Night projection

[Episode 15 | 1868 : Minna]



The Australian curriculum: History

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The Australian Curriculum: History aims to ensure that students develop: 


History activities [2]

Activity 1: The legend of Bloody Mary
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Subtheme(s): Beliefs; Entertainment and games
  • Superstitions such as the popular myth of Bloody Mary have been part of people's beliefs for many years. Ask the students to research the origins of the Bloody Mary legend.
  • The following websites may be useful:
  1. Museum Victoria, 'Australian Children's Folklore Collection', http://museumvictoria.com.au/discoverycentre/infosheets/australian-childrens-folklore-collection/
  2. Woman's Day, 'Origins of 13 Common Superstitions', http://www.womansday.com/Articles/Lifestyle/Family-Fun/Origins-of-13-Common-Superstitions.html
  3. The Tudors, 'Bloody Mary Legend', http://www.the-tudors.org.uk/bloody-mary-legend.htm
  4. Halloween Web 2011, 'Bloody Mary Legend', http://www.halloween-website.com/bloody_mary.htm
  5. Scary for Kids, 'Bloody Mary Legend', http://www.scaryforkids.com/bloody-mary-legend/
  • As a class, research the origin of other popular myths and superstitions such as breaking a mirror brings seven years bad luck, or stepping on a crack in the footpath brings misfortune. Each student could find another example of a superstition. These stories can be from the Victorian era or from other cultures.

  • In a small group, ask students to create a Kahootz 3 animation or a short stop-motion animation using plasticine or clay depicting a selected popular myth that explains the history of the superstition and its origin.
  • Students can use the storyboard outline in the student activity sheet to help organise their ideas.


Activity 2: Different gender roles
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Subtheme(s): Entertainment and games; Gender roles and stereotypes

In this clip, Minna plays with Adelaide and her brothers. Women and girls had different social expectations placed upon them in comparison to their male counterparts. Opportunities to access education and employment were very different between the sexes.

  • Generate discussion about gender roles today. What are the expectations that families and society have of males and females, particularly children?
  • Ask students to research how girls and boys of Minna's time in the 1860s were expected to behave. The following website may be useful:
  1. The Victorian Web, 'Victorian Social History: An Overview', http://www.victorianweb.org/history/sochistov.html
  • Compare how these expectations differ from the way young people are expected to act today.
  • Conduct a 'freeze-frame' activity where students take on a character from a particular era and when the teacher walks around the room and touches their shoulder, the student talks about their life in character.

  • Students should make a list comparing the social expectations of boys and girls in Minna's era. As a class, compile a large list using each student's research.
  • Using the class list as inspiration, create a 'good manners' guide for boys and girls living in1868.


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