There’s something about gold

The Year 5s have been studying gold and its impact on Australia. They have been very engaged with the topic and have built a considerable bank of knowledge around life in nineteenth-century Victoria.

Their knowledge came alive when they visited Sovereign Hill. In particular, they were fascinated by a $100,000 gold pour, and by a guided tour of an underground mine. They also witnessed steam-driven machinery in action, and a wheelwright, candle maker and confectioner plying their trades. (The confectioner in particular benefitted from the boys’ interest in shopping, 1850s style!)

The richness of the boys’ understanding of a significant historical event in Australia, like the Gold Rush, is a key objective of the curriculum. The boys demonstrated their understanding by creating dioramas reflecting life on the diggings and composing letters or news articles from the Goldfields.