Questions for discussion
Burma cyclone
1]What is the name of the cyclone that has devastated Burma?
2]Where is Burma located?
3]Why was the cyclone particularly devastating?
4]Even if people survive the cyclone, they are faced with other challenges. What are some of these challenges?
5]What is the first thing your body needs to survive? Why is it a huge problem for people in Burma?
6]What are aid agencies?
7]How does the way the Burmese Government operates affect international aid getting into the country?
8]What impact do the delays of aid have on Burmese people?
9]How has the Australian Government responded to the situation?
10]What do you think needs to happen next?
Tell us what you think about this story on the BtN Guestbook
Federal Budget
1]Who is the Federal Treasurer?
2]Where does the Government get money from?
3]What areas does the Government spend money on?
4]Why do you think the budget is kept a secret until budget night?
5]It’s predicted there will be a big surplus this year. What does this mean?
6]Do you think the Government should spend money that is left over? Explain your answer.
7]What is a deficit?
8]If you were the Treasurer, what would you spend money on and why?
9]Does your family have a budget? What changes would you make to it?
10]What do you now know about the Federal Budget that you didn’t know before?
How does the Federal budget affect you? Create an artwork to illustrate your response.
Zoo Theme Park
1]Retell the story in your own words.
2]Why do we have zoos?
3]Where in Australia is the theme park going to be built?
4]What is a company planning to do at Werribee Zoo?
5]What are some people saying are the advantages of a theme park being built at the zoo?
6]Describe how Werribee open range zoo operates.
7]What are some of the concerns of people against the proposed development?
8]Who makes the decision about whether the theme park will be built at the zoo?
9]What do you think about the idea? Explain your answer.
10]Do you think compromise is possible in this situation? Explain your answer.
`Is it OK to turn zoos into theme parks?’ Vote in the online poll.
World Youth Day
1]Describe in your own words what World Youth Day is about.
2]How many people are the organisers hoping will attend World Youth Day?
3]Who is the leader of the Catholic Church?
4]Over 5 million people in Australia call themselves Catholic. What percentage go to church regularly?
5]What is a big issue facing the Church at the moment?
6]Why do you think the Catholic Church is concerned about this?
7]What are the organisers hoping World Youth Day will do for the Catholic Church?
8]What other things could the Catholic Church do to attract young people?
9]Why are churches like Shirelive popular with young people?
10]Describe how the young people involved in Shirelive feel about being part of the church.
Go to the World Youth Day official website and collect five facts about the event that you didn’t know.
Lauren Jackson
1]Why did Lauren Jackson choose to play basketball in Russia?
2]How have Russian people reacted to Lauren playing in Russia?
3]How long has she been playing professional basketball?
4]Summarise Lauren Jackson’s basketball career.
5]Why was the offer to play in Russia hard for Lauren to refuse?
6]Why is height an advantage in basketball?
7]Describe Lauren’s training and playing schedule.
8]How does Lauren feel about being away from Australia?
9]What upcoming event is Lauren Jackson excited about?
10]Describe Lauren Jackson’s contribution to women’s basketball.
Test your knowledge in the online quiz.
Burma Cyclone
Cyclone Nargis has devastated Burma, killing tens of thousands of people with millions more without food, shelter or clean water. The Burmese Government doesn’t like other countries getting involved in its business so it has been difficult getting aid in to where it’s needed.
Focus Questions
1]What is the name of the cyclone that has devastated Burma?
2]Where is Burma located?
3]Why was the cyclone particularly devastating?
4]Even if people survive the cyclone, they are faced with other challenges.
What are some of these challenges?
5]What is the first thing your body needs to survive? Why is it a huge problem
for people in Burma?
6]What are aid agencies?
7]How does the way the Burmese Government operates affect international aid
getting into the country?
8]What impact do the delays of aid have on Burmese people?
9]How has the Australian Government responded to the situation?
10]What do you think needs to happen next?
What is aid?
Student’s will be exploring what international aid is and developing a profile of an international
aid agency. Begin with a class brainstorm to establish what students know about aid and aid
agencies.Students choose an aid agency such as Oxfam, Save the Children Fund, Red Cross or
World Vision. Ask them to research the following information:
Use the agencies official website (website links at the end of this activity sheet) to
find the vision/mission statement. List the key words from this statement.
Draw the agencies logo and describe its meaning.
Summarise what the organisation is doing for the Burma (Myanmar) cyclone relief.
How does the organisation provide/distribute relief for those in need?
Ask students to present their profile of the aid agency to the class using one of the following
formats:
- Powerpoint presentation
- Video
- Written or oral report
Further investigations
Think of ways your class or school can help Burmese people affected by the cyclone.
Search online for information about location, physical features, the Government and economic situation in Burma.
Related Research Links
ABC News – Thousands killed in Burma cyclone
ABC News - UN ready to send help to Burma
ABC News – Australia pledges $3m for Burma
World Food Program official website
Children’s BBC website – information about cyclone in Burma
Red Cross official website
Oxfam official website
Save the Children fund official website
World Vision official website
Zoo theme park
A controversial theme park is being planned at Werribee open range zoo near Melbourne. Some people are saying that it will bring more people to the zoo and create jobs. Other people say that a theme park and animals don’t mix.
Focus Questions
1]Retell the story in your own words.
2]Why do we have zoos?
3]Where in Australia is the theme park planned to be built?
4]What is a company planning to do at Werribee Zoo?
5]What are some people saying are the advantages of a theme park being built at the zoo?
6]Describe how Werribee open range zoo operates.
7]What are some of the concerns of people against the proposed development?
8]Who makes the decision about whether the theme park will be built at the zoo?
9]What do you think about the idea? Explain your answer.
10]Do you think compromise is possible in this situation? Explain your answer.
Mini debate – Should a theme park be built at Werribee zoo?
Working in pairs, students will be preparing a two-minute speech for a mini debate.
One person will be speaking for the affirmative (supporting a theme park being built
at the zoo) and the other will be speaking for the negative (speaking against a theme
park being built).
Ask students to list their arguments in point form on paper (without their partner seeing
them). When they have done this, ask them to choose the five best points that will form
the basis for their debate.
Students will write in point form, their debate on cards that fit into the palm of their
hand. Their debate needs to have an introduction (introducing the topic), middle (five
main
points) and a conclusion (restating their position)
Students practise their speech and then present the mini debate to another pair.
Reflection
Ask students to think about how difficult it was to think of arguments to support their case.
Do they think they could have created a stronger argument if they were speaking for the
opposing view?
Further investigations
Create an artists impression of what you imagine African Safari World will look like.
Respond to the following question: `Zoos – palaces or prisons?’
Find out more about the history and roles of zoos. Go to
Related Research Links
ABC News – Theme park proposed for Werribee zoo
ABC 730 Report – Victoria zoo may become theme park transcript and video
Werribee open range zoo
History and roles of zoos - Government website
Kids Planet website – animal quiz
13th May, 2008
STORY TRANSCRIPTS:
1. BURMA CYCLONE
Reporter, Sarah Larsen
INTRO: It's feared that more than 100-thousand people might have died because of a cyclone in a country called Burma. The number is frightening. That's the same amount of people that fill our biggest footy stadiums on grand final day. Lots of others have also lost their homes and are struggling to survive. Sarah's been looking at how countries like Australia are trying to help - but they've run into a problem
SARAH LARSEN, REPORTER: It was the worst storm most people had ever seen. Cyclone Nargis ripped up trees, tore through buildings and left behind this. Whole towns were wiped out. Tens of thousands of people were killed. And there's at least a million more, cut off, without food, shelter or clean water.
It happened not that far from Australia in Burma. It's here in South East Asia, between China and Thailand. It's a country smaller than New South Wales but more than 50 million people live there - twice the population of Australia. Burma is one of the poorest countries in the world. Many people are farmers and live around rivers or near the sea. That's partly why the cyclone was so devastating. These satellite photos show how those areas were flooded when the storm hit. Many people were drowned. If that's not bad enough, everyone's really worried about what's going to happen now.
REPORTER: See if you can imagine it. You've survived the cyclone, but what's next? Your home's gone or badly damaged. There's no electricity, no telephone, the shops are empty and the roads are blocked and you don't know how long it's going to be until help arrives.
The first thing you're going to need is water. Your body can go without food for a while but you need water pretty much straight away. There's water everywhere but it’s dirty. People are desperate for clean supplies.
The next most important thing is shelter. You'll need tents or plastic sheets to keep out the weather. If you're injured you'll need medical supplies and doctors. A little injury can be fatal if it's not treated. Plus you'll also want food but to get any of that the roads need to be cleared. Then there's the clean-up. Dead animals contaminate water and disease can kill a lot of people long after the cyclone. There are groups whose job it is to deal with big disasters. They're called aid agencies and they know what people will need and the best way to get it to them. But this time it’s complicated. Burma is different.
People there don't vote for their leaders like in Australia. It's run by the military. It gets criticised a lot for treating its people badly and it hates anyone getting involved in its business. That means it's being really cautious about letting aid agencies bring in help. It's let some planes land but it won't give permission to others and ships that could help have been kept waiting.
Foreign aid workers have also been banned (from handing out food). The pictures you see are from Burma's government TV station and they've been criticised for not showing the true story. Aid agencies say the reality is just a trickle of supplies is getting through. Countries like Australia that have donated millions of dollars for supplies are very angry about the hold ups.
KEVIN RUDD: What we need to be focusing on now is kicking the doors down.
Other governments are also putting pressure on Burma to act faster. Everyone says it’s a desperate situation and it's becoming more desperate every day.
And we'll keep you up to date with that story in BTN Daily which is on every Monday to Friday at 5 to 6.
Now here's the newswrap.
BUDGET TIME
Reporter, Catherine Ellis
INTRO: It's a huge event that affects every single Aussie! Thousands of people check it out on TV - some even celebrate. But it's no party - it's Federal Budget night! It's when we find out how the Government is going to spend a heap of money taking care of the country for the next year. Having billions of dollars to spend sounds fun but as Catherine discovered it's not easy keeping everybody happy!
CATHERINE ELLIS, REPORTER: Mmmm, lots of money all to spend on a birthday party for me!
And I've assigned some party helpers.
CATHERINE:Right guys, here's your spending money. Minister for Party Food, Minister for Decorations, Minister for Cake.
I also assigned money to the Minister for Cups and Plates, Minister for Drinks and Minister for Entertainment!
MINISTER CAKE:Um, excuse me.
CATHERINE: Yes Minister cake?
MINISTER CAKE: What kind of cake do you think I'm going to get with 50 cents!(Catherine hands over another 50 cents) That's still not enough!
MINISTER CUPS and PLATES:And I reckon you've probably given me enough money to buy ONE cup! You can't expect everyone at your party to share one cup?!
(Six ministers start squabbling)
Wow, assigning all that money was certainly not as easy or fun as I thought it was going to be!
And here's a guy who knows exactly how I feel!
Meet Wayne Swan - he's our Federal Treasurer. He's not having a party, but he's the guy who's in charge of all the Government's money.
You know how the Government collects taxes from people and businesses each year, well the Treasurer is the one who decides how it will all be divided up and spent.
It's called the Federal Budget.
CATHERINE: Okay so maybe his job's a little bit more important than my party - he is after all dealing with billions of dollars and looking after more than 21 million people.
He's got to make sure we're all healthy, safe and educated.
So he very carefully decides how he's going to spend the money on things like; hospitals and medicines, education - like our schools and unis, defence - for example all our troops overseas and new weapons for them, money for the elderly, for roads.
Before the Budget is announced, the Treasurer has lots of groups asking him for money.
And just like me he has lots of ministers asking for money; Minister for education, Minister for housing, Environment, Transport and so on.
But trying to keep millions of aussies happy is a job even the PM admits isn't easy.
KEVIN RUDD, PRIME MINISTER: Some decisions will be unpopular, some decisions will be very unpopular.
The budget is a big document and it's kept secret right up until budget night - but some hints are given away before.
We've already been told working families will be looked after.
It's also predicted there'll be a big surplus this year, which means there'll be lots of money left over.
The government might choose to keep that for emergencies.
The opposite of a surplus is a deficit. That's when the Government spends more than it has been given and it has to borrow extra money.
Well whatever happens the budget will effect all of us - it could mean your school gets new sports equipment, or you have less money to spend at the tuck shop.
Just like my party, Wayne Swan, will be doing his best to keep everybody happy, but there'll always be some people who aren't.
WORLD YOUTH DAY
Nathan Bazley, Reporter
INTRO: In less than three months, nearly a quarter of a million kids are expected to be gathering in Sydney for a huge religious festival called World Youth Day. It's a big event but there have been some news stories raising concerns that only half that number of kids have said they're coming. So what is World Youth day and why's it such a big deal?