Sam is a child convict, arrested in London for stealing a jacket. Now, having lived his whole life in towns and cities, he's sent to an isolated farm on the edge of the bush.

Provocation Question

What does Sam’s story reveal about survival, respect and belonging in the early colony, and what can we learn from those who guided him?

Sam is escorted to the Owen farm as an assigned convict by two soldiers. Mr Owen introduces him to his chores and living quarters. He then meets the farm's goat, but is less than truthful about his experience with milking.

Tuning In

Being assigned as a convict child to a remote farm is both frightening and confusing. As you watch Sam’s story in a new country begin, what do you notice about: 

• how Sam is treated by Mr Owen and the soldiers
• what chores he’s expected to do
• how truth and survival shape his choices

Class discussion prompts:

• What does it mean to be “assigned” to someone?
• How do fear and pride affect how Sam behaves?
• What do the goat and the milking task reveal about trust and responsibility?

Finding Out & Sorting Out

Explore how convict labour, truth, and survival shape Sam’s experience. In small groups, brainstorm:

• What Sam knows and pretends to know
• What Mr Owen expects and why
• What risks Sam faces if he fails

Choose one of the following tasks:

Option 1: Historical Image Analysis

Examine a painting or sketch of convict labour.

• Who made this image and why?
• What do you see? What’s missing?
• How might Sam’s experience differ from what’s shown?

Option 2: Mini Museum Curation

Create a small group display titled “Life on a Convict Farm”. Include:

• 3–5 artefacts (drawn, printed or described)
• captions explaining each item’s role in survival
• one quote from Sam’s clip to interpret the display

Option 3: Dramatise the Arrival Scene

Improvise a short scene where Sam arrives at the farm. Include:

• dialogue showing fear, pride and misunderstanding
• one moment of truth-telling
• one moment of adaptation

Making Connections

Sam pretends to know how to milk a goat to avoid punishment. Think about a time you felt pressure to pretend or perform.

Write a journal entry from Sam’s point of view:

• What did he expect?
• What surprised him?
• What does he now know about survival?

Sam enters Mr Owen's house through a hole in the roof and is amazed when he sees his reflection for the first time. After failing to milk the goat, Sam has a difficult night's sleep on his new bed. He uses his ingenuity to dig through hard ground.

Tuning In

Sam’s first night on the farm reveals hardship, ingenuity and a moment of wonder. As you watch, notice:

• how Sam reacts to seeing his reflection
• what he does when he fails at milking
• how he adapts to his new environment

Class discussion prompts:

• What does Sam’s reflection tell us about identity and isolation?
• How does failure help Sam learn?
• What does digging the hard ground show about resilience?

Finding Out & Sorting Out

Explore how adaptation, identity and resilience of convict children, shape Sam’s experience. In small groups, brainstorm:

• What Sam learns about himself and the farm
• What tools and strategies he uses
• How his emotions shift across the clip

Choose one group activity:

Option 1: Source Comparison

Compare Sam’s experience with a real convict child’s diary or record.

• What’s similar? What’s different?
• What questions do you now have?

Option 2: Visual Timeline: ‘From London to the Farm’

Create a visual timeline showing Sam’s journey. Include:

• key emotional shifts
• changes in environment
• one question he might ask at each stage

Making Connections

Seeing his reflection helps Sam realise how much his life has changed. Think about a time when you saw yourself differently after a challenge.

Choose one option to show a key moment when Sam sees himself differently.

Option 1: Draw a sketch of Sam’s reflection at this moment. Include the caption: “This is the moment I saw myself differently.”

Option 2: Write a 150 to 200 word monologue from Sam’s point of view. Describe what he is thinking and feeling, including his fears and his hopes.

Make sure you use descriptive language, include at least one historical detail, and show Sam’s emotions clearly.

Sam is out looking for the farm's goat when he hears someone humming the same notes as he is singing. Following the sounds, he is guided back to the farm, where the goat is waiting. After leaving out some milk to thank an Aboriginal boy for leading him to the goat, his bucket is returned

Tuning In

Lost in the bush, Sam is guided by an Aboriginal boy who returns his milk bucket. As you watch, notice:

• how Sam reacts to the humming and guidance
• what the milk gesture means
• how reciprocity and respect are shown

Class discussion prompts:

• What does this moment show about First Nations knowledge and generosity?
• How does Sam show respect in return?
• What does this exchange teach us about trust and cultural difference?

Finding Out & Sorting Out

Explore how reciprocity, cultural knowledge and respect shape this moment.

In small groups, brainstorm and record your thinking about:

• What the Aboriginal boy’s actions reveal
• How Sam responds
• What this exchange teaches about community and Country

Choose one group activity:

Option 1: Ethics & Reciprocity Circle

Use the ethics chart structure to explore:

• motive → action → consequence → respectful response
• include both Sam's and the Aboriginal boy’s perspectives

Option 2: Visual Interpretation: ‘Reading the Bush’

Use an image prompt to interpret a painting or photo of bushland.

• What local knowledge is needed to navigate this space?
• How might Sam and the Aboriginal boy see it differently?

Making Connections

Sam’s respectful gesture leads to a quiet act of reciprocity. Think about a time when someone helped you without words.

Work on your own or with a partner to create a short digital story that retells the clip from the Aboriginal boy’s point of view. You can choose the format, such as an audio story, a slideshow or an illustrated booklet.

Begin by creating a simple storyboard to plan your ideas and sequence the events.

Your story should have a clear beginning, middle and end. Show how events are connected through cause and effect. Include at least one respectful action taken by the boy.