Australian Film, Identity and Culture

VU21473 Investigate Australian Art and Culture

Investigate concepts of Australian identity and culture / Describe the features of an Australian Film

Walkabout

Watch Part 1 of the film ...



This semester we move from pictorial art to film. The film we are studying is by Nicholas Roeg and is called "Walkabout". It was made in 1971 and is based on the novel by James Vance Marshall. (We will also be reading the book as we watch the film.)

Questions for reflection: Where is the film set? Who are the characters? What happens in this part of the film? What is the mood - think about the images, the sounds, the music? How is Australian urban life portrayed? How is the world of the Australian desert portrayed?

Assessment Task 1:

1) Download and print the Assignment  (Available to Duke Street Students Only - you need the link address from me to get access)

You will need to watch the 7 parts of the film over the Term. Come to class each week ready to discuss : the story. We will explore the plot / moods / characters / ideas / locations / images of this film.

To pass this elective you need to ...(i) Complete all of the sections of the assignment for assessment (ii) Give a short talk on an aspect of the film at the end of the term

Part 1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LogT-E0-9xI
Part 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4MR-Qu6FL8
Part 3 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBPQpoOZqu8
Part 4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nybJQtHng-w
Part 5 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85AbRTnL4Ow
Part 6 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5e7h4jw5w4s
Part 7 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-t1PRVx3LY



Preparing to talk about film

Today in class (level 3) we watched this silent film.

Where is it filmed? Who are the characters? What happens : how does it start? what happens in the middle of the film? how does it end? Does the film have a message, meaning or lesson to teach us? Did you enjoy it or didn't you like it - why?

Exercise 1 : Ask yourself these questions as you watch the film again. Can you answer the questions?

Download the Silent Film Reading worksheet to see Dale's notes. 

 


Exercise 2 :  Here is a link to many other short, silent films on YouTube.

Use the worksheet to take notes on another silent film. Use Dale's notes as a model.

Bring your notes to class to share and show your teacher. We will write a review together.

ASSESSMENT TASK PREPARATION : AUSTRALIAN SHORT FILM

The Man and the Thief



Now you are ready for ...

TALK ABOUT AN AUSTRALIAN (SHORT) FILMASSESSMENT TASK (VU21473 - 4.3, 4.4, 4.5)



TROPFEST is a popular, short film festival held every year in Australia (and also in other countries). 

Choose one of the short films from the FINALIST LIST and prepare to talk to the class about it in Term 4. 

Remember to ...

* List the setting, events, characters

* Analyse the film for its issues, themes, ideas

* Write some notes for your spoken presentation

CLICK HERE FOR THE TROPFEST 2013 FILMS - CHOOSE ONE TO TALK ABOUT


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Listening : Making A Film (Level 3)


Jeff and his brother made a film about their journey across India in a motor-rickshaw.

Listen to his story. Complete the vocab and comprehension quizzes.

Watch the film and read more about Jeff's journey across India in a motor rickshaw here!


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Listening and Speaking
(VU21465 : Engage in casual conversations and straightforward spoken transactions)

We have been listening to a range of casual conversations, creating and rehearsing our own through the year. You need to write (and perform in class) three dialogues as part of your listening and speaking portfolio for this unit.

Practice and create your own dialogues based on these which come from "Everyday English", a section from the "Headway Online" website.

Some of our assessment tasks will be based on dialogues from:

Intermediate

Upper Intermediate

Advanced

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Here is the term 3 assessment task for VU21465.1 (What to do on the weekend?) - download and print
(You need a google account and permission from me for download- DSCH students only)

Here is the listening text - "The Nieces" - (Mp3) 1.7meg

Here is the script to the listening text (which you will need to complete section 2 of the task)(You need a google account and permission from me for download- DSCH students only)
Send your dialogue and recording to me via email (you need to find a friend to create the dialogue)

Grammar

This term we have concentrated on verb-ing. Which secondary placed verbs take the infinitive, which secondary placed verbs take - ing? Which take both?

Review Units 53, 54, 55, 56, 57 and 58 of your book, Essential Grammar in Use (3rd Ed) - Raymond Murphy

Online Exercise (verbs that take -ing) - British Council

Online Exercise (verbs that take infinitive)- British Council

If you are unsure, watch this lesson (both in English and Spanish - but good and simple)

The Man Made World

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Australian Art and Culture Elective: Nature and the Man Made World

Discussion

1) Is everything in nature beautiful? Is everything "unnatural" ugly?

2) Can the "man made world" be as beautiful as the natural world?

3) Can a factory, a car park, a highway or airport be beautiful? How?


What do you think? ...

 "Most artists today don't paint the cars we travel in, factories people work in, roads, road-signs, and airports we all use. I like living in the 21st century - to me the world has never been more beautiful. I am trying to paint the real world I live in, as beautifully as I can, with my own eye"- Jeffrey Smart (2005)

Look at some of Jeffrey Smart's paintings and decide ...

Activity 1 : Listening

Download a) Fold and Write Jeffrey Smart Cloze (MSWord.doc) / b) Listening text (MP3)

Assessment 2 : Writing

Assignment 2 : A Letter About Jeffrey Smart (only available to DSCH students - you need a gmail account)

Jeffrey Smart interview (Australian Screen)

Discussion Questions

Grammar : The Third Conditional

"What wouldn't have happened to Daisy if ..."



(from the English Bubble.com)

1. "...that shoe lace had not broken?"
2. "...that man had got up five minutes earlier?"
3. "...that taxi driver had not stopped for a cup of coffee?"

We use this tense to talk about past events we cannot change ("things turned out differently!")

If you need to review how the tense is formed, watch this video and do the exercises:

Health and Well Being

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VU21343 Undertake a simple investigation of health and well being

Our second elective this semester is about Health and Well Being. Discussion: What is a healthy person? What is well being? What common illnesses and conditions challenge health and well being? 

This term we are using the kit, "Understanding Good Health", (NSW AMES, 2011) to explore some of the issues.

You can freely download the book (PDF) and listening files (MP3) to your computer.)

ASSIGNMENT 1 - UNDERSTANDING GOOD HEALTH - (Assessment Task)

In Term 1 we studied the sections Eating Disorders, Teeth and Smoking as a group.

In Term 2 you will independently investigate one of three other health issues as part of your assessment for this Elective

Procedure ... (I will need evidence that you have completed the following exercises)

Exercise 1 (Read and Print):  Choose one of these three health issues from the book.

Stress
Heart disease

 Alcohol

You can download the book "Understanding Good Health" (PDF) here
(only print the pages on the health issue of your choice)

Exercise 2 (Listening):  Do the listening exercise for your chosen topic

Stress (mp3)

Heart disease (mp3)

Alcohol (mp3)

Exercise 3 (Research): 

*Go to your local library and/or use Simple Wikipedia (and any other website or resources) to collect a bit more information. 
Simple Wikipedia :  Heart Disease

*What are the signs or symptoms of the health issue or illness?
*What can you do to help manage the health issue or illness?

Simple Wikipedia : Stress
*What are the signs or symptoms of the health issue or illness?
*What can you do to help manage the health issue or illness?

Simple Wikipedia : Alcohol
*What are the signs or symptoms of the health issue or illness?
*What can you do to help manage the health issue or illness?

Exercise 3 (Presentation): Prepare to talk to the class/teacher/partner for 2-5 minutes about the issue. 

HEALTHY EATING Reading: Look at the Healthy Eating Pyramid. Do you agree or disagree with the foods it suggest you should the most / moderately / only in small amounts?

Speaking/Survey : Download the Find Someone Who exercise (Word)

Listening Comprehension 1:


Food and Health : Mike shares his thoughts about health and fast food.(Elllo.org)

Speaking: A Conversation with the Doctor

Listen to Dale and Paulin's role play (MP3, 2 meg) / Can you create a similar dialogue?

Reading and Exercise: Conversations at the Doctors' (Easypacelearning.org)

Grammar: Using the Passive Voice

Australian Art

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VU21473 Investigate Australian Art and Culture

What is Art? Where do you find it? Who is Art for? Is it important? What is a gallery? What is street art? Do you know any famous Australian artists? Do you know any local artists?

Photo: This paste up by local artist, Baby Guerrilla, is just across the street from our community centre in Duke Street, Sunshine.

We started our investigation by looking at the work and ideas of Baby Guerrilla. Visit her website.

Assignment 1: Baby Guerrilla (Duke St students only)


Online Lessons About Art (Source: Breaking News English.com) ...

Pensioner Attacks Famous Work of Art (an interesting lesson about opinions with listening, speaking, reading, writing and grammar activities-

The Louvre is the Most Visited Art Gallery (about the famous gallery in Paris, different types, styles of painting - 40+ activities)




Australian Artists : Art Trails (Source: Art Gallery of NSW) / Talking about works of art

Artist/ Title/ Year/ Materials/ Dimensions/ Location

Can you remember how to form questions for describing works of art?
eg. Artist = What is the name of the artist who made this work of art / painted this picture?

These trails were made for kids visiting the Art Gallery of NSW. We can use them too.

1) Follow the art trails below (click on the links)
2) Click on the paintings and make a note of the Artist / Title / Year / Materials / Dimensions / Location

Australian Beach Pattern  / Desert Landscape  / The Red Shawl / First Class Marksman

3) With a partner talk about the works of art

Listening: Tom Roberts, The Golden Fleece (1894) - (Source: Art Gallery of NSW)

1. Download the MP3
2. Download the Comprehension worksheet

3. Listen a few times
4. Download and check your answers

You can look at the painting by Tom Roberts here


Grammar: Defining and Non-Defining Relative Clauses

eg. Tom Roberts is the Australian artist who painted The Golden Fleece in 1894.
eg. I really like that painting which we saw yesterday.

Review and complete these online exercises (Source: E-Grammer.org)

If you are still unsure, watch this video ... (source: engVid.com)