G'day Mates... Expedition Australia

Why is Waltzing Matilda stuck in my head?  Or the lyrics "Laugh Kookaburra, Laugh?"  Hmmm... could it be that my 3 world travelers and I have been to the Land Down Under?  (No, not the kids lair in the basement!)  Actually, we have again had the privilege of completing one of Amanda Bennett's wonderful Download N Go units, and this past week our selection was none other than Expedition Australia.  What tremendous fun we have had exploring the Outback, discovering the native wildlife, discussing the unique music, and learning the lay of the land together!!!

Expedition Australia is a downloadable unit study designed with young students in mind.  Lasting a week in length, the units are perfect for K-4th grades.  Each DNG contains embedded video clips, website links, lapbooking elements, notebooking pages, supplemental activities, and recommended reading lists.  DNG units are interactive and exciting for children yet easy and manageable for parents to implement.  Listed below is an overview of the daily topics we studied and a peek at some of the activity pages available.

Day 1: Where on Earth is Australia?

Day 2: Some of the Special Places in Australia

Day 3: A bit of Australian History

Day 4: Cool Things to Know About Australia

Day 5: Fun and Games in Australia

 

My animal lovers really enjoyed Expedition Australia because there was wildlife a plenty!  Kangaroos, koalas, and the funny little wombat too.  Our public library's collection had the perfect books on these fascinating critters.  It makes this Mommy smile because my children don't have to be entertained merely through fictional texts sporting recognizable cartoon characters, but that they can be equally engrossed in factual books.  Through DNG's my kids are becoming quite familiar with the non-fiction side of the library.  (An experience, I believe, I was lacking in my youth.) 

In keeping with my wee ones obsession with animals, we reminisced about our recent trip to Kentucky Down Under.  This attraction hosts many Australian influences.  It is a piece of the Land of Oz tucked away in the Bluegrass.  We remembered how we tried to get the kookaburra to laugh.  We had as much luck doing that as we did making a decent sound on the didgeridoo.  We recalled petting kangaroos, and while we never saw a joey peep out of it's pouch, we were able to see it moving and kicking inside.  This was an excellent trip, and it was great to tap into the kiddos prior knowledge when studying Expedition Australia.

While I really, really enjoy eating a good steak at Outback, it is much more economical for my family of 5 to study the Outback - more educational too!  As all DNG titles, Expedition Australia is available for purchase and immediate download for $7.95.  However, for a limited time, you can purchase Expedition Australia for $5.95.  This deal will end November 8th, so don't delay! 

 

Also of special interest, the DNG Blog is hosting a giveaway for two Australia Political Maps from National Geographic.  What could be a better addition to your study of the Land Down Under?  In order to be entered in the giveaway, simply visit the DNG Blog and leave a comment.  While taking this step to be the next giveaway winner, be sure to check out the Expedition Australia blog tour.  See how other families utilized this study in their homes, and make note of things you won't want to leave out when your family goes on their own educational Expedition Australia trip.