Whenever a class begins to study a new part of the world, teachers must deal with students' preexisting ideas about the area. Activities which will challenge elementary students' initial impressions of Australia and encourage them to learn more about the country are described. (RM)

This lesson, one of four stand-alone lessons that examine Australia as an aspect of world history, points out that Australia's unique geographic characteristics and history serve as a useful case study of key global concepts. The lesson focuses on exploration and control of trade routes during the Age of Discovery. The lesson has two parts. In…

This lesson, one of four stand-alone lessons that examine Australia as an aspect of world history, addresses the relationship between Australia and Great Britain, exploring Australia's peaceful move to self-rule, membership in the Commonwealth, and development of nationality. The lesson has two parts. In the first part, "Formation of a…

This lesson, one of four stand-alone lessons that examine Australia as an aspect of world history, introduces students to the environment and geography of Australia and the positions that Australia takes on global warming. Students are asked, as mock members of an Australian delegation to an international conference to be held in 2015 in Canberra…

This paper is part of a larger study entitled "A Comparative Geography of Three Ecologically Similar Regions," which compares the Chesapeake Bay region of Maryland with the Murray River region of South Australia and the Rio de la Plata region of Uruguay. Readings with accompanying questions are intended for classroom use. Teachers are…

Many reasons can be offered for teaching about Australia. The field of Australian studies offers many opportunities for U.S. teachers and students to critically analyze aspects of their own culture, for there are many experiences in the history of Australia that parallel the U.S. experience. Australia and the United States have strong ongoing…

This lesson, one of four stand-alone lessons that examine Australia as an aspect of world history, is designed to teach students about hunter-gatherer societies in the context of Tasmanian Aboriginal culture. Tasmania represents a particularly useful site for the study of hunter-gatherer societies because it is geographically isolated, even from…

This lesson focuses on student use of magazine pictures of a region in Australia to understand the region and discover more about it. The students begin by mental mapping of the area to discover what they already know, then proceed to explore the pictures for verification or for new ideas which they had not considered previously. This is an…

Intended for use with grades six through nine, "Global Geography" is a series of ten 15-minute video programs that help students think their way through important issues and increase their understanding of world geography. The programs fit easily into normal classroom schedules and support the content of most existing course sequences.…

One of the key episodes in the history of the region of Australia called Tasmania is an incident known as the Risdon Massacre. In 1804 near the Risdon Settlement, a large number of aborigines were killed by settlement officials. This document invites students to investigate what really happened on the day of the Risdon massacre and in so doing,…

This resource kit examines immigration and population issues in Australia. Many organizations with an active interest in immigration policy are represented in the kit, giving students the opportunity to evaluate alternative positions and views. The kit reflects the Commonwealth Government's multicultural policies and the goals that underlie them,…

This workbook is a compilation of work sheets from the teacher's sections of the 1989 issues of "Asia Wise," an Auatralian magazine devoted to the study of Asia. Profiles and worksheets are provided for the countries of China, Indo-China, Indonesia, Japan, Philippines, and Thailand. Worksheets feature the following themes: Asian…

Designed to provide elementary teachers with materials for the study of Australia, this unit contains 19 lessons that include objectives, materials, procedures, suggested extension activities, and answer keys where needed. Following the 19 lessons are blackline masters for teacher transparencies, student worksheets, and extension activities. A…

Student volumes and teacher guides for 10 issues of an Australian magazine devoted to the study of Asia comprise this document. The subjects of the ten issues are: (1) Trading for Our Future; (2) Korea: Two Nations--One People; (3) Women in Asia--A Confusing Picture; (4) Australia--Indonesia: A Developing Relationship; (5) The Land on the Roof of…

This document presents a study unit on Australia for secondary school students. A student reading examines Australia's cultural conflicts, history, 20th century development, and recent government policy. Australia's commitment to multiculturalism, the benefits of immigration, and the prospects for the future are also explored. The teacher's…