1. Before Watching Cloning Breakthrough, Predict What the Story Will Be About

Questions for discussion

Cloning Breakthrough

1.  Before watching Cloning Breakthrough, predict what the story will be about.

2.  What example did the reporter use in the story to demonstrate cloning?

3.  Identical twins are clones of each other. True or false?

4.  In the 90s scientists used a technique which led to the birth of the world’s first mammal cloned from adult cells. What was its name?

a.  Dolly the Sheep

b.  Daisy the Cow

c.  Daniel the Goat

5.  What are the benefits of cloning using stem cells?

6.  There has been a lot of debate about cloning. Why are some people opposed to cloning?

7.  How is therapeutic cloning different to human cloning?

8.  Why are stem cells special? Discuss as a class.

9.  How has your thinking about the issue changed since watching the BtN story?

10.  Cloning is a process that should be continued. Use this statement or one of your own as a basis for your own class room debate on cloning.

Test your knowledge in the Cloning Breakthrough quiz. Go to the BtN website and follow the links.

Overseas Aid

1.  Before watching the Overseas Aid BtN story predict what you think it is going to be about.

2.  What is the main point of the Overseas Aid story?

3.  What is aid?

4.  Why does the Australian Government give funding to people in other countries? List your reasons.

5.  How much money will Australia put towards overseas aid in 2013-14?

a.  5,700

b.  5.7 million

c.  5.7 billion

6.  List at least one of the 8 Millennium Development Goals.

7.  The GFC meant there wasn’t as much coming in and the government said it couldn’t spend as much on overseas aid. What is the GFC?

8.  Some say that overseas aid is not necessarily a good thing. List some of their reasons.

9.  What do you think? Should Australia spend more of its budget on overseas aid? Explain your answer.

10.  What do you understand more clearly since watching this story?

Post a message on the comments page on the Behind the News Overseas Aid story. Go to the BtN website and follow the links http://www.abc.net.au/btn/.

Use BtN’s teacher resource on Overseas Aid http://www.abc.net.au/btn/resources/teacher/episode/20130521-overseasaid.pdf

No Confidence

1.  Discuss the No Confidence story as a class.

2.  If the Opposition is not satisfied with the performance of the Government they can vote for a motion of ______.

3.  Find a definition for the term ‘voting for a motion of no-confidence’ and discuss as a class.

4.  Which Member of Parliament recently moved a motion of no-confidence against the Prime Minister?

5.  If the Opposition gets more votes than the Government the Prime Minister could lose their job. True or false?

6.  Why do you think the Opposition would move a vote of no-confidence against the Government? List your reasons.

7.  Which Member of Parliament moved a vote of no-confidence against the Government in the 1940s?

a.  Gough Whitlam

b.  John Curtin

c.  Robert Menzies

8.  What was the outcome of the no-confidence motion moved by the Opposition?

9.  What do you understand more clearly since watching the No Confidence story?

10.  Name three facts you learnt in the No Confidence story.

What are the responsibilities of the Government? Create a fact sheet and share your findings with the class. http://www.peo.gov.au/students/index.html

Bug Meal

1.  Before watching the Bug Meal BtN story, hold a class discussion. Start the discussion by asking your students if they would eat insects.

2.  Who recently released a report saying that we should think about eating insects?

3.  Describe some of the insect snacks that the kids ate in the Bug Meal story.

4.  How many people around the world already eat insects?

a.  2,000

b.  2 million

c.  2 billion

5.  List some of the benefits for eating insects. Consider health, environmental and economic reasons.

6.  A kilo of mayfly larvae has less protein than a kilo of beef. True or false?

7.  What vitamin can you find in caterpillars?

8.  List some insects that Indigenous Australians eat.

9.  Did watching the Bug Meal BtN story change how you feel about eating insects? Explain your answer.

10.  Illustrate an aspect of this story.

Would you eat insects? 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 Bug Meal teacher resource. http://www.abc.net.au/btn/resources/teacher/episode/20130521-bugmeal.pdf

Show Dogs

1.  Summarise the BtN Show Dogs story.

2.  List any animals that you can think of that have appeared in stage shows, movies or TV shows.

3.  The dogs in the Show Dogs story performed in what musical performance?

4.  Describe the role of the dogs in this musical performance.

5.  What training technique is used to prepare the dogs for the performance?

a.  Food treats are given to the dogs.

b.  A dog whisperer talks to the dogs.

c.  The dogs are hypnotised.

6.  The same dogs travel with the show and perform around Australia. True or false?

7.  List some of the difficulties that the trainers faced when working with the show dogs.

8.  List some skills that you would need to be a show dog trainer.

9.  How did this story make you feel?

10.  Illustrate an aspect of this story.

Find out 5 fun facts about animals that have performed in stage shows, movies or TV shows.

©ABC 2013