Canberra Links

In week 7 we will be having our Canberra trip! All of Year 5 & Year 6 will be attending this camp.

Here are some links should you like to see what your child will be up to!

DAY ONE

The Australian War Memorial
The Australian War Memorial combines a shrine, a world-class museum, and an extensive archive. The Memorial's purpose is to commemorate the sacrifice of those Australians who have died in war. Its mission is to assist Australians to remember, interpret and understand the Australian experience of war and its enduring impact on Australian society.
You can visit the education page here.


Australian Institute of Sport
The Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) is Australia's premier sports training institute, internationally acknowledged as a world's best practice model for high performance athlete development.


National Museum of Australia
The National Museum of Australia explores the land, nation and people of Australia. The Museum celebrates Australian social history in a unique way by revealing the stories of ordinary and extraordinary Australians, promoting the exploration of knowledge and ideas and providing a dynamic forum for discussion and reflection.
You can visit their Kids page here.

DAY TWO

AEC Electoral Education Centre
Conveniently located in the heart of the Canberra parliamentary triangle, the National Electoral Education Centre (NEEC) is a fun and interactive way to learn about Australia's electoral system.
During a visit to the NEEC participants will have an opportunity to:
•Enjoy a spectacular multi-media presentation on the history of democracy and elections in Australia in a purpose-built theatrette
•Enhance their knowledge of the electoral process through hands-on activities in our Discovery Zone
•Vote in an election and experience first-hand the electoral process and allocation of preferences.


Museum of Australian Democracy
The Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House helps people to understand Australia’s social and political history by interpreting the past and present and exploring the future. We achieve this by:
- bringing alive the importance of Parliament in the lives of Australians;
- interpreting, conserving and presenting the building and our collections;
- providing entertaining and educational public programs; and
- providing a range of other services that enhance the visitor experience.


Parliament House
The Parliamentary Education Office is located here.

DAY THREE

Questacon
The National Science and Technology Centre located in Canberra, Australia presents free games, quizzes and activities to explain science to children and teenagers.


National Gallery of Australia
The education page is located here.



We will be staying at The Eaglehawk Holiday Park.

Arrival back at School: Approximately 6:30pm Wednesday (Avoca Street bus stop.)

See you then!

ANZAC Day

This year ANZAC Day falls right at the end of the NSW school holidays;
of course we will commemorate the day at our annual ANZAC Day assembly, however this year it will held on the first day of Term 2!

Unfortunately that leaves us very little time to remind our students of the ANZAC story and to answer the important questions that so many students seem to have.

So I have pulled together some interesting resources your child may like to explore if they wish to deepen their knowledge about ANZAC Day and the Australian contribution to war.

Firstly, I have found this very simple explanation of ANZAC Day which makes it very easy for us all to understand! The (gulp) wikipedia entry can be found here.

The amazing 'Australians at War' website is perfect for a Year 5 or 6 student to explore.

'What Happened to Smithy?' Is an interactive history mystery game where the player explores and discovers more about the famous Australian, Charles Kingsford Smith.

There are also the 'Symbology' games (army, navy, airforce) where the player has to use their knowledge of military symbols and code breaking to complete a successful mission. An online 'war aptitude test' is also available where players can test their knowledge.

The Australian War Memorial has an excellent 'Kids HQ' website where online activities are available for students to explore.

There is also this terrific 'Soldier's Slang' website where the language of Australian soldiers at Gallipoli is explored and explained.

An explanation of the 'rising sun badge' that all members of the Australian Forces wear can be found here.

Here is a New Zealand TV article about a school student that became involved in the commemoration of ANZAC Day. It focuses also on the contributions of Pacific Islander people to war.



Here is some actual footage of Gallipoli from the Auckland War Memorial Museum, along with dramatic music and explanations in text!


I also need to insert my warning here that the comments section of YouTube may contain nasty language - you may like to check before showing footage to your child.

A list of books about ANZAC Day can be found on the goodreads website (although they are generally aimed more at younger children, some wonderful illustration though!)
A more thorough list of ANZAC Day books (including adult titles) can be found here.
Some books for young adults include:
- Scarecrow Army: The ANZACS at Gallipoli by Leon Davidson
- A Rose for the ANZAC Boys by Jackie French

On ANZAC Day we wear a sprig of Rosemary to commemorate the day, an explanation can be found here. If you have some rosemary at home, you should bring some sprigs along to wear to our ANZAC assembly!

Lest we forget.