This coming Thursday is Anzac Day. Every year on this day my family rises early, drinks big mugs of hot chocolate and heads off to our town's Wreath laying, Parade and Service. Later we head around to have morning tea in the RSL Hall, and to watch the dwindling number of veterans drinking beer and playing two-up. The morning tea is wonderful, as only country towns and churches still provide - fresh ribbon sandwiches, homemade biscuits and cakes, and crispy sausage rolls. All washed down with hot cups of tea or coffee...or the hard stuff if you prefer on this one day of the year. The tradition of a beer with mates is iconically Strine, isn't it.? Luckily it only happens once year, or we might have a serious drinking problem on our hands. Ahem. In the late morning we head off to our favourite picnic spot - always the same place each year. We never really need more food, but we always manage to fit in a few cheeses and some chocolate. Yum. It might sound like a nice day, and to be honest, it is, but we commemorate Anzac Day not to glorify war, but to remember . We remember not just just the soldiers who died at Anzac Cove, but we acknowledge the service of all the young men and women who have served our country in wars, conflicts and peacekeeping operations. Lest We Forget. Each day of the couple of weeks leading up to Anzac Day, Jemimah and I read a couple of the wonderful picture books that explain this special day. You'll find our list of books here: A Peaceful Day's Recommended Anzac Day Picture Books I have a few excellent new books to add to the list for this year. Watch for them in coming days! As Jemimah has grown older we have added in a chapter book as well. The Wells of Beersheba: A Lighthorse Legend by Frank Dalby Davison was a great choice one year, another we read Anthony Hill's Soldier Boy. It was good too. This year we're reading a lovely book written in 1957 by an original Anzac, Thomas Miles, The Anzac Story for Boys and Girls. As is evident by the title, Miles wrote his book for children, but it is probably the best introduction to the Anzac legend that I have seen. If Miles took place in a battle then the experiences he describes are his own. If he was not there, he relied on C E W Bean's exhaustive tome, The Official History of Australia in the War of 1914-18. As such, the account is accurate as only primary sources can be. The book tells in simple, clear language the story of the Gallipoli campaign. The helpful maps are clear, and the illustrations help bring the narrative to life. I have certainly learnt a considerable amount in my reading of this book. Miles seems to have managed to avoid a common problem with factual accounts of desiccating the events into dry boring tedium, by including those bits and pieces that are fascinating to children - and their parents! It is a living book indeed. Often we may be forgiven for believing that the Aussies Diggers managed to defeat the Turks alone. Not so. This book includes not only our neighbours, the New Zealanders, but also all the troops from other lands who took part - British, French and Indian. The Turks are also painted with respect. The Anzac Story is our of print. All the best books are. Abe has a few copies, but if you don't managed to grab up one of those, you can also find the whole story online. If this doesn't work you should be able to find an archived version here. Some of the illustrations are not available, but the whole story is there. I'll leave you now with a slightly updated version of the last couple of paragraphs of The Anzac Story: Today there are no soldiers of the Great War of 1914-1918 among us. They have gone to join their comrades who fell on the battlefields of Gallipoli, Palestine, and France. The Anzacs fought to retain our basic freedoms. Let us ensure that they did not die in vain and that the Spirit of Anzac remains with us - always.

This resource is suitable for NAIDOC Week, Sorry Day, Reconciliation Week, Australia Day, Indigenous, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies, General Australia Studies and more. Many suggestions for this resource came from my lovely friend Catherine who works with the Martu community in Western Australia. All proceeds from the sale of this resource for the first month will be donated to help support the Martu people. What's Included: * Recommended Resources * Brief Introduction to the History of Australia/Survival/Invasion Day * Brief Introduction to the History of Sorry Day * NAIDOC Week Overview and History * Flags, Symbolism and Colouring for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flags * Map of Language Groups * Famous Indigenous Australians * Indigenous History Timeline Cards and Activities * Noongar Language Image and Label Card Games * Bush Tucker I Have Who Has Game * Writing and Drawing Prompts * Poetry Prompt * Images for Inference/Picture Study * Character Study Graphic Organiser * Preschool Activities * Sensory and Dramatic Play/Invitation to Play Ideas * Arts and Crafts Suggestions * Correlates to All Australian Curriculum Standards for History from Foundation to Year 5 This pack includes suggested activities and games for Preschool through to Year 6 so it can be used for multi-age teaching or for home educating families. Find more ideas and activities on my 'Indigenous Studies' and my 'Australian Adventures' Pinterest Boards. You can find more Australian Studies Resources here: Australian Government, Elections and Laws Australian History Timeline Cards, Games and Activities Pack 1 Indigenous Australians, NAIDOC, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Pack Australian Historical Figure Masks for Role Play Games If you are homeschooling in Australia you may also like my Sample Education Goals for Prep/Foundation through to Year 8 Like Freebies? Find all of my free resources here. To Get the Most Value from my Store and my Resources: Find lots of great ideas and extension activities (almost all free) on Pinterest. Be the first to know about sales and freebies, find out what goes on behind the scenes or message me with special requests on Facebook. and Instagram Keep up to date with new releases and resource updates (once you have purchased a resource then all updates are free!) by clicking on the green star near the top of this page. Earn credits towards your next purchases by leaving feedback on the resources you buy (click on the 'My TpT' dropdown menu, go to 'My Purchases' and then click on products to leave feedback. Note for Australians: Please note that the price for this resource is in US dollars. If you are from Australia the price will be converted when you go to make a purchase.

Echidna Facts: Did you know that Echidnas are mammals that lay eggs and have no nipples? Find out more about it and 13 other echidna facts!

Teaching your students about Australia's First Contact can be fun and engaging! Designed to compliment the Year 4 Australian HASS curriculum (version 8.4 and 9.0), these lapbook activities, supporting powerpoint and word wall posters, are a great way to engage your students interests in the topic as well as expand their knowledge of the reasons for sending the First Fleet to Australia and what impact that had on the First Nations Australians who lived there. PLEASE NOTE: this unit has been updated to comply with the new Australian Curriculum 9.0 standards. The old version (version 8.4) is also still included in this bundle for now while schools make the transition to the new curriculum. This bundle includes the following products: — The First Fleet Lapbook Activities and Unit Plan (version 8.4) — The First Fleet Powerpoint (version 8.4) — The First Fleet Word Wall — Bonus Version 9.0 updates!! - including revised unit plan - assessment rubric included, powerpoint and a few additional activities to help support the curriculum changes These lapbook activities, powerpoint and word wall posters compliment the following Australian Curriculum Year 4 History (version 8.4 and 9.0) content descriptors: Version 9.0 - The diversity of First Nations Australians, their social organisation and their continuous connection to Country/Place AC9HS4K01 - The causes of the establishment of the first British colony in Australia in 1788 AC9HS4K02 - The experiences of individuals and groups, including military and civilian officials, and convicts involved in the establishment of the first British colony AC9HS4K03 - The effects of contact with other people on First Nations Australians and their Countries/Places following the arrival of the First Fleet and how this was viewed by First Nations Australians as an invasion AC9HS4K04 Version 8.4 - Stories of the First Fleet, including reasons for the journey, who travelled to Australia, and their experiences following arrival (ACHASSK085) - The nature of contact between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and others, for example, the Macassans and the Europeans, and the effects of these interactions on, for example, people and environments (ACHASSK086) Topics covered in this bundle include: - Why the Europeans settled in Australia (Life in 18th century Britain, Crimes, Punishments, Solution, Preparations, Voyage, Convicts, Arrival) - The impact of settlement on Australia's First Nations people Included in this resource: - A basic Unit Plan (assessment rubric included for version 9.0) - Lapbook activity templates - Informative Powerpoint - Word Wall Posters - instructions on how to assemble your Lapbook as well as how to assemble each each template to go inside the Lapbook. Take a look at some of the great feedback for this resource: "This is a fantastic resource. Very engaging and really breaks down the important events for my students. Thank you!" "My students have thoroughly enjoyed learning about the First Fleet in a creative way." "Easy for students to understand, a great resource!" "You have literally saved me hours of work....an absolutely amazing resource." If you liked the look of this resource, you may also like these: - Year 4 Sustainability Unit - Year 4 Science Unit Bundle Don't forget that leaving feedback earns you points toward FREE TPT purchases. I love that feedback!  If you want to connect with me further, check out Ridgy Didge on these social media platforms: - Facebook - Instagram - Pinterest Please feel free to contact me with any questions. Thank you so much, Mel

Australia is a land of diverse ecosystems. From animals to plants, climates to landscapes... As you travel through the vast country you'll see so much!

Ancient Britons were not overrun by invading Saxons in the Dark Ages, suggests a new map based on the DNA of people from the UK and Europe.