Early Settler Choices

Year Level

Years 3 and 4

Duration

60 minutes

---

Learning Objectives

• Understand the experiences of early European settlers in Australia.
• Explore the perspectives of three different groups of settlers.
• Develop skills in gathering information from a variety of historical sources.
• Reflect on the impact of settlement on First Nations Australians.

Victorian Curriculum Links:

• History:
  • AC9HS4K02: The causes of the establishment of the first British colony in Australia in 1788.
  • AC9HS4K04: The effects of contact with other people on First Nations Australians and their Countries/Places after the arrival of the First Fleet, including differing perspectives on invasion.
  • AC9HS3S02: Locating, collecting and recording information and data from a range of sources, including annotated timelines and maps.

---

Lesson Overview

Students will be introduced to the topic of early Australian settlers. They will then choose one from three groups of early settlers to focus on during the lesson:

1. Convicts transported to Australia
2. Free settlers seeking new opportunities
3. Early explorers and their journeys

Using a range of sources including images, maps, and short stories, students will investigate their chosen group and share key findings with the class.

---

Materials

• Printed or digital picture cards representing each settler group.
• Short illustrated stories or diary entries (age-appropriate) for each settler group.
• Maps showing routes of explorers and arrival points for settlers.
• Timeline posters showing major events in early settlement.
• Recording sheets for notes and reflections.

---

Lesson Plan Details

1. Introduction (10 minutes)

• Engage: Begin with a brief, animated storytelling of the First Fleet arrival in 1788 to capture attention.
• Show a large map of Australia and point out Sydney Cove.
• Explain that early settlers were different types of people who came for different reasons.
• Introduce the three groups of settlers: Convicts, Free settlers, Explorers.
• Learning focus statement displayed: “Today, you will choose one group to learn more about and share what you discover!”

2. Choice and Exploration (15 minutes)

• Divide the class into three groups of 10 students.
• Each group receives:
  • Picture cards and mini-story or diary excerpt of their specific settler group.
  • Map showing routes or locations related to their group.
• Prompt guiding questions:
  • Who were these settlers?
  • Why did they come to Australia?
  • What challenges did they face?
  • How did they live?
• Teacher circulates to assist and probe deeper thinking.

3. Group Discussion and Creation (15 minutes)

• Ask each group to prepare a short poster or digital slide with:
  • A drawing or representation of their settler group.
  • Three interesting facts they found out.
• Groups also annotate on a class timeline where their group fits in history.
• Teacher encourages use of vocabulary like “colony”, “settlement”, “convict”, “free settler”, “explorer”, “First Fleet”.

4. Sharing and Reflection (15 minutes)

• Each group presents their poster or slide to the class (3-4 minutes each).
• Class compares settler groups: What is the same? What is different?
• Discuss briefly First Nations Australians’ perspectives on settlement, introducing the concept of invasion and change to their way of life (sensitive, age-appropriate language).
• Prompt for reflection: How do you think the settlers felt? How might First Nations Australians have felt?

5. Conclusion and Assessment (5 minutes)

• Summarise key ideas about the three settler groups and their impact in early Australian history.
• Exit task: Students write or draw a sentence about which settler group they would most like to learn more about and why (integrating English literacy) — suitable for years 3 and 4 capability.
• Collect recording sheets for formative assessment of understanding.

---

Differentiation

• Provide varied reading levels in stories/diaries per group.
• Offer sentence starters for writing tasks.
• Use visuals and oral storytelling to support EAL/D students.
• Encourage peer support in group activities.

---

Links To General Capabilities

• Critical and Creative Thinking: Comparing perspectives between settler groups and First Nations Australians.
• Literacy: Reading and composing short texts about historical events and characters.
• Ethical Understanding: Reflecting on the effects of settlement on First Nations peoples.

---

Teacher Notes

• Ensure respectful language when discussing First Nations Australians and use of the term “invasion” with sensitivity.
• Highlight that the students' choice encourages engagement and ownership of learning.
• Use multimedia and storytelling to bring history alive and cater to diverse learners in the classroom.

---

Curriculum References

Curriculum Code	Description
AC9HS4K02	Causes of establishing the first British colony in Australia in 1788.
AC9HS4K04	Effects of contact on First Nations Australians; differing perspectives.
AC9HS3S02	Locating and recording information from a range of historical sources.

---

This lesson plan offers a lively, student-centred approach to exploring early Australian settlers, aligned with the Victorian Curriculum requirements for Years 3 and 4 History. It integrates important historical concepts, develops critical thinking and literacy, and fosters respectful understanding of Australia's complex history.