Episode Goanna Ate My Homework
Synopsis
Little J gets confused hunting bush tucker when he follows his own tracks.
Little J boasts he can find bush tucker for the whole school. The plan backfires when he tracks his own footprints. Luckily, Nanna shows him
“proper way”, but a sneaky Goanna steals the bush tucker. What’s Little J going to take to school now?
Ways of knowing and doing
| Area | For me | About me | By me |
|---|---|---|---|
| My Country |
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| My Mob |
|
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| My School |
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|
Scoping on Country
On Country is used as a socio/cultural term to represent the place we belong to.
- For teachers who can take students out to local ancestral lands where they are On Country, there are activities they can do, even if their access to traditional knowledge may be limited.
- For teachers who can’t take students out of the school grounds, there are activities that help the students consider and move towards a looser understanding of ‘our place’ that is not as strong as an identified Country but that encompasses observing, studying and engaging with the natural environment in the local area.
On Country (By Me): Discovering, observing, and creating
Excursion to bushland surrounding the school, local parkland, recognised Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander bush reserve.
If the excursion is to enter a significant Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander cultural site/area of importance, seek permission from the recognised custodians/authorities to take photographs. Also instruct participants that they can’t take or remove anything from a sacred area.
- Make a photo tour of the local Country, capturing images of all the animals and birds.
- Welcome to Country—to acknowledge the traditional custodians of the lands on which they live.
- Investigate ‘place’, as it relates to Aboriginal peoples or Torres Strait Islander peoples.
- Observe and record tracks on the ground of animal activity. Develop a list of describing words for the different tracks found, such as: long, short, big, small, dotty, squiggly. Build up a knowledge base of each kind of track.
- Draw a storyline depicting animal tracks and natural features such as rivers, mountains etc.
- Map symbols for direction and locations
- Search the area for other signs of animal life, such as ant hills, nests, feathers, fur or even dung. Initiate a Nature Collection Box of natural found objects.
- Talk to people who have lived in the area for a long time and research what other animals and birds inhabit the area, now and in the past. Find out:
- if any local animals are on the endangered list, or have become extincthow places have changed over time
- how animals change their habits in response to changes in time or the seasons
- about connection and responsibility to care for Country and Place, and how to care for Place
- the traditional and local language names for flora and fauna, in different language groups
- how place and environment has changed over time
- Using an expert guide, gather and taste traditional foods (bush tucker). Create a list of words associated with the foods including describing words about the taste.
- Talk about family groups and how they differ from western family groups; about continuity and change in family roles; about different names for different family members such as ‘uz’, ‘is’, etc.
- Invite members of the traditional owner groups to talk about Country and Place, and the places of cultural and historical significance.
Scoping off Country
Off Country (For Me): Questioning, identifying, comparing, collecting data
- Create a photo album of photos taken during a tour ‘On Country’, or a class poster of images of local animals, birds and fish.
- Important! Discuss with traditional elders what is acceptable before doing this task. Add a warning statement about not taking photos of people or of ceremonial sites of importance without permission.
- Compare the images and descriptions of animals found in the area to to those of animals found in other environments. Draw conclusions about the viability or sustainability of local environments and the survival of animals found in that environment. Use the poster mentioned above as a starting point for this inquiry.Create a collage using the things found in your Nature Collection Box, mentioned in the ‘On Country’ section.
- Identify Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander names of local and non-local animals and birds; tell stories of the past about the animals and spirits that inhabit the land and sky; use Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander names in a sentence, a story, a title.
- Language groups.
- Oral traditions – Songlines (navigating and finding food) as history passed down through stories and song
- Totems and creation stories – Celestial spirits for Torres Strait Islander peoples
- Explore how animals have changed over time through an investigation of evolution. Compare images and descriptions of early mammals and mammals living today; of dinosaurs and birds; of ancient life and current life.
- Create a mask or puppet of an Australian animal; use it to tell a story.
- Ceremonial masks from Torres Strait Islander peoples
- Dance masks in the role of storytelling and ceremonies
- Create animal and bird tracks by constructing imitation feet from found objects; use the feet as props in the dance; design and construct a costume (in paper and found objects) as the camouflage of the bird or animal.
- Explore the markings on Aboriginal and/or Torre Strait Islander paintings that resemble the markings of animals on the ground, and consider their meaning in the paintings.
- Learn about animal totems and their significance to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.
- How these totems were assigned to different family groupings
General Capabilities
Cross Curriculum Priorities
Year 2 Science
5E's Inquiry approach
Through Little J & Big Cuz, Episode 5 ‘Goanna ate my homework’, students can investigate the following inquiry questions for Year 2 Science:
- What observable changes occur in the growth of animals?
- Who cares for animals in their natural habitats and how do they care for them?
The 5Es: an inquiry approach
This teaching strategy has been designed from the 5Es Inquiry approach.
- The e5 instructional model, DET Victoria
- The 5Es, Enhancing education
- The 5E Model of Instruction, CSCOPE
Description
Australian Curriculum F–10, Science
In Foundation level to Year 2, students begin to develop science knowledge, understanding and skills.
In Year 2, students:
- observe, predict, organise and compare data to reveal patterns about phenomena, such as growth and change in living things.
- count and measure observable phenomena to organise into tables that show patterns
- explore the use of Earth’s resources, particularly the flow of matter and uses for water.
Content descriptions and codes, Year 2, Science, Australian Curriculum
Science Understanding: Biological Sciences
- Living things grow, change and have offspring similar to themselves - (ACSSU030)
Science as a Human Endeavour: Nature and development of science
- Science involves observing, asking questions about, and describing changes in, objects and events - (ACSHE034)
Science Inquiry Skills
Questioning and predicting
- Pose and respond to questions, and make predictions about familiar objects and events - (ACSIS037)
Planning and conducting
- Participate in guided investigations to explore and answer questions - (ACSIS038)
Processing and analysing data and information
- Use a range of methods to sort information, including drawings and provided tables and through discussion, compare observations with predictions - (ACSIS040)
Evaluating
- Compare observations with those of others - (ACSIS041)
Communicating
- Represent and communicate observations and ideas in a variety of ways - (ACSIS042)
Australian Curriculum v8.3, Science F–10,
“© Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) 2010 to present, unless otherwise indicated. This material was downloaded from the Australian Curriculum website (Website) (accessed [insert date]) and [was][was not] modified. The material is licensed under CC BY 4.0. Version updates are tracked on the Curriculum version history page of the Australian Curriculum website.
ACARA does not endorse any product that uses the Australian Curriculum or make any representations as to the quality of such products. Any product that uses material published on this website should not be taken to be affiliated with ACARA or have the sponsorship or approval of ACARA. It is up to each person to make their own assessment of the product, taking into account matters including, but not limited to, the version number and the degree to which the materials align with the content descriptions (where relevant). Where there is a claim of alignment, it is important to check that the materials align with the content descriptions (endorsed by all education Ministers), not the elaborations (examples provided by ACARA).”
Example questions
After viewing Little J & Big Cuz, Episode 5 ‘Goanna ate my homework’, ask students leading questions about the episode. Direct their questions so that they develop a full range of possible inquiries. For example:
- Which animals did Little J collect things from?
- What is the ‘proper way’ to collect Emu eggs?
- How did Little J find out about tracking? Who did he ask?
- How did Little J know that a goanna took his emu eggs?
Themes
Themes that relate to Year 2 Science and are associated with Episode 5 ‘Goanna ate my homework’ include:
- Fauna
- People
Education resources K–2
Engage
Explore
Explain
Elaborate
Evaluate
Year 2 HASS - History and Geography
5E's Inquiry approach
Through Little J & Big Cuz, Episode 5 ‘Goanna ate my homework’, students can investigate the following inquiry questions for Year 2 Geography:
- What is a place?
- How are people connected to their place and other places?
- What factors affect my connection to places?
The 5Es: an inquiry approach
This teaching strategy has been designed from the 5Es Inquiry approach.
- The e5 instructional model, DET Victoria
- The 5Es, Enhancing education
- The 5E Model of Instruction, CSCOPE
Description
Australian Curriculum F–10, HASS Geography
In Year 2, students begin to develop humanities and social sciences understanding through key concepts, including significance, continuity and change, cause and effect, place and space, interconnections, perspectives and actions.
Students
- explore how distance and accessibility influence how often they visit places, and for what purpose (space, interconnection)
- investigate links with places, locally and throughout the world (interconnection)
- identify how places have meaning to people and the connection Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples have with Country/Place (place, environment, interconnection)
Content descriptions and codes, Year 2, HASS Geography, Australian Curriculum
Knowledge and Understanding Geography
- The ways in which Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples maintain special connections to particular Country/Place - (ACHASSK049)
Inquiry and skills Questioning
- Pose questions about past and present objects, people, places and events - (ACHASSI034)
Researching
- Collect data and information from observations and identify information and data from sources provided - (ACHASSI035)
Analysing
- Interpret data and information displayed in pictures and texts and on maps - (ACHASSI040)
Evaluating and Reflecting
- Reflect on learning to propose how to care for places and sites that are important or significant - (ACHASSI042)
Communicating
- Present narratives, information and findings in oral, graphic and written forms using simple terms to denote the passing of time and to describe direction and location - (ACHASSI043)
Australian Curriculum v8.3, HASS F–6/7, 2016
“© Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) 2010 to present, unless otherwise indicated. This material was downloaded from the Australian Curriculum website (Website) (accessed [insert date]) and [was][was not] modified. The material is licensed under CC BY 4.0. Version updates are tracked on the Curriculum version history page of the Australian Curriculum website.
ACARA does not endorse any product that uses the Australian Curriculum or make any representations as to the quality of such products. Any product that uses material published on this website should not be taken to be affiliated with ACARA or have the sponsorship or approval of ACARA. It is up to each person to make their own assessment of the product, taking into account matters including, but not limited to, the version number and the degree to which the materials align with the content descriptions (where relevant). Where there is a claim of alignment, it is important to check that the materials align with the content descriptions (endorsed by all education Ministers), not the elaborations (examples provided by ACARA).”
Example questions
After viewing Little J & Big Cuz, Episode 5 ‘Goanna ate my homework’, ask students leading questions about the episode. Direct their questions so that they develop a full range of possible inquiries. For example,
- Which animals did Little J collect things from?
- What is the ‘proper way’ to collect Emu eggs?
- How did Little J find out about tracking? Who did he ask?
- How did Little J know that a goanna took his emu eggs?
Themes
Themes that relate to Year 2, HASS Geography and are associated with Episode 5 ‘Goanna ate my homework’ include:
- Identity
- Maps
Education resources K–2
Engage
Explore
Explain
Elaborate
Evaluate
Year 1 HASS - History and Geography
5E's Inquiry approach
Through Little J & Big Cuz, Episode 5 ‘Goanna ate my homework’, students can investigate the following inquiry questions for Geography:
- What are the different features of places?
- How can we care for places?
- How have the features of places changed?
The 5Es: an inquiry approach
This teaching strategy has been designed from the 5Es Inquiry approach.
- The e5 instructional model, DET Victoria
- The 5Es, Enhancing education
- The 5E Model of Instruction, CSCOPE
Description
Australian Curriculum v8.3, Humanities and Social Sciences F-6/7, Geography
From Foundation Year to Year 2, students begin to develop knowledge, understanding and skills through the key concepts of significance, continuity and change, place and space and perspectives.
Year 1 students:
- learn how changes occur over time in relation to themselves, their own families, daily and seasonal weather patterns
- anticipate near future events such as personal milestones and seasons
- explore and investigate familiar places; their natural, managed and constructed features; and the activities located in them
- examine their daily family life and how it is the same as, and different to, previous generations; how different groups describe daily and seasonal weather patterns.
Content descriptions and codes, Year 1, HASS Geography, Australian Curriculum
Knowledge and Understanding Geography
- Activities in the local place and reasons for their location - (ACHASSK033)
Inquiry and skills Questioning
- Pose questions about past and present objects, people, places and events - (ACHASSI018)
Researching
- Collect data and information from observations and identify information and data from sources provided - (ACHASSI019)
Analysing
- Interpret data and information displayed in pictures and texts and on maps - (ACHASSI024)
Evaluating and reflecting
- Reflect on learning to propose how to care for places and sites that are important or significant - (ACHASSI009)
Communicating
- Present narratives, information and findings in oral, graphic and written forms using simple terms to denote the passing of time and to describe direction and location - (ACHASSI010)
“© Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) 2010 to present, unless otherwise indicated. This material was downloaded from the Australian Curriculum website (Website) (accessed [insert date]) and [was][was not] modified. The material is licensed under CC BY 4.0. Version updates are tracked on the Curriculum version history page of the Australian Curriculum website.
ACARA does not endorse any product that uses the Australian Curriculum or make any representations as to the quality of such products. Any product that uses material published on this website should not be taken to be affiliated with ACARA or have the sponsorship or approval of ACARA. It is up to each person to make their own assessment of the product, taking into account matters including, but not limited to, the version number and the degree to which the materials align with the content descriptions (where relevant). Where there is a claim of alignment, it is important to check that the materials align with the content descriptions (endorsed by all education Ministers), not the elaborations (examples provided by ACARA).”
Example questions
Begin any activity listed below by viewing Little J & Big Cuz, Episode 5 ‘Goanna ate my homework’.
After viewing the episode, ask students questions to enhance their comprehension of the story and their screen literacy. Direct questions so that students develop a full range of possible inquiries. For example,
- What objects did Little J collect for his treasure box?
- Which animals were represented in his collection?
- Which animals did Nanna teach Little J to track?
- What is the ‘proper way’ to collect Emu eggs?
- How did Little J know that a goanna took his emu eggs?
Themes
Themes that relate to Year 1, HASS Geography and are associated with Episode 5 ‘Goanna ate my homework’ include:
- Tracking
Education resources K–2
Engage
Explore
Explain
Elaborate
Evaluate
Foundation HASS - History and Geography
5E's Inquiry approach
Through Episode 5 ‘Goanna ate my homework’, students can investigate the following inquiry questions for Geography:
- Why are some places and events special and how do we know?
- What makes a place special?
- How can we look after the places we live in?
The 5Es: an inquiry approach
This teaching strategy has been designed from the 5Es Inquiry approach.
- The e5 instructional model, DET Victoria
- The 5Es, Enhancing education
- The 5E Model of Instruction, CSCOPE
Description
Australian Curriculum F–10, Humanities and Social Sciences: Geography
In Foundation level, students begin to develop knowledge, understanding and skills through the key concepts of significance, continuity and change, place and space, and perspectives.
Students:
- explore the people and features of their social and physical worlds, and why places are special to them
- examine representations (story maps and models) of place, through sources that include stories from family members and from different cultures
- learn about their own heritage, identity and sense of belonging, and active citizenship
- learn that their place is also the place of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Peoples.
Australian Curriculum, Humanities and Social Sciences: Geography, Foundation level content descriptions (and code)
Knowledge and Understanding Geography
- The places people live in and belong to, their familiar features and why they are important to people - (ACHASSK015)
- The Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Country or Place on which the school is located and why Country and Place is important to Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islander peoples - (ACHASSK016)
Inquiry and Skills Questioning
- Pose questions about past and present objects, people, places and events - (ACHASSI001)
Researching
- Sort and record information and data, including location, in tables and on plans and labelled maps - (ACHASSI003)
Analysing
- Interpret data and information displayed in pictures and texts and on maps - (ACHASSI003)
Evaluating and Reflecting
- Reflect on learning to propose how to care for places and sites that are important or significant - (ACHASSI009)
Communicating
- Present narratives, information and findings in oral, graphic and written forms using simple terms to denote the passing of time and to describe direction and location - (ACHASSI010)
Australian Curriculum v8.3, HASS F–6/7, 2016
“© Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) 2010 to present, unless otherwise indicated. This material was downloaded from the Australian Curriculum website (Website) (accessed [insert date]) and [was][was not] modified. The material is licensed under CC BY 4.0. Version updates are tracked on the Curriculum version history page of the Australian Curriculum website.
ACARA does not endorse any product that uses the Australian Curriculum or make any representations as to the quality of such products. Any product that uses material published on this website should not be taken to be affiliated with ACARA or have the sponsorship or approval of ACARA. It is up to each person to make their own assessment of the product, taking into account matters including, but not limited to, the version number and the degree to which the materials align with the content descriptions (where relevant). Where there is a claim of alignment, it is important to check that the materials align with the content descriptions (endorsed by all education Ministers), not the elaborations (examples provided by ACARA).”
Example questions
Begin any activity listed below by viewing Little J & Big Cuz, Episode 5 ‘Goanna ate my homework’.
After viewing the episode, ask students questions to enhance their comprehension of the story and their screen literacy. Direct questions so that students develop a full range of possible inquiries. For example,
- What objects did Little J collect for his treasure box?
- Which animals were represented in his collection?
- Which animals did Nanna teach Little J to track?
- What is the ‘proper way’ to collect Emu eggs?
- How did Little J know that a goanna took his emu eggs?
Education resources K–2
Engage
Explore
Explain
Elaborate
Evaluate
Year 1 Science
5E's Inquiry approach
Through Little J & Big Cuz, Episode 5 ‘Goanna Ate My Homework, students can investigate the following questions for Year 1 Science:
- How and why changes in the local environment affect living things?
- How do different places meet the needs of living things?
The 5Es: an inquiry approach
This teaching strategy has been designed from the 5Es Inquiry approach.
- The e5 instructional model, DET Victoria
- The 5Es, Enhancing education
- The 5E Model of Instruction, CSCOPE
Description
Australian Curriculum F–10, Science
From Foundation to Year 2, students begin to develop science knowledge, understanding and skills.
- Year 1, students learn that their observations can be organised to reveal patterns, and that these patterns can be used to make predictions about phenomena
- infer simple cause-and-effect relationships from their observations and experiences
- link events and phenomena with observable effects and to ask questions observe changes that can be large or small and happen quickly or slowly
- explore the properties of familiar objects and phenomena, identifying similarities and differences, value counting as a means of comparing observations, and are introduced to ways of organising their observations
Content descriptions and codes, Year 1, Science, Australian Curriculum
Science Understanding: Biological sciences
- Living things have a variety of external features - (ACSSU017)
Science Understanding: Earth and space sciences
- Observable changes occur in the sky and landscape - (ACSSU019)
Science as a Human Endeavour: Nature and development of science
- Science involves observing, asking questions about, and describing changes in, objects and events - (ACSHE021)
Science Inquiry Skills Questioning and predicting
- Pose and respond to questions about familiar objects and events - (ACSIS024)
Planning and conducting
- Participate in guided investigations to explore and answer questions - (ACSIS025)
Evaluating
- Compare observations with those of others - (ACSIS213)
Communicating
- Represent and communicate observations and ideas in a variety of ways - (ACSIS029)
Australian Curriculum v8.3, Science F–10, 2016
“© Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) 2010 to present, unless otherwise indicated. This material was downloaded from the Australian Curriculum website (Website) (accessed [insert date]) and [was][was not] modified. The material is licensed under CC BY 4.0. Version updates are tracked on the Curriculum version history page of the Australian Curriculum website.
ACARA does not endorse any product that uses the Australian Curriculum or make any representations as to the quality of such products. Any product that uses material published on this website should not be taken to be affiliated with ACARA or have the sponsorship or approval of ACARA. It is up to each person to make their own assessment of the product, taking into account matters including, but not limited to, the version number and the degree to which the materials align with the content descriptions (where relevant). Where there is a claim of alignment, it is important to check that the materials align with the content descriptions (endorsed by all education Ministers), not the elaborations (examples provided by ACARA).”
Example questions
After viewing Little J and Big Cuz, Episode 5 ‘Goanna ate my homework’, ask students leading questions about the episode. Direct their answers so that they develop a full range of possible inquiries. For example,
- Which animals did Little J collect things from?
- What is the ‘proper way’ to collect Emu eggs?
- How did Little J find out about tracking? Who did he ask?
- How did Little J know that a goanna took his emu eggs?
Themes
Themes that relate to Year 1 Science and are associated with Episode 5 ‘Goanna ate my homework’ include:
- Living things
- Flora
- Fauna
Education resources K–2
Engage
Explore
Explain
Elaborate
Evaluate
Foundation Science
5E's Inquiry approach
Through Little J & Big Cuz, Episode 5 ‘Goanna Ate My Homework’, students can investigate the following questions for Foundation Year, Science: Why do living things live where they live?
- How is conservation of habitats linked to preserving animal populations?
The 5Es: an inquiry approach
This teaching strategy has been designed from the 5Es Inquiry approach.
- The e5 instructional model, DET Victoria
- The 5Es, Enhancing education
- The 5E Model of Instruction, CSCOPE
Description
Australian Curriculum v8.3, Science F–10,
From Foundation Year to Year 2 students begin to develop science knowledge, understanding and skills.
Foundation students
- learn that observations can be organised to reveal patterns, and that these patterns can be used to make predictions about phenomena
- observe and describe the behaviours and properties of everyday objects, materials and living things explore change in the world around them, including weather, making things move and/or changing shape
- pose questions, make observations, and use their senses to gather different types of information.
Australian Curriculum, Science, Foundation level content descriptions (and code)
Science Understanding: Biological sciences
- Living things have basic needs, including food and water - (ACSSU002)
Science as a Human Endeavour: Nature and development of science
- Science involves observing, asking questions about, and describing changes in, objects and events - (ACSHE013)
Science Inquiry Skills
Questioning and predicting
- Pose and respond to questions about familiar objects and events - (ACSIS014)
Planning and conducting
- Participate in guided investigations and make observations using the senses - (ACSIS011)
Processing and analysing data and information
- Engage in discussions about observations and represent ideas - (ACSIS233)
Communicating
- Share observations and ideas - (ACSIS012)
“© Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) 2010 to present, unless otherwise indicated. This material was downloaded from the Australian Curriculum website (Website) (accessed [insert date]) and [was][was not] modified. The material is licensed under CC BY 4.0. Version updates are tracked on the Curriculum version history page of the Australian Curriculum website.
ACARA does not endorse any product that uses the Australian Curriculum or make any representations as to the quality of such products. Any product that uses material published on this website should not be taken to be affiliated with ACARA or have the sponsorship or approval of ACARA. It is up to each person to make their own assessment of the product, taking into account matters including, but not limited to, the version number and the degree to which the materials align with the content descriptions (where relevant). Where there is a claim of alignment, it is important to check that the materials align with the content descriptions (endorsed by all education Ministers), not the elaborations (examples provided by ACARA).”
Example questions
Begin any activity listed below by viewing Little J & Big Cuz, Episode 5 ‘Goanna ate my homework’.
After viewing the episode, ask students questions to enhance their comprehension of the story and their screen literacy. Direct questions so that students develop a full range of possible inquiries. For example,
- What objects did Little J collect for his treasure box?
- Which animals were represented in his collection?
- Which animals did Nanna teach Little J to track?
- What is the ‘proper way’ to collect Emu eggs?
- How did Little J know that a goanna took his emu eggs?
Themes
Themes that relate to Foundation level Science and are associated with Episode 5 ‘Goanna ate my homework’ include:
- Living things
- Fauna
- Collections