HASS · Year 5

Active learning ideas

Journey to a New World: Convict Ships

Active learning works well for this topic because students need to engage with the complex social and economic realities of colonial Australia. Through role-play, simulations, and close reading, students move beyond facts to understand the human experiences behind migration, making the history more tangible and meaningful.

• ACARA Content Descriptions
• AC9HASS5K01

• 20–45 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 3 activities

Activity 01

• Think-Pair-Share
• 20 min · Pairs

Think-Pair-Share: Migration Motivations

Students read a short diary entry from a free settler and identify one 'push' factor from Britain and one 'pull' factor to Australia. They share their findings with a partner to create a master list of reasons for migration.

Explain the dangers and hardships faced by convicts during their journey.

Facilitation Tip

During the Think-Pair-Share, provide a list of starter prompts on the board to guide students who struggle to articulate their thoughts independently.

What to look for

Students write two sentences describing a hardship faced by convicts on the voyage and one logistical challenge faced by the ship's crew. They should use at least one key vocabulary term in their response.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Activity 02

• Simulation Game
• 45 min · Small Groups

Simulation Game: The Land Grant Game

Students are given a 'budget' and a map of a hypothetical colonial district. They must work in groups to decide where to build their farm, considering water access and soil, while navigating 'random events' like drought or lack of labor.

Analyze the logistical challenges of transporting thousands of people across the globe.

Facilitation Tip

In The Land Grant Game simulation, circulate with a checklist to ensure all students participate in the bidding process and explain their decisions aloud.

What to look for

Pose the question: 'Imagine you are a convict on the journey to Australia. What are your biggest fears? Now, imagine you are the captain. What are your biggest concerns?' Facilitate a class discussion comparing these perspectives.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Social Awareness
• Decision-Making

Activity 03

• Gallery Walk
• 30 min · Individual

Gallery Walk: Colonial Social Classes

Display images and quotes representing wealthy squatters, working-class tradespeople, and domestic servants. Students move around the room with a graphic organizer to note the differences in clothing, housing, and daily responsibilities.

Compare the journey of convicts with that of free settlers.

Facilitation Tip

For the Gallery Walk, place a blank sheet next to each image so students can write questions or reactions, creating a visible record of their thinking.

What to look for

Provide students with a short, simplified excerpt from a convict's diary or a ship's log. Ask them to identify and list three specific examples of harsh conditions or dangers mentioned in the text.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Create
• Relationship Skills
• Social Awareness

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teachers should ground this topic in primary sources and role-play to counter oversimplified narratives. Avoid presenting free settlers as a monolithic group; instead, highlight the spectrum of backgrounds and goals. Research shows that students grasp historical complexity best when they analyze multiple perspectives side by side, so use structured comparisons to build their critical thinking.

Successful learning looks like students articulating the diversity of free settlers’ motivations, recognizing the interconnectedness of social classes, and using historical evidence to explain colonial relationships. They should demonstrate empathy while maintaining historical accuracy in their discussions and reflections.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Think-Pair-Share, watch for students assuming all free settlers were wealthy people who owned large farms.

  Use the ‘census’ data table provided during the activity to ask specific questions like, ‘How many settlers listed occupations such as blacksmith or domestic servant?’ to redirect assumptions.

• During The Land Grant Game simulation, watch for students believing free settlers and convicts lived completely separate lives.

  Prompt students during the debrief to list examples of how settlers and convicts interacted in their roles, using the game’s land grant forms as evidence.

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Methods used in this brief

• Think-Pair-Share
• Simulation Game
• Gallery Walk