Category: Classroom ideas

The Wreckers’ Revenge is the second book following on from Norman Jorgensen’s The Smuggler’s Curse. This children’s fiction adventure series follows Red Read who is sold to an infamous smuggler plying his trade off the north-west coast of Australia in the closing days of the 19th century. The Shipwreck Survival activity sheet was designed to […]

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'The Wreckers' Revenge Activity'

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Mel and Shell is about two best friends living in 1979. Swedish pop group ABBA rules the airwaves and roller skating is cool. Confiding in her pen pal from 1829, Shell discovers she has a lot to learn about loyalty and honesty. The Dear Pen Pal activity sheet encourages research into history and fosters imagination. […]

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'Mel and Shell Activity'

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Stellarphant tells the story of Stella, who wants to become an astronaut. There’s only one problem: Stella is an elephant. James Foley’s picture book was created to teach children about equity, diversity, feminism, equality and discrimination. This activity encourages children to use fine motors skills and express ideas using visual literacy. For more teaching activities, […]

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'Stellarphant Activity'

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At the Dog Park is a picture book about dogs and opposites. It is for younger readers who love dogs and rhyming words. Moira Court got the idea after adopting her beautiful kelpie mix Lucy from SAFE Perth – an animal rescue organisation. (Lucy is on the front cover!)

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'Pet Portrait'

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To the Lighthouse is a children’s adventure novel about two children exploring Rottnest Island. Cristy Burne wrote this novel to inspire creativity, daring and resilience in her readers. The Design Your Own Holiday Adventure activity sheet encourages creative thinking, geography skills and visual learning. For more teaching activities, download the free teaching notes here.

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'To the Lighthouse Activity'

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At the Dog Park by Moira Court is a children’s picture book which incorporates lively prose and different art mediums to teach children about opposites. The Opposites activity sheet is designed to teach children about antonyms and opposites, developing their visual and written literacy, fine motor skills and identification skills. For more teaching activities, download […]

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'At the Dog Park Opposites Activity'

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We’ve all got our own special talent that makes us unique and in Wombat Can’t Sing by Katie Stewart, Wombat learns his in this heart-warming tale about learning your limits and finding your strengths. This activity sheet is designed to get kids thinking about what skills are unique to those around us and how these […]

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'Wombat Can't Sing Activity'

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A change in the weather may be here but you can keep the summer holiday adventures alive with Cristy Burne’s activity booklet. Inspired by her book To the Lighthouse, an adventure packed story about friends Isaac and Emmy exploring Rottnest Island, Cristy has put together a host of activities for kids to do, either by […]

Noongar Boodja Waangkan: Noongar First Words by Wadjak Balardong Noongar and Badimaya Yamatji author Jayden Boundry, and Wardandi Noongar and Ait Koedhal illustrator Tyrown Waigana, is an illustrated book of first Noongar words. Created for those interested in learning about the vibrant, living First Nations language and culture of the Noongar people. The book covers words for family, […]

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'Noongar Boodja Waangkan posters'

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Noongar Boodja Waangkan: Noongar First Words by Wadjak Balardong Noongar and Badimaya Yamatji author Jayden Boundry, and Wardandi Noongar and Ait Koedhal illustrator Tyrown Waigana, is an illustrated book of first Noongar words. Created for those interested in learning about the vibrant, living First Nations language and culture of the Noongar people. The book covers words for family, […]

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'Noongar Boodja Waangkan Stickers'

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In Helen Milroy’s newest picture book, Owl loves the sparkle of the stars and sits on his tree at dusk waiting for them to appear. But Owl becomes worried one evening when his favourite, Little Star, doesn’t show herself. So Owl searches far and wide using all his strength to bring her back. This free […]

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'Help Owl and Little Star Sparkle'

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The Vexatious Haunting of Lily Griffin is the whopper doorstop of never-ending educational resources and inspiration for students ages 8–13. Here some activities for the classroom. Real-life issues/themes The Vexatious Haunting of Lily Griffin is a supernatural fantasy of epic proportions, but wrapped up in all the haunting, high jinks and history lies an earnest and […]

What went into space first, the chicken or the egg?

Citizen science is about scientists and volunteers working together on real-life, hands-on research. You and your students can contribute to some amazing projects and discoveries, all from the comfort of your computer. The Australian Citizen Science Project Finder lists more than 500 projects to get involved with. Here are seven of my favourite: PlatypusSPOT Okay, […]

From the wacky and wonderful world of Cristy Burne, ‘Beneath the Trees‘ is a wilderness adventure story like no other. In this activity, kids can join Cam and Sophie on their quest for survival in Eungella National Park in Queensland. Cristy’s make your own mega-leech and paper bag platypus are sure to get the stories […]

Chosen as Apple’s Book of the Month in April, one reviewer described Brigid’s book, A Year of Loving Kindness to Myself, and Other Essays, as ‘an exquisitely unembellished Zen lesson in the art of attention’. As Brigid explains below, cultivating that attention can be a key source of inspiration for students in creative writing. Lists […]

Born in 1927, Gladys Milroy was taken to the Parkerville Orphanage at two years old and spent the next 14 years separated from her mother, Daisy. Gladys say, ‘I think the thing is about growing up in an orphanage is that you live in a story all the time because that’s the way you survive.’

Kyle Hughes-Odgers captures children’s attention and gets their imagination racing in his new board book, Everything You Want to See. Spark kids creativity by asking them what they imagine an alien or monster looking like and getting them to create their own in these fun activity sheets.

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'Create your own alien'

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The Light series by Dianne Wolfer and illustrated by Brian Simmonds includes The Last Light Horse, In the Lamplight, Light Horse Boy and Lighthouse Girl. These four books each look at some of the historical figures who played a part in World War I and are suitable for children to read as they learn about […]

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'The Light series activity sheets'

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In Lion Is That You? author and illustrator Moira Court takes us on a journey through the Australian bush, searching for lions. This wildflower poster is designed to help children complete the activity sheet identifying the wildflowers in the Australian bush before they let their creativity go wild and colouring them in. For more teaching […]

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'Native Wildflowers Poster'

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In The Last Light Horse we meet Sandy, one of the 136,000 horses that was sent to fight during the First World War, and the only horse that came home. Learn about Sandy and his experiences in this activity sheet designed to test children’s research skills. For more teaching activities, download the free teaching notes […]

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'The Last Light Horse Activity'

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Lion Is That You? is a picture book that takes kids on adventure through the Australian bush to search for lions that are rumoured to have been left behind by a travelling circus. This Feline Fun activity sheet is designed for kids to identify the native and invasive species living in Australia. For more teaching […]

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'Lion Is That You? Activity'

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Written by Kathryn Lefroy, Alex and the Alpacas Save the World, has it all a magical prophecy, talking alpacas and evil spirits. Alex must use all her brains, brawn and bravery in order to survive and save her family and friends. The Create Your Own Prophecy Maker activity sheet is a fun way to predict […]

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'Alex and the Alpacas Activity'

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Chickensaurus is the fourth children’s graphic novel in the S.Tinker Inc. series. The series follows Sally Tinker and her brother as they navigate through all of Sally’s inventions. The Escape the Hedge Maze activity sheet is a great resource for improving cognitive skills, sharpening their memory, building focus and boosts their problem solving skills. For […]

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'Chickensaurus Maze Activity'

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