LESSON 6: Explain St Helena Island Excursion

TIME:

1 Day

YEAR: 5

CONTENT DESCRIPTORS
History:
Historical Knowledge and Understanding
Reasons (economic, political and social) for the establishment of British colonies in
Australia after 1800.(ACHHK093)
The nature of convict or colonial presence, including the factors that influenced
patterns of development, aspects of the daily life of the inhabitants (including
Aboriginal Peoples and Torres Strait Islander Peoples) and how the environment
changed. (ACHHK094)

Historical Knowledge and Understanding

Perspectives and Interpretations
Identify points of view in the past and present (ACHHS104)

GENERAL CAPABILITIES:
Intercultural Understanding
Interacting and empathising with others

Consider and develop multiple perspectives

Personal and social capability

Social awareness

Appreciate diverse perspectives

Critical and creative thinking

Inquiring identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas

Identify and clarify information and ideas

Organise and process information

CROSS CURRICULUM PRIORITIES:

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures
Culture:
OI 6: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples have lived in Australia for tens of thousands of
years and experiences can be viewed through historical, social and political lenses.

INQUIRY QUESTION: How did convicts live on an isolated island and

what were the benefits to the general population of Moreton Bay
Colony?
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: At the end of this excursion students will have the
opportunity to demonstrate their ability to:

Describe daily life on St Helena Island

Explain the importance of St Helena Island to the Moreton Bay Colony

LEARNING INTENTIONS:

We will describe daily life on St Helena Island

We will explain the importance of St Helena Island to the Moreton Bay

Colony

RESOURCES:

Hat
Sunscreen
Lunch
Excursion permission slip
First aid kit
Clipboard
Pencil
Worksheet
Notepad
Water bottle

STUDENTS PRIOR KNOWLEDGE:

In previous lessons students will have learnt about the formation of convict colonies in
the Moreton Bay region and also the New South Wales Colony. Students will know
about the different kinds of people who were part of the colony and how they may
have ended up there. Students will have learnt about punishments that took place in
the Moreton Bay Colony.

DAY BEFORE THE EXCURSION:

Before leaving for the excursion, students will be shown the worksheet/note taking
sheet that they will need to complete throughout the day. There will be a set of inquiry
questions which students will have to keep in mind and these will be at the top of their
worksheet for them to refer back to.
Inquiry Questions:
1. What happened on a regular day at St Helena Island?
2. What caused people to be sent to St Helena Island?
3. How did life on St Helena impact life back on the main land?
4. If you were a convict who was living on St Helena Island and a friend had just
been sentenced to go there, what would you let them know about it?
a. Think about the weather, food, how the guards treat prisoners,
landscape, what trades are found on the island.
Worksheet Questions:
1. Name the trades found on St Helena Island.
2. Where is St Helena Island located?
3. What ways did prisoners try to escape?
4. What vegetation is found on St Helena?
5. What were the buildings that convicts built on St Helena for?
6. Which trades would have had the greatest impact on life back on the mainland?
7. What punishments were given to prisoners?
8. What was the importance of the tramway on St Helena?
These questions allow students to have a greater understanding of St Helena and will
come in handy for the lessons following the excursion.
Before the excursion, a permission slip will be sent out to parents and guardians,
outlining the day and what students will need; hat, sunscreen, school uniform, small
backpack, lunchbox, water bottle, raincoat and a clipboard and pencil and any other
medication required. There will also be a request for parents to join us as supervisors.
A risk assessment will also be carried out and approved by the principal before
departure. There will be a ratio of one teacher/adult to five students meaning there will
need to be six adults in total.

DAY PLAN

8:15am: Students will meet at school and be lined up in two lines where a roll will be
taken and students will be put into their group with their corresponding adult. They will
board a bus which will take us to the Manly Ferry Terminal where we will board the boat
to St Helena
9am: When boarding the boat to St Helena, students will stay together on the boat in
their groups where the teacher will brief every group about behaviour expectations on
the Island and the plan for the day.
10 am: When the boat arrives at St Helena, the class will disembark the boat together
in two lines and meet the guides who will be taking the separate groups.
10am -12pm: Students will be taken on a tour around the Island in their separate
groups, students will be encouraged to ask questions of the guide to gain the answers
to their worksheet. Their adult leaders will be reminding them of the inquiry questions
on their sheet during the day also.
12pm-1pm: Group will come together again and go down to the beach to have lunch.
Group leaders will have to make sure students stay in the permitted area and put their
rubbish into the bins.
1-1:15pm: As a group we have a discussion about the answers on our worksheets and
answer any questions other students may have.
1:15pm: The group will make their way to the ferry in two lines and stay as a group.
When the ferry arrives back in Manly, students will board the bus and head back to
school.
2:30pm: When students arrive back at school they will go up to the classroom where
they will thank the parent helpers, put their sheet in their social science journals. The
class will sit down and have a discussion on the learning intentions of the excursion
before the day finishes.

MODIFICATION TO ACCOMMODATE INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS:

The student with high anxiety will be in a group with the teacher and students who do
not cause him stress or trigger his anxiety. The teacher and student will discuss
strategies before the excursion to help curb his anxiety.

EXTENDED ACTIVITIES FOR FAST FINISHERS:

N/A