Lesson 6: Events That Led to Australian Federation

 Lesson Plan

Tuning In

• Students watch and listen to the Australia: Colonisation to Federation (1788-1901) video on YouTube. At the end of the video, ask the students:
  • What were some of the issues faced by Australian settlers in the 1880s?
  • Why might free settlers have opposed transportation in the 1840s?
  • The video states: Australians grew more and more democratic and fought the authorities for more rights. What does this mean?

Teacher Instruction

• Refer the students back to the video. Explain how the Australian Gold Rush led to the Eureka Stockade, one of the major events that influenced Australian Federation.
• Display and discuss slide 10 of the Australia Federates PowerPoint. Ask the students if they have heard of either event. Encourage them to share what information they already know.
• Display and discuss slides 11-12, then encourage the students to discuss the question on slide 13. As a class, create a definition for the word ‘democracy’.
• Display and discuss slides 14-15. Facilitate a class discussion around how the students would feel and react if they were an audience member at the Tenterfield Oration in 1889.

Guided/Independent Learning

• Display slide 16 and discuss the independent task. Allow the students to choose which major event they would like to learn more about. Provide the students with a copy of either The Tenterfield Oration – Fact Sheet and Comprehension or The Eureka Stockade – Fact Sheet and Comprehension.
• Monitor and support the students as they independently complete their chosen comprehension task. Once they have finished, discuss the answers to the questions as a class.

Wrapping Up

• Discuss which event the students believe had more of an impact on Australian Federation – The Tenterfield Oration or The Eureka Stockade.

 Differentiation

Extending Students

• Allow more capable students to complete both comprehension tasks.

Supporting Students

• Allow students with lower literacy levels to complete the comprehension task in a small group with the support of a teacher or teacher aide.

 Assessment Strategies

Suggested Assessment Strategies

• used strategic whole class or individual questioning
• observed student participation during learning activities
• recorded student progress on a checklist
• annotated student work samples
• collected and reviewed student work samples
• facilitated whole class or peer feedback sessions
• encouraged student self-reflection
• administered formal assessment tasks.

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