This is a unit of work linking Geography and Technology. Students explore modern methods of rice production in Australia to that of neighbouring countries. Lessons include higher order thinking skills/tasks.

1. Australian & Asian
rice production
Created by JoanneVillis
Images from http://pixabay.com/ (Licence: Free to use, share and adapt)

2. 2
AUSTRALIAN CURRICULUM
GEOGRAPHY
The location of Australia’s neighbouring countries and
their diverse characteristics (ACHGK016)
TECHNOLOGIES (Design andTechnologies)
Investigate food and fibre production and food
technologies used in modern and traditional societies
(ACTDEK012)
Student Samples: This unit will be updated with
student samples as I receive them.

3. 3
Lesson 1 & 2 (Australia’s neighbouring countries)
Use Google Earth to locate New Zealand, the Pacific Island nations, Papua
New Guinea,Timor-Leste and Indonesia. Invite students to consider their
location in relation to Australia. I also used a Globe to explore this. Write small
labels for each country and then use blue tack to find and stick the names of
the countries on the globe.Then invite students to see if they can draw a free
hand map showing Australia and the countries mentioned. As I teach in
Adelaide, I asked students to draw an arrow from Adelaide to each of the
countries. Students then drew a compass on their map and described to
location of each of the countries in relation to Australia.

4. 4
Lesson 1 & 2 (Australia’s neighbouring countries)
continued…
Show students how to use the National Geographic Map Maker Interactive.
This online tool allows you to create a map showing various themes such as
water, land, climate, populations and a few others. As we had just finished a
unit on climate, I asked students to create key on their map to show the
climate zones of Australia and
its neighbouring countries.

5. 5
Lesson 1 & 2 (Australia’s neighbouring countries)
continued

6. 6
Lesson 1 & 2 (Australia’s neighbouring countries)
continued…

7. 7
Lesson 3 and 4 (Australia’s neighbouring countries)
These lessons require access to computers. Show students how to use Google
Maps to locate New Zealand, the Pacific Island nations, Papua New Guinea,
Timor-Leste and Indonesia. Then show students how to create a screen
capture using the snipping tool for older versions ofWindows or the insert
screen capture function for newer versions ofWindows. Ask students to
locate the countries and insert a screen capture intoWord or Power Point for
each country.When I asked students to complete this task, they were also
asked to include Australia in the screen capture in addition to the other
countries.This enabled students to further develop their understanding about
the relationship of Australia to that of neighbouring countries.

8. 8
Lesson 3 and 4 (Australia’s neighbouring countries)

9. 9
Lesson 3 and 4 (Australia’s neighbouring countries)

10. 10
Lesson 5 & 6 (Rice production in Australia)
As a class create a list of what we think we know about rice?What is
it used for?Where does it come from? Many students may be
unaware that rice is actually grown.
So where is rice grown in Australia?
Show students a map of where rice is mainly
grown in Australia (Riverina, NSW). Let students
know that rice needs certain conditions to grow
and we are going to work out what they are.

11. 11
Lesson 5 & 6 (Rice production in Australia)
Watch a basic introduction about rice production in Australia:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvUUYzyuEVg#t=28
Then view a more detailed video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQHjjmIVjTU .This video is broken down
into sub sections, making it easier for viewing, pausing and discussing. When I
watched the video with students I paused it during various parts and as a class
we created a flow chart showing the production of rice in Australia. We focused
on the tools and methods shown in the video.

12. 12
Lesson 5 & 6 (Rice
production in Australia)
continued…

13. 13
Lesson 7 (Rice production in Indonesia)
Pose the following thought to students:
For many, a bowl of rice is a simple trip to the supermarket. Rarely do
we think about the production of our food.
Watch how is rice grown in Indonesia (before viewing, locate Indonesia on a map and
compare its location to that ofAustralia):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iur5n1v9MDk . Questions for students to focus
on:
-What tools are used for the planning and cultivation of rice in Indonesia?
- How do the tools used for rice production in Indonesia differ from that of Australia?
-Which do you consider to be a more modern method of rice production, that which
is used in Indonesia or Australia? Explain your reasons.

14. 14
Lesson 7 (Rice
production in Indonesia)
continued…

15. 15
Lesson 8 (Rice production in Australia and
Indonesia)
Give students a piece of A4 paper and ask them to fold it in half. On one of the
halves ask students to draw an illustration of rice production in Australia and
on the other half, rice production in Indonesia. Encourage students to add
detail about the landscape and the methods/tools/machines used in each
process.

16. 16
Lesson 8 (Rice production in
Australia and Indonesia)

17. 17
Lesson 9 & 10(Rice production in Bali & Indonesia)
View images online showing the rice cycle in Bali (before viewing, locate
Bali on a map and compare its location in comparison to Australia):
http://www.brucebriscoe.com/bali/rice.htm
Then give students a hard copy of Eggi’sVillage – Life among the
Minangkabau of Indonesia as a non fiction text. I included this task as a
literacy task. I asked students read the text in small groups and then
complete non-fiction comprehension questions. I needed to change
some of the punctuation and wording from the website before printing
the text for students.

18. 18
Lesson 9 & 10(Rice production in Bali & Indonesia)

19. 19
Lesson 11 & 12 (Rice production Asia)
Watch a documentary which shows a day in the life of a rice farmer and
the laborious process of rice farming in Indonesia. Here is the link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_kLkOOV3CE
Ask students to pretend they are a rice farmer in Indonesia and complete one or
more of the tasks below:
- Create a time line of your daily routine. Students may like to do
this online using ReadWiteThink’s Interactive timeline.
- Write a pretend diary entry of one of your days
as a rice farmer.
- Create a poem, rap or rhyme about rice farmers in Indonesia.

20. 20
Lesson 11 & 12 (Rice production Asia) continued…
- Create a detailed story board (comic strip) showing a day in the life of a rice
farmer in Indonesia.
- In pairs create a mock interview and record using Garage Band (free iPad app).
One student is the interviewer and the other is the rice farmer.
- Create actions for the daily routines carried
out by rice farmers, create action cards for
the class to choose from and then play a
game of charades with the class.

21. 21
Lesson 13 & 14 (Rice production in Australia & Asia)
These tasks may be used for assessment. I have included questions using
Bloom’sTaxonomy and De Bonno’s 6Thinking Hats .Teachers may like to
choose which one suits their class best.
Using Bloom’sTaxonomy ask students to answer the following questions:
KNOWLEDGE:
1. List 3 things a rice farmer in Asia does during the day.
2. List 3 things rice farmer in Australia does during the day (this knowledge is
based on previous lessons).

22. 22
Lesson 13 & 14 (Rice production in Australia & Asia)
continued…
COMPREHENSION:
1.What can you write about the life of a rice farmer in Asia? Explain their role
(jobs).
2.What can you write about the life of a rice farmer in Australia? Explain their
role (jobs).
APPLICATION
Write 3 questions that you would like to ask a rice farmer in Australia.
Write 3 questions that you would like to ask a rice farmer in Asia.
ANALYSIS
How is the production of rice in Australia different from that of Asia?Which
would you consider traditional and which would you consider modern? Explain
your reasoning.

23. 23
Lesson 13 & 14 (Rice production in Australia & Asia)
continued…
SYNTHESIS
How might you improve/change the production of rice in Australia?
How might you improve/change the production of rice in Asia?
EVALUATION
What is you opinion of the production of rice in Australia compared to Asia?
APPLICATION
Do you agree that traditional methods of rice production are better than
modern methods? Explain your thoughts.

24. 24
Lesson 13 & 14 (Rice production in Australia & Asia)
continued…

25. 25
Lesson 13 & 14 (Rice production in Austalia & Asia)
continued…

26. 26
Cross curriculum ideas
1. Make coloured rice using rice, vinegar and colouring. Here is a link:
http://myfrugaladventures.com/2012/05/childrens-craft-idea-colored-rice/

27. 27
Cross curriculum ideas
2. Floating rice? My children tried this when we were in Malaysia last year at a Science expo
and they loved it. Here is a link:
http://www.housingaforest.com/floating-rice-bottles/
When we were at the Science expo they had a bottle of rice and
two chop sticks.The task card invited students to pick up the bottle
of rice using chop sticks only. My kids couldn’t do it. When they
Read the answer sheet which says you simply use one chop
stick, poke it into the bottle filled with rice and then you can pick
it up they were amazed.Why not set this challenge for your students?

28. July 22, 2012 Footer text here28
This is unit of work was created by JoanneVillis.
Here is a link to my blog: http://intertecheducation.edublogs.org/
Here is a link to my Pinterest page:
http://www.pinterest.com/joannevillis/
COPYRIGHT:
I give permission for the following:
Adaptations and sharing of this resources for educational purpose only. I
do not give permission for commercial use of this work.When sharing or
adapting this work I ask that you give credit to the original creator,
JoanneVillis at http://intertecheducation.edublogs.org/ .Thank you to
http://www.australiancurriculumlessons.com.au/ for sharing this
resource.
ENJOY!