Lesson Plan 2

Week 1
Date: Wednesday 1st of April 2015

Duration: 60 minutes

Unit: Shining the light on historical Australians

Lesson: 2 of 10

Level: Year level 6

Name: The fields of endeavour that have shaped

A
Australian society.

Curriculum
History
Australia as a nation
The contribution of individuals and groups, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and
migrants, to the development of Australian society, for example in areas such as the economy,
education, science, the arts, sport. (ACHHK116).
o Investigating the role of specific cultural groups in Australias economic and social development
(for example the cattle industry, the Snowy Mountains Scheme, the pearling industry).
o Considering notable individuals in Australian public life across a range of fields (for example the
arts, science, sport, education), including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, a range
of cultural and social groups, and women and men drawn from the Australian Living Treasures
list or from the Australian Dictionary of Biography).
Historical questions and research
Identify questions to inform an historical inquiry (ACHHS119).
o Developing key questions about the birth of Australian democracy and the experiences of
citizenship for women, migrants and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.
o Developing key questions about immigration such as: What were the main reasons people
migrated to Australia? Who migrated? Where did they come from? What impact have they
had on the character of Australian society?
Identify and locate a range of relevant sources (ACHHS120).
o Using internet search engines, museums, library catalogues and indexes to find material
relevant to an inquiry.

General capabilities and cross curriculum

General capabilities
Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander histories and culture
o During this lesson students will discover how Indigenous culture is a rich source of knowledge
that has shaped the Australian society.
Asia and Australias engagement with Australia
o This lesson will allow students to discover the achievements and contributions that the people
of Asia have provided for the country.
Cross curriculum
ICT
o The use of ICT has been promoted in this learning experience. Students will be provided with a
subject that they will need to research as a group and gain a variety of information to answer
the selected questions and display on a PowerPoint presentation.
Trish Gee, Deashni Pillay, Rosalba Contarino, Bianca Polino & Amy Gampe

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Intercultural understanding
o Throughout this lesson students will discover that the major influences in Australias culture
were gained from a variety of different countries and people. Furthermore that these cultures
and people have shaped our society for the better.

Lesson Overview
Integrating socially model of inquiry stage: Preparing to find out
Within this learning experience students will be introduced to the industries and field of endeavours
which have shaped our society. The students will explore what countries their fields originated from
and who was responsible for making significant impacts on our society. As a group students will list the
industries that influence our society today, following this they will be exposed to the historical
contributions to Australian society. To extend this activity the students will be provided with one field
of excellence that they will research as a group to discover as much information as possible and record
their findings on a PowerPoint presentation to share with the class. This will transition effectively into
the next lesson which will provide more information on the influential people of Australian society.

Lesson Objectives
Students will have the ability to:
o Identify the fields of endeavour that have shaped our society historically and still shape our
society today.
o Develop an understanding of how particular cultures have enriched the Australian society for
the better.
o Explore fields of endeavour to discover how and who has shaped the Australian society.

Students Prior Knowledge

Students have prior knowledge in:
o Students have some knowledge of the reasons behind the establishment of British colonies
(ACHHK093).
o Students have prior knowledge of significant individuals and groups that played an important
role in shaping a colony (farmers, artists, political leaders, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
people) (ACHHK097).

Assessment
Assessment for learning:
o Anecdotal records will be made throughout the lesson to ensure that all students are on track
and supporting each other during their collaborative learning task.
o The thumbs up, thumbs down self assessment technique will be utilised throughout the lesson.
This will ensure that the teacher and students know that someone is having difficulties with a
particular concept. This will allow fellow peers to assist their classmates and share they
knowledge that they have gained in an alternative manner to what the teacher has.

Trish Gee, Deashni Pillay, Rosalba Contarino, Bianca Polino & Amy Gampe

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Inquiry question
Key inquiry question:
o What are the fields of endeavour that have shaped our society, how were they formed and who
carried out these notable deeds?

Lesson Structure
Time

Introduction & Motivation

Orientation Phase
20 minutes

20 mins

Industries which influence our society today

o To begin the lesson the teacher will begin the lesson
by asking the students what industries influence our
society today. The teacher will list their answers on the
whiteboard.
(Education, Healthcare, finance, sporting, mining)
o The students will then be asked to list these industries
in order of importance and write them into their
workbooks.
o A number of students will be selected to share their
ideas and justify their decisions.
The wealth of a nation
o The students will then be split into small groups.
o They will read through The wealth of a nation
PowerPoint slide to discover what the particular
priorities were during this time in Australian history

Teaching
Resources
Resources
o History
workbooks.
o Whiteboard and
whiteboard
markers.

Resources
o The wealth of a
nation
PowerPoint slide.

o Students will then compare the different in history to

todays society:
1. What was one of the same fields of endeavour?
2. Are there any major differences historically in
the contribution to Australian society?
3. Have the values of our society changed over
time?
4. What makes an influential person?
Time

Main Content

Teaching
Resources

Enhancing Phase
30 minutes
30 mins

Researching the history of fields of endeavour

o The students will be allocated into small groups of four
to five.
o Each group will be provided with a laptop with access
to the state library of Queensland.
o Each group will be provided with a field of excellence
that they will need to research as a group (Health,
Trish Gee, Deashni Pillay, Rosalba Contarino, Bianca Polino & Amy Gampe

Resources
o History
workbooks.
o Laptops with
access to the
State library of
Queensland
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education, sports, arts, politics, science)

o The students will need to answer the following
questions in their field.
1. List one of the major influences in this field of
excellence.
2. Where did this field originate from?
3. Who was the founder in Australia?
4. Where did this person originate from?
5. What do you think makes an influential
person?
o Each group will need to present this information on a
PowerPoint presentation.
o Students will then share their information gained with
the class.
Time

Conclusion

website.

Teaching
Resources

Summarising Phase
10 minutes
10 mins

Students field of expertise

o To summarise the activity the students will write down
their field of expertise.
o They will need to select a field of expertise and justify
why they selected it and how they could shape society
in the future.
o A selected few students will have the opportunity to
share this with the class.
Extension work
Australian bank note
o To further enhance this learning experience, the
students will have the opportunity work individually or
in pairs to research the people who are on the
Australian bank notes.
o They will need to research their name and their
significance of being on the banknotes.

Trish Gee, Deashni Pillay, Rosalba Contarino, Bianca Polino & Amy Gampe

Resources
o History
workbooks.

Resources
o Australian bank
notes template
o History
workbooks.

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Differentiation of learning
Collaborative learning:
During the lesson students will be separated into small working groups, these will be selected by the
teacher and will be organised into mixed ability groups. This will ensure that all students are supporting
each other throughout the lesson (Barkley, Cross, & Howell, 2005).
Discovery learning:
This inquiry based approach to learning has been utilised for this lesson so students can use their skills
to discover a wealth of knowledge on a particular subject through information and communication
technology (Eisenberg, 2001).

Evaluation
o
o
o
o
o

Was the inquiry question used to promote lifelong learning?

Were those students who were struggling with the concept effectively catered for?
Did the students enjoy using ICT throughout the lesson?
Were the questions asked effectively used to enhance the topic?
What could be improved to enhance the learning experience?

Resources
Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. (n.d.). Humanities and social sciences,
geography, year 6. Retrieved from http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/humanities-andsocial-sciences/geography/curriculum/f-10?layout=1
Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. (n.d.). Humanities and social sciences,
history, year 6. Retrieved from http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/humanities-and-socialsciences/history/curriculum/f-10?layout=1#level6
Barkley, E. F., Cross, P. K., & Howell, C. (2005). Collaborative Learning Techniques : A Handbook for
College Faculty. San Francisco : Jossey-Bass.
Education Services Australia Ltd. (2011).The wealth of a nation. Retrieved from
http://www.scootle.edu.au/ec/viewing/L10250/index.html
Eisenberg, M. (2001). Discovery Learning, Cognitive Psychology of. International Encyclopedia of the
Social & Behavioral Sciences, 3736-3739. Retrieved from doi:10.1016/B0-08-043076-7/01473-X
Petzer, K. (n.d.). Famous Australians. Retrieved from
http://www.blake.com.au/v/vspfiles/downloadables/iu20_famous_australians.pdf
Teachers Pay Teachers. (n.d.). Anecdotal forms for guide reading. Retrieved from
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/FREE-Anecdotal-Notes-Forms-for-GuidedReading-1401149
Teachers Pay Teachers. (n.d). Australian currency printables - notes & coins. Retrieved from
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Australian-Currency-Printables-Notes-Coins1282991
Trish Gee, Deashni Pillay, Rosalba Contarino, Bianca Polino & Amy Gampe

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The State of Queensland. (2014). State library of Queensland. Retrieved from

http://www.slq.qld.gov.au/

Trish Gee, Deashni Pillay, Rosalba Contarino, Bianca Polino & Amy Gampe

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