Historical Highlights to Modern Marvels

Using iconic examples of film and sound from our collection, explore the evolution of Australian society, culture and identity from the 19th century to the present. Featuring an always changing selection of classic and contemporary moving image and sound clips, explore Australian history in an engaging and enjoyable way.

Program information

Year Levels	Years 4 to 12
Duration	50-minute facilitated Theatrette presentation, allow 30 minute for teacher-guided gallery experience
Availability	Weekdays: Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm; Evenings: Monday to Thursday 5pm to 8pm; Weekends: 10am and 12pm
Minimum Numbers	5 students (day), 15 students (evening)
Maximum Numbers	110 per group
Cost	$5.50 per student (day), $6.50 per student (evenings and weekends), teachers and carers free of charge
Curriculum Links	Download Australian Curriculum links

Program outcomes

Explore the evolution of Australian identity through the lens of film and sound.
Identify changes in social and cultural norms through interaction with moving image and audio.
Investigate the different ways in which the concepts of Australia and Australians have been portrayed in television, movies and music.
Discover the importance and roles of the National Film and Sound Archive as a memory institution.

Additional resources

australianscreen
The clips in this collection are accompanied by teachers’ notes created by specialist curriculum writers.

School Screen
Provides free screenings of Australian feature films, shorts and documentaries for school students and their teachers in local cinemas around Australia.

The Story of the Kelly Gang
Audiences of the time loved this film’s boldness and, with its live sound effects and narration, to them it didn’t seem silent.

Aeroplane Jelly
The colourful animation, the anthropomorphising of Bertie, and the jingle ‘I love Aeroplane Jelly’ are designed to appeal to both children and their parents.

Skippy
An Australian drama series made in the 1960s featuring 9-year-old Sonny Hammond (Garry Pankhurst) and crime-fighting ‘bush Kangaroo’ Skippy.