Schools Project 2006

The Schools Project 2006 involves school students investigating the maritime history of their own local area (and this could be expanded to include other early pioneer history) and report it in any of a number of ways and commemorate and celebrate these historical efforts in the year 2006.

An investigation of local history could be undertaken as a whole school initiative with a school based outcome. Alternatively, it could be a collaborative effort with Local Government, Chamber of Commerce, Tourist Bureau and other interested parties. Opportunities for students to engage with seniors in their community to record oral histories could promote a positive community outcome. Overall, an awareness of, and an interest in, local history would serve to enhance students’ understanding of significant people and events of the past in the local area. This is an opportunity for schools and the community to work together to record their own local history - centered on a maritime theme - and to participate in showcasing this history at appropriate locations and functions during 2006 and beyond.

Such activities are relevant to the learning outcomes of Investigation, Communication and Participation and Time, Continuity and Change, in the Society and Environment learning area of the Curriculum Framework.

As a general guideline, each school’s project (or projects) should include, wherever possible:

• Why the journeys were undertaken

• When it (and what?) happened

• Main characters involved

• Where the event(s) took place, preferably with a map

• Description/drawing(s) of the ship(s), places, characters involved.

• Survival stories

• Any exploration

• Any impact on the local inhabitants

• Anything you may have discovered to make it more interesting.

A more detailed set of GUIDELINES to assist teachers in setting up a project is available. Click here. 

Project output could be in a variety of formats such as:

• Presentations with visual impact, some text, chart, drawings.

• Wall-table displays with posters and dioramas.

• Big Books and other publications.

• Taped oral histories.

• PowerPoint or other computer-based presentations of events in local history.

• Video presentations.

• Dramatic performance, live or on video.

• Web project. For examples see Shipwrecks off the Guilderton to Lancelin Coast or Shipwrecks off the Rockingham Coast.

The level of sophistication of the output of a project will, of course, depend upon the grade of the students participating.

It is suggested that the output of school projects becomes part of a wider community education programme. Depending upon the format of the output, student’s efforts could be displayed, presented, performed or shown in such venues as theatres, local community centers, libraries, shopping centers and shire offices.

Preferred material could become the basis for more permanent presentations at local museums, Visitor Centres, Heritage Centres and Historical Societies these becoming the focal point for the presentation of heritage and historical information of the Community, Shire or Region. The lasting record created would serve to inform and attract visitors to the local area. It would provide a focal point for celebrations in 2006.

With such efforts repeated all along the coast the concept of a "Western Australian Maritime Heritage Coast" would emerge. These centres could be enhanced with artifacts and memorabilia associated with the history portrayed as well as point to the location of appropriate monuments and memorial plagues erected to mark the commemoration of specific events or historic places. Such much needed facilities would attract visitors, both local and overseas adding significantly to the tourism potential of the State.

Students and others working on heritage projects could access resources such as:

• "Southland – The maritime Exploration of Australia", Teacher’s Guide, Ministry of Education, Western Australia.

• Maritime, explorers and settlers literature

• Internet

• Local written histories

• Local Heritage Committees,

• Local Historical Societies,

• Community Elders.

• Libraries including Battye Library.

• Family histories.

• Internet - Maritime history websites.

Likely Stakeholders would be:

• Schools and their Communities

• Ministry of Education

• Local Government

• Local Chambers of Commerce

• State Tourism Department.

• Culture, Heritage and the Arts