- Using this resource
- Syllabus links

The following notes provide a brief outline of the four sections of Off to war: Australia answers the call. They also include suggestions on how to teach the resource but are not meant to be prescriptive.

A chain of events

Students are introduced to the causes for the outbreak of the First World War. By studying a variety of primary and secondary sources and by conducting guided internet research, students will learn about the global historical context of the war.

Note: Teachers should be aware that the animated map at the first link in ‘Two shots in Sarajevo’ will not play on some mobile devices.

Australia’s reaction

Students examine the reaction to war across the political, media and public spheres to understand why Australians were so eager to join the war effort in Europe. The source analysis questions encourage students to think critically about the reasons why Australians supported Great Britain and the methods used by the government to instill these ideas.

We want you!

The use of propaganda posters was a major feature of the war. Students analyse the different elements of these posters by answering the guided questions.

Students can search for more propaganda posters used in Australia at the Australian War Memorial online collection or at firstworldwar.com

Answering the call

Students will be able to explain why Australians, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, enlisted in the war. The empathy task encourages students to engage in independent or small group research with some assistance. Encourage students to look at different types of primary sources from the State Library Online catalogue before attempting the empathy task.

In the empathy task students should:

- include an explanation of the historical context in Australia at the time

- demonstrate an extensive understanding of different perspectives for joining the war

- support ideas with relevant and accurate historical information

- communicate ideas coherently and empathetically, in letter text type or within the storyboard

Icons

Read explanations of the icons used in this resource:

| This icon indicates an activity of some sort.
| This icon indicates a task in which students will demonstrate empathy for the people and events of the period.
| This icon alerts students to an interesting fact or curiosity that is relevant to the learning.

Warning

Please be aware that this page does contain the names, images and voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who are now deceased.

This resource addresses outcomes and content in the Board of Studies NSW Syllabus for the Australian Curriculum in History K-10. It provides an overview of content and examples of lesson activities that relate to Stage 5 – Depth Study 3: Australians at War: World Wars I and II (1914-1918, 1939-1945).

Outcomes

A student:

- identifies and evaluates the usefulness of sources in the historical inquiry process HT5-5

- explains different contexts, perspectives and interpretations of the modern world and Australia HT5-7

- applies a range of relevant historical terms and concepts when communicating an understanding of the past HT5-9

- selects and uses appropriate oral, written, visual and digital forms to communicate effectively about the past for different audiences HT5-10

Content

An overview of the causes of the wars, why men enlisted and where Australians fought (ACDSEH021)

Significant events and the experiences of Australians at war (ACDSEH095)

Impact of the wars on Australia (ACDSEH096)

Historical concepts

### Cause and effect

Intended and unintended causes and consequences of a particular historical event or development

### Perspectives

The reasons for different perspectives in a particular historical context

### Empathetic understanding

The actions, values, attitudes and motives of people in the context of the past

Historical skills

### Comprehension: chronology, terms and concepts

Read and understand historical texts

Sequence historical events to demonstrate the relationship between different periods, people and places

Use historical terms and concepts in appropriate contexts

### Analysis and use of sources

Identify different types of sources

Identify the origin, content, context and purpose of primary and secondary sources

Process and synthesise information from a range of sources as evidence in an historical argument

Evaluate the reliability and usefulness of primary and secondary sources for a specific historical inquiry

### Perspectives and interpretations

Identify and analyse the reasons for different perspectives in a particular historical context

### Empathetic understanding

Interpret history through the actions, values, attitudes and motives of people in the context of the past

### Research

Ask and evaluate different kinds of questions about the past to inform an historical inquiry

Plan historical research to suit the purpose of an investigation

Identify, locate, select and organise information from a variety of sources, using ICT and other methods

### Explanation and communication

Develop historical texts, particularly explanations and historical arguments that use evidence from a range of sources

Select and use a range of communication forms (oral, graphic, written and digital) to communicate effectively about the past for different audiences and for different purposes