The Process
Step 1: Your teacher will be assign you to a group of four or five to work with.
Step 2: Choose a good 'gold fields' name for your group. Here are some suggestions - The Ballarat Belly Achers, The Gympie Gunnas, The Charters Towers Terrors, The Bendigo Boomers, The Down and Outers, The Lucky Strikers.
Step 3: Read some background information about the mid 1800s Australian Gold Rushes. While you are doing this try to imagine 'What was life really like in these times?' Find books from your school library or classroom. Look at posters and check out these web sites. The members of your group should visit these web sites for background information (Hint - divide the task - have each member visit different sites, then share your knowledge):
Here are the sites that you should read first:
Frequently asked questions (Soveriegn Hill)
If you have some extra time, have a read here:
Drawings of the early diggings
More Drawings of the early diggings
History of Gold Mining in the Bendigo Area
A Brief History of Mining in Bendigo
Early History - Bendigo Gold Fields
The impact of gold mining on the environment
The Gold Rushes in New South Wales from 1851
Interactive Movies:
Herons Reef Historic Gold Diggings - Photo Album
Pictures of Gold Nuggets and Specimens from 'Gold Nuggets Kalgoorlie'
Step 4: Read through the evaluation rubric so that you understand what is expected of you. It may be a good idea to review this several times throughout the process.
Step 5: Now that you have read some background information, perhaps you have some ideas starting to form. It is now time for your group to begin discussing your ideas for your 'story' that will be told through your journals. (Remember the Task.) Within your group decide on which roles you will take on (for the task of journal writing). Here are the roles from which you should chose. Only one person should be assigned to a particular role.
Possible Roles: (other roles may be possible depending on available resources)
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Go to this form to record and print out your group roles.
Step 6: You will now do some background reading and research to understand your role in some depth. Visit the web sites listed for your role. As you browse these web sites look for data and stories that will help you formulate your ideas about (click here to download a Word template to record your ideas in):
- What life was like for your character.
- The types of events that may shape your character's thoughts and actions.
- Events that would bring your character in contact with the other characters from your group.
- Descriptions of the places your character would live and visit.
Miner
Dry blower for separating gold from other material, with camel saddle
Bushranger
A Dictionary of Australian Bushrangers
Chinese miner
Trooper
Government Official
The Effects of the Discovery of Gold in Victoria. July to October 1851
Inn Keeper's Wife
Step 7: With your group discuss and develop your ideas for a story. A story map would be a useful tool to do this. Discuss incidents that occur and bring your characters together.
Step 8: Write your journal entries following the story map your group created. Remember to use the Word template you downloaded earlier to write your journal.
Step 9: Discuss with your group (in readiness for a class discussion) the characters you would most and least like to have been on the Australian gold fields of the mid 1800s.
Step 10: Check the evaluation rubric to see how you scored.
Step 11: Read the conclusion page.
