• Introduction

    Not published to students
    Current

    People need air, food, water, and other people to survive. Let's look at each of these in turn.

    • Food and water

      Not published to students
      Current

      Hydration

      Water is everywhere on Earth. About 71% of the planet's surface is covered with it, and even the human body is more than 50% water. This video looks at why it's important to stay hydrated:

      Playing time: 4:51

      Hydration calculation (5 coins)
      So how much should we drink in a day? The video above says around 2 to 3.7 litres, depending on sex, health, age and other factors. The video also says that if your urine is dark yellow, you should probably be drinking more!

      1. Get a rough idea of your daily water intake by recording how many of the following beverages you consume in a day:
        Beverages
        It's important to record your actual intake for a day, because a lot of people under- or over- estimate their water intake.
      2. Once you've recorded the number of beverages consumed in a day, complete this online calculator to see if you're drinking enough.
      3. Answer the 'Hydration choice' to show whether you are drinking enough water or not.

      Dehydration

      It's especially easy to become dehydrated in the hot, dry Australian climate. Hospitals experience an influx of patients on warm days and during heat waves, with many people experiencing heat stroke or other heat-related illnesses. Fortunately, the chance of heat stroke can be mitigated avoided through regular consumption of water. On hot days, the volunteer fire fighters are told to consume a full litre of water per hour - that's a lot more than the usual recommended two to four litres a day! This video explains how dehydration can affect the human body:

      Playing time: 3:31

      Water intake experiment (5 coins)

      Regulating water intake can have a surprisingly noticeable effect on energy and how you feel more generally.

      1. Drink one litre of water every hour for three hours, and take note of how you feel.
      2. For the rest of the day, drink water only when you feel thirsty.
      3. Did the increased water intake make you feel any different? Did it feel like a lot of water? Discuss your experience in the 'Water intake forum'.

      Digestion

      Unless we eat something that disagrees with us, we tend to be aware of our digestive system only at the start and the end - when we eat, and when we go to the toilet! The process of digestion tends to fade into the background if it's working as it should. This video explains how it works:

      Playing time: 4:56

      Representing digestion (10 coins)
      Digestion is a complex process, as you can see from the video above. It can be represented in many different ways, at different levels of complexity.

      1. Re-watch the video above and find a way to summarise the digestive process in 10 steps. For example, 'chewing' or 'peristalsis'.
      2. Represent the ten steps you chose in a creative medium of your choice. You could create a video or flow chart, record a podcast or poem or song, write a story, design a game, develop a website or draw a webcomic. You can read how to do some of these things here.
      3. Upload your creative representation of the process of digestion to the 'Digestion Wiki'.

      What we eat

      This video looks at some of the factors that influence what we eat:

      Playing time: 3:28

      Learning diet (5 coins)
      Diet is largely learned, leading to great diversity both between and within cultures. There's no default human diet and the average Australian supermarket offers an enormous wealth of options - in fact, the average diet today would have been unthinkable in medieval times. We develop eating habits from a young age, influenced by our community and culture, and the people in our lives. Most Australians use a fork instead of chopsticks, for example! Some people in China eat foods that could be considered strange in Australia, including scorpions, chicken feet, and pigeons. On the Italian island of Sardinia, there's a black market for a special dish called casu marzu, which is a cheese that contains live maggots!

      1. To reflect on your own eating habits, complete the 'Learning diet template' and upload it to the 'Learning diet submission'.
      2. Post your top three influencers on the 'Learning diet forum'. It will be interesting to see if a pattern emerges!

      Diet and nutrition research

      We're often told to eat more of something because it's good for us, or less of something because it's bad. But how do we know this? Nutrition research often produces conflicting information about what is and isn't healthy, and news organisations aren't always the best at accurate reporting. Some recent news stories reported that eating soy products can cause men to develop female features - this is nonsense, of course. The next video video explores how myths about nutrition can develop, and it raises some interesting points about reporting and experiment design.

      Playing time: 9:20

      We also get told we should eat things because they're 'low fat' or 'low sugar'. But what does that mean when it comes to selecting food off the shelf? This video discusses some of the misleading claims used to sell food:

      Playing time: 4:40

      What happens if you stop eating?

      Every now and then people become excited by a new diet that promises profound health benefits or rapid weight loss. The ketosis diet, for example, involves eating for a short period each day and fasting for the rest of the time. Some diets suggest you count calories and measure food portions, while others suggest you focus on protein intake - the paleo diet. 'Breatharians' even think it's possible to live without food at all! Some diets may benefit some people some of the time, but one thing is clear: we die if we stop eating! This video explains the process of starvation:

      Playing time: 4:47

      Food mood (5 coins)
      To what extent is your mood is affected by diet?

      1. For one or two days, pay careful attention to what you eat, when, and how your mood changes over time. Do you feel tired after eating a big meal? Do you feel energetic after breakfast? Do you feel bad after eating junk food? What patterns can you identify?
      2. Discuss if and how food impacts your mood in the 'Food mood forum'. Post at least three sentences, and don't worry if your body works differently to others - we are all different!

      Activities

      Complete at least 20 coins' worth of activities below.

      1. Create an educational resource for 5 to 10 year olds that represents the five basic food groups. You could create a poster, story, YouTube video, game, song, webcomic or website. Whatever you choose, it must teach the user why each food group is important for a healthy, balanced diet. You can find guides about how to create these media here.
      2. Upload your educational resource to the 'Food groups Wiki'.

      'Doomsday preppers' are people who prepare for some impending threat to civilisation. They aim for self-sufficiency in the event of nuclear war, economic collapse, foreign invasion, a global pandemic, environmental disaster or other catastrophe. Imagine that a new global pandemic has emerged and there's an impending food shortage. The supermarket shelves will be bare in a matter of weeks, and people are being advised to stay at home indefinitely. There may be civil disorder, with looters coming to steal food and other supplies. What would you do to ensure you could stay alive for six months without leaving your home? Watch the next video and research 'doomsday preppers' on YouTube for inspiration.

      Playing time: 3:09


      1. Create a survival plan for the above scenario. Write at least 200 words, and try not to forget anything! You can also design a bunker or other structure if that's a part of your plan.
      2. Post your plan on the 'Doomsday preppers forum'.
      3. Respond to someone else's plan with a productive critique. What have they done well? What could be improved? Have they forgotten anything?

      What would happen if you were lost adrift on the open ocean? Believe it or not, dying of thirst would be one of your chief concerns!

      1. Watch this video about drinking seawater:

        Playing time: 2:46

      2. Try the experiment at the end of the video. You'll need some seawater or salty water, and a space outdoors on a hot day. You may also need a bucket or container for the water. Be sure to photograph or video the process.
      3. Post your video or photo evidence on the 'Purifying seawater forum', along with a brief description of whether it worked or not. How did you do it and what was the water like at the end?

      There are countless diets promising major health benefits, but many of them lack scientific evidence and a sound theoretical basis.

      1. Look at the list of diets on Wikipedia and choose two that aren't on the 'Diet Wiki' yet.
      2. Create a separate page on the 'Diet Wiki' for each diet. You can learn how to do that here.
      3. Add the following information to the page for each diet:

        • Description of what's involved in the diet.
        • Description of what the diet is supposed to do (e.g. weight loss, some specific health benefit).
        • Where the idea for the diet came from and what the theory is behind it, if any.
        • Whether there is any scientific evidence for the effectiveness of the diet.
        • One interesting fact about the diet.
        • One image related to the diet.
        • A brief evaluation of the diet: is it safe and effective? There are plenty of supportive claims for dangerous or ineffective diets, so be cautious and think critically about what you read.

      The classic science fiction film Soylent Green (1973) shows a world where overpopulation and climate catastrophe have caused global shortages of food, water and housing. You can watch the trailer here:

      Playing time: 3:25


      1. Watch Soylent Green and write a review of the film, paying particular attention to how scarcity (the lack of resources) affects people's lives. How does society change to adapt to these shortages? Also, how has the film aged? Do you think it depicts a plausible scenario? Why or why not? Your review should be at least 200 words long.
      2. Post your review on the 'Soylent Green forum'.

      'Food insecurity' refers to a lack of reliable access to safe, affordable and nutritious food. The Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES) is a way of measuring food insecurity across the globe, developed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). The FIES helps the FAO measure progress against the United Nations' second sustainable development goal, which is no hunger by the year 2030.

      1. Watch this video to get a basic understanding of the FIES:
        Playing time: 3:40

      2. Visit the FAO website and download the latest report on progress toward the zero hunger sustainable development goal for 2030.
      3. Write down three statistics from the report. A good place to start is the 'key messages' section on page xiv. It's quite a long document, so you don't have to read the whole thing!
      4. Make a short video presentation about what these statistics tell you about food distribution. Your presentation should be a video with slides and a voiceover. It should be at least two minutes long. You can read about how to make a video presentation here.
      5. Upload your video to YouTube as public or unlisted, and post a link on the 'Food insecurity forum'.

      'Body composition' refers to the proportion of fat, muscle, bone, and water comprising the body weight of an individual person. Body composition can influence various health considerations, including hydration. Muscle contains more water than fat, so you need more water to hydrate someone lean and less water to hydrate someone overweight. This video explains the calculation needed to determine how much water someone would need based on the amount of muscle and fat in their body:

      Playing time: 4:25

      Watch the video above and complete the 'Hydration template'. Upload the completed template to the 'Hydration submission'.

    • Clothing and shelter

      Not published to students
      Current

      Shelter

      'Shelter' in its broadest sense refers to anything that offers protection, including the clothes we wear, and the roofs over our heads. The human body needs to be maintained within a specific temperature range for survival. People can tolerate short-term exposure to excessive heat or cold, but long-term exposure can be lethal.

      Hypothermia
      If we lose too much body heat, we can suffer from hypothermia. Watch this video for an explanation:

      Playing time: 3:28

      The next video explains what happens when someone freezes to death!

      Playing time: 4:09


      Inuit fashion (5 coins)
      One way to prevent hypothermia is to dress warmly. Inuits are indigenous to the Artic regions of Alaska, Canada and Greenland. Some Inuits live on ice caps where temperatures rarely rise above zero degrees celsuis.

      1. Research Inuits and write at least three sentences describing their clothing.
      2. Write at least three sentences comparing Inuit clothing to the clothing you wear in winter. Consider the design of the clothes as well as the materials used.
      3. Upload your answers to the 'Inuit fashion submission' as a Word document.

      Hyperthermia

      If you get too hot, you may suffer from hyperthermia. Hyperthermia can cause a range of medical issues, including heat stroke:

      Playing time: 4:12


      Heat stroke (5 coins)
      Elderly people are at greater risk of heat stroke, partly because they sweat less and so their bodies are less efficient at regulating temperature. Research heat stroke and respond to the following prompts on the 'Staying cool forum':

      1. List at least five risk factors for heat stroke.
      2. Come up with a plan to help you stay cool during a heatwave.
      3. List at least five signs of a heat stroke.
      4. Come up with a plan to help someone if they are suffering from heat stroke.
      Exertional heat stroke (5 coins)

      Exertional heat stroke occurs when someone overexerts themselves through physical activity. Watch this video to find out more:

      Playing time: 3:53


      The video ends by claiming that exertional heat stroke is one of the top three causes of death in sports. It is also 100% survivable with proper care. So why do so many people die from it? What could be done to reduce the number of deaths from exertional heat stroke? Post a suggestion on the 'Exertional heat stroke forum'. Be sure to write at least three sentences.

      From survival to lifestyle

      Over time, we have adapted our shelters to assist with more than just survival. Now, they represent an important lifestyle choice. Some people prefer to live in the city, while others prefer to live in a rural area. Some people prefer to live with others, whereas others prefer to live on their own. Some prefer a very small residence, while others want space. Some people want a garden, whereas others are content without.

      Of course, many of these choices are limited by our resources and opportunities. Shelter is partly a representation of status, values, and material success. In this sense, it is an example of conspicuous consumption - spending money in such a way as to show off wealth or social status. Properties in some areas are more expensive than others, as different neighbourhoods tend to attract people with different incomes. Neighbourhoods also tend to be occupied by people with similar occupations, incomes and levels of education, represented by socioeconomic status.  This may be a deliberate design decision by politicians and town planners, or it may be by accident.

      This video looks at the Barbican Centre in London and how it was built to address the housing crisis after World War 2:

      Playing time: 5:50

      Your neighbourhood (10 coins)
      Every five years, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) conduct a national census, which is a big survey to gather information about how the country is going. They have a tool on their website called 'QuickStats' that allows you to see census data for each suburb in Australia.

      1. Visit QuickStats and search for your suburb:


      2. Scroll through the data and take note of the percentage of people or households in each category. Look at age, gender, rates of employment, rent, household income, ethnicity and languages spoken.
      3. Find three statistics where your suburb differs from the state or national average. For example, you may be in a suburb with twice as many people over the age of 85 compared to the national average.
      4. The ABS measure socioeconomic status as an indicator of someone's advantage or disadvantage in life. Different areas have different incomes, levels of education, types of jobs and so on. People with socioeconomic advantage often have more opportunities, and this can translate to a range of positive outcomes including higher income, lower rates of substance abuse, and even fewer health issues. You can search the Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage (IRSAD) here. Type in your postcode to find your suburb, then work out which quintile it fits into.
      5. Post your three census statistics and the IRSAD quintile for your suburb on the 'My neighbourhood forum'. Explain what each piece of information means, and what it tells you about the suburb you live in. Note that you don't have to mention your suburb by name.

      Sustainable living

      With anthropogenic climate change continuing to affect the world, people are being called upon to envision a more sustainable future.

      Sustainable homes (5 coins)
      Consider how sustainable your home is in terms of energy efficiency, water, and waste management.

      1. Research what changes you could make to your home to make it more sustainable. Examples include changing the lightbulbs, or growing your own vegetables.
      2. Explain three changes you could make in the 'Sustainable living forum'. Write at least three sentences per change, explaining precisely how you could do it.

      Sustainable cities (15 coins)
      By some projections, 54% of the world's population will live in cities by 2050. This high population density represents a challenge for sustainability. Architects, urban planners and other experts across the world are designing and implementing ideas for the city of the future. This video uses present-day examples to explain what that could look like:

      Playing time: 18:12

      1. Watch the video above and take note of the ideas people have for what cities should look like.
      2. Research 'sustainable cities' and 'smart cities'. These videos are optional, but they may give you some ideas: explanation of smart cities, tour of a sustainable city in Dubai, an introduction to Solarpunk.
      3. Read these two articles (1, 2) and choose what you think are the top five challenges presented by rapid urbanisation.
      4. Post these challenges and a possible solution for each one on the 'Future cities forum'. Write at least three sentences per challenge and solution, for a total of at least fifteen sentences.

      From protection to fashion

      Humans have progressed from using clothing as covering to clothing as fashion. Rather than simply keeping us warm or cool, we use clothing as a means of self-expression. This video looks at the history of clothing:

      Playing time: 3:27

      Fashion choices (5 coins)
      Many people pay a premium for clothing with prominent branding. For example, a t-shirt with the Adidas logo is worth more than a plain, but otherwise identical one! One of the best examples is the New York clothing brand Supreme who managed to sell a brick for hundreds of dollars. This video tries to explain the phenomenon:

      Playing time: 10:01

      Why do you think people spend so much money on branded clothing? Do you follow trends in fashion? Is it important for you to look a certain way, or do you mostly dress for comfort? Do you change your look, or do you wear the same thing most of the time? Post your thoughts on the 'Fashion choices forum'. Feel free to start your own discussion or respond to someone else.

      The history of fashion
      This video shows how fashion has changed each decade for the past 100 years:

      Playing time: 2:34

      How we dress sends a message about who we are to the people we meet. In some cases, they receive this message as intended. At other times, there's a difference between how we want to come across and how people see us. There are many reasons this could be the case. This video features interviews with people in the street about if and how they express themselves through fashion:

      Playing time: 4:14


      Fashion as self-expression (5 coins)
      Fashion is an important form of self-expression for many people. Answer the following questions on the 'Fashion forum':

      1. How important is fashion to you? Why?
      2. Does what you wear reflect your personality, whether intentionally or not?
      3. Come up with an outfit that expresses some aspect of your identity, and explain how it does so. Feel free to add pictures!

      The casualties of fashion
      Fast fashion often criticised for its human and environmental impact. This video provides a brief critique of the industry:

      Playing time: 5:30


      Other people are skeptical of what they see as the materialistic and superficial values that characterise modern fashion. Here's a brief video essay arguing the point:

      Playing time: 3:44

      The fashion debate (10 coins)
      So what do you think?

      1. Pick one of the two videos above and create a video response. You may agree or disagree. You should also feel free to add your own arguments. Your video should be at least two minutes long. You can read about how to record and edit videos here.
      2. Upload your video to YouTube as either 'public' or 'unlisted', and post it on the 'Fashion values forum'.
      3. Post a response to someone else's video, briefly and respectfully offering your opinion.

      Activities

      Complete at least 25 coins' worth of activities below.

      Imagine that a disaster is about to occur and you have to flee from your home. You can only take 20 items with you, and that needs to be enough to survive outside for a whole month! What do you take? Post your list on the 'Survival list forum'.

      One of the videos above has a great breakdown of how fashion has changed each decade over the past 100 years. But what was it like before that?

      1. Create a graphic timeline of how fashion has changed over the past 500 years. Include a brief description of each era, and some images of what people might have worn .
      2. Add your timeline to a new page on the 'History of fashion Wiki'. You can learn how to edit Wikis here.


      Imagine if you could move out of your home and into a mobile caravan, then travel around a country of your choice for a year. Write a fictional travelogue or journal about your adventures to show what it might be like to live on the road as opposed to a fixed location. Share your work on the 'Caravan adventures forum'.

      This activity builds on the 'Sustainable cities' activity above, so complete that first if you haven't already.

      1. Take the solutions you came up with as part of the 'Sustainable cities' activity and consider what it would look like if they were implemented as part of the same city. Imagine you are an urban planner in 2100, tasked with designing a new city from scratch.
      2. Draw a grid where each square represents 500 metres, and add a scale for reference. You can do this digitally or on paper. If you choose to do it digitally, it may help to make the grid on a new layer and lock it. You can read about how to edit images here.
      3. Draw main roads near the centre of the grid to represent the city centre, which should be approximately 10-20 km2.
      4. Draw main roads on the suburbs surrounding the city centre.
      5. Add buildings and other structures to your map.
      6. Annotate your map to explain how the city works.
      7. In addition to the challenges from the 'Sustainable cities' activity, you might want to consider the following points:

        • public transport
        • efficient generation and supply of energy
        • water supply and waste management
        • private and communal spaces
        • public services (e.g. hospitals, toilets, parks, libraries)
        • administration and government

      8. Come up with a name for your city and create a page for it on the 'Sustainable cities Wiki'. Post the map on your page. You can learn how to edit Wikis here.

      Imagine you are a fashion designer, and you have been tasked with creating a new clothing line that suits all occasions.

      1. Design ten outfits, each one suitable for a different occasion. Examples might include a work outfit, a school outfit, and a wedding outfit.
      2. Draw each outfit, and write down what occasion it's for. You can draw your work by hand and scan it in, or you can create a digital image. You can read about how to draw, scan and edit images here.
      3. Write a 100-word artist's statement explaining the ethos and rationale behind your design.
      4. Come up with a name for your clothing line or brand, and create a page with that title on the 'Fashion design Wiki'. You can learn how to edit Wikis here.

    • Companionship

      Not published to students
      Current

      Companionship

      Solitary confinement is used as a form of torture because humans are innately sociable, and it can be very distressing to be isolated from other people. Companionship and loneliness may be challenging topics for some people, so if you are concerned or upset about something, please call Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800 - they are available 24/7. 

      So what is companionship? Oxford Dictionaries define it as 'a feeling of fellowship or friendship'. Collins English Dictionary defines it as 'having someone you know and like with you,  rather than being on your own'. 'Camaraderie' and 'togetherness' are synonyms. These definitions all involve more than one person, with companionship emerging from an interpersonal relationship. 'Companionship' covers the relationship you might have with a pet or a friend to the relationship you might have with a romantic partner. The next video asks if people need a romantic relationship to be happy.

      Playing time: 2:48


      One key takeaway is that companionship by itself doesn't make people happy. In fact, it's possible to be surrounded by other people and still feel alone. For many people, there's no worse feeling than being with a group where you feel you don't fit in. So what makes someone a good companion? The next video tries to unpack that:

      Playing time: 16:23


      The video above identifies three criteria for a good relationship:

      • Positivity - Someone who makes you feel good about yourself, or at least not bad.
      • Consistency - Someone is there often, and available when needed.
      • Vulnerability - Someone who you can be honest with, so you can truly be yourself around them.

      Defining companionship (5 coins)
      True friendships can be extremely valuable, and many people will only develop relationships with a few people in their lifetime that meet all three of the 'frientimacy' criteria above. Consider whether the relationships in your life meet the 'frientimacy' criteria and then answer the following questions on the 'Defining companionship forum', in at least three sentences each:

      1. What do you think about the above criteria? Would you change or remove any of them? Would you add new ones?
      2. How do you define 'companionship'? What does it mean to you? Equally, what does it not mean?
      3. When you have finished posting your own thoughts, go ahead and respond to someone else.

      Adolescent angst

      It is not unusual for young people to feel lonely or out of place, even amongst family and friends. In fact, the next video argues that it can be beneficial to have a troubled adolescence !

      Playing time: 6:23

      Adolescence (5 coins)

      What do you think about the video above? Does it ring true, or not? Share your thoughts on the 'Adolescence forum', either as a new post or in response to someone else.

      Loneliness

      Fear of rejection often stops us from trying to meet others, so it's easy to withdraw and become lonely. It's easy to get the impression that everyone around us is connected, and we're the only one feeling the way we do, but the next video argues that loneliness is in fact a part of the human condition:

      Playing time: 6:30

      Art as communication (5 coins)
      'The history of art is the record of people who couldn't find anyone in the vicinity to talk to.'

      The video above discusses the power of art as a form of communication, or connection. When you read a book or listen to a song, you are engaging in an act of communication with the artist, in some cases long gone. For this activity, find a work of art that really connects with you, deeply and personally; something that resonates with you and makes you feel as if the artist understands your own experiences. It could be a book, poem, movie, game, song, painting, TV show, performance, or any other form of creative expression. Share your chosen work of art on the 'Art forum' and explain why it resonates with you.

      Being alone

      Being alone is not the same as being lonely. Some people are afraid of being alone, whereas others see it as a necessity. The next video argues that there are benefits to being alone with your thoughts, without other people and without entertainment:

      Playing time: 6:29


      Alone (5 coins)

      How do you feel about being alone? Does it make you feel lonely, or do you enjoy it? Discuss your thoughts on the 'Being alone forum'. Try to write at least three sentences.

      Friendship

      A good friendship (5 coins)
      Think of a moment from your personal experience that best embodies the concept of a good friendship. Describe it on the 'Friendship forum' in at least three sentences.

      Four-legged friends
      Animals are an important source of companionship for many people.

      Playing time: 3:54


      Pets (5 coins)
      Do you have any animals in your life? If so, introduce them in a sentence or two on the 'Pet introductions forum', along with a photo. Do you prefer animal companionship or human companionship? Why?

      Mateship

      'Mateship' is sometimes considered a uniquely Australian value. It describes a strong friendship characterised by loyalty and equality. There are many well-documented instances of mateship between military personnel, including those from Australia and the US. In 2019, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said we have had '100 years of mateship' with the US.

      The classic Australian film Gallipoli (1981) depicts the mateship between two runners who were tasked with delivering messages on foot.  The film was shot on the Galipolli peninsula in modern day Turkey, where the real Galipolli campaign took place from 1915 to 1916. In this interview, director Peter Weir talks about the inspiration for the film, and the impact the place and its history had on cast and crew:

      Playing time: 15:10


      There are several wonderful examples of mateship in this interview, including how the crew supported actor Mark Lee when he lost his nerve on arriving in Gallipoli.

      The meaning of mateship (5 coins)
      What does 'mateship' mean to you? Does it differ from friendship? Are there people in your life who you would consider 'mates'? Is mateship uniquely Australian?  Discuss your views on the 'Mateship forum'.

      ANZAC Day (5 coins)
      The Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) arrived at Gallipoli on the 25th of April, 1915. Over 46,000 Allied personnel died during the campaign.  ANZAC Day is held on the 25th of April each year, in remembrance of Australians and New Zealanders who fell both at Gallipoli and in other military conflicts. Have you been to an ANZAC Day parade? Do you have any family members who serve or have served in the military? What does ANZAC Day represent to you, and what do you think it represents to others? Share your thoughts on the 'ANZAC forum', and (as always) remember to be respectful.

      Activities

      Complete at least 25 coins' worth of activities below.

      1. Research the role of the ANZAC in World War I, and pick one particular incident they were involved in.
      2. Imagine you are a journalist in Australia and you have just received word of what happened the following day.
      3. Create a newspaper article or radio broadcast about the incident to inform the Australian public. Your goal is to make it as authentic as possible - to make it look like the real thing. If you're writing a newspaper article, you could paste the text into an image, apply a paper effect and imitate the visual layout of a newspaper from the time. If you're recording a radio broadcast, you could add some introductory music and a radio effect.
      4. Share your news report on the 'ANZAC news forum'.

      1. Choose and watch one of the following films:

        • The Intouchables (2011)
          This film is about the friendship between an aristocrat and a young man from a poor background.

          Playing time: 2:17

        • Victoria and Abdul (2017)
          This film is about the unusual friendship between Queen Victoria and a young Indian clerk named Abdul.

          Playing time: 2:41

      2. Both films depict an unusual friendship, the first between a wealthy man and his carer, and the second between Queen Victoria and her servant.
      3. Write a review of the film, focusing on the theme of friendship and the broader notion of companionship. Consider how others view the friendship at the centre of the film, and discuss why others might have difficulty understanding it. Conclude by discussing what you could learn about friendship from the film. Your review should be at least 200 words.
      4. Post your review on the 'Friendship film forum'.

      Choose a book that focuses on friendship. You can find a number of recommendations here and here. Write an analysis of the theme of friendship in the book, paying particular attention to how friendships between characters develop, any difficulties that arise, and how those difficulties are resolved if at all. Conclude by explaining what lessons about friendship might be drawn from the book. Your analysis should be at least 300 words long. When you've finished, post your work as a Goodreads review and link it on the 'Friendship literary analysis forum'.

      1. Watch this spoken word poem about being alone:

        Playing time: 5:01

      2. Write a poem about being alone, and what it means to you.
      3. Find some creative way to present the poem. For example, you could record it as a spoken word piece or over music, or you could write it down and create visuals to accompany it.
      4. Post your poem on the 'Being alone forum'.

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