LEARN NC

K–12 teaching and learning · from the UNC School of Education

Australian Travel Adventure

Students will learn information about each of Australia's states and territories by researching information from Internet sites. They will then take what they have learned and decorate the outline of a car with symbols and pictures that represent information gained from their research.

A lesson plan for grade 7 Social Studies

By Courtney Flynt

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Learning outcomes

Students will receive a quick introduction to life in Australia’s states and territories.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

2 weeks

Materials/resources

  • Poster Board
  • Art Supplies: Markers, Crayons, Colored Pencils, Construction Paper, Glue, Scissors, and Index Cards
  • Transparency of a Car Outline to be traced on poster board
  • Internet information printed out and categorized by state or territory

Technology resources

  • Computer equipped with a Web Browser and Internet Connection
  • Color Printer with plenty of paper!
  • Overhead Projector

An Earth Friendly way to do this project if your school environment allows would be to take your class to the computer lab and let them read straight from the web. You will need to bookmark sites for each group and be prepared for them to research for at least 4 days to take notes on what they see and want to tell their classmates about. This would save much paper and give the students experience on the web — if only we all had an extra computer lab in our schools!

Pre-activities

Have the students complete a map study on Australia so that they will become familiar with the states and territories prior to working on the project. Also, have them read the chapter in their textbook on Australia to get background information on the formation of the country and a taste of the overall culture.

Activities

  1. Divide your students into cooperative groups. I have mine draw a slip of paper from a cup that has the name of a state or territory printed on it. This ensures a well balanced group most of the time.
  2. Provide them with a folder that is filled with the printouts from their state or territory. Make sure that each folder has a wide variety of information. Include things that you know will grab their attention. I found things like Ripley’s Believe It or Not, Skateboarding Parks, Movie Theaters, and other things that I mixed in with the traditional museums and educational sites. These kept their interest.
  3. Instruct students to begin reading through the information and taking notes on the most memorable things that they read.
  4. Once they have completed their research, they may use the overhead transparency to “blow-up” the picture of the car and trace it onto their poster board.
  5. At this point, they are ready to begin to decorate their car with symbols and “souvenirs” from their imaginary trip. Encourage them to be creative, perhaps even to make up bumper stickers with slogans. This part of the project will take them several days to complete.
  6. Once their car is decorated, have students complete an index card for each decoration on their car. On this index card needs to be an explanation of what the picture symbolizes and any information from that site that they would like to share with the class. Have them tape or glue these index cards to the back of their poster.
  7. Display the cars in your room or the hallway; you’ll be amazed at how much ownership students will take of their artwork and their imaginary souvenirs.

Assessment

Each group should have between 13 and 20 “decorations” on their car and an explanation to go with each one. Evaluate the amount of time and energy that each group put into decorating the car, and how completely they explained each of their symbols. I usually do this unit at the end of the year, and I am not concerned with a hard-core numerical grade. I evaluate how involved students were in class and how they followed through with the final product.

Supplemental information

None

Related websites

http://asiatravel.com/
http://www.travelroads.com/
http://goaustralia.about.com/mbody.htm?COB=home&PID=2745
http://goaustralia.about.com/msubmenu23.htm?pid=2732&cob=home

Comments

This is a great end-of-the-year project for kids to work on during end-of-grade testing time. My students loved this, and even my slow learners found a way to be involved and feel successful.

North Carolina Curriculum Alignment

Social Studies (2003)

Grade 7

  • Goal 5: The learner will evaluate the varied ways people of Africa, Asia, and Australia make decisions about the allocation and use of economic resources.
    • Objective 5.01: Describe the relationship between the location of natural resources, and economic development, and analyze the impact on selected cultures, countries, and regions in Africa, Asia, and Australia.
  • Goal 6: The learner will recognize the relationship between economic activity and the quality of life in Africa, Asia, and Australia.
    • Objective 6.01: Describe different levels of economic development and assess their connections to standard of living indicators such as purchasing power, literacy rate, and life expectancy.
    • Objective 6.02: Examine the influence of education and technology on productivity and economic development in selected nations and regions of Africa, Asia, and Australia.
  • Goal 10: The learner will compare the rights and civic responsibilities of individuals in political structures in Africa, Asia, and Australia.
    • Objective 10.01: Trace the development of relationships between individuals and their governments in selected cultures of Africa, Asia, and Australia, and evaluate the changes that have evolved over time.
  • Goal 11: The learner will recognize the common characteristics of different cultures in Africa, Asia, and Australia.
    • Objective 11.01: Identify the concepts associated with culture such as language, religion, family, and ethnic identity, and analyze how they can link and separate societies.
    • Objective 11.02: Examine the basic needs and wants of all human beings and assess the influence of factors such as environment, values, and beliefs in creating different cultural responses.
  • Goal 12: The learner will assess the influence of major religions, ethical beliefs, and values on cultures in Africa, Asia, and Australia.
    • Objective 12.02: Describe the relationship between and cultural values of selected societies of Africa, Asia, and Australia and their art, architecture, music, and literature, and assess their significance in contemporary culture.

Computer Technology Skills (2005)

Grade 7

  • Goal 3: The learner will use a variety of technologies to access, analyze, interpret, synthesize, apply, and communicate information.
    • Objective 3.02: Select and use two or more criteria to organize, interpret, and display content data and explain strategies used. Strand - Database
    • Objective 3.10: Select, evaluate, and use a variety of digital resources and information to research and present findings about Eastern Hemisphere: Africa, Asia, and Australia. Strand - Telecommunications/Internet