The SHIPWRECKS, SEALERS & SCIENTISTS ON MACQUARIE ISLAND project is designed for students from years 7 to 10. Ideally, the project would form the basis for a term or semesterês cross-curricular activities.

This site contains three journals: The Shipwreck Watch, The Sealers' Shanty and The Science Observer. The journals contain a total of 43 stories about shipwrecks, sealers and scientists on Macquarie Island. These stories can be printed and used as masters, so that class sets of the stories can be photocopied.

While working on the unit, it may be a good idea to let students listen to some sounds from Macquarie Island. A cassette tape of wildlife and natural sounds on Macquarie Island, 'Macquarie Island Chorus' may purchased from:

Mark Loveridge/OASIS Productions
Phone 0408 98 4397 for orders.
Price: $12 (Tape) $18 (CD)


Individual students, groups of students or even classes could take turns presenting the stories over a number of weeks. Students should be encouraged to present the stories as creatively as possible, perhaps using drama, art, craft or even music to help with the storytelling.

Before presenting SHIPWRECKS, SEALERS & SCIENTISTS ON MACQUARIE ISLAND to the class, teachers should first explore the website of the Australian Antarctic Division, which is responsible for an Australian National Antarctic Expedition (ANARE) station on Macquarie Island:

http://www.antdiv.gov.au/

http://www.antdiv.gov.au/stations/macca/macca_station.html

and the website of the Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service, which administers Macquarie Island:

http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/

http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/homemi/macqis.html

This site also contains a Glossary of terms used in the site, in addition to a Bibliography and Biographies of some of the people mentioned in the stories. Further information on Macquarie Island can be found in the Information Hut. The site also contains links to some of Macquarie Islandês unsolved mysteries, as well as interactive Games which have been designed by students for students.

Suggestions for class work are contained in Activities . These activities are a set of ideas which may help teachers put together a programme of work to suit the needs, interests and abilities of their classes. The suggestions are by no means, meant to be prescriptive. Teachers should design their own programmes which allow students to work at their own pace on activities that reflect the students' interests and abilities and give the students the opportunity to present their work to the class. To facilitate this process, a contract has been designed to allow students to enter into an agreement with teachers regarding the activities they will complete in a given time.