Archaeology

Education program VIC

The history of the Australian people extends to at least 65,000 years ago; of this long and diverse history, only 0.4% is recorded in written records. Archaeology – the excavation, analysis and interpretation of material culture from the past – therefore plays an integral role in understanding our national story. Utilising experiential ‘hands on’ and object-based learning, our incursion and excursion programs help students and teachers to better understand this exciting discipline.  

Developed by archaeologists in close collaboration with primary and secondary teachers, our curriculum-linked incursion and excursion programs are suitable for primary, secondary and VCE students. Each program is supported by a comprehensive resource package for teachers, including lesson plans, teacher’s notes, glossary and worksheets. 

Primary Archaeology Incursion

Understanding archaeological thinking

People have been in Australia for at least 65,000 years. We know quite a lot about communities in the past – their technologies, food, resources and culture. But how do we know these things? This unique incursion experience introduces younger students to archaeological thinking, exploring the ways that archaeologists use the everyday objects of the past to travel through time and space to investigate people of the past and the landscapes that they lived in.  

Supporting resources for teachers are embedded within the program, including pre and post-excursion activities, notes and professional development content. 

Further program details
Year Levels Year 3 to 6 (highly recommended for Level 3-4)
  

Curriculum link examples

History 

Foundation to Level 2: Historical concepts and skills – VCHHC054 

Level 3 and 4: Historical sources as evidence – VCHHC068, VCHHC070, VCHHK072; First contacts – VCHHK078, CHHK081 

Level 5 and 6: Historical sources as evidence – VCHHC083, VCHHC084; Continuity and change – VCHHC085  

 

Geography 

Foundation to Level 2: Geographical Concepts and Skills – VCGGC059; Geographical Knowledge – VCGGK066, VCGGK069 

Levels 3 and 4: Geographical Knowledge – VCGGK083, VCGGK084, 

Level 5 and 6: Geographical Knowledge – VCGGK094 

 

Science 

Foundation to Level 2: Science Understanding – VCSSU041, VCSSU044;  

Science Inquiry Skills – VCSIS051, VCSIS055 

Level 3 and 4: Science Understanding – VCSSU060; Science Inquiry Skills – VCSIS067 

Level 5 and 6: Science Understanding – VCSSU073 

 

 

Available: 

 

Each week day during school terms in metro and regional (currently regions surrounding Ballarat, Geelong, Bendigo) Victoria 

 

Duration: 

 

1 hour  

 

Numbers: 

 

Sessions are run within a single class (24 – 30 students) 

 

Resources: 

 

Teacher’s resource pack is included with the incursion. Included in this pack are options for teachers to focus on one aspect of the curriculum in post incursion lessons – history, geography and science. 

 

Cost 

 

$12.00 per student 

 

Safety:

 

Click here to access the Archaeology Task Risk Assessment document

 

Bookings: 

 

Online booking form is here or email or phone: (03) 9656 9889 

Secondary Archaeology Incursion

Time detectives

This program has been designed to link specifically into the Level 7 and 8 Historical Knowledge units focussed on the nature of sources about Australia’s past, their conservation and impact within contemporary society. We explore the different ways that archaeologists reconstruct the lives of past people and landscapes, from traditional approaches to cutting-edge techniques. The strong links between people and landscapes, from deep time through to today, also makes this program highly relevant to the Level 7 and 8 geography and science curricula. As a result, the program is offered under several modes: multidisciplinary, or discipline specific within the subjects of history, geography and science.  

Supporting resources for teachers are embedded within the program, including pre and post-excursion activities, notes and professional development content.   

Further program details
Year Levels Levels 7 to 8 
  

Curriculum link examples

History 

Level 7 and 8: Historical Knowledge – VCHHK107, VCHHK108, VCHHK114, VCHHK115, VCHHK116 

 

Geography 

Level 7 and 8: Geographical Concepts and Skills – VCGGC100 – 102, VCGGC104, VCGGC106, VCGGC109, VCGGC111, VCGGC116, VCGGC117, VCGGC120 

 

Science 

Level 7 and 8: Science Understanding – VCSSU089, VCSSU090 

 

 

Available: 

 

Each week day during school terms in metro and regional (currently regions surrounding Ballarat, Geelong, Bendigo) Victoria 

 

Duration: 

 

1 hour  

 

Numbers: 

 

Sessions are run within a single class (24 – 30 students) 

 

Resources: 

 

Teacher’s resource pack is included with the incursion. Included in this pack are options for teachers to focus on one aspect of the curriculum in post incursion lessons – history, geography and science. 

 

Cost: 

 

$12.00 per student 

 

Safety:

 

Click here to access the Archaeology Task Risk Assessment document

 

Bookings: 

 

Online booking form is here or email or phone: (03) 9656 9889

VCE Archaeology Incursion

From Custodianship to the Anthropocene: reconstructing past landscape interactions

People have always had an intimate link to the landscapes in which they live. Our environments have provided us with food, shelter, clothing, resources and cultural connectivity for millennia, and continue to do so today. In Australia, this connection extends to at least 65,000 years; as a result, 99.6% of this record can only be explored through archaeological evidence. In this module, designed specifically for Unit 3 in VCE Australian History, we explore different approaches to recovering, analysing and understanding the record across the period of Custodianship to the Anthropocene: 60,000 to 2010, including environmental archaeology, zooarchaeology and materials analysis.  

This program also includes a suite of supporting resources for teachers, supporting their professional development on archaeological thinking.   

Further program details
Year Levels VCE 
Curriculum link:

VCE History Unit 3: Australian History

 

 

Available: 

 

Each week day during school terms in metro and regional (currently regions surrounding Ballarat, Geelong, Bendigo) Victoria 

 

Duration: 

 

2 hours  

 

Numbers: 

 

Sessions are run within a single class (15 – 30 students) 

 

Resources: 

 

Teacher’s resource pack is included with the incursion. 

 

Cost: 

 

$15.00 per student 

 

Safety:

 

Click here to access the Archaeology Task Risk Assessment document

 

Bookings: 

 

Online booking form is here or email or phone: (03) 9656 9889 

Archaeology excursions

Hands on archaeological experience for primary and secondary students

Available at several National Trust properties around metro and regional Victoria, we are pleased to offer a unique hands-on archaeological experience for primary and secondary students. Archaeology is all around us, from small artefacts to cultural landscapes. Our archaeology excursion programs offer students the opportunity to experience archaeological thinking first hand, exploring the tools and techniques that archaeologists use to reconstruct the lives of past peoples and the landscapes in which they lived.  

Through the use of simulated sites located close by to real archaeological sites, students are able to safely explore archaeological records while directly observing the locations on which they are based. The program includes activities on excavation, analysis and interpretation, providing an ideal follow up experience for students who have done our archaeology incursion program (note that each of these programs can be taken as stand-alone units).  

Extensive supporting resources including pre- and post-excursion activities, notes and professional development content.

Excursion venues will be located in Geelong and Diamond Creek. Further details will be provided early in 2023 and bookings will commence in Term 1

Further program details
Year Levels Year 3 to VCE
  

Curriculum link examples

History 

Foundation to Level 2: Historical concepts and skills – VCHHC054 

Level 3 and 4: Historical sources as evidence – VCHHC068, VCHHC070, VCHHK072; First contacts – VCHHK078, CHHK081 

Level 5 and 6: Historical sources as evidence – VCHHC083, VCHHC084; Continuity and change – VCHHC085  

Level 7 and 8: Historical Knowledge – VCHHK107, VCHHK108, VCHHK114, VCHHK115, VCHHK116 

Level 9 and 10: Historical Concepts and Skills – VCHHC121, VCHHC123- VCHHC127 

 

Geography 

Foundation to Level 2: Geographical Concepts and Skills – VCGGC059; Geographical Knowledge – VCGGK066, VCGGK069 

Levels 3 and 4: Geographical Knowledge – VCGGK083, VCGGK084, 

Level 5 and 6: Geographical Knowledge – VCGGK094 

Level 7 and 8: Geographical Concepts and Skills – VCGGC100 – 102, VCGGC104, VCGGC106, VCGGC109, VCGGC111, VCGGC116, VCGGC117, VCGGC120 

Level 9 and 10: Geographical Concepts and Skills – VCGGC127 – VCGGC132; Geographical Knowledge – VCGGK141 

 

Science 

Foundation to Level 2: Science Understanding – VCSSU041, VCSSU044;  

Science Inquiry Skills – VCSIS051, VCSIS055 

Level 3 and 4: Science Understanding – VCSSU060; Science Inquiry Skills – VCSIS067 

Level 5 and 6: Science Understanding – VCSSU073 

Level 7 and 8: Science Understanding – VCSSU089, VCSSU090 

Level 9 and 10: Science Understanding – VCSSU115; VCSSU116, VCSIS135 – VCSIS140 

 

 

Available: 

 

Each week day during school terms 

 

Duration: 

 

4 hours  

 

Numbers: 

 

20 – 60 students 

 

Resources: 

 

Teacher’s resource pack is included with the incursion.  

 

Cost 

 

$15.00 per student 

 

Safety:

 

Click here to access the Archaeology Task Risk Assessment document

 

Bookings: 

 

Online booking form is here or email or phone: (03) 9656 9889 

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