Digital Classroom | National Library of Australia (NLA)

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.
Showing 1 - 12 of 17 results
A black and white photograph showing a steam train on a track

Ian Mitchell & Australian News and Information Bureau, Steam locomotive hauling a passenger train on the Southern Highlands of New South Wales, 1970, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-137739465

Transport

Topic

In the 1970s, the ways people moved around the country and around the world was changing. 

Humanities
Year 3
Australian history
A publication showing a range of new colour televisions with the words Colour TV, what to look for when buying a set

Australian Consumers' Association, Colour TV: what to look for when buying a set, 1977, nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn1285282

Communication

Topic

In the 1970s, technology started to change quickly, in a period known as a ‘tech boom’. 

Humanities
Year 3
Australian history
A colour photograph showing a teacher and children in a classroom in the 1970s

Wolfgang Sievers, Teacher and small children in a classroom at Tom Price, Western Australia, 1975, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-160837401

Daily life for kids in the 70s

Topic

Have you ever wondered what life was like for people in the past? 

Humanities
Year 3
Australian history
Photo of several young children in 1970s-era clothing playing on a swing set on a sunny cloudless day

Wolfgang Sievers, Children on a swing at Tom Price, Western Australia, 1975, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-160837526

1975: Then and now

Module

This resource is aligned with the Australian Curriculum: HASS for Year 1, 2, and 3 students

Humanities
Year 3
Australian history
A pile of children's books
Creative storytelling

Module

This resource aligns to the Australian Curriculum for Year 3 English - Language, Literature and Literacy.

English
Year 3
Literature and writing
Santa Claus presenting gift to family entering the room

Jane Jolly and Robert Ingpen, Tea and Sugar Christmas, 2014, nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn6420587

Picture books

Topic

Reading picture books is important in speech development, building literacy skills, helping children to use their imagination.

English
Year 3
Five figures depicted on postcard with captioned rhyme.

May Gibbs, We are the Gumnut Corps, we're going to war, 1916, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-153093166

Early children's fiction in Australia

Topic

The Library has an extensive collection of Australian children’s literature ranging from the first children’s book published in Australia to the latest releases.

English
Year 3
Book cover of WeirDo

Anh Do and Jules Faber, WeirDo, 2017, nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn7289358

Chapter books

Topic

A chapter book is any book where the story is broken into different parts, called chapters.

English
Year 3
Drawing of a boy throwing a book out of a window

Emma Allen and Lisa Coutts, The Great Book-Swapping Machine, 2021, nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn8630184

Narratives and story telling

Topic

The word narrative means story. As we write or tell stories, we are creating a narrative by describing a series of events that are connected.

English
Year 3
A streetscape of Bourke street, Melbourne.

Tom Roberts, Bourke Street, Melbourne, 1885, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-134285521

Time and place

Module

Explore how communities evolve over time, how different cultures influence and contribute to communities, and how symbols convey meaning.

Humanities
Year 3
Australian history
A vintage poster featuring a large blue-toned illustration of a man's face and hand, positioned above the Sydney Harbour Bridge. The man’s hand is raised with fingers partially curled. Below, the Harbour Bridge is shown at night with city lights reflecting on the water.

Tom Purvis, 1888-1959 & Australia's 150th Anniversary Celebrations Council & Australian National Travel Association, Australia's 150th anniversary celebrations Sydney - summer season, 1938, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-135689940

Australia Day

Topic 

Discover the origins of Australia Day and guide students to consider what it means  to different people using promotional material from our collection.

Humanities
Year 3
Art, drawing and illustration
Australian history
A watercolor painting showing a central elongated figure resembling a fish or marine mammal, with a grid-like pattern. Above the main figure, three smaller, simpler outlines of turtles are sketched. The background consists of soft, earthy tones and textured brushstrokes.

William Westall, Chasm Island, native cave painting, 1803, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-138890494

Connections to Country

Topic 

Explore early European encounters with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art through the work of William Westall and engage students in considering the cultural significance of special places.

Humanities
Year 3
Australian history
Explorers
First Australians

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