Process
This webquest must be done in stages for students to get full advantage of this activity. Firstly students must become familiar with the site then work through the background exercise which is called the Knowledge Hunt. Once students have a good understanding they can then start the webquest. There is also a mixture of individual task and group tasks with opportunities for web skill development. This webquest works best as a class but can easily be done between year levels and could be exciting for cross age sharing especially with the group tasks. Please read the following process instructions.

Introduction

1. Students start to form an idea of the activity by investigating the webquest site, especially the Introduction, Knowledge Hunt and Task.
2. Students can work in small groups or individually with the knowledge hunt. The idea of the knowledge hunt is students form background information for the main task and question.
3. They will be assigned to a team of 6 students... (groups can be smaller however, please make sure the groups are made up of different characters of the time.) They will not be working in these groups until later in this webquest but it is important to know who is in the group so they can build up a relationship.
4. Once they have picked a role to play from the list in the Task section then they will need to work individually.

Individual Task

5. Investigate the role students have chosen, research such topics as:
   • Who they are?
   • What they do?
   • How wealthy they are?
   • Who are their friends and family - are they in Australia?
   • Where do they live?
   • What transport do they use?
   • What contributions and involvement did they have with Connecting the Continent?
   • What yarns or stories have they to tell?
   • What impact did the telegraph line have on the quality of the character?
   • What employment opportunities did the overland telegraph line give to women especially? In the 1870 census of a total population of 99,328 there were 46,475 females.
   • Consider social, environmental, financial, health, transport, communication, work, flora and government issues of the times
   • Compare a typical day in the life of your character in the past (1870's), the present and in the future.

This information can be gathered into a concept map with the Overland Telegraph as the main heading. This will help with gathering key topics of information for presentations.

REMEMBER to consider the Question - reflect regularly on this as a class. Answers to this question can be submitted to the organisers for prizes.

Do you think Australia's telephone systems would have been different today without federation?

Extension:

• A message of 20 words sent by telegraph between England and Australia cost 10 pounds - equal to 5 weeks' wages for a working person. Develop a telegram for future generations which focuses on the dreams and aspirations of telecommunication and technology of school students in 20 words or less.
• Design and construct a form of communication for the future. Give it a name, label the different parts and describe how it works.

Weblinks and Resources

• "We of the Never Never" - novel and video - gives a good impression of the time and a variety of characters
• Connecting the Continent website - http://www.connectingthecontinent.com
• The Overland Telegraph -Flinders Rangers Research - http://ozemail.com.au/~fliranre/overland.htm
• Federation SA - http://www.federation2001.sa.gov.au/cof_overview.htm
• The National Story - timeline - http://www.cofq.qld.gov.au/national_story.html

Also remember to ask parents, grandparents, family friends about the Overland Telegraph. Perhaps even interview or ask a special guest into the class to share yarns and remembrance of the time.

For further resources please visit the Resource link.

Group Task
Form the groups students made earlier - remembering to have a different character in the group for example - a worker, a new settler - station owner, indigenous perspective, Charles Todd and/or a female perspective.

Students are to select two of the problems of the time and come up with the "best" solution. They must remember the transformation is still in place - if they were Charles Todd they must be the character and perspectives of this person.

Problems to be solved ~ Please make sure students list all reasons to support their arguments :

• The workers come across a large, very thick forest which the telegraph line was planned to go through. If they go round the scrub land they may need further supplies at their near completion of the line . However, time is also important. What would the group advise as a strategy for the workers on where to go, how to do it, what extra costs might be involved and how long it may take.
• As there was no refrigeration in the 1870's suggest ways that the workers could have preserved food while they worked along the track. Remember that this construction took two years. What would the group advise the leaders. Remember these men are doing very heavy manual work through very hard conditions.
• During the summer rain, the telegraph line just north of Strangways Springs was washed out. The construction team is currently near Barrow Creek. What strategies do you suggest they follow now. Remember the telegraph line is not up yet - so messages back to Adelaide may take sometime.
• A worker in the Overland team is a deserter - he could not take the harsh conditions and the enormous difficulties. He fled one night. If you were this person what would be going through your mind at this stage. Where would you go and what would you do with very little money in the centre of Australia.
• What impact did the development of the Overland Telegraph Line have on the Aborigines? Could you suggest any ways this could be changed or improved? What do you think would have happened as the construction team came across the first tribes?

Students present their findings to another group or even the class. However, before the group presents its findings ask them to consider these questions:

• Have we worked co-operatively?
• Is our presentation structured?
• Have all the tasks and speaking roles been evenly distributed?
• Have you addressed the situation?
• What have we learnt?

Students can now present and discuss their findings to the class or another group.

Variations

You will need to have access to the computer room but there are many opportunities for both online and offline computer access. Also classroom planning, discussion time and collating of the timeline is cruical for sharing and gathering an understanding.

RESOURCES | ASSESSMENT