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Digital Classroom

Explore Australia's history at the National Library's Digital Classroom, aligned with the Australian Curriculum. With over 10 million items, we support diverse learning styles, fostering inquiry-based learning for students to analyse sources and draw conclusions about the Australian story.
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A photograph of a Whale Shark (black with white spots), swimming underwater, Copyright Commonwealth of Australia (Reef Authority).

K. Hoppen, Whale Shark, 2008. Copyright Commonwealth of Australia (Reef Authority).

Using science research to aid conservation

Topic
This topic uses an oral history interview with Bradley Norman talk about his research into Whale Sharks, particularly in reference to observations, data and evidence.

Science
Year 3
Year 4
Year 5
Year 6
A hand drawn and colourised image of a koala hugging a tree branch from 1810.

Thomas Lord Busby and Isaac Cruikshank, Koalo [i.e. koala], 1810. nla.gov.au/nla.obj-133278770

Comparing early European illustrations of Australian fauna

Topic
This topic explores the early documentation of Australia’s unique flora and fauna.

Science
Year 3
Year 4
Year 5
Year 6
A black and white photo of a large group of men, women and children from a Tasmanian field expedition in 1912.

E.W Searle, Field naturalists at Maria Island, 1912 [Tasmania], 1912. http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-142164875

Naturalist observations and citizen science

Topic
This topic explores the contribution of citizen science to scientific studies.

Science
Year 3
Year 4
Year 5
Year 6
An image of an open book, with the left page featuring a full-page hand drawn colour image of two platypus from 1863 and the right page featuring a large block of text.

John Gould and Henry Constantine Richter, The mammals of Australia, 1863. http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-2334463667

The Platypus Mystery

Topic
This topic encourages students to research why European naturalists and scientists first thought the platypus was a faked animal.

Science
Year 3
Year 4
Year 5
Year 6
A hand drawn, colourised image of seventeen Australian animals including fish, lizards, birds and mammals from the early 1880s.

Gustav Mutzel, Australische fauna, c1880s. https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-136360975

First Australians’ contributions to early Australian science

Topic
This topic encourages students to connect with local First Australians groups to explore traditional knowledge of flora and fauna.

Science
Year 3
Year 4
Year 5
Year 6
Cover for 'Peculiar Parents' by Stephanie Owen Reeder and illustrated by Ingrid Bartkowiak, featuring illustrations of framed animal pictures on a blue background
Peculiar Parents – Nature and the Development of Science

Module
This Digital Classroom module encourages students to dive into the science behind Australia’s peculiar fauna. Aligned with Australian Curriculum: Science and Humanities and Social Sciences for Year Three to Six students, this module encourages students to develop their understanding of how scientific research development and technologies has helped aid our understanding and ability to protect unique Australian fauna.

Science
Year 3
Year 4
Year 5
Year 6

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