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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.

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The Arrival: Unit of work

This unit of work has been written to support the textless graphic novel The Arrival. The book draws its inspiration from tales of migrants in past and recent times. Find themes related to the Australian landscape, colonisation, connection to place, fear, identity, isolation, marginalisation and the migrant experience. ...

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The Boat: Unit of work

This unit of work has been written to support the short story collection The Boat. Identity is a significant theme along with definitions of place, concepts of home, emotional and geographical dislocation, and trust. This unit provides practical teaching ideas, an assessment task and an essay by Catherine Cole

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The Coconut Children: Unit of work

This unit of work has been written to support The Coconut Children novel which is a coming of age story that follows two Vietnamese Australian teenagers as they navigate their final years of school. It includes themes of cultural identity, family, friendship, intergenerational trauma, loyalty, the migrant experience and ...

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Jennifer Byrne Presents: Should some YA novels be banned?

Ever since Mark Twain's 'Adventures of Huckleberry Finn' was published in 1884, books for teenagers have come under close scrutiny by adults concerned about their appropriateness for younger audiences. Why are some adults so worried about what teenagers read? Are they right to be concerned? Explore the tricky topic of censorship ...

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Radio National: Was Shakespeare psychic, or just a smart guy?

Shakespeare's plays are strangely relevant to today's world. Could he see what the world would be like 400 years into the future, or is it just that humans haven't changed much? Hear Phillip Adams and John Bell (actor and director of the Bell Shakespeare company) discussing Shakespeare's enduring relevance, as well as his ...

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Radio National: Lies, deceit and bad driving in 'The Great Gatsby'

Questions of morality are frequently probed by writers. F Scott Fitzgerald explores the human propensity for deceit in one of the most intriguing characters in 'The great Gatsby', Jordan Baker. This clip from 'Books and arts daily' on Radio National is one in a series of eight.

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Radio National: 'The Great Gatsby' and Baz's blockbuster

Have you ever been drawn into one of those arguments about which is better: the film or the book? In this clip, explore some responses to Baz Luhrmann's film adaptation of 'The Great Gatsby' and discover some of the factors that influence people's evaluations. It would be boring if we all had the same opinions, but have ...

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Heywire: Life-changing moments: from basketball to guitar

Sometimes devastating events have a silver lining. Brendon Reynolds's life changed completely after a major injury during a basketball game. Hear how as you listen to his Heywire audio story.<br /><br />Could you write or record a story about yourself and/or your community? The ABC's Heywire competition calls for stories ...

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Representing Sydney's suburbs, 1965

In this clip from the mid-60s, explore how words and images can be combined to encourage particular interpretations and influence audience response. Explore how some of the inner suburbs of Sydney have been represented in history.

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First Tuesday Book Club: Pride and Prejudice

We all like different types of novels. But how do we go beyond just saying a novel is 'good' or 'bad'? Discover what the First Tuesday Book Club panellists say about the classic and perhaps first romantic comedy, Jane Austen's 'Pride and Prejudice'.

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Heywire: To disconnect or not to disconnect?

How often are you ever truly alone? Today's technology can mean that we're in constant contact with friends and family. In this Heywire audio story, Dayna Duncan shares a time when she both needed to be connected and to balance her use of social media with other priorities in her life.<br /><br /> Could you write or record ...

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Radio National: Pink suits and circus wagons in 'The Great Gatsby'

Part of the success of F Scott Fitzgerald's novel 'The Great Gatsby' is the intriguing title character, Jay Gatsby. In this audio clip, explore the effect that Fitzgerald's skilfully-constructed character has on those who read the novel. Find out what makes this character so intriguing.

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Lifting the lid on Gothic literature

What comes to mind when you think of 'Gothic fiction'? What are some of the characteristics of the genre? In this clip from the British Library, Professor John Bowen from the University of York suggests the Gothic tradition emerged in literature with the publication of Horace Walpole's The Castle of Qtranto in 1764 and ...

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Great Expectations: The fortunes of happiness

Does wealth bring happiness? Can people transcend their upbringing? Professor John Bowen from the University of York considers the manner in which these questions are addressed in Charles Dickens' Great Expectations. As you listen, think not only about the references to Dickens' classic novel, but also about your life and ...

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Interviews With 10 Australian Authors, Ch 7: Playing with Hannie Rayson

It was while Hannie Rayson was at acting school that she realised she wanted to be a playwright. In this interview led by Tom Tilley she talks about how she began writing plays, why she became interested in the notion of Anglo Australian art and culture, and how all her characters are in some way an embodiment of herself.

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Hillside erosion: how to stop it

Find out what is causing erosion of the hills in a local area, and how this damage can be prevented. View this clip called 'Willunga Hills are falling down', created by young reporters from Willunga Primary School, South Australia. The clip was developed as part of the ABC Splash Live 'Making the news!' project, which featured ...

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First Tuesday Book Club: Moby Dick

What was Herman Melville aiming for when he wrote his masterpiece? Listen to Jennifer Byrne, David Malouf, Marieke Hardy, Jason Steger and Johanna Featherstone discuss their reactions to 'Moby Dick'. Is the novel just a detailed treatise (commentary) on whales and whaling, or is it an allegory (fable) teaching us about ...

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First Tuesday Book Club: Confabulating on 'Cold Comfort Farm'

Join in the debate about whether the 1932 novel 'Cold Comfort Farm' by Stella Gibbons should be considered a classic. The novel follows Flora Poste, a young woman who moves in with her country relatives in a village called Howling. It parodies other novels that represented rural life as woeful, and is filled with delightfully ...

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Gubuluk

Listen as Anne Gela tells the story of "Gubuluk". Anne is a Mualgal woman from the St Paul community of Moa Island, which is in the inner-west Torres Strait group of islands. Can you find Moa Island on a map? Anne speaks Big Thap Creole/Yumplatok.