Asian Studies Program
La Trobe University
Victoria 3086
AUSTRALIA Tel: +61 3 9479 3596 Fax: +61 3 9479 1880 Email:cha@latrobe.edu.au
Asian Studies Program
Chinese Australia
Journeys from China
Unit title:
Journeys from China
Year level:
Lower secondary
Key learning areas:
Studies of society and environment
Mathematics
Curriculum emphases:
From: Studies in Asia: A Statement for Australian Schools:
- Developing concepts of Asia
Duration:
One to two 50 minute lessons.
Description:
Students locate the places mentioned in a selection of stories
from the Chinese Heritage of Australian Federation website.
Using atlases, students calculate the distances travelled.
Possible reasons for migration are also considered.
Teacher background material:
The following links provide an introduction and overview of
the topics covered in this unit:
- Brief
History of the Chinese in Australia on the Chinese Heritage
of Australian Federation website.
- Harvest
of Endurance Scroll website to read about the history
of Chinese migration to Australia.
- Preview the 'Stories'
from the Chinese Heritage of Australian Federation website
to select the ones you prefer to use for this exercise.
Student outcomes:
Students will:
- place the stories of Chinese migration to Australia into
geographical context, appreciating the distances travelled
and the time involved
- suggest reasons that people may have for migrating to Australia.
Materials required:
- Computer/s with internet access. Alternatively could use
a cached version of the site or print the relevant pages and
copy onto overheads or handouts.
- Atlases
Procedure: Introduction:
Ask students if any of them have ever moved home - to another
country, state, city/town. If they feel comfortable doing
so, some of them may like to share with the class their feelings
about moving and the reasons they moved.
Tracing journeys:
Choose 2 or 3 of the following stories from the 'Stories'
part of the Chinese Heritage of Australian Federation website
- The Guo Brothers and the Yong An Company
- Kwong Sue Duk and His Family
- Leong Har: Successful Banana Merchant
- Chun Yut,
- Three Generations of the Zheng Family - Zheng Ri, Zheng
Jaile and Zheng Tieqiao
- Tasmanian Tin Miners, Addicts and Merchants
Take note of the places mentioned in the journeys of these
people both in Australia and internationally. Locate these
places in an atlas, then calculate the distances travelled.
- How long would the journey from China to Australia have
taken?
- How long would this journey take today? (Use the Qantas
website to find out how long the air journey would be)
- What was the motivation of these people for coming to Australia?
- Do you think immigrants to Australia in the 21st century
have similar motives for coming here?
Extension activities: 1. Excursion
Visit the Immigration Museum or local museum that refers to
Chinese immigration.
2. Interview
Interview someone you know who has migrated to Australia to
find out their reasons for coming to Australia.
