Educational resources
Units of Work available for teachers’ use
Teachers, feel free to use the following units of work in your class. They are designed to be used in conjunction with the iBook available below.
Primary school resources:
Do you have a primary school resource you would like to contribute? Files can be uploaded here.
Middle years resources:
- Middle Years Positive Education unit – Year 7/8
- Wilkins Multi-Modal Unit – Year 7/8
- English Comprehension – Year 7
- also download the iBook referred to below
Do you have a middle school resource you would like to contribute? Files can be uploaded here.
Senior years resources:
Do you have a senior years resource you would like to contribute? Files can be uploaded here.
Sir Hubert Wilkins iBook
A digital artefact created by teacher Andy Payne, this media-rich Apple iBook format presentation explores the life of Sir Hubert Wilkins, highlighting amazing facts and stories.
It’s perfect for use as a teaching aid or for anyone who wants to know more about Sir Hubert’s remarkable life.
It was designed with the intention for students to initially learn about Wilkins’ exploits, but then to delve deeper by investigating his character strengths. It turns out that it is relatively easy for them to identify examples of when and how Wilkins used the seven character strengths of highly successful people. Students then took the understanding of these strengths to identify them in their own heroes – and ultimately create a plan to develop their own.
The iBook is a text developed as a learning tool for use in the relatively new subject which has been called ‘Positive Education.’ By the way, these seven top strengths are very relevant to Wilkins: they are grit, social intelligence, optimism, curiosity, zest, gratitude, and self-control.
In order to view the file you will need an Apple device and the free iBooks application which can be installed via the App Store.
The iBook will be converted into HTML5 for viewing on the web over the coming months. To keep apprised of developments, follow the Foundation on Twitter.
Sir Hubert Wilkins PowerPoint presentation
The presentation linked below is a great introduction to the life of Sir Hubert Wilkins. It includes several video files so may take some time to open and run. The file size is 707MB.
The Firsts of Wilkins
As a result of the national publicity about the co-Australian of the Year, Dr Richard ‘Harry’ Harris (SC, OAM), becoming the Patron of the Sir Hubert Wilkins Foundation, we were contacted by the cultural historian, Dr Chystopher J Spicer (James Cook University).
Chrystopher’s 2012 book, Great Australian World Firsts, contains a chapter about Wilkins titled, ‘I felt liberated‘ – a publication that our historian Dr. Stephen Carthew had not encountered. He soon purchased the book and found the chapter of Wilkins to be an excellent introduction to the life of Wilkins.
In the last month, we have worked through some copyright issues, and are very pleased to be able to present the chapter in full, courtesy of Dr Spicer and the publisher, Allen & Unwin.
Great Australian World Firsts: The things we made. the things we did, includes chapters on 29 other pioneering Australians we can be proud of.
The book can be purchased here.
Hubert Wilkins: Forgotten Hero
Written by Elizabeth Corfe and designed by Nathan Kolic, this book provides an accessible overview of Sir Hubert’s life for primary school students or anyone unfamiliar with his achievements.
You can read the book below (click on the square icon at bottom-right to view the book full-screen), or visit Era Publications to purchase a printed copy. Thanks to Rod Martin for permission to embed the book here.
Hubert Wilkins: Forgotten Hero takes you on a personal journey through early exploration. At a deeper level it is about environmental awareness, climate change and tolerance.
The Wilkins Project
The Wilkins Project is an authentic project-based learning methodology that was developed to meet the needs of all HILLS students in Years 7 to 10. Recognising that the first years of secondary schooling mark a significant time in adolescent development, we have created a programme that allows time for exploration of personal interests, and enables the growth of self-identity. The programme provides students with an engaging transition to secondary schooling and makes learning more purposeful and relevant. By offering a range of choices we give students the opportunity to use and discover their strengths, passions and interests, as they look to develop solutions to real life challanges and problems.
