Old Dog and Elly fear goannas, Ms Chen fears geckos, and Big Cuz fears the dentist. Little J boasts he isn’t scared of anything, but this may not be true. When Mick, Ally, Little J and Old Dog go to the beach, Little J discovers that his hero, Mick, is scared of Hermit crabs. Together, on the cliff, Mick and Little J overcome their shame of being afraid and help each other to be brave.

Engage - Explore ideas, experiences, observations and imagination to create visual artworks and design, including considering ideas in artworks by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists.

Theme - GOANNA (DIRAWONG)

After viewing Little J & Big Cuz, Episode 11 ‘Nothing Scares Me’, have students concentrate on the animals that the characters were afraid of, such as a goanna, a gecko, and hermit crabs. Quiz students on why these animals were feared – their appearance and physical features, size, behaviours, colour, texture, or potential to harm a person if frightened themselves.

Goanna

Have students view images and/or videos of a goanna, such as

• Australian Goanna (video):
• Australian Goannas – Evolution and Radiation, Australian Museum 
• Goanna images, Canstock photos
• Goanna (video)
• Live with Goannas, Australia Reptile Park

Instruct students to take note of the shape, size, colour, texture, patterns, etc.

Using three squares drawn onto a sheet of paper, have students draw three pictures of a goanna.

• Square 1: Focus on the shape and comparative size of the goanna.
• Square 2: Focus on a detail of the texture of the surface of the goanna.
• Square 3: Focus on the colour and pattern of the goanna.

Have students also find out the type of tracks that the goanna leaves.

View artworks by Aboriginal artists and/or Torres Strait Islander artists with the subject of ‘goanna’. Discuss with students how these artworks are special to Aboriginal peoples and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples. Have students observe how each artist represents the animal, particularly its size, shape and pattern, and how each artist fills the shape and patterns and the background.

• Goanna art, Aboriginal artists and artworks, Deutscher and Hackett
• ‘Ritual goanna ceremony’ (c. 1959), Charlie Jarabil, National Gallery of Victoria
• ‘Ngamarrga’ (Bark container) (1991), Ignatia Jangarra, National Gallery of Victoria
• Goanna, brooch (1999), Judith Pungkarta Inkamala, National Gallery of Victoria
• Lipundja, ‘Goanna totems’ (1961), National Gallery of Victoria
• ‘White cocky, black cocky and goanna’ (2001), Peggy Napangardi Jones, National Gallery of Victoria –
• ‘Goanna story’ (1987), Ray Munyal, National Gallery of Victoria
• Water goanna (1970), Yuwurnyuwurn Marruwarr, National Gallery of Victoria

Draw students’ attention to how Aboriginal artists sometimes show the internal skeleton of the animal (X-Ray), as well as a strong ‘S’ shape for the body which is reminiscent of how the animal moves.

Ask students to design an artwork where the same shape of the goanna is repeated three times in the composition. Suggest students overlap each goanna shape and use different patterns and textures to fill each shape.