Do you include Australian women in your HASS lessons? Not sure who or what to include?
Can you name 5 famous Australian women who aren’t sports stars, singers or actresses and who were all born before World War II? Struggling to get 5? I’m not surprised. We rarely hear women in Australian history and their influence on issues such as politics, social welfare and economic development. Year 5 and 6 HASS provides the perfect opportunity to highlight the influence these strong determined women had on colonial and post-Federation Australia.
What does the Curriculum say?
Year 5 HASS
Content descriptor ACHASSK107 requires students to explore what life was like for different people living in colonial Australia. They can investigate a huge range of factors such as diet, living and working conditions, clothing, business, housing and family life. The role and impact of women in these factors can be explored including working and family life, challenges for women who arrived as convicts compared to those who arrived as wives of the military charged with establishing the new colony. The impact on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women can also be explored.
Content descriptor ACHASSK110 allows students to investigate the role of an individual or group of people in shaping a colony. Women are included on the list of suggested topics such as explorers, farmers, artists etc who are all very interesting and fun to learn about but it’s important to dedicate time to at least two women in your teaching and learning plan.
Year 6 HASS
Content descriptor ACHASSK135 focuses on the experiences of democracy and citizenship after Federation. This is the ideal time to include the brave and determined women who campaigned tirelessly for the right to vote. Your students will be surprised, even horrified, at the challenge these women faced to gain what is now considered a basic right. I’ve found this topic always generates excellent debate and engages all students.
Content descriptor ACHASSK137 is an excellent opportunity for students to investigate the individuals and groups who have played an important role in the development of Australian society since Federation. Once again there are many women who can be included in lessons focusing on this descriptor.
What Australian Women Can I Include In My Lessons and Why?
While the curriculum provides lots of opportunity to introduce students to significant Australian women it can be difficult to know exactly who to include and even harder to find resources that are age appropriate, curriculum aligned and fun. We’ve created a great range of resources dedicated to famous Australian Women that align with the curriculum for Year 5 and 6 HASS.
Year 5
Caroline Chisholm
Caroline Chisholm lived a life serving others. She was dedicated to helping the European settlers on arrival in Australia. She particularly helped unaccompanied women and families whom she helped to find work and somewhere safe to live. Why not include her in your Colonial Australia History unit?
Mary MacKillop
Mary MacKillop’s dedication to helping the poor through charity and education played an important role in the development of colonial Australia. Her determination and commitment to others was the catalyst for her journey to becoming Australia’s first saint. In this resource, Mary MacKillop visits Miss Townsend’s class to share her story.
Truganini
Truganini is known as Australia’s last Tasmanian Aboriginal person and she was a brave and determined woman who suffered great hardship. Her life in Colonial Australia was very tough and this resource pack features four activities to introduce your students to Truganini and her experiences.
Georgiana McCrae
On arrival in Australia, Georgiana faced a harsh existence in very basic conditions, but she was determined to bring a sense of class and social order to the new colony despite it being dominated by men. One way she did this was by painting the landscape and people.
Grade 6
Catherine Helen Spence
Introduce your students to Catherine Helen Spence. Not only was she a teacher and journalist she also fought tirelessly as part of the women’s suffrage movement. This hands-on resource will help your students understand her role in shaping Australia’s democracy.
Mary MacKillop
Mary MacKillop’s dedication to helping the poor through charity and education played an important role in the development of colonial Australia. Her determination and commitment to others was the catalyst for her journey to becoming Australia’s first saint. In this resource, Mary MacKillop visits Miss Townsend’s class to share her story.
Vida Goldstein
Vida Goldstein fought tirelessly as part of the women’s suffrage movement and proudly ran for election in the 1903 Federal election which was the first time women were allowed to stand for election. She believed that women’s suffrage was about more than the right to vote, it was about their right to be included as a member of society. To be seen and heard. To be valued as citizens. Vida Goldstein was one of a community of strong and determined women who travelled far and wide to collect nearly 31,000 signatures on a petition for the Women’s Suffragist Movement – in only six weeks – that was presented to the Victorian Government as proof of the need for change. She pushed back against the limited view of democracy and fought hard for equal property rights, raising the age of marital consent, rights for women to access contraception more easily.
Edith Cowan
Edith Cowan’s was a serious and driven lady and a key figure in the women’s suffrage movement in Australia. She challenged the status of Australia’s democracy and refused to follow convention. Edith Cowan believed that to bring about reform she needed to run for parliament and ran a successful campaign in 1921. With such determination, it’s clear that Edith Cowan should feature in your unit on Women’s Suffrage.
Mary Lee
Mary Lee is a key figure in the women’s suffrage movement in Australia. After moving to Australia from Ireland she became a political activist, social reformer and advocate to bring about change for women in many ways. Mary Lee worked hard to improve the conditions for Australian women by establishing the Working Women’s Trade Union serving on local councils and various committees to advocate for women’s rights and needs. She pushed back against the limited view of democracy held in colonial times wherever she could to see women’s equality acknowledged.
You can even include Australian women in your lessons focused n Anzac Day or Remembrance Day.
Nancy Wake
Your students will be enthralled with the danger and intrigue of Australian War Hero Nancy Wake and her work with the French and British Special Operations Unit. Nancy played a key role in coordinating the rescue and escape of Jewish people and Allied troops from Nazi-occupied France, earning the nickname White Mouse from the Germans.
Vivien Bullwinkel
Introduce your students to Vivian Bullwinkel, an Australian Army nurse who showed great courage, compassion and bravery as a prisoner of war in World War Two. The six interactive notebook activities in this pack will help students develop their knowledge and understanding of the experiences of Australians who served in conflict.
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We’d love to hear about the Australian Women you include in your HASS lessons. Feel free to suggest other Australian women you’d like a resource made for to support your teaching. Let us know in the comments or send us an email here.
Happy Teaching!
Amy
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