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Australia: A Trip Down Under
Facilitators: Neva Odom, Susan Mcgehee, Anna Sumrall, Allison Herrington
PowerPoint Presentation:
- Overview: (Philosophy/Mission Statement/Objectives)
- Philosophy: Provide an educational experience for the students in which they will learn about and become more appreciative of other cultures and their surrounding environment.
- Mission Statement: To produce thinking and caring agents who can go into the world and find solutions to our current ethical, social, and environmental problems.
- Objectives:
- Be aware that other cultures exist
- Be concerned about environmental issues
- Be conscientious of their effects on the world
- What is our responsibility toward our planet?
- Why should we care about environmental/ethical issues of other countries?
- Why is it important to understand another culture?
- How do actions in the past affect our present?
- Core
- What are some of the slang terms used in Australia?
- What are some of the unique architectural structures found in Australia?
- Why is the Sydney Opera House a symbol of Australia?
- What is the Great Barrier Reef?
- What makes up the Australian rain forest?
- Who are the Aborigines?
- What are some of the animal habitats of Australia?
- Connections
- How have our slang terms affected theirs? Visa Versa?
- How are the Aborigines similar to the Native Americans?
- How does the endangerment of the Tasmanian Devil relate to the extinction of the Tasmanian Tiger?
- What are the pros and cons of tourism in Australia?
- How does art affect architecture?
- Practice
- Why should we continue to advance our knowledge and understanding of ecology?
- Why should we continue to advance our knowledge and understanding of animals and animal habitats?
- Why do we need these jobs? (ecologists, anthropologists, zoologists, sociologists)
- Identity
- What is my responsibility to society and the environment?
- How does protecting the environment affect my future?
- How does studying other cultures influence my attitude toward others?
- How important is it for me to learn about other cultures?
- How can I look at my own language as a way to respond?
Activities:
Sydney Opera House
The teacher will show a brief PowerPoint on the Sydney Opera House. The PowerPoint contains some basic facts about the Sydney Opera House and how it is an icon of Australia. The students were then asked to think of icons of America and then icons of themselves. The teacher will then show the students a piece of origami based on the Opera House. The students will then be asked to pick a piece of origami that is an icon of themselves or their family. The students will be provided with books and the Internet to research an object that they are interested in making.
Great Barrier Reef
The teacher will show a brief PowerPoint on the Great Barrier Reef which is located off the northeast coast of Australia and is one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The PowerPoint contains some basic facts about the reef and the plant and animal life that lives there. The main focus of the lesson will be the effects of tourism and other hazards that affect the reef. The students will be asked to think about whether tourism, which brings in over 1 billion dollars each year, should continue. The students will be asked to pick sides on the issue, do some research, and prepare for a debate defending their side of the issue. The groups will be given time to share to information that they found and come up with possible solutions to address the problems raised.
The students will then be allowed to create a Great Barrier Reef habitat. The students will have the choice of creating a shoe box diorama, painting a picture, creating a collage with clip art, or any other idea they come up with. The students will use a variety of art supplies provided to create their habitats. They can also label the plant and animal life that they created.
Didgeridoos
The teacher will show the students some pictures of a didgeridoo which is a musical instrument played by the Aborigines tribes in Australia. The students will then paint their own didgeridoo made out of PVC pipes. Students will then be allowed to go outside and play their didgeridoos. The teacher will also prepare didgeridoos ahead of time that are different lengths and diameters. The students will be allowed to experiment with the didgeridoos and listen for the different sounds that they make.
Aborigine X-ray Art
The teacher will show the students a brief PowerPoint about the Aborigine people of Australia. The PowerPoint includes pictures and a brief history of this group of people along with some of their artwork called x-ray art. The teacher will explain that x-ray art is made to resemble the inside skeleton of animals. The students will then be allowed to research an animal that they would want to sketch and paint. Computers will be made available and assistance will be provided for those students who need help. Then the students with sketch and color or paint their pictures.
Boomerangs
The teacher will ask the students what they know about boomerangs. The teacher will then explain that boomerangs were used as weapons by the Aborigine people. There are two types, returning and non-returning, and several different shapes and sizes. The teacher will show students pictures or examples of various boomerangs. The students will then be allowed to make their own boomerangs and test them to see which ones work the best. The students will be provided with various templates are be allowed to design their own. A variety of materials will be used such as cardboard, poster board, cardstock, paper plates, and any similar materials. The students will then be given the chance to go outside and test out their boomerangs.
Cricket
The teacher will show the students a short video on the basics of the game of cricket. Cricket is a very popular game in Australia. The teacher will then discuss basic cricket rules and how it compares to American baseball. The teacher will then organize a game of cricket outside for the students to get a basic idea of how to play cricket.
Nor’ go
Nor’ goes are small toys that the Aborigines play with. The toy is made with a large button (or similar object) that is threaded with yarn or string on both sides of the button. The students will paint the button before constructing the toy. The string is then tied in a tight knot on the end. Next place a finger on each end of the string and spin the string round and round until it is wind up tight. Then pull quickly over and over again and watch the button spin and listen to the interesting sound that it makes.
Aborigine face painting
The teacher will explain the importance of face and body paint to the Aborigine people. Each symbol and design had a specific significance and purpose. Once a design was chosen or assigned then it was not changed until unless the individual moved up the hierarchy of the tribe. The teacher will also show the students various pictures of what the paintings look like on the Aborigines. The students will then be allowed to come up with a design that they want painted on their face. The students will paint each others faces with the chosen designs. The students who do not want their face painted will be allowed to draw and paint a picture of what they would want their face to look like.
Australian Holidays
The teacher will begin by asking the students about some of the holidays we celebrate in American and some of the special traditions that they have with their families. Then the teacher will ask the students what kind of holidays they think are celebrated in Australia. The teacher will discuss some of the holidays that are important to the Australian people. Australians celebrate Australia Day in January which a holiday that commemorates the day the first British fleet landed in what is known today as Sydney. Their festivities for the day are similar to our July 4th. They have barbeques, picnics, fireworks, and other related activities. Another interesting holiday in Australia is Christmas. They celebrate Christmas in many of the same ways we do with Christmas trees, lights, cards, carols, etc. The major difference is that Christmas takes place during their summer months. The teacher and students will then discuss the similarities and differences between the holidays that they learned about. The Australians have rewritten words to Jingle Bells and the Twelve Days of Christmas to fit the ways they celebrate the holiday. The teacher will play the song and allow the students to sing along with the new words. The teacher will display the words for the song or provide handouts with the words.
Culminating Activity
The students will be given a collection of pictures of them and some group pictures that have been taken throughout the workshop. The students will design a collage displaying their “trip” from the week. The students will be given one table to display their collage and all other activities that they made throughout the week. When the parents come, the students will stand by their table and discuss their adventures from the week.
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