The Murray-Darling Basin – History

 

What are some of the important elements that need to be balanced?

An historical look at the Murray-Darling Basin

List some of the ways human activity has effected the river system.

 

Vulnerability of Water Resources

“Water supply in South Australia is particularly vulnerable to the influence of changes in climate. As evidenced in recent times, rainfall and associated run-off in catchments, in the Mount Lofty Ranges, Murray-Darling Basin and the South East of South Australia, can be highly variable, affecting water availability and security for key industries, populations and ecosystems. As well as the direct implications for water supply and rural industries, the prospect of a drier climate over southern parts of the state increases the need for water sensitive urban design.”

Tackling Climate Change – South Australia’s Greenhouse Strategy 2007-2020, Government of SA, May 2007

Water-Pipelines

http://www.murrayriver.com.au/about-the-murray/water-use-and-consumption/

http://www.weatherzone.com.au/sa/adelaide/norwood

Maths – Tangrams

tangram

Step by Step Guide here:

Task:
1. Make your own Tangram with a partner, using the foam piece provided. (Be as accurate as you can. There are only enough materials for one piece of foam between two people.)

2. Using all 7 pieces, create interesting designs. Keep a record of each. How many can you come up with?

3. Calculate the area and perimeter of each design. Be efficient with your methods, and show your working out.

4. Add your findings to a table.

Design Perimeter Area

5. Discuss your findings.

Jackie French is Coming on the First Tuesday of Next Term!

St Georges Books will have books available for sale on the first Monday of next term, in the library at lunch times. Here are some of the titles that will be available.

Barney and the Secret of the Whales $12.99
What is the sailor’s secret about the treasure of Australia’s colony? The second book in a series that explores little-known history about Australia’s fascinating past. Barney Bean is keen to make his fortune and he hears a secret; a sailor’s secret about the treasure of the colony. But how can chasing whales make you rich? Is adventure at sea worth leaving everything he loves? Written by award-winning author Jackie French and superbly illustrated by Mark Wilson, this second book in The Secret Histories series explores how the early colony survived with the wealth from whaling, a little-known secret from Australia’s past. Ages: 8+
Wombat Goes to School $24.99
She eats. She sleeps. She scratches. She goes to school… She sleeps. She eats. She scratches – and finds a hole. When Mothball discovers a new hole, it unexpectedly leads her to the local school. the children learn that wombats love carrots and grass, while Mothball learns that lunch boxes contain very few carrots, that sports sheds can be a good place to have a nap, and that when you’re brown and round, it’s not a good idea to get too close to a ball … Ages 3 years plus
The Hairy-Nosed Wombats Find a New Home $24.99
THE HAIRY-NOSED WOMBATS FIND A NEW HOME is a charmingly humorous picture book for young children about the endangered hairy nosed wombat and the search for a new home for them. Ages: 4-8 Once upon a time, deep underground, there was a colony of wonderfully whiskery wombats who all had hairy noses. they lived in the only home for Hairy-nosed Wombats in the world. Could there ever be another home for Hairy-noses? Created by wombat-loving and award-winning duo, author and Australian Children’s Laureate Jackie French and illustrator Sue deGennaro, this is the (almost) true story of how finding a happy new home for Hairy-nosed Wombats helped one of the world’s most endangered species to breed and thrive again. All author royalties are being donated towards wombat research and care.
Flood $16.99
This is a story that shows how strong and devastating flood water can be to homes and livelihoods. It is inspired by the 2011 Queensland floods but it could be about any of the disasters that strike our land, and the events that turn everyday Australians into heroes. Flood depicts water mercilessly ripping through Queensland towns and then receding, leaving destruction and devastation in its wake. Told from the perspective of a cattle dog who is separated from his family, Flood helps children to understand the affects of a traumatic natural disaster without being too confronting, while the story of the little tugboat that pushes a boardwalk out to sea, staving off further disaster, gives smaller children a hero they can relate to. Flood is a beautiful and timely expression of the strength of the Australian spirit during times of adversity.
Good Dog, Hank! $14.99
This is the story of a dog called Hank, who obeys all the rules … by interpreting them in his own way. A very funny picture book about a dog who is convinced he is doing the right thing – and a family who love him, no matter what. this is the story of a dog called Hank, who obeys all the rules … by interpreting them in his own way. A very funny picture book about a dog who is convinced he is doing the right thing – and a family who love him, no matter what
Dinosaurs Love Cheese $14.99
A delightful picture book about a world of hidden animals that only a child can see. Giraffes can’t resist the trees, I like milk and sandwiches … But who stole the cheese? From the co-creators of GOOD DOG HANK comes a picture for all those children who love dinosaurs … and cheese. Ages: 3+
Wombat Wins! $24.99
From the award-winning, bestselling creators of DIARY OF A WOMBAT. Ages: 3+ Forget Rio and the Olympic Games in 2016; for us it will be about a wombat … winning. Yes, Mothball has become an athlete, albeit a little accidentally. In her never-ending quest for carrots, Mothball stumbles upon children at the local school competing in their school sports. And despite her somewhat limited physique and lack of training, Mothball manages to go home with a gold medal. Why puff and pant when you can eat, sleep and scratch?
Grandma Wombat $24.99
From the award-winning, best-selling creators of DIARY OF A WOMBAT comes another Wombat picture book – this time about more senior members of the species. Ages: 3+ She eats. She sleeps. She scratches. And like all grandmas, she thinks her grandson is the best-behaved baby ever. But this baby wombat has other ideas … Created by author Jackie French and illustrator Bruce Whatley, this delightfully funny book celebrates the love and joy that being a grandma can bring. Ages: 3+
Possibly Barney and the Secret of the Whales $12.99
What is the sailor’s secret about the treasure of Australia’s colony? The second book in a series that explores little-known history about Australia’s fascinating past. Barney Bean is keen to make his fortune and he hears a secret; a sailor’s secret about the treasure of the colony. But how can chasing whales make you rich? Is adventure at sea worth leaving everything he loves? Written by award-winning author Jackie French and superbly illustrated by Mark Wilson, this second book in The Secret Histories series explores how the early colony survived with the wealth from whaling, a little-known secret from Australia’s past. Ages: 8+
Birrung: the Secret Friend $12.99
The first in a new series that focuses on a secret part of our history From best-selling and award-winning author Jackie French comes a new series for younger readers called the Secret Histories. this first book in the series tells the story of a young indigenous girl Birrung who befriends orphaned Barney and his friend Elsie. Birrung is living with Mr Johnson, chaplain to the Australian colony in 1790, and his family. Generous in spirit, the Johnson family also take in Barney and Elsie who have only just been surviving on their meagre daily rations. Despite living with the Johnsons, Birrung’s connection to her people remains strong, and when Mr and Mrs Johnson see how Barney’s feeling for Birrung are growing, they gently explain that his friendship with a ‘native’ girl and all that she taught him about her language and lore must remain a secret – forever. Perfect for readers who loved the best-selling and award-winning Nanberry: Black Brother White, the Secret Histories series will be welcomed by all who love the power of Jackie French’s storytelling. Ages: 8+
The Ghost by the Billabong $19.99
The fifth title in the sweeping MATILDA series. Ages: 12 years+ and crossover Hippies wear beads, demonstrators march against the Vietnam War, and the world waits to see the first human steps on the moon’s surface. But at Gibbers Creek, Jed Kelly sees ghosts, from the past and future, at the Drinkwater billabong where long ago the swaggie leaped to his defiant death. But is seventeen-year-old Jed a con artist or a survivor? When she turns up at Drinkwater Station claiming to be the great-granddaughter of Matilda Thompson’s dying husband, Jed clearly has secrets. As does a veteran called Nicholas, who was badly wounded in the Vietnam War and now must try to create a life he truly wants to live, despite the ghosts that haunt him too. Set during the turbulence of the late 1960s, this was a time when brilliant and little-known endeavours saw Australia play a vital role in Neil Armstrong’s ‘one giant leap for mankind’ on that first unforgettable moon walk. The fifth title in the highly acclaimed Matilda Saga, The Ghost by the Billabong is a story of deep conflicts and enduring passions – for other people, for the land, and for the future of humanity. Age: 12 years+ and crossover

Fire $15.99 Paperback $24.99 Hardcover
One small spark brought fire awake, Winding like a small black snake, Fire flickered, fire crept, Flames snickered, bushfire leapt… Inspired by the bushfires that have affected many Australians, Fire is a moving and sensitive story of a natural disaster as seen through the eyes of a cockatoo. The fire mercilessly engulfs homes and land, leaving a devastating path of destruction. Age 5+

Pennies for Hitler (8-15) $15.99
A companion piece to the best-selling HITLER’S DAUGHTER, this is a story of war-torn Europe during WWII, as seen through the eyes of a young German boy Georg, who loses his family and must forget his past and who he is in order to survive. Ages: 10+ It’s 1939, and for Georg, son of an English academic living in Germany, life is full of cream cakes and loving parents. It is also a time when his teacher measures the pupils’ heads to see which of them have the most ‘Aryan’- shaped heads. But when a university graduation ceremony turns into a pro-Nazi demonstration, Georg is smuggled out of Germany to war-torn London and then across enemy seas to Australia where he must forget his past and who he is in order to survive. Hatred is contagious, but Georg finds that kindness can be, too. the companion piece to HItLER’S DAUGHtER, PENNIES FOR HItLER examines the life of a child during World War 2, from a different perspective.
Ophelia Queen of Denmark $16.99
Following on from I AM JULIET (August 2014), this is the second title in a proposed new series for young people that focuses on the reinterpretation of Shakespeare’s classic and enduring plays. Ages: 10+ She is the girl who will be queen: Ophelia, daughter of Denmarks lord chancellor and loved by Prince Hamlet. But while Hamlets family stab, poison or haunt one another, Ophelia plans a sensible rule, one filled with justice and the making of delicious cheeses. Even if she has to pretend to be mad to make it happen, Ophelia will let nothing, not even howling ghosts, stand in her way. This is Shakespeares play, but with what might also have happened behind the scenes. And this story has a happy ending. From Jackie French, one of Australias most respected and awarded authors and the Australian Childrens Laureate and 2015 Senior Australian of the Year, comes a book that reimagines the life of one of Shakespeares most intriguing female characters. Praise for I am Juliet: The captivating storyline and well-developed characters will make it popular with high school-aged readers. Magpies

Pharaoh (10-14)$15.99
How far do you have to journey to become a king? the people call Prince Narmer ‘the Golden One’ – a boy with the brightest future ahead of him. Handsome and talented, he is destined to be King of thinis, the greatest town in Egypt and, for Narmer, the centre of the world. then his whole life changes overnight. A devastating accident forces him to give up his right to the throne and sends him journeying across the ancient Middle East with the mysterious trader, the crippled Nitho and a tamed wildcat called Bast. And as he travels through the desert and visits the great cities of Punt and Sumer, he learns that thinis is actually a very small place indeed. But can he ever truly forget his homeland? When he decides to pay one last visit to thinis, he will discover what it really means to be a leader, and will find his destiny fulfilled beyond his wildest expectations. Set in a time before the pyramids and based on real historical events, Pharaoh will sweep readers along on a fascinating journey through a part of the world we hear so much about today. Ages 10-14
They came on Viking Ships(10-14) $15.95
Can enemy warriors become your friends? A story of adventure in a new land When Vikings raid and destroy a small coastal village, Hekja and her dog, Snarf, are captured and taken to Greenland. In this harsh and cold land, Hekja becomes a thrall – a slave – to Freydis Eriksdottir, daughter of the infamous Erik the Red. Hekja’s fiery determination earns her the respect of her mistress. But Hekja’s journey was just the beginning, as she and Snarf and other colonists join their leader, Freydis, on a voyage to Vinland to establish a new settlement where more perilous adventures await them… Ages 10-14
A Rose for the Anzac Boys(10-14) $15.99
The ‘War to end all Wars’, as seen through the eyes of three young women. the ‘War to end all Wars’, as seen through the eyes of three young women It is 1915. War is being fought on a horrific scale in the trenches of France, but it might as well be a world away from sixteen-year-old New Zealander Midge Macpherson, at school in England learning to be a young lady. But the war is coming closer: Midge’s brothers are in the army, and her twin, tim, is listed as ‘missing’ in the devastating defeat of the Anzac forces at Gallipoli . Desperate to do their bit – and avoid the boredom of school and the restrictions of Society – Midge and her friends Ethel and Anne start a canteen in France, caring for the endless flow of wounded soldiers returning from the front. Midge, recruited by the over-stretched ambulance service, is thrust into carnage and scenes of courage she could never have imagined. And when the war is over, all three girls – and their Anzac boys as well – discover that even going ‘home’ can be both strange and wonderful. Exhaustively researched but written with the lightest of touches, this is Jackie French at her very best. Ages 12+
The Beach They called Gallipoli (with Bruce Whatley) (10 and upwards) $24.99
An extraordinary exploration of Gallipoli created by the incredible Jackie French and Bruce Whatley A hundred years ago, Australians and New Zealanders landed at Anzac Cove, in Turkey. This is the story of Gallipoli as see from the cove; the story of that beach, where thousands died and legends were born. Gallipoli. Created by award-winning duo, Australian Children’s Laureate Jackie French and renowned artist and illustrator Bruce Whatley, this powerful and moving book highlights an almost forgotten aspect of Gallipoli: the land itself. Ages: 7-12

A Day to Remember $14.99
ANZAC Day seen through the eyes of generations of Australians. Ages: 7-12 Anzac Day is the day when we remember and honour Anzac traditions down the ages, from the first faltering march of wounded veterans in 1916 to the ever increasing numbers of their descendants who march today. Containing reference to the many places the ANZACs have fought, and the various ways in which they keep the peace and support the civilians in war-torn parts of the world today, this is a picture book that looks not only at traditions, but also the effects of war.

St Georges Books
EML: enquiries@sgbooks.com.au
Webpage: www.stgeorgesbooks.com.au

The Murray-Darling Basin

wastewaterposter

Rainfall Maps

http://www.bom.gov.au/jsp/awap/rain/index.jsp?colour=colour&time=latest&step=0&map=totals&period=12month&area=nat

The Water Cycle in the Murray-Darling Basin

Explain the water cycle.
Uses of water.
Who is the water important to?
Explore the variability of water in the Basin. Refer to maps, charts and graphs. What can you find out?
http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/current/annual/aus/

Chinese New Year – Guest Speakers – Martin and Jessica (Rooms 5 and 7)

On Thursday 25th February, Erin’s Mum Jessica, and Dad Martin, came to talk about Chinese New Year. Erin’s Mum talked about Hong Kong and how it is a small place, but a big city. Erin’s Dad talked about Chinese New Year; the food, the traditional story and how to make a dragon.

The Story
A long time ago in China there was a monster. The monster ate all the food, and people. The monster was afraid of loud noises, the colour red and painted faces. That’s why during Chinese New Year people play drums and also use fire crackers. You need to stay away from the fire crackers because they could hurt your ears. Chinese people set off fire crackers from a boat in the harbour on Chinese New Year so they keep them away from buildings and people so they don’t get burnt.

During Chinese New Year celebrations the dragon came in the restaurant and danced around. Erin fed the dragon a red envelope.

Red Envelopes
The red envelope has money in it and Chinese people give them to younger people for good luck.

I learnt that fire crackers go really loud. Belce
Chinese teachers are very strict. If they call out your name then you have to stand up straight and the class is very quiet. Freya

Chinese New Year is a happy time where the Chinese people have fun with friends and family and lots of food! Katelyn

It takes 10 years to be a master of making a lion. Danh

They have small schools in China. They don’t have many trees in their schools. Alex

There are more tests in Chinese schools than there are in Australia. Paolo

Chinese Dragon Lena

Chinese Dragon – by Lena

Chinese Dragon

Chinese Dragon – by Libby

Dragon - Alex

Dragon by Alex

Fireworks Mira

Fireworks – by Mira