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?
Instructional guide and activity pack (PDF 1,743Kb)
Video | School Days: Box Cottage
Curriculum Links:
Historical Knowledge & Understanding
Personal Stories
Differences and similarities between students’ daily lives and how these have changed or remained the same over time (VC2HH2K03)
Differences in family structures and roles and how these have changed or remained the same over time (VC2HH2K02)
Historical Concepts & Skills
Community histories
The consequences of changing technologies on people’s lives at home, and the ways they worked, travelled and communicated in the past (VC2HH2K06)
Historical Concepts & Skills
Continuity & change
Identify examples of continuity and change by comparing the past and present (VC2HH2S01)
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 477Kb)
Video | Galloping Through History: Caulfield Racecourse
Curriculum Links:
Historical Knowledge & Understanding
Community histories
The history of a local historical site of social, cultural or spiritual significance and how it has changed over time (VC2HH2K05)
Historical Knowledge & Understanding
Historical significance
Identify the significance of an individual, event and/or place (VC2HH2S07)
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?
Instructional guide and activity pack (PDF 474Kb)
Video | Remembering Local People
Curriculum Links:
Historical Knowledge & Understanding
Historical significance
Identify the significance of an individual, event and/or place (VC2HH2S07)
Interviewing a Special Person
Teach children to interview a family member or special person about life in the past.
What’s included?
Instructional guide and activity pack (PDF 554Kb)
Video | Interviewing a Special Person
Curriculum Links:
Historical Knowledge & Understanding
Personal histories
The stories of family and close connections, where they were born and raised, and how they are related to each other (VC2HH2K01)
Historical Knowledge & Understanding
Community histories
The consequences of changing technologies on people’s lives at home, and the ways they worked, travelled and communicated in the past (VC2HH2K06)
Historical Concepts & Skills
Historical questions
Ask historical questions about objects, people, places and events in the past and present (VC2HH2S01)
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?
Instructional guide and activity pack (PDF 1,081Kb)
Video | Finding Clues in Photographs
Curriculum Links:
Historical Concepts & Skills
Using historical sources
Identify the features and content of sources (VC2HH2S03)
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?
Instructional guide and activity pack (PDF 595Kb)
Video | Water Through Time: Booran Reserve
Curriculum Links:
Historical Knowledge & Understanding
Community, remembrance & celebrations
The significance of Country and Place to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Peoples who are connected to their area (VC2HH4K01)
Historical Knowledge & Understanding
Early colonisation of Australia to c. 1800
The diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, their social organisation and the ways their daily lives were shaped by Country and Place (VC2HH4K06)
Historical Knowledge & Understanding
Early colonisation of Australia to c. 1800
Aboriginal Peoples’ experiences, perspectives and responses to the impact of colonisation following the arrival of the First Fleet (VC2HH4K09)
Historical Concepts & Skills
Continuity & change
Identify and describe continuity and change (VC2HH4S06)
Historical Concepts and Skills
Causes & consequences
Describe the causes and consequences of change (VC2HH4S07)
First Nations History: Mallanbool Reserve
Learn about First Nations daily life and connection to Country through hunting, fishing, plant use.
What’s included?
Instructional guide and activity pack (PDF 598Kb)
Video | First Nations History: Mallanbool Reserve
Curriculum Links:
Historical Knowledge & Understanding
Community, remembrance & celebrations
The significance of Country and Place to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Peoples who are connected to their area (VC2HH4K01)
Historical Knowledge & Understanding
Early colonisation of Australia to c. 1800
The diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, their social organisation and the ways their daily lives were shaped by Country and Place (VC2HH4K06)
Aboriginal Peoples’ experiences, Perspectives and responses to the impact of colonisation following the arrival of the First Fleet (VC2HH4K09)
Historical Concepts & Skills
Continuity & change
Identify and describe continuity and change (VC2HH4S06)
Historical Concepts & Skills
Causes & consequences
Describe the causes and consequences of change (VC2HH4S07)
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 562Kb)
Video | Reading the Neighbourhood: houses, street signs and shops
Curriculum Links:
Historical Concepts & Skills
Continuity & change
Identify and describe continuity and change (VC2HH4S06)
Historical Concepts & Skills
Using historical sources
Identify the features and content of historical sources (VC2HH4S03)
Historical Knowledge & Understanding
Community, remembrance and celebrations
Causes and consequences of changes in a local community and the contributions and experiences of people from diverse backgrounds to a local community (VC2HH4K02)
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?
Instructional guide and activity pack (598Kb)
Video | Making Memories: plaques and statues
Curriculum Links:
Historical Concepts & Skills
Using historical sources
Identify the features and content of historical sources (VC2HH4S03)
For enquiries contact history@gleneira.vic.gov.au
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Resources aligned to the Victorian F-10 Curriculum 2.0
Last updated 2024.
