History
Concepts for developing understanding
The content in the history sub-strand provides opportunities for students to develop historical understanding through key concepts including sources, continuity and change, cause and effect, perspectives, empathy and significance. The Year 4 curriculum introduces world history and the movement of peoples. Students study the diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, their connection to place (sources, perspectives, significance) and their contact with other societies (change and continuity, perspectives, empathy). Through a study of navigation, exploration and/or trade (sources), students come to learn about Australia's early colonisation and develop understandings about contact between societies (continuity and change, cause and effect) and its effects on people and their environments (perspectives, empathy).
Inquiry Questions
- Why did the great journeys of exploration occur?
- What was life like for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples before the arrival of the Europeans?
- Why did the Europeans settle in Australia?
- What was the nature and consequence of contact between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and early traders, explorers and settlers?
(source: www.australiancurriculum.edu.au)
- Plus Plan

Captain James Cook and the Endeavour — Teaching Slides
Discover the journey of Captain James Cook on the HMS Endeavour with your students with this teaching presentation.
- Plus Plan

Classroom Energy Audit Worksheet
An investigation that will have students observing the energy usage in their classroom and proposing action to reduce energy waste.
- Plus Plan

Australia's First Peoples Inquiry Task
An inquiry-based assessment task for students to demonstrate their understanding of the connection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to Country.
- Plus Plan

Australian Convicts Timeline
A timeline showing the progression of convict colonisation in Australia.
- Plus Plan

British Colonisation of Australia - Crossword
A crossword activity to use in the classroom when learning about the British Colonisation of Australia.
- Plus Plan

Commonwealth Games Timeline Activity
A template and classroom display banner to create a Commonwealth Games Timeline.
- Free Plan

British Colonisation Areas in Australia - 1846 Map and Worksheet
A map to display in the classroom when learning about areas in Australian that were colonised by the British in 1846.
- Plus Plan

Impacts of Colonisation Word Wall
A Word Wall of the Impacts of Colonisation on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
- Plus Plan

NAIDOC 2021 – Heal Country! - Crossword Puzzle
A puzzle related to key concepts of the NAIDOC theme.
- Plus Plan

NAIDOC 2021 – Heal Country! - Word Search (Upper Years)
A puzzle related to key concepts of the NAIDOC theme.
- Plus Plan

NAIDOC 2021 – Heal Country! - Word Search (Middle Years)
A puzzle related to key concepts of the NAIDOC theme.
- Plus Plan

NAIDOC 2021 – Heal Country! - Worksheet (Middle/Upper Years)
A worksheet for students to reflect on the NAIDOC theme as it relates to them.
- Plus Plan

Why Teach About Aboriginal Identity? Poster
An educational poster providing a rationale for teaching Australian children about Aboriginal identity.
- Plus Plan

Why Teach About Dreaming Stories? Poster
An educational poster providing a rationale for teaching Australian children about Dreaming stories.
- Plus Plan

Why Teach About Early Contact in Australia? Poster
An educational poster providing a rationale for teaching Australian children about early contact in Australia.
- Plus Plan

Why Teach About Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Tools? Poster
An educational poster providing a rationale for teaching Australian children about traditional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander tools.
- Plus Plan

Why Teach About Aboriginal Languages? Poster
An educational poster providing a rationale for teaching Australian children about Aboriginal languages.
- Plus Plan

NAIDOC Week Connection to Country Word Search - Middle Primary
A NAIDOC Week Connection to Country Word Search suitable for middle primary school students.
- Plus Plan

NAIDOC Week My Country Worksheet - Middle/Upper Primary
A NAIDOC Week "My Country" worksheet suitable for middle/upper primary school students.
- Free Plan

Australian Place Name Origins Worksheet
A worksheet exploring the connection of Australian place names to First Nations languages.
- Plus Plan

The Journal of James Cook - Writing Task
A journal writing task for students to investigate James Cook's voyage to Australia in the first person.
- Plus Plan

Significant Explorers of Australia - Captain James Cook
A poster to display in the classroom when learning about Captain James Cook.
- Free Plan

Early Explorers - Inquiry Task
An inquiry-based assessment task for students to demonstrate their understanding of early explorers and the impacts they had on other societies.
- Plus Plan

Torres Route 1606 Map
A map to display in the classroom when learning about Luis de Torres' route across the top of Australia in 1606.
- Plus Plan

Captain Cook Word Wall
A vocabulary word wall to display and use in the classroom when learning about the explorations of Captain James Cook.
- Plus Plan

Early Explorers Word Wall
A vocabulary word wall to display and use in the classroom when learning about early explorers up to the late eighteenth century.
- Plus Plan

Fifteenth Century Chinese Ship - Model Building Activity
A 15th-Century Chinese model ship building task to create in the classroom when learning about Chinese explorers.
- Free Plan

An Early Explorer's Map
An early explorer's map to display in the classroom when learning about European exploration.
- Plus Plan

Early Explorers PowerPoint
A 25 slide editable PowerPoint presentation to use when teaching students about the early explorers of Australia.
- Plus Plan

Original Inhabitants of Australia Word Wall
A vocabulary word wall to display and use in the classroom when learning about the original inhabitants of Australia.
- Plus Plan

Australian Early Settler Word Wall Vocabulary
Vocabulary associated with Australian Early Settlers.
- Free Plan

Develop a Habitat - Garden Project
A project-based assessment task for students to demonstrate their understanding of how habitats can be preserved and protected in and around where people live.