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Video

Immigration: fill it or lose it, 1992

This video clip looks at the political forces and propaganda campaigns that tried to fill Australia with 'pure white' immigrants. 'Immigration: fill it or lose it' is an excerpt from the documentary 'Admission impossible' (54 min), produced in 1992. For much of the 20th century, successive Australian governments pursued ...

Video

Talkback Classroom, 2007: Yirrkala bark petition

In this clip Franchesca Cubillo (senior curator at the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory) talks to secondary students about the significance of Aboriginal artwork and the Yirrkala bark petition of 1963. She says that when a bauxite mine was proposed on the Gove Pensinsula, the Yolngu people at Yirrkala had ...

Video

John Curtin's Australian Journalists Association badge, 2007

Prime Minister John Curtin's journalistic instincts came in handy during World War II when he kept the media onside with secret press briefings. He wore his AJA badge every day he was in office. 'John Curtin's Australian Journalists Association badge' is an episode from the series 'The prime ministers' national treasures', ...

Image

'Gold digging in Australia 1852: bad results'

This is the first of a pair of oval watercolours, measuring 20.2 cm x 26.4 cm, painted by Samuel Thomas Gill (1818-80), a famous colonial artist. It shows two gold miners sitting dejectedly beside their mine, probably on the Victorian gold fields. Behind the men is a windlass, as well as their wheelbarrow, pick and spade. ...

Image

Concert room at Ballarat, 1855

This is a watercolour, measuring 22.8 cm x 31.9 cm, by Samuel Thomas Gill (1818-80), a famous colonial artist. It shows Charles Thatcher (1831-78), a comic singer well known on the gold fields, performing popular songs on stage at the Charlie Napier Hotel in Ballarat with a female accompanist. The painting has the artist's ...

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'The claim disputed', c1852

This is a watercolour, measuring 19.4 cm x 25.4 cm, by Samuel Thomas Gill (1818-80), a famous colonial artist. It shows a well-dressed man - presumably the Gold Commissioner - arbitrating a dispute over a claim involving three diggers, probably on the Victorian gold fields. Two of the diggers are in animated discussion ...

Downloadable

Movie magic

This resource provides eight lessons about the process of movie making in Australia through the various production steps from writing, shooting and editing the film to promotion of the finished film. It considers the legal rights of the creators and the responsibilities of consumers. The lesson plans are accompanied by ...

Online

Creating an Indigenous plant-use garden: vision

Planning for an Indigenous plant-use garden is a good way to develop a connection with and respect for First Nations people's perspectives. Use this learning activity to explore exciting ideas, create goals and understand more about successful Indigenous plant-use garden projects. Outcomes of this learning activity are ...

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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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Aesop’s Fables: Comedy and Tragedy Masks

In this teaching activity, students will explore how characters from fables express their thoughts and feelings in comedy and tragedy plays? The activity encourages insights into human nature and making connections between ancient Greek culture and contemporary cultures.

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Performing a Haiku: How can spoken word transform a poem?

In this lesson, students will reflect on small moments of peace or happiness to write an original haiku. Students will demonstrate spoken word to perform a haiku for an audience.

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Staging Shakespeare: How do you stage a comedy scene?

In this lesson, students will explore the nature of comedy by informally staging the opening scenes from William Shakespeare’s play, As You Like It. Students will apply a variety of stylistic approaches to stage scenes from the play, then perform for an audience.

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Living off our waters

Teachers can enrich their curriculum by teaching students about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander sustainable resource management, highlighting the profound link between Indigenous cultures and the environment. Different land areas need to be managed differently, in this resource students will investigate a range of ...

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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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Understanding and respecting cultural narratives

Teachers guide students to explore cultural narratives through a film that highlights the rich traditions, morals, and storytelling techniques of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People.

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47 Degrees: Unit of work

This unit of work has been written to support 47 Degrees, an account of the experiences of writer Justin D'Ath during the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires in Victoria. Explore themes of belonging, bravery, community, grief, resilience and the environment. This unit provides practical teaching ideas and an assessment task

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Tracks: Unit of work

This unit of work has been written to support the autobiographical account by Robyn Davidson of her journey in the 1970s across 1,700 miles of Australian desert to the sea with four camels and a dog for company. This unit provides practical teaching ideas, an assessment task and an essay by Tony Birch.

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While The Billy Boils: Unit of work

Fifty-two of Henry Lawson’s stories and sketches, first published in newspapers and magazines from 1888 onwards, were gathered in the collection While The Billy Boils. This unit focuses on that collection of writing and provides practical teaching ideas, an assessment task and an essay by Peter Craven.

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Us Mob Walawurru: Unit of work

This unit of work has been written to support the book Us Mob Walawurru. The book is set in the 1960s in an Aboriginal community in Central Australia and follows the life of a young Luritja girl. It explores the cultural challenges faced by both the community members and non-Indigenous people. The story touches on various ...

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Mirror: Unit of work

This unit of work has been written to support Mirror, a picture story book set in Morocco. It explores themes of family, identity, and cultural interactions. This unit provides practical teaching ideas, an assessment task and an essay by Robin Morrow.