Historical Figures Teaching Resources
Expand your students' knowledge of famous historical figures from Australian history and from around the world with biographical teaching resources created by teachers for teachers.
Explore the real-life experiences of politicians, inventors, social activism leaders, explorers, and other famous people from history with writing activities about influential figures, biographical worksheets, constructed responses, crossword puzzles and more explorations into the lives of some of history's best-known figures.
Is this your first year incorporating historical figures into a lesson plan? Or maybe you're just looking for a refresher? Take a peek at a primer from our teacher team, including a list of some of the many important historical figures featured in this collection.
Why Is It Important to Learn About Historical Figures?
When students learn about the various historical figures who have made a mark in the nation's and world's history, they develop a better understanding of the relationships between individual people and society as a whole.
Learning about famous people from throughout history also helps our students connect to the past as they look at history through the lens of real-life experiences.
Famous Historical Figures in This Collection
This collection of teaching resources includes activities, instructional slide decks, and more educational resources to help students learn about important figures from the colonisation era to more modern times, including:
- Alfred Deakin
- Edmund Barton
- Peter Lalor
- Louise Mack
- Edward Hargraves
- James Cook
- Cathy Freeman
- Abel Tasman
- And many, many more
- Plus Plan
Who Was Marie Maynard Daly? Women in History Activity Pack
Learn about the life and contributions of Marie Maynard Daly with a comprehensive pack of inspirational women worksheets.
- Plus Plan
Famous Female Athletes - Cathy Freeman Activity Pack
Learn about the life and contributions of Cathy Freeman with a comprehensive pack of inspirational women worksheets.
- Plus Plan
International Women's Day - Influential Women Worksheet
Identify six different inspirational women in history using this cut and paste worksheet for Internatioanal Women’s Day.
- Plus Plan
Influential Women — Female Scientists and Mathematicians Teaching Slides
Teach students about brilliant female scientists and mathematicians with this 14-slide teaching deck.
- Plus Plan
Ruth Bader Ginsburg Comprehension Activity
Learn about Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a famous women's rights advocate, with a reading comprehension passage, assessment, and vocabulary practice worksheets.
- Plus Plan
Why Teach About Bunduk Marika? Poster
An educational poster providing a rationale for teaching Australian children about notable Aboriginal woman, Bunduk Marika.
- Plus Plan
Why Teach About Oodgeroo Noonuccal? Poster
An educational poster providing a rationale for teaching Australian children about notable Aboriginal woman, Oodgeroo Noonuccal.
- Plus Plan
Why Teach About David Unaipon? Poster
An educational poster providing a rationale for teaching Australian children about David Unaipon.
- Plus Plan
Early Explorer Profiles - Abel Tasman, James Cook and Willem Janszoon
Three individual posters showing the expeditions of Abel Tasman, James Cook and Willem Janszoon.
- Plus Plan
Captain Cook Word Wall
A vocabulary word wall to display and use in the classroom when learning about the explorations of Captain James Cook.
- Plus Plan
Sir Edmund Barton Profile
A profile of Australia's first Prime Minister.
- Plus Plan
Poster Profile - Professor Stephen Hawking
A profile about English Professor Stephen Hawking.
- Plus Plan
Early Explorers Assessment Task
An inquiry-based assessment task in which students will demonstrate an understanding of the Age of Exploration and how the journeys of explorers impacted upon other societies.
- Plus Plan
Spanish, Portuguese and Dutch Explorers
A 60 minute lesson in which students will identify how the Spanish, Portuguese and Dutch explorers contributed to the European 'discovery' of Australia.