Supporting Resources

Here are details about the 4 supporting resources for the learning experiences.

Australiana Pioneer Village Official Website 

The official Australiana Pioneer Village website provides essential background information for both teachers and students. It includes historical notes on the buildings, opening hours, maps, and event details. Teachers can use the website to prepare students before their visit, highlighting key features such as the schoolhouse, blacksmith, and homestead. Students can revisit the site afterwards to consolidate learning by comparing their firsthand observations with online descriptions. This resource supports pre- and post-visit inquiry, while ensuring students arrive with purposeful questions, and extended accessibility for those unable to attend in person. (91 words)

NSW State Archives - Colonial Life Collection 

The NSW State Archives provides digitised photos, records, and documents that bring authenticity to the study of 19th-century rural communities. Primary sources such as letters, official records, and photographs allow students to see how settlers lived, worked, and communicated, and provide opportunities to practice historical inquiry skills. Teachers can integrate these sources into activities like document analysis or comparing artefacts at the Pioneer Village with items from the archives. This resource complements the site visit by providing a broader historical context and developing students’ critical literacy when engaging with authentic historical materials. (92 words)

On Site Artefacts and Signage

The physical artefacts and interpretive signage at the Pioneer Village give students direct, tangible access to Australia’s colonial past. Items such as tools, furniture, clothing, and everyday household objects allow students to visualise how people lived, while signage explains their historical context. These resources support visual literacy and inquiry skills as students compare pioneer artefacts with modern equivalents. Teachers can guide learners in recording observations, sketching, or photographing artefacts to use later in classroom discussions and comparative activities. Firsthand interaction with physical resources strengthens memory, makes history “real,” and anchors abstract concepts in concrete experiences. (95 words)

Historical Fiction: My Australian Story Series 

The My Australian Story series (e.g., Deborah Lisson’s A Different Sort of Real: The Diary of Charlotte McKenzie, 1918) provides engaging narrative accounts of children’s lives in different eras of Australian history. While not specific to the Pioneer Village, the series allows students to connect emotionally with historical experiences, complementing what they see on-site. Reading diary-style narratives develops empathy and perspective-taking, reinforcing HaSS skills of historical imagination. These texts also extend literacy outcomes while deepening students’ understanding of continuity and change. Teachers can use excerpts alongside village photos and artefacts to create multimodal, inquiry-rich learning experiences. (97 words)