First Sources, Many Views

Overview

Today students begin an inquiry into how different people in the past can have different experiences and perspectives. They will use cooperative and jigsaw learning to ask questions, find simple evidence from provided sources, and share an empathetic response.

Learning intentions

Students will be able to:

• Ask simple historical questions about people’s lives in the past
• Identify perspectives (what someone might think, feel, or do) using provided source images and short statements
• Record evidence from a source to support a claim
• Share findings respectfully with others in a cooperative and jigsaw group
• Explain that Aboriginal Peoples’ experiences of colonisation were different for different people and places

Success criteria

Students can:

• Ask at least 1 clear “who/what/why/how” question about the past
• Use a sentence frame to link evidence to an idea (e.g. “The source shows…, so I think…”)
• Describe at least 1 perspective from a character/person in the sources and show empathy (e.g. “I imagine they might have felt…”)
• Contribute to their jigsaw home group by teaching one key finding accurately

Curriculum links

• HI4-CPP-01: Students describe different contexts and perspectives of the past
• HI4-APP-01: Students explain Aboriginal Peoples’ experiences and perspectives of colonisation
• HILS-EPC-01: Students identify Aboriginal Peoples’ experiences of colonisation
• HI4-SPE-01: Students explain the key features of past societies, historical periods and events
• HI4-IEP-01: Students account for significant ideas and events that shaped the past

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Hook and inquiry question. Teacher shows two picture sources (provided in the lesson pack): one that suggests change to Aboriginal Peoples’ lives after colonisation, and one that shows a different experience (e.g. removal/observation/resistance—teacher-selected age-appropriate images and short captions). Students do a quick think: “What could be happening? What makes you think that?”

2. 5–10 min · Mini teach: questions in history. Teacher models how to turn observations into inquiry questions using a question bank (Who? What happened? How might people feel? Why? What is the same/different?). Students choose one question to write on a sticky note using a sentence starter: “I want to find out…”

Success criteria check: Teacher listens for clear, answerable questions.

3. 10–15 min · Cooperative groups: jigsaw plan. Teacher explains jigsaw: each student becomes an “expert” on one small set of evidence, then returns to their “home group” to teach. Students are placed into home groups of 4 (total groups ≈ 5). Within each home group, each student gets a different “expert card” with a short source (image + 1–2 sentences) and a guiding prompt.

4. 15–28 min · Jigsaw expert work (research skills). Teacher circulates and prompts students to:

• Read/observe the source carefully
• Highlight or point to one piece of evidence
• Complete an evidence sentence: “The source shows…, so I think…”
• Add a perspective/empathy sentence: “I imagine someone in this situation might have felt/thought…”

Students in expert groups compare their card only (not home groups). They build a 30-second explanation.

Success criteria check: Teacher uses a quick checklist: evidence sentence completed + perspective sentence attempted.

5. 28–38 min · Teach-back in home groups (collaboration + perspectives). Students return to their home group. Each “expert” teaches their finding while others record a brief notes table:

• Evidence (what the source shows)
• Idea (what the evidence suggests)
• Perspective (how someone might view the situation)
• One question they still have

Teacher reminds students to be respectful and to use evidence words (source, shows, suggests, supports).

Success criteria check: Teacher listens for accurate teaching and evidence-based claims.

6. 38–44 min · Whole-class synthesis: “Different perspectives, connected story.” As a class, teacher writes a class chart:

• “Experiences might be different because…”
• “We learned that colonisation affected Aboriginal Peoples in many ways…” Students share one “best question” from their notes.

7. 44–45 min · Exit ticket (analysis + empathy). Students complete:

• “One source tells me…”
• “A person might have felt/thought…”
• “My inquiry question is…”

Resources

• Printed jigsaw expert cards (5–20 cards total; one per student)
• Picture sources with short captions (age-appropriate, teacher-prepared)
• Evidence sentence starters and perspective/empathy sentence starters
• Home group notes table (one per group)
• Sticky notes or mini whiteboards for the hook
• Checklist for teacher observation
• Class chart paper/board

Assessment

• Formative during expert work: evidence sentence + perspective sentence (teacher checklist)
• Formative during home group teach-back: accurate, respectful communication (teacher observation)
• Exit ticket to check historical skills: questioning, evidence use, and perspective/empathy

Differentiation

• Support:
• Sentence starters for questions, evidence (“The source shows…”), and empathy (“I imagine…”)
• Reduced-card load for some students (shorter caption, larger images)
• Word bank (same, different, evidence, shows, suggests, felt, thought)
• EAL/SEN:
• Visual supports on expert cards (icons for who/what/how/why)
• Pairing with a supportive peer for first read-through
• Allow oral responses for the exit ticket with teacher scribe (if needed)
• Challenge/extension for advanced learners:
• Add a second evidence link: “I have another source that suggests…” and identify what is similar/different between two perspectives
• Encourage a deeper inquiry question starting with “How do we know?” or “What evidence would we need to be sure?”

Differentiation strategies for diverse learners

• Use mixed-ability home groups where roles rotate (Reader, Evidence Finder, Speaker, Notes Checker).
• Provide extra time for reading and allow students to point-and-say if handwriting is a barrier.
• Offer extension prompts for fast finishers: “What might change if the person was from a different place or group?” and “What would you ask next?”