Teacher notes
This interactive hotspot shows:
- a cross-section of the high mountainous terrain that the Kokoda Track crosses in Papua
- the direction of the movement of Australian and Japanese forces along the Kokoda Track between July and November 1942
- the locations and dates of key battles in the Kokoda Track Campaign
- flag icons to indicate the outcome of each battle
- walking distances between locations on the Kokoda Track
- a key to identify all the icons.
The interactive hotspot links take students to a clear, easy-to-understand description of the event with images from the Australian War Memorial collection.
The hotspot combines the visual infographic, together with the historical narrative of events and images, bringing students a comprehensive overview of the battles of the Kokoda Track Campaign
Learning intention
This resource provides a visual learning pathway for students to gain an understanding and overview of the Kokoda Track Campaign.
By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:
- recall and understand the movement of Japanese and Australian forces along the Kokoda Track in Papua during the 1942 Kokoda Track Campaign
- recognise the chronological order of key battles
- name, locate and understand, the key battles and their effects upon the war on the Kokoda Track
- analyse the mountainous terrain and distances travelled during the Kokoda Track Campaign
- recognise the key features of the war as it was fought on the Kokoda Track in 1942.
Lesson resources
- Battles of the Kokoda Track Campaign infographic poster
- Kokoda Track Campaign summary
- Guide to the infographic and quiz worksheet
- Battles of the Kokoda Track Campaign questions worksheet (PDF 538 KB)
- Battles of the Kokoda Track Campaign locations and events signs
- Battles of the Kokoda Track Campaign interactive hotspot activity.
Place name on Kokoda Track | Pronunciation |
|---|---|
Owers' Corner | Oh – wers' corner |
Ioribaiwa | You – ra – bye – wah |
Nauro | Now – row |
Isurava | Iss – oo – rava |
Deniki | Den – e – key |
Buna | Boo – nah |
Teaching ideas
This lesson provides a student-friendly visual overview of the battles of the Kokoda Track Campaign.
The interactive hotspot activity can be used for engaging learning in a variety of ways in class, at home or for relief-teacher lessons.
Whole-class activity: introducing the infographic
Teacher takes students through the Guide to the infographic and quiz worksheet, to provide an explicit explanation of the features of the hotspot.
Whole-class activity: check your understanding quiz
Students use the Guide to the infographic and quiz worksheet to check their understanding of the infographic poster.
Whole class discussion: secondary source evaluation
At the end of the explanation through the hotspot, teachers could ask students to write or discuss:
- What initial information about the battles of the Kokoda Track Campaign have you gained from looking at the hotspot?
- How useful is a secondary-source visual infographic like this for learning about the battles of the Kokoda Track Campaign?
- Does this secondary-source infographic format have any limitations for understanding the battles of the Kokoda Track Campaign?
- What further information and historical perspectives might you need as a historian to understand the battles of the Kokoda Track Campaign in 1942?
Learning about the Battles of the Kokoda Track Campaign using the hotspot activity
Once the infographic has been examined, the hotspot can be used creatively in various ways in the classroom.
Whole class activity: pair experts class presentation
After the initial guided explanation, students can explore the hotspot in pairs and then engage in a presentation activity. This activity reinforces chronological timeframe, names of locations of key battles and events and the movement of Australian and Japanese forces along the Kokoda Track.
- Allocate one infographic text box to a pair of students to become experts. Have students read their corresponding text box in the Battles of the Kokoda Track Campaign worksheet and make a 3- to 4-point summary to present to the class (where, when, what, then). Have the pair also make an A4 sign of their location and date.
- When ready, ask pairs to line themselves up in the classroom in chronological order of the events. Extra challenge: allocate students a colour (red, purple or blue) and ask them to line up in the same loop as the infographic. For example, one red pair with Battle of Eora Creek and Templeton's Crossing, opposite blue pair Second Eora Creek and Templeton's Crossing.
- Student pairs hold up their location and date sign and present their event summary in chronological order. Two students can role-play Australian and Japanese forces moving along the Kokoda Track as the events occur.
- Students should understand the movement of both Australian and Japanese forces on the Kokoda Track.
Independent activity: using recall and understanding questions printable activity.
Students individually read through each hotspot link and complete the Battles of the Kokoda Track Campaign questions worksheet.
Supporting resources
Australian Curriculum
Knowledge and understanding
- the places where Australians fought, and their perspectives and experiences during the Second World War, such as the fall of Singapore, prisoners of war (POWs), the Battle of Britain and Kokoda (AC9HH10K02).
- the significant events and turning points of the Second World War, including the Holocaust and use of the atomic bomb (Elaboration: explaining why particular events were significant turning points in the Asia-Pacific theatre of war, such as the Japanese occupation of China, the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, the fall of Singapore in 1942, the bombings of northern Australia, the American victory at the Battle of Midway in 1942, the Battle for Kokoda and the Battle of Iwo Jima (AC9HH10K03).
Skills
- explain the usefulness of primary and secondary sources, and the reliability of the information as evidence (AC9HH9S04).
- create descriptions, explanations and historical arguments, using historical knowledge, concepts and terms that incorporate and acknowledge evidence from sources (AC9HH9S08).
- analyse cause and effect, and evaluate patterns of continuity and change (AC9HH10S05).
Teaching sensitivities
Teachers are advised to be sensitive to students' perspectives and emotions while using this resource. When working through the activities, teachers should consider students' religious and cultural beliefs, any experiences of war or conflict, and whether their parents serve in the defence forces. Teachers are responsible for deciding whether it is appropriate to use this resource with their students.
