of these events be limited if we examined only this source? UsingThe arrival according to Bradley(PDF, 149 KB) students explore one account of the arrival of the First Fleet. Have students examineTimeline of rations for the new settlement, 1788-1790.Ask:Why might these records have been kept?What does this source reveal about life for the new settlers? Have students examine the imageView in Port Jackson, depicting Eora people fishing from boats. Contrast the food shortages in the First Fleet settlement with the lives of Eora, who had been thriving in this land for a very long time. Ask: What could these first settlers have learned from the local Eora people? UsingTalking about historical documents(PDF, 174 KB), students examine the following primary sources from the new settlement:Documents from the first settlement 1(PDF, 119 KB)Documents from the first settlement 2(PDF, 91 KB)Documents from the first settlement 3(PDF, 116 KB)If student groups experience difficulty with the language, model an approach to deconstruction for the class.Assessment Can students recognise and describe a different perspective on an event or circumstance? Can students suggest possible consequences of actions and events? Can students generate possible solutions to problems experienced in the First Fleet settlement?

EVALUATE

Making Conclusions

Taking Action

Activities to pull it all together, to assist students to demonstrate what they have learned and reflect on their learning. Includes a plan for built in rich assessment tasks throughout the inquiryActivities to link theory to practice. To empower children to act on what they have learned and make links to their daily lives.

Activity 9: The life of a First Fleet ConvictUse the Sydney Living Museum Resources to immerse students in the daily life of First Fleet convicts. http://www.hht.net.au/education Use the A Convicts Story website as a resource for students to use for their investigation.Have students take part in the virtual excursion A Convicts Story http://www.hht.net.au/education/videoconferencing

After visiting the virtual Hyde Park Barracks to learn about the life of convicts in early Sydney, students will then develop a number of questions to frame an inquiry on a First Fleet convict over a two week period. They will be given access to online resources, material provided by Hyde Park Barracks and access to the 1828 census. They will also be required to indicate how they found out about their chosen convict and his or her life and to comment on aspects of his or her life that remained the same.(See ACARA Year 4 History portfolio for an example of this task http://www.acara.edu.au/curriculum/worksamples/AC_Worksample_History_4.pdf )

AssessmentLearning outcomeStudents will develop historical inquiry skills by investigating historical sources relating to the First Fleet. They will produce written, dramatic, graphic or digital presentations based on evidence from their examination of sources. In class and group discussions, they will demonstrate an understanding of empathy, perspectives and cause and effect.Formative assessmentSuggestions for formative assessment and gathering of evidence of student learning are outlined within each activity in the lesson sequence.Students could keep a learning journal in which they write or record observations, understandings, personal reflections and questions for further investigation following each history lesson. At key points in the lesson sequence, students could write a short narrative or description of a significant character or event based on historical evidence they have examined.Summative assessmentAt key points in the lesson sequence, teachers may ask students to develop one or more of their learning journal narratives as a polished presentation for summative assessment and sharing oflearning. For example, students could prepare and record a multimodal presentation about the First Fleet. This might be an individual or small group task, or a collaborative project with students contributing various parts to a class presentation.Individual / Pair / Triad suggestion: Students compile a notebook throughout the lesson sequence, recording their understandings after each lesson.

Resources- What resources will you need/ did you use during the inquiry?

Online resources for further investigations http://members.iinet.net.au/~perthdps/convicts/index.htmlNationalhttp://www.convictrecords.com.au/

http://www.convictrecords.com.au/factsAustralian Capital Territory

http://www.canberrahistoryweb.com/convicts.htmNew South Wales

http://www.records.nsw.gov.au/state-archives/indexes- online/indexes-to-convict-records

http://www.records.nsw.gov.au/state-archives/research- topics/convicts

http://www.jenwilletts.com/index.htm

http://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/research_guides/convicts/index.htmlQueensland

http://www.archives.qld.gov.au/Researchers/Indexes/Convicts/Pages /default.aspx

http://www.slq.qld.gov.au/resources/family-history/info- guides/convictsSouth Australia

http://www.jaunay.com/convicts.htmlTasmania

http://portal.archives.tas.gov.au/menu.aspx?search=11

http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~austas/contas.htm

http://www.linc.tas.gov.au/tasmaniasheritage/popular/convictsVictoria

http://prov.vic.gov.au/research/prisoners-and-convictsWestern Australia

http://www.sro.wa.gov.au/archive-collection/collection/convict- recordsFirst Fleet

http://home.vicnet.net.au/~firstff/

http://firstfleet.uow.edu.au/index.html

http://members.iinet.net.au/~perthdps/convicts/res-03.html

http://www.australianhistory.org/landing

Suggested literature resourcesNanberry: Black Brother White, Jackie French, Harper CollinsThis title contains some content that may not be suitable for the year level. It is strongly recommended that the teacher select excerpts to read aloud to the students.Tom Appleby, convict boy, Jackie French, Harper CollinsThe Little Wooden Horse, Mark Wilson, Windy Hollow BooksAn Uncommonly Fine Day January 26, 1788, John Anthony King, CollinsGrim Crims and Convicts 1788-1820 (Fair Dinkum Histories S.), Jackie French, Scholastic AustraliaThe letters of Rosie O'Brien : a convict in the colony of New South Wales, 1804, Kate Walker & illustrated by Paul Borg, Ashton/BookshelfSongman, Allan Baillie, Penguin Books Trubbs Gift, Garry Hurle, Scholastic AustraliaThe Castaways Of Hells Gates adapted by Sue Phillipps, iIllustrated by Murray Frederick, Angus & RobertsonBased on an episode from Marcus Clarkes For the Term of His Natural Life.Booran: A Tale of Early Australia, M J Unwin, Jacaranda PressThe Boy From the Hulks, Barbara Yates Rothwell, Trafford Publishing

Suggested history resourcesDiscovering History Middle Primary: Teacher Resource Book, Jennifer Lawless & Kate Cameron, PearsonFirst Fleet: The Voyage, Liz FlahertyFirst Fleet: First Fleeters, Liz FlahertyFirst Fleet: Life in 18th Century England, Liz Flaherty First Fleet: Life in the Colony, Liz FlahertyFirst Peoples: Early Contact, Liz FlahertyAll published by PearsonRigby Blueprints Middle Primary Unit B3 Beginnings. Published by Pearson. Suggested Topic Book titles: Eliza Bird: child convict, Kerri LanePatch Parker: son of a convict, Kay CrabbeThe First Australians, Marji Hill Francis Greenway, Denise Ryan