Souvenirs for school class--recommendations?

Hello,

We will be traveling to Queensland, Victoria, and South Australia
in February, and we want to bring back some type of "souvenirs" or
something for a classroom of 4th-6th grade students (about 10 to 12
years old). Does anyone have any ideas of what we can bring back
that could be used in the classroom to help students of that age
range to learn about Australia?

So far all we have thought of is coins, which would help teach about
currencies, animals, and a bit of history.

Thanks for your help!
temari

On Mon, 13 Sep 2004 18:36:50 GMT, temari
wrote:

Hello,

We will be traveling to Queensland, Victoria, and South Australia
in February, and we want to bring back some type of "souvenirs" or
something for a classroom of 4th-6th grade students (about 10 to 12
years old). Does anyone have any ideas of what we can bring back
that could be used in the classroom to help students of that age
range to learn about Australia?

So far all we have thought of is coins, which would help teach about
currencies, animals, and a bit of history.

Thanks for your help!
temari

Try to visit a genuine Aboriginal art outlet. Not one of the tourist
souvenir shops, but one run by the Aboriginal people themselves; often
you can talk to the artists. The art available for purchase is both
original - and cheaper.

As well as their pictorial art, they may have wooden items such as
woomeras (spear throwers), coolamons (shallow dishes), boomerangs (check
for "made in Taiwan:-), and so on. The art is usually on canvas these
days; don't buy it on bark as it is too flimsy for travel.

Local ones I am aware of are at Byron Bay and Currumbin (southern Gold
Coast). When I bought some art in Byron Bay a couple of years back the
artist wrote the dream-time story of each piece for me. I was leaving
them as gifts for our hosts as we travelled.


Cheers, Alan
--

On Mon, 13 Sep 2004 18:36:50 GMT, temari
wrote:

Hello,

We will be traveling to Queensland, Victoria, and South Australia
in February, and we want to bring back some type of "souvenirs" or
something for a classroom of 4th-6th grade students (about 10 to 12
years old). Does anyone have any ideas of what we can bring back
that could be used in the classroom to help students of that age
range to learn about Australia?

So far all we have thought of is coins, which would help teach about
currencies, animals, and a bit of history.

Thanks for your help!
temari

Try to visit a genuine Aboriginal art outlet. Not one of the tourist
souvenir shops, but one run by the Aboriginal people themselves; often
you can talk to the artists. The art available for purchase is both
original - and cheaper.

As well as their pictorial art, they may have wooden items such as
woomeras (spear throwers), coolamons (shallow dishes), boomerangs (check
for "made in Taiwan:-), and so on. The art is usually on canvas these
days; don't buy it on bark as it is too flimsy for travel.

Local ones I am aware of are at Byron Bay and Currumbin (southern Gold
Coast). When I bought some art in Byron Bay a couple of years back the
artist wrote the dream-time story of each piece for me. I was leaving
them as gifts for our hosts as we travelled.


Cheers, Alan
--

temari wrote in message nk.net...
Hello,

We will be traveling to Queensland, Victoria, and South Australia
in February, and we want to bring back some type of "souvenirs" or
something for a classroom of 4th-6th grade students (about 10 to 12
years old). Does anyone have any ideas of what we can bring back
that could be used in the classroom to help students of that age
range to learn about Australia?

So far all we have thought of is coins, which would help teach about
currencies, animals, and a bit of history.

Thanks for your help!
temari

I'm thinking visuals...some maps, maybe, that give an idea of the
terrain? Maybe some of the brochures that the national parks offices
produce (these are on the Web in many cases, so you wouldn't have to
carry them back home)--lots of pictures of scenery, wildlife, plants.
Also, the gift shops at various flora/fauna-focused tourist
attractions are worth a look for posters or postcards. The offices of
some of the conservation groups might have these too, although they
can be located well off the beaten path.

Nancy

On Mon, 13 Sep 2004 18:36:50 GMT, temari
wrote:

Hello,

We will be traveling to Queensland, Victoria, and South Australia
in February, and we want to bring back some type of "souvenirs" or
something for a classroom of 4th-6th grade students (about 10 to 12
years old)

We took some books about Australian snakes and other wild beasties,
the kids loved them. The more poisonous and dangerous the better the
kids like them - not sure if the teacher agreed or not, but we keep
them entertained for over an hour, and some stayed after class for
more time. If your budget allows, you can buy little koalas on a
rope, about a dozen for $5.00 to $10.00 and give them each one, always
a hit to have something each.

Tom

On Mon, 13 Sep 2004 18:36:50 GMT, temari
wrote:

Hello,

We will be traveling to Queensland, Victoria, and South Australia
in February, and we want to bring back some type of "souvenirs" or
something for a classroom of 4th-6th grade students (about 10 to 12
years old)

We took some books about Australian snakes and other wild beasties,
the kids loved them. The more poisonous and dangerous the better the
kids like them - not sure if the teacher agreed or not, but we keep
them entertained for over an hour, and some stayed after class for
more time. If your budget allows, you can buy little koalas on a
rope, about a dozen for $5.00 to $10.00 and give them each one, always
a hit to have something each.

Tom

On Mon, 13 Sep 2004 18:36:50 GMT, temari
wrote:

Hello,

We will be traveling to Queensland, Victoria, and South Australia
in February, and we want to bring back some type of "souvenirs" or
something for a classroom of 4th-6th grade students (about 10 to 12
years old)

We took some books about Australian snakes and other wild beasties,
the kids loved them. The more poisonous and dangerous the better the
kids like them - not sure if the teacher agreed or not, but we keep
them entertained for over an hour, and some stayed after class for
more time. If your budget allows, you can buy little koalas on a
rope, about a dozen for $5.00 to $10.00 and give them each one, always
a hit to have something each.

Tom

Tom Hatfield wrote in
:

On Mon, 13 Sep 2004 18:36:50 GMT, temari
wrote:

Hello,

We will be traveling to Queensland, Victoria, and South Australia
in February, and we want to bring back some type of "souvenirs" or
something for a classroom of 4th-6th grade students (about 10 to 12
years old)

We took some books about Australian snakes and other wild beasties,
the kids loved them. The more poisonous and dangerous the better the
kids like them - not sure if the teacher agreed or not, but we keep
them entertained for over an hour, and some stayed after class for
more time. If your budget allows, you can buy little koalas on a
rope, about a dozen for $5.00 to $10.00 and give them each one, always
a hit to have something each.

Tom

Oh my lord! Stuffed Koalas and poisonous animals. No wonder half the
world thinks we're a mob of looney Steve Irwins. I know they are only
children but images formed in childhood tend to last for life.

Can anyone think of something a little more balanced?

Maybe some literature for the class library? I don't know what is going
around at the moment, but I was always a fan of "The Great Ballagundi
Damper Bake" ("Australia day was hot and fine. In the shade it was
thirty-nine"...) "Mulga Bill's Bicycle" is another classic. Or perhaps
something by Colin Thiele. "Storm Boy" was a half decent movie too. You
could get a video of that and watch in class.

A visit to the "ABC shop" might be in order

/rant

ps. If you really want kitsch, for Melbourne, model trams are the obvious
choice.

L.

Tom Hatfield wrote in
:

On Mon, 13 Sep 2004 18:36:50 GMT, temari
wrote:

Hello,

We will be traveling to Queensland, Victoria, and South Australia
in February, and we want to bring back some type of "souvenirs" or
something for a classroom of 4th-6th grade students (about 10 to 12
years old)

We took some books about Australian snakes and other wild beasties,
the kids loved them. The more poisonous and dangerous the better the
kids like them - not sure if the teacher agreed or not, but we keep
them entertained for over an hour, and some stayed after class for
more time. If your budget allows, you can buy little koalas on a
rope, about a dozen for $5.00 to $10.00 and give them each one, always
a hit to have something each.

Tom

Oh my lord! Stuffed Koalas and poisonous animals. No wonder half the
world thinks we're a mob of looney Steve Irwins. I know they are only
children but images formed in childhood tend to last for life.

Can anyone think of something a little more balanced?

Maybe some literature for the class library? I don't know what is going
around at the moment, but I was always a fan of "The Great Ballagundi
Damper Bake" ("Australia day was hot and fine. In the shade it was
thirty-nine"...) "Mulga Bill's Bicycle" is another classic. Or perhaps
something by Colin Thiele. "Storm Boy" was a half decent movie too. You
could get a video of that and watch in class.

A visit to the "ABC shop" might be in order

/rant

ps. If you really want kitsch, for Melbourne, model trams are the obvious
choice.

L.

"Les Chandra" wrote in message
.5...

Oh my lord! Stuffed Koalas and poisonous animals. No wonder half the
world thinks we're a mob of looney Steve Irwins. I know they are only
children but images formed in childhood tend to last for life.

Can anyone think of something a little more balanced?


With all due respect, what's more important? Taking back something balanced
or something that's going to capture the students' interests?

I thought Tom's idea about the books was excellent for the age group in
question. Besides, they're likely to obtain accurate information from these
books (to counteract the dubious facts they glean from television
programmes).


Maybe some literature for the class library? I don't know what is going
around at the moment, but I was always a fan of "The Great Ballagundi
Damper Bake" ("Australia day was hot and fine. In the shade it was
thirty-nine"...) "Mulga Bill's Bicycle" is another classic. Or perhaps
something by Colin Thiele.


Although of significant literary merit, most contemporary 10-12 year olds
unfortunately wouldn't be interested in your suggestions. My daughters
enjoyed those books - but these are the same children who, at age 14, read
and loved P.G. Wodehouse.


"Storm Boy" was a half decent movie too. You
could get a video of that and watch in class.


Depends where the OP is from - VHS vs PAL issues.

I suggest the OP collects a range of items representing different aspects of
Australia. Having bought for my own children and overseas relatives in that
age group (and received blunt feedback), my list of possibilities is:

Coins
Tom's snakes and beasties books (with a rubber or plastic redback spider
thrown in for good measure)
Book of aboriginal myths (but make sure its target audience is children)
Several books from the "Un........." fiction series written by Paul Jennings
The "Feathers, Fur or Fins" CD by Don Spencer for the younger students
A Yothu Yindi CD for the older students
Bottle of coloured sands (readily available in Queensland)
An Australian cookbook (there's at least one for kids containing recipes for
damper, lamingtons, pavlova, etc)
An authentic boomerang

I recommend going to an Australian Geographic store or checking out the
online shop at
http://www.australiangeographic.com/...n=productshome

If the OP has any further questions, please let me know and I'll send you my
email address.

Good luck and enjoy your trip,
Helen