Digital Classroom | National Library of Australia (NLA)
Search

What can we help you find?

Not sure where to start or need help? Ask a Librarian

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.
Clear filter
Showing 37 - 42 of 42 results
Sort by:
A detailed historical map of Sydney Cove, Port Jackson, depicting early settlement areas, marked camps, and referenced landmarks such as gardens and marine camps. Includes a list of ship names from the First Fleet and geographical details.

Francis Fowkes, Sydney Cove, Port Jackson, in the County of Cumberland, 1789, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-230578175 

The Colonies

Topic

Explore how the arrival of the First Fleet in 1788, bringing convicts, soldiers, and settlers to Gadigal Country, marked a turning point in Australia’s history that initiated profound changes to the land and its peoples.

Humanities
Year 6
Migration and immigration
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
bronze cast of Henry Lawson's hand

Nelson Illingworth, Cast of Henry Lawson's hand, ca. 1922 [realia], nla.gov.au/nla.obj-139632985

The poet of Australia

Topic

Henry Lawson is celebrated as one of Australia’s greatest poets. 

Humanities
Year 6
Australian history
Literature and writing
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
Red text reading 'Wangka Wakanutja' on a yellow background
Wangka Wakanutja – The Papunya Readers

Module
This Digital Classroom module invites students and teachers to explore the Papunya readers. Aligned with the Australian Curriculum: HASS, English and The Arts and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures cross-curriculum priority, this resource encourages students to learn about Country, language, storytelling and the purposes stories serve.

Arts
English
Humanities
Year 4
Year 5
Year 6
Man leaning against gate

Wolfgang Sievers, [Photograph of Wolfgang Sievers], Berlin, Germany, 1991, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-161009403

Wolfgang Sievers

Topic

Wolfgang Georg Sievers, AO (1913–2007) was a well-known modernist photographer who documented Australian architecture and industry over a career spanning almost 60 years.

Humanities
Technologies
Year 5
Year 6
Architecture and design
Photography
Science and technology

Need help?

Our librarians are here to guide you.

Ask a librarian