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Utopian Monologues

In this teaching activity, students are introduced to the idea of a “utopia”—an idealized society. Students will read Sir Thomas More’s Utopia and examine the concepts behind his vision of an ideal society. Students then compare the ideas in Utopia with those found in the Bill of Rights. They will then write and perform ...

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Adapting a Musical

How can stories transform into a musical theatre adaptation? In this teaching activity, students will develop a musical from a book, play, or short story. They will bring the story to the stage through movements and song by analysing elements of a story and adopting creative team roles.

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Shadow Puppet Plays

How did shadow puppetry share Chinese culture along the Silk Road? In this unit, students will gain an understanding of the dynamics of trade in China along the Silk Road and the role of trade in urbanisation throughout the Han, Tang, and Song dynasties. They will create puppets and produce shadow puppet performances about ...

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The Making of Monsters

In this lesson, students will investigate monsters in film and across cultures. Students will analyse film scores and soundtracks that feature monsters. Students will create original conceptions of a monster to present in a multimedia presentation.

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Setting the Story

In this lesson, students will examine setting as a significant element of fiction. They will learn to use elements of mood and spatial order as methods of creating realistic settings. Students will write a short story describing a scene then create sketches interpreting their peers' writing pieces.

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Mountain Creation

In this lesson, students will dramatize the ways a mountain can be formed. They will analyse poems about mountain creation from the perspective of the Tohono O’odham indigenous people of Arizona and Mexico. Students will compare the poems to science-based descriptions of mountain formation.

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Painting: The Art of Self Expression

How are elements of art and styles expressed through painting? In this K-2 lesson, students will explore elements of art and different artists' techniques to create various styles of paintings. Students will interpret art and describe styles by using key vocabulary terms when discussing paintings.

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Your child's literacy development milestones

This suite of information is ideal for educating families about their child's literacy development . It provides a guide to development in the areas of oral language, reading and writing. Key milestones are listed within broad age groups: beginning (0-3 years), early emergent (3 to 5 years) and early years of school. The ...

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Phonics: a guide for families

This information is ideal for educating families about phonics including why and how it is taught in schools, and how families can help at home. The information can also be downloaded as a PDF in English and 11 other languages.

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What is the Year 1 Phonics Check?

This information is ideal for educating families about the Year 1 Phonics Check (a free assessment that assesses students' decoding skills). It provides links to a list of words similar to the ones used in the Phonics Check, and a guide that explains how the words should be pronounced.

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Sea Country: Unit of work

This unit of work has been written to support the book Sea Country. In this picture book, Aunty Patsy Cameron shares the stories and traditions from her family’s seasonal life on Flinders Island in Tasmania. Find out when to pick ripe wild cherries, when the moon (mutton) birds fly home and how the nautilus shells smell ...

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Staircase to the Moon: Unit of work

This unit of work has been written to support the book Staircase to the Moon. This picture book shares a little girl’s imagination as she dreams about journeying to the moon. It is about courage and imagination. This unit includes practical ideas for using this book in your classroom.

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Thank you rain! Unit of work

This unit of work has been written to support the book Thank you rain! The book celebrates the new life and sense of renewal that comes with rain. Themes of weather, the natural environment and gratitude form part of the book. This unit includes practical ideas for using this book in your classroom.

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The Old Frangipani Tree at Flying Fish Point: Unit of work

This unit of work has been written to support the book The Old Frangipani Tree at Flying Fish Point. The book is an encouraging tale of overcoming the social expectations that sometimes hold us back from success. Themes include the importance of courage, confidence, family and community. This unit includes practical ideas ...

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The Sweetest Egg of All: Unit of work

This unit of work has been written to support the book The Sweetest Egg of All. The book is part of a series of books about the Bush Mob, a group of animals who work together to solve problems. These stories emphasise respect, friendship, action, honesty, problem-solving and teamwork. The book provides opportunities to ...

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Deadly D & Justice Jones: Making the Team: Unit of work

This unit of work has been written to support the book Deadly D & Justice Jones: Making the Team. The fast-paced narrative of the book incorporates the NRL and Rugby League as key components. It explores themes such as bullying and friendship and emotions such as anger. This unit includes practical ideas for using this ...

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The Mark of the Wagarl: Unit of work

This unit of work has been written to support the book The Mark of the Wagarl. The book tells the story of Maadjit Walken, the Sacred Rainbow Serpent, mother spirit and creator of the Nyoongar Country of south west Western Australia. The story shares how a young boy receives the Maadjit Wagarl for his totem. This unit includes ...

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The Toast Tree: Unit of work

This unit of work has been written to support the book The Toast Tree. The book is about the special bond between grandparents and their grandchildren. It explores themes relevant to discussions about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures. It emphasises the importance of storytelling and respect for nature, and ...

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The First Fleet

In this unit, students explore the many perspectives surrounding the significance of the 26th of January in Australia. They hear from Traditional Custodians about the laws, protocols and welcoming practices that existed for thousands of years before colonisation, and understand that these practices were not observed nor ...

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A World of Myths

How did past civilizations explain natural phenomena? In this teaching activity students will explore how myths help to explain nature and science. Students will read, discuss, and draw comparisons between creation myths and explanatory myths. Examples of myths are included in the unit.