Off to Oz...

PROCESS & RESOURCES - 1
What do you now about Australia?

What do you think?

Which of these are unique to Australia, or come from Australia?

the koala, the ostrich, the platypus, the aardvark, AC/DC, Nirvana, Harrison Ford, Nicole Kidman, “Neighbours”, kiwi fruit, Russell Crowe, Savage Garden, The Sears Tower, the Opera House, The Great Barrier Reef

Now search the Internet to find out if you are right

Use an on-line encyclopaedia like:

• http://www.britannica.com/atlas?region=oceania
  
• http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761568792/Australia.html

Here are some other useful sites:

• http://plasma.nationalgeographic.com/mapmachine/
  (a geographical site)
  
  
• http://www.chartcentral.com/
  (A music site)
  
  

Remember to “bookmark” interesting sites you find. You might need them later!

What else do you know and not know about Australia?

Make lists using these categories:

• Geography and climate
• Culture and lifestyle
• Famous People
• History
• Other interesting facts
  

When you have finished, compare your lists with other groups. When comparing you can use language like this:

• We think that ….
  
• As far as we know …..
  
• We don’t know …..
  
• We’re not sure …..
  
• We wonder …..
  
• We have no idea …..

Write a quiz.

Test other groups in your class. Here are some more words related to Australia.

Oz, Aussie, aborigine, cricket, Powderfinger, Canberra, Ian Thorpe, Utzon, emu, Ulhuru, Ned Kelly, Australian Rules, didgeridoo

Can you find out what they are? Look for information on the internet. Write 10 True/False sentences to read to other groups.

For example:

• “Oz is an aboriginal word that means Australia. True or false?”
  
• “Canberra is the national flower of Australia. True or false?”
  
  
  
  Use these websites:
• http://www.effect.net.au/lukastan/oz/Mainmenu.htm
  
• http://www.csu.edu.au/australia/
  
• http://aboriginalart.com.au/culture/default.htm
  
• http://ninemsn.com.au/
  
  (culture, geography, tourism and nature)
  
  

• http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761568792/Australia.html
• http://www.britannica.com/atlas?region=oceania
  
• http://plasma.nationalgeographic.com/mapmachine/
  
  (encyclopaedia, atlas, and multi-lingual dictionary)
  
  
  
• http://www.abc.net.au/learn/
  
• http://www.abc.net.au/children/show/list.htm
  
• http://www.chartcentral.com/
  
• http://www.abc.net.au/schoolstv/animals/
  
  (media sites: TV, radio, music, sport and recreation)
  

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