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Playing Beatie Bow: Unit of work

This unit of work has been written to support the novel Playing Beattie Bow. The value of this novel study lies in the opportunities presented to explore the evolution of the English language, including the impact of new technologies on language and the genre of time travel. This unit provides practical teaching ideas and ...

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Midnite: Unit of work

This unit of work has been written to support the novel Midnite which is a good-humoured history of the exploits of bushranger Captain Midnite and his five good animal friends. This unit provides practical teaching ideas and an assessment task.

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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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Blueback: Unit of work

This unit of work has been written to support Tim Winton’s novel Blueback which is a story about family, belonging and living a life in tune with the environment. This unit provides practical teaching ideas and an assessment task.

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The Deep: Here Be Dragons: Unit of work

The Deep: Here Be Dragons is a graphic novel tells the tales of the Nekton family – a multiethnic family of Aquanauts who live on a submarine. It explores themes of discovery, family, hope, respect and the environment. This unit provides practical teaching ideas and an assessment task. This teacher resource provides practical ...

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Mahtab’s Story: Unit of work

This unit of work has been written to support the novel Mahtab’s Story. The novel focuses on asylum seekers and explores themes of courage, family, hope and resilience. This unit provides practical teaching ideas, an assessment task and an essay about the novel by Yassmin Abdel-Magied

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The Lost Thing: Unit of work

This unit of work has been written to support The Lost Thing, a quirky picture story book about finding your place in the world. It explores themes of belonging, bureaucracy, conformity, dystopia and friendship. This unit provides practical teaching ideas, an assessment task and an essay by Gary Crew.

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Black Cockatoo: Unit of work

This unit of work has been written to support the story Black Cockatoo. The story follows Mia, a young Aboriginal girl as she explores the fragile connections of family and culture. This unit provides practical teaching ideas, assessment tasks, and suggestions about how students might deepen understandings of Aboriginal ...

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Bindi: Unit of work

This unit of work has been written to support the story Bindi. The novel explores explore themes of climate, bushfires, Aboriginal history and healing. This unit provides practical teaching ideas, suggestions about how students might respond creatively to the text and assessment opportunities.

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Vampyre: Unit of work

This unit of work has been written to support the picture story book Vampyre. The book is told from the point of view of a vampire who is entering young adulthood with the responsibilities that come at that time in life. It shows the struggle to be an individual and find your identity. This unit provides practical teaching ...

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Just Macbeth!: Unit of work

This unit of work has been written to support the novel Just Macbeth!. Using a group of Australian teenagers as the main characters, the novel plays with the themes of Shakespeare’s play The Tragedy of Macbeth. It explores themes of ambition, guilt and forgiveness, humour, trust and betrayal. This unit provides practical ...

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Ubby’s Underdogs: the Legend of the Phoenix Dragon: Unit of work

This unit of work has been written to support the novel Ubby’s Underdogs: the Legend of the Phoenix Dragon. The novel, set in Broome of the late 1940s, is mostly concerned with the activities of two teenage gangs and explores themes of courage and bullying. As a graphic novel, it offers opportunities to teach about symbolism, ...

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Ubby’s Underdogs: Heroes Beginnings. Unit of work

This unit of work has been written to support the novel Ubby’s Underdogs: Heroes Beginnings. This graphic novel explores themes of Aboriginal history and culture, courage, Chinese history, corruption, feminism, First Nations texts, friendship, inter-cultural relationships and teenage gangs. This unit provides practical ...

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Talking about feelings with Morris Gleitzman

According to Morris Gleitzman, what connects readers to stories? Thinking about your favourite books and characters, do you agree or disagree with his views?

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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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Interviews With 10 Australian Authors, Ch 8: Experience colonial Australia with Tom Keneally

Thomas Keneally likes to put himself in the shoes of figures from history, whether it's as a member of the SS or an Indigenous man treated unjustly, and ask ‘What would I have done?' In this interview he discusses why he was drawn to the Jimmie Governor story and the significance of the looming Federation of Australia.

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Finding 'closure' in Michael Gow's Away

What does it mean to 'find closure'? Characters in Michael Gow's Away struggle with accepting unpleasant truths and letting go of the past. Coral finds closure when she finally accepts her son's death. How is this symbolised in the play?

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Rebecca Lim's spooky themes

Do you enjoy reading spooky stories? Listen to Rebecca Lim as she describes how her half-memories, reading experiences and imagination come together to inspire her.

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Interviews With 10 Australian Authors, Ch 1: Yasou! from Nadia Wheatley

Yasou! Five Times Dizzy is the story of a young girl who tries to bring happiness back into her Yaya's life by giving her a goat. Author Nadia Wheatley speaks with Tom Tilley about her memories of a Greek Australian family living in Newtown and of the years she lived in Crete as being the inspiration behind the story.

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Interviews With 10 Australian Authors, Ch 6: Gary Crew's Strange Objects

How do you use research in a fiction novel that is based on historical events? What is the real symbolism of the ring? Why should a writer have a ‘day job'? Listen to Gary Crew answer these questions about Strange Objects in this interview.