ROYAL FLYING DOCTORS WORKSHEET
1. Get together with friends in groups of 3-4 students. Invent an Aussie-themed name for your group (e.g. Redback Spiders, Koalas, Uluru, Botany Bay Groupers etc.)
2. Read the info about RFDS and write 5 quiz questions for another team.
3. Post the questions in the comments below.
2014/11/27
2014/11/26
E & F: Endangered species, education, Flying Doctors and a surprise ;)
Before we continue with the rest of topics beginning with "F", we're coming back to the letter "E" or a while.
E: Endangered and Extinct Species.
Read about the factors that threaten Australian wildlife here. (You don't have to read it all - just look at:
A. Habitat loss, change and fragmentation
B. Invasive plants and animals)
We are also going to spend some time talking about the fate of this unfortunate little fellow. Click on the picture to learn more.
E: (long distance) education.
This video unfortunatelly has a Danish commentary, but it still gives a wonderful insight into what The School of the Air is and how it operates. Have a look:
Here you can read about The School of the Air.
Do you know what special day it was?
Let's hear more form the historians because it should remind you the topic we covered last week:
F: The Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia. We'll have a closer look at their work and importance for communities living in distant, remote areas of Australia.
(click on the picture)
***
E: Endangered and Extinct Species.
Read about the factors that threaten Australian wildlife here. (You don't have to read it all - just look at:
A. Habitat loss, change and fragmentation
B. Invasive plants and animals)
We are also going to spend some time talking about the fate of this unfortunate little fellow. Click on the picture to learn more.
E: (long distance) education.
This video unfortunatelly has a Danish commentary, but it still gives a wonderful insight into what The School of the Air is and how it operates. Have a look:
Here you can read about The School of the Air.
(Click on the picture to visit Alice Springs School of the Air website).
***
F:????
"At the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve 1900, as the clock ticked into 1901 and the 20th century, whistles, gongs, church bells, rattles, pots, pans, accordions and all manner of noise-makers joined the sirens of boats on Sydney Harbour.
"At the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve 1900, as the clock ticked into 1901 and the 20th century, whistles, gongs, church bells, rattles, pots, pans, accordions and all manner of noise-makers joined the sirens of boats on Sydney Harbour.
It was to be a special day"
Let's hear more form the historians because it should remind you the topic we covered last week:
"Just after that midnight, a storm broke and winds gusting up to 50 miles an hour swept into Sydney. Forty points of rain drenched the harbour city.
But the New Year’s Day morning of 1901 broke clear and fine, and an eight-kilometre procession headed out to Centennial Park, just beyond Paddington, where the federation rites, uniting the erstwhile separate British colonies into one federal Commonwealth, finally took place."
F: The Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia. We'll have a closer look at their work and importance for communities living in distant, remote areas of Australia.
(click on the picture)
***
2014/11/24
Quiz "Australia letters A to F"
... is now active. It will close on Saturday, December 6th.
Please log on HERE
If you haven't received your login and password, please email me.
If there are any technical problems, please let me know in the comments section uder this post.
Have fun and good luck :)
Please log on HERE
If you haven't received your login and password, please email me.
If there are any technical problems, please let me know in the comments section uder this post.
Have fun and good luck :)
2014/11/19
F (part 1): Fire & Flood
Most of the class will be taken up by my presentation, but please read/watch the materials below.
Australian weather has never been easy on the settlers. Southern regions suffer from severe fires, while the North often faces tropical cyclones and floods.
Click the picture above to watch a heartbreaking account of Black Saturday - the 2009 Victorian Bushfires.
Click the picture below to learn more about the 2009 Queensland Flood.
IMPORTANT: YOU WILL HAVE SOME PRACTICAL TASKS TO DO IN THE CLASS SO PLEASE BRING SOME COLOURED MARKERS! :-)
***
Australian weather has never been easy on the settlers. Southern regions suffer from severe fires, while the North often faces tropical cyclones and floods.
Click the picture above to watch a heartbreaking account of Black Saturday - the 2009 Victorian Bushfires.
Click the picture below to learn more about the 2009 Queensland Flood.
IMPORTANT: YOU WILL HAVE SOME PRACTICAL TASKS TO DO IN THE CLASS SO PLEASE BRING SOME COLOURED MARKERS! :-)
***
2014/11/12
D & E: going back in time
And here we go with another set of topics. This week we'll have history mixed with some cultural information.
The topics are:
1. Diggers and Discipline
So far we had a look at the beginning of colony from the point of view of Aborigines, convicts and free settlers. The last group affected were the British soldiers and convict overseers. They may seem as the most priviliged group, but that's not entirely true.
Click on the link in the title to learn a little more.
And you can play this song in the background as you read:
2. Darwin
Now something cheerful to follow the previous topic- click on the picture to watch a clip showing Darwin from the point of view of an insider.
And then read the inevitable bit of historical trivia. [But please do not memorise the names of ships or numbers of casulties, I'm not going to quiz you on that! ;-) ]
3. Demographics (ethnic groups)
The topics are:
1. Diggers and Discipline
So far we had a look at the beginning of colony from the point of view of Aborigines, convicts and free settlers. The last group affected were the British soldiers and convict overseers. They may seem as the most priviliged group, but that's not entirely true.
Click on the link in the title to learn a little more.
And you can play this song in the background as you read:
2. Darwin
Now something cheerful to follow the previous topic- click on the picture to watch a clip showing Darwin from the point of view of an insider.
And then read the inevitable bit of historical trivia. [But please do not memorise the names of ships or numbers of casulties, I'm not going to quiz you on that! ;-) ]
3. Demographics (ethnic groups)
4. Exploration
A. Let's start with European discovery and colonisation. We have already talked about James Cook and the First Fleet, but this time please concentrate on non English explorers. Click the map to get some information (focus on nationalities only). Go here to see the chronology of landings, and here to see a cute animation.
B. Our second topic is a little tricky - excavation. But we will not be talking about gold - not just yet! ;-)
In fact what we are going to discuss is Australia's fossil past. Click on the picture to read some fascinating facts.
***
***
A. Let's start with European discovery and colonisation. We have already talked about James Cook and the First Fleet, but this time please concentrate on non English explorers. Click the map to get some information (focus on nationalities only). Go here to see the chronology of landings, and here to see a cute animation.
B. Our second topic is a little tricky - excavation. But we will not be talking about gold - not just yet! ;-)
In fact what we are going to discuss is Australia's fossil past. Click on the picture to read some fascinating facts.
***
***
2014/11/06
2014/11/05
C (part 2): culture, customs, cars and cinema
As you remember our course is about BOTH Australian history and its culture.
This week we are going to step aside from the chronological path for a moment in order to delve deeper into the Aussie soul.
We'll be talking about following topics:
1. customs
Two very interesting (if somewhat ridiculous) videos here:
Video 1
Video 2
Drinking etiquette as described on my favourite website.
Click on the picture to see a really thought-provoking social commentary on The Australian Citizenship Test.
2. car fetishism
Aussies LOVE their cars. Watch the clips and try to work out which two cars have cult status in Australia.
car 1:
Road Warrior (1981)
Love the Beast (2009)
car 2:
Two Hands (1999)
[it's a very vague clue, pay attention to the first shot]
If you are still confused go here, type the title(s) in the search box, and then read "plot" and "trivia" sections.
***For movie buffs only***
The Cars That Ate Paris (1974) - a film from Peter Weir, the same director who later shot the cult classic Picnic at Hanging Rock, and such films as Dead Poets Society and recently Master and Commander.
3. cinema (industry and film festivals)
Australian Tropfest is the world's largest short film festival. Visit their official site, browse around, and find out some information about the rules and the venue. You can also watch some competition films. They are all under 7 minutes long, so it won't take you too long ;-)
The ones which I would recommend are: The Story of Bubble Boy and An Imaginary Life.
4. Canberra
This week we are going to step aside from the chronological path for a moment in order to delve deeper into the Aussie soul.
We'll be talking about following topics:
1. customs
Two very interesting (if somewhat ridiculous) videos here:
Video 1
Video 2
Drinking etiquette as described on my favourite website.
Click on the picture to see a really thought-provoking social commentary on The Australian Citizenship Test.
2. car fetishism
Aussies LOVE their cars. Watch the clips and try to work out which two cars have cult status in Australia.
car 1:
Road Warrior (1981)
Love the Beast (2009)
car 2:
Two Hands (1999)
[it's a very vague clue, pay attention to the first shot]
If you are still confused go here, type the title(s) in the search box, and then read "plot" and "trivia" sections.
***For movie buffs only***
The Cars That Ate Paris (1974) - a film from Peter Weir, the same director who later shot the cult classic Picnic at Hanging Rock, and such films as Dead Poets Society and recently Master and Commander.
3. cinema (industry and film festivals)
Australian Tropfest is the world's largest short film festival. Visit their official site, browse around, and find out some information about the rules and the venue. You can also watch some competition films. They are all under 7 minutes long, so it won't take you too long ;-)
The ones which I would recommend are: The Story of Bubble Boy and An Imaginary Life.
4. Canberra
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