Activities
Responding to text
Small groups
The author, Robyn Annear, had a difficult
task because many people have told the Eureka story before her.
Take another well-known episode in
Australian history such as the battle at Vinegar Hill, Captain Cook's landing
or an exploration of the interior, and write it in a fresh way using
Annear's factual style or her factional style in italics ('What if
you were there...').
You will need to do some research to find
interesting facts. Use skimming and scanning techniques.
To help keep your writing fresh, use a
new word that you haven't used before in each paragraph. This may be a
historical term, a descriptive word or something else. Also, begin and end your
writing with the word 'history'.
Small groups
The lifestyle in Ballarat is described on
pp. 4–7, 12 and 19–22. Read these pages to get more of an insight into what it
was like to live there. Also read the beginning of each chapter (in italics) to
find out more about the people. Select one of the minor characters and imagine
what they looked like. Draw them as a cartoon, exaggerating some features that
help expose their character. Two examples are Lady Hotham and her boots (p. 20)
and James Scobie who was possibly murdered with a spade (p. 40).
Peter Lalor on the goldfields
Individuals
Read about the lifestyle on the
goldfields from Fly a Rebel Flag (pp. 4–7, 12 19–22). Explore further
using other sources, such as the websites listed.
Read the sections in the book about Peter
Lalor. We start to read about him in detail from page 65 onwards. Also use the
index. Research Lalor further from other sources. Why is Peter Lalor famous?
From what you know now about Lalor and the goldfields, write a literary recount
about Lalor's possible life, occupation, family, interests and feelings before
and after his involvement with the Eureka Stockade.
Fire
Small groups
Fire is used as a symbol throughout
the book.
What does fire generally represent or
symbolise? What does it represent in each example from the book listed below?
- 'Think of the diggers' anger as a flame
and the licence system as its kindling. You don't extinguish a fire by
adding more fuel.' (p. 28)
- 'fuse alight' (p. 41)
- fire at the Eureka Hotel (p. 62)
- burning licences (p. 62)
Create an animation using software such
as 'Flash', or a Storyboard, to demonstrate the role and symbol of fire
in the Eureka story.
Spelling of 'licence', 'license'
Class
Which spelling of this word is used in Fly
a Rebel Flag? Explain the different uses. Practise correct spelling.
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Responding to images
Flag
Class
The Southern Cross flag is used as a leitmotif
throughout the book. It is included in page corners and in the introduction to
the sections in italics, 'What if you were there...'
'...eyes [were] electrified by the
magnetism of the Southern Cross...' (Raffaello Carboni, p. 70) and the first oath
of loyalty on Australian soil was made to it. Identify the flag's features (pp.
58, 59, 60). What do these features represent and why have they been selected?
Where else is this flag used? Why has it endured? Make the flag. An explanation
of how the stars are made is given on page 59. The flag can be displayed
outside the classroom.
Reading the layout, graphics and font
Class
Fly a Rebel Flag has many features that are important in factual texts:
- Table of contents
- Index
- Glossary
Additional features that improve the
usability of this book are the:
- Maps
- Photographs
- Subheadings
- Different fonts (chapter headings,
subheadings, break-out boxes, 'What if you were there...')
- Break-out (information) boxes
- Timeline
Select one or two of these features and
complete a Force Field Analysis to analyse the pros and cons of each.
Individuals
Complete a Force Field Analysis on
the remaining features.
Events of the past: what happened when?
Small groups
Use the Flow Chart to show the
sequence of events beginning with the gold licence fees, and including the
Protest Meeting (p. 52), the Ballarat Reform League (pp. 53, 54), and the
rebellion, through to diggers' rights, including the vote. Fill in any gaps.
Individuals
Adapt your findings into a Timeline
with written annotations and symbols or pictures. For example, a scrap
of red ribbon (or a drawing of one) could represent the Red Ribbon Rebellion
when the diggers refused to buy gold licences.
Cross-section of the Stockade
Small groups
Draw a cross-section of the Eureka
Stockade. Include construction details (see p. 74). It was a fortification
built on a hill (p. 68). You will need to do further research.
Represent the action with drawn figures
of people and other appropriate pictures. The events can show sequence by being
numbered.
The events of the Eureka Stockade are
represented as being chaotic and sometimes humorous, such as the 400 wet
diggers from Creswick who were unimpressed by the lack of weapons and battle
plan. They were given a barbeque but most left afterwards anyway (p. 75). The
events also seem to be one-sided, with the soldiers having obvious advantages.
Colour-code events as chaotic, humorous, tragic and other descriptors. Include
a colour key (legend) on the cross-section diagram.
Role of the police and soldiers
Small groups
The police and soldiers are generally
cast as the villains in Fly a Rebel Flag, and often throughout
Australian history in general. Complete a PMI Chart to collate positive,
negative and interesting examples of what the police and soldiers did at Eureka, such as collecting licences (p. 14).
Individuals
Write a conclusion to summarise the
impact of the actions of the police and soldiers.
People and clothes
Small groups
'Take the time to get to know the people
whose voices and viewpoints begin each chapter of this book ('What if you
were there...')' – Robyn Annear (pp. 1–2).
Some of these characters are real, some
are invented, but all could have existed. After reading the book, make
character role cards about, for example, police, soldier/redcoat (see p. 50),
digger (see p. 4 – cabbage-tree hat etc), storekeeper, band member (see p. 45
for a list of clothes). Do some extra research about these types of people and
compile as an electronic database.
In groups of four with a leader and three
'dressers', the leader picks a character role card at random.
- The leader must act out their role within
10 seconds without speaking.
- In three minutes, the leader then tells
the group an item to make out of newspaper to represent the character
(such as a 'cabbage-tree hat'), without revealing the identity of the
character. The group makes the item and 'dresses' the leader. A total of
three items named by the leader should be made out of newspaper. The
leader cannot give instructions for the next item until each one is
finished.
- When the leader is fully 'dressed' in the
three items, or when time runs out, the other groups decide who the
character is.
Money
Beyond the classroom
Interview members of your family or
community who remember the imperial Australian currency system, or have
come from another country. Compile questions based on references to money
throughout the book (such as from pp. 12, 37, 39, 38, 51). Compile questions
about comparing money systems and the value of goods and services, particularly
from past to present.
Class
Mind map
the focus questions – what caused the Eureka Stockade to happen? What could
have prevented it?
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Research skills
Immigration
Class
The author, Robyn Annear, wrote this book
about many aspects of the Eureka story. After researching it, she concluded (in
the introduction) that it is about optimism – 'they saw the possibility of a
better life'.
People from many countries were part of
the Eureka story (p. 109). Take this related topic of immigration from
the book further to do your own research. Gather, sort and interpret evidence
about the effects of immigration on Australia in the past and present from Fly
a Rebel Flag and from other primary sources and secondary sources.
Create an Evidence Chart to rate
the reliability of the evidence. Use the evidence to write a summary and
conclusion about immigration to Australia.
Ned Kelly
There are some similarities between the
story of Eureka and Ned Kelly and his 'last stand'.
Small groups
Collect data on the Eureka Stockade and
Ned Kelly and sort it by similarities. Use an Affinity Diagram. Consider
the underdog's fight against authority, Irish protagonists, the climactic fight
at the end, burning of hotels – Eureka and Glenrowan, informers such as
Goodenough (p. 72), overlapping characters such as Judge Barry and Robert Rede
(pp. 72, 121), and police and soldiers as villains.
Individuals
Write up your findings as a factual report or essay.
Blogging
Beyond the classroom
Establish a school or class blog.
Share opinions about issues raised by the book such as whether the Eureka
Stockade kickstarted Australian democracy or what other factors contributed?
Why did the miners lose but ultimately win?
A free Australian blog-hosting service
without advertising is available at www.blognow.com.au.
Safety considerations can be viewed at www.netalert.net.au/02582-How-can-children-stay-safe-using-blogs.asp.
Impact on Australian history
Analyse the following question: 'How did
the Eureka Stockade impact on Australian history?' (It is similar to the focus
question, 'How is the Eureka story important to Australian history?')
Class
Use a T Chart. Write the question
on the top of the chart and label each side of the T 'Opinions' and 'Facts'.
Complete the T Chart by categorising suggested ideas into one of these opposite
views.
Small groups
Which of these ideas are from primary
sources and which are from secondary sources?
Blog or
write questions about the importance of the Eureka story. These could be based
on democracy and government (such as the start of democracy, the secret
ballot, jury, rights, justice and injustice) or the 'Eureka spirit' (p. 137).
Individuals
Blog or
write an explanation of how the Eureka Stockade impacted on Australian history.
Base your views on evidence, rather than opinion.
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Language of history
Diggers
Class
The term 'diggers' refers to gold miners
in Fly a Rebel Flag. How is the term 'diggers' also used in Australian
history? Find other words with different meanings at different times in
history.
Primary sources – receipts
Small groups
Peter Lalor insisted that the diggers
write receipts for weapons and other goods they 'borrowed'. Two of these are transcribed
on p. 74, such as 'Received from the Ballarat Store – 1 Pistol for the
Comtee. (signed) High McCarthy. HURRA FOR THE PEOPLE.' Some of the words in
the receipts are different from those we would use today. Find them and explain
their meanings. Some words are spelt differently. Re-write the receipts in contemporary
Australian English. Which version suits the time of the Eureka Stockade and
why? What do the originals show about the writers and the times?
'Eureka' and other words and expressions
Individuals
Where did the expression 'Eureka' come from? What does it mean?
Find the meanings of the following words.
Which are still used today?
- lag (pp. 34, 35)
- chippy (pp. 33, 35)
- jawing, blowing (p. 63)
- shier (p. 38)
- lick in the leg (p. 55)
Some language in the past used longer
descriptions and more adjectives. Find the meanings of the following
expressions. What would be modern equivalents?
- 'considerable excitement' (p. 43)
- 'attainment of the moral and social
rights of the diggers' (p. 53)
- 'in contempt of our Lady the Queen' (p.
52)
- 'Pikemen forward' (p. 88)
- 'rendered life intolerable to me' (p.
101)
Opinion, fact, evidence and exaggeration
Find examples of the following in the
book:
- opinion (eg the types of customers at the
hotel, p. 30)
- fact, evidence
- exaggeration (eg 'since the times of
Noah', p. 29; p. 13)
- sensationalism (eg Geelong Advertiser, p.
57)
The 'Marseillaise'
Beyond the classroom
The 'Marseillaise' was the French
revolutionary anthem (page 75). The diggers' brass band played it. Find a
recording to listen to, or obtain the sheet music so that a school or community
group of musicians can play it. Record their performance. Find an English
translation of the lyrics or ask a community or school member to translate
them. Why would the diggers have played this piece? How is the language
different from today?
Les Miserables-inspired anthem
Small groups
The musical Les Miserables
represented the French Revolution. It was based on the novel by Victor Hugo.
There are similarities (and differences) between the Eureka Stockade and the
French Revolution. Create a Venn Diagram to show these. Listen to the musical's
anthem, 'Can You Hear the People Sing'? Compose a Eureka Stockade chant or
anthem to suit the place and time.
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Making connections
Corruption and compromise
Class
Find examples of corruption in the book,
elsewhere in the past and in the present. Write hypothetical questions
based on some of your discoveries and give thoughtful responses.
Find some examples from the Eureka story in which the diggers compromised their position. Explore these as an Issues Map. For example, some of the diggers burned their old licences instead of
their current ones (p. 62). Some robbed and plundered (p. 74). Which of these
actions affected the outcome? How?
Small groups
Select a contemporary situation in which
a 'cause', such as a welfare, environmental, business or government initiative,
has been compromised – for example, where a key person in an environmental
organisation has related business interests. Again, explore this as an Issues
Map.
Eureka Track
Class
If possible, walk the Eureka Track. See
p. 84 and map.
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