Australia is a fascinating country. Due to its isolation from the rest of the world, it is home to hundreds of animal species and many thousands of plants that are not found anywhere else on the planet.
By area, Australia is the sixth-largest country in the world, and it is also a continent.
Teach your children about Australia using our handy topic guide!
Teaching Ideas
- Use this page of information about the Great Barrier Reef to write a report about it.
- Write your own factfile about Australia; this page from National Geographic Kids is a good place to start your research.
- Cook some delicious Anzac biscuits.
- Compare life in Britain and Australia with this resource from BBC Teach.
- Make your own boomerang.
Resources
- Our Australia resources include fact cards, display lettering and useful images.
- Use this fantastic scheme of work about Australia from the Royal Geographical Society.
- This pack from Fort Wayne Childrens’ Zoo has lots of information and activities related to Australian geography and animals.
- This page from 3D Geography is full of worksheets to support teaching about Australia.
- Make a timeline of James Cook using the facts from this page from the Royal Museums Greenwich.
- Make your own coral reef in a box.
Australia Facts
- Over 10 million people visit Sydney Opera House every year.
- The Great Barrier Reef is the largest living organism on the planet.
- Australia has more reptile species than any other planet in the world, with more than 750.
- Australia comes from the latin word australis, which means southern.
- Over 90% of the people who live in Australia live near the coast. This is because most of the interior of the country is desert, known as the Outback.
Videos
Australian Animals
This video shows native Australian animals, along with their calls and their name in different languages.
Running time: 4:37
Australia
This National Geographic video gives a good overview of the country.
Running time: 2:55
History of Australia
Learn about the history of Australia from prehistoric times.
Running time: 4:06
Didgeridoo for Kids
Join in with this school performance by a didgeridoo expert.
Running time: 3:26
Books
The Koala Who Could
Where the Forest Meets the Sea
Tiddalick, the Greedy Frog
Possum Magic
Over In Australia
Introducing Australia
Links
- This terrific site is full of accessible information and was created by a 14 year old!
- Visit the Dreamtime site to read creation stories from Australia.
- This collection of games is great for teaching younger children about the Australian Bush.
- Identify the states and territories of Australia with this simple quiz.
- Can you strike it rich in the Australian Gold Rush? Find out with this game from the National Museum, Australia.
Are you teaching your children about other topics? Explore our full collection of guides!
