Questions for discussion
Asbestos Threat
1. The rollout of the National Broadband Network (NBN) has recently hit some controversy. Discuss this statement as a class.
2. What TV show was recently criticised for not warning viewers about the dangers of DIY renovations?
3. Asbestos is a...
a. Plant
b. Mineral
c. Gas
4. Asbestos is fireproof but not waterproof. True or false?
5. What type of buildings materials is asbestos used in?
6. Describe how asbestos can get into your lungs.
7. What year was asbestos banned?
8. Is it safe for home renovators to remove asbestos?
9. Which telephone company has been installing the NBN?
10. How did this story make you feel?
Test your knowledge in the Asbestos Threat quiz. Go to the BtN website and follow the links.
Republic
1. Is Australia a republic or a monarchy?
2. What Australian politicians agree that Australia should become a republic?
3. Why do some Australians want to break away from their British Royal connections?
4. How could Australia become a republic?
5. What year was the last referendum held in which Australians were allowed to vote for a republic?
6. How does a referendum work?
7. What would change if Australia became a republic?
8. Why would some people vote against Australia becoming a republic?
9. Who do you think should rule Australia, the Queen or a new Australian President? Explain your answer.
10. What does becoming a republic mean to you?
Should Australia become a republic? Have your say on the BtN online poll. To vote head to the BtN website http://abc.net.au/btn/polls.htm.
Use BtN’s Republic teacher resource. http://www.abc.net.au/btn/resources/teacher/episode/20130611-republic.pdf
Young Scientists
1. Discuss the Young Scientists BtN story with another student.
2. How many high school students enter the International Science and Engineering Fair?
a. 7 thousand
b. 700 hundred
c. 7 million
3. What is the aim of the fair?
4. Who judges the students inventions?
5. What school subjects have helped these students with their inventions?
6. Describe Eesha’s invention the ‘super capacitor’.
7. In what area of science did Henry win an award for?
8. Which invention won the competition?
9. Think of three adjectives to describe science.
10. Illustrate an aspect of the Young Scientists story.
Add your comment on the BtN Young Scientists story page to show your support. http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s3775976.htm
Auction Idol
1. Summarise this story in your own words.
2. How do you feel about public speaking?
3. What skills do you need to be a good auctioneer?
4. What sorts of things can be auctioned?
5. Is it more beneficial to speak slowly or fast when auctioneering?
6. In Latin, what does the word auction mean?
a. I increase
b. I decrease
c. I sell houses
7. In the Auction Idol competition what do the final contestants have to sell?
8. What do you think are some of the challenges facing the young auctioneers?
9. What words do you associate with auctioneering? Make a list.
10. What surprised you about this story?
Add your comment on the BtN Auction Idol story page to show your support. http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s3769116.htm
Bush Food
1. In your own words describe what bush tucker is.
2. What Australian state are the kids from in the BtN Bush Food story?
3. Why is it important to Rod that he teaches the kids in his family about Aboriginal culture, customs and bush foods?
4. Yulagi are also referred to as...
a. Wild mushrooms
b. Wild bananas
c. Wild limes
5. Describe what a witchetty grub tastes like.
6. How is a didgeridoo hollowed out?
7. What do Indigenous people use native plants for?
8. Have you tried bush tucker? If so, what did it taste like?
9. How does learning about bush tucker benefit the younger generations?
10. What did you learn from this story?
Use BtN’s Bush Food resource. http://www.abc.net.au/btn/resources/teacher/episode/20130611-bushfood.pdf
©ABC 2013
Activity
Republic
Key Learning
Students will discuss and evaluate the issue of whether Australia should become a republic.
The Australian Curriculum
English / Language / Expressing and developing ideasIncorporate new vocabulary from a range of sources into students’ owntextsincluding vocabulary encountered in research(ACELA1498)
Understand the use of vocabulary to express greater precision of meaning, and know that words can have different meanings in differentcontexts(ACELA1512)
English / Literacy / Interacting with others
Use interaction skills such as acknowledging another’spoint of viewand linking students’ response to the topic, using familiar and new vocabulary and a range of vocal effects such as tone, pace, pitch and volume tospeakclearly and coherently(ACELY1688)
Participate in and contribute to discussions, clarifying and interrogating ideas, developing and supporting arguments, sharing and evaluating information, experiences and opinions(ACELY1709)
/ Mathematics /Statistics and probability / Data representation and interpretation
Select and trial methods fordatacollection, including survey questions and recording sheets(ACMSP095)
Pose questions and collect categorical ornumerical databy observation or survey(ACMSP118)
Construct suitabledatadisplays, with and without the use of digital technologies, from given or collecteddata. Include tables, column graphs and picture graphswhere one picture can represent manydatavalues(ACMSP096)
Construct displays, including column graphs, dot plots and tables, appropriate fordatatype, with and without the use of digital technologies(ACMSP119)
Discussion Questions
1. Is Australia a republic or a monarchy?
2. What Australian politicians agree that Australia should become a republic?
3. Why do some Australians want to break away from their British Royal connections?
4. How could Australia become a republic?
5. What year was the last referendum held in which Australians were allowed to vote for a republic?
6. How does a referendum work?
7. What would change if Australia became a republic?
8. Why would some people vote against Australia becoming a republic?
9. Who do you think should rule Australia, the Queen or a new Australian President? Explain your answer.
10. What does becoming a republic mean to you?
Activities
Remember and understand· Ask students to find definitions for the following terms and then use these words to construct sentences. Refer to the Parliamentary Glossary for definitions. http://www.peo.gov.au/students/gloss.html
· Ask students to conduct research and find answers to the following questions.
Plus, minus and interesting· As a class discuss the concept of Australia becoming a republic. Students will identify and explain the values that a constitutional monarchy represents for Australians.
· Use the plus, minus, interesting chart to evaluate the issue, compare advantages and disadvantages and make decisions. In the plus column enter all the positive elements, in the minus column enter all the negative elements and in the third column enter the elements that cannot be classified. A scoring system can be added to this chart to inform decision-making.
Classroom opinion polls· Students will conduct their own opinion poll on the issue of Australia becoming a republic.
· Working in groups, students will need to decide on who their sample group will be and how many people will be polled. What method they will use to conduct the poll? (Face to face interviews or written responses).
· Ask students to graph the opinion poll results and display in the classroom. Students can reflect on how reliable they think the results were. What would they do differently next time?
· Students may want to film their interviews and then create a movie to present to other students.
Further investigation
How does Behind the News use polls? Go to the BtN website http://abc.net.au/btn/vote/total.htm and look at past poll questions and results. Discuss in small groups why you think BtN includes an online poll question on the website?
What is a referendum?A referendum is a vote by the people. Every citizen who is eligible to vote has the right to vote on a given issue. Voters can accept or reject a government proposal put directly to them.
· Students will find out more about what a referendum is before holding one in their own classroom or school.
· Further investigation: Conduct research into the history of referendums that have been held in Australia and then create a timeline of successful and unsuccessful referendums.
Students will hold their own classroom referendum. Consider developing a campaign for the classroom referendum. Working in small groups develop speeches, posters and newspaper articles.
Further Investigation
Take a look at BtN’s Flag Debate story and associated teacher resources. Ask students to re-design the Australian Flag. Students will need to consider the 5 basic principles of flag design.
http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s3681106.htm
How much do you know about the Royal Family? Do BtN’s Royal Life quiz to find out more?
http://www.abc.net.au/btn/quiz.htm?file=/btn/quiz/js/2011-10aroyallife.js
8 Related Research Links
ABC Lateline – Turnbull re-launches campaign for Australian Republic
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-05-10/turnbull-re-launches-campaign-for-australian/4683200
Civics and Citizenship Education – An Australian Republic?
http://www.civicsandcitizenship.edu.au/cce/an_australian_republic_introduction,35125.html
Civics and Citizenship Education – Australian Identity activity
http://www.civicsandcitizenship.edu.au/cce/an_australian_republic_identity,35128.html
Discovering Democracy – Should Australia become a republic?
http://www1.curriculum.edu.au/ddunits/units/ms4fq4acts.htm
Australian Electoral Commission – Referendums
http://www.aec.gov.au/Elections/referendums/index.htm
Behind the News – Flag Debate
http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s3681106.htm
Behind the News – Royal Family
http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s3178713.htm
©ABC 2013
Activity
Bush Food
Key Learning
Students will identify and deepen their knowledge of Indigenous bush food.
The Australian Curriculum
Geography / Geographical Knowledge and UnderstandingThe types ofnatural vegetationand the significance of vegetation to theenvironment and to people(ACHGK021)
Thecustodial responsibilityAboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples have for Country/Place, and how this influences their past and present views about the use of resources(ACHGK023)
The natural resources provided by theenvironment, and different views on how they could be used sustainably(ACHGK024)
Science / Science as a Human Endeavour / Use and influence of science
Science understanding influences the development of practices in areas of human activity such as industry, agriculture and marine and terrestrial resource management(ACSHE121)
Scientific knowledge is used to inform personal and community decisions(ACSHE217) (ACSHE220)
/ Cross-curriculum priorities / Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures
Country/Place
· Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities maintain a special connection to and responsibility for Country/Place throughout all of Australia.
· Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples have unique belief systems and are spiritually connected to the land, sea, sky and waterways.
Culture
· Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ ways of life are uniquely expressed through ways of being, knowing, thinking and doing.
· Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples have lived in Australia for tens of thousands of years and experiences can be viewed through historical, social and political lenses.
People
· The broader Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander societies encompass a diversity of nations across Australia.
· Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples have sophisticated family and kinship structures.
Cross-curriculum priorities / Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures
Discussion Questions
1. In your own words describe what bush tucker is.
2. What Australian state are the kids from in the BtN Bush Food story?
3. Why is it important to Rod that he teaches the kids in his family about Aboriginal culture, customs and bush foods?
4. Yulagi are also referred to as...
a. Wild mushrooms
b. Wild bananas
c. Wild limes
5. Describe what a witchetty grub tastes like.
6. How is a didgeridoo hollowed out?
7. What do Indigenous people use native plants for?
8. Have you tried bush tucker? If so, what did it taste like?
9. How does learning about bush tucker benefit the younger generations?
10. What did you learn from this story?
Activities
Remember and Understand· After watching the BtN Bush Food story hold a class discussion. Find out what your students know about bush tucker, what they learnt from the story and what questions they have about the topic. Here are some discussion starters:
Classify· Ask students to discuss in small groups what they know about bush tucker and give examples of them. As a class make a list of different types of Indigenous bush tucker. Students will conduct further research one type of bush tucker and then record their findings in the following table.
Further Investigation
Create your own bush tucker garden at your school. Find plants that are native to your school area. Take a look at BtN’s Bush Tucker teacher resource for more information. http://www.abc.net.au/btn/resources/teacher/episode/20120619-bushtucker.pdf
8 Related Research Links
ABC Open – One foot in each culture
https://open.abc.net.au/posts/one-foot-64ei0tp
The Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trusts – Aboriginal Bush Foods
http://www.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/plant_info/aboriginal_bush_foods
ABC Splash – Making a garden for students
http://splash.abc.net.au/media?id=30771
Behind the News – Bush Tucker
http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s3527750.htm
Behind the News – Bush Tucker activity
http://www.abc.net.au/btn/resources/teacher/episode/20120619-bushtucker.pdf
BtN: Episode 16 Transcript 11/6/13
On this week's Behind the News:
· The republic debate is back in the spotlight so should the Queen remain our head of state?
· Top scientists of the future, kids making their mark with some amazing inventions.
· And we check out auction idol a talent contest to find the auctioneers of the future.
Hi I'm Nathan Bazley, welcome to Behind the News. Also on the show today, we head to the outback with some city kids who are searching for bush tucker and learning about their culture along the way. But first, let’s get a wrap up of some of the main news stories this week. Here's Tash with the Wire.
The Wire
At least 55 asylum seekers have drowned after their ship overturned off the coast of Christmas Island.
The boat was first spotted by a passing aircraft last Wednesday but a huge search failed to find any survivors.
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American spy agencies have been secretly accessing people's private information stored on websites such as Microsoft, Google, Facebook, Apple and YouTube.
A whistleblower that worked on the program released details of it to a newspaper saying that anyone's data could be viewed including search histories, emails, their social media stuff and more.
Many have been outraged by the revelation but the President has defended it as a valuable tool used to catch terrorists and other criminals.
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Australian scientists have released pictures of the device they hope will change the lives of people with a vision impairment.
It's hoped the world's first bionic eye will one day allow 85 percent of legally blind people to see outlines of the things around them.
A microchip is implanted in the skull and a digital camera sends signals to it from a pair of glasses.
Trials start next year.
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