Further program suggestions

Map of town - Many mapping activities can be undertaken as an extension of this unit. Maps of Mt Morgan can be found in the local telephone book and at the museum.

• Planning the route to be taken during the visit so all sites can be visited in the time available.
• Marking sites visited on a map of Mt Morgan for display at the culminating event
• Create a map of the town as it appeared at various times in history.
• Estimate and calculate the distances travelled during the visit to Mt Morgan by referring to the a map of the town.

Sketching - The mountain scenery and fascinating old buildings offer wonderful opportunities for students to undertake sketching activities. These could be framed and displayed at the culminating event. They would also help consolidate the students’ feelings and understandings of the town.

Thank you letters - These could be written to those people who contributed to the success of the unit offering the students a further opportunity to explain what they learnt and how they learnt it as well as the highlights of the unit. By brainstorming these ideas students will have a bank of information to draw from.

Return visit - To share experience and learning with students in Mt Morgan. The students and teacher could co-plan a return visit to the school at Mt Morgan to share the work they have produced and thus receive feed back from young people who live in Mt Morgan.

Collage - Working in pairs students could create a background by drawing a scene from the Mt Morgan’s past. Then each student could draw or collage a character dressed in clothes of the period engaging in activities from the period. These could be glued to the background scene. This art activity would develop the students’ team work skills and ensure they engaged in substantive conversations as they discuss what to produce and how, as well allowing them to display their knowledge of historical events. The Mt Morgan museum would provide valuable information and pictures to support this learning experience. Having the students attach, to the art work, a short explanation of the event and time period, would ensure the viewers of the piece gained further information about the work and provide another opportunity for them to display their knowledge.

Writing historical fiction - Using My Place by Nadia Wheatley and Donna Rawlins as a model the students could re-create the history of Mt Morgan writing from the perspective of characters who lived at various time in history. Illustrated maps of the town at different times in history could be added, along with photographs or art work. My Place explores many of the themes such as change, environmental issues, employment, leisure and celebrations, which run parallel to those suggested in this unit, therefore it would be an ideal model for the students.