Australian History WWII, Kokoda Track Source Usefulness Worksheets (Digital)

Engage your middle and high school history students with this no-prep, digital and printable lesson activities worksheet pack with an introductory Slide Deck and reinforces the concept of source usefulness using a compelling case study from World War II — the Kokoda Track Campaign.

Perfect for teaching students how to evaluate content and provenance, this resource uses primary and secondary sources related to Kokoda to develop critical historical thinking skills. It includes interactive worksheets, editable templates, scaffolded questions, and a step-by-step slide deck designed to guide students in writing structured and insightful responses to the classic question: “How useful is this source to a historian studying the Kokoda Campaign?”

This resource teaches students to evaluate a source's usefulness based on author credibility, publication date, purpose, and format, turning daunting tasks into engaging activities.

Product Purpose and Benefits:

✔ Develop students’ ability to evaluate sources using content and provenance

✔ Build confidence in answering source utility questions using clear frameworks

✔ Strengthen key source analysis and critical thinking skills

✔ Ideal preparation for document-based assessments and exam-style questions

✔ Connect historical skills with authentic World War II context

Resources:

• Editable Introductory Slide Deck - 4 slides
• Focus question for the task
• 2 Relevant primary or/and secondary sources
• Print and Digital Source Analysis worksheet
• Source Usefulness Analysis Worksheet
• SOurce Examination solution
• Complete lesson and skills within the 1 task

Why This Resource Stands Out:

This lesson goes beyond basic comprehension and equips students with analytical tools they can apply across topics and assessments. By using the Kokoda Track as a meaningful and context-rich case study, it builds both historical knowledge and source literacy, helping students make informed, evidence-based arguments.

How to Use This Resource:

Slide Deck (10 min):

Introduce key concepts of source usefulness using the guided presentation.

Source Worksheet (15–20 min):

Students examine two Kokoda sources, identifying key content and provenance features.

Usefulness Task (15–20 min):

Students write a structured response evaluating each source’s usefulness to a historian.

Discussion (10 min):

Class discussion to compare source value and reflect on historical interpretation.

Learn more about this product’s features, care instructions, and other useful details to help you make an informed choice.

Learn more about this product’s features, care instructions, and other useful details to help you make an informed choice.