Project Planning

Careful planning will ensure a rich experience for students and a successful exhibition. These step-by-step guidelines will support teachers and group leaders in the implementation of the ‘Small Object Big Story’ project.

Teacher guidelines

1. Read through the components of this project and book an appropriate space for the exhibition, eg. the school library or community hall. Organise potential secure spaces for objects to be stored. Consider establishing a 'loan book' to keep track of the objects.

2. Register your participation in the project so that the Immigration Museum can arrange to feature your community's stories.

3. A visit to the Immigration Museum at some stage during the project would be a great motivator for students! Alternatively, consider booking the What's Your Story? Outreach kit to launch your investigation of objects.

4. Get students organised with a project log to be completed after every session. Students keep a daily record of progress on their project.

5. Introduce students to the idea that all non-indigenous Australians have an immigration story in their family history, and that an object can be a concrete way of linking to/telling this story. Bring an object from your own history (something that's likely to be found in students' own families), or invite a guest speaker to bring and talk about an object. Encourage students to ask questions about the object and the owner—in this way they will begin to immerse themselves in the experience. (You could even play 'twenty questions'—provide hints and get students to guess what the object is, before telling its story).

6. Ask students to find an object that links to an immigration story. They may own an object themselves or they can ask parents, family, friends, neighbours etc. Objects should be small enough to be brought to share as part of the project, and not too valuable.

7. Ask students about their family history. Has your family researched your family tree? When did your family come to Australia? Where did they come from? Do you have anything from that country? Do you still have anything they brought with them? Does anyone else in your family have anything you could look at? Adapt the Permission form to suit the needs of your group.

8. Each student brings his/her object (if practical) and tells the class briefly about its significance. A sketch or photograph may suffice if the object cannot be brought. Students unable to find an object might be encouraged to interview relatives to examine why there are no objects and create an immigration story based upon findings. Alternatively, other willing teachers may 'donate' an item for students to research. Students may also use an object provided by a fellow class member.

9. Students research objects and their associated immigration stories. See Researching your object.

10. Students collaborate to plan an exhibition, preparing their object and story for display. You may wish to follow the suggested model of groups of three people working together or adapt these roles to better suit your group. See Planning an exhibition.

11. Notify the Immigration Museum of the outcome of the student research and send in a copy of the project evaluate.