TEACHER RESOURCE 4: EAST PERTH CEMETERIES

How did the free settlers in the Swan River settlement manage death in the colony and what evidence can be found of this period of our history?  

A visit to East Perth Cemeteries is an engaging outing that provides a wealth of information about our colonial past. Cemeteries can be seen as ‘a history textbook carved in stone waiting to be read’. The gravestone material, shape, size as well as symbols and written inscriptions provide plenty of information about life in colonial Western Australia.  Religious values, social class, wealth and national origins are evident in these messages from the early settlers.

At the Cemeteries a National Trust Education Officer will meet the class and present a brief talk in St Bartholomew’s Church. The class may then undertake either the Student Discovery Trail or A Visit to East Perth Cemeteries. Suggested size per group 5 – 8 students with adult school supervisor for each group.

VISITING EAST PERTH CEMETERIES
To organise a visit contact the National Trust of Australia (WA)
Phone: 08 9321 6088
Email: trust@ntwa.com.au

Resources in this inquiry include: 

1.    Links to Year 5 Achievement Standards

2.    Symbols on the Gravestones

3.    Health and Family Life in the Colony

4.    Social Class in the Colony

5.    St Bartholomew’s Church

6.    Nationalities who settled in the Colony

7.    Heritage Significance and Conservation Issues

8.    Teachers' Notes for Student Discovery Trail

Student Activities include:
PRE-VISIT ACTIVITIES –    
  Discussion of conservation issues
  Health and family life in the Colony – the Chipper family

DURING THE VISIT –         
  Either - Download and follow the ‘Student Discovery Trail’
  Or - Download and follow ‘A Visit to East Perth Cemeteries’

POST-VISIT ACTIVITIES – 
  Unmarked Graves
  Design a gravestone
  Narrative writing

1.    Links to Achievement Standards

• Compare and record information from a range of sources and identify points of view and attitudes from the time.
• Develop questions to aid historical inquiry.
• Understand motivations and feelings of individuals and groups from the 1800s.
• Explain the significance of people or events in bringing about change.
• Write narratives using accurate historical source material.
• Use appropriate historical terms and a range of formats to present findings.

2. TEACHER RESOURCE 4: Symbols on the Gravestones
A discussion of the shapes, colours and meaning of symbols on your school crest could be used in preparation for the visit to East Perth Cemeteries. Symbols used on common Australian road signs could also be used to discuss the types and usefulness of symbols in modern Australia.

3. TEACHER RESOURCE 4: Health and Family Life in the Colony
Information about Chipper family vault is used for a student activity.

4. TEACHER RESOURCE 4: Social Class in the Colony
The Swan River Colonial society was based on rules patterned in England.

5. TEACHER RESOURCE 4: St Bartholomew's Church

The Church of England or Anglican Church was the most powerful religion in the community. This was the church of the Crown, the Monarch of England, and it was the Crown that owned the new Colony. (p22 Tour Through Time Teacher Resource book: Plan of East Perth Cemeteries in 1899).

Your visit to the cemeteries will begin with the group sitting in this old Anglican Church to learn something of the history of the site.

6. TEACHER RESOURCE 4: Nationalities Who Settled in the Colony
From its earliest days the Colony was home for people from many nations.

7. TEACHER RESOURCE 4: The Heritage Significance of East Perth Cemeteries and TEACHER RESOURCE 4: Why the Grass is Long
According to the 2005 Conservation Plan of the East Perth Cemeteries the national heritage value of the site is very important. They have cultural heritage significance. Learn about the conservation issues of maintaining East Perth Cemeteries.

PRE-VISIT ACTIVITIES
Suggested STUDENT ACTIVITY: Before your visit to East Perth cemeteries, read TEACHER RESOURCE 4: Why the Grass is Long to students and discuss the heritage issues that arise from the paper. After their visit, students discuss the heritage value of the site. They might consider whether the place should remain as a heritage site or if it should be re-zoned and used for housing.

Prior to your visit to East Perth Cemeteries, download and read TEACHER RESOURCE 4: Notes for Student Discovery Trail which includes notes on some of the people buried at the Cemeteries.

See      Either  STUDENT ACTIVITY 4: Student Discovery Trail

             Or      STUDENT ACTIVITY 4: A Visit to East Perth Cemeteries

POST-VISIT ACTIVITIES
After their visit to East Perth Cemeteries students conduct an Historical Investigation. This activity can also be found under Section 5 –Some Significant WA Colonists and does not have to be linked only to people buried at East Perth Cemeteries.

See STUDENT ACTIVITY 5: Historical Inquiry - A Significant Person In the Swan River Colony. The student’s task is to become the ghost of an important person from the Swan River Colony who lived during the 1800s. Students research, write a script and make a presentation about their life and why they were important to our history.

The National Trust of Australia (WA) holds a Photo & Story and Multimedia Competition for school-aged students each year. Students write an historical narrative set in a place that has heritage value to them and illustrate it with their own photography or produce a multimedia presentation. The competition closes on the last day of term 3. Information and Australian Curriculum Links are available.

Students' stories from their visit to Peninsula Farm and East Perth Cemeteries (or other heritage places) may be eligible for entry into the competition.