When the power goes off, Big Cuz, Nanna, Little J and Old Dog go to the beach. They use bread to catch hermit crabs, which in turn are used to catch a ‘bluebone’ fish. Big Cuz learns how to fish, Nanna makes a fire to cook the fish, and Little J finds a large clam shell to take to school the next day.

Explain - Interpret data and information displayed in pictures and texts and on maps

Theme - PLACE

Revisit Little J & Big Cuz, Episode 4 ‘Right Under Your Nose’, and concentrate students’ attention on the beach environment. Have students suggest things they do when they go to the beach, the things they take to the beach, the clothes they wear at the beach. Have students complete a SEE, HEAR, SMELL, FEEL, TASTE exploration to focus their personal observations and experiences.

As a class, watch a selection of archival film clips about how people used the beach in past eras. Access:

• The Beach, Australians at the beach, National Film and Sound Archive. 
• View
  • Australasian Gazette – Some Sunday morning 1920
  • A Day at the Beach 1955
  • At the Beach 1971

Have students suggest the activities people do at the beach, the clothes they wear for the beach and swimming, and what equipment and objects they take to the beach. Have students compare the similarities and differences between the past, as seen in the film clips, and the present, from their own experiences or imaginations.

From observation, most students will recognise that life on the beach remains mainly unchanged. What has changed is the number of people, and the development of the land surrounding the beach to support more housing for people. Display the two different time periods for Surfers Paradise beach and explain how population increase and the lifestyle of different era’s demands more commercial business and accommodation. Access these two images, or find similar ones for the local beach:

• Surfers Paradise (1950s) slide show
• Surfers Paradise Beach

Have students pose and respond to questions about environmental problems that occur to a beach environment because of the increasing numbers of people using it, e.g. land/beach erosion, destruction of native flora and fauna habitats, and pollution.  The students’ responses may be simpler notions of these ideas. The objective here is for students to consider the impact that people have on a natural environment.

As a class, read the book:

• Snell, Danny.  (2015). Seagull.  Adelaide, SA:  Working Title Press. (Teacher notes)

Ask students to pay attention to the images and discuss the problems that rubbish caused for wildlife.

Invite students to design a sign that warns people not to litter on their favourite beach or waterway. If appropriate for the class, encourage students to incorporate the slogan ‘Stow don’t Throw’.

Suggested teacher resources:

• Coastal Adaptation for climate change – 2 Beaches 
• Interactive map