Australia is a great place to visit as well as talk about with your students. It has a vast amount of wildlife that isn’t seen within the United States. Here are some great Australian lesson plans to do with your students.
Australia introduction ideas
When applying new lesson plans, such as Australian lesson plans, always start with an introduction. For Australia you can start by talking about its many animals. Show your students pictures as you are talking about them. You can also show them pictures of Australia as well as talk about the weather.
You can also talk about certain words that they say there that are different from other places that speak English. For example in Australia the word tucker means food. There are several other words to talk about as well. Give them a list of Austrian words and see if they can match them to the correct American word.
Australian Crafts
A great craft idea to incorporate into your Australian lesson plans is to make boomerangs. Give your students a sheet of construction paper and a piece of cardboard. Before class draw the shape of an Australian boomerang (if you are not familiar with the shape look online for a template there are many) on a piece of cardboard and cut it out. You may want to make several of these templates depending on the size of your classroom. Then have your students trace the boomerang onto their construction paper and cardboard. Then have your students cut both out. Next glue the construction paper to the cardboard. Then let your students decorate their boomerangs with markers and crayons. Then they have a replica of a boomerang to take home.
Another great craft idea is to have your students make Australian animal masks. Give them each a paper plate that is cut in half. Have them cut holes in the paper plate with scissors. Then attach a string to both sides of the mask so that it will securely stay on the owners head. Let them decorate the masks with crayons and markers to resemble a animal that lives in Australia.
Australian Games and Activities
A great game incorporate into your Australian lesson plans is called get that fish. Explain to your students that there are thousands of fish that live in the waters surrounding Australia. Then proceed to play this game. Split your students into two schools of fish. Each team must then try to tag all the other teams players. If a player from one team gets tagged by another team they must sit down and are out of the game. Play until there is only one team with players still in the game. That team wins the game! You may want to give your students colored wristbands so that everyone knows which team they are on.
Another great activity is to have your students put on a play with the masks that they made above. Split your students up into groups of four. Have each group come up with a play that incorporates the animals that are on their masks. They can then perform their plays in front of the rest of the class.
