Learning through the Village
Learning Experience 1: Life in the Pioneer Village
About the experience
This activity is designed for Stage 2 History (Community and Remembrance) and focuses on continuity and change in daily life. Students engage with the Australiana Pioneer Village to investigate how aspects of housing, schooling, work, and leisure in the past compare with their own lives today. The activity is inquiry-based, allowing students to gather evidence from both primary and secondary sources to construct meaning (Bruner, 1961; Seixas & Morton, 2013).
Before the visit
In the classroom, students create a “life today” chart that documents their housing, schooling, chores, and play. Teachers introduce the concept of continuity and change, encouraging students to think critically about what might have been different in the past (Vygotsky, 1978). The teacher also introduces guiding questions such as: How did children learn in the past? How did families prepare meals? These questions prepare students for observation during the site visit.
During the visit
At the Pioneer Village, students complete a Then and Now Observation Sheet. Working in small groups, they explore pioneer homes, tools, and the schoolhouse. Students sketch, photograph, and note observations, guided by prompts from teachers. For example: What tools were used for writing? What furniture was in the classroom? This hands-on investigation provides opportunities for experiential learning (Kolb, 1984).
After the visit
Back in class, students use the NSW State Archives Colonial Life Collection to examine photographs and documents, comparing them with their excursion findings. Each group contributes to a class Venn diagram, highlighting similarities and differences between pioneer life and their own. To consolidate learning, students deliver a short oral presentation, sharing one key similarity and one significant difference. This reflection builds historical literacy, strengthens critical thinking, and aligns with outcomes HT2-2 and HT2-5.
This structured sequence ensures students experience history through direct engagement, reflection, and application, making their learning both authentic and memorable. (302 words)
Learning Experience 2: Learning through the Stories
About the experience
This activity integrates historical fiction with a site visit to develop empathy and historical imagination. It is designed for Stage 2 History (First Contacts/Community and Remembrance) and focuses on understanding the experiences of children in pioneer communities. Students connect literary sources, such as the My Australian Story series, with authentic artefacts at the Australiana Pioneer Village. This blend of narrative and place-based learning deepens student engagement and supports disciplinary thinking in history (Barton & Levstik, 2004; Cooper, 2012).
Before the visit
In class, students read selected chapters from a chosen title in the My Australian Story series. The teacher facilitates a discussion about daily routines, schooling, and chores of children in the story, comparing them with students’ own lives. Students brainstorm questions they want to investigate at the Pioneer Village, such as: What games did children play? How did families share responsibilities? This prepares them for authentic inquiry (Vygotsky, 1978).
During the visit
At the Pioneer Village, students work in small groups and are assigned a building or site (e.g., blacksmith’s workshop, cottage, schoolhouse). They collect evidence by sketching, photographing, and noting objects that connect with the story themes they discussed in class. Teachers guide inquiry by asking: How do these artefacts support or challenge what you read in the story? This stage provides experiential learning opportunities, aligning with Kolb’s (1984) learning cycle.
After the visit
Students revisit the Australiana Pioneer Village official website to gather further details about their assigned site. Using their notes, photos, and literary connections, each student writes a diary entry “in role” as a pioneer child. They describe a day in their life, blending factual evidence with historical imagination. Students then share entries in small groups, comparing perspectives and reflecting on diversity in community roles. This supports outcomes HT2-4 and HT2-5, while fostering literacy, empathy, and critical thinking.
Ultimately, this experience encourages students to view history not as distant facts, but as lived experiences. (311 words)
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