EDSS428 ASSESSMENT 2

Museum Artefact Reflection Task

Rachel Paraman S00118748

The artefact that I have chosen for this task is a set of suitcases from the Immigration museum. The

ways in which they can be used will be described in the annotations below, with links to the

curriculum to follow. Finally, I will explain how and why artefacts are relevant in the Primary

Humanities classroom and some examples of some questions that could be asked about the

suitcases, which requires higher order thinking.

 The use of the suitcase

artefacts from the Immigration Museum can be linked across

the Humanities curriculum within AusVELS, with particular

relevance to the History domain as explained in the table below.

Domain Content
Descriptor
How the stories of families
and the past can be
History communicated, for example
through photographs,
artefacts, books, oral
histories, digital media, and
museums
Sequence familiar objects
and events
Distinguish between the past,
present and future
Pose questions about the
past using sources provided
Explore a range of sources
about the past
Identify and compare
features of objects from the
past and present
Differences in family
structures and roles today,
and how these have changed
or remained the same over
time
How the present, past and
future are signified by
terms indicating time such as
a long time ago, then and
now, now and then, old
and new, tomorrow, as
well as by dates and changes
that may have
Year Level Rationale
Foundation The suitcases could be
(ACHHK004) studied in isolation:
You could look at the
suitcase itself, what it is
made of, how that is
relevant to the time in
which it was made etc.
Foundation You could fill the suitcase
(ACHHS015) with possessions of a
fictitious character (eg.
Level 1 (ACHHS031)
Clothes, toys,
photographs, tickets for
Level 2 (ACHHS047)
transport, letters with
dates, birthday cards etc.)
from that time period,
Foundation where students have to
(ACHHS016) become detectives to
Level 1 (ACHHS032) work out who they think
Level 2 (ACHHS048) the suitcase belongs to,
with evidence to support
their ideas
Foundation
(ACHHS017)
Alternatively, the suitcases
Level 1 (ACHHS033) may be used altogether.
Level 2 (ACHHS049)
Level 3 (ACHHS067) They could all be empty
and compared based on
the evidence of their
Foundation appearance/ ordered in
(ACHHS018) the sequence of age/
compared in terms of
Level 1 (ACHHS034) structural similarities and
Level 2 (ACHHS050) differences
They could all be filled
Foundation with possessions from
(ACHHS019) fictitious characters from
the era of the suitcase.
Level 1 (ACHHS035) For example, each
Level 2 (ACHHS051)
suitcase may belong to a
9 year old boy, however a
Level 1 (ACHHK028)
9 year old boy from the
1800s would not have an
ipod in their suitcase,
compared to a 9 year old
Level 1 (ACHHK029) boy from this century. It
could be a great hook and
context for the learning
of how life has changed/
stayed the same over
time.
personal significance, such as
birthdays, celebrations and
seasons
Differences and similarities
between students' daily lives
and life during their parents
and grandparents
childhoods, including family
traditions, leisure time and
communications.
Develop a narrative about
the past.
The history of a significant
person, building, site or part
of the natural environment in
the local community and
what it reveals about the
past
Use historical terms
Sequence historical people
and events
Identify sources
Locate relevant information
from sources provided
Use a range of
communication forms (oral,
graphic, written) and digital
technologies
The reasons people migrated
to Australia from Europe
and Asia, and the
experiences and
contributions of a particular
migrant group within a
colony.
The role that a significant
individual or group played in
shaping a colony; for
example, explorers, farmers,
entrepreneurs, artists,
writers, humanitarians,
religious and political
leaders, and Aboriginal
and/or Torres Strait Islander
peoples.
Students can use the
evidence as a basis of
where they need to go
next to find out more
Level 1 (ACHHK030) information (eg. There
might be a Titanic ticket
in their suitcase. They will
need to research the
Titanic, what it is, when it
sailed etc.)
Possessions in the
suitcases could be used
Level 1 (ACHHS037)
Level 2 (ACHHS053) to introduce family
Level 3 (ACHHS070) lifestyles from the past
Level 4 (ACHHS086) (eg. A young girls
suitcase from the past
may have a clothes
washboard in it, or a
Level 2 (ACHHK044) cream for dry, cracked
hands. What might a
young girl have done in
100 years ago as part of
her home duties that
could give her cracked
Level 3 (ACHHS066) hands? Toys would be
Level 3 (ACHHS065) another great
Level 4 (ACHHS083) comparison for
Level 5 (ACHHS098) comparing children from
Level 6 (ACHHS117)
today to children in the
Level 3 (ACHHS215)
past)
Level 4 (ACHHS216)
Students can use
historical terminology
and terminology
Level 3 (ACHHS068)
Level 4 (ACHHS084) associated with time in
Level 3 (ACHHS071) their responses to the
activity and can do so in a
variety of ways (ie.
Writing, drawing, using
computers)
Level 5 (ACHHK096) Students can create their
own writing based on
what they have learnt
about this character.
They may write a
biography or a diary entry
from the perspective of
who they think owns the
Level 5 (ACHHK097) suitcase. They could even
write a narrative story
about this character
migrating to Australia and
what happens to them
next.
Fictitious characters may
have migrated from
overseas. The suitcase
could be a hook to look at
 Use
historical terms and concepts
Identify and locate a range of
relevant sources
Locate information related to
inquiry questions in a range
of sources
Compare information from a
range of sources
Develop texts, particularly
narratives and descriptions,
which
incorporate source materials
Level 5 (ACHHS099) why this person has
Level 6 (ACHHS118) migrated here. Where did
they come from? Why did
they leave from there?
Level 5 (ACHHS101) What are the similarities
Level 6 (ACHHS120) and differences between
Australia and their birth
Level 5 (ACHHS102) country?
Level 6 (ACHHS121) The suitcases may belong
to a famous explorer and
be used to make learning
Level 5 (ACHHS103)
about an explorer more
Level 6 (ACHHS122)
engaging
Level 5 (ACHHS105)
Level 6 (ACHHS124)

Identify questions to inform Level 6 (ACHHS119)

an historical inquiry

Use atlases, street directories Levels 5 and 6 Focus could be placed

and town plan maps to
Geography accurately describe the
distance, direction and
location of places
They identify features from
maps, satellite images, and
oblique photographs.
upon the origin of the
suitcases and where
these places are in
comparison to one
Levels 5 and 6 another on a map
Mapping skills could be
incorporated and
practiced when looking
at the origins of the
people who own the
suitcases, as well as the
origin of where the
suitcases were made

(Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority, 2016)

The use of an original artefact in the Primary Humanities classroom can provide students with the

potential for authentic learning experiences, due to the ability to bring learning to life (Nava &

Schmidtberger, 2011) and thus can impact on student learning in a positive way (Eamon, 2006;

Gilliland-Swetland, Kafai & Landis, 1999). In order for these positive learning potentials to be

reached, it is important that careful consideration is taken when choosing the artefact that will

stimulate the learning journey (Musbach, 2001; Nava & Schmidtberger, 2011). It is imperative that

the artefact is age appropriate, carries a purpose for the learning and most importantly, is engaging

to stimulate motivation towards the learning (Musbach, 2001). Choosing an artefact such as the 3
suitcases from the Immigration Museum will stimulate the innate curiosity that children have

towards objects that can open or close, or objects that can conceal something inside as opposed to a

digital image, in which the students cannot act upon this. The suitcases provide a context for the

learning, where the children can interact with the content using most of their senses (Eamon, 2006);

they can touch and hold the suitcases, they can see, observe the suitcases, they can smell the

suitcases and they can manipulate the suitcases (eg. open and close etc.). Such experiences with the

senses has been proven to generate an emotional response to the content (Gilliland-Swetland, Kafai

& Landis, 1999), which is far more likely to be retained in the childs memory than in a rote learning

experience (Eamon, 2006). Moreover, this type of learning experience with the actual, physical

object, rather than written or printed material also allows for children to construct their own

meaning towards their learning (Gilliland-Swetland, Kafai & Landis, 1999). Using artefacts enables

children to become mini detectives (Gilliland-Swetland, Kafai & Landis, 1999); a role in which the

students are taking responsibility and direction for their own learning and thus are developing their

critical thinking skills (Eamon, 2006). It is argued by some that original artefacts should not be used

in the classroom due to the value of the artefact and the risk of damage from being handled by

children (Eamon, 2006; Gilliland-Swetland, Kafai & Landis, 1999), however this can be overcome by

working in collaboration with museums and archivists (Gilliland-Swetland, Kafai & Landis, 1999;

Paris, 1997; Seligman, 2014), and also by using good quality replicas of the objects (Eamon, 2006).

The suitcases are a very versatile vehicle for learning as the learning can be focused upon the

suitcase itself, what is inside the suitcase, as well as how the suitcases compare to each other from

each corresponding century. Furthermore, the suitcases can be used as a catalyst for a study on a

famous historic person from that time period, where the suitcase can be filled with possessions that

they may have had from that time. A fictitious character may also be created with the use of the

suitcase for their possessions, to study and compare the life of someone the same age throughout

the three different time periods. Alternatively, the contents of one suitcase could be compared to a

suitcase that we may pack here in the present. With the appropriate scaffolding and background

information necessary (Musbach, 2001), the use of artefacts in the Primary Humanities Classroom

such as the suitcases is a great way for children to connect to the content (Eamon, 2006;
Gilliland-Swetland, Kafai & Landis, 1999), visualise the content and can be easily used in conjunction

with textbook information (Eamon, 2006) and the AusVELS (Victorian Curriculum and Assessment

Authority, 2016) curriculum (as explained above) across all year levels.

Questions:

The following questions could be posed to the class in relation to the suitcase artefacts, which have

been designed alongside Blooms Taxonomy (Reynolds, 2014). I have chosen Blooms Taxonomy as a

basis for my questions, as this is a reliable guideline which will encourage higher order thinking and

critical thinking (Reynolds, 2014). For this reason, I have created questions from the Apply Create

stages of the hierarchical scale using the teaching planning kit (Australian Catholic University, 2016),

as this is where higher order thinking takes place (Anderson & Krathwohl, 2001 cited in Reynolds,

2014).

BLOOMS QUESTION YEAR LEVEL JUSTIFICATION

STAGE
How would you Foundation level 6 Foundation level 2
APPLICATION organise the suitcases should be able to
in order of age? What organise these by
evidence do you have appearance and
to support your attributes of the
ordering? suitcase related to
age.
Levels 3- 6 should
begin to provide
sources of evidence to
support their thinking
How could you use the Levels 4-6 Requires students to
information you have use what they know
gathered from the as a basis to pose
suitcase to find out questions about what
more about it or the they want to know
person who owns it? more about and how
they can do this.
If you had an Foundation- level 6 Requires students to
interview with the apply their knowledge
person who owns this of what is inside the
suitcase, what are suitcases to ask the
some questions that character a question.
you could ask them Lower years are likely
based on what you to ask literal
have found inside it? questions based on
 what is inside the
case. Older years
should work towards
asking more
inferential questions
based on the contents
of the case.
How could you apply Levels 2 - 6 Again, this activity
what you have applies across a
learned about this number of levels.
person to create a Student responses
character profile of should be more
them? complex and
inferential in the later
levels, than literal.
What inference can Foundation level 6 The contents of the
ANALYSIS you make about the case can be altered
gender of the depending on the
suitcases owner? level of the class and
the ability of the class.
For the younger years
there may be an item
in the case that is very
obvious and therefore
literal for the children
to answer this
question. For the
older years, they may
have a case in which
they must analyse an
item in order to
inference the gender
of the owner.
What inference can Foundation level 6 Please refer to
you make about the previous justification
age of the suitcases above.
owner?

What inference can Foundation level 6 Please refer to

you make about the previous justification
time period in which above.
the suitcase and its
owner are from?

What conclusions can Level 3 - 6 This requires students

you draw about the to think about the
suitcase and its contents of the case
owner? beyond the obvious. It
requires a thought
process in order to
reach the conclusions,
as well as evidence to
draw the conclusions
from.
 What evidence can Level 3 - 6 Please refer to
you use to justify your previous justification
ideas/ conclusions? above.

If this person lived Level 3 - 6 Students must

SYNTHESIS today, what would transform what they
you expect to find in have learnt about the
their suitcase? owner and that time
period and into the
context of that person
living here today. The
possessions must be
relevant to what has
been discovered
about that characters
personality/ hobbies
etc in the context of
today.
Your job is to create a Level 5 - 6 Again, students must
suitcase for another use what they already
person from this time know and transform it
period, based on what in another way to
you know about this show their
era, what possessions understanding of the
would be in your content.
persons suitcase and
why?

We have looked at Level 4 - 6 This extends students

suitcases from the to go beyond what
past and present era, they already know
what do you think a and be innovative as
suitcase from the to what they think
future might look like? might be relevant in
What might you find the future.
in it? Justification of their
ideas would further
inform their thinking.
What are some Foundation level 6 This question again
distinctive similarities can move from the
and differences obvious literal
between the suitcases observations to more
and their content? inferential ideas,
depending on the
year level.
What judgement can Level 4 - 6 Students must use
EVALUATION you make about the their knowledge
person who owns this about the topic and
suitcase, based on the content of the
what you have found case in order to make
out? their judgement. This
judgement can only
be made after
synthesising their
 knowledge, which is
based on the
evidence that they
have found in the
learning activity.
What evidence do you Level 4 -6 Please refer to above
have to support your justification.
judgement?
References:

Australian Catholic University. (2016). Lecture 10. Retrieved from ACU LEO site:

http://leo.acu.edu.au/course/view.php?id=18484&section=12

Eamon, M. (2006). A%22 Genuine Relationship with the Actual%22: New Perspectives on Primary

Sources, History and the Internet in the Classroom. The History Teacher., 39(3), 297.

Gilliland-Swetland, A. J., Kafai, Y. B., & Landis, W. E. (1999). Integrating primary sources into the

elementary school classroom: A case study of teachers' perspectives. Archivaria, 89-116.

Musbach, J. (2001). Using primary sources in the secondary classroom. Magazine of History, 16(1),

30.

Nava, A., & Schmidtberger, V. (2011). Using Primary Documents in the Social Studies Classroom:

Connecting History Then and Now. Social Studies Review,50(1), 38-40.

Paris, S. G. (1997). Situated motivation and informal learning. Journal of Museum Education, 22

(2/3), pp 22-27. http://ezproxy.acu.edu.au/login?url=http://www.jstor.org/stable/40479100

Reynolds, R. (2014). Teaching Humanities and Social Sciences in the Primary School (3rd edition).

Oxford: Sydney.

Seligman, T. (2014). Learning Museum: A meeting place for pre-service teachers and museums.

Journal of Museum Education, 39(1), pp. 4253.

http://ezproxy.acu.edu.au/login?url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1179/1059865013Z.00000000043

Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (2016). AusVELS. Retrieved from

http://ausvels.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Level5