Personal and Family Histories
Early Stage 1
Duration: 10 weeks
Unit Description
Key Inquiry Questions
Personal and Family Histories provides students with the opportunity to learn about
their own history and that of their family; this may include stories from a range of
cultures and other parts of the world. As participants in their own history, students
build their knowledge and understanding of how the past is different from the present.
●
●
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What is my history and how do I know?
What stories do other people tell about the past?
How can stories of the past be told and shared?
Outcomes
Historical Skills
Historical Concepts
HTe-1: communicates stories
of their own family heritage of
others
The following historical skills are integrated into the lesson sequences:
The following historical concepts are integrated into the lesson
sequences:
HTe-2: demonstrates
developing skills of historical
inquiry and communication
Comprehension: Chronology, terms and concepts
● respond by demonstrating active listening behaviour, through
discussion and by recalling and retelling stories
● sequence familiar objects and events (ACHHS015)
● distinguish between the past, present and future (ACHHS016)
Use of sources
● explore and use a range of sources about the past
(ACHHS018)
● identify and compare features of objects from the past and
present (ACHHS019)
Perspectives
● explore a point of view (ACHHS020)
Empathetic understanding
● recognise differences and similaritiies between individuals and
families in the past and present
Research
● pose questions about the past using sources provided
Explanation and communication
● develop a narrative about the past (ACHHS021)
● use a range of communication forms (oral, graphic, written,
role play) and digital technologies (ACHHS022)
Continuity and change: some things change over time and others
remain the same
Cause and effect: events, decisions or developments in the past that
produce later actions, results or effects
Perspectives: people from the past will have different views and
experiences
Empathetic understanding: developing an understanding of
another’s views, life and decisions made
Significance: importance of an event, development or
individual/group
Content
Teaching, Learning and Assessment
Who the people in their family are, where they were born and
raised and how they are related to each other. (ACHHK001)
Historical Knowledge
Historical Inquiry Topics
My Family:
●
The composition of the
family; where people
within it were born and
raised; how they relate
to each other; the
different generations
Who are the members of my
family?
How are my relatives connected
to each other?
Where were members of my
family born?
How stories of families and the past can be communicated,
for example through photographs, artefacts, books, oral
histories, digital media and museums (ACHHK004)
Historical Knowledge
Historical Inquiry Topics
My family’s history:
●
Personal and family
stories of the past;
family artefacts
How are stories from the past
communicated? (eg: oral storytelling, rock paintings, photos)
What stories does my family tell
about the past?
What ‘treasures’ does my family
have? (eg: photos, medals, old
toys)
The different structures of families and family groups today
and what they have in common. (ACHHK002)
Historical Knowledge
Historical Inquiry Topics
Other people’s families:
●
Different family
structures; similarities
and differences with
other families including
from other countries
What different kinds of families
are there?
How are families from other
cultures similar or different from
my family?
How they, their family and friends commemorate past events
that are important to them. (ACHHK003)
Resources
Historical Knowledge
Historical Inquiry Topics
Family celebrations:
●
Events that families
remember and
celebrate
●
How past events are
commemorated
What events does my family
celebrate? (eg: birthdays,
anniversaries)
How does my family honour
important occasions? (eg:
ANZAC Day, religious festivals,
Welcome to Country
ceremonies)