| During Middle Childhood, students'...
are interested in and like to speculate on other times,
places and societies. They begin to understand and appreciate
different points of view and develop the ability to think
in more abstract terms. |
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The development of students’
understanding of time, continuity and change is achieved
mainly through Australian history.
They investigate important people, ideas and events and
infer reasons for their significance. They also investigate
the causes of major changes and continuities in their
local area, Australia and other selected countries over
time, and understand that changes in the past have affected
peoples’ beliefs and ways of life.
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Children in Middle Childhood are moving beyond an interest
in their own family and neighbourhood to a larger world view.
They become fascinated by life in the 'olden days'. Accessible
and quality historical fiction is increasingly available for
readers at this stage. Use a selection of picture books and
novels as Doorways into the Past to motivate thoughtful
discussion, debate, creative writing, art, drama and research.
Click on the approaches listed below for learning ideas
and fiction titles to get you started.
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 Students
can:
- Debate: 'Life was better in the
olden days'.
- Interview grandparents or older
acquaintances about their memories of their
childhood and teenage years.
- Research, in groups, a particular
era depicted in one of the focus books and make
a presentation to the class to highlight how
lifestyles have changed.
- Find photographs and household
items from the past to display in the classroom
or prepare a digital museum.
- Visit a museum.
- Invite a migrant of the
1950s to present a talk to the class about their
experiences. Compare these to those described
in Snowy.
- Collect interesting words and
phrases to describe sounds, sights and smells
of an era.
- Write a poem using the collected
words.
- Make a list of common expressions
and phrases. Compare them to contemporary speech
- Read & learn a selection
of Classic
Australian verse:
The Man from Snowy River, Botany Bay,
Clancy of the Overflow, My Country, Andy's
Gone with Cattle, The Wild Colonial Boy,
A Bush Christening, Mulga Bill's Bicycle.
- Recite/sing bush ballads around
a camp fire.
- Write a group ballad to reflect
contemporary life.
- Compare the Post World
War 1 flu pandemic described in A
Different Sort of Real
to the recent Bird Flu and SARS crises .
- Plan and hold a bush dance. Include
traditional entertainments such as poetry recitals,
singing ballads and telling tall stories; and
refreshments appropriate to the time.
- Present a persuasive book talk
to encourage others to read a favourite historical
fiction title.
- Choose authors/illustrators to
research and present a Doorway into their
lives in writing, a role-play interview,
digital format or other interesting way.
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BRUCE, Mary Grant. A
Little Bush Maid
Illustrated by John Lennox
Angus&Robertson, 1996
Novel. Australian classic first published in 1910. First
of eighteen adventure stories about Jim and Norah who live with
their widowed father at Billabong, a Victorian cattle station
and sheep station. Sequels include Mates at Billabong; Norah
of Billabong
DISHER, Garry. The
Bamboo Flute
Hodder Children's,
2001
Novel. Set
in South Australia during the 1930s depression this is a moving
story of love, friendship and music across the generations,
intertwined with historical and social issues, first published
in 1992. It is about 12-year-old Paul, a lonely and gifted child
who has no friends at school and lives on an isolated farm.
The straightforward prose makes this the story readily accessible
to younger readers while the sensitive portrayal of character
and times means that it is also a deeply satisfying read. Disher
deservedly won the CBC Book of the Year: Younger Readers, 1993
for this beautifully written and finely judged work.
Primary Focus Fiction 2002
I found The Bamboo Flute an unusual
story in that Disher concentrates on Paul's relationships with
the adults in his world. Paul dreams of Margaret, a girl in
his school, but she is a shadowy figure and no other peers are
featured. Paul's character is immediately engaging and the bleak
and harsh world he inhabits is illuminated by a love of music
that is communicated in strong, simple prose.
The black-and-white photographs at the beginning of each chapter
and at the end of the book help contemporary readers to focus
on the period of the story. The straightforward prose should
make this story readily accessible to younger readers while
the sensitive portrayal of character and times means that it
is also a deeply satisfying read. Disher deservedly won the
CBC Book of the Year: Younger Readers 1993 for this beautifully
written and finely judged work.
Mia Macrossan, Yeronga State HS (QLD)
Extract of review in Fiction Focus
Vol. 16 No. 3
DOYLE, Malachy. 12,000
miles from home
Illustrations by
Greg Gormley.
Watts, 1999
After being told their mother has died, Lucy
and Jack are sent with other children to Australia. Upon their
arrival they are separated and forced to do menial work. Neither
Lucy nor Jack can stand the harshness of being separated and
eventually they are reunited, planning one day to return to
England. This novel presents a brief overview of child migration,
which began early in the nineteenth century and continued until
1967. It depicts a grim picture of the conditions which many
children endured when they were sent to Australia and in particular
Bindoon.
FARRER, Vashti. Ned's
Kang-u-roo
Lothian, 1992
Novel. Following an argument at home
when his father wants to send Ned labouring, we meet twelve-year-old
Ned Wattrous who has run away to sea and joined Captain Cook's
ship Endeavour. It is at the point of his journey to Australia
when the ship runs aground on the Great Barrier Reef, that readers
join him in his adventures and reflection on his journey, his
life and companions.
Characters are realistic and the story entertaining and informative.
An attractive cover is supported by black and white illustrations
that are most realistic in their portrayal. Clear print size
and wide margins ensure that the story is easy to read.
GREENWOOD,
Kerry. A
Different Sort of Real:
The Diary of Charlotte McKenzie, Melbourne 1918-1919
Scholastic, 2001
(My Story)
Age 12+
A Different Sort of Real is an historical novel
written in the style of a young girl's diary. It features Charlotte
McKenzie as the protagonist who shares her experiences of the
influenza pandemic and Post World 1 period with the reader.
This style of writing enables the audience to feel as though
they are actually experiencing significant events with Charlotte
as they happen, providing a sense of immediacy and reality.
As the plot unfolds through Charlotte's eyes, the reader is
forced to empathise with her when she is confronted with the
reality of the pandemic as the new assistant to the local doctor.
This provides an insight into the daily goings-on in a working
class Australian suburb immediately after the end of the war.
The novel is very readable, despite a hesitant start, utilising
language appropriate to a contemporary audience in their early
to mid-teens. Charlotte discusses her future and shares with
the reader many of the obstacles confronting young women during
the period. Observations of day-to-day activities emphasise
living conditions at the time and permit the audience to reflect
on how society has developed.
It would be relatively simple to link this novel into cross-curricula
tasks which incorporate an historical study of the period. There
are constant accurate references to daily activities, life in
the trenches during the war and the final cavalry charge at
Beersheba. Apart from adding realism these events could provide
a window for students to carry out research into different facets
of life during the period. Greenwood has kindly added some fundamental
historical notes and two sources as a starting point for research.
The diary style also enables comparisons to be made with other
similar texts such as Go Ask Alice or the Diary
of Anne Frank.
Honour Book CBCA Book of the Year: Younger Readers 2002
Iain Browning, Mandurah HS
GREENWOOD, Mark. The
Legend Of Moondyne Joe
Illustrated
by Frané Lessac.
Cygnet Books, 2002
Illustrated
Story. A refreshing look at one of Western Australia's
legendary and endearing bushrangers who was active during the
development of the Swan River Settlement. Lessac's gouache paintings
simply and effectively depict the period and support the quite
lengthy, although easy-to-read text, which includes a glossary
and notes. The language will stimulate the imagination of both
capable and less-able readers. Highly recommended.
Winner WA Premier's Book Awards 2002:
Children's Books
MALBUNKA, Mary. When
I was Little Like You
Allen & Unwin, 2003
Autobiography. This is a charming autobiography in it's
own right that supports Indigenous studies across the curriculum.
The author shares reminiscences of her childhood and everyday
life growing up in Central Australia, describing a semi-traditional
lifestyle and the strength and extent of family life. Using
both traditional and European styles of art, the vibrant, warmly
coloured illustrations reflect life in the central desert. Liritja
words used in the dialogue are explained in the glossary. Highly
recommended.
MCHUGH, Siobhan.
Snowy:
The Diary of Eva Fischer,
Cabramurra, 1958-1959
Scholastic, 2003 (My Story)
Novel. Eleven-year-old Eva
and her family move to Cabramurra where her father is the new
surveyor on the Snowy Mountains Scheme. Presented from Eva's
perspective, the reader learns a lot about life in a small culturally
diverse community. The diary format is typical of the My
Story Australian history series.
THIELE, Colin. Sun
on the Stubble
Illustrated by John Lennox.
New Holland, 2001.
Novel. Classic novel first published in 1961 about growing
up in rural South Australia during the Depression. Story appeals
to children and adults and was adapted for television.
Commended CBCA Book of the Year 1962.
TONKIN, Rachel. To
the Goldfields!
Allen & Unwin, 1999
Picture Book. A young boy whose family join the diggings
tells about life during the 1850s Victorian gold rush, including
everyday as well as important historical events. The colourful
drawings, full of authentic detail provide excellent insight
into life during this period. Highly recommended.
TURNER, Ethel. Seven
Little Australians
Illustrated by John Lennox.
Viking, 2001
Novel. First published 1894 this Australian classic is
set in colonial Australia. The story of the Woolcot family of
Misrule, focuses on the conflict between Judy, the memorable
protagonist and her father. This edition contains colour plates,
which, capture the fashion and life in colonial Australia.
WHEATLEY, Nadia and RAWLINS, Donna.
My
Place
Longman, 1987
Long Picture Book. Innovative picture book that depicts
the history of one house and its surroundings, from 1788 to
1988, using text, illustrations and 'child-drawn' maps. In each
double-page spread a child describes his or her 'place': house,
family, and local environment.
CBCA Book of the Year: Younger Readers, 1988.
WIGNELL, Edel. The
Long, Sticky Walk
Cygnet Young Fiction, 2003
Novel. Based on an incident that happened in the 1886 floods
in New South Wales, this is the story of a courageous young
mother and her children and their attempt to escape their isolated
farmhouse after it had been inundated by rising floodwaters.
This is a really moving little novel, which develops from the
very mundane family tasks to the awful realisation that the
mother makes to save her family. It gives an insight into the
family life of the early settlers compared with family life
today.
WILKINSON, Carole. Black
Snake: The Daring of Ned Kelly
Black Dog Books, 2002
Biography. Age 12+. My first reaction to this reader-friendly
text was 'not another Ned Kelly!' As I read on, however, I felt
there could be many uses for this story, which appears to combine
fiction and fact.
The book presentation is interesting. There are frequent annotations
attached in darker coloured boxes on the side of many pages.
These insert authoritative information into the colourful narrative.
The additions are sometimes, but not always, acknowledged. This
provides an excellent example of how researched facts can be
the basis of successful narrative.
Within the narrative, a range of characters
who 'would have been there' make comment setting up the chapter
that follows; very useful for teaching point of view. An index,
Internet sites, a time-line and reference sources are all valuable,
while photographs and maps increase the impact of the text.
Black Snake - The Daring of Ned Kelly has value
as a 'guided ' history reference and is a delightfully told
narrative. It will be useful on the library shelf and a class
set is worth considering.
Marlene Dullard, Hamilton SHS
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