Living history

Lining up for the bus ride to Sovereign Hill, the excitement amongst the Year 5 boys was unmistakable.

After weeks of learning about the events around the Australian gold rush and the Eureka Rebellion, the boys were about to see where these important events in Australian history actually happened.

While the goal for many boys was to strike it rich panning for gold, the activities that made the greatest impact on their learning included our education session that replicated the hunt for gold in a shaft mine and the Aura night show that outlined the events that occurred in the 1850s.

The projections of the characters and the buildings bursting into flames during the show made it feel like you were right in the middle of the miner uprising. A quick shop for lollies and souvenirs punctuated a wonderfully informative and fun-filled two days on the Ballarat goldfields.

The boys are looking forward to continuing their learning about the topic, with the focus now turning to completing a project that expands on their knowledge of a learning intention of their choice.

Matt Barker
Year 5 Teacher