This document provides an overview of how Nuriootpa High School teaches Australian wartime history. It discusses using World War 1 as the focus in Year 9 and World War 2 in Year 10. Resources mentioned include online sources, documentaries, simulations, and competitions like the Premier's Anzac Spirit School Prize. Teaching approaches aim to develop historical empathy and understanding of significance through inquiry-based research tasks and analyzing sources from different perspectives.
2. Overview
Our context
Australian History
World War 1 at Year 9
World War 2 at Year 10
Premier’s Anzac Spirit School Prize and the
Simpson Prize
Fostering empathy
Resources/ideas/exemplars
3. Our context
Nuriootpa High School has approximately 850 students
We are a country High School but close enough to Adelaide for
day trip excursions
History has been offered as an elective from Year 9 onwards and
is one of our most popular subjects
We trialled Australian Curriculum: History in 2010 and 2011 with
a particular focus on Year 10
We have a number of History specialists though need to rely on
some “non-specialists”
We have a great relationship with our local RSL branch.
Every year we do a special Anzac Day assembly and a
Remembrance Day assembly
We have a memorial to ex-students who were killed in WWII.
Recently a ex-student was killed in Afghanistan.
4. Teaching Wartime History
Students are interested. “Most Australian History
might be boring but our wartime history isn’t.”
Develops historical empathy
Some great resources, especially online and
through the DVA
Great competitions like the Premier’s Anzac Spirit
and Simpson Prizes
Core Content – Year 9 WWI, Year 10 WWII
5. World War 1 as an accident
Why did the driver hit the tree?
Was it mostly because of the kangaroo, the
sun, the bend in the road or because he wasn’t
paying attention? Of course, if the tree wasn’t
there, he wouldn’t have hit it!
Which of these causes is short term and
which is long term?
8. Workshop Activity
Have a go!
Can you come up with your own analogy to explain the
multiple causes of World War 1? For an added
complication, try to include the effects as well.
Any incident will do, it just needs a number of causes
Think about the different sorts of causes, what might
be short and long term? What causes are
Social/Cultural? Economic? Political?
9. Diplomacy
Boardgame (or Computer) simulation of European
alliances pre-WWI
Some of the advantages
It allows students to experience the MAIN causes of
WWI directly – Militarism, Alliances, Imperialism and
Nationalism
It teaches them some European geography
There are some interesting lessons to be learnt about
human nature, teamwork and negotiation skills
11. The game in action
Turkey planning their next move
Students use mobile phones to
take pictures of the map, plan what
they will do and then try to
convince at least some of the other
countries to go along with it!
12. Some resources
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TU03EU5_MCE
A useful video that explains the rules in nine minutes
http://www.playdiplomacy.com/index.php
Online Diplomacy
http://playdiplomacy.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=453&t=31545
http://www.mrboll.com/?page_id=4346
https://www.academia.edu ‘Teaching Diplomacy by other means’
Some examples and articles about how you might use an online
Diplomacy game in class
13. Research Tasks
Family History: ‘In their Footsteps’ Project (Stage 2)
Creative Works Presentation (Stage 2)
Documentaries (Stage 1)
Premier’s Anzac Spirit School Prize (Year 9/10)
Simpson Prize (Year 9/10)
14. Basic Research Task
You must use inquiry-based research – come up with
at least 5 questions about your topic. For example:
What did they do? What battles were they in? Who
won those battles? How many Australians died or were
wounded in that battle?
How did they die? How did they earn their medals?
Where did they serve? What was that like?
Why should they be remembered?
You must then write a letter to or from a soldier, sailor
or nurse serving overseas. Use your research to make
it seem more real.
15. Example
“Five years after Atkinson’s death his mother was
sent a memorial scroll and memorial plaque and the
following year she received a Victory Medal for his
services. I think she would have rather had her son.
One document that I found while looking through
the archives that made me feel quite sad was the
permission slip from his parents consenting to him
joining the army… When Atkinson died his personal
effects were returned to his mother, there was not
very much to return, 2 electric lamps, razor strap,
shaving brush, razor, soap, woolen cap, 2 bibles,
wallet and some writing gear. Not a lot to show for
his life. From the records about conditions in the
trenches most of his belongings would have been
fairly useless in a practical sense but probably gave
him some comfort. This only adds to the sadness I
felt when exploring the life of Frederick Atkinson.”
Frank explained to his parents that had the war not ended when it did, many of the
POWs in Siam would have been shot. He describes the year of 1943 as particularly
bad especially when he and the other POWs were “driven like galley slaves and life
was a horrible misery” this comment is in reference to the way the prisoners of the
Japanese were treated in the building of the Burma-Thailand Railway. A
combination of the poor health of the prisoners, the terrain, climate and the lack
of tools and supplies would have made the labour even more horrific for prisoners.
In one particular letter (see Appendix 1) Frank describes the horrific details of
living as a prisoner of the Japanese to his parents. “They died in twos and threes
and when the cholera came as many as a dozen at a time.” The lives of many
Australian POWs were lost to the Japanese. Although Australian POWs often
experienced brutality and deprivation at the hands of the Japanese many also
recognised the importance of mateship and hope. Comparing himself to others
helped Frank realise “I’m not so badly off”. This ANZAC spirit would have been
present among many of the Australian prisoners. As ex-POW Ian Wall says, “You
lived for one another”.
16. James Martin
As stated by the Australian War
Memorial, he is thought to be the
youngest Australian to die on
active service.
https://www.awm.gov.au/encyclop
edia/martin/
19. Task Design
Australian Curriculum asks us to focus on key questions at
each year level.
For Year 9
What were the changing features of the movements of people from 1750 to 1918?
How did new ideas and technological developments contribute to change in this
period?
What was the origin, development, significance and long-term impact of
imperialism in this period?
What was the significance of World War I?
For Year 10
How did the nature of global conflict change during the twentieth century?
What were the consequences of World War II? How did these consequences shape
the modern world?
How was Australian society affected by other significant global events and changes in
this period?
20. Understanding by Design or
“Backwards Design”
Identify desired
results
Stage 1
Stage 2
Stage 3
Determine acceptable
evidence
Plan learning
experiences & activities“Begin with the end in mind”
What learning
needs to occur?
What will this
learning look like?
21. What learning do we want?
Developing historical empathy
Understanding “historical significance”
Developing Sources Analysis skills
By the end of Year 10, students refer to key events, the actions
of individuals and groups, and beliefs and values to explain
patterns of change and continuity over time. They analyse the
causes and effects of events and developments and explain
their relative importance. They explain the context for people’s
actions in the past. Students explain the significance of events
and developments from a range of perspectives. They explain
different interpretations of the past and recognise the evidence
used to support these interpretations.
22. Year 10 Sources Analysis
Content link - An examination of significant events of
World War II, including the Holocaust and use of the atom
bomb (ACDSEH107)
Intended to assess the following elements of the
achievement standard
Students explain the significance of events and development
from a range of perspectives.
Students analyse sources to identify motivations, values and
attitudes. When evaluating these sources, they analyse and
draw conclusions about their usefulness, taking into account
their origin, purpose and context.
Designed for trial – not yet fully polished!
23. Year 11 Documentaries
Chose any person or
event
Locate relevant
primary and
secondary sources
Using Moviemaker,
Photoshop etc,
explain how this
event or person was
historically
significant
24. Year 12 Creative Works
Key Area of Inquiry 2
War memorials, commemorative
ceremonies, and creative works (e.g.
art, literature, songs, photographs,
and film) as ways of remembering
Australians involved in war or
conflict
Choice of topic eg: Art, Music,
Film, specific events like the
sinking of HMAS Sydney, specific
groups like nurses or POWs
Multi-modal presentation
32. Recommended videos
Australians at War series
Australian War Memorial You Tube Channel
www.youtube.com/user/AustWarMemorial
‘Gallipoli: The Frontline Experience’ (BBC)
ABC Kokoda (two part series)
The Fog of War You Tube Channel
www.youtube.com/channel/UCShQwaYMurWOQAsDY
D8REew
Films – Beneath Hill 60, Gallipoli, The Lighthorsemen
33. Some other online resources
http://www.dva.gov.au/commems_oawg/commemorations/history_researc
h/Pages/index.aspx
Department of Veterans Affairs resources and website list
www.bbc.co.uk/schools/worldwarone/hq/trenchwarfare.shtml
Students take the role of a WW1 general, trying to minimise casualties and
still achieve their objectives
www.bbc.co.uk/schools/worldwarone/hq/worldwarwhen.shtml
A quiz
www.warmuseum.ca/cwm/games/overtop/index_e.shtml
A interactive Canadian game that puts students in the position of an
ordinary soldier
34. Anzac Spirit and Simpson Prize
www.simpsonprize.org
Year 9&10 students
Essay response – set question
Closes 17th October
http://www.sa.gov.au/topics/education-skills-and-
learning/schools/curriculum-and-learning/programs-and-extra-curricular-
activities/premier-s-anzac-spirit-school-prize
Year 9&10 students
Multiple formats – research a person
Closes 26th September
36. For further information
Contact me
giles.bartram510@schools.sa.edu.au
Twitter @BartramGiles
Download this presentation
http://www.slideshare.net/GBartram/teaching-
australian-wartime-history
