As a member of the Coalition of Knowledge Building Schools we were invited to send two students to participate in a World War 1 workshop at the State Library of NSW. The students, Anastasia and Anna, joined students from 8 other schools to view World War 1 diaries and other primary source material from this time. The students were asked to identify material that was of particular interest to them with a view to those artefacts being part of a permanent exhibition. The students were also invited to watch the opening of a suitcase which had been donated to the library by the family of a World War 1 veteran. The students were encouraged to ask questions about the artefacts as they were unveiled. It was a wonderful experience being able to connect with a soldier from 100 years ago. They then worked, in groups, with a member of the IT team at the State Library to critique a website on World War 1 resources that is in development for schools to use as curriculum material for the study of World War 1. Student voice is an important part of this project.
Anastasia reflects on the day.
On Friday 22nd of August, I travelled to the State Library of NSW to discuss with other members of the Coalition of Knowledge Building Schools the centenary of WW1. During the day, we had an opportunity to visit the exhibition “Life Interrupted” that the Library is showcasing. This exhibition was different to others I had seen as it is focused on the diaries of the soldiers, the personal encounters and emotions straight from the warzone.
Myself, Anna and the others in the group later reflected on our favourite parts of the museum. It allowed us to really think about what we had just seen, and to consider the situations that the soldiers were faced with everyday. One section I recall particularly well in the museum was a section about a man flying a plane for the first time. There was audio playing in the background and images for you to set your eyes on, and I felt for a moment as though I was watching it with my own eyes. This is the feeling I got when walking to the different sections of the museum, I felt immersed into the atmosphere of World War One.
Visiting the State Library was a privilege that I am extremely grateful for, as I was able to see an exhibition that really affected me, in the sense that I got a sense of what it may have been like to fight. I took so much from this experience, and I thank Mrs Schutz for taking both myself and Anna, and the State Library for hosting such a rewarding experience.
