Year 4 visited the Australian National Maritime Museum in Darling Harbour last week, on May 30. It was an exciting day filled with lots of learning and discoveries. Led by an expert at the museum, each group was taken on guided tours to different places in the museum, including a visit to the replica ‘Endeavour’ - the ship Captain James Cook explored Australia’s east coast in, along with botanist Joseph Banks. Through this experience, Year 4 gained a better understanding of life on board a ship of exploration. 

This matched in perfectly with the learning that has been taking place in our classrooms. Year 4 has learnt about Captain James Cook and his many journeys, including to Australia, which ultimately led to the arrival of the First Fleet from Britain in 1788. We are currently studying the First Fleet and life in Sydney in the early colony, which was established as a place for British people who committed crimes in their home country. ‘Beth’ by Mark Wilson has been used as our mentor text, to help students gain an understanding of life as a convict in Sydney. The text is based on the events of a true convict, named Elizabeth Hayward, who was only 13 years of age when she was sentenced to Australia for stealing. Using our knowledge of life as a convict, and life for Beth in Sydney, we are currently planning and writing persuasive letters from Beth’s perspective to Governor Arthur Phillip, asking for a certificate of freedom. This certificate meant that convicts could live in Sydney as free settlers, and were no longer considered a convict, allowing them to earn their own money. 

In HSIE, we have begun learning about the impact that colonisation had on the Aboriginal Peoples of Sydney. We have learnt about traditional ways of living and are now exploring how these ways of living were impacted by the arrival of the British following the First Fleet.

Mrs Rachel Payne and Mr Sean Murphy
Year 4 Class Teachers