European Exploration

This unit is based on the Year 4 Australian Curriculum HASS Inquiry Skills, Knowledge and Understandings.

Students discuss world exploration and why people chose to explore the world. They examine the path Captain James Cook took on his first voyage to Australia, plotting the path on a world map and they compare the voyage of a ship in the 1700’s to a plane now.

Students read and discuss the importance of the journals of Sir Joseph Banks.

They investigate colonisation, the colonisation of South America, and how the arrival of the First Fleet impacted life for the Indigenous peoples of Australia.

9 x 1 hour lessons

Cross curriculum

21x resources/worksheets

Download now

Curriculum content descriptions

Australian Curriculum - (QLD/SA/WA/NT/TAS/ACT)

ACHASSI073

Pose questions to investigate people, events, places and issues

ACHASSI074

Locate and collect information and data from different sources, including observations

ACHASSI075

Record, sort and represent data and the location of places and their characteristics in different formats, including simple graphs, tables and maps, using discipline-appropriate conventions

ACHASSI076

Sequence information about people’s lives and events

ACHASSI077

Examine information to identify different points of view and distinguish facts from opinions

ACHASSI079

Draw simple conclusions based on analysis of information and data

ACHASSI082

Present ideas, findings and conclusions in texts and modes that incorporate digital and non-digital representations and discipline-specific terms

ACHASSK083

The diversity of Australia's first peoples and the long and continuous connection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples to Country/Place (land, sea, waterways and skies)

ACHASSK084

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

ACHASSK085

Stories of the First Fleet, including reasons for the journey, who travelled to Australia, and their experiences following arrival

ACHASSK086

The nature of contact between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and others, for example, the Macassans and the Europeans, and the effects of these interactions on, for example, people and environments

NSW

HT2-5

Applies skills of historical inquiry and communication

GE2-4

Acquires and communicates geographical information using geographical tools for inquiry

HT2-2

Describes and explains how significant individuals, groups and events contributed to changes in the local community over time

HT2-3

Describes people, events and actions related to world exploration and its effects

HT2-4

Describes and explains effects of British colonisation in Australia

VIC

VCGGC074

Collect and record relevant geographical data and information from the field and other sources

VCGGC075

Represent data and the location of places and their characteristics by constructing tables and simple graphs and maps of appropriate scale that conform to cartographic conventions of border, scale, legend, title and north point

VCHHC067

Identify the origin and content features of primary sources when describing the significance of people, places and events

VCGGC076

Interpret maps and other geographical data and information to develop identifications, descriptions, explanations and conclusions, using geographical terminology including simple grid references, compass direction and distance

VCHHK078

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

VCHHK072

The significance of Country and Place to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples who belong to a local area

VCHHK079

The journey(s) of a significant world navigator, explorer or trader up to the late eighteenth century, including their contacts with and effects on other societies

VCHHK080

Stories of the First Fleet, including causes and reasons for the journey, who travelled to Australia, and their experiences and perspectives following arrival

VCHHK081

The nature of contact between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and others, for example, the Macassans and the Europeans, and the effects of these interactions

Overview

Students will:

Investigate the journeys of the great explorers from the 1400s to the late 1700s.
Investigate the journey of Captain James Cook.
Understand what life was like in England in the 1700s.
Investigate the daily lives of Aboriginal peoples and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples before European settlement.
Investigate the impact of interactions and contact between Aboriginal peoples and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples and others.

Learning Intention

We are learning to identify the diversity of First Nations Peoples and the long and continuous connection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples to Country/Place (land, sea, waterways and skies).
We are learning to understand 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.
We are learning to understand the stories of the First Fleet, including reasons for the journey, who travelled to Australia, and their experiences following arrival.
We are learning to understand the nature of contact between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and others, for example, the Macassans and the Europeans, and the effects of these interactions on, for example, people and environments.

Lessons

Lesson 1

World Exploration

In this lesson, students are introduced to the unit inquiry questions. They discuss world exploration, why people chose to explore the world. Students plan a secret mission of exploration.

Lesson 2

Captain Cook

In this lesson, students investigate the path Captain James Cook took on his first voyage to Australia, and plot the path on a world map.

Lesson 3

Joseph Banks

In this lesson, students read and discuss the importance of the journals of Sir Joseph Banks. They make comparison with his findings.

Lesson 4

World Explorers

In this lesson, students use diogital technologies to investigate a famous explorer. Their reserach is guided by a set of questions including; following questions, in the first box, Who is your explorer? Where are they from? Where did they explore? When did they explore? What did they discover?

Lesson 5

Colonisation

In this lesson, students discuss colonisation and why different countries chose to colonise certain areas. These main reasons include gaining power and resources

Lesson 6

Aboriginal Life Before Europeans

In this lesson, students investogate what life was like for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people before the arrival of Europeans

Lesson 7

Contact

In this lesson, students begin to investigate the first visitors to Australia and their interactions with the Indigenous people.

Lesson 8

Aboriginal Life After Contact

In this lesson, Students investigate colonisation, and the affect the arrival of the First Fleet had on the life of the Indigenous peoples of Australia.

Lesson 9

Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Life Before and After Europeans

In this lesson, students icomplete an assessment task demonstrating their understanding of colonisation, and the affect the arrival of the First Fleet had on the life of the Indigenous peoples of Australia.

Linked Resources & Activities

By Grade

By Category

By Subject

By Grade

By Category

By Subject

Mathematics

English

HASS

Science

Technologies

Health and Physical Education

STEAM

Religion

Indigenous Resources

Languages

The Arts

Assessment & Self-Evaluation Tools

Other

By Grade

By Category

Homework

Booklets with Answers

Homework Grids

Homework Hound

European Exploration

Australian Curriculum - (QLD/SA/WA/NT/TAS/ACT)

NSW

VIC