Loose Ideas for Australian Feature Days

Feature Days about Australia

The following ideas derive from a Danish point of view and are not complete in any way at all. They are to be considered as "half baked". I am not the expert, only pin-pointing areas I find interesting. Any good idea, link or material is more than welcome.

Some Academic Topics Activities / Workshops

Aboriginal (pre)-history and culture (dreamtime legends, etc.). Make boomerangs and how to throw them.
Make bull roarers.
Make didgeridoos (more difficult).
Play the didgeridoos - or try to.
Make clap sticks.
"Imitate" Aboriginal art/painting techniques
Produce "kind of" a corroboree with music (would be nice with some professional help).

The Aborigines' situation today. A controversial and extremely difficult question.

The history of Australia. The first Europeans (Cook wasn't the first) - and the first settlers. The history of emigrants in the 20th century (from inviting to nearly closing). Prepare fireplace and dough to cook dampers.
Other Australian recipes.

The special fauna of Australia and the history of it. Imported animals and consequences. The history of the imported camels. The dingos and the fencing. The marsupials compared to the mammals from other continents. A very good story about isolation and evolution, perhaps the best. Make models of the drifting continents.

The special flora of Australia at different habitats. Some plants can be at least as irritating as animals. (Spear grass in the bush, and stinging plants in the rain forest, f. ex.). For both fauna and flora try these links: Australian Geographic
Australian Outdoors Homepage
Environment Australia

The resources, geography, demography and infrastructure of Australia. Southern hemisphere: Make models to show how the sun can be due north - and the water in a sink will whirl clockwise instead of anti-clockwise when running out.
Models showing the drifting of the continents separating Australia from the other continents millions of years ago.
Where do people live? (Most Australians stick to the coastal areas for their entire lives).

Sources to use:

The Internet (many links at this site) - also use search engines like AltaVista.
TV channels, f. ex. the BBC, The National Geographic Channel, Animal Planet, etc.
Your county educational centre.
Amnesty International (The Aborigines situation today).

Return to Australian Resources

Comments to: Niels Quist

Some Academic Topics	Activities / Workshops
Aboriginal (pre)-history and culture (dreamtime legends, etc.).	Make boomerangs and how to throw them. Make bull roarers. Make didgeridoos (more difficult). Play the didgeridoos - or try to. Make clap sticks. "Imitate" Aboriginal art/painting techniques Produce "kind of" a corroboree with music (would be nice with some professional help).
The Aborigines' situation today. A controversial and extremely difficult question.
The history of Australia. The first Europeans (Cook wasn't the first) - and the first settlers. The history of emigrants in the 20th century (from inviting to nearly closing).	Prepare fireplace and dough to cook dampers. Other Australian recipes.
The special fauna of Australia and the history of it. Imported animals and consequences. The history of the imported camels. The dingos and the fencing.	The marsupials compared to the mammals from other continents. A very good story about isolation and evolution, perhaps the best. Make models of the drifting continents.
The special flora of Australia at different habitats.	Some plants can be at least as irritating as animals. (Spear grass in the bush, and stinging plants in the rain forest, f. ex.). For both fauna and flora try these links: Australian Geographic Australian Outdoors Homepage Environment Australia
The resources, geography, demography and infrastructure of Australia.	Southern hemisphere: Make models to show how the sun can be due north - and the water in a sink will whirl clockwise instead of anti-clockwise when running out. Models showing the drifting of the continents separating Australia from the other continents millions of years ago. Where do people live? (Most Australians stick to the coastal areas for their entire lives).