GRADE LEVEL: 4

LESSON DURATION: 30 minutes

SUBJECT: Social Studies

CONTENT	PROCEDURE
Step 1: Page 2 shipping news in the Sydney Gazette, Vol 1, March, 1803. List of whalers in port. The early Australian whaling industry and Ben Boyd’s attempts to establish towns on the southern coast of New South Wales.	SETTING Through reference to an early newspaper article the teacher introduces the topic and establishes a time reference
Step 2: Whales sighted in Port Jackson (Sydney Harbour) in 1788. Visits by American, French and British whalers. Australia’s first whaler, "The King George". Berry’s Bay and Mosman as Sydney centres. The spread of stations along the coast and to Hobart, Tasmania. Distinction between Bay and Sea whaling practices. Hunting the whale: Sighting, harpooning,sounding and surfacing, dangers from whales and sharks. Cutting up, extraction of oil and bone. Uses of extracts. Ben Boyd’s attempts to establish centres at Boyd Town and East Boyd. The jetty and lighthouse. Twofold Bay. The decline and cessation of whaling in Australia. Protection of the species and brief reference to problems of enduring whaling practices.	NARRATIVE Teacher narrates the story, pausing to introduce illustrative material, make reference to maps at points indicated. The dangers of early whaling are emphasised. Locating map references.       Quick board sketch of harpoon and whale. Illustration of early whaling encounter.     "Ben Boyd" written on the board.
Step 3: Cards: Sydney, Twofold Bay, Eden, Hobart   Illustration used previously   Illustration of whale attacking boat. Where? Twofold Bay. (lighthouse, jetty) When? 1840s and 50s. What? Bay whaling (background features) W ………… commenced on the NSW coast in the 1800s. H …………. Used to kill whales. A ustralia’s first whaler …………………., built in 1805. Large fleets from ………….., …………… and ………….. visited Sydney. East ……… and …………… established by …………….. H …………. was an important centre in Tasmania. O …. And whale ……… were sent overseas.	CONSOLIDATION Children position flashcards on the chalk outline map. The illustration used in the narrative is redisplayed and children are encouraged to recall facts related to it. Questioning is employed to develop and extend answers. A new illustration is discussed by children who are aked to suggest where, when and what is happening, justifying their answers by reference to features of the illustration.     A summary is revealed and completed at the board by selected pupils. Class read aloud the completed summary.

Possible follow up activities:

• Recording of the summary, map and drawings by students
• Library / Internet research by students
• Teacher’s reading of excerpts from "Whalers of the Midnight Sun" by Alan Villiers
• Teacher’s showing of video excerpts from "Moby Dick", "National Geographic’s Whales" etc.