Year 3/4

Duration: 11 weeks



Events that have changed the world


Rationale:
Why do you want to develop this inquiry? What will underpin this learning? Why is this learning significant? How is
this learning relevant to the students in my class? How is it relevant to the environment/community/others?
What background information do I need? What is useful to know about this topic?

With the middle years being a period where students are interested in discovering where they come
from we thought it was important to develop an inquiry unit which focused on how events and
decision affect and impact students lives as well as the lives of people on a global scale. Taylor and
Boon (2012) state that history is the major discipline that informs us about how we, as individuals,
groups, societies, nations and global entities have reached the state we are in today. (p, 44). This
unit is designed to help students to understand the cause and effect of events globally, as a
community and individually. This topic will combine physical, economical, political and cultural
understandings to create a broad picture of change and consequences.
Students will be taking on the role of historians posing questions, probing sources, and
constructing explanations, albeit in a less sophisticated way. (Hoepper, 2008, p. 201). As a class
and individually they will be taking on research based inquiry to determine how the world has been
changed in the past and how it might be changed in the future.

In a class of students considered worldly this inquiry unit will develop students understanding of
events and highlight the importance of knowing how the world has been shaped. This topic will also
develop empathy in students assessment of events and contributions to the future. This unit aims to
provide freedom and range of choice through the activities and assessment and aims to cater for
each childs strengths and interest to ensure every child is engaged and interested in their learning.

This topic will involve evaluation of choices and events at three different stages, personally, as a
community and globally. We aim to develop students own decision making in order to ensure they
evaluate the outcomes of their own decisions and think futuristically about their choices. The unit
also aims to develop students sense of time and space enabling students to connect and disconnect
with events appropriately to the situation. The development of time will be specifically looked at as
time perspectives are a powerful influence on human behaviour and they are learned and modified
by a variety of personal, social and institutional influences (Bateman & Harris, 2008, p. 268)
Students will also develop the ability to assess reliable sources of information and expand upon this
to understand that historical sources are partial in being only one part of what might have once
existed (Hoepper, 2011, p. 207)

Due to the confronting nature of many events which can be covered in this topic, the information
will be portrayed sensitively with the opportunity for students to be open minded and forthcoming
with their questions and concerns.
Understandings:
Things happen which change how we live. (U1)
Things happen which effects how others live. (U2)
Things happen which change the ways that we make decisions. (U3)
Things happen which change the world, and are recorded as important moments in history. (U4)
Different places value different events as more important than others do. (U5)
Important events will continue to shape the world in the future. (U6)

Key Concepts:
o Change/continuities/time (C1)
o Sources of information (C2)
o Similarities/differences (C3)
o Events (C4)
o Consequences cause and effect (C5)




Skills:
o Ordering events (S1)
o Identifying and acknowledging sources of
historical information (S2)
o Representing information on a timeline, in a
narrative format (S3)
o Critically identifying accuracy of sources (S4)
o Identifying and analysing events in time (S5)
o Speculating/hypothesising/scenario building to
draw inferences from paradigms about futures.
(S6)

The letter and number next to the understanding, key concept and skills relates to the column below,
Links to AUSVELS & Understandings
Linked standards/Domains/Dimensions/Learning Focus:

History Level 3
- example of change and example of continuity over time in the local community, region or
state/territory; for example, in relation to the areas of transport, work, education, natural and
built environments, entertainment, daily life (ACHHK061) (A1)
- The role that people of diverse backgrounds have played in the development and character
of the local community (ACHHK062) (A2)
- Days and weeks celebrated or commemorated in Australia (including Australia Day,
ANZAC Day, Harmony Week, National Reconciliation Week, NAIDOC week and National
Sorry Day) and the importance of symbols and emblems. (A3)
- Celebrations and commemorations in other places around the world; for example, Bastille
Day in France, Independence Day in the USA, including those that are observed in Australia
such as Chinese New Level, Christmas Day, Diwali, Easter, Hanukkah, the Moon Festival
and Ramadan (ACHHK064) (A4)
History Level 4
- By the end of Level 4, students explain how and why life changed in the past, and identify
aspects of the past that remained the same. (A5)
- The journey(s) of AT LEAST ONE world navigator, explorer or trader up to the late
eighteenth century, including their contacts with other societies and any
impacts.(ACHHK078) (A6)
English Level 4
- Understand, interpret and experiment with a range of devices and deliberate word play in
poetry and other literary texts, for example nonsense words, spoonerisms, neologisms and
puns (ACELT1606) (A7)
- Understand how texts vary in complexity and technicality depending on the approach to the
topic, the purpose and the intended audience (ACELA1490) (A8)
(AusVELS, 2013)

Stage of
Learning in
this Unit
Planned Learning Experiences Resources Links to
AUSVELS &
Understandings
Tuning In
Activities to
engage students
in the topic


We Didnt Start the Fire
Students watch the music video We Didnt Start the Fire
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2v2JcpolIQU
Generate class discussion about the impacts certain events have on
their lives, the community and the world. Acknowledge that this topic
may be a sensitive topic for some students. Invite student to contribute
any information they may know from media reports to share with their
classmates.
The teacher will present a list of events and choices which students
individually will place into a table under the headings:
effects me
effects my community
effects Australia
Affects the World.
Students share with each other their tables and give reasons for their
decision to place certain events in their columns


What does Change Mean?
Probe students understanding of the meaning of the word change.
Write the word Change on the whiteboard.
Students brainstorm with their teacher things associated with and their
ideas about change. E.g. Choices, politics, difference, growth
Students will transfer this information into a poster to display in the
school.
Ask students to form pairs and formulate a definition of change. Bring
the class back together and come up with a working definition.
Ask the children how change affects them and what has happened in
their history which influences their lives today.

What do I want to learn?
Ask the students to form pairs and discuss and record with their partner
We Didnt Start the Fire
Billy Joel, We Didnt Start the Fire
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2
v2JcpolIQU




























We Didnt Start
the Fire
U1, U2, U4
A1
C1, C2














What does change
mean?
U1, U2, U3, U4
A1, A2










what they would like to learn about events that have changed with
world. Bring the class together and develop a list of possible resources
that the students can use to find the answers to their questions about.

Changes in My World
Students will create a list of interview questions to ask their family
members regarding events or choices they made which have changed
their lives.
If they already have some information they may want to list what they
already know and what they want to find out. They will need to figure
out how they will conduct and record their interviews.
Role model for the students what a good interviewer does. Students can
then test their interviews on each other.
Students interview questions should include:
How and what were the choices that lead resulted in their
family coming to Australia?


Assessment: Demonstrates appropriate use of interviewing techniques




Changes in My World
http://www.classroomteachers.co.uk/
general-questions
This website provides information on
interview questions and techniques
students can use to help them
successfully complete their
interviews.

Permission slip for interviews




Changes in My
World
U1, U3
A1, A2
Preparing to
find out
Activities that
give insight into
what students
already know
and that prepare
themfor further
investigations.

Changes in My World
Using the information collected from their interviews students will
create a mind map displaying the events and choices that have had
impact on and influenced their lives. Students will add their own
choices and life events that impact their lives.

Assessment: Appropriate synthesis of information gathered from
interviews into mind map.

Timeline
In small groups students will write a list of events which have changed
the world. This will include people, events, inventions etc.
Once their group has compiled their list the class will come together to
create a timeline of all the events they already know something about.
In order for an event to go onto the timeline students need to know the
date or year of the event.
A student from each group may use the computers to find photos to add















Changes in My
World
U1, U3
A1, A2, A5
C1, C2, C4, C5




Timeline
U1, U2, U3, U4, U5
A1, A2, A5
C1, C4
S1, S3
to the timeline.
The timeline will be hung up in the classroom and students will add
information they learn to it later on in the unit.


Finding Out
A shared
experience from
which students
will gather new
information
about the topic.


What has changed the world?
On the overhead projector/electronic whiteboard the teacher will show
a variety of clips of events that have changed the world
Inventions- http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s3603131.htm
Martin Luther King
http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s3835714.htm
Australias Bushfires
http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s2488554.htm
Moon Landing http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s2627599.htm
Information that may be presented in these clips and the topic can be
sensitive to students. As students are still developing time and place
concepts these topics can be frightening. It is important to focus on
how we can benefit from learning about the worlds history and
promote empathy and understanding for people affected by events.
Generate discussion about how the clips made students feel and what
implications the events of the clips have on the world.
Note: The teacher needs to be aware of whether or not is topic is going
to personally affect certain students in the class. Take this into
consideration and modify the unit to suit the students.

Assessment: Students will be assessed on their ability to identify
accurate and reliable sources of information

Personal Project
Students will begin working on their personal project for this topic.
This will be an ongoing activity which will be completed both in class
and at home.
Students will choose one of the following to research
A person e.g. Barrack Obama
An invention e.g. Television, vaccines
A natural disaster e.g. Cyclone Yasi
What has changed the world?
Behind the news clips
http://www.abc.net.au/btn/sto
ry/s3603131.htm
http://www.abc.net.au/btn/sto
ry/s3835714.htm
http://www.abc.net.au/btn/sto
ry/s2488554.htm
http://www.abc.net.au/btn/sto
ry/s2627599.htm













Personal Project
Websites and Books for research
Events That Changed the World:
From the National Archives (History
in Words) by National Archives
Great Events that Changed the World
by Brian Delf and Richard Platt
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/
What has changed
the world?
U1, U2, U3, U4, U5
A1, A2, A5, A6
C1, C2, C4, C5
S1, S2, S3


















Personal project
U1, U2, U3, U4, U5
A1, A2, A5, A6
C1, C2, C3, C4, C5
S1, S2, S3, S4, S5


A manmade disaster/event e.g. World War II
Students will use a variety of resources to research their chosen event
i.e. Internet, books,
Students will be required to demonstrate:
what happened
who was involved
why it happened
how it has impacted/changed the world
They must choose a way to represent their information e.g.
PowerPoint, poster, diorama etc.
Students will five a 2-3 minute presentation to present this information
to the class.

Assessment: Assessment of this task will be conducted in the sorting
out phase during presentations

The Power of Words
The Teacher will project onto the board the lyrics/transcripts of famous
songs, speeches and poems which have changed the world.
John Lennon- Imagine
Martin Luther King- I Have A Dream speech
The Who- My Generation
Eleanor Roosevelt - Speech to United Nations on UN declaration
of Human Rights.
Kevin Rudds Apology
The teacher will play these pieces for the students.
Students will discuss what made these speeches and songs so powerful
and why they had the ability to influence hundreds of people and cause
change.

Students will individually write a letter to an important historical figure
regarding their thoughts on the figures historical contributions and the
effect they had on the world.

Assessment: Students demonstrate appropriate writing skills using
information they have gathered
http://www.bbc.com/
http://www.abc.net.au/















The Power of Words
John Lennon, Imagine
Transcript of Martin Luther Kings I
Have A Dream speech.
The Who, My Generation
Transcript of Eleanor Roosevelts
speech to United Nations on UN
declaration of Human Rights
Kevin Rudds Apology Speech
Speeches that Changed the World by
Simon Sebag Montefiore


























The Power of
Words
U2, U3
A1, A2, A3, A5,
A7, A8
C1, C2, C4, C5
S2, S4, S5












The Reporter
The teacher will introduce newspaper articles and how to write them,
providing examples already written about important historical
discoveries and inventions.
Student's will select one of the topics and create their own newspaper
article on the event.
Students will be given the opportunity to share their article with the
class and some will be selected for the school newsletter.


The Reporter
Newspaper clippings of inventions
and discoveries.






The Reporter
U1, U2, U4
A1, A2, A5, A6,
A7, A8
C1, C2, C3, C4, C5
S2, S4, S5
Sorting Out
Activities that
help students
process the
information that
they have
gathered.

Class Presentations
Students will present their personal projects to the class in a 2-3 minute
oral presentations. The audience will take notes on the information and
presentation.
After each presentation the class will provide feedback and then
discuss the implications the event has had on the world.

Assessment: Students are assessed on completion of the criteria for this
task. That they have included what happened, who was involved and
the consequences. They are assessed on their ability to analyse and
identify events in time. Students will also be marked on their oral
presentation.

Updating the timeline
Using the information that students presented in their personal project
the class will update the timeline hanging in the room. This time they
will add important information to each of the events.

Museum Visit
The class will take an excursion to the Melbourne Museum. Students
will be able to explore the museum, taking in the different exhibits and
asking questions of the museum staff.
Whilst there students will be required to fill in an information booklet


















Museum Visit
http://museumvictoria.com.au/melbo
urnemuseum/

Education Booklet created by
Class Presentaions
U2, U3, U4
A1, A2, A3, A5, A6
C1, C2, C3, C4, C5
S1, S2, S3, S4, S5













Museum Visit
U1, U2, U3, U4, U5
A1, A2, A3, A5
put together about the impact of certain events on the world.
Students will assess the importance of events that are displayed at the
museum.

Upon return to school students will again take the time to update the
timeline with new information they have discovered from the museum.
teachers




Going
Further
Activities that
challenge and
extend students
understandings.

Same or different
Students will be separated into groups of 5. As a team they need to
select a historical event and research what lead up to the event and
what the consequences of the event.
Students will write a script and perform a role-play of their chosen
event but will make one change and will demonstrate how a single
change can impact upon the outcome and whether or not this would
change the present

Future Timeline
Using the information they have gathered about the past and present
students will create a future timeline.
The teacher will model a personal future timeline for the class before
the class will separate to create their own personal future timeline.
Students will then discuss in partners and then groups their own ideas
and combine their timelines to create a class timeline.
This will placed with the historic timeline they have been working on
in class time.
Students will evaluate whether knowing about the past has helped them
to predict their future.
Does this give an accurate representation of your future or is the future
subject to change.

Assessment: Students will be assessed on their scenario building and
hypothesising about the future
Same or different.
Websites and Books for research
Events That Changed the World:
From the National Archives (History
in Words) by National Archives
Great Events that Changed the World
by Brian Delf and Richard Platt
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/
http://www.bbc.com/
http://www.abc.net.au/

Same or Different
U1, U2, U4, U5, U6
A5
C1, C2, C3, C4, C5
S1, S5, S6





Future Timeline
U6
A5
C5
S5, S6
Making
connections
Activities that
help students put
it all together
and draw some
Holidays Around the World
Looking at the different histories of different parts of the world
students will work together to create a festival for the class celebrating
the different holidays from different cultures around the world.
Students will look at the specific events which have contributed to the

http://www.timeanddate.com/holiday
s/

Holidays Around
the World
U4, U5
A2, A3, A4, A5
C1, C2, C3, C4
conclusions
about what they
have learnt.

formation of the holiday.
Students will decorate sections of the room to demonstrate the symbols
and traditions which represent each holiday. For each symbol and
tradition students must provide the explanation and reasoning behind
the formation of these.
Students can draw upon the information they learnt in their unit
Cultures across the globe to help them with this task.
S5
Taking
Action
Activities that
give students the
opportunity to
act upon what
they have learnt
Feelings
As a group ask the students to help brainstorm all of the people who
could be affected during certain events.
In pairs students will discuss the feelings (fear, surprise, anger) that
people living through or impacted by certain events will experience.
Use people affected in the Australian Bushfires and floods as examples.
Show the ABC splash clips of people affected by events
http://splash.abc.net.au/media/-/m/31095/bushfire-disaster-victoria-
2009?source=upper-primary-science
In pairs students will develop a resource to display ways to help people
affected by world events. This could include:
A poster
Care package
Power Point
Song
What can I do?
Students will come up with a list of current events which have the
ability to impact upon the future.
Teacher will show clips on the following:
Climate Change-
http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s3639706.htm-
Social Media- http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s3630903.htm
Australian Election
http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s3840208.htm
Students will discuss how these events may impact their futures and the
future of the world.
Students will come up with a way to educate people on the impact of
certain events and the power of their own choices. These will be
presented to the school.
Feelings
http://splash.abc.net.au/media/-
/m/31095/bushfire-disaster-victoria-
2009?source=upper-primary-science












What can I do?
http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s363
9706.htm-
http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s363
0903.htm
http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s384
0208.htm
Feelings
U1, U2, U3, U4,
U5, U6
A5
C3, C5
S5, S6










What can I do?
U1, U2, U3, U4,
U5, U6
A3, A5
C1, C3, C5
S5, S6



















References


Australian Broadcasting Corporation 2013, ABC, retrieved 10
th
September 2013, <http://www.abc.net.au/>

Bateman, D., & Harris, C. (2008). Time perspectives: Examining the past, present and futures. In C. Marsh (Ed.), Studies of Society and
Environment (5th ed., pp. 268-290). Sydney: Pearson.

British Broadcasting Corporation 2013, BBC, retrieved 10
th
September 2013 <http://www.bbc.com/>

Hoepper, B. (2011). Teaching history: inquiry principles. In R. Gilbert & B. Hoepper (Eds.), Teaching society and environment (4th ed., pp. 198-233).
Melbourne: Cengage Learning.

Museum Victoria 2013, Melbourne Museum, retrieved 12
th
September 2013, <http://museumvictoria.com.au/melbournemuseum/>

National Geographic 2013, National Geographic, retrieved 10
th
September 2013 <http://www.nationalgeographic.com/>

Taylor, T., & Boon, D. (2012). Historical inquiry. In T. Taylor, C. Fahey, J. Kriewaldt & D. Boon (Eds.), Place and time. Explorations in teaching
geography and history (pp. 147-164). Sydney: Pearson.

Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority 2013, AusVELS- English, retrieved 8th September 2013, < http://ausvels.vcaa.vic.edu.au/ >