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How do I Teach About Australia to Preschoolers?

Preschoolers are inquisitive sponges soaking up the knowledge of the world around them. Teach preschoolers about other countries by providing concrete images and concepts that are easy to remember and understand. To teach about Australia focus on one or two animals, read children's books about Australia and plan extra activities to emphasis the sensory experiences associated with Australia such as food or musical instrument making. Remember to relate the new information to things the children are already familiar with, such as comparing playing flutes and horns in the United States to playing didgeridoos in Australia.

Things You'll Need

  • Children's book about Australia
  • Computer with Internet
  • Computer printer
  • Paper - 8 ½-inches width by 11-inches long
  • Koala coloring sheet
  • Crayons
  • Brown craft fur scraps
  • White school glue
  • Kangaroo coloring sheet
  • Precut brown semicircles - about 2-inches in diameter
  • Glue stick
  • Precut brown construction paper rectangle - 1-inch width by 2-inch length
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Instructions

  1. Reading to Emphasis Australian Culture

    • 1

      Read aloud a book about Australia. Explain things the children might not know about in the book and point to the illustrations or images in the book when you talk about these things in the story.

    • 2

      Focus on two or three concrete words from the book, such as a koala, kangaroo or didgeridoo (an Australian Aboriginal horn), and encourage the children to discuss them.

    • 3

      Ask the preschoolers questions about the book. According to the U.S. Department of Education, you should encourage preschoolers to discuss the books you have read aloud. Asking questions and eliciting responses helps the preschooler's brain retain the new information.

    • 4

      Provide additional activities that correspond to the book. Activities include: planting a plant native to Australia, eating food from Australia or playing musical instruments popular in Australia. Make a Didgeridoo from a wrapping paper tube. Color stripes on the tube and blow into the end.

    • 5

      Listen to music native to Australia. Encouraging exploration of sensory experiences help children retain information.

    Koala Bear Coloring Sheet Project

    • 6

      Print out a coloring sheet of a koala. Allow the children to color it with crayons.

    • 7

      Give precut pieces of brown craft fur and white school glue to each student. Allow them to glue the fur to the colored picture of the koala.

    • 8

      Talk about the koala, providing three facts about the koala, while you pet the furry picture. Hands-on activities help reinforce the new word with an image and a meaning.

    Kangaroo Coloring Sheet Project

    • 9

      Print a kangaroo coloring sheet. Allow the children to color it.

    • 10

      Supply children with precut brown construction paper semicircles, "pouches," and allow them to glue the pockets to the front of the kangaroo with a school glue stick.

    • 11

      Draw a face on the brown rectangles. These are "baby kangaroos." Let the children put the baby kangaroos into the pouches glued to the kangaroo coloring sheet.

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