Education

CURRICULUM UNITS MENU : DO NOT REMOVE/EDIT THIS

INTERACTIVE UNITS MENU : DO NOT REMOVE/EDIT THIS

Investigating the Australian Experience of the Western Front 1916-1918

Australians focus heavily on Gallipoli, but it was on the Western front where most Australians served, where the greatest number died, and which constituted the most common Australian experience of the fighting.

This unit provides a range of evidence — maps, diagrams, paintings, documents, photographs, timelines — to explore that personal experience.

The Home Front during the First World War

We know a lot about the Australian soldiers of the First World War and the nature of the war they experienced. But what was life like on the home front?

• Were people united or divided?
• Were there pressures on men to enlist, women to become nurses, and people to raise money for the war?
• Were there pressures on opponents of the war to keep quiet?

The National Museum of Australia has an exhibition, The Home Front: Australia during the First World War, looking at the stories of 24 people who were in Australia during the war.

In this unit we look at 16 of those people in 13 case studies, and use objects and other information to explore their experience of the war, to better understand the impacts of war on the Australian Home Front.

Connecting With and Commemorating the Centenary of ANZAC

Commemoration means both remembering and acknowledging. To do this we need to know what happened and why. Then we can undertake appropriate activities that acknowledge the event in ways that have relevance and meaning for young people.

This unit asks students to consider what the people and events of 100 years ago have to do with them today. It shows ways of making connections through historical inquiry with these people and events in students’ own community, and suggests ways of commemorating their contribution to who and what we are today.

The Landing at Gallipoli

What actually happened on 25 April 1915?
On 25 April 1915 the Australian and New Zealand Anzac Corps landed at Gallipoli, and the Anzac Spirit was born. In this unit you interrogate evidence to separate the myths from the reality of this first day at Gallipoli.

Will this society go to war?

In 2014 we will be commemorating the 100th anniversary of Australia’s entry into and experience of the First World War.

One of the key areas of this commemoration will be an exploration of the Australian military experience, and the creation of the Anzac Spirit as part of Australian nationalism.

This evidence-based classroom activity encourages students to explore our society in 1913 to better understand how Australian military involvement in the war influenced national identity.

How did Australians respond to the war in 1914?

This unit uses evidence to explore five investigations to help you answer the title question:

Investigation 1: Why did a world war start in 1914?
Investigation 2: How did the Australian Government react? Why?
Investigation 3: How did the Australian people react? Why?
Investigation 4: Why did men and women volunteer to fight?
Investigation 5: Was Australia involved in ‘other people’s war’?

Australia is at war with Germany

In the previous two units in this series we have asked what type of society Australia was in 1914 when World War 1 began, and what the reactions were in Australia to its outbreak.

In this unit we ask you to think about 10 decisions that had to be taken soon after war started. Will you be a good government decision-maker?