Many Stories
How can we discover the stories of people who have come to Australia?
In this curriculum aligned excursion, primary students explore Australian immigration history and stories of immigrants through artefacts and objects from the museum collection.
Students will experience
- Examining museum objects, artefacts and documents to discover immigration stories.
- Recognising challenges immigrants face.
- Working in small groups and sharing ideas with peers.
- Reporting back findings to the class.
- A visit to the museum galleries after the staff led education program to build on the information discovered in the classroom session.
Students will learn
- Immigration stories from the 1800s to 2000s
- The role of museum objects to discover stories from the past
- The role played by immigrants in Australia's history
In the galleries:
- About immigrant journeys to Australia
- Reasons people have migrated to Australia
- Individual immigrant stories across the last 230 years
- Procedures for immigrants arriving in Victoria
- First Peoples’ stories of culture and history
Students will be provided
- All students will be provided with a booklet to guide them through the galleries and for them to record their findings, with related activities to complete back at school
Students will need
- Pen or pencil.
Other key information
- The length of this excursion is 90 minutes and includes a 45-minute workshop and a 45-minute gallery visit.
Availability
Terms 1–4, Monday to Thursday
Duration: 90 minutes
Student information
Years 5 to 6
Maximum 50 students
Bookings
Presentation
Self-guided exhibition visit with short introduction and provided activity
Victorian Curriculum Links
History: Levels 5 and 6
Australia (1800 – 1900)
- the role of significant individuals or groups, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, local-born colonists and migrants, on the development of or events in a colony (VC2HH6K05)
Australia (1900 – 2000)
- the causes for people migrating to Australia from Europe and Asia, including their experiences and perspectives, and their impacts on Australian society during the 20th century (VC2HH6K09)
- significant contributions of individuals and groups, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and migrants, to changing Australian society (VC2HH6K10)
Intercultural Understanding: Levels 5 and 6
Culture, identity and belonging
Accessibility
Please view our accessibility page for general information. Contact our team on 13 11 02 or email us at [email protected] to discuss how we can support your visit.
Museums Victoria Learning Access Fund
The Museums Victoria Learning Access Fund aims to enhance access to our museums (Melbourne Museum, Scienceworks and Immigration Museum), programs and events by offering free or subsidised education programs for eligible schools. Find out more about the fund.
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