Virtually there – a visit to the Australian War Memorial for Primary students

This 31-minute film explores the Memorial’s National Collection, galleries and Commemorative Area, and presents insights into Australia’s wartime and peacekeeping experiences.

Through personal stories of service from the First World War to more recent conflicts, investigate reasons for enlistment, places where Australians served, and how servicemen and servicewomen are remembered today.

Hear insights from a curator about an object from the Memorial’s collection and gain perspectives from a Vietnam veteran.

Resources

Download the accompanying resources and transcript of the film here:

Recommended year level

This resource is aligned with the Australian Curriculum for years 4 to 6.

How to use this resource

Throughout the film, questions are asked, presenting opportunities for teachers to pause the film and facilitate class discussion. Teachers can break up the resource into a series of shorter segments to allow for further discussion and classwork.

Links to the Australian Curriculum

This resource links to the Visual Arts and the Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS) curriculum, including Civics and Citizenship, and History. The Memorial’s collection and galleries provide an opportunity to explore concepts highlighted in the curriculum, such as source analysis, continuity and change, cause and effect, perspectives and empathy.

Skills

Virtually there encourages students to identify a range of sources, to recognise different viewpoints, and to use historical terms.

Knowledge

Knowledge and understanding strands from the Civics and Citizenship, and History curricula investigate the contributions of individuals and groups to Australian society, migration, Australia’s place in the global community, and the values underpinning Australia’s democracy.

Cross-curriculum priorities

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures

OI.3 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples have holistic belief systems and are spiritually and intellectually connected to the land, sea, sky and waterways.

OI.5 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ ways of life are uniquely expressed through ways of being, knowing, thinking and doing.

OI.6 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples live in Australia as first peoples of Country or Place and demonstrate resilience in responding to historic and contemporary impacts of colonisation.