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Learning about Asia and Australia’s engagement with Asia

Learning about Asia and Australia’s engagement with Asia allows students to develop knowledge and understanding of Asian societies, cultures, beliefs and environments, and the connections between the peoples of Asia, Australia, and the rest of the world.  Learning about Asia and Australia’s engagement provides students with both a regional context for their learning, as well as building an understanding of the diversity of cultures and peoples living in Australia.

Many Asian nations are growing rapidly and are regionally and globally influential. Immigrants from all these countries have historically contributed to Australia’s development and will continue to do so in the future. An understanding of Asia underpins the capacity of Australian students to be active and informed citizens, fosters social inclusion and cohesion, and is vital to the prosperity of Australia.

A summary of the curriculum content in the Victorian Curriculum F–10 directly related to Asia and Australia’s engagement with Asia is available here:

• Learning about Asia and Australia’s engagement with Asia

Asia Education Foundation –the AEF  provides a wealth of information for teachers, school leaders, students and parents around Australia.

Year Five Excursion

Link to the Unit of Inquiry:

“Where We Are in Place and Time- Migration occurs out of necessity or to seek new opportunities.”

Description/Educational Purpose:

Education Session: Chinese on the Goldfields

Students explore aspects of 19th Century Chinese experiences and discuss the discrimination faced by the Chinese diggers who came to Victoria.

Mine Adventure: The Secret Chamber

The sound of traditional Chinese music draws you in – and the rock walls reveal their secret! Watch in wonder as the story unfolds around you – the story of Chin Tem and his brother is a tale based on the adventures of the young Chinese diggers who flocked to Ballarat in the 1850s in search of gold.

Other activities includes gold panning, gold pouring demonstration and candle making demonstration.

Year Three Excursion

Link to the Unit of Inquiry:

“How We Organise Ourselves- Communities need individuals to adopt certain roles to function effectively.”

Description/Educational Purpose:

A comprehensive tour of the Chinese Museum and Chinatown.

Students will explore ‘Finding Gold’, to learn about life on the goldfields in the 1850s. In the ‘Dragon Gallery’, students will learn about Chinese mythology and symbolism. ‘Han Dynasty’ presents interesting inventions from Ancient China (206BCE – 220CE). ‘One Million Stories’ provides a unique insight into Chinese-Australian history spanning 160 years through to the present day.

Students will explore the oldest, continuously settled Chinatown in the Western world. They will be introduced to various aspects of the street culture, architecture and cuisine.

Lunch: Chinese Restaurant

Served at a nearby restaurant, a traditional shared Chinese meal is the perfect complement to their Chinese Museum excursion.

Year Six Excursion

Link to the Unit of Inquiry:

“Who We Are- Our body is made up of systems that are affected by the choices we make.”

Description/Educational Purpose:

Educational Experiences

PepperGreen Farm offers a range of guided education experiences for school groups.The site is home to the oldest Chinese kiln outside of Asia, the original Chinese Market gardens of Bendigo and the historical manure shed.

Sustainable Gardening

Through a potting seedlings exercise, students will come to understand the differences in soil types, their compositions and how this influences what can grow in the garden. Students will also get the chance to plant seedlings in their own biodegradable seedling pot to take home.

Chinese Heritage Activity

Students will learn about agricultural harvesting techniques used by Chinese migrants, influencing the health and survival of miners in Regional Victoria, Bendigo.

Mine Experience Tour

Kitted up in a hard hat and miner’s lamp, the students descend 61 metres underground with one of the friendly guides. With only the light on their helmet to light the path, students will become enthralled by Bendigo’s fascinating underworld as they explore the honeycomb of hidden underground tunnels. The tour guides cover Bendigo’s gold history, the geology of the rock formations they encounter, demonstrate the old mining methods and explain what it was like to be a miner during the harsh gold rush era.