The Industrial Revolution and overcrowded prisons in Britain

Reasons for transportation and penal colonies

The First Fleet and early colonial establishment

(BTN and Inquisitive)

(Hobart Penitentiary and Women's Factory)

(Port Arthur)

Daily routines, jobs, food, clothing, punishment systems

Gender roles and family life in convict settlements

Experiences of women and children

Challenges such as disease, climate, food shortages, and isolation

The arrival of free settlers and their reasons for migration

Conflict and cooperation between convicts and free settlers

The growth of farming, trade, and infrastructure

Connection to Country and traditional life pre-colonisation

Dispossession, displacement, and resistance

Early encounters and cultural misunderstandings

Long-term effects of colonisation (e.g. loss of land, culture, and autonomy)

(BTN, National Museum etc)

Historical photos, artefacts, artworks, letters, journals

Excursions to Cascades Female Factory and Hobart Convict Penitentiary

Exploring historical bias and missing voices

Laws, punishments, and court systems

The role of authority figures (e.g., governors, soldiers, judges)- Hobart Penitentiary visit

Comparing British justice with Aboriginal lore and justice systems

(Ziggy Ramo)

Pick appropriate verse from Birdz)

Explore how colonisation led to loss of land, culture, and connection for First Nations peoples

Discuss intergenerational trauma and the emotional impact of dispossession

Read and respond to First Nations poetry (e.g., Oodgeroo Noonuccal)

Support students to express their understanding through poetry, art, or reflective writing

Encourage respectful language, active listening, and cultural awareness

This unit will also explore how different groups experienced life in colonial Australia, including the injustice faced by First Nations peoples and the harsh realities of the convict system. Students will be encouraged to think critically about the motivations for colonisation, the consequences of British settlement, and the long-lasting impacts on Australian society. The unit builds historical understanding while fostering empathy, ethical reflection, and intercultural awareness.

These are designed to anchor the unit, meet Australian Curriculum outcomes, and promote rich, ongoing inquiry:

Big Understanding Question:

How did colonisation change life in Australia for convicts, settlers, and First Nations peoples?

Supporting Inquiry Questions:

-Convicts and Colonial Life

What was life like for convicts in early Australia?

-Why were people transported to Australia?

-What were the roles of men, women, and children in a convict colony?

-How were convicts punished, and what was considered a crime?

-Motivations for Colonisation

Why did Britain want to establish a colony in Australia?

-What challenges did early settlers and convicts face?

-Impact on First Nations Australians

How did colonisation affect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples?

-How did First Nations peoples respond to the arrival of British settlers?

-What stories and voices are missing from traditional colonial narratives?

-Reflection and Perspective

Was everyone treated fairly in colonial Australia?

-How can we learn from the past to create a fairer society today?

-What evidence can we use to understand people’s lives in the past?

Formative assessments include:

• KWL chart or Padlet entry to capture prior knowledge and questions

• Exit slips and reflection prompts to track developing understanding

• Source analysis tasks to examine historical perspectives

• Excursion reflections connecting real-world experiences to classroom learning

• Song lyric deconstruction to explore figurative language techniques (English link)

Summative assessments:

Historical Perspective Poem (History)

• Students write a poem from the perspective of a convict, settler, or First Nations person

• Incorporates figurative language devices explored in English (e.g. imagery, repetition, metaphor)

• Includes a short written reflection explaining historical context and voice

• Assesses empathy, understanding, and perspective-taking

Informative Report (English)

• Linked to the novel Tom Appleby: Convict Boy

• Students write a factual report on an aspect of colonial life (e.g. convict children, Female Factory)

• Builds skills in research, factual writing, and use of historical language

Knowledge and Understanding

• AC9HS5K01 – Examine the causes and effects of British colonisation in Australia after 1800, including the impact on First Nations Australians.

• AC9HS5K02 – Investigate what life was like for people (e.g. convicts, settlers, children) in colonial Australia and how those experiences shaped communities.

Inquiry and Skills

• AC9HS5S01 – Develop historical questions to investigate people, events and developments.

• AC9HS5S02 – Collect and organise information from primary and secondary sources.

• AC9HS5S04 – Identify and examine different perspectives, including First Nations Australians’ viewpoints.

• AC9HS5S05 – Use evidence to develop informed historical conclusions.

• AC9HS5S07 – Present findings using historical terms and concepts.

Year 6 History (HASS)

Knowledge and Understanding

• AC9HS6K01 – Analyse the causes and effects of the expansion of British settlement and the continuing impact on First Nations Australians.

• AC9HS6K02 – Explore the contribution of individuals and groups to the development of Australian society during colonial times.

Inquiry and Skills

• AC9HS6S01 – Pose questions and plan historical inquiries.

• AC9HS6S03 – Evaluate sources to identify patterns, relationships, and perspectives.

• AC9HS6S05 – Draw conclusions and communicate interpretations supported by evidence.

• AC9HS6S07 – Use appropriate formats and conventions to present historical understandings (e.g. timelines, reports, poems, presentations).

Published poems by First Nations authors (e.g., Oodgeroo Noonuccal’s “No More Boomerang”, “We Are Going”)

Links to poetry performance videos (e.g., NITV or ABC education)

A poetry-writing scaffold (acrostic, free verse, or structured template)

Student-created poems reflecting on:

Life as a convict

Dispossession as a First Nations child

Voices of the land before colonisation

Emotional response to learning

Genre: Historical Fiction

Theme Focus: Convict life, resilience, injustice, identity, and hope

How This Connects to Our Inquiry:

This novel offers a narrative lens through which students can explore the lived experience of a young convict boy. It complements our historical learning by:

Humanising convict stories

Encouraging empathy and perspective-taking

Introducing historical language and customs

Prompting discussions around fairness, survival, and identity in early colonial life

Visit Website

This collaboration will:

• Provide cultural context and deepen students’ understanding

• Help guide respectful discussion around identity, connection to Country, and dispossession

• Ensure that First Nations voices and experiences are authentically represented in our learning

• Model the importance of listening, learning, and sharing responsibility in truth-telling

Their insights will also support students as they engage with poetry and creative responses, ensuring these are grounded in empathy and respect.