Applicable for use in nsw curriculum, Stage 3 (Year 6) and Australian Curriculum: History Written by Kerry Moyst

What was WWI and what was its significance for Australia?

Teacher elicits student knowledge of WWI.

Teacher gives out Worksheet 1 (one to each student) and students work in groups of 3–4 to complete Column 1. (Try to include at least one student who demonstrated some knowledge of the war in each group.)

Students read Text 1 and complete Column 2 of Worksheet 1.

Students determine which questions are not answered by
Text 1 (Questions 4, 6, 7, 8, 11 and 12).

In pairs, students search the internet to find answers to the questions not answered by Text 1.

• 
  Use historical terms and concepts (ACHHS099) (ACHHS118)
  
• 
  Sequence historical people and events (ACHHS098) (ACHHS117)
  
• 
  Locate information relevant to inquiry questions in a range of sources (ACHHS102) (ACHHS121)
  
• 
  Compare information from a range of sources (ACHHS103) (ACHHS122)
  
• 
  Identify and locate a range of relevant sources to support an historical inquiry (ACHHS101) (ACHHS120)
  

• 
  Describes and explains the significance of people, groups, places and events to the development of Australia (HT3-1)
  
• 
  Applies a variety of skills of historical inquiry and communication (HT3-5)
  

What was life like for Australia’s under-18s before the war?

Teacher elicits student ideas about pre-war life for Australia’s under-18s.

Students read Text 2 (about life for children in Sydney in the pre-WWI period).

Discuss Text 2 in small groups:

How was life for children different then? In what ways was it similar to now?

View a selection of photos of Qld and NSW children during the pre-WWI period.

View a selection of photos of children from New South Wales and Queensland during the pre-WWI period:

What does each photo show us about life for children in the pre-war years?

The text mentioned differences between the lives of children from working class and middle class families. Do you think you can see any of these differences in the photos?

What differences can you see between life for children in the rural areas compared to urban areas such as Sydney and Brisbane?

How do the photos add to what we have already learnt from the text to help us to better understand how life was different or similar to life now? Explain.

Write a short text identifying aspects of continuity and change in the lives of Australian children today as compared with the lives of children in the early 1900s (prior to WWI).

• 
  Use historical terms and concepts (ACHHS099) (ACHHS118)
  

• 
  Compare information from a range of sources (ACHHS103) (ACHHS122)
  
• 
  Identify different points of view in the past and present (ACHHS104) (ACHHS123)
  
• 
  Develop historical texts, particularly narratives and descriptions, which incorporate source material (ACHHS105) (ACHHS124)
  
• 
  Use a range of communication forms (oral, written, graphic) and digital technologies (ACHHS106) (ACHHS125)
  
• 
  Participate in and contribute to discussions, clarifying and interrogating ideas, developing and supporting arguments, sharing and evaluating information, experiences and opinions (ACELY1709)
  

• 
  Communicates effectively for a variety of audiences and purposes using increasingly challenging topics, ideas, issues and language forms and features (EN3-1A)
  
• 
  Composes, edits and presents well-structured and coherent texts (EN3-2A)
  
• 
  Thinks imaginatively, creatively, interpretively and critically about information and ideas and identifies connections between texts when responding to and composing texts (EN3-7C)
  
• 
  Describes and explains different experiences of people living in Australia over time (HT3-2)
  
• 
  Identifies change and continuity and describes the causes and effects of change on Australian society (HT3-3)
  
• 
  Applies a variety of skills of historical inquiry and communication (HT3-5)
  

How did Victorian under-18s support Australia's servicemen and contribute to Australia's war effort?

• 
  Through pair/share, students discuss ways under-18s might have supported Australia’s servicemen and contributed to Australia’s war effort.
  
• 
  Students write their ideas on the Interactive Whiteboard (IWB)/whiteboard.
  
• 
  Students read Text 3a about Victorian school children’s fundraising activities in WWI, and Text 3b (a newspaper article) about Victorian children writing to a soldier and sending items to him.
  
• 
  In groups of 3–4, students discuss the two texts and compare them with the ideas they generated earlier (and still on the IWB/whiteboard).
  
• 
  Students write a brief text comparing the results of their earlier speculation with the examples encountered in the two texts they read during the lesson, stating why they think their earlier ideas were different (or similar) to the examples they have now studied (e.g. lack of knowledge about and/or difficulty in imagining life that long ago; or, perhaps, a relatively good idea about those times based on knowledge gained from the previous lesson of this unit and/or from other sources).
  

• 
  Respond, read and write to show understanding of historical matters compare information from a range of sources (ACHHS103) (ACHHS122)
  
• 
  Develop historical texts, particularly narratives and descriptions, which incorporate source material (ACHHS105) (ACHHS124)
  
• 
  Use a range of communication forms (oral, written, graphic) and digital technologies (ACHHS106) (ACHHS125)
  
• 
  Participate in and contribute to discussions, clarifying and interrogating ideas, developing and supporting arguments, sharing and evaluating information, experiences and opinions (ACELY1709)
  

• 
  Communicates effectively for a variety of audiences and purposes using increasingly challenging topics, ideas, issues and language forms and features (EN3-1A)
  
• 
  Composes, edits and presents well-structured and coherent texts (EN3-2A)
  
• 
  Thinks imaginatively, creatively, interpretively and critically about information and ideas and identifies connections between texts when responding to and composing texts (EN3-7C)
  
• 
  Describes and explains the significance of people, groups, places and events to the development of Australia (HT3-1)
  
• 
  Describes and explains different experiences of people living in Australia over time (HT3-2)
  
• 
  Applies a variety of skills of historical inquiry and communication (HT3-5)
  

How did under-18s from other states and territories support Australia’s servicemen and contribute to Australia’s war effort?

Pairs research the other Australian states and territories using the National Library of Australia’s digitised newspapers from WWI. The aim is to find examples of activities undertaken in support of the servicemen and the war in states other than Victoria (which has already been covered in the lesson).

Teacher divides the states and territories of NSW, NT, Qld, SA, Tas and WA among students (the digitised newspapers for ACT only date from 1925).

Students visit http://trove.nla.gov.au

On the website, select “Digitised newspapers and more”.

Select "Advanced Search" (just under the "Search articles" button).

Search items (under “Key Words”) are entered into “All of these Words”. Relevant key words to enter include “busy bee”, “fundraiser”, “fundraising”, “letter writing” and “write letters”.

Under “Publication Date”, students enter the dates of British involvement in WWI (i.e. from 4 August 1914 to 11 November 1918).

Under “Newspaper Title and Location”, students select the state or territory allocated to them.

Students then click on “Search”.

Students write down examples they find (including the name, date and page number of the source newspaper).

New groups are formed consisting of one student who researched each of the allocated states and territories. Students share and compare findings - and take notes for a final writing activity.

Students write a report, detailing the examples found in their research.

• 
  Respond, read and write to show understanding of historical matters (ACHHS102)
  
• 
  Locate information relevant to inquiry questions in a range of sources (ACHHS121)
  
• 
  Compare information from a range of sources (ACHHS103) (ACHHS122)
  
• 
  Identify different points of view in the past and present (ACHHS104) (ACHHS123)
  
• 
  Identify and locate a range of relevant sources to support an historical inquiry (ACHHS101) (ACHHS120)
  
• 
  Develop historical texts, particularly narratives and descriptions, which incorporate source material (ACHHS105) (ACHHS124)
  
• 
  Use a range of communication forms (oral, written, graphic) and digital technologies (ACHHS106) (ACHHS125)
  
• 
  Participate in and contribute to discussions, clarifying and interrogating ideas, developing and supporting arguments, sharing and evaluating information, experiences and opinions (ACELY1709)
  

• 
  Communicates effectively for a variety of audiences and purposes using increasingly challenging topics, ideas, issues and language forms and features (EN3-1A)
  
• 
  Composes, edits and presents well-structured and coherent texts (EN3-2A)
  
• 
  Thinks imaginatively, creatively, interpretively and critically about information and ideas and identifies connections between texts when responding to and composing texts (EN3-7C)
  
• 
  Describes and explains the significance of people, groups, places and events to the development of Australia (HT3-1)
  
• 
  Describes and explains different experiences of people living in Australia over time (HT3-2)
  
• 
  Applies a variety of skills of historical inquiry and communication (HT3-5)
  

Report

What training and fighting were under-18 boys involved in?

Students engage in web quest to find out about Australia’s cadets and boy soldiers (Worksheet 2).

• 
  Respond, read and write to show understanding of historical matters (ACHHS098)
  
• 
  Sequence historical people and events (ACHHS117)
  
• 
  Locate information relevant to inquiry questions in a range of sources (ACHHS102) (ACHHS121)
  
• 
  Identify different points of view in the past and present (ACHHS104) (ACHHS123)
  
• 
  Use a range of communication forms (oral, written, graphic) and digital technologies (ACHHS106) (ACHHS125)
  

Using texts, images and ideas encountered and explored during this unit (plus any others that students want to include from individual research – perhaps including research on one or more of the suggestions included at the end of this unit outline), students create a multi-modal Remembrance Day text to acknowledge the contributions and sacrifices of Australian under-18s during WWI.

• 
  Respond, read and write to show understanding of historical matters (ACHHS098)
  
• 
  Sequence historical people and events (ACHHS117)
  
• 
  Use historical terms and concepts (ACHHS099) (ACHHS118)
  
• 
  Locate information relevant to inquiry questions in a range of sources (ACHHS102) (ACHHS121)
  
• 
  Compare information from a range of sources (ACHHS103) (ACHHS122)
  
• 
  Identify different points of view in the past and present (ACHHS104) (ACHHS123)
  
• 
  Explain why the behaviour and attitudes of people from the past may differ from today (ACHHS101)
  
• 
  Identify and locate a range of relevant sources to support an historical inquiry (ACHHS120)
  
• 
  Develop historical texts, particularly narratives and descriptions, which incorporate source material (ACHHS105) (ACHHS124)
  
• 
  Use a range of communication forms (oral, written, graphic) and digital technologies (ACHHS106) (ACHHS125)
  

• 
  Communicates effectively for a variety of audiences and purposes using increasingly challenging topics, ideas, issues and language forms and features (EN3-1A)
  
• 
  Composes, edits and presents well-structured and coherent texts (EN3-2A)
  
• 
  Thinks imaginatively, creatively, interpretively and critically about information and ideas and identifies connections between texts when responding to and composing texts (EN3-7C)
  
• 
  Describes and explains the significance of people, groups, places and events to the development of Australia (HT3-1)
  
• 
  Describes and explains different experiences of people living in Australia over time (HT3-2)
  
• 
  Identifies change and continuity and describes the causes and effects of change on Australian society (HT3-3)
  
• 
  Describes and explains the struggles for rights and freedoms in Australia, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples (HT3-4)
  
• 
  Applies a variety of skills of historical inquiry and communication (HT3-5)
  

The experiences of Australia’s under-18s during World War I can be investigated well beyond the introductory scope of this unit. Below are some suggestions for further inquiries which can be structured by classroom teachers:

What were the experiences of under-18s with close family members (e.g. fathers and brothers) fighting overseas?

What were the experiences of under-18s from family members deemed to be sympathetic to the enemy? (These were people who had ancestry from the countries now at war with Australia.)

What were the experiences of Indigenous Australian under-18s during the war years?

What were the experiences of under-18s with family members who actively opposed Australia’s role in the war on pacifist, religious and/or political grounds? (This is touched on in Lesson 2 of Week 2, but further investigation is warranted.)

How were boy soldiers portrayed in the newspapers? How might these portrayals have influenced Australian boys?

Worksheet 1

Text 1 (included with lesson worksheets):

An extract from Australian Government Department of Veteran’s Affairs. (n.d.)., Australian women in war: Investigating the experiences and changing roles of Australian women in war and peace operations 1899 – today, pages 27–28. Retrieved from www.dva.gov.au/commems_oawg/commemorations/education/Documents/DVA_Women_in_War.pdf

Text 2 (included with lesson worksheets):

A short text based on Darian-Smith, K. (2010.) Children. In Dictionary of Sydney, http://dictionaryofsydney.org/entry/children, viewed 20 January 2014.
Images

A selection of photos of Qld and NSW children during the pre-WWI period (included on an accompanying document), but also listed below:

Image 1: 42 Francis St, Glebe, Sydney, 1900

http://dictionaryofsydney.org/image/77038

Image 2: 73-77 Foveaux St, Surry Hills, Sydney, c.1909–1913

http://dictionaryofsydney.org/image/18902

Image 3: Cleveland Street Public School, Sydney (infants class, December 1909)

http://dictionaryofsydney.org/image/72003

Image 4: Fort Street Boys High School, Observatory Hill, August 1913

http://dictionaryofsydney.org/image/40580

Image 5: Girls skipping at Athletics Carnival, Sydney c.1900

http://dictionaryofsydney.org/image/43622

Image 6: Byron Street, Bangalow (rural NSW)

www.australiangeographic.com.au/news/2010/05/gallery-images-of-australia-early-1900s/captured-scenes-from-1900s-australia_image6

Image 7: Public School, Canowindra (rural NSW)

www.australiangeographic.com.au/news/2010/05/gallery-images-of-australia-early-1900s/captured-scenes-from-1900s-australia_image8

Image 8: Children going to school on horseback, Gindie (rural Queensland), 1900–1910

www.bonzle.com/pictures-over-time/pictures-taken-in-1900/page-1/australian-localities/size-3/picture-aem7d7d7/gindie/daniels-children-going-to-school-on-horseback-gindie-queensland-1900-1910

Image 9: Christmas day at Newmarket, Brisbane, 1900

www.bonzle.com/pictures-over-time/pictures-taken-in-1900/page-1/australian-localities/picture-xwi5ap7z/size-3/newmarket/christmas-day-at-the-trackson-residence-newmarket-brisbane-1900

Image 10: Children playing croquet in a garden at Manly, Brisbane, c.1900

www.bonzle.com/pictures-over-time/pictures-taken-in-1900/page-1/australian-localities/picture-neude19q/size-3/manly/children-playing-croquet-in-a-garden-at-manly-brisbane-ca-1900

Image 11: The first motor car in Maleny, Queensland on 23 November 1913

www.bonzle.com/pictures-over-time/pictures-taken-in-1913/page-1/size-3/picture-9kssvc63/maleny/men-women-and-children-gathered-on-and-around-the-first-motor-car-in-maleny-queensland-1913

Image 12: Goat riding at Blackall Showgrounds, Queensland, 1905

www.bonzle.com/pictures-over-time/pictures-taken-in-1905/page-1/picture-1t1b58d7/size-3/blackall/goat-riding-at-blackall-queensland-1905

Image 13: Children performing rhythmic gymnastics at the Gin Gin Show, Queensland, 1904

www.bonzle.com/pictures-over-time/pictures-taken-in-1904/page-1/picture-f6nvfua0/size-3/gin-gin/children-performing-a-rhythmic-gymnastics-demonstration-at-the-gin-gin-show-queensland-1904

Text 3a (included with lesson worksheets):

A short text based on Triolo, R. (2010). "How did you Raise the Money?” Approved and Forbidden School Fund-raising in the Great War. Agora, Vol. 45, No. 2: pages 4–10. Available from http://search.informit.com.au/documentSummary;dn=080010960196731;res=IELHSS
Publications

Text 3b (included with lesson worksheets):

A newspaper article from The Essendon Gazette and Keilor, Bulla and Broadmeadows Reporter, Thursday 2 May 1918, page 5. Retrieved from http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/74605775

http://trove.nla.gov.au

Worksheet 2

http://aso.gov.au/titles/tv/more-winners-boy-soldiers/clip1

http://aso.gov.au/titles/tv/more-winners-boy-soldiers/clip3

www.awm.gov.au/encyclopedia/boysoldiers

www.awm.gov.au/encyclopedia/martin

www.awm.gov.au/encyclopedia/boysoldiers/first

www.anzacs.org/campbell.html

http://search.microsoft.com/en-au/DownloadResults.aspx?q=photo%20story%203