As part of our Year 6 Learning Expedition, Every Community Has a Story, Spence 4 visited the Brighton History Centre on Wednesday to continue investigating our guiding question: How has our community been shaped by people, place and migration, and how can we shape its future?

The visit provided students with an authentic opportunity to step beyond the classroom and explore the history of the community they are investigating. At the History Centre, students viewed historical photographs, objects, documents and other collection items while learning about the important role local history centres play in preserving the stories and memories of a community.

Students were encouraged to think like historians throughout the visit by observing carefully, asking questions and considering what different historical sources can reveal about how Brighton has changed over time. The experience also allowed students to consider how the actions and decisions of individuals, families and community groups have contributed to shaping the Brighton we know today.

Following our visit to the History Centre, we walked to the nearby cemetery to view the grave of renowned Australian Antarctic explorer, geologist and scientist Sir Douglas Mawson. This provided students with another interesting connection between our local area and the broader history of South Australia and Australia.

The excursion forms part of the ongoing journey of our Learning Expedition. Earlier in the year, students investigated Federation, migration, democracy and the changing Brighton community. More recently, they have explored Brighton’s geography and taken part in community action through local revegetation and beach clean-up projects. Experiences such as our History Centre visit allow students to connect these different strands of learning and recognise that the history of a community can be discovered in its buildings, landscapes, records, stories and people.

We were very proud of the curiosity and respect shown by Spence 4 throughout the visit and are grateful to the Brighton History Centre for sharing their time, expertise and passion for preserving our local history.

Thanks

Andy Sommers