Exploring January 26 Through Multiple Perspectives

Introduction

January 26 is a date that appears across many Australian resources, and teachers often look for ways to explore it in a balanced, curriculum‑aligned and age‑appropriate way. The ABC Education “January 26 – Perspectives and Histories” collection brings together a range of short videos, articles and classroom materials that present different viewpoints without promoting a particular stance. This makes it a helpful starting point for teachers who want to support respectful inquiry, historical thinking and critical engagement with sources. The resource is free, accessible and suitable for upper primary through secondary classrooms.

ABC Education front page.

How to Use It in the Classroom

Teachers can use the collection to help students investigate how and why people understand January 26 differently. Students can analyse short clips, compare viewpoints, and explore how historical events are interpreted in diverse ways. The resource works well for source analysis, class discussions, reflective writing or inquiry tasks. It also supports the development of empathy and respectful communication, as students learn to listen to and understand perspectives that may differ from their own.

Five practical tips, tricks and ideas for the classroom

• Use a simple “What do you notice? What do you wonder?” routine to introduce each clip
• Compare two perspectives and have students identify similarities and differences
• Use a Y‑chart (“Looks like / Sounds like / Feels like”) to explore respectful discussion
• Provide sentence starters to support students in expressing viewpoints thoughtfully
• Invite students to create a short reflection on how perspectives can be shaped by experience

Australian Curriculum Connections

• AC9HS5S02 – Examine primary and secondary sources to identify different perspectives
• AC9HH8S03 – Analyse perspectives and interpretations in historical sources
• AC9HC7S03 – Evaluate information and evidence to draw conclusions
• AC9HC8S02 – Explain how and why people have different points of view
• AC9HH10S03 – Analyse perspectives and interpretations in historical sources

 STTOP – A Fresh Way to Teach Sustainability in HaSS

Introduction

HAA is excited to be working with STTOP (Stay Tuned To Our Planet) to support teachers in bringing sustainability and environmental understanding into HaSS classrooms in a positive, engaging way. STTOP is a free, 28‑episode online series and education program designed to help young people explore environmental and climate issues without fear, overwhelm or doom‑scrolling. Each short episode blends storytelling, science, and practical action, making it ideal for primary and secondary students. The program is Australian, classroom‑ready, and aligns strongly with the sustainability focus embedded across the HaSS curriculum.

Some popular podcast episodes from STTOP.

How to Use It in the Classroom

Teachers can use STTOP episodes as lesson starters, inquiry prompts, or part of a broader sustainability unit. Each episode introduces a key environmental idea, from waste to biodiversity to energy, in a way that encourages curiosity and solutions‑focused thinking. Students can watch an episode, discuss the key message, and then explore how the issue connects to their own community or local environment. The program also includes supporting materials that help teachers build inquiry questions, guide reflection, and connect learning to real‑world action.

Five practical tips, tricks and ideas for the classroom

• Use an episode as a weekly “Sustainability Starter” to spark discussion
• Pair episodes with local case studies to make learning place‑based
• Have students create a “STTOP Action Journal” to track small changes they try
• Use a think‑pair‑share routine to unpack each episode’s key message
• Invite students to design a poster or infographic summarising one episode’s theme

Australian Curriculum Connections

• AC9HG7K02 – Interconnections between people, places and environments
• AC9HG7K03 – Causes, impacts and responses to environmental changes
• AC9HG8K04 – Strategies to enhance the sustainability of places
• AC9HS6S04 – Use digital and spatial technologies to represent data and information
• AC9HG9S04 – Propose actions to respond to geographical challenges

 Trove for Local History Investigations (Years 5–12 History)

Introduction

Trove, created by the National Library of Australia, remains one of the richest free digital archives available to teachers. With newspapers, photographs, letters, maps and oral histories, it offers an authentic window into Australia’s past. This resource is ideal for Years 5–12 History teachers looking to deepen students’ understanding of local stories, diverse perspectives and historical change. Because Trove is free, Australian, and requires no login to browse, it’s a perfect classroom‑friendly tool for inquiry‑based learning.

Trove Home Page - Demonstrating the ever evolving resources!

How to Use It in the Classroom

Trove works beautifully for source analysis, local history projects, and comparative investigations. Students can search for their suburb, a local event, or a national moment and uncover primary sources that bring history alive. Teachers can scaffold inquiry by providing curated search terms or Trove Lists, or allow students to explore independently. The platform supports critical thinking, as students evaluate reliability, identify bias, and compare perspectives across time. Trove also supports differentiation: advanced students can conduct open‑ended investigations, while others can work with teacher‑selected sources.

Five useful features for busy teachers

• Completely free and Australian‑based
• Massive archive of newspapers, photos, maps and documents
• No login required for browsing
• Built‑in citation tools
• Trove Lists allow teachers to curate sets of sources

Australian Curriculum Connections

• AC9HS5S02 – Examine primary and secondary sources to identify different perspectives
• AC9HS6S02 – Interpret information and ideas from a range of sources
• AC9HH8S02 – Analyse the origin, purpose and context of primary sources
• AC9HH10S02 – Evaluate the reliability and usefulness of primary and secondary sources
• AC9HH12S02 – Analyse and synthesise evidence to develop historical arguments