TECHNOLOGY

The Internet

Enable the students to develop their own interest in the topic of Kangaroos by giving them the chance to surf the internet. An example project might be to have your class explore the internet and produce a presentation or an essay which might answer the question "Should we harvest kangaroos?" For some fantastic web sites that will get them started, click on further resources.

Nutrition

Try putting on an indigenous feast using kangaroo and other native foods. Some ideas may be found in the Recipes section.

Make some yummy Kangaroo biscuits!! Or maybe some scrumptous Wallaby Cake!! An excellent idea for a fund raiser or an afternoon tea for parents - so that they can see the brilliant work the students have done in their Kangaroo unit!

Wallaby cake ingredients:

• 2 pkts. of buttercake mix
• 1/2 kg soft icing mixture
• 2 tablespoons butter / margarine
• Yellow food colouring
• 4 Chocolate Sticks
• 12 red jelly beans
• 2 green jelly beans
• Choc bits
• 2 20 cm square cake tins
• 35 x 75 cm board

METHOD:

Make the cakes separately according to the directions, pour two quantities into two greased tins and bake for 30 mintues. Turn them on to wire racks to cool. Place cakes side by side on the board and cut the body shape and head with a sharp knife.

Cut the tail, then the hind legs and place them around the body in position.

Make butter icing and tint with a few drops of colouring. Ice the top and sides of the body. Decorate using red jelly beans as claws, green jelly beans as eyes, chocolate sticks as toe-nails.

Make a Mobile

Design and make a Kangaroo mobile. Younger students can easily cut and colour some stencils and join them together as a mobile. Older students can be challenged to design and create their own creatures to create the ultimate mobile.

Sewing

Students can make their very own Kangaroo toy. After some significant research and investigation, older students can find their own favourite Kangaroo or Wallaby and explore the technique of pattern making. This will make the finished product that little bit more special!

A Board Game

Allow students to design a board game which tells about the Australian Outback. This can be used to reinforce those facts that can be otherwise forgotten. Make sure they have lots of time to play it!! In younger classes, team the students up with a buddy from an older class.

Kangarama

Explore the technique of kangarama. With a partner, make up a Kangarama showing the landscape clearly. Choose a certain location. Show two Kangaroos living in the environment. Can you make them move?

Exploring different materials

If you are thinking of creating a spectacular display of Kangaroos and Wallabies for your classroom, why not get the kids to do it? After you have done your introduction and initial research into the topic, as a class choose a selection of specific Kangaroos. Get each student to design and make a three dimensional model of a Kangaroo. If you are exploring different techniques in visual art, why not spend a week when the theme for these techniques are Kangaroos? Your classroom will end up being a brilliant display of many different Kangaroos of all shapes, sizes and colours - made from a variety of different mediums. Explore this idea more in our visual art page.

For further information and feedback, e-mail us here: kiaa@bigpond.net.au