The Stage 1 boys have recently started their final Unit of Inquiry of the year, focusing on the transdisciplinary theme of ‘Where we are in place and time.’ Their central idea is ‘Society can determine the responsibilities and roles of its communities.’

The unit is primarily a history-based unit, with a key focus on comparing family life in the past and present.  

In their first library session of the unit, the boys spent some time working collaboratively in groups to piece back together old Australian family photographs, taken between 1900 and 1930. In between being given different photo puzzle pieces, they had to discuss and come up with a back-story, and add to it each time they were given a new piece of the jigsaw. The boys used the white-board tables to record their findings, and fed back to the class at the end of the session. The next step was a discussion comparing and contrasting their own, modern families, with those in the photos in the past. Many of the boys were surprised as the number of similarities, despite some of the photos being taken over one hundred years ago.

As part of their first library session, the boys also looked at a range of ‘old’ cameras; none that were digital, and some of the boys were shocked to discover that taking and printing photos used to be a bit of a lengthy process, unlike today!

The boys will be looking at a variety of sources throughout the unit, becoming more familiar with primary and secondary sources of information. The unit has got off to a great start, and the boys are excited for their final unit of the year.

Sam Watson – Year 1 Teacher