Bendigo Gold
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IRISH PRIMARY CROSS CURRICULAR PROGRAMME
CROSS CURRICULAR PROGRAMME
HISTORY: CLASSES 3-6
In history, you are asked to select two strand units from each strand each year.
Bendigo Gold fulfils the criteria for the following strand units:
STRAND: EARLY PEOPLE AND ANCIENT SOCIETIES
Strand Unit: Australasian peoples
Chapter 20 Dreamtime story – An Aboriginal story
Chapter 21 – Treasure Hunt – Aboriginal traditions and culture
STRAND: LIFE, SOCIETY, WORK and CULTURE IN THE PAST
Strand Unit: Life in the 19th century Australia
Chapter 6 Rapid fire a quiz about the gold rush
Chapter 11 The Gold Rush - (recorded in a diary)
Chapter 12 The Early Settlers in Australia
STRAND: CONTINUITY AND CHANGE OVER TIME
Strand Unit: Ireland, Europe and the world,
Life in different time zones in the history of Australia:
The Aborigines, the Gold Rush Era,Post World War 11,
2012 Irish Emily travels to Australia with her grandmother.
STRAND: STORY
Strand Unit: Stories from the lives of people in the past:
Bendigo Gold - Chapter 3 The Private Letter tells the story of Pa O’Neill’s life in Australia
Chapter 24 Johnny Mac. Life down the gold mine in 1945.
Strand Unit: Myths and legends
Bendigo Gold –Chapter 14; The Ghost tells the English legend of Lady Deborah.
Chapter 16; The Dragon’s Pearl tells the Chinese legend about greed and sharing.
Chapter 20 : Dreamtime tells the Aborigine story about the eaglehawk.
Chapter 23: The Irish Crock tells the Irish story about the leprechaun’s crock of gold.
STRAND POLITICS, CONFLICTS AND SOCIETY-
Strand Unit: Ireland, Europe and the world, 1960 to the present
Bendigo Gold - Chapter 21 - The Treasure Hunt. Land ownership in colonial Australia is aired in this chapter.
Chapter25 My Pal Bates. The current system of land ownership in Australia is explained. The detective element in the story hinges around the concept of land ownership.
GEOGRAPHY: Classes 3-6
Springboard exploration on geographical topics such as gold mining, Aborigines, Australian flora and fauna.
Use the language of geography in this detective story : Discover, predict, analyse question, investigate, communicate, evaluate etc
Look up google maps to discover the location of Back Creek,Bendigo and Melbourne, to visualise the land of the koala and the kangaroos in the book etc
Look up a flight schedule to Australia on skyscanners. Is it the same route that Emily and Bates travel on?
STRAND: HUMAN ENVIRONMENTS
STRAND UNIT: PEOPLE AND OTHER LANDS: an environment in a non-European country
Bendigo Gold is set in Australia in a gold mining town north of Melbourne
The child should be enabled to study
Chapter 13 Deborah Gold Mine
Chapter 16 The Dragon’s Pearl (China)
Chapter 20 Dreamtime (Australia)
Chapter 23 The Irish Crock (Ireland)
SCIENCE
CLASSES 3-6
STRAND UNIT MATERIALS AND CHANGE
There are lots of test for detection of real gold.
ENGLISH Classes 3-6
Bendigo Gold springboards oral and written work, and develops the following strands: Receptiveness, Competence and confidence, Cognitive abilities, Emotional and imaginative competence.
PLOT
Beginning: Ireland - the will is discovered.
Middle: Australia - the adventure unfolds, full of adventure, detective work and challenges.
End: Ireland - the lump of gold is discovered.
CHARACTERS
Throughout the narrative, dialogue is used to progress the story. The dialogue provides opportunities for readers to understand the characters and to observe how Emily's attitude to other people evolves. Adverbs are rarely used to describe how people feel. The actions of the characters encourage readers to make their own assessments.
GENRE: Fiction and Non Fiction; Bendigo Gold is fiction but it is full of facts about Bendigo in different historic eras.
SPHE and R.ED
Building bridges framework for comprehension strategies
THEME: SPECIAL NEEDS/ PEOPLE WITH PARTICULAR ATTRIBUTES
Aim: To develop a skill set for relating to people with special needs/attributes.
In our lives we meet people with special needs all the time. In Bendigo Gold, we are introduced to different people with special needs. Emily comes in contact with folk who are different to herself. These contacts are challenges for her which allow the teacher to springboard discussion and debate on the following:-
Relationships with:
The naughty, lost children down Central Deborah Mine (ADHD)
THEME: THE MEANING OF WEALTH. IS IT GOLD?
Aim: To encourage children to consider the difference between material wealth and real value.
Gold is mentioned throughout the book Bendigo Gold in different guises. Examine the relevance of each of these in relation to the theme.
HISTORY: CLASSES 3-6
In history, you are asked to select two strand units from each strand each year.
Bendigo Gold fulfils the criteria for the following strand units:
STRAND: EARLY PEOPLE AND ANCIENT SOCIETIES
Strand Unit: Australasian peoples
Chapter 20 Dreamtime story – An Aboriginal story
Chapter 21 – Treasure Hunt – Aboriginal traditions and culture
STRAND: LIFE, SOCIETY, WORK and CULTURE IN THE PAST
Strand Unit: Life in the 19th century Australia
Chapter 6 Rapid fire a quiz about the gold rush
Chapter 11 The Gold Rush - (recorded in a diary)
Chapter 12 The Early Settlers in Australia
STRAND: CONTINUITY AND CHANGE OVER TIME
Strand Unit: Ireland, Europe and the world,
Life in different time zones in the history of Australia:
The Aborigines, the Gold Rush Era,Post World War 11,
2012 Irish Emily travels to Australia with her grandmother.
STRAND: STORY
Strand Unit: Stories from the lives of people in the past:
Bendigo Gold - Chapter 3 The Private Letter tells the story of Pa O’Neill’s life in Australia
Chapter 24 Johnny Mac. Life down the gold mine in 1945.
Strand Unit: Myths and legends
Bendigo Gold –Chapter 14; The Ghost tells the English legend of Lady Deborah.
Chapter 16; The Dragon’s Pearl tells the Chinese legend about greed and sharing.
Chapter 20 : Dreamtime tells the Aborigine story about the eaglehawk.
Chapter 23: The Irish Crock tells the Irish story about the leprechaun’s crock of gold.
STRAND POLITICS, CONFLICTS AND SOCIETY-
Strand Unit: Ireland, Europe and the world, 1960 to the present
Bendigo Gold - Chapter 21 - The Treasure Hunt. Land ownership in colonial Australia is aired in this chapter.
Chapter25 My Pal Bates. The current system of land ownership in Australia is explained. The detective element in the story hinges around the concept of land ownership.
GEOGRAPHY: Classes 3-6
Springboard exploration on geographical topics such as gold mining, Aborigines, Australian flora and fauna.
Use the language of geography in this detective story : Discover, predict, analyse question, investigate, communicate, evaluate etc
Look up google maps to discover the location of Back Creek,Bendigo and Melbourne, to visualise the land of the koala and the kangaroos in the book etc
Look up a flight schedule to Australia on skyscanners. Is it the same route that Emily and Bates travel on?
STRAND: HUMAN ENVIRONMENTS
STRAND UNIT: PEOPLE AND OTHER LANDS: an environment in a non-European country
Bendigo Gold is set in Australia in a gold mining town north of Melbourne
The child should be enabled to study
- some aspects of the environments and lives of people in another part of the world.
Chapter 13 Deborah Gold Mine
- location of these areas peoples and communities that live there
- language(s) myths and stories
Chapter 16 The Dragon’s Pearl (China)
Chapter 20 Dreamtime (Australia)
Chapter 23 The Irish Crock (Ireland)
- art and culture clothes play and pastimes
- features of the natural environment
- interrelationships of the lives of people and these features settlements: homes and other buildings common building materials and features
- Integration History: Story; Early people and ancient societies
- develop an awareness of the interdependence of these people and people in Ireland
- begin to develop a sense of belonging to global communities
SCIENCE
CLASSES 3-6
- Bendigo Gold is a detective story so use the following language of Science when discussing topics in the book: questioning, observing, predicting, investigating, experimenting, recognising, interpreting, recording and communicating.
- Study the difference between the stars you see in the Southern hemisphere and the stars you see in the northern hemisphere Chapter 15 The Tourist Trail – visiting the planetarium in Bendigo.
- Do scientific experiments. Emily uses an old scientific experiment to check if the lump in her hand is actually gold. Chapter 30 Home Sweet Home
STRAND UNIT MATERIALS AND CHANGE
There are lots of test for detection of real gold.
- Visual inspection: Inspect the piece for official markings. And look for noticeable discoloration. If the gold seems to be wearing off and showing a different metal beneath it, you probably have a piece that is only gold plated.
- Bite test: Bite down on your gold with moderate pressure. Examine your gold for any markings. In theory, real gold will show indents from your teeth; deeper markings indicate purer gold. This is actually not a recommended test, as you can damage your teeth.
- Magnet test: Hold a magnet up to the item. Gold is not a magnetic metal, so if it pulls towards, or sticks to the magnet, it’s fake.
- Density test: Weigh your piece of gold. Fill a vial with water. It’s helpful if the vial has millimetre markings on the side, since that will make it easier for you to read the measurements for this test. Place your gold in the vial. Use the following formula to calculate density: Density = mass/volume displacement. A result close to 19 g/ml indicates either real gold, or a material with a density similar to gold.
- Ceramic test: Find an unglazed ceramic plate to use. Drag your item across the surface. A black streak means your gold is not real, whereas a gold streak indicates your item is genuine.
- Nitric acid test: Place your piece of gold in a small stainless steel container. Put a drop of nitric acid on your gold and watch for any resulting reaction to the acid. A green reaction indicates your item is either a base metal or gold plated. A gold reaction indicates your item is gold-plated brass. A milk-coloured reaction would indicate gold-plated sterling silver. If there is no reaction, you mostly likely are dealing with real gold.
ENGLISH Classes 3-6
Bendigo Gold springboards oral and written work, and develops the following strands: Receptiveness, Competence and confidence, Cognitive abilities, Emotional and imaginative competence.
PLOT
Beginning: Ireland - the will is discovered.
Middle: Australia - the adventure unfolds, full of adventure, detective work and challenges.
End: Ireland - the lump of gold is discovered.
CHARACTERS
Throughout the narrative, dialogue is used to progress the story. The dialogue provides opportunities for readers to understand the characters and to observe how Emily's attitude to other people evolves. Adverbs are rarely used to describe how people feel. The actions of the characters encourage readers to make their own assessments.
GENRE: Fiction and Non Fiction; Bendigo Gold is fiction but it is full of facts about Bendigo in different historic eras.
- The autobiographical narrative as Emily recounts her unfolding adventure
- The private letter from Pa O'Neill to Granny Clancy
- A legal will outlining Pa's wishes when he died
- The quiz between Emily and Bates
- Tess Bryan's journal - the diary of a pioneer child in 1859
- Folk tales from England, Ireland China and Australia
- Narrative: The autobiographical nature of the book which propels the story forward.
- Informative: The Tourist Trail in Bendigo
- Descriptive: The description of the Chinese dragons
- Persuasive: Bates persuades Emily to part with her Werther sweets
- Imaginative: The folk tales from Ireland, England, China and Australia.
- Report: Tess Bryan's journal
- The will is a legal document and the language is formal.
- The private letter is personal and chatty.
- In the quiz the dialogue is fast and snappy
- The ghost story about the lady Deborah uses old fashioned words - penniless, squandered, entranced, winsome, enchanted, beseeching, beg
- The Dragon's Pearl has a romantic, lilting, poetic style. The words dance slowly and rhythmically as phrases are repeated.
- The Aborigine dreamtime story is symbolic; and full of negative words such as drag, injuries, cruel, died, upset, punish, fled, trapped etc.
- The Crock of Gold is ketch Irish as presented in "seanchaí" style.
- When Granny is speaking on skype to Mr Wu the style is conversational
SPHE and R.ED
Building bridges framework for comprehension strategies
THEME: SPECIAL NEEDS/ PEOPLE WITH PARTICULAR ATTRIBUTES
Aim: To develop a skill set for relating to people with special needs/attributes.
In our lives we meet people with special needs all the time. In Bendigo Gold, we are introduced to different people with special needs. Emily comes in contact with folk who are different to herself. These contacts are challenges for her which allow the teacher to springboard discussion and debate on the following:-
Relationships with:
- Older people: Granny, Alkira, Mr Ling, Mr Wu, Mr Kent and Mr Bowman
- Folk from different cultural, ethnic and religious traditions: Aborigine, Chinese and other European backgrounds.
- People with physical disabilities: Mr Wu in the wheelchair
- Children with behavioural differences/challenges:
The naughty, lost children down Central Deborah Mine (ADHD)
THEME: THE MEANING OF WEALTH. IS IT GOLD?
Aim: To encourage children to consider the difference between material wealth and real value.
Gold is mentioned throughout the book Bendigo Gold in different guises. Examine the relevance of each of these in relation to the theme.
- The will under the cupboard and the promise of goal acts as a motivator. Granny and Emily travel to Australia.
- Barry’s Gold Blend Tea is a comforter. ..an emotional link between families who have emigrated to Australia. Why is gold used in the label?
- Gold as a commodity on the world market. Is gold a measure of success?
- “All that glitters is not gold”. This is Alkira’s comment when she discovers pyrite rather than gold whilst fossicking at Rainbow End. What does this proverb mean?
- The Crock of Gold story. Is gold associated with greed? Is the love of money the root of all evil?
- The Golden Dragon in the Bendigo Festival. The colour of gold is associated with the Emperor in China, a royal colour symbolising prosperity and wealth
- The Gold Rush. Did people change in their desire to acquire gold? Society changes?
- Superstitions connected with gold: the sighting of Lady Deborah pre-empts a gold strike. Praying to General Kwan in the Joss Temple House.
- The golden eagle the symbol of Aborigine good fortune
- Granny’s comment that “love is the real wealth in life”. Discuss.
- Pick out all the words, “gold” or “golden” and discover what they are referring to.
- Pick out the themes in the book and build discussion around these topics. See website for information on special needs, justice and injustice, emigration, superstition, religion, symbolism, the meaning of wealth
- Read the back of the book for further discussion questions
- Google website, examine the letter from 1868, found in Union Hall in Co. Cork, and answer the questions.
- Projects on Australia; Aborigines, gold mining, wildlife etc
- Apply the various genre, texts and styles used in Bendigo Gold, in other contexts.
- Compare the four, historic time shots in the book: Aborigine, Gold Rush, 1945 and 2012