Students can send personal messages or they can imagine they are politicians, journalists or world leaders sending messages about the proposed Australian Federation. Using 'Morse Code' to generate activities for the classroom. These activities can be used to encourage students to think about the impact of communications in creating a sense of national community. The use of the Morse Code in conjunction with the Internet also provides an opportunity for students to think about the rapid pace of technological change and the ways in which new technologies can work towards creating a global community. Middle primary Classroom of the air Encourage students to think about how their peers in isolated areas learn.
Students tell the story through a role-play or a written piece such as a newspaper story.
The work should describe the achievements of the scientist and predict the likely impact of the invention on individuals and communities. In groups of 3 or 4, students design a timeline of major communications developments in Australia since 1850 using illustrations, pictures or photos. The group is to choose one communications development and devise a role play which illustrates how it worked to unite the nation. Students could for example devise interviews with travellers at railway stations, the editor of a national newspaper or a magazine such as The Bulletin. Students could investigate the laying of the telegraph which was laid undersea from the United Kingdom and radiated from Darwin to cover Australia.