The Task

At the conclusion of this task you should be able to discuss which of the gold field characters you would most and least like to have been. See the note at the end of the introduction for details.

Write a four week journal describing your trip to an Australian gold field and your experiences there sometime during the mid 1800s. Click here to see an example of a journal. (Example under construction.)

Alternatively, your group could write a play that decribes life on the gold fields and involves various characters.

Describe your feelings and all the things that happen to you. Your descriptions should include places you visit, characters you meet, and events that occur. You will need brainstorm and research to find the necessary information.

Your descriptions should be as realistic as possible according to the gold fields character you have chosen.

You will be working in a group of four or five with each person choosing a different role (character from the gold rush era).

Your group will create a story from the gold rush era.

• If your group has chosen to write journals, each member of your group will write a separate journal telling the story from their point of view with the journal entries involving the other character roles from the group.
• If your group has chosen to write a play, your group will write a play telling the story involving all character roles from the group and may involve other characters.

At the conclusion of writing your journals you should be able to discuss which of the gold field characters you would most and least like to have been.

Your journals or plays can be created using a word processor template. Click here to download a copy of the journal or play template. Save it in your folder so that you can work on it later. (Templates under construction.)