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Listed under:  Language  >  Text types  >  Imaginative texts  >  Narratives
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Creating characters with Sally Rippin

Listen as Sally Rippin talks about how her characters come to life. What does she say about the link between the writer and the characters they create? Why does she say that imagination is like a muscle?

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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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BTN: Tiwi music: Keeping an ancient culture alive

Discover how music and dance are helping to keep the traditions of the Tiwi people alive. The customs and stories of the Tiwi people have been passed on to new generations through storytelling, song and dance. Many of the remaining languages of Australia's ancient Indigenous cultures are being lost. Today there is a race ...

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Eugene von Guérard: 'Purrumbete from across the lake' 1858

Lured to Australia by the discovery of gold, Eugene von Guérard was the lead painter in the first century of European settlement. This piece is one of a pair that was commissioned by land owners Peter and John Manifold. Von Guérard was known for his mastery of landscapes, and his attention to detail and interest in the ...

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John Glover: 'Mr Robinson's house on the Derwent, Van Diemen's Land' c. 1838

Artists were often captivated by their first glimpse of the Australian landscape and portrayed the countryside with a sense of wonder. This example by John Glover includes trees with curled branches, brightly lit skies and colour infused hills. How does this image compare to others you have seen of this period?

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Conrad Martens: 'View from Rose Bank' 1840

Many early artists romanticised the Australian colonial landscape and did not always strictly paint what they saw. In this example Martens has given the landscape a decidedly Italian atmosphere, softening the colour palate and creating a more ‘civilised' view. Can you think of why the artist may be interested in changing ...

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What's that mystery instrument?

Watch this video to learn about a spooky sounding instrument called the theremin. How is it played? Listen as it joins the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra to play music from the TV show Dr Who. Do you like the sounds it makes? Why or why not?

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Charles Conder: 'Hot wind' 1889

In the late 19th century symbolism was used in depictions of the Australian Colonial landscape. This example painted by Charles Conder was painted during the Victorian drought in 1889.How does the artist convey the heat of the Australian landscape in this image? What role does the female figure play in this painting?

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Can you clap the cymbal part from Carmen?

Get your clapping hands ready and join the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra as they play some music from the opera Carmen, by composer Bizet. Follow along with host Paul Rissmann and see if you can keep up with the orchestra! How does this piece of music make you feel? Why do you think it has that effect?

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Interviews With 10 Australian Authors, Ch 9: Leigh Hobbs as Old Tom

Leigh Hobbs writes and draws the pictures in the Old Tom stories. He describes Old Tom as being ‘sneaky' and ‘sly' and ‘naughty'. What words would you use to describe Old Tom? In the video, Leigh talks about what he was like when he was a child. In what ways are Old Tom and Leigh the same?

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BTN: A journey into world music

From Japanese drumming to African choirs, there is a wide world of music to be enjoyed beyond mainstream pop music in Australia. Music from one culture will often sound very different to music from another, using varied musical styles and instruments. Come along on a musical journey and explore the increasingly popular ...

Online

NGV Asian art

This is a series of PDF and multimedia resources that illustrate and interpret examples of Asian art. Intended primarily for teachers of Foundation through to year 10, the series consists of c.45 two-page PDFs with text and images that include paintings, ceramics, textiles, and sculptures, and 11 multimedia resources that ...

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Alice Pung's writing practice

Do writers write every day? Author Alice Pung does. In this clip Alice describes her writing practice. Why does she use a cheap notebook for capturing ideas? What sort of writing does she do to get the creativity flowing? Give Alice's techniques a try and see whether they work for you!

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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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Rebecca Lim and her writing process

How long does it take to write a YA book? Rebecca Lim fills us in and explains the role reading plays in the writing of her books. Why does she say that having an editor is important? Try challenging yourself to write a story in 100 words.

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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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ABC Open: Australian Children's Laureate, Jackie French

Jackie French is the Australian Children's Laureate for 2014-2015, and the author of the famous Wombat series of books. Watch this video to find out how a wombat inspired and conspired against her literary ambitions! What are your inspirations when you write?

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Changing ideas and discovering themes in stories

Have you ever started out with an idea for a story and later realised you wanted to change it? You're not the only one! In fact, changing your mind is all part of the process of writing. Listen as author Tony Wilson explains how the idea for his book 'The Cow Tripped over the Moon' changed over time. What was his initial ...

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Eugene von Guérard: 'North-east view from the northern top of Mount Kosciusko' 1863

In this landscape Eugene von Guérard blends topographical accuracy with the grandness of a mountain top view which he witnessed in 1862 as a member of a geographical survey led by scientist Georg von Neumayer. The artist has taken some liberties with the depiction of the boulders in the foreground to demonstrate the enormous ...

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Andy Griffiths' tips for writing funny stories

Watch this video and learn how to write funny stories with tips from Andy Griffiths! What does he say is a good starting point? Why don't you try writing a story about a time something embarrassing happened to you? What does Andy say is the key to getting readers to enjoy your story and have a laugh?