Conditions on the First Fleet, and how convicts really copped it...

but by standards of the day, some of these sailings were pure miracles. It is easy to judge history with the privilege of hindsight. And indeed, how we will be seen in two hundred years' time? We discussed this idea in class the other day. The mind boggles. Together we read a chapter about conditions on board the transportation ships during the early colonization of Australia. Students were asked to cross-reference this with another source and then using only fifteen words or phrases, sum up the voyage from the point of view of a convict. They could also add illustrations. This will be another entry in their "Horrible Histories" books. Here are some wonderful depictions:

Horrible Histories

Students should now have:

1.   A cover page, these were laminated for students as they were handed in

2.  A timeline showing major events in the transporation period'

3.  A reflection of the Gumnuts to Buttons role play

4. A write up on the Proclamation Boards, including their initials interpretation of the board and then the
facts (using up to four sources of information...students were taken through some excellent resources  available online) They each have a colour photo to of a board to glue into their Horrible History book.

Here are some samples of work done by a grade 5 boy:

A Horrible History cover page

Time line of transportation page 1

Timeline of transportation page 2

Reflection

http://treasure-explorer.nla.gov.au/closerlook/text-analysis-and-comprehension-1-8

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sir_George_Arthur,_1st_Baronet

Convicted: Writing a Horrible History

After Easter, all grade 5 and grade 6 students  will be expected to read this book before term two. They will be focusing closely on the  colonisation/invasion of Australia. I have quite a few copies of this book and I will be showing them how to "unpack" it using their Writer's Notebook. Their  Horrible History  book will need to include chapters on:

The transportation system and the reasons why Australia was chosen.

Life in England in 1700s,

Life on board ship

The life of a convict

The problems the convicts and settlers  faced when they came to Australia

The Aboriginal people and how the invasion affected their lives

Captain Arthur Phillip

A glossary and a contents page

Illustrations, maps and a bibliography clearly citing any sources used.