Year 6 Students Visit the Maritime Museum
In Class
During English and HASS, Year 6 students have been learning about migration. The girls have investigated the history of their own families. They have created family trees and explored the policies of Australian immigration, including, the ‘Ten Pound Pom’ and the White Australia Policy.
Students learnt through the stories of Cuc Lam, Anh Do, Dr Karl, Stephen Anstey, and Mahtab the many reasons why people migrate to other countries: political, environmental, economic, and social.
Maritime Museum
At an excursion to the Maritime Museum recently, students handled artifacts from many immigrants and had to decide why they migrated and whether it was a push or a pull factor. They followed the story of one immigrant from Italy, Giacomo Iannello. The girls also had the opportunity to find their own relatives on the Welcome Wall outside the museum. The excursion was an excellent culmination of all they have learnt this term and consolidated the importance of multiculturalism in Australia.Â
Student Reflections
During our time at the museum, we learnt the story of a particular migrant called Giacomo. He came by himself from Italy when he was our age, 11 years old. I enjoyed learning about Giacomo or Jim as the Australians called him. He came with almost nothing, no money, no shelter, only his clothes. But that didn’t stop him from eventually having a happy and successful life. I also enjoyed watching two of my peers be part of a fake wedding between Giacomo and his wife Maria. They used costumes and props to make the festivities more real and fun. It was an enjoyable and educational day. Sofia Galeano Riveros (6.10)
I found the names of Luigi and Emma Pittorino on the Welcome Wall at the Maritime Museum, and they are my great grandparents who sailed to Fremantle from Italy in 1928. Capri Pittorino (6.10)
On the Welcome Wall, I found my great grandfather Apostolos Panegyres who came from Greece to Fremantle in 1914 on the ship the Orphir, at the age of 14, all by himself. Rose Smith (6.10)
Sergio Spargo, my great grandfather came from Italy in 1934 and is on the migration Welcome Wall at the Maritime Museum. Isabella Carter (6.10)
- Featured, Learning4Life
Author: Santa Maria College
Santa Maria College is a vibrant girls school with a growing local presence and reputation. Our Mission is to educate young Mercy women who act with courage and compassion to enrich our world. Santa Maria College is located in Attadale in Western Australia, 16 km from the Perth CBD. We offer a Catholic education for girls in Years 5 – 12 and have 1300 students, including 152 boarders.