Become a Historian for a Day with these free classroom ready education resources aligned to the Victorian Curriculum for Foundation to Level 4 students.
Historian for a Day: Primary F–4 Local History Education Resources
Foundation to Level 2
School Days: Box Cottage
What was life like for children in the late 19th and early 20th century? What did they do in their leisure time? What was school like, including technology, clothing and transport?
What’s included?
Curriculum Links:
- Historical knowledge: Personal Histories Differences and similarities between students' daily lives and perspectives of life during their parents’ and grandparents’ childhoods, including family traditions, leisure time and communications (VCHHK061)
Galloping Through History: Caulfield Racecourse
Explore the history of the racecourse as a significant site and what it tells us about life in Caulfield in times past.
What’s included?
- Instructional guide and activity pack (PDF 457Kb)
- Video | Galloping Through History: Caulfield Racecourse
Curriculum Links:
- Historical knowledge: Community Histories. The history of a significant person, building, site or part of the natural environment in the local community and what it reveals about the past (VCHHK063)
Remembering Local People
Learn about how we remember people where we look at the Frederick Jowett memorial drinking fountain at Caulfield Town Hall, Stationary Faces at Patterson Station, and First Nations Memorial Practices.
What’s included?
Curriculum Links:
- Identify the significance of a person and/or place in the local community (VCHHC057)
- Historical knowledge: Community Histories The history of a significant person, building, site or part of the natural environment in the local community and what it reveals about the past (VCHHK063)
Interviewing a Special Person
Teach children to interview a family member or special person about life in the past.
What’s included?
Curriculum Links:
- Historical Concepts & Skills: Continuity and change Identify examples of continuity and change in family life and in the local area by comparing past and present (VCHHC056)
- Historical knowledge: Personal Histories Differences and similarities between students' daily lives and perspectives of life during their parents’ and grandparents’ childhoods, including family traditions, leisure time and communications (VCHHK061)
- Historical knowledge: Community Histories The effect of changing technology on people’s lives and their perspectives on the significance of that change (VCHHK065)
Finding Clues in Photographs
Learn how can we use photographs to understand life in the past in this “see think wonder” activity.
What’s included?
Curriculum Links:
- Historical Concepts & Skills: Historical sources as evidence Identify the content features of primary sources when describing the significance of people, places or events (VCHHC054)
Levels 3 to 4
Water Through Time: Booran Reserve
Dive into First Nations history at Booran Reserve, including the significance of water, the Bunjil and Waa creation story, as well as Victorian era water infrastructure.
What’s included?
Curriculum Links:
- Historical Concepts and Skills: continuity and change Identify and describe continuity and change over time in the local community, region or state and as a result of the effects of European exploration (VCHHC069)
- Historical Concepts and Skills: cause and effect Identify and explain the causes and effects of European settlement and exploration (VCHHC070)
- Historical knowledge: Community remembrance & celebration The significance of Country and Place to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples who belong to a local area (VCHHK072)
First Nations History: Mallanbool Reserve
Learn about First Nations daily life and connection to Country through hunting, fishing, plant use.
What’s included?
Curriculum Links:
Historical knowledge: first contacts The diversity and longevity of Australia’s first peoples and the significant ways Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are connected to Country and Place (land, sea, waterways and skies) and the effects on their daily lives (VCHHK078)
Reading the Neighbourhood: houses, street signs and shops
Explore how can we learn about the past through street names, landmark houses, signage and shops, including historical origins and changes over time.
What’s included?
- Instructional guide and activity pack (PDF 557Kb)
- Video | Reading the Neighbourhood: houses, street signs and shops
Curriculum Links:
- Historical concepts and skills: Historical sources as evidence
Identify the origin and content features of primary sources when describing the significance of people, places and events (VCHHC067) - Historical knowledge: community, remembrance and celebrations A significant example of change and a significant example of continuity over time in the local community, region or state/territory (VCHHK073)
Making Memories: plaques and statues
How can we use plaques and other monuments in our area to learn about the past? In this video, we learn how to inspect and investigate a plaque to find out what it memorialises and why it is important.
What’s included?
Curriculum Links:
Historical Concepts and Skills: Historical sources as evidence Identify the origin and content features of primary sources when describing the significance of people, places and events (VCHHC067)
For enquiries or feedback, contact history@gleneira.vic.gov.au
