First Settlement In Australia Lesson Plan for 5th Grade Students

Topic: Project on First Fleet, Convicts, Crew, Captains & Civilians in Australia

Objectives & Outcomes

• Students will understand the purpose of the First Fleet and its role in establishing the first European settlement in Australia in the late 18th century.
• Students will be able to identify the different groups of people involved in the First Fleet, their roles and the hardships they faced during the journey.

Materials

• Pictures or artifacts from the First Fleet period
• Handouts with information about the different groups of people involved in the First Fleet
• Writing materials for the project presentation

Warm-up

• Have students work in pairs to complete a matching activity using the pictures or artifacts from the First Fleet period. The activity should include a description of the item and a person or group of people who would have been involved in the First Fleet. For example, "This is a picture of Captain Arthur Phillip.He led the First Fleet to Australia and was in charge of the settlement.

Direct Instruction

• Begin by introducing the topic of the First Fleet and its settlement of Australia.
• Show the pictures or artifacts from the First Fleet period and have students describe what they see.
• As a class, discuss the reasons for the First Fleet's settlement of Australia, including the need for a new settlement due to overcrowding in England and the potential for economic gain through trade with Asia.
• Discuss the different groups of people involved in the First Fleet, including the captains, crew, and convicts.
• Provide additional information about the First Fleet and its settlement of Australia using the texts and other resources.

Guided Practice

• Divide the class into small groups and give each group a set of pictures or artifacts from the First Fleet period.
• Have the groups work together to identify and describe the different objects they are given.
• Encourage the groups to use their knowledge of the First Fleet and its settlement of Australia to help them identify and explain the significance of the objects they are given.
• As a class, have each group share their findings and discuss any additional information they have learned about the First Fleet and its settlement of Australia.

Independent Practice

• Have the students work individually or in pairs to create a short presentation on a specific aspect of the First Fleet and its settlement of Australia.
• Encourage the students to use the resources provided and their own research to find additional information on their topic.
• Have the students present their findings to the class.Examples could include a slide show on the life of a convict on the First Fleet, a poster on Captain Arthur Phillip, or a model of a ship from the First Fleet.

Closure

• Review the key details of the First Fleet and the settlement of Australia.
• Ask the students to reflect on what they have learned and how it relates to their own lives.
• Encourage the students to think about how their own actions can affect the future of their community and the world.

Assessment

• Assess the students' understanding of the First Fleet and the settlement of Australia through a written report and a class presentation.
• Consider having the students complete a quiz or worksheet to check their understanding of the key details of the First Fleet and the settlement of Australia.