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Why is it useful to have a big bad wolf character in stories?

Watch this clip to hear Andy Griffiths explain why it's good to have villains in stories. How can the "big bad wolf" character help to move the story along? Think about some of the stories you've read lately. Which characters were the "big bad wolf" characters and what did they add to the stories? 

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Introducing the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra's woodwind section

What do the instruments in the woodwind section of the orchestra have in common? Can you make a list of all the instruments in this section? Some of them might be familiar, but some of them might be new to you. Choose one of the instruments that's new to you and do some research to find out more about it.

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For the Juniors: Why do cows make milk?

Have you ever wondered why cows make milk? In this clip you will learn the answer to this question. You will also see how cows are milked in a large dairy. Join Bill, a dairy farmer, as he tends to his herd of dairy cows.

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Count Us In, Ep 8: How many are left?

Flynn and Dodly are practising their magic tricks. They are trying to make eggs, muffins and even guinea pigs disappear. Help our two friendly monsters work out how many should be left after their disappearing tricks.

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Feathers, Fur and Fins: A song about koalas

Some people mistakenly call a koala a bear, but it's not. Listen to this fun song by Don Spencer to find out how a koala might feel about being called a bear.

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Feathers, Fur and Fins: Observing a flying fox

Take a close look at the flying mammal called the flying fox, or fruit bat. Watch these furry flyers as they leave their roosts to find food. Discover how and why they climb trees. See how these animals fly like birds but are not birds.

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John Glover: 'Patterdale landscape with cattle' c. 1833

John Glover migrated to Tasmania in 1831, arriving on his 64th birthday. He is considered one of Australia's most important artists of the early 19th century and the colonial period. This piece was one of the first he completed after taking up a land grant in Patterdale on the Nile River. The pastoral scene depicts the ...

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How to Build Stories, Ch 2: Creating characters for your story

Great characters help us fall in love with stories. Characters need to keep readers excited, but they also need to think and feel in ways we can all understand, and they need to remind us of people in our own lives. Follow these fantastic tips to create interesting, relatable characters!

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For the Juniors: Drawing a floor plan

How do we know what a house will look like before it is built? Discover how house plans work by looking at the design of a house that Hugo's family is going to build. See how a floor plan shows the room layout. See drawings of what the house will look like from different views.

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Unplugged Activity: What is computer science?

Do you know what a computer programmer does? Watch as some experts in the field explain. For more information on the activities introduced in this video, visit http://learn.code.org/s/1/level/1

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For the Juniors: Measure ingredients to make a cake

Sarah is following a recipe. There are some different units of measure used in the recipe. Watch the video to see what these measurement words are. How much of each ingredient is needed? How are the ingredients combined to make the cake?

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How to Use Scratch: Creating an interactive Holiday Card Activity

Looking for a simple project to get you started in Scratch? Add characters, animate them, create and share your own interactive Holiday Card.

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MathXplosion, Ep 46: Can you solve the Three Cups Problem?

Find three cups, place them in a line and turn one cup facing down. Can you get all three cups facing down after making exactly three moves? The one rule is: for every move, two cups must be flipped simultaneously. Since the goal is to get all three cups facing down (an odd number) and you start with one cup facing down ...

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Writing drafts with Sally Rippin

Listen as Sally Rippin describes how her reading feeds into her writing. Why does she sometimes stop reading when she's in the early stages of writing a new story? Do you write a few drafts of your stories before you get to your final version? What does Sally say about the first draft of a story?

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Sculpting ideas into stories with Andy Griffiths

Watch this clip to learn how Andy Griffiths turns his ideas into stories. In particular, listen to the way Andy describes how his collaboration with illustrator Terry Denton works. Now team up with a friend or family member and take on the roles of author and illustrator. What ideas can you come up with by working together? ...

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What inspires you to write

If you love to write, have you wondered why? Reflect on some reasons why you (or anyone else) might love writing, then watch Lili Wilkinson describe why she loves to write. How important is curiosity to her? How is that curiosity linked to empathy and why is that important to being a good writer?

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How to make a story interesting

To make a good story, author Tony Wilson says you need your characters to either make difficult decisions or do something difficult. Can you think of any good stories you've read where neither of these things happen? It's very difficult! Think about a tricky decision you've had to make or perhaps it's a tricky thing you've ...

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Listening for rhythm with author Tony Wilson

Tony Wilson says that listening to rhyming books is like listening to music. How are they similar? Read a rhyming book out loud or ask someone to read one to you, and see if you can hear the rhythm. Can you clap along to it? Think about rhythm when you write your next story. Can you write something that has a beat?

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How to get better at writing in rhyme

What does author Tony Wilson suggest doing to improve your rhyming skills? Why do you think reading might help? Are you familiar with the books and authors Tony mentions? Dame Lynley Dodd is the author of the Hairy Maclary books and Julia Donaldson is another successful author who uses rhyming in her books. Look them up ...

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Kids in the Garden, Ep 4: Plant leaves

Leaves come in many shapes, sizes, colours and textures. Watch this clip to discover how leaves make their own food and transport energy to the rest of the plant. See how they can even be useful after they've fallen to the ground. Presenter Nick Hardcastle and some young helpers will also show you a fun, creative activity ...