National+Capital+Exhibition

NATIONAL CAPITAL EXHIBITION

By Monique McDevitt

The National Capital Exhibition at Regatta Point explains how the Nation’s Capital was developed. It has information on each of the steps involved in the planning process, and outlines why the location and name of the Capital were chosen. I think that the excursion would be suitable for upper primary students, because the topics explored in the exhibition are appropriate for this level. The exhibition addresses several outcomes from the ACT //Every Chance to Learn// Curriculum:

**21.LC.1 **a range of natural environments and features in Australia, how these have shaped Australia’s settlement and development and how people have shaped these environments  **21.LC.2 **significant landmarks, places and population centre in Australia   **21.LC.3 **the ways Australia’s Indigenous peoples lived prior to colonisation, including distribution across Australia, diversity of cultures, languages, customs, social organisations, technologies and land uses **21.LC.5 **aspects of Australia from colonisation to Federation, including government (e.g. development of colonies and states, exploration and settlement, daily lives of a variety of people, significant individuals and groups) **21.LC.9 **the influences of Indigenous peoples on the valuing and naming of Australian places. **<span style="color: #39b64a; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">21.LC.10 **<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">identify and represent key features of places in Australia on maps **<span style="color: #39b64a; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">21.LC.11 **<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">interpret and construct timelines to sequence events **<span style="color: #f5b711; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">21.EA.2 **<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">how the geography of Australia influences what people do to survive and prosper (e.g. where people live, the location of natural resources and the development of industries and cities) **<span style="color: #f5b711; font-size: 12pt; lineheight: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; marginbottom: 0pt; marginleft: 0cm; marginright: 0cm; margintop: 0cm;">21.EA.4 ** <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">past and contemporary people, movements, events and ideas, which shaped Australia as a nation with a sense of Australian identity (e.g. Federation, stories of the bush, ANZAC legend, Great Depression, sporting heroes, role of women, mateship, larrikinism, White Australia policy, migration and multiculturalism, 1967 referendum) **21.EA.9** use geographical language, tools and conventions to interpret and create representations of Australia’s physical and human geography (e.g. a variety of maps, diagrams, images and data) <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;"> The key learning outcomes that the National Capital Authority proposes the exhibition addresses are outlined on the website. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;"> I think that the National Capital Exhibition would be a suitable place for students to visit during either the tuning in or finding out stage of a unit. <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">The excursion covers topics including:
 * <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">The development of a National Capital
 * The Aboriginal and European inhabitants of Canberra before it chosen as the Nation’s Capital
 * Federation
 * The selection and naming of the Nation’s Capital
 * The designer of the Nation’s Capital, Walter Burley Griffin
 * The plan of Canberra

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;"> These topics relate to the following SOSE strands:
 * T<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">ime, Continuity and Change
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;"> Studies in Society and the Environment
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;"> Human Society and its Environment
 * Australian History
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;"> Place and Space
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;"> Cultures
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;"> Geography

<span style="display: block; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">After attending the excursion, students could create a timeline of the development of Canberra, brainstorm other possible names for the Nation’s Capital, write down what they think symbolises Australia, find a suitable location for a city on a map according to a set of criteria, have a debate over whether or not Canberra was the best location for the Nation’s Capital, design a symbol to represent each of the main attractions of Canberra and stick them onto a map of the city, research why other countries chose their capital cities, research an Australian Prime Minister of their choice, design a postcard and slogan for Canberra, investigate Walter Burley Griffin and make a poster displaying their findings, make a 3D model city demonstrating their knowledge of a city’s requirements, or debate whether or not Walter Burley Griffin’s design could be improved, and if so how. More follow up ideas. <span style="display: block; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">The exhibition contains a large 3D model of central Canberra, with a high-tech light show highlighting the feature and plan of the city. There are artefacts and interactive displays at the exhibition, as well as a short film. I think that students would find the exhibition interesting, informative, and engaging. The exhibition contains both primary and secondary sources, and has hands on displays that I think children would like.

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;"> In order the make an excursion to the National Capital Exhibition worthwhile for students, I would provide them with background information of the attraction before the visit, and would carry out several follow up activities after the excursion.

<span style="display: block; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 1;"> <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> <span style="display: block; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 1;"> <span style="display: block; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 1;"> **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Opening Hours ** <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">9am to 5pm Monday to Friday 10am to 4pm Saturday and Sunday Closed public holidays except Australia Day and Canberra Day <span style="display: block; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 1;"> <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Admission is **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">free ** <span style="display: block; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 1;"> **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Non English Speaking Facilities ** <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">The Canberra Light Model of the national capital is available in the following six non-English languages:
 * <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Mandarin
 * Japanese
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;"> Korean
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;"> German
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;"> French
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;"> Spanish

<span style="display: block; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Exhibition self guides are also available in the above six non-English languages as well as:
 * Cantonese
 * Italian

<span style="display: block; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 1;"> **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Picnic Facilities ** <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">A sheltered picnic are with a children's playground is available to the left of the entrance. <span style="display: block; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 1;"> **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Parking Facilities ** <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Easily, accessible, free parking is available for coaches within walking distance of the exhibition. Free car parking is available for up to four hours nearby. <span style="display: block; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 1;"> **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Contact Details ** <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;"> Telephone: 02 6272 2902 <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;"> Fax: 02 6247 1875 <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;"> Email: nce@natcap.gov.au