Ned's Head (ATOM Study Guide)

Ned's Head (Prospero Productions, 2010) is a 50-minute documentary that allows students to 'do' history by following a trail of scientific, documentary, and physical evidence.

A human skull shrouded in mystery and controversy is handed in to authorities. It is allegedly the long-lost skull of legendary Australian outlaw Ned Kelly, stolen over thirty years ago. Now a team of forensic scientists use state-of-the-art technology to discover the skull's true identity. It's an investigation which will reopen the mystery of what happened to Ned's body after he was hanged. Was he dissected and his head removed? What happened to his remains? In solving the mystery of Ned's head, the team will discover much more than the skull's identity.

CURRICULUM APPLICABILITYNed's Head is a suitable resource for use with middle/senior secondary classes in:

• History/SOSE/HSIE – Ned Kelly / What is history?
• Science – DNA
• Film Studies – Making a documentary film