Australia
In this webquest you will learn a lot about Australia. There is more to OZ than kangaroos, koalas, didgeridoos and surfer mates.
In various groups you will recognize, indentify and explain major geographical, linguistic and cultural features, facts about populations and indigenous fauna.
Split your class into five groups. Each group willl specialise in a different topic about Down Under.
1. Aborigines:
Imagine you are a reporter who meets two indigenous people (Aborigines) and two Australians living in Sydney for an interview which is going to be broadcasted immediately after the news in different TV stations. You will be talking about the history of the Aborigines but also their culture (typical family-structures, arts, spirituality, ...). What exactly you are meant to do is listed up further down under "Process".
2. Aussie slang:
Imagine you are a group of exchange students, who have all been to Australia for a few weeks. You are now back in Switzerland. You have learned many new words and expressions. But what do they mean in “proper” British English? Prepare a quiz for the rest of the class who has not been to Australia. Make a list of Aussie slang words and next to it a column with the English translations (NOT German). Mix up the order and have the rest of the class find the solutions. Only use words and expressions which you already know in proper English. You can give your classmates hints with pictures.
3. Animals:
Your group has been hired by the curator of the Basle Zoo to help setting up an Australian exhibit. You are expected to research 4-5 typical Australian animals and find the necessary information: maps (where does the animal live), pictures (what does it look like), nutrition (what does it eat), ...
4. East Coast vs. West Coast:
Split your group into two subgroups. You have been hired by to tourist director of the east (Sydney) and the west coast (Perth) respectively. They both want to attract Swiss tourists. Prepare a poster for each of these cities and their regions. List tourist attractions and point out the differences between the coasts. Present it to the rest of the class and have them decide which coast they would prefer as their holiday destination.
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5. History and political system:
Imagine
that your group has been hired by the Australian government to help immigrants
get to know the political system of Australia because they will have to pass a
test to become Australian citizens. Prepare an oral presentation (use BB and
OHT) with the crucial information and a mock test.
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1. Aborigines:
2. Aussie slang:
WILKES, G.A. (1996): A Dictionary of Australian Colloquialisms. Oxford: OUP
3. Australian animals:
4. Perth vs. Sydney (West Coast vs. East Coast)
5. History and political system
Political system and migration
Aborigines:
You can find additional information for your presentation above under “Task”.
Aussie slang:
Animals:
East Coast vs. West Coast:
You can find additional information for your presentation above under “Task”.
Australian history and the political system:
After spending several lessons researching on various Australian topics, you are now experts in your Aussie topic. You will now present your products (quizzes, posters, role-play etc.) to the rest of the class. You know now how and where to retrieve interesting and useful information about Australia. Use this knowledge to do more research on your own on Australia (e.g. sharks, surfers, reefs etc.) or on a totally different subject (e.g. another country, continent, your hobby, etc).
This page written by
Susanne Müller & Kevin Schrepfer
Bern, 24th May 2004
This page was adapted from Bernie Dodge 's WebQuest_Template1.html by Tom March