35-minute lesson
Year 2 History: Historic places in my area
Lesson objective
- Identify a place in the local area that has historical significance.
- Explain why people want to look after historic places.
Success criteria:
- I can name an old or important place near where I live.
- I can find clues that show a building is old.
- I can explain why a place is important to people.
Materials
- A walk around your neighbourhood or town centre
- A camera or phone (optional)
- Clipboard, paper and pencil
Introduction
4 minIntroduce today's words:
- heritage: Things from the past that people value and want to keep for the future.
- monument: A structure built to remember a person or event.
- significant: Important and worth remembering.
- Country: For First Nations Australians, the land, waters, sky and all living things that a group is connected to and cares for.
- plaque: A sign, often made of metal or stone, that gives information about a place or event.
Ask your child what they already know about historic places in my area.
Explanation
7 minThe past is not only in books. It is in the places around us. Old buildings, bridges, war memorials, parks, churches, schools and cemeteries can all tell us about the past.
Historic places are part of our heritage: things from the past that we value and want to keep. Some places are protected by law so they cannot be knocked down.
We can look for clues that a building is old: a date carved above the door, a plaque, old-style windows, a verandah with iron lace, or bricks and stone that look worn.
Long before any buildings were built, every part of Australia was, and still is, the Country of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Many places such as rivers, hills, rock shelters and meeting places are significant to First Nations communities. Some of these places and their stories belong to particular communities and are shared only with permission.
A place is significant when it is important to people: because of what happened there, who used it, or what it means to a community.
When we visit historic places we show respect: we stay on paths, do not touch fragile things and follow any signs or requests from the community.
Worked examples
5 minReading a building for clues
A building has '1912' carved above the door. How old is the building in 2026?
Step 1: The date tells us when the building was built: 1912.
Step 2: Subtract: 2026 − 1912 = 114.
Answer: The building is about 114 years old.
Why is the war memorial significant?
Explain why a town's war memorial is important to the community.
Step 1: Read the plaque: it lists names of local people who served in wars.
Step 2: People gather there on Anzac Day and Remembrance Day.
Step 3: It helps the community remember people from their town.
Answer: It is significant because it helps people remember local people who served and died in wars.
Guided practice (do together)
7 min1. Which of these is a clue that a building is old?
(a) A new coat of paint (b) A date carved above the door (c) A car parked outside (d) Solar panels on the roof
2. What is a monument?
(a) A type of food (b) A structure built to remember a person or event (c) A shop (d) A road sign
3. Whose Country is the land your town is built on?
(a) Nobody's (b) Only the council's (c) The local Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples' (d) The first person who built a house there
4. How should we behave at a historic place?
(a) Climb on everything (b) Write our names on the walls (c) Take bits home as souvenirs (d) Stay on paths and follow the signs
Independent practice
9 min5. Things from the past that people value and want to keep are called…
(a) heritage (b) rubbish (c) weather (d) technology
6. A building has 2000 carved on it. How many years old is it in 2026?
7. A metal or stone sign that gives information about a place is called a ____.
8. A word that means 'important and worth remembering' is ____.
Questions to check understanding
- Can you name an old or important place near where I live?
- Can you find clues that show a building is old?
- Can you explain why a place is important to people?
- What was the trickiest part today?
Answer guide
1. A date carved above the door — A carved date often shows when a building was built.
2. A structure built to remember a person or event — A monument helps people remember a person or event.
3. The local Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples' — All of Australia is the Country of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
4. Stay on paths and follow the signs — Being respectful helps keep historic places safe for the future.
5. heritage — Heritage means valued things from the past.
6. 26 — 2026 − 2000 = 26.
7. plaque — Plaques tell us about a place or event.
8. significant — Historians call important places and events significant.
Review
3 minRecap the success criteria together. Watch for these common misconceptions:
- Children may think Australian history began when buildings were built. Explain that First Nations peoples have lived here and cared for Country for tens of thousands of years.
- Children may think only 'fancy' buildings are historic. Ordinary houses, shops and parks can be significant too.
Extension activities
- Make a mini 'heritage trail' map of three significant places near your home.
- Photograph or sketch a building and label the clues that show its age.
- Visit a local museum or historical society on an open day.
Suggested follow-up
- Revisit historic places in my area tomorrow with two or three quick questions from memory.
- Try the online practice check for this topic and look at any questions that need another go.
Tips for parents
- Find out whose Country you live on. Local councils, land councils and Aboriginal community organisations can help, and many councils publish this information.
- Some places are culturally significant to First Nations communities and their stories are not for public sharing. Learn from local First Nations organisations and follow their guidance about what can be visited or discussed.
- Your local historical society, library or council heritage list is a good place to find the history of nearby buildings.