Steve Zimmerman
Blue Mountain High School
Teacher/Gifted Program Coordinator
Unit 11:
Australia and New Zealand
Unit Length: 10 days Unit Points:100 Rate = 10 points per day
Selections in bold are required of all students. Items marked * do not require oral assessment. One oral assessment per day only. A and B layer do not count as assessments.
(5) _____ 1. Make flashcards of the Unit terms. Identify 4 through questioning.
*(5) _____ 2. Make a list of the Top 10 things you think all Americans should know about Australia.
(6) _____ 3. Lecture 1 – “Geography of Australia and New Zealand”
(6) _____ 4. Lecture 2 - “Conquest of the Aborigines”
(8) _____ 5. Read Global Mosaic pp. 299-302 (Geography). Answer 4 teacher questions correctly.
(8) _____ 6. Read Global Mosaic pp. 302-307 (History). Answer 4 teacher questions correctly.
(8) _____ 7. Complete the physical/political map and answer 6 questions correctly.
(8) _____ 8. Lecture 3 – “Living Australian”
*(8) _____ 9. Read and react to the story about Aboriginal Bone Pointing in a 1 paragraph reflection.
*(8) _____ 10. Worksheets. Choose 1 of the following and complete – “Australia and Oceania”, “A Meeting of
Cultures in the Outback”, “Australia and the Ozone Hole”.
(10) _____ 11. Study the “How to speak Strine” worksheet and prepare to answer 10 questions.
*(10) _____12. Make a poster about Aboriginal art. Show various pieces, and the various aspects that all
Aboriginal art has in common.
*(10) _____13. Make a poster of 20 famous people from Australia and/or New Zealand. Include their names,
nationality, and accomplishment. Use rubric.
*(10) _____14. Make a poster that displays 10 of the most important events in the history of Australia.
*(10) _____15. Man versus Nature poster. Make a poster that shows the negative effects each of the
following acts has had on the region – introduction of foreign species (rabbits, foxes, and cane toads) to Australia, ozone depletion, nuclear weapons tests, sheep farming
*(10) _____16. Make a flag of Australia or New Zealand out of any materials you choose. Include a placard
that explains the history, and what the colors and symbols represent.
(10) _____ 17. Crossword Puzzle. Complete and answer 8 questions.
(10) _____ 18. Memorize and recite the chant and the translation used in the Maori Haka dance.
*(12) ____ 19. Make a list of over 10 cultural/historical similarities between the Aborigine peoples and the Native Americans.
*(15)_____ 21. Make a diorama/model of one of the following- the Australian Outback, the Sydney Opera
House, the Great Barrier Reef, or put on display a varied selection of the unique flora/fauna (no less than 10) that can be found here. Use rubric.
(25) _____ 22. Unit 11 Test. 25 questions.
(10) _____ 1. In a group of 4, prepare a meal from Australia or New Zealand. See rubric.
(10) _____ 2. Entitle a poster – “Australian Rules Football: Toughest Sport on Earth”, then explain how the
game is played, compare it to a similar American sport, and finally, justify the title of the poster.
(10) _____ 3. Find and conduct an interview with a person from Australia or New Zealand. Find out what their
life is like as a citizen of that nation, their views on some current issues in their nation, and what their view of the United States is and why. All questions should probe for more than yes/no answers. 10 questions minimum.
(20) _____ 4. Make a powerpoint presentation that will entice an outsider to visit Australia or New
Zealand. Gear your
presentation towards one of the following people – a sports enthusiast,
a nature lover, a family of 4, a geologist, a honeymoon couple.
(20) _____ 5. Make your own boomerang, adorn it with aboriginal art, explain some of the physics behind it,
and then show us how to throw it on Australian Experience Day.
(30) _____ 6. Write a script for a nature show in which the adventurous Australian host has a number of less
than pleasant experiences with the wildlife of Australia. Include cultural items from the region (ex: language, food, habits, etc.) and information about the critters through his/her dialogue to the audience/cast.
_____ 1. Should native peoples ever be allowed to reclaim the lands taken from them in the past by
foreigners? Use an A-Layer Sheet.
_____ 2. I am interested in doing a “walkabout” in the Australian Outback. I’m planning on spending no less
than 2 weeks in the bush. Build a detailed list of items I will need in order to survive for those 2 weeks or longer. Everything must be able to be carried by me. Include the specific reasoning you used behind each item you’ve selected.
_____ 3. Is the New Zealand rugby team, the All-Blacks, the greatest sport team ever? Use an A-Layer Sheet.
_____ 4. Write a criticism or support of the British government’s past decision to “export” its criminals to
another region of the globe. Use an A-Layer Sheet.
_____ 5. Ecotourism. Is it helping to save or destroy the planet? Use an A-Layer Sheet.
Grade Levels:
F = 0 – 69 D=70 – 76 C=77 – 84 B=85 – 92 A=93-100
Australia and New Zealand Schedule
Day 1 – Any Assessments
Day 2 – Lecture 1
Day 3 –
Day 4 –
Day 5 – Lecture 2
Day 6 –
Day 7 –
Day 8 – Lecture 3
Day 9 –
Day 10 – Unit 11 Test only
Day 11 – Australian Experience Day. All A and B Layers due.