World Geography--Oceania

Our study of Oceania was quick and easy. In addition to the following resources, we use Material World and Hungry Planet with each region we study.

Books:

• New Zealand In Pictures by Francesca Di Piazza
• Wombat Goes Walkabout by Michael Morpurgo
• Peace Child by Don Richardson
• Are we there yet? : a journey around Australia by Alison Lester--excellent!!
• Call it courage Armstrong Sperry, book takes place on Polynesian islands
• Wombat stew by Marica Vaughan
• Coral reef by Donald Silver

Movies:

• Whale Rider a movie about a Maori village trying to reconcile the old ways with modern life
• Families of Australia
• Full circle with Michael Palin. vol. 3, Borneo and Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand [videorecording]
• The Man From Snowy River great family movie based on the traditional Australian ballad
• Father Goose Cary Grant on a South Pacific island during WWII, a classic
• The Rogue Stallion
  

Web Links

• http://folksong.org.nz/epapa/index.html
• http://www.azmetro.com/nzrecipe.html
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INdjRCNcZj0

Engineering for Kids: Lesson 3

From Legoengineering.com

Materials:
Lego bricks
Floppy stuffed animal

Design and construct a chair that keeps Mr. Bear (a floppy stuffed animal) from falling backwards, forwards, to the left and to the right.

Discussion: Discuss your design. If you had to continue to improve it, what would you start with?

Engineering for Kids: Lesson 2

From Legoengineering.com

Materials:
Lego bricks
Heavy books or medium weight child (about 75 pounds)

Students will build a platform 6 to 8 inches tall that will hold the weight of several heavy books or a medium weight child.

Discussion: What design decisions did you have to make?

Engineering for Kids: Lesson 1

From Legoengineering.com

Materials: Lego bricks

Each child builds his/her own wall that must be about 6 to 8 inches tall and withstand the "flick" test (judge flicks the wall with finger).

Discussion: did you have to make any changes? what worked? why? can you think of a better design?