Arizona Meets Australia

Teachers Guide

Created by Art Instructor Diane Aldrich

Project Web Page Coordinator Patti Greenleaf

This District Technology Literacy Challenge Fund grant. The purpose of the program is to provide teachers with a way of learning about technology and in turn provide students with the best teaching practices and curriculum through technology. This lesson plan was developed as part of the program's TLCF Web Guides, which are a series of web-based lessons designed by teachers to provide students with on-line educational opportunities.

Disclaimer: While every precaution was taken to insure the integrity of the sites included in this lesson plan, with the dynamic nature of the World Wide Web sites can constantly change. Teachers are advised to view the sites before conducting a lesson with their students
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This lesson will be an extension of Arizona Social Studies Standard 1: History
The students will do a comparison of the American Indians of the Arizona Territory with the Aborigonies of Northern Australia . The students will explore the art, music and stories of these desert tribes. By looking at art and artifacts the students will understand how these cultures transcribed their families stories and history without the written word or books.

Lesson Objectives:

At the completion of this lesson the students will:

identify the similarities that different cultures can have.
determine that art and music can be universal enough to be understood by all of humanity.
interpret symbolism and the cultural concepts that it expresses.
analyze and discuss the importance of history and tradition in a culture.

                            Arizona State Social Studies Standards
Standard SS1E1 Understand and apply the basic tools of historical research, including chronology
and how to collect, interpet and employ information from hitorical materials.
          PO 3. Identify primary and secondary sources historians use to construct an understanding of the past.
Focus: Arizona
SS1E2 Describe the legacy and cultures of prehistoric American Indians in Arizona, including the impact of and adaptations to geography, with emphasis on
          PO 1 how archaeological research gives us information about prehistoric people
          PO 2 characteristics of hunter-gatnerer societies, including their development of tolls and adaptation to environments
          PO 3 development of agriculture with the domestication of plants
SS1E4   PO 4 lives and contributions of American Indians
SS3E3   PO 4 the ways different peoples view and relate to places and regions, including the indigenous peoples

MATERIALS
    Computer and access to the internet.
    Paper and pencils for students.
    12"x18" white construction paper, colored pencils, markers, craypas, or paint.
    Print out computer maps, or have globe, or poster maps of Australia and Arizona.
    Prints of: Australian Dreamtime paintings, and Native American symbols used on pottery, pertroglyphs,
     and/or pantings.

Making a Didgeridoo
    If students are going to make a didgeridoo:
    1 1/4" pvc pipe, 3' long or long cardboard tubes from wrapping paper can also be used.
    Beeswax for the mouth piece.
    Video: Making and Playing: DIDGERIDOO By David Hudson
    There are sites under the Didgeridoo links that will also demonstrate the sounds and breathing tecniques.
    CD's and Tapes of Didg music or the wind instruments of the Native Americans are also great incentives to play
    while doing these activities.

Crizmac Audiovisual Program - AUSTRALIAN DREAMINGS, is another wonderful resource for a lesson on their art and history.

Student Activity One
Student Activity Two
Student Activity Three
Student Activity Four

Student Activity One

In Activity One the students will go to the different sites for Arizona. They will compile their imformation on papers numbering the answers to correspond with the questions. They can compare and contrast the culture and history of these two areas on the Venn Diagram at the completion of these activities.

Venn Diagram Link

The Process:

State Coloring Book
http://www.governor.state.az.us/kids/coloring.html
This is a teacher resource for extra activity.

Map of the United States
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/resources/ngo/maps/view/images/usam.jpg
This map takes about 8 seconds to download.

US Flag
http://www.allstates-flag.com/flags/us.html
To compare with the Australian Flag

Map of Arizona
http://media.,maps.com/magellan/images/ARIZON-w2,gif
This could be printed so that they can refer to it or compare to the Australian map. It takes 10 seconds to download.

Arizona Facts
You will find out the main facts about Arizona.

What is Arizona's Gemstone?
http://www.geobop.com/Symbols/Geo/1/Turquoise/index.htm
A quick look at the gem turquoise with links for other gem sites.

Southwest Desert Information
Find out how long people have been living in the southwest desert and what kind of environment it has.

Native American Cultures
http://www.americanarts.com/nlifcult.htm
A US map listed main tribes with explanation of customs and culture. Also all related links to the tribes.

Navajo Culture
http://www.germantown.K12.il.us/html/culture.html
Students should read the second paragraph for their information.

CORN: More Than Food.
http://www.clpgh.org/cmnh/exhibits/north-south-east-west/hopi/corn.html
Important food resource and used as a sacred symbol.

Animals of the SW
Students should choose their animal and describe the basic characteristics.

Kangaroo Rat
http://www.panda.org/kids/wildlife/mndesani.htm
Chosen to compare with the kangaroo's of Australia.

How many tribes?
http://www.artnatam.com/tribes.html
A listing of all the Federally Recognized Indian Tribes.

Further links for exploration!

Beautiful Sonoran Desert Photos
http://sonoranbounty.com/Photos/photos.html
Sonoran Desert Facts
http://sonoranbounty.com/Desert_Facts/desert_facts.html
All About Saharuo Cactus
http://sonoranbounty.com/Desert_Facts/Plant_Life/plant_life.html
Desert Plants
A desert plant archive!
Desert People and Cultures
You will find a list of the Native Americans tribes as resources for more information.
Pick an Animal
Desert animal and wildlife index!
More About Desert Animals
http://www.desertusa.com/animal.html

Student Activity Two

MAP OF AUSTRALIA
http://global.australia.com/pl/atc?US782110:4
This is a close-up map of Austalia. The focus of our Australian study is on the Northern Territory.

Australian Flag
http://www.allstates-flag.com/flags/au.html
Compare to American Flag.

Australian Northern Territory Flag
http://www.allstates-flag.com/flags/au-nt.html#descr
Compare to Arizona's flag.

Aboriginie Flag and Symbols
http://www.allstates-flag.com/flags/au-abo.html
Flags represent symbols of a people and their beliefs.

Northern Territory
http://www.minmia.com/default.htm
Main information to compare with Arizona and the desert region.

Northern Territory and Ayers Rock
http://www.channel8.net/australia/states/northernterritory.htm
A significant historical and spiritual landmark.

Aboriginal History
http://www.kdu.com/auspeop.html
To compare with the Native American Culture.

Dreamtime
http://aboriginalart.com.au/culture/dreamtime.html
A short summary of the ancient past of their dreamtime.

All About Australia Animals
http://global.australia.com/pl/atc?US782110:5102
To compare to Arizona's Animals.

Kangaroo Knowledge
http://www.panda.org/kids/wildlife/mnkangar.htm
Compare to the Arizona Kangaroo rat.