Learning Goal: After investigating the First Fleet, students will be able to appreciate the various viewpoints of the early settlement, and the understandings of how the events continue to influence our modern society.
- Prior to the lesson, go over what the class has covered in the previous lessons (Cause & Effect, Perspectives).
LESSON
On the subject of the arrival of the First Fleet, the historical concept we will be focusing on is Empathy. The resources and activity are designed to help students understand the different thoughts and perspectives from various peoples involved in early settlement.
The students’ main task is to write a number of Diary entries from the perspectives of the First Fleet sailors, the convicts, and the Aboriginal people already inhabiting Sydney cove.
OBSERVATIONS
Listen to the following song in full, and give students just a chance to hear the tune and catch some lyrics.
- Prior to the lesson, go over what the class has covered in the previous lessons (Cause & Effect, Perspectives).
LESSON
On the subject of the arrival of the First Fleet, the historical concept we will be focusing on is Empathy. The resources and activity are designed to help students understand the different thoughts and perspectives from various peoples involved in early settlement.
The students’ main task is to write a number of Diary entries from the perspectives of the First Fleet sailors, the convicts, and the Aboriginal people already inhabiting Sydney cove.
OBSERVATIONS
Listen to the following song in full, and give students just a chance to hear the tune and catch some lyrics.
Resource 1
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· Play the song again, and pause and interpret a few key verses:
Verse 2: “There’s the bo’sun and all the ships crew, Knows what we poor convicts go through”.
Ø Talk on and establish the different kinds of people that were aboard the first fleet, and how they would have different interpretations of the journey.
Verse 4: “These seven long years I’ve been serving now, All for bashing a bloke down our alley, and taking his ticker away”
Ø Talk about the sentences that the convicts were serving, and the different levels of crimes that they committed (e.g. some harsh crimes, some petty thefts). Ticker = clock
Verse 6: “Take warning from what I’ve to say: Mind all is your own as you toucheses, Or you’ll find us in Botany Bay”
Ø Talk about the warning he is giving everyone back in England, how he doesn’t want them to end up in Botany Bay either, which must mean that it isn’t good there.
Formative Assessment
1. Whose point of view is the song sung from?
2. What insight to the life of a convict does the song give us?
Verse 2: “There’s the bo’sun and all the ships crew, Knows what we poor convicts go through”.
Ø Talk on and establish the different kinds of people that were aboard the first fleet, and how they would have different interpretations of the journey.
Verse 4: “These seven long years I’ve been serving now, All for bashing a bloke down our alley, and taking his ticker away”
Ø Talk about the sentences that the convicts were serving, and the different levels of crimes that they committed (e.g. some harsh crimes, some petty thefts). Ticker = clock
Verse 6: “Take warning from what I’ve to say: Mind all is your own as you toucheses, Or you’ll find us in Botany Bay”
Ø Talk about the warning he is giving everyone back in England, how he doesn’t want them to end up in Botany Bay either, which must mean that it isn’t good there.
Formative Assessment
1. Whose point of view is the song sung from?
2. What insight to the life of a convict does the song give us?
Resource 2
http://lrrpublic.cli.det.nsw.edu.au/lrrSecure/Sites/Web/13651/13652/journeys_nw2.htm
· Watch the embedded video of the stages of the First Fleets’ journey.
· Emphasise the locations the First Fleet stopped, the length of the journey, and the significance of the date they arrived in Sydney cove.
Formative Assessment
1. How long did the total journey take?
2. Considering the points of view of both the convicts & the sailors, do you think that it was a trying (challenging) journey?
· Watch the embedded video of the stages of the First Fleets’ journey.
· Emphasise the locations the First Fleet stopped, the length of the journey, and the significance of the date they arrived in Sydney cove.
Formative Assessment
1. How long did the total journey take?
2. Considering the points of view of both the convicts & the sailors, do you think that it was a trying (challenging) journey?
Resource 3
http://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/discover_collections/history_nation/terra_australis/artists/bradley/index.html
· Look at the painting “Taking of Colbee & Benalon” by William Bradley.
· Talk about how Bradleys’ painting depicts the arrival of the First Fleet and the clash with the Aboriginal people in the area.
Formative Assessment
1. What does the painting portray the Aboriginal people as?
2. Do the Aboriginal peoples in the painting look like they are welcoming to the First Fleet? What makes you think yes/no?
ACTIVITIES
With all sources in mind, the students are now tasked with writing their own journal entries from the point of view of the First Fleet sailors, convicts, and the Aboriginal peoples native to the land. In first person, and present tense, each student is to do 3 entries each; One during the time of the journey/pre arrival, one upon arriving in Botany Bay, and one after a few days ashore in Sydney cove.
ORGANISATION
- Group 1/3 of the class and have them write from the First Fleet sailors perspective.
- What are your fellow crew mates like? Are you excited or nervous about the journey? What are your initial thoughts of the land?
- Group 1/3 of the class and have them write from the Convicts perspective.
- What was your crime to get aboard the First Fleet? What are the quarters like on the ships for convicts? What do they have you doing upon arrival?
- Group 1/3 of the class and have them write from the Aboriginal peoples perspective.
- What was/is life like before the First Fleet arrived? What are your initial thoughts upon seeing them in the harbour? What is the first contact like?
- After all journal entries have been written, choose a few students to come up and read their entries to the class.
- Once the student entries have been read, get each student to swap books with someone in another group, who is writing from a different perspective.
SUMMARY
By the end of the learning sequence, students will have written a journal entry from the point of view of someone involved in the First Fleet journey and arrival in Australia. After having shared with others, students will have an appreciation of the varying points of view that people had of the Australian settlement.
CURRICULUM LINKS
- Stories of the First Fleet, including reasons for the journey, who travelled to Australia, and their experiences following arrival (ACHHK079)
HISTORICAL SKILLS & CONCEPTS
- Analysis & use of sources – Locate relevant information from sources provided (ACHHS084)
- Perspectives & Interpretations – Identify different points of view (ACHHS085)
RESOURCES
- Lrrpublic.cli.det.nsw.edu.au,. (2015). The First Fleet. Retrieved from http://lrrpublic.cli.det.nsw.edu.au/lrrSecure/Sites/Web/13651/13652/journeys_nw2.htm
- Sl.nsw.gov.au,. (2015). William Bradley | State Library of New South Wales. Retrieved from http://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/discover_collections/history_nation/terra_australis/artists/bradley/index.html
- YouTube,. (2015). (We're Bound For) Botany Bay (Lyrics) - Trad.Arr P.M.Adamson. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEYseM_R6Hk
· Look at the painting “Taking of Colbee & Benalon” by William Bradley.
· Talk about how Bradleys’ painting depicts the arrival of the First Fleet and the clash with the Aboriginal people in the area.
Formative Assessment
1. What does the painting portray the Aboriginal people as?
2. Do the Aboriginal peoples in the painting look like they are welcoming to the First Fleet? What makes you think yes/no?
ACTIVITIES
With all sources in mind, the students are now tasked with writing their own journal entries from the point of view of the First Fleet sailors, convicts, and the Aboriginal peoples native to the land. In first person, and present tense, each student is to do 3 entries each; One during the time of the journey/pre arrival, one upon arriving in Botany Bay, and one after a few days ashore in Sydney cove.
ORGANISATION
- Group 1/3 of the class and have them write from the First Fleet sailors perspective.
- What are your fellow crew mates like? Are you excited or nervous about the journey? What are your initial thoughts of the land?
- Group 1/3 of the class and have them write from the Convicts perspective.
- What was your crime to get aboard the First Fleet? What are the quarters like on the ships for convicts? What do they have you doing upon arrival?
- Group 1/3 of the class and have them write from the Aboriginal peoples perspective.
- What was/is life like before the First Fleet arrived? What are your initial thoughts upon seeing them in the harbour? What is the first contact like?
- After all journal entries have been written, choose a few students to come up and read their entries to the class.
- Once the student entries have been read, get each student to swap books with someone in another group, who is writing from a different perspective.
SUMMARY
By the end of the learning sequence, students will have written a journal entry from the point of view of someone involved in the First Fleet journey and arrival in Australia. After having shared with others, students will have an appreciation of the varying points of view that people had of the Australian settlement.
CURRICULUM LINKS
- Stories of the First Fleet, including reasons for the journey, who travelled to Australia, and their experiences following arrival (ACHHK079)
HISTORICAL SKILLS & CONCEPTS
- Analysis & use of sources – Locate relevant information from sources provided (ACHHS084)
- Perspectives & Interpretations – Identify different points of view (ACHHS085)
RESOURCES
- Lrrpublic.cli.det.nsw.edu.au,. (2015). The First Fleet. Retrieved from http://lrrpublic.cli.det.nsw.edu.au/lrrSecure/Sites/Web/13651/13652/journeys_nw2.htm
- Sl.nsw.gov.au,. (2015). William Bradley | State Library of New South Wales. Retrieved from http://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/discover_collections/history_nation/terra_australis/artists/bradley/index.html
- YouTube,. (2015). (We're Bound For) Botany Bay (Lyrics) - Trad.Arr P.M.Adamson. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEYseM_R6Hk