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2.1 content and teaching strategies of the teaching area
This artefact is an assessment piece, carried out at Uni aiming to connect
curriculum knowledge to a school based excursion. Through inquiry and
questioning students had to determine the meaning behind a particular
artefact, which has been annotated. This shows that I possess a great deal of
knowledge relevant to the curriculum. It also shows that I am able to create
inquiry based lessons that connect students in a rich and meaningful learning
experience, whilst building knowledge outlined in each standard.
Assessment Two – Museum Artefact Reflection
The artefact selected from the Melbourne Museum, is the fourth panel in a
series of tapestries, which together make up the Federation Tapestry. This
particular panel is entitled “And now Exploration and Settlement are underway”,
and demonstrates the cultural differences between Indigenous people and
European settlers. This artefact was selected as it is relevant to the teaching and
learning of primary humanities, and corresponds to the teaching domain of
History.
An artefact can simply be defined as “an object made by a human being,
typically one of cultural or historical interest” (Oxford Dictionaries, 2015). This
definition provides a strong platform for the use of historical artefacts when
teaching content presented in the History domain. When used successfully
artefacts within a classroom setting can promote questioning, and can encourage
inquiry based learning to take place. Paris (1997) advises that detailed artefacts
(like the annotated tapestry below) can stimulate personal reflection, allowing
students to learn more about themselves and their place in the world.
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The Humanities “involves the study of human societies and environments,
people and their cultures in the past and the present ” (AusVELS, 2015). History
is the most relevant domain within humanities, to explore and interpret the
cultural differences presented in this tapestry piece. The History domain
promotes inquiry “into the past” as a means to encourage “students curiosity and
imagination” so an understanding of oneself and others is achieved (AusVELS,
2015). In primary school years the Humanities and domain of History, provides
opportunities for students to develop “sophisticated understandings of historical
events, processes and reasoning” whilst also furthering “skills in chronology,
terms and concepts, and interpretations” (Reynolds, 2014).
“And now Exploration and Settlement are underway” presents two cultures
that have distinct differences in several key aspects (travel, clothing, hunting and
housing) which encourages the formulation of questions, and individual opinions
and perspectives. This particular artefact would be suited for students in year
four and/or five, as a means to further their knowledge of Australian history, and
to encourage inquiry into events that shaped the nation we live in. With
accordance to AusVELS (2015) students in year four are “encouraged to
investigate pre contact ways of life of the Aboriginal people”. This knowledge is
furthered in year five where European settlement and its impact on the lifestyle
of Indigenous Australians is explored.
Male
ElissaIndigenous
McClusky
Australians dancing
with Boomerangs
William
Barack’s,
Dancing Scene 1880
Indigenous
Australian,
hunting on a
canoe.
Australian
Flora and
Fauna
Indigenous
Australian
hunting with a
spear
Home built after
European Settlement.
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Large boat with
sails and fishing net
Tommy McRaes,
Aboriginal scenes and
European visitors 1862
Unnamed artist,
Traditional way
of life – 1940’s
Indigenous Australians
dressed in possum skin
wraps.
Male Indigenous Australians, with man
made tools and weapons.
Emu –
Australian
animal
European
settlers dressed
in traditional
attire
Canoes, with
Indigenous
Australians
rowing
Introduced
animals, from
Europe (Horse
and Cow)
Elissa McClusky
Question
What were the consequences of European
settlement on the traditional lifestyle of
Indigenous Australians?
What was life like for the Indigenous
Australians prior to European settlement?
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Justification
This question will be asked to students
encouraging them to recognise the cultural
differences presented on the tapestry
(transport, clothing, hunting and housing).
This question will prompt students to use
their inquiry skills, to consider what their
life would be like without the technologies
introduced by European settlers.
This question will be asked to students
prompting them to consider Australian
Indigenous history. It will encourage
students to inquire about a lifestyle that
seems very different to theirs.
What was life like during early settlement?
This question encourages students to
consider how Indigenous Australians
would of felt at the time of European
settlement, and how they are still affected
today. It promotes discussion of the first
encounters of Indigenous Australians and
early settlers, and the actions that were
undertaken to take over the land.
Why did the Europeans settle in Australia?
This question activates prior knowledge,
and aims for connections to be made
Specific Content Descriptor’s
“The journey(s) of AT LEAST ONE world
navigator, explorer or trader up to the late
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between famous navigators, convicts and
the first fleet.
Who is William Barack, and how did he
help bridge the gap between European
Settlers and Indigenous Australians?
This question allows for the recognition of
the different artists that together created
this particular artefact. It pushes students
to recognise important leaders within a
culture that has faced many challenges.
William Barack and Tommy McRae were
important leaders of their people
(Museum Victoria, 2015). Who else helped
bridge the gap between European settlers
and Indigenous Australians, and how did
they do this?
This question promotes inquiry into other
important leaders, which had an affect on
bridging the gap between European
settlers and Indigenous Australians.
Through the inquiry into different leaders,
students can start to develop an
understanding of strong influences of the
past, and how reconciliation is now
possible.
eighteenth century, including their contacts
with other societies and any impacts”.
(ACHHK078)
Elissa McClusky
Proof of Melbourne Museum attendance:
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References
Museum Victoria. (2015). And now exploration and settlement are underway:
the federation tapestry: panel #4: museum victoria. Retrieved April 22,
2015, from
http://museumvictoria.com.au/discoverycentre/infosheets/federationtapestry/11174/
Oxford Dictionaries. (2015). artefact - definition of artefact in English from the
Oxford dictionary. Retrieved from
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/artefact
Paris, G. S. (1997). Situated motivation and informal learning. The Journal of
Museum Education, 22(2/3), 22-27. Retrieved from
http://ezproxy.acu.edu.au/login?url=http://www.jstor.org/stable/4047
9100
Reynolds, R. (2014). History. In Teaching humanities and social sciences in the
primary school (3rd ed., pp. 179-215). Oxford, Sydney: University Press.
Victorian Curriculum and Australian Authority. (2015). AusVELS - history curriculum. Retrieved from http://ausvels.vcaa.vic.edu.au/TheHumanities-History/Curriculum/F-10#level=6