Questions for discussion
Levels of Government
1. Discuss as a class why we need government.
2. What are the three levels of government in Australia?
3. What is the federal government responsible for? Give three examples.
4. State government is responsible for...
5. What does local government look after?
6. Before federation the states governed themselves. True or false?
7. When and why were local governments introduced?
8. What happens when local, state and federal governments disagree?
9. Why do you think we need three levels of government in Australia?
10. What was surprising about this story?
Check out the Levels of Government resource on the Teachers page
Environment Day
1. What issues were raised in the Environment Day story?
2. What is poaching?
3. How many rhinos have been lost since 2008?
4. How are the rangers using technology to fight poaching?
5. The animals are most at risk at ______because ______.
6. What special equipment do the rangers use to see in the dark?
7. Why do poachers risk their lives?
8. In the last ten years half of the wild rhinos have been killed. True or false?
9. What will happen to the species if poaching continues at the current rate?
10. Working in pairs, discuss solutions to the problem.
Write a message about the story and post it in the comments section on the story page.
Cystic Fibrosis Awareness
1. Briefly summarise the Cystic Fibrosis story.
2. What part of the body does cystic fibrosis affect?
3. What does the pancreas do?
4. Why is it difficult for Zoe to breathe?
5. Why is she more likely to get a bad infection?
6. Explain why Zoe needs to take medication.
7. What does she do to avoid infections?
8. Why does Zoe need to use a nebuliser?
9. How many people have cystic fibrosis in Australia?
10. Name three facts you learnt watching the Cystic Fibrosis story.
Write a message about the story and post it in the comments section on the story page.
River Kids
1. Working in pairs, discuss the River Kids story and record the main points.
2. What is the Ngarrindjeri name for the Murray River?
a. Ponde
b. Murrundi
c. Thukeri
3. Retell the Ngurunderi Dreaming story.
4. What did Aboriginal people make from the bark of Red Gum trees?
5. What changes to the Murray River has Tyrone’s grandfather seen over the years?
6. How did European settlers change and use the Murray River?
7. What percentage of food grown in Australia comes from the Murray-Darling Basin?
8. What is irrigation and why is it important for farms along the river?
9. Who depends on the Murray River?
10. What do you understand more clearly since watching the River Kids story?
Check out the River Kids resource on the Teachers page
Surf Titles
1. What was the main point of the story?
2. Where was the Australian Indigenous Surfing Titles held recently?
3. Which two kids feature in the BtN story?
4. How old is Summer?
5. What title is Summer defending at this year’s competition?
6. How old was Summer when she first won at Bells Beach?
7. Apart from the surfing, what else does Summer like about competing in the surfing title?
8. What advice does Summer give?
9. Why do you think it’s important to hold an Indigenous surfing competition?
10. What did you like about the BtN Surf Titles story?
Do the quiz on the BtN website.
©ABC 2016
Teacher Resource
Levels of Government
1. Discuss as a class why we need government.
2. What are the three levels of government in Australia?
3. What is the federal government responsible for? Give three examples.
4. State government is responsible for...
5. What does local government look after?
6. Before federation the states governed themselves. True or false?
7. When and why were local governments introduced?
8. What happens when local, state and federal governments disagree?
9. Why do you think we need three levels of government in Australia?
10. What was surprising about this story?
Discuss the BtN Levels of Government story as a class. What questions were raised in the discussion (what are the gaps in their knowledge)? Some questions to help guide discussion include:
· What is democracy?
· Why do we need governments?
· What is a representative democracy?
· What are the three levels of government?
· Why do we have three levels of government?
· Name some responsibilities of each level of government?
The following KWLH organiser provides students with a framework to explore their knowledge on this topic and consider what they would like to know and learn.
What do I know? / What do I want to know? / What have I learnt? / How will I find out?Students will develop their own question/s for inquiry. Students will collect and record information from a wide variety of sources (internet, books, newspaper and magazines) and present the information they find in an interesting way.
Class glossary
Create your own classroom glossary about Australia’s three levels of government. Start by brainstorming words as a class using a mind map to record your responses. Add to your list of words by downloading the BtN Levels of Government story transcript and highlighting all the words that relate to three levels of government. Find definitions for each word. Consider using pictures and diagrams to illustrate meanings.
· Federal government· State government
· Local government
· Representative democracy / · Councillor
· Premier
· Mayor
· Prime Minister
Investigating the Three Levels of Government
Students will research responses to the following questions:
Federal government
· What is the decision making body of federal government?
· What are the two houses of parliament?
· What is the leader of the federal government called?
· How often are elections held?
· What are the representatives of each houses of parliament called?
· Give three examples of federal government responsibilities.
State and territory government
· What is the decision making body of state government?
· Are all states made up of two houses?
· What is the leader of the state government called?
· What is the leader of each territory government called?
· Give three examples of state government responsibilities.
Local government
· What is the decision making body of local government?
· What are the representatives called?
· What is the head of the council called?
· Give three examples of local government responsibilities.
Who Represents You?
Students will find out more about who represents them in local, state and federal government. Ask them to record what they already know about their representatives then research the gaps in their knowledge.
.
Shared and separate responsibilities
Working in pairs, students will investigate the shared and separate responsibilities of the three levels of government. They can display their information using a Venn diagram with three circles. Record shared responsibilities in the overlapping areas. Ask students to consider why there are some responsibilities that are shared between the different levels of government.
Students will look at the following issues and tick which level of government is responsible. Ask students to think of three of their own examples, one for each level of government.
Level of GovernmentIssue / Local / State / Federal
A railway line needs to be fixed
I want to make a Medicare claim
I lost my passport
My rubbish bin wasn’t collected
I want to submit plans to build an extension on my home
The footpath in front of my house is unsafe and needs to be repaired
I want improvements made to public transport in my area
I have family from overseas who want to live in Australia
A mine is being planned near the town where I live and I’d like to know more about it
The BtN State Laws story explains the differences between state and federal laws. After watching the story, students will respond to the following questions:
1. In the BtN story, what law was passed by the State Government in the Australian Capital Territory?
2. Why might this law not be accepted by the Federal Government?
3. List Australia’s states and territories.
4. Each of the states has their own parliaments, their own leaders and their own laws. True or false?
5. List some areas that the State Government gets to look after.
6. List some areas that the federal government gets to look after.
7. Give an example from the 80s when the federal government overturned a state government decision.
8. Where are legal fights between the levels of government settled?
a. Supreme Court
b. State Court
c. High Court
9. Do you think the federal government should be allowed to overturn state government decisions?
10. What was surprising about this story?
Behind the News – What is Democracy?
http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s4460249.htm
Behind the News – History of Voting
http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s4464749.htm
Behind the News – State Laws
http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s3875892.htm
Queensland Parliament – Everyone’s Parliament: Three Levels of Government https://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/documents/explore/education/factsheets/Factsheet_1.1_ThreeLevelsOfGovt.pdf
Parliamentary Education Office – Snapshots – Three Levels of Government
http://www.peo.gov.au/multimedia/videos/snapshots-three-levels-of-government.html
Australian Electoral Commission – Three Levels of Government
http://education.aec.gov.au/teacher-resources/three-levels.html
©ABC 2016
Teacher Resource
River Kids
1. Working in pairs, discuss the River Kids story and record the main points.
2. What is the Ngarrindjeri name for the Murray River?
a. Ponde
b. Murrundi
c. Thukeri
3. Retell the Ngurunderi Dreaming story.
4. What did Aboriginal people make from the bark of Red Gum trees?
5. What changes to the Murray River has Tyrone’s grandfather seen over the years?
6. How did European settlers change and use the Murray River?
7. What percentage of food grown in Australia comes from the Murray-Darling Basin?
8. What is irrigation and why is it important for farms along the river?
9. Who depends on the Murray River?
10. What do you understand more clearly since watching the River Kids story?
Learning about the Murray River
Before watching the BtN River Kids story, hold a class discussion asking the following questions:
· What do you know about the Murray River?
· What words would you use to describe the Murray River?
· The Murray River is often described as the lifeblood of our country. What do you think this means?
· Who do you think depends on the Murray River?
After watching the BtN River Kids story, ask students to finish one or more of the following incomplete sentences:
· It was interesting to learn that...
· This story made me feel...
· The health of the Murray River is important because...
· It’s in my interest to care for the Murray River because...
Murray River model
Make a class model or map of the Murray River to display in your classroom. Using Google Maps find towns along the edge of the River Murray and include on your model. Consider including other elements like locks, weirs and barrages and iconic sites.
Aboriginal Dreaming story
Aboriginal Dreaming stories pass on important knowledge, cultural values and belief systems to later generations. Through song, dance, painting and storytelling which express the Dreaming stories, Aboriginal people have maintained a link with the Dreaming from ancient times to today.
Many sites of Dreaming significance are located along the River Murray. Ngurunderi is a Dreaming story explaining the creation of the Murray River, where the Ngarrindjeri people's ancestor Ngurunderi created the Murray River and its landscape with his long journey to Coorong.
Explore the Ngurunderi Dreaming story and complete one or more of the following activities.
Storytelling: / Read the Ngurunderi Dreaming story and watch the animation from the BtN River Kids story as a class. Students will practise their storytelling skills by taking it in turns to read the story aloud to the class. Encourage students to dramatise as they talk and use gestures to convey meaning.Discussion: / In pairs, discuss the main messages and themes in the story and then share with the class.
Write: / Write a summary of the story. What is the story about? Explain in your own words why the Murray River is important to Ngarrindjeri people.
Illustrate: / Illustrate your favourite part of the Ngurunderi Dreaming story. Think of a creative way to produce and display your drawings. It could be a storyboard, montage or Prezi presentation.
Your stories: / The stories we tell reveal a lot about our culture and what we value. Think of a story that is important to you and your school or family. Does your story have a message or purpose? For example, a story may teach you a proper way of behaving; or just to entertain; or to warn or scare children so they do not do dangerous things; or to explain the origins of something. Record your story using pictures and/or words. Share your stories with the class.
Creature Feature report
The Murray Cod is much more than just the biggest fish in the Murray River; it is a symbol for the river itself.
Students will research and write a Creature Feature about the Murray Cod. Display your research around the classroom or make a book for the class library. Use this Creature Feature: The Murray Cod worksheet to record your findings.
Controlling Carp
Watch BtN’s Controlling Carp story and then respond to the following questions:
1. Discuss the BtN Controlling Carp story with another student. Record the three main points of your discussion.