When the Persians under Cyrus II conquered Elam they selected the city of Susa as the major centre from which the area could be governed. Cyrus' successor, Darius I ordered the construction of a magnificent palace complex on a mound overlooking the city. Expert tradesmen from across the empire were employed to construct the palace using the best materials from the time. their efforts resulted in a large and stunningly beautiful palatial complex. This source-based homework task is designed for students of the NSW Ancient History Syllabus for the Australian Curriculum. Higher School Certificate course Historical Periods Option D: Persia - Cyrus II to the death of Darius III It can also be used in: Historical Societies Option D: Persia in the time of Darius II and Xerxes

Far from being a primitive military force who conquered by sheer force of numbers and brute force, the Achaemenid Persian army had specialised units which were professionally trained and fully kitted. A case in point is the cavalry which consisted of chariots, camels and horses, men were recruited from particular parts of the empire where they had extensive experiences with camels or horses. Achaemenid Persian military leaders employed a range of tactics that gave their cavalry the advantage in battle. This source-based homework task is designed for students of the NSW Ancient History Syllabus for the Australian Curriculum. Higher School Certificate course Historical Periods Option D: Persia - Cyrus II to the death of Darius III It can also be used as part of: Historical Societies Option D: Persia in the time of Darius II and Xerxes

The evidence for the lives of non-royal Persian women comes almost exclusively from the Persian Fortification Tablets, a few small archaeological finds and comments concerning royal Persian women made by Greek writers including Herodotus. Despite this lack of evidence, we know a little of their legal rights, marriage and divorce customs, rights to own land and rights to be employed in work gangs and to manage these gangs. This source-based homework task is designed for students of the NSW Ancient History Syllabus for the Australian Curriculum. Higher School Certificate course Historical Periods Option D: Persia - Cyrus II to the death of Darius III It can also be used as part of: Historical Societies Option D: Persia in the time of Darius II and Xerxes

Classical (Greek) historians speak of the ineptitude and incompetence of Darius III and refer to him being fated to lose his empire to the rising star, Alexander. Modern historians argue that Darius III was a leader with a successful military background who was simply outmanoeuvred by an even more capable warlord. What is the truth? This source-based homework task is designed for students of the NSW Ancient History Syllabus. Higher School Certificate course Option D: Persia - Cyrus II to the death of Darius III

Sequencing activities based on John Marsden's novel, Tomorrow When the War Began.

Write of Passage is a 2010 newspaper article from the Sydney Morning Herald that involves an interview with Tomorrow When the War Began's author, John Marsden. He gives details of how he wrote the novel and his feelings at the release of the film version of the novel. Students examine the author's motives and intentions in writing the book.

Sequencing activity for the topic The Mongol Expansion. Students use information technology to find the year of key events and then sequence the events in chronological order.

2010 newspaper article from the Sydney Morning Herald involving an interview with author John Marsden at the time of the release of the film version of the novel. Good insights into how he wrote the book and the process of acceptance by a publisher.

Fiona Maxwell represents innocence, naiveity and romance. When she faces war and taking action for what she believes is right the results are interesting. This activity provides students with quotes from the novel relating to her character, selecting personality characteristics that best reflects Fi and recounting examples of her actions that reflect her innocence, naiveity and romantic inclinations.

Sequencing activity for key events in Marjane Satrapi's graphic novel, Persepolis.

Sequencing activity for key events in the Holocaust.

Sequencing activity for the topic Making a Nation Australia 1900-1914.

Sequencing activity for the topic Australia in World War I.

Revision activity for the topic Spanish Conquest of the Americas. Students use the decoding key to decode the 6 questions. They then answer the questions from their class notes to answer the questions. The activity is designed for students of the NSW History K-10 Syllabus for the Australian Curriculum. Stage 4 Depth Study 6: Expanding Contacts Spanish Conquest of the Americas

Revision activity for the topic Aboriginal Rights and Freedoms. Students use the decoding key to decode the 6 questions. They then answer the questions from their class notes to answer the questions. The activity is designed for students of the NSW History K-10 Syllabus for the Australian Curriculum. Stage 5 Depth Study 4: Rights and Freedoms 1945-present

Revision activity for the topic The Vikings. Students use the decoding key to decode the 6 questions. They then answer the questions from their class notes to answer the questions. The activity is designed for students of the NSW History K-10 Syllabus for the Australian Curriculum. Stage 4 Depth Study 4: The Western and Islamic World The Vikings

Skalds were the bards or professional entertainers of Viking society. They specialised in entertaining the paying public: the aristocracy. But they also taught children, gave public recitations of history and mythology and made formal speeches at funerals and important ceremonies. This source-based activity is designed for students of the NSW History K-10 Syllabus for the Australian Curriculum. Stage 4 Depth Study 4: The Western and Islamic World The Vikings

Three cloze activities on the topic Aboriginal Rights and Freedoms: 1. U.N. Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples 2. The Aboriginal Protection Board 3. The 2008 Apology to Indigenous People. The activity is to accompany the unit of work on Aboriginal Rights and Freedoms in the NSW History K-10 Syllabus for the Australian Curriculum. Stage 5 Depth Study 4: Rights and Freedoms 1945-present

Revision activity for the topic The Mongol Expansion. Students use the decoding key to decode the 6 questions. They then answer the questions from their class notes to answer the questions. The activity is designed for students of the NSW History K-10 Syllabus for the Australian Curriculum. Stage 4 Depth Study 6: Expanding Contacts The Mongol Expansion

This is an analysis of the Archaeology magazine 2012 article 'The Truth Behind the Tablets'. The article discusses the evidence of daily life in the Achaemenid Persian Empire. Students analyse the article and then look at 3 critical thinking issues: 1. Ownership of the tablets as historical artefacts. 2. Why has ownership of the ancient tablets become a modern legal issue? 3. Reliability of the information recorded on the tablets given their purpose and location when discovered. The resource is designed for students of the NSW Ancient History Syllabus for the Australian Curriculum. Higher School Certificate course Ancient Periods Option D: Persia - From Cyrus II to the death of Darius III