Questions for discussion
Ring of Fire
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Explain the BtN story to another student.
Describe the recent events in Samoa and Sumatra.
Where is the Ring of Fire and what is it?
What percentage of earthquakes happens in the Ring of Fire area?
What are tectonic plates?
How fast do they move?
Why do earthquakes and volcanoes happen where tectonic plates meet?
Why is understanding tectonic plates important?
Describe the devastation earthquakes and tsunamis cause.
What do you understand more clearly since watching the BtN story?
Make 10 question and answer quiz cards about earthquakes and/or tsunami facts.
Kokoda
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Briefly summarise the BtN story?
Explain the significance of the Kokoda Track in Australian history?
Why do some Australians climb the track?
What sort of preparations should people do before climbing the track?
Describe the conditions on the track.
Compare the conditions to those that climbers might train in.
What are trekking companies thinking about doing before people can climb the
track?
8. What has the Government done to help with the safety of climbers?
9. What do you think should happen? How can trekking on the track be made
safer?
10. What do you understand more clearly since watching the BtN story?
Test your knowledge in the online Kokoda Track quiz.
Dust storm
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
© ABC 2009
Where did the recent dust storm begin?
What were the dimensions of it?
What do meteorologists say caused the dust storm?
Why were some people told to stay indoor during the storm?
Describe the impact on farmers.
Why are dust storms more common in country areas than capital cities?
How have farmers tried to reduce wind erosion?
Describe the connection between wind erosion and dust storms.
EPISODE 28
13TH OCTOBER 2009
9.
How have school kids become involved in dust monitoring? How will their
findings be used?
10. Illustrate an aspect of the BtN story.
Investigate dust storms on other planets. Compare them to those on Earth.
Amazing race
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Describe the `Amazing race’ that some kids were recently involved in.
What strategies do the kids use to navigate their way around the city?
Why is using their senses important for these kids?
What is echo location?
Why is it important for visually impaired people?
How does Lizzy find her way around her backyard?
Think of three adjectives to describe the kids in the BtN story.
How did they feel about being in a natural environment?
Describe the importance of making friend on the camp.
How did the story make you feel?
Send a message or tell us what you think on the BtN Guestbook
F1Schools
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Retell the BtN story.
In your own words, describe Formula One car racing.
What is the aim of the Formula One Technology Challenge?
What materials are used to construct the model cars?
Why do you think these materials were chosen?
Describe the technology used to design the model cars.
Why do you think jet plane designs are used to help design the cars?
What powers the cars?
What skills are needed by the students to participate in the challenge?
What are three facts that you learnt in the BtN story?
Find out more about how Formula One cars work. Go to
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/auto-racing/motorsports/formula-one2.htm
and write a brief explanation of how they work.
Ring of Fire
© ABC 2009
Focus Questions
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
Explain the BtN story to another student.
Describe the recent events in Samoa and Sumatra.
Where is the Ring of Fire and what is it?
What percentage of earthquakes happens in the Ring of Fire area?
What are tectonic plates?
How fast do they move?
Why do earthquakes and volcanoes happen where tectonic plates meet?
Why is understanding tectonic plates important?
Describe the devastation earthquakes and tsunamis cause.
What do you understand more clearly since watching the BtN story?
Ring of fire
Students will investigate earthquakes and tsunamis. Negotiate with students how
many activities they need to complete.
EPISODE 28
13TH OCTOBER 2009
Learning Area
Science
Key learning
Students will
develop a deeper
understanding of
how and why
earthquakes and
tsunamis occur.
Remember and understand

Create a timeline showing major earthquakes and tsunamis in the Ring of
Fire area. Record the magnitude of each.

Make 10 question and answer quiz cards about earthquakes and/or tsunami
facts.

Find out what the Richter and Mercalli scales are and how they relate to
earthquakes.
.
Apply and Analyse

Research the work of a seismologist. Write a journal entry of a typical day
for a seismologist.

What are plate tectonics and how do they work? Research the types of plate
movement; divergent, convergent and lateral slipping. Create a diagram
and explanation for each. What does the Ring of Fire have to do with plate
tectonics?

Research and collect information for a brochure to help people survive an
earthquake.
Evaluate and create

How are tsunamis formed? Research and create a detailed labelled diagram
to show how a tsunami is formed. To extend the activity, students can
make a model of their diagram.
© ABC 2009
.

Design a house that is able to survive an earthquake. What special
technologies are included in the design? Illustrate and label the new
technologies.

How do natural disasters like earthquakes and tsunamis affect people?
Write a personal response to a news story and share your response with
another student.
 Related Research Links
ABC News – Two quakes, hundreds dead, one day…just a coincidence, say
scientists
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/10/01/2701632.htm
ABC Behind the News – China quake
http://www.abc.net.au/news/btn/story/s2244743.htm
Iris – Seismic monitor
http://www.iris.edu/seismon/
National Geographic – Earthquakes
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/forcesofnature/interactive/index.html?section=
e
US Geological Survey – Earthquakes for kids
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/learning/kids/
Plate tectonics – Earthquakes
http://www.plate-tectonics.org/earthquakes/
Kids Encyclopaedia – Plate tectonics
http://encyclopedia.kids.net.au/page/pl/Plate_tectonics
Volcano live website
http://www.volcanolive.com/australia.html
Dust storm
© ABC 2009
Focus Questions
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
Where did the recent dust storm begin?
What were the dimensions of it?
What do meteorologists say caused the dust storm?
Why were some people told to stay indoors during the storm?
Describe the impact on farmers.
Why are dust storms more common in country areas than capital cities?
How have farmers tried to reduce wind erosion?
Describe the connection between wind erosion and dust storms.
How have school kids become involved in dust monitoring? How will their
findings be used?
20. Illustrate an aspect of the BtN story.
More about dust
Students will investigate wind erosion and the factors that affect it. They will also
research ways to reduce or manage wind erosion. Brainstorm what students know
about dust storms and wind erosion (a concept map can be used to record students’
responses). Working in small groups, students can generate their own questions to
investigate or the use the following questions to guide their research.







EPISODE 28
13TH OCTOBER 2009
Learning Area
Science
Key learning
Students will
develop an
understanding of
the impact of wind
erosion and ways
that it can be
reduced.
What are the community issues related to wind erosion?
What factors contribute to wind erosion?
How are soil types related to wind erosion?
What is the relationship between water and wind erosion? (What role does
the drought play?)
What role do plants play in wind erosion?
What are the following wind erosion events; dust storms, dust haze and
local blowing dust?
How can wind erosion be reduced or managed through different farming or
land management techniques?
Discuss with students ways of publishing their research findings. These could
include:
 Digital/multimedia presentation
 Oral report
 An animation
 Brochure
About your research
Students will be reflecting on the research process by responding to the following
questions:
Briefly explain how you planned your research for this investigation.
How did you record your notes from each resource?
© ABC 2009
.
How could you improve or develop your information?
Further investigations
Investigate dust storms on other planets. Compare them to those on Earth.
Research the benefits of the Australian Air Quality Forecasting System.
 Related Research Links
ABC Science – Photo gallery of dust storms
http://www.abc.net.au/science/photos/?site=science&gallery=/science/photos/xml/0
9duststorms.xml
ABC 730 Report – Dust storm clouds east coast
http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2009/s2694690.htm
ABC News – Students to help record dust storm effects
http://abc.gov.au/news/stories/2006/02/15/1570090.htm
DustWatch website
http://www.dustwatch.edu.au/flashsite.swf
Bureau of Meteorology – East Coast lows and dust storms
http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/environ/ec_lows.shtml
CSIRO – Dust, dust and more dust
http://www.csiro.au/resources/dust-storm-animations.html#4
BtN: Episode 27 Transcripts
© ABC 2009
13/10/09
On this week's Behind the News:
 What is the ring of fire? And how does it create earthquakes?
 Why some parts of Australia ended up looking more like Mars.
 And the schools competing in an international F1 comp.
Hi I'm Nathan Bazley welcome to another week of Behind the News.
Also on the show today – we find out why a tourist attraction popular
with Aussies has been claiming lives.
Those items later, but first Kirsty has been checking out a story that’s
causing serious controversy around the world.
The Wire
TV show Hey Hey it's Saturday has been left red faced.
Its Red Faces talent segment received tonnes of criticism for a skit
which some people thought was racist.
A group wearing black makeup did a take-off of the Jackson Five but
it upset guest judge Harry Connick Junior.
HARRY CONNICK JR: Man if they turned up like that in the United
States it would be like hey hey there is no more show.
In the United States musical acts that paint their faces black are seen
as very offensive to black Americans.
DARYL SOMERS: It didn't occur to me until afterwards but I think
we may have offended you with that act and I deeply apologise.
© ABC 2009
HARRY CONNICK JR: We've spent so much time trying to not make
black people look like buffoons.
The act was criticised on TV shows and websites, but a lot of people
defended it as well.
The people in the act say it was just a joke and never meant to offend.
But critics say the producers should never have let it go to air.
Presenter: Ok so because that has become a really big issue - we
want to know what you think. You can write a comment and vote in
our poll.
The question is 'Should the Hey Hey skit have gone to air?'
There's a special page on our website to vote and have your say.
Ring of Fire
Reporter: Sarah Larsen
INTRO: OK now to our features. During the school holidays you
might have seen some pretty upsetting pictures from overseas.
There were two big earthquakes. One in the Pacific ocean caused a
Tsunami in Samoa and one hit Sumatra which is an island in
Indonesia.
Earthquakes happen all the time, all over the world, but sometimes it
seems like they hit some places more than others.
© ABC 2009
Sarah's had a look at why Samoa and Sumatra are on particularly
shaky ground.
SARAH LARSEN, REPORTER: September 29th, about 7am, a series
of massive waves ripped through coastal villages in Samoa, turning
homes and streets to rubble. It was caused by a huge earthquake on
the sea floor just off the Samoan coast. Just one day later a powerful
earthquake hit the Indonesian island of Sumatra. Hundreds were
killed and injured. So what's going on? Could the two disasters be
connected or is it just a terrible co-incidence?
REPORTER: Well the first one was here, near Samoa, and the other
one was over here in Sumatra. That's about 10,000 km’s away so it’s
really unlikely that one earthquake could have caused another and
earthquakes are happening all the time so the timing was probably
just coincidence. Scientists are still looking into that.
But let's have a closer look at the location. Now let's go back and have
a look at some more, smaller earthquakes that have happened in the
past two weeks and the past year. Are you starting to see a pattern?
About 90 percent of the world's earthquakes happen in this stretch.
It’s known as the Ring of Fire. Some of the largest earthquakes we've
ever seen, like the one that caused this massive tsunami in 2004,
happened in the Ring of Fire. It’s also home to three quarters of the
world's volcanoes and some of the biggest eruptions. This is no
coincidence and it shows us a lot about what's going on under the
earth.
REPORTER: We usually think of the ground we stand on as being
"rock solid", right? Well guess what? It's not! If you went down far
enough you'd find red hot molten rock. The thin, cool layer we live on
floats on top. It's called the crust but it’s not one solid piece.
It’s made up of huge slabs called tectonic plates and you'll notice that
quite a few meet along the Ring of Fire. Tectonic plates drift on the
liquid rock, slowly changing shape and position over time. Scientist
reckon over millions of years the drifting tectonic plates changed the
© ABC 2009
shape of continents completely but they only move about the rate that
your fingernails grow so you can't see it happen. But you can see the
results.
Mountains like this were created by tectonic plates pushing together.
Volcanoes can also happen when plates meet - and earthquakes.
Sometimes underwater earthquakes cause tsunamis; massive waves
like the one that hit Samoa. At the Pacific Tsunami Warning centre
they track earthquakes and warn people of where and when a tsunami
is likely to hit. But often there isn't much time to get a warning out
and it’s still not possible to predict exactly where and when an
earthquake will hit. Millions of people live in the Ring of Fire so it’s
important that we know as much as possible about the volatile earth
beneath their feet.
Quiz 1
It’s interesting and a bit scary to know what’s really happening under
our feet, but it’s reassuring to remember Australia isn't in a high risk
area.e
But we still might do a quiz about it.
Are there volcanos in Australia?
Answer: Yes
Presenter: There are no active volcanoes in Oz but there are some
dormant and extinct ones. There's a list on our website of which ones
are where.
© ABC 2009
Kokoda
Reporter: Nathan Bazley
INTRO: Walking the Kokoda Track in Papua New Guinea, is on the
'list of things to do' for many Aussies.
It was a really important site during the Second World War, so now
record numbers are tackling it.
But sadly, four walkers this year have died trying.
It's leading some people to say that while it's great so many people
want to give it a go, it might not be appropriate for everyone.
NATHAN BAZLEY, REPORTER: In 1942, Australian soldiers found
themselves here in the mud, the heat, and the rain of the Kokoda
Track.
The Second World War was raging, and they were seen as the last line
of defence against the Japanese invading Australia.
Fierce fighting stretched out over many months on the ninety-six long
kilometres of this jungle-bound track, in Papua New Guinea.
Terrible diseases also took their toll.
By the end, the Aussies had succeeded in repelling the Japanese, but
at a cost of more than 600 lives.
Fast forward nearly 70 years and things have changed a lot.
There's no fighting, and no weapons.
© ABC 2009
There are still lots of people who walk along this track though, but
they're not soldiers.
They're regular Aussies hoping to walk in the footsteps of the fallen
soldiers before them and they are now coming here in record
numbers to tackle the extreme conditions.
But while there are lots of people who want to pay tribute to our
diggers, this year some have run into trouble.
Four have died from medical problems in the tough conditions, and
others have been injured.
Because while lots of Aussies want to climb the track, some may not
be fit enough to survive it.
NATHAN: Most people preparing to trek Kokoda are told to do plenty
of training, but they do it here in Australia, if at all. And while
climbing up a hill like this might be tough - climbing up the ones on
the track can be an angle closer to this.
The sheer size of the climb is daunting enough. From the lowest point
to the highest is nearly 2000 metres up.
On top of that is the challenge of rough terrain and big creek
crossings.
Then there is the slippery mud and finally there is the weather.
NATHAN: Scorching temperatures team up with sweltering levels of
humidity in the jungles there to make it feel just like in a greenhouse.
You can understand why people have ended up exhausted and in
trouble.
© ABC 2009
For this reason, trekking companies that guide people through here
are looking at making climbers pass a fitness test before they can
come.
And the government here has already introduced new rules for the
companies to follow, to make sure there is enough first aid and help
around should things go wrong.
Because while this track has already claimed the lives of hundreds of
Aussies many years past, no one wants it to claim any more in the
future.
Presenter: An incredibly important trek, but one that shouldn’t be
underestimated.
Quiz 2
And let's take a closer look at the region in a quiz.
What is Papua New Guinea closest to?
1. Equator
2. Tropic of Capricorn
Answer: Equator
And that’s why it’s so steamy and hot there!
Dust Storms
Reporter: Alfie Tieu
© ABC 2009
INTRO: Another story that caused headlines while we were on
holidays was a huge dust storm that blanketed a large part of
Australia.
It was definitely no ordinary storm - it put people in hospital and
caused chaos in lots of places.
One of our Sydney journos, Alfie, was in the middle of it, so he
decided to find out why it happened.
ALFIE TIEU, REPORTER: Some people said they woke up feeling
like they were on Mars. They were in the middle of an eerie cloud of
dust that turned day into night. One of the first towns hit was Broken
Hill and an ABC reporter was in the middle of it.
EMMA SLEITH, ABC REPORTER BROKEN HILL: Oh my
gosh.Everything was bright orange, which normally happens in a dust
storm - we did get a call from one of our listeners who said that they
were in a blackout. Within two minutes we walked outside, a massive
cloud of black dust has rolled over the whole of Broken Hill and just
plunged us into absolute darkness.
The dust storm began just west of there in the red centre. As it moved
eastwards it grew, AND GREW! Eventually expanding to an
enormous cloud 400 kilometres wide, and 2 thousand kilometres
long!
Some of the dust even made it all the way to New Zealand.
Meteorologists say it was caused by a cold front of cool air. That
pushed the warm air forward. And because warm air rises, it lifted
the dust off the ground, and into the atmosphere.
It's estimated that it shifted more than five million tonnes of soil.
© ABC 2009
REPORTER: While it might have been scary, dust storms aren't all
that new in Australia, in fact they're pretty common. There's even a
special centre set up to study dust!
DustWatch studies how dust is spread around the country. They
found that the air pollution during Sydney's dust storm broke records,
reaching 15 hundred times the amount you'd expect on an ordinary
day.
Some people, such as young children, the elderly, and asthmatics,
were told to stay indoors, but hospitals were still swamped with
people suffering breathing problems.
Craig Strong, a researcher from DustWatch, says the dust is also
particularly bad for farmers, who have lost substantial amounts of
their precious topsoil.
CRAIG STRONG: We're removing a vast quantity of nutrients and
organic matter.
That means farmers who lost soil might need to add extra fertilizer to
their soils to grow good crops.
Big dust storms have hit capital cities before but that is unusual.
However in country areas they're pretty common and they've been a
part of Australia for a long time. Wind Erosion has even formed some
of our deserts.
Lots have farmers have even changed what they do to stop soil
blowing away. They might leave plants in the ground after they've
harvested to hold the dirt together - or cut stock numbers to let more
plants grow.
© ABC 2009
REPORTER: It's not just scientists studying dust - you can get
involved too!
School kids can become dust detectives.
They make notes on dust events by recording the visibility, wind
direction, speed, and dust type.
DustWatch will then use these valuable observations to strengthen
their own dust monitoring system and hopefully predict patterns for
the future!
So, next time you see dust in the air, take a moment to think about
where it came from. It may be a lot further away than you think!
Presenter: And if you want to find out more about DustWatch,
check out our website.
Amazing Race
Reporter: Sarah Larsen
INTRO: How are you at finding your way around the city? Pretty
good?
Well imagine how you'd go if you couldn't see very well - or if you
were completely blind.
There are lots of people who do manage it every day, but it takes a
lot of practice and some pretty amazing skills.
Sarah's been hanging out with some kids to find out just how they
find their way around.
© ABC 2009
SARAH LARSEN, REPORTER: Here in the bustle of the big city two
teams are embarking on an amazing race. Navigating strange places
and following clues to get to their destination. But this is no reality TV
show. It's an exercise for kids who are blind or vision impaired and
it's teaching them how to make their way around a city. It's part of a
camp run by Guide Dogs SA and NT bringing kids together from all
over the place.
KAITLIN: I'm from Gove peninsula.
REPORTER: And where's Gove?
KAITLIN: It’s in the Northern Territory. We have an average of 30
degrees and here when I got off the plane it was like good evening
ladies and gentlemen here in Adelaide its 16 degrees.
REPORTER: And how did you feel about that?
KAITLIN: I thought I was going to freeze my bum off before the week
is out.
But it wasn't just the weather confronting kids like Kaitlin
REPORTER: The city can be a hard enough place to navigate for
anyone but imagine trying to do this without full use of your eyes. It
sounds daunting but these kids have got some pretty clever ways of
making their way around and some of them you might not have even
thought of
REPORTER: How are you trying to find direction there?
TORI: By the sun
The sun always rises in the east and sets in the west. And at midday
it's exactly to the north, so by seeing it or feeling its heat they can get
their bearings. Finding landmarks is really important. The kids with
some sight can do it visually - others use their canes. And vision
impaired people get really good at using sounds to tell them what's
around; from the tap of a cane to the sound of a car.
© ABC 2009
REPORTER: Some of them can even get a sense of what's around
them by listening to the way sounds bounce off big objects. That's
called echo location. So while they still need their canes it meant Tori
and Lizzy could avoid obstacles like these ticket machines without
seeing them.
LIZZY: It’s like me and my backyard it’s got lots of space. Get clothes
off the washing line don't know how to get back in so you just walk
around (claps). I guess you just learn it without actually knowing
we're learning it. Like we're doing it subconsciously but all the time
we're learning.
At the end of the race there was a trip to the Botanic Gardens where
you don't need to be able to see to learn new things.
LIZZY: For me its touch and smell and just the feeling of being in a
natural environment
REPORTER: So it feels different does it?
LIZZY: Because when you go it city you know surrounding streets
there all the smell of diesel and cars and buses but here you've kind of
got that sense you're in a natural place
The camp was also about making friends
KAITLIN: I've never met anyone else with vision impairments before
except for rather weak vision impairment so it’s been good to meet
with other people. You have more in common you say things like
yeah, I ran into a wall today and they understand whereas other
people just shake their heads
They may face some different challenges to other kids but there's
nothing slowing these guys down. They're using all of their senses to
navigate their way through the world.
Presenter: An amazing insight there.
© ABC 2009
Quiz 3
One of the kids in Sarah's story used Braille to read some instructions.
That's the famous system used by blind people to read - they use their
fingers to feel dots which represent letters and numbers. It was
invented by Louis Braille, so we might do a quiz about him.
How old was Louis Braille when he designed the Braille system?
1. 21
2. 12
3. 31
Answer: 12
Presenter: Amazing isn't it! Louis Braille was actually blind himself
and a soldier gave a talk at his school about a code they used in the
army. So Louis then used that idea to make Braille.
Time for some sports news now - here's Kirsty.
The Score
After three years of Ford domination, Holden has returned to the
winner's podium at Bathurst.
It was described as one of the best races held on the Mt. Panorama
circuit as drivers tackled tricky weather conditions.
Garth Tander and Will Davison were first across the line and Holdens
filled nine of the top ten places.
© ABC 2009
*******
We told you a few weeks ago about Jessica Watson, the 16 year old
who wants to sail solo around the world.
She's now in Sydney making the finishing touches to her boat before
she sets sail.
But some people are worried Jessica isn't experienced enough to
make the trip, after her yacht collided with a boat last month.
*******
And Sam Willoughby has become the first Australian and the
youngest to win a BMX World Cup.
The Adelaide teenager had a rough start but pedalled his heart out to
clinch the title which was held in France.
But there'll be no celebrations just yet, he's heading to the United
States and won't be back in Australia until December
Presenter: A dominant performance from the young Aussie awesome work!
F1 Schools
Reporter: Nathan Bazley
INTRO: Formula 1 car racing is a multi-billion dollar sport. Teams
hunt for the most talented drivers, engineers and mechanics around,
in an effort to beat all comers on the track.
It certainly doesn't seem like the kind of sport kids could ever get
involved in, but that's where you'd be wrong!
© ABC 2009
There is a version of the sport that encourages school teams from
around the world to get involved, albeit on a miniature level.
NATHAN BAZLEY, REPORTER: Formula 1 is motorsport in the
extreme. It's all about having the most aerodynamic car imaginable,
dropping into it the lightest and most powerful motor, and pushing it
around a track faster than anyone else.
But if you take away the engines, the drivers and shrink it down about
a 20th of the size, you'd probably be left with something just like this Formula 1 in schools.
Missed that? Let's check it out again in slow-mo.
The aim of this competition is for kids to build model Formula 1 cars
they race down a straight 20m track at more than 80 k’s an hour.
Their times are recorded to the millisecond and the competition is
fierce.
So how much work goes into making these pint-sized rocket cars?
More than you would ever imagine!
They are made out of special high-tech plastics and ultra-light balsa
wood, and are designed on software used to shape jet planes.
They even occasionally borrow plane designs.
MARK, COLD FUSION TEAM MANAGER: Well to make it the best
innovative car we've got a backwards facing wing, and we took that
idea from a Russian fighter jet because they're using a backwards
facing wing to direct the air towards the middle of the plane, or in this
case the middle of the car, so it will pass through this part of the car,
© ABC 2009
and on through the rear diffusers to create control vortexes which give
the car lift, and make the car go faster down the track.
I have no idea what half of that means, but it sure sounds impressive!
The cars are all powered by tiny canisters of compressed carbon
dioxide gas, which is what you can see puffing out here.
The canister has a pin fired into it, which is why the cars explode from
the start line so quickly.
From there it only takes just over a second to cross the finish line.
Although from the way they stop, it's probably good they don't have
drivers inside.
Presenter: And Australia did really well at the World
Championships last month – we scored 2nd, 3rd and 4th. Well done to
the teams involved there!
Closer
And that brings us to the end of another show, catch you later!
© ABC 2009