Term 2, 2010

Name:

What do you know about Australia and it’s History?

1. What do you know about Gondwana Land?

2. What year was Australia Discovered?

3. Who discovered Australia?

4. Who were the first inhabitants of Australia?

5. Why did people move to Australia? (you may have more than one reason)

The continent of Australia was once part of the greater land mass called Gondwanaland, when today’s seven continents were connected to form two continents; the other being Laurasia. Very slowly, the continents began to drift apart to how the continents look today, a slow process over about 4700 million years. About 600 million years ago Australia was divided into two parts by a shallow sea. Then 150, million years ago, much of what is now the desert area of central Australia was covered by a large freshwater lake, which is named Lake Walloon. About 130 million years ago Australia was four large islands, not a whole land mass. Gradually the water lessened and the continent took on the shape we know today.

Task: Choose one of Australia’s States to research. Display the following information in a power point presentation;

-population-location-unique facts-climate -people (European & Aborigines) -activities (ie: sports)-animals-historic landmarks/attractions

Due: Friday

Assessment: You will be assessed on relevance of information, neatness and your oral presentation.

Find 20 Facts about Aboriginal Australia. You may like to use some of the following websites:

http://www.australianhistory.org/ancient.php

http://siekman.tripod.com/index.html

http://encyclopedia.kids.net.au/page/au/Australian_aborigine

The Dreaming tells of the journey and the actions of Ancestral Beings who created the natural world.

The Dreaming is infinite and links the past with the present to determine the future. It is the natural world, especially the land or county to which a person belongs, which provides the link between the people and The Dreaming.

Dreaming stories carry the truth from the past, together with the code for the Law, which operates in the present. Each story belongs to a long complex story. Some Dreaming stories discuss consequences and our future being.

Go to the following website and listen to a Dream Time story.

http://www.abc.net.au/dustechoes/dustEchoesFlash.htm

Once you have listened to one, write a summary of the story.

Title:

Characters:

Summary:

Stolen GenerationThe term Stolen Generation refers to the removal of

Aboriginal children from their families by Australian government agencies and church missions between approximately 1900 and 1972. Originally considered child welfare, the practice is perceived by some as having wreaked extensive family and cultural damage. The nature of the removals, their extent, and its effects on those removed, is a topic of considerable dispute and political debate within Australia.

According to the official government report, at least 30,000 children were removed from their parents, and the figure may be substantially higher (the report notes that formal records of removals were very poorly kept). Percentage estimates were given that 10-30% of all Aboriginal children born during the seventy year period were removed.

Research Sorry Day and write a summary of the main points of your findings.

Early Explorers Group Research Task. Work with a partner to complete the following mini project.

EARLY EXPLORERS Internet Research Task.doc

http://www.cultureandrecreation.gov.au/articles/explorers/

How did the First Fleet get to Australia?Where did they come from?Where did they stop on the way? How many ships were there? What did they have to eat?Did everyone survive the trip?When did they arrive?How long did the trip take? Was it a luxury cruise?Why didn't the fleet go through the waters now called Bass Strait between Tasmania and Victoria?What was Australia called in those days? Why?How far did New South Wales extend?What was Tasmania called then? Why?What do the names tell you about the nationalities of the early explorers?

Who came to Australia?How many of the convicts were women?How old were they?What kind of crimes did they commit?What happened to their partners in crime?From where in England did most convicts come?What can we find out about the conditions in which they lived in England? What can we find out about reasons for their crimes?Did they have useful skills for founding the new colony?What other kinds of people were there on the fleet besides the convicts?What kind of people were the convicts?What happened to their families?

You are an Early Settler in Australia. Research and then write a diary entry about your day.

Work with a partner or by yourself to complete the following web quest mini project.

http://www.schools.ash.org.au/forestlakess/explorers_quest/exp_index.htm

Explore the interactive Map attached and list 2 places for each state, what was found and by who.

http://www.sbs.com.au/gold/GOLD_MAP.html

Fill in the table on the following slides.

State Place What/who

Victoria

Tasmania

New South Wales

Adelaide

State Place What/who

Queensland

Northern Territory

Perth

Go to the following website and read the instructions about your mini task on Gold.

http://www.kidcyber.com.au/topics/goldquest.htm

Go to the following website, choose one bushranger and write a summary about them.

http://www.australianhistory.org/bushrangers.php

http://www.abc.net.au/schoolstv/australians/nedkelly.htm