Digital Classroom | National Library of Australia (NLA)
Search

What can we help you find?

Not sure where to start or need help? Ask a Librarian

Digital Classroom

Explore Australia's history at the National Library's Digital Classroom, aligned with the Australian Curriculum. With over 10 million items, we support diverse learning styles, fostering inquiry-based learning for students to analyse sources and draw conclusions about the Australian story.
Clear filter
Showing 1 - 12 of 21 results
Sort by:
A map of southern Asia which details the early development of the English East India Company.

Herman Moll & William Dampier, Collection of voyages. (1729). A map of the East-Indies and adjacent countries [cartographic material] : with settlements, factories, and territories : explaining what belongs to England, Spain, France, Holland, Denmark, Portugal, etc. with many remarks not extant in any other map / by H. Moll, geog. nla.gov.au/nla.obj-231221936

The Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie

Topic

The Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie from the Netherlands (VOC or United East Indies Company) was established in 1602 with the purpose of buying spices from East Asia for trade on the European market.

Humanities
Year 4
Explorers
A pencil drawing of a large opossum with trees in the background.

Peter Mazell, James Cook & John Webber, An opossum of Van Diemen's Land, 1784, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-136182204

Strange creatures

Topic 

Explore the excitement and wonder of the First Fleet as they encountered Australia’s unique flora and fauna for the first time. 

Humanities
Year 4
Australian history
Migration and immigration
An image from an old Dutch book showing some text with a pen drawing above the text of several tents on an island and many people fighting with each other.

Francisco Pelsaert, Ongeluckige voyagie van't schip Batavia na Oost-Indien uyt-gevaren onder de E. Franç̧ois Pelsaert : gebleven op de Abriolhos van Frederick Houtman op de hooghte van 28 en een half graden by Zuyden de Linie Equinoctiael : vervattende 't verongelucken des schips, en de grouwelijcke moorderyen onder 't scheeps-volck, op't eylandt Bataviaes Kerck-hoff nevens de straffe der handtdadigers in de Jaren 1628 en 1629 ; hier achter is by- gevoeght eenige discourssen der Oost-Indische Zee-vaert als mede de gantsche gelegentheyt der Koopmanschappen diemen in Indien doet. t' Utrecht : Lucas de Vries, Boeck-verkooper in de Snipper-vlucht, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-39984464

Shipwrecked!

Topic

At least four VOC ships were shipwrecked on the Western Australian coast in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.

Humanities
Year 4
Explorers
A sepia image of a weather almanac for 1894.

New South Wales weather almanac for ... : a general handbook for the year, 1894, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-406743496

Recording weather

Topic

In colonial Australia, there was a useful household book called an almanac. It contained lots of information, including weather forecasts and pictures of the flags used to signify approaching storms.

Humanities
Science
Year 4
Year 5
Year 6
Environment and biodiversity
Geography
Sheet music featuring an illustration of a child looking out an open window

Edith Harrhy & Bronnie Taylor, Songs for young Australians [music] / words by Bronnie Taylor ; music by Edith Harrhy, 1941, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-175231656

Presenting weather

Topic

The weather is an important part of our lives, and this is reflected in the arts and other sources we consume.

Humanities
Science
Year 4
Year 5
Year 6
Environment and biodiversity
Geography
an image of a map showing an outline of the eastern half of Australia with about 30 towns down the side with their minimum and maximum temperatures.

WEATHER MAP, 9 am 3 FEBRUARY, 1877. (1877, February 5). The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), p. 6. nla.gov.au/nla.news-article13389140

Mapping weather

Topic

In 1877, meteorologist and astronomer Henry Russell produced the first published weather map for the colony of New South Wales.

Humanities
Science
Year 4
Year 5
Year 6
Environment and biodiversity
Geography
Clipping of a newspaper article titled 'Weather Prophets'.

WEATHER PROPHETS. (1937, November 4). The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954), p. 17. nla.gov.au/nla.news-article205560442

Forecasting weather

Topic

As cub reporter Betty Wilson (aged nine in 1937) tells us, forecasting the weather is not all about maps and laboratory science!

Humanities
Science
Year 4
Year 5
Year 6
Environment and biodiversity
Geography
Family of aboriginal people sitting by a bay surrounded by trees.

Joseph Lycett, Family of Aborigines taking shelter during a storm, 1817, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-138500126

First peoples

Topic 

Explore the rich cultural heritage of Australia's First Peoples through the art of Joseph Lycett, a convict artist who captured the rituals and customs of Indigenous communities. 

Humanities
Year 4
Australian history
Migration and immigration
Image of a page in a journal listing names of female convicts on the ship Lady Penrhyn

Arthur Bowes Smyth, Journal of Arthur Bowes Smyth, 1787, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-233364776

First Fleet

Topic 

Explore the journey of the First Fleet and its role in shaping Australia's early colonial history. 

Humanities
Year 4
Australian history
Migration and immigration
Digital Classroom: Teaching resources
First contacts

Module

Explore the themes of discovery, cultural encounters, and the European settlement of Australia. 

Humanities
Year 4
Australian history
Explorers
First Australians
A black and white photo of a man with a frostbitten face.

Frank Hurley, Madigan's frostbitten face, Adelie Land [Australasian Antarctic Expedition, 1911-1914], nla.gov.au/nla.obj-145067660

Exploring weather

Topic

Antarctica has been explored by meteorologists since the early 1900s. Blizzards are common there.

Humanities
Science
Year 4
Year 5
Year 6
Environment and biodiversity
Geography
Image of a colour sketch of a heavily snow covered town of Hobart houses with water and mountains in the background in 1882

H.J. Graham, Severe snow storm over Hobart, 1882, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-135529606

Experiencing weather

Topic

There are many stories of extreme weather and descriptions from those who survived the ordeals of droughts, bushfires, floods and cyclones in Australia.

Humanities
Science
Year 4
Year 5
Year 6
Environment and biodiversity
Geography

Need help?

Our librarians are here to guide you.

Ask a librarian