‘What is Freedom?

’ Inquiry unit: Lesson Four Continued research and data collection- By Bianca Swaine

Year Level: Duration of lesson: Learning area:

5/6
60 minutes Humanities and social sciences

Key inquiry question:

‘How have past historical events influenced societies perceptions and definition of what freedom is, past, present and future?’

Year level description:

Year 5:
Students explore how communities, past and present, have worked together based on shared beliefs and values. The curriculum introduces
studies about Australia’s democratic values, its electoral system and law enforcement. Commented [BS1]: This highlighted section is evident
within my lesson as students research on their allocated
historical event should explore how past societal beliefs
Year 6: and values have helped to form what we believe freedom
is today.
The Year 6 curriculum focuses on the social, economic and political development of Australia as a nation, particularly after 1900, and
Australia’s role within a diverse and interconnected world today. Students explore the events and developments that shaped Australia as a
democratic nation and stable economy, and the experiences of the diverse groups who have contributed to and are/were affected by these events
and developments, past and present. Students investigate the importance of rights and responsibilities and informed decision-making, at the
personal level of consumption and civic participation, and at the national level through studies of economic, ecological and government
processes and systems. Commented [BS2]: This highlighted section is evident
within my lesson as students research on their allocated
historical evident should explore the role of past and
(Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority, 2014) present political views have helped to form Australians
definition of freedom.

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 Year level achievement standard/s:

Year 5:
Students identify the importance of values and processes to Australia’s democracy and describe the roles of different people in Australia’s legal
system. They recognise that choices need to be made when allocating resources. They describe factors that influence their choices as consumers
and identify strategies that can be used to inform these choices. They describe different views on how to respond to an issue or challenge.
Students develop questions for an investigation. They locate and collect data and information from a range of sources to answer inquiry
questions. They examine sources to determine their purpose and to identify different viewpoints. They present their ideas, findings and
conclusions in a range of communication forms using discipline-specific terms and appropriate conventions. Commented [BS3]: This section relates to my lesson as
it reflects upon student’s ability to make educated
choices when researching or inquiring about a topic by
Year 6: using a range of different sources including primary and
secondary sources which again are a key focus in this
Students explain the significance of an event/development, an individual and/or group. They identify and describe continuities and changes for lesson.
different groups in the past and present. They describe the causes and effects of change on society. They compare the experiences of different
people in the past. They describe how people, places, communities and environments are diverse and globally interconnected and identify the
effects of these interconnections over time. Students explain the importance of people, institutions and processes to Australia’s democracy and
legal system. They describe the rights and responsibilities of Australian citizens and the obligations they may have as global citizens. Students
recognise why choices about the allocation of resources involve trade-offs. Students develop appropriate questions to frame an investigation. They
locate and collect useful data and information from primary and secondary sources. They examine sources to determine their origin and purpose
and to identify different perspectives in the past and present. They interpret data to identify, describe and compare distributions, patterns and
trends, and to infer relationships, and evaluate evidence to draw conclusion. Commented [BS4]: This section is relevant to my lesson as it
specifies that students must include both primary and secondary
sources when researching as can also be seen in the learning
(ACARA, 2014) intentions for this lesson. It also discusses student’s ability to
collect this research data in creative ways that allow them to
identify common patterns or themes and begin to draw
Student Prior knowledge: conclusions about their research area. This again is evident in
the learning intentions for this lesson as students will be
exploring different ways to collect data to best match specific
From the previous 3 lesson in this inquiry unit students should know/understand: types of research data (e.g. lists of years or graphs of population)
- The inquiry unit question (ACARA, 2014).
- Their current definition of freedom
- The five focus topics that explore historical events that have had an influence on Australians view of freedom
- Their allocated group and key topic and event they are researching
- Their group and individual goals for the inquiry unit.
- Their key role in the group (leader, scribe, communicator etc.)

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 - How to explain what primary and secondary resources are.
- Some research-based information on their topic (Previous lesson was also a research lesson)
Learning objectives

By the end of this lesson students will:

1). Have researched and collected information about key aspects of their selected historical event.
2). Have refined their information that they have collected thus far and make sure that the information they have gathered is recorded in an
appropriate way.
3). Created a list of the sources used to help them in the creation of their groups research bibliography, which will form part of their final assessment. Commented [BS5]: These learning objectives have been
included as they highlight the key skills that need to be
taught to students within this research phase to ensure
that they have the knowledge needed (different ways to
collect and represent data, and the construction of a
Learning intentions:
bibliography) to set them up to succeed in the creation of
their final presentation (summative assessment).
- I can use primary and secondary sources to research about past historical events to answer my questions and begin to consider different ways to
store and represent my findings. Commented [BS6]: These learning intentions align with
the key skills, goals and learning intentions that were
created when designing the overall unit. By doing this my
- I can help to refine my groups information ensuring that it is relevant to our group presentation topic, that the sources used are in the lesson incorporates elements of Biggs (1996) taxonomy
of ‘Constructive alignment’ and the ‘Backwards by
bibliography and by asking my teacher for clarification of any uncertainties. design’ model as cited in Isecke and Conklin (2005) as it
considers the learning and formation of skills required to
be developed within this stage of the inquiry process to
meet the end intended goals of the whole unit.
Success Criteria:
Commented [BS7]: This learning intention connects to
We are doing well as a group if we can: the Australian HASS curriculum as well as the
- Find at least one to two relative primary and secondary sources in our research to help support our understanding of how our allocated topic Researching element of the ‘Inquiry Process Model’, as it
specifically identifies student’s ability to recognise and
and event changed current perspectives of freedom. use primary and secondary sources when in the
- Begin to identify re-occurring themes and ideas that are present in our research in relation to freedom. researching phase of an Inquiry unit (ACARA, 2014;
Kuhlthau, Caspari & Maniotes, 2007).
- Begin working on completing the bibliography template (appendix one) and including all key aspects of the sources to have a correct citation.
Commented [BS8]: This learning intention was created
to create a clear learning connection to the cross
Strands of the learning area: Content Descriptors: curricula priority area of critical and creative thinking.
This is seen as students are expected to analyse and
- Knowledge and History: evaluate the information they have already collected in
both the previous lesson and during this lesson and
Understanding Experiences of Australian democracy and citizenship, including the status and rights of Aboriginal and Torres refine their understanding of freedom based on common
themes they see in their findings (ACARA, 2014)
Strait Islander Peoples, migrants, women and children (ACHASSK135).
- Inquiry and Skills

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 Geography:
Australia’s connections with
other countries and how these change people and places(ACHASSK141 - Scootle ).
Civics and Citizenship:
The shared values of Australian citizenship and the formal rights and responsibilities of Australian
citizens (ACHASSK147 - Scootle )
Analysing:
Examine different viewpoints on actions, events, issues and phenomena in the past and present (ACHASSI099).

Cross-Curriculum Priorities and General Capabilities present within this lesson

Literacy
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures
Numeracy
Asia and Australia’s engagement with Asia
ICT Capability
Sustainability
Critical and Creative Thinking

Personal and social capability

Ethical Understanding

Intercultural Understanding

Brief description of how you intend to embed these:

‘Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander histories and cultures’:

Are evident within this lesson as the groups with the assigned Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander related events will be collecting research that
incorporates their viewpoints and reflect upon their history and cultural beliefs and how this may have influenced their views of freedom.

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 ‘Literacy’:
Both oral and written/typed literacy skills are required within this lesson as students will be expected to use appropriate grammar when recording
data collected from their research, infer the meaning behind the information they are finding in their research and verbally communicate key ideas
to their team members to ensure that each member has agreed that they believe the chosen source/information is relevant to their project.

‘Critical and Creative Thinking’:

Is incorporated within this lesson as students must think critically about the validity of the information, they are finding on their topic during the
researching procedure. They also need to provide constructive feedback on other members sources that they have found and discuss the
connection it has to their allocated topic in relation to freedom. Students need to use their creativity to think of key phrases they can search to find
relevant information when searching on online platforms and to select relevant methods of how they can record their findings (e.g. lists, pictures,
maps, graphs etc).

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 LESSON SEQUENCE

Timing Teaching strategies Learning experiences Assessment of, for Differentiation Technologies/Resources
(mins) or as learning

INTRODUCTION
Learning intentions and success criteria for the N/A N/A
Explicit Teaching lesson are shared and discussed as a class. Commented [BS9]: Explicit teaching is a teaching
strategy in which a teacher runs through a demonstration
of how to perform a skill with the students giving them a
-Providing clear Teacher and class collaboratively brainstorm framework to refer to when creating their own work (in
options of how to -Interactive
whiteboard this case representing their data in creative and
15 min of different creative ways to record and (IWB) appropriate ways to engage an audience) (DET, 2017).
creatively and
represent research data. -IWB marker
appropriately display
research findings (e.g.
maps, lists, graphs). A few examples are discussed as a class and
class makes group decision on a way that this
particular type of information could be
represented apart from in a worded
paragraph. (Examples below).

‘If I was discussing the time frame of when my

groups selected historical event occurred how
could I represent it?’

(Timeline, timeline with photos and word

descriptions of key events that occurred
throughout the main event)

‘If I was explaining who was in government at

the time of my event and the impact their
decisions made how could I represent this?’
(Create a mini profile of the person and
include a photo of them either drawn or
printed as well as their key ideas and beliefs)

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DEVELOPMENT
Explicit Teaching
-Explicitly explain Students are asked to continue their research Teacher notes: -IWB
useful places/resources and are reminded of the importance of finding
30min of where to go for at least 1-2 of each primary and secondary -How effectively -Melbourne
information if students source/s. each student is Museum
are stuck and contributing to website
provide constructive their teams
feedback on their (Teacher will use this time of independent
findings so far/where student learning to roam the room and make
they could go next. the time to consult with each group about -Groups ability to
their current progress in the project as well as find and discuss
Collaborative to provide additional direction and primary and
Learning clarification on any concerns or secondary sources
-Group work with each uncertainties). The inclusion of group Commented [BS10]: Students at a grade five six level
member having a work allows students have the learning ability to work independently (especially
when working with peers) (ACARA, 2017). By utilizing this
specific focus area so Teacher reminds students that history to identify and utilise time to roam the room and check in with each student
the work is shared museum websites are useful sources to their own individual teachers can provide in the moment feedback and
equally support to students and support opportunities for
consider and shares the Melbourne Museum strengths and use them individualised scaffolding based on each groups specific
School Programs and Resources section of initiative to utilise learning needs at the time and addressing their Zone of
-Students will have proximal development (Woolfolk & Margetts, 2013).
different strength areas
the website on the IWB with students (see these strengths to
that they will be able to bibliography). contribute to their
team. Commented [BS11]: Collaborative learning has been
use to help their other identified as an effective classroom teaching strategy by
group members. DET (2017) and Gilbert and Hoepper (2014) as it provides
Inclusion of students with opportunities to identify their strengths and
build collaborative learning skills by scaffolding one
Differentiated Differentiated teaching another’s learning through providing and receiving
Teaching by scaffolding different constructive feedback from their peers.
-Differing amounts of groups and students
scaffolding different learning whilst roaming
groups and students the room based on their
learning based on their
individual needs.
individual needs.

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CLOSURE
Students will be shown a short YouTube video -IWB to play YouTube
15min titled ‘Citations for beginners’ (see bibliography Teacher Video
below) discussing the importance of creating a observation:
bibliography when conducting a research/inquiry- -YouTube video
-Have students
based project and what information can/should be
Collaborative understood why -Bibliography template x6
included when citing a source. bibliographies are (Appendix1)
learning
important to include
Teacher hands out a copy of the bibliography when undertaking
template to each group for students to look at and research
discuss as a team. Commented [BS12]: I have intentionally planned for the
teaching a skill Creation of a bibliography) that is required
Explicit Teaching to achieve success of overarching unit goals (following
For the remainder of the class students are asked Work samples: inquiry-based learning structure). This demonstrates
to consolidate their research by refining their consideration of the ‘backwards by design’ model as I
sources as a group and decide which are relevant -Have students have considered the overall learning goals of the unit
successfully found within the researching stage of this inquiry-based unit
and integral to include in their final group project (Isecke & Conklin, 2005).
1-2 primary and
and which could potentially be left out. Students secondary sources
are to write a key word next to each category of (appendix 1)
their research explaining how they intend to
represent this information when they create their -Have students
group project in upcoming lessons (e.g. Venn identified an
diagram, photo). appropriate and
creative way to
Once they have decided on their final sources,
they are asked to begin filling in their
Bibliography using the template provided
(Appendix 1).

Assessment: Commented [BS13]: The inclusion of ongoing formative

Formative- assessment such as teacher observation of behavior and
-Teacher observations on how well each student is working in their groups and contributing to group ideas. collection of work samples enables teachers to create a
judgement on how well they have taught content and
-Teacher observations/work sample evidence on students understanding of what primary and secondary sources are with correct placement of their sources in the skills to the class and provides opportunities for both
provided bibliography template (Appendix 1) (Appendix 2) teacher and student reflections on learning. It also allows
-Teacher observation and work sample evidence on how creative students are being when selecting different ways to represent their data (notes in workbooks) multiple opportunities for students to represent their
(Appendix 2). ability to perform specific tasks and skills rather than
solely relying on the evidence from the final assessment
-Teacher observation of students understanding of how to cite sources in a bibliography (Appendix 1). of a unit of work alone (Gilbert & Hoepper, 2014).

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 Bibliography

Imagine Easy Solutions. (2014, May 29). Citations for Beginners [YouTube video file]. Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDGdqoCyAtw&feature=share&fbclid=IwAR2t9W3kI4GLWPyMxnUWtXGL6EKZJSnLbXiFZTF
xTj8vId6nQteT-VuX9J8

This video was utilised as a key resource within this lesson to scaffold student’s discovery of the importance of creating a bibliography in when
conducting research. Its aim is to help students recognise that by creating a bibliography they are showing the authenticity behind their thinking
and giving credit to the authors of the information they are using. By introducing students to this concept, I as the teacher have utilised
intentional teaching strategies of guiding students to develop an understanding behind the purpose of their assessment (inclusion of a detailed
bibliography is part of their summative assessment at the completion of the unit as seen in the Summative assessment rubric). This encourages
students to want to practice this skill in order to achieve the best mark they can and to ensure that they can master the skill to use again in their
future research/inquiry-based projects.

Museums Victoria. (2019). Melbourne Museum: School Programs and Resources. Retrieved from
https://museumsvictoria.com.au/melbournemuseum/learning/school-programs-and-resources/

This website was used as a key resource within this lesson to provide students with some guidance of ideas of where they could locate accurate
information on their topic. Students have already previously been informed that history museum websites from around the world are useful
sources to consider when undertaking research on historical events so inclusion of this within the lesson will be a good refresher for them. By
including this I intend to help scaffold students learning and provide them with the opportunity to use their own initiative to decide if they would
like to use this specific webpage as a resource or if they would like to find their own using this as inspiration (Woolfolk & Margetts, 2013).

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 References

Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA). (2014). Australian Curriculum F-10: Humanities and Social Sciences-
HASS. Retrieved from https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/f-10-curriculum/humanities-and-social-sciences/hass/

Biggs, J. (1996). Enhancing teaching through constructive alignment. Higher Education, 32(3), 347-364. Retrieved from
https://www.jstor.org/stable/3448076

Department of Education and Training [DET]). (2017). High Impact Teaching Strategies: Excellence in Teaching and Learning. Retrieved
from https://www.education.vic.gov.au/Documents/school/teachers/support/high-impact-teaching-strategies.pdf

Gilbert, R., & Hoepper, B. (Eds.) (2014). Teaching humanities and social sciences: History, geography, economics and citizenship in the Australian
curriculum (5th ed.). South Melbourne, VIC: Cengage Learning.

Isecke, H., & Conklin, W. (2005). Backwards planning: Building enduring understanding through instructional design. Huntington Beach, CA:
Shell Education Publishing.

Kuhlthau, C., Caspari, A., & Maniotes, L. (2007). Guided inquiry: Learning in the 21st century. Calirfornia, CA: Libraries Unlimited

Woolfolk, A. & Margetts, K. (2013). Educational Psychology (3rd ed.). Pearson, Australia.

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 Appendices

Appendix 1: Bibliography template for students to complete (will be available as a hand out and a digital file to students so that no matter which
way they decide to present their final presentation it will be utilised (e.g. poster or PowerPoint).

Bibliography
Primary sources Secondary sources
(remember to include author, year of creation, what type of source it is (remember to include author, year of creation, what type of source it is
e.g. book or website and a link to the source if it is digital based) e.g. book or website and a link to the source if it is digital based)

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 Appendix 2: Group Presentation on Freedom Rubric for teacher to reflect upon and ensure their teaching supports the skills required for students to do well.
Excellent (3-4)
Students have presented an
engaging and thoughtful inquiry
Identification of question which critically explores
Question how a past historical events have
/4 influenced societies
understanding of freedom.
Students have shown an
outstanding ability to apply the
use of 4 or more primary and
Use of Primary and secondary sources in order to
Secondary Sources answer their inquiry-based
/4 question. This is highly evident
throughout their presentation
and their fully constructed
bibliography.
Students have critically presented
Evaluation and how their prior knowledge,
Reflection beliefs and understanding of
/4 freedom have evolved through
their research, constructing a
new definition of freedom.
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Good (2-3)
Students have presented a
relevant inquiry question
which explores how a past
historical events have
influenced societies
understanding of freedom.
Students have shown their
ability to apply the use of 3
or more primary and
secondary sources in order
to answer their inquiry-
based question. This is
clearly evident throughout
their presentation and
their partially constructed
bibliography.
Students have effectively
presented how their prior
knowledge, beliefs and
understanding of freedom
have developed through
their research, informing a
new definition of freedom.
12
Fair (1-2)
Students have presented a
relevant inquiry question
which discusses how a
past historical events have
influenced societies
understanding of freedom.
Students have shown some
ability to apply the use of
2 or more primary and
secondary sources in
order to answer their
inquiry-based question.
This is shown throughout
their presentation and
their basic bibliography.
Students have presented
how their prior
knowledge, beliefs and
understanding of freedom
have changed through
their research, including;
a brief definition of
freedom.
Not Satisfactory (0-1)
Students have not presented
an inquiry question, or the
question presented is
irrelevant to how a past
historical events have
influenced societies
understanding of freedom.
Students have used 1 or no
primary and/or secondary
sources to answer their
inquiry-based question. A
bibliography is not evident
or not correctly
constructed.
Students have not presented
how their prior knowledge,
beliefs and understanding
of freedom have grown
through their research, with
little to no evidence of how
they define freedom.
 Students have chosen a highly
Presentation Skills appropriate and creative
/4 presentation platform to present
their information. They have
exceedingly demonstrated their
use of a variety of visual
representations to present their
information in a highly engaging
and purposeful manner for their
intended audience.
Each group member has
Group demonstrated an exemplary level
Collaboration of ongoing contribution to their
/4 team. It is clear that all members
have worked effectively with
their peers throughout inquiry
process. The presentation of ideas
was sophistically and respectfully
shared among each member.
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Students have chosen an Students have chosen an
appropriate and creative appropriate presentation
presentation platform to platform to present their
present their information. information, however, it
They have successfully lacks creativity. They have
demonstrated their use of demonstrated the use of a
multiple visual few visual representations
representations to present to present their
their information in an information and have
engaging manner for their shown some effort
intended audience. towards engaging their
audience.
Each group member has Most group members have
demonstrated a good level demonstrated an
of ongoing contribution to acceptable level of
their team. It is evident contribution to their team.
that all or most members There is some evidence
have worked with their that most members have
peers throughout the worked with their peers
inquiry process. The during the inquiry
presentation of ideas was process. Each member
fairly shared among each had at least a brief
group member. contribution in sharing
the ideas in the
presentation.
13
Students have used a
presentation platform that
is not suited to share their
information appropriately.
They have used little or no
visual representations to
present their information
and have shown little effort
to engage their intended
audience.
Only some group members
demonstrated an acceptable
level of contribution to their
team. Little or no evidence
is shown on collaboration
during the inquiry process
method. Not all members
were given the opportunity
to contribute to the
presentation.