The Year 5s went back in Australian history to the 1880s, with the compelling question, ‘How have individuals and groups contributed to the development of their society?’

Gold rush era
Students were immersed in the events and changes brought about by the gold rush era, from the perspective of settlers, ex-convicts, immigrants from Europe and Asia, and First Nations peoples.

Creating rocker boxes in STEM to sift for gold
Our inquiry linked to our specialist design technologies lessons. Students developed an understanding of gold mining techniques, viewed historical images and clips in class and then designed and built their own ‘rocker box’ sifting devices with Mrs Braithwaite in STEM. This involved working through the Design Thinking process that culminated in their final prototypes. Students particularly enjoyed the opportunity to work with a range of materials, tools and equipment to achieve their goals.

The Gold Rush Simulation
The much-anticipated ‘Gold Rush Simulation’ connected all our learning. We put our rocker boxes to the test, exchanged gold for pounds Sterling, avoided bushrangers (or not!), dealt with corrupt shopkeepers and police, and bailed (or bribed) our family members out of goal. It was a fantastic culmination of our learning and developed our understanding and empathy for people from our nations’ past.

Article by Catherine Kowalick, Year 5 Teacher