British Motivations Explored

Lesson 2: Understanding British Motivations

Unit: Colonial Australia Uncovered

Year Level: Year 5

Duration: 45 minutes

Class Size: 20 students

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WALT (We Are Learning To)

• Investigate and understand the various motivations behind British colonisation.
• Examine economic, political, and social factors that influenced Britain.
• Analyse primary sources to explore Britain’s perspective on colonising Australia.

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Australian Curriculum Alignment (v9) — Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS)

• Content Description:
  • AC9HS5S01: Develop questions to investigate people, events, developments, places and systems (investigate British colonisation questions).
  • AC9HS5S02: Locate, collect, and organise information from primary and secondary sources in a range of formats (primary sources about British motivations).
  • AC9HS5S04: Evaluate primary and secondary sources to determine origin, purpose and perspectives (analyse British sources for perspective).
  • AC9HS5K02: The impact of British colonies on people and environment (connect motivations to impacts).

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Success Criteria

Students will be able to:

• Identify at least three key motivations behind British colonisation of Australia (economic, political, social).
• Analyse and explain key points from primary sources reflecting Britain's motivations.
• Demonstrate understanding by discussing Britain’s perspective and the reasons for colonisation.

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Lesson Outline and Timings

Time	Activity	Description
0-5 mins	Engage & Introduce

• Begin with a Think-Pair-Share asking: "Why do you think Britain wanted to establish colonies in Australia?"
• Record some initial ideas on the board.
• Explain the lesson focus: investigating Britain’s motivations using real historical sources.
  | 5-15 mins | Mini-Lesson: Motivations Overview |
• Teacher-led explanation of key motivations:
  • Economic (trade, resources, new markets)
  • Political (strategic power, naval base, empire expansion)
  • Social (overcrowding in Britain, convict settlement)
• Use simple bullet points and images to illustrate.
  | 15-30 mins | Primary Source Analysis – Group Work |
• Divide class into four groups of five students.
• Each group receives one curated type of primary source (e.g., a British government letter or speech, a convict diary excerpt, a map from the 18th century, an advertisement for settlement).
• Task: Identify and write down what this source suggests about British motivations using a graphic organiser provided (table split into Economic, Political, Social).
• Teacher to assist groups, scaffold understanding and encourage discussion.
  | 30-40 mins | Class Discussion & Critical Thinking |
• Groups share one or two insights from their source.
• Discuss similarities and differences in perspectives from the sources.
• Teacher highlights how motivations are interconnected and reflect the time’s context.
  | 40-45 mins | Exit Reflection & Wrap-Up |
• Students individually write a short "One thing I learned about why Britain colonised Australia is..."
• Collect reflections as an informal assessment of understanding.

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Differentiation Strategies

• For diverse learners (including EAL/D and students with learning difficulties):

  • Provide simplified text excerpts and key vocabulary lists.
  • Use visuals and graphic organisers to support comprehension.
  • Provide sentence starters for group and written tasks.
  • Teacher or aide support during group work.

• For advanced learners:

  • Extend analysis to consider contradictions or missing voices in sources.
  • Research additional secondary sources and compare perspectives.
  • Prepare a mini oral presentation on a specific motivation with examples.

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Resources

• Copies of primary source excerpts (e.g., British government documents, convicts’ diaries, historical advertisements, maps).
• Graphic organisers (table with columns: Economic, Political, Social motivations).
• Whiteboard/flipchart for recording ideas.
• Pens, paper for note-taking.

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Assessment

• Formative: Observation of group discussions and participation.
• Written exit reflection to check individual understanding of motivations.
• Teacher notes on source analysis to inform next lessons.

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Links to General Capabilities

• Critical and Creative Thinking: Evaluating sources, identifying perspectives, analysing motivations.
• Literacy: Reading historical texts, understanding vocabulary and context.
• Ethical Understanding: Recognising different historical viewpoints and the consequences of colonisation.
• Personal and Social Capability: Collaboration during group work and respectful discussion of differing ideas.

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This lesson plan integrates historical inquiry skills that align closely with Australian Curriculum (v9) content codes AC9HS5S01, AC9HS5S02, and AC9HS5S04. It uses inquiry, source analysis, and discussion to develop Year 5 students’ critical understandings of British motivations for colonising Australia, an essential foundation for exploring colonial history and its impacts.