Step 1: Kids on the diggings - Read and Watch
By 1852 there were almost 12 000 children living on the goldfields in Victoria. By 1858, that number grew to 33,588. Many of them had home made toys such as spinning tops or 'jacks' made from the knuckles of sheep. Only the wealthier ones had toys such as dolls or tin toy soldiers. It didn't really matter because most children worked alongside their parents searching for gold or doing household chores.
Watch the following short movie, which tells the story of a 10 year old girl who had moved from England to the goldfields.
Watch the following short movie, which tells the story of a 10 year old girl who had moved from England to the goldfields.
Now watch this second movie which is acted out by school children today (See the cars in the background!). They are pretending to be children from the Gold Rush who were able to afford to go to school. I think they do a good job of teaching us about children in the 1850's on the goldfields.
Step 2: School
At first there were no schools on the goldfields. The children worked in the mines or panning for gold with their parents. They would also help clean, cook, sew and look after other children in the family.
The first schools were in tents. There were not many books and teachers also came and went. It cost a dime (which is about 10c) a day to go to school. Not many families could afford to send their children and so some were never taught to read and write and do maths.
The first school buildings were fairly rough as well and were often crowded. In 1880 schooling became compulsory and inspectors were sent to the goldfields to check that the children were at school!
Go to the resources on the "Life on the Goldfields" page and research more about children and education.
The first schools were in tents. There were not many books and teachers also came and went. It cost a dime (which is about 10c) a day to go to school. Not many families could afford to send their children and so some were never taught to read and write and do maths.
The first school buildings were fairly rough as well and were often crowded. In 1880 schooling became compulsory and inspectors were sent to the goldfields to check that the children were at school!
Go to the resources on the "Life on the Goldfields" page and research more about children and education.
Step 3: Activity
- Add 2 new slides to your Powerpoint. Check Mrs Brand's Powerpoint to see what the titles of these 2 slides need to be and copy them.
- Add information to these slides in your own words. Just choose the main points.
- Add pictures to your slides.
Step 4: Research
A poor education was not the only problem faced by children who went to the goldfields. Use the resources that you have on the "Life on the Goldfields" page and the knowledge you have from our story, A Banner Bold, to find out the dangers and problems that children faced living on the goldfields.
(Clues: Health problems, fires, boiling water, heat, dirty water, mine shafts, crime)
(Clues: Health problems, fires, boiling water, heat, dirty water, mine shafts, crime)
Step 5: Activity
- Add a couple of new slides and choose the way that you will organise some information about the problems faced by children on the goldfields. You choose your own headings and write in the information in your own words.
- Add pictures to the slides.
FINISHED
Optional Activity: If you have time
- Research further and create a slide on the fun things that children did while living on the goldfields