©ABC 2018

Questions for discussion

The Cabinet Files

1. Discuss the BTN Cabinet Files story as a class. What points were raised in the discussion?

2. Briefly summarise the BTN story.

3. What are the Cabinet Files?

4. Where were the Cabinet Files found?

5. The details in the Cabinet Files were meant to be kept secret for at least…

a. 20 days

b. 2 years

c. 20 years

6. Who did Mr X take the files to?

7. Give an example of the type of classified information detailed in the Cabinet Files?

8. What does ASIO stand for?

9. The files were eventually given back to their original owner The Department of the

P_______ M__________ and C_________.

10. What questions do you have after watching The Cabinet Files story?

Write a message about the story and post it in the comments section on the story page.

Apology 10th Anniversary

1. Discuss the Apology 10th Anniversary story in pairs. What points were raised in the

discussion?

2. How many years ago did the Australian Government say sorry to Aboriginal and Torres

Strait Islander people for the Stolen Generations?

3. Which former Prime Minister gave the Apology speech?

4. Who are the Stolen Generations?

5. In which year did the government stop taking away Indigenous children from their families?

6. What impact has the Stolen Generations had on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander

people?

7. What did the Bringing them home report recommend?

8. Why is the Apology important?

9. How did this story make you feel?

10. What do you understand more clearly since watching the BTN story?

Check out the Apology 10th Anniversary resource on the Teachers page.

Cryptocurrencies

1. Before you watch the BTN story, predict what you think it’s about.

2. What year was the bitcoin currency invented?

3. Bitcoin was invented by…

a. A programmer

Episode 2

13th February 2018

©ABC 2018

b. A scientist

c. An entrepreneur

4. Briefly summarise how bitcoins work.

5. What can bitcoins be used to buy?

6. Cryptocurrencies are regulated by governments. True or false?

7. Why are some people concerned about bitcoins?

8. What is a blockchain?

9. What did you learn while watching the Cryptocurrencies story?

10. What questions do you have after watching the Cryptocurrencies story?

Vote in the BTN Online Poll

Lunar New Year

1. Before you watch the BTN Chinese New Year story, record what you know about the event.

2. About how many people around the world celebrate Chinese New Year?

3. Chinese New Year follows the _______________ calendar.

4. Each year, Chinese New Year falls on a different date. True or false?

5. How many animals are in the Chinese zodiac?

6. According to legend, which animal won the race to decide who would go first in the Chinese

zodiac?

7. Chinese New Year in 2018 is Year of the…

8. Give examples of some traditions that take place over Chinese New Year.

9. Briefly explain the ancient story about a beast called Nian.

10. What did you learn about Chinese New Year?

Do the quiz on the BTN website.

Check out the Lunar New Year resource on the Teachers page.

Surfing Masterclass

1. Discuss the BTN story with a partner.

2. How has being visually impaired affected Travis in class?

3. What Australian charity set up the surfing masterclass?

4. What was Matt Formston diagnosed with when he was five years old?

5. Which sports has Matt competed in?

6. Why does Matt think surfing is a great sport for visually impaired people?

7. How did the surfing masterclass make the kids feel?

8. What questions would you like to ask Matt or the kids in the BTN story?

9. What did you like about the story?

10. What’s your favourite sport? How does it make you feel?

Write a message about the story and post it in the comments section on the story page.

©ABC 2018

Teacher Resource

Apology Anniversary

1. Discuss the Apology 10th Anniversary story in pairs. What points

were raised in the discussion?

2. How many years ago did the Australian Government say sorry to

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people for the Stolen

Generations?

3. Which former Prime Minister gave the Apology speech?

4. Who are the Stolen Generations?

5. In which year did the government stop taking away Indigenous

children from their families?

6. What impact has the Stolen Generations had on Aboriginal and

Torres Strait Islander people?

7. What did the Bringing them home report recommend?

8. Why is the Apology important?

9. How did this story make you feel?

10. What do you understand more clearly since watching the BTN

story?

This document may contain the names and images of Aboriginal and Torres

Strait Islander people now deceased. It also contains links to sites that may use

images of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people now deceased.

After watching the BTN Apology Anniversary story, hold a class

discussion, using the following discussion starters. Brainstorm ideas in

small groups and then students will share their group’s responses to the

class.

• How did this story make you feel?

• What did this story make you wonder? Start your sentence/s with

“I wonder what…”, “I wonder how…” or “I wonder why…”.

• Leave a message on the BTN story page.

KWLH

Discuss the BTN Apology Anniversary story as a class. Clarify students’

understanding of terms such as Stolen Generations, recognition,

acknowledge and citizenship rights. What questions were raised in the

discussion (what are the gaps in their knowledge)? The following KWLH

Episode 2 13th February 2018

Students will discuss and understand

the Stolen Generations. Students will

celebrate the Apology Anniversary.

HASS / History – Year 3

Days and weeks celebrated or

commemorated in Australia

(including Australia Day, Anzac Day,

and National Sorry Day) and the

importance of symbols and emblems.

HASS / History – Year 4

The nature of contact between

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander

Peoples and others, for example, the

Macassans and the Europeans, and

the effects of these interactions on,

for example, people and

environments.

HASS / History – Year 5

The nature of convict or colonial

presence, including the factors that

influenced patterns of development,

aspects of the daily life of the

inhabitants (including Aboriginal

Peoples and Torres Strait Islander

Peoples) and how the environment

changed.

HASS / History – Year 6 Experiences of Australian democracy

and citizenship, including the status

and rights of Aboriginal and Torres

Strait Islander Peoples, migrants,

women and children.

©ABC 2018

organiser provides students with a framework to explore their knowledge on this topic and consider what

they would like to know and learn.

What do I know? What do I want to know? What have I learnt? How will I find out?

Students will develop their own question/s for inquiry, below are some examples.

• Who are the Stolen Generations?

• What does the term ‘Stolen Generations’ mean?

• What does the word ‘Sorry’ represent in the context of the Stolen Generations?

• Why is the Anniversary of the Apology an important day? How it is important for Aboriginal and

Torres Strait Islander Peoples, for the Stolen Generations and for other Australians.

Ask students to watch the following BTN stories that relate to the Anniversary of the Apology and then

answer the following questions.

Stolen Generations

1. What was the main point of this story?

2. Why do you think the Indigenous children taken from

their families are known as the “stolen” generations?

3. It was Government policy that Indigenous children be

removed. Why do you think they thought this was

necessary?

4. “They thought they were doing the right thing.” How

has social policy changed?

5. What does the sentence “a gross violation of human

rights” mean?

6. What is assimilation?

7. Imagine being taken away from your family. How does it make you feel?

Government Apology

1. Why do you think the current government has chosen

to apologise?

2. Describe how Indigenous people may have felt when

the Prime Minister was apologising.

3. Why is it considered one of the most important

speeches in Australian history?

4. It’s been described as an important part of the healing

process. Discuss.

5. Do you think it’ll help the reconciliation process? Why

or why not?

6. Should the Stolen Generations receive compensation?

7. The government has stated there will be no compensation fund. Discuss.

8. Is it ever too late to say sorry?

9. There was ‘bi-partisan’ support for the apology. What does this mean?

©ABC 2018

A voice from the Stolen Generation

Students will watch this ABC Education video “A voice

from the Stolen Generation” to hear a personal account

from Donna Meehan a Gamilaroi woman. Donna was

taken from her family in 1960 and adopted by a white

family. In this clip Donna explains how confused and

isolated she felt as a teenage Aboriginal woman growing

up in non-Aboriginal family and community.

Watch video

• How did watching this video make you feel?

• What emotions and reactions did Donna experience as a child?

• What effect did Donna’s experiences have on her?

• What questions do you have about the Stolen Generations? Write down 2 questions that you would

like to explore further.

Respect and celebrate the Anniversary of the Apology

As a class, discuss and brainstorm ways that you could respect and celebrate the Anniversary of the

Apology. Some ideas are:

• Organise an Anniversary of the Apology assembly or ceremony at your school. Invite people from

local Aboriginal communities, people from local government, parents and friends. Consider inviting

Stolen Generations survivors to your assembly as a guest of honour.

• Hold a flag raising ceremony including Australian, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags.

• Create a remembrance wall for the Anniversary of the Apology. Use words to represent feelings,

memories or write messages of commemoration for the Stolen Generations. Your artwork could be

done in conjunction with an Indigenous artist in residence.

• Create a calendar that shows dates and events that are important to the Stolen Generations. Think of ways that your class might be able to recognise these important dates and events throughout the school year.

• Create an artwork which represents your home and the people you live with. Write a short paragraph

explaining what home and family means to you and what is special about your family.

BTN – Government Apology

http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s2219615.htm

BTN – Stolen Generations

http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s2219619.htm

National Museum Australia – National Apology

http://www.nma.gov.au/online_features/defining_moments/featured/national_apology

©ABC 2018

Teacher Resource

Lunar New Year

1. Before you watch the BTN Lunar New Year story, record what you

know about the event.

2. About how many people around the world celebrate Chinese New

Year?

3. Chinese New Year follows the __________ calendar.

4. Each year, Chinese New Year falls on a different date. True or

false?

5. How many animals are in the Chinese zodiac?

6. According to legend, which animal won the race to decide who

would go first in the Chinese zodiac?

7. Chinese New Year in 2018 is Year of the…

8. Give examples of some traditions that take place over Chinese New

Year.

9. Briefly explain the ancient story about a beast called Nian.

10. What did you learn about Chinese New Year?

Class Discussion

Discuss the BTN Lunar New Year story as a class. Record what students

know and would like to know on the KWHL chart below. Use the following

questions to help guide discussion:

• What is Chinese New Year?

• Who celebrates Chinese New Year?

• How is it celebrated?

• Why does the date of Chinese New Year change every year?

• Chinese New Year 2018 is Year of the…

• What Chinese New Year celebrations do you know about? What might you see?

• Have you ever taken part in Chinese New Year celebrations? Explain which ones.

The following KWLH organiser provides students with a framework to explore their knowledge on this topic

and consider what they would like to know and learn.

What do I know? What do I want to know? What have I learnt? How will I find out?

Episode 2

13th February 2018

November 2016

Students will learn more about the

significance of Chinese New Year

celebrations and the Chinese

zodiac.

HASS – Year 3

Celebrations and commemorations

in places around the world (for

example, Chinese New Year in

countries of the Asia region, Bastille

Day in France, Independence Day

in the USA), including those that are

observed in Australia (for example,

Christmas Day, Diwali, Easter,

Hanukkah, the Moon Festival and

Ramadan)

How the community has changed

and remained the same over time

and the role that people of diverse

backgrounds have played in

the development and character of

the local community

Dance – Years 5 & 6

Explain how the elements of

dance and production elements

communicate meaning by

comparing dances from different

social, cultural and historical

contexts, including Aboriginal and

Torres Strait Islander dance

©ABC 2018

Chinese New Year Celebrations

Ask students what traditions might you see at a Chinese New Year celebration. What do these traditions and

symbols mean? Below are some examples of Chinese New Year traditions that students can explore in more

detail.

Lantern Festival

Chinese New Year celebrations end with the Lantern Festival. During the

festival, people visit the temples at night carrying paper lanterns. They

symbolise letting go of the past and looking forward to the future. During

the lantern festival, people eat small round dumplings made of rice.

Students can make their own Chinese New Year Lantern by following the

instructions here.

Lion and Dragon Dances

Watch the ABC Education Lion Dance video which

explains the significance of the lion dance during Chinese

New Year celebrations. Students can research in more

detail the importance of the lion or dragon in Chinese

culture.

Students can make a dragon or lion using the instructions

here. Encourage them to look at images of Chinese New

Year dragon/lion dances, playing close attention to the

colours used (red, gold and green symbolise good luck).

Students can then create their own lion/dragon dance.

Fireworks

Fireworks is a common Chinese New Year celebration. At

midnight on New Year’s Eve, fireworks are launched to

celebrate the coming of the New Year. The Chinese believe

that fireworks keep away evil spirits and that the person who

launches the first firework of the New Year will have good

luck.

Students can design their own fireworks display on

cardboard. Follow the instructions here.

Red envelopes

Red envelopes are small red and gold packets containing

money given to children, family members and friends as a

symbol of good luck, success and good fortune. The colour

red is also used to keep away evil spirits.

Students can make their own lucky envelopes by following

the instructions here

©ABC 2018

Chinese Zodiac

The Chinese Zodiac is based on a twelve-year cycle, with each year being named after an animal. Chinese

people believe that people born in a particular year take on the characteristics associated with that animal.

Students can investigate the following questions about the Chinese calendar:

o What is your Chinese zodiac animal sign? Find out here

o Create a profile of that animal. What personality traits are associated with that animal?

o What traits relate to the other zodiac animals?

o How were the 12 animals chosen and why are they in a particular order?

Source: China Highlights

BTN – Chinese New Year

http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s1851308.htm

BTN – Chinese Migration

http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s4178063.htm

ABC Education – Dancing lions celebrate the Lunar New Year

http://education.abc.net.au/home#!/media/2212477/Dancing-lions-celebrate-the-Lunar-New-Year

SBS – How Chinese Australians will celebrate this Lunar New Year

https://www.sbs.com.au/topics/life/culture/article/2017/01/24/how-chinese-australians-will-celebrate-lunar-

new-year

©ABC 2018

BTN: Episode 2 Transcript 13/2/18

Hey, Amelia here. Thanks for joining me for BTN.

Coming up today.

• How one word spoken ten years ago is still being remembered.

• The reason everyone's making a fuss about bitcoins.

• And why some people are gearing up to celebrate new year's in February!

The Cabinet Files

Reporter: Ruby Cornish

INTRO: All that and more soon. But first. There's been a lot of discussion over the past couple of

weeks about some top-secret documents called the Cabinet Files. They were found in two filing

cabinets sold in a second-hand furniture store. But they've caused a lot of controversy. Here's the

full story.

The following is based on actual events. But, a lot of stuff has been changed.

EMMA: Rubes, you really need to do something about all this paperwork. It's gonna collapse any

second.

RUBY: Yeah, I actually did buy a filing cabinet, but I can't use it.

EMMA: Why not?

RUBY: Well, because I got it from a second-hand shop, and it's locked. And I don't have the key.

EMMA: What! Why'd you buy a locked filing cabinet?

RUBY: Because! Think of the mystery! This could have like, top secret files in it or something!

EMMA: Yeah, that sounds likely. Look I think it's time you got this thing open and actually started

using it.

This is pretty much what happened to one anonymous Aussie, let's call him Mr X, who's now at the

centre of one of the biggest security breaches in Australian history! You see, the files that Mr X

stumbled across when he drilled into his new cabinet contained thousands of pages of classified

information from the past decade. And it was from a group of the most powerful federal politicians

called the Parliamentary Cabinet. The documents contained details that were meant to be kept

secret for at least 20 years.

©ABC 2018

CHRIS BOWEN: This is embarrassing for the country. It's embarrassing to our allies, who share

intelligence with us and assume we'll be able to keep it. This is a blunder of massive proportions.

Mr X took the files to the ABC, who read through them and broke some big stories, including the

Australian Federal Police losing national security files, laws that were being debated behind closed

doors, and important documents at Parliament House ending up in the wrong hands.

But the ABC decided some of the other files were too sensitive to tell us about. In fact, they were

so top secret that ASIO, Australia's National Security Agency delivered a safe to the ABC offices

so the files could be protected. The release of these Cabinet Files has come at an interesting time,

because there are new laws currently being proposed that could make this kind of reporting illegal.

The proposal, by PM Malcolm Turnbull, is aimed at cracking down on foreign spies, but some

journalists and lawyers say that could extend to the media too. They argue the journalists who

published the Cabinet Files could've faced jailtime if those laws were in force now.

After some serious negotiating, the files were eventually given back to their original owner, the

Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Malcolm Turnbull also announced an urgent

investigation into how the files managed to find their way to a second-hand shop in the first place,

so this kind of stuff doesn't happen again.

EMMA: Ruby!

RUBY: Sorry! Hello, hello yes, I need to speak to your best journalist please.

Quiz

Which of the following is the highest level of classification in Australia?

Confidential

Secret

Top Secret

The answer is, top secret

Apology 10th Anniversary

Reporter: Jack Evans

INTRO: Today marks 10 years since former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said sorry to the Stolen

Generations. Here's why it was such a big moment for the families involved.

KEVIN RUDD: For the pain, suffering and hurt of these Stolen Generations, their descendants and

for their families left behind, we say sorry. To the mothers and the fathers, the brothers and the

sisters, for the breaking up of families and communities, we say sorry. And for the indignity and

degradation thus inflicted on a proud people and a proud culture, we say sorry.

©ABC 2018

10 years ago, on this day, the nation stopped to watch Kevin Rudd, Australia's Prime Minister at

the time, apologise to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people for the Stolen Generation.

KEVIN RUDD: As Prime Minister of Australia, I am sorry. On behalf of the Government of

Australia, I am sorry. On behalf of the parliament of Australia, I am sorry.

The Stolen Generation is the name that's been given to a group of Indigenous children who were

forcibly removed from their homes. During the 1900s the Australian Government took almost 50

thousand Indigenous kids away from their families and their homes. They were put into missions,

orphanages or with white foster families. At the time, the Government had policies in place that

forced kids to reject their Indigenous heritage and adopt white culture. Their names were often

changed and they were forbidden to speak their traditional languages. The removals caused a lot

of pain for Indigenous people.

The removals continued up until the 60s when there were big protests and people began

campaigning for Aboriginal people to be treated better. And in 1969 the government stopped taking

away Indigenous kids. And Australians started learning about the impact the Stolen Generations

actually had.

HELEN MORAN: We were a family of eight, we lost everybody, we lost each other, we lost our

grandparents, my aunts were looking for us. My aunts were knocking on doors and ringing the

welfare. We lost our whole family. They changed our names, they changed our whole heritage, our

identity.

In the 90s there was a big investigation into the forced removals. It became known as the Bringing

them home Report. And that report included a recommendation that the current government

apologise for the laws and policies that were put in place by previous governments. But it wasn't

until 2008 when Kevin Rudd became Prime Minister that Indigenous people heard these words.

KEVIN RUDD: As Prime Minister of Australia, I am sorry.

After the speech there was a huge reaction.

Ten years on, the impacts of the Stolen Generation are still being felt. Indigenous kids still face a

lot of problems and inequality. There are families still grieving for their losses and there are people

who still haven't been able to reconnect with their parents. But despite that, most still look back on

the apology as the first step in a very long journey of forgiveness.

MAN: All these years we waited for someone to say sorry from government and I say that really

makes me feel different and all together and I'm really thankful for that.

WOMAN: I love what’s happened today. Took a long time but we finally got what we wanted.

This Week in News

First up, a Royal Commission's begun which is taking a look at the way Aussie banks do business.

Our banks have been caught behaving badly in a bunch of big scandals over the past decade, for

things like giving bad financial advice and putting their profits before their customers.

©ABC 2018

They've paid more than a billion dollars in fines and now the Commission's carrying out a big

investigation that will last at least a year.

Queensland's been hit with some wild weather over the last few days.

There's been an intense heatwave and a massive thunderstorm on the weekend that left 60

thousand people without power.

There was hail, lots of lightning and trees ripped out of the ground!

One of the world's most famous skeletons is going on tour!

Dippy the Diplodocus has been wowing visitors at London's Natural History Museum for nearly 40

years.

SCIENTIST: It's probably, after the Mona Lisa, the most famous museum object in the world.

But now he's setting off on a trip around Britain that'll continue until 2020!

Those bones might look fragile but don't worry, they're just a replica of the real deal.

And finally, puppy love has taken over Peru ahead of Valentine’s Day!

Dozens of doggos tied the knot at a massive pet wedding.

There was cake, fancy dress and plenty of photo ops.

Mmm, im-pawsibly cute!

Cryptocurrencies

Reporter: Matthew Holbrook

INTRO: Next up, we're taking a look at cryptocurrencies. You might have heard of one of them

called bitcoin. It went up and up in value before it crashed back down soon after. But what actually

is cryptocurrency and how are they different to regular currencies? Take a look.

MATT: Welcome to the world's newest and most exciting currency, set to revolutionise money as

we know it. Introducing Mattcoin. Any questions?

©ABC 2018

RUBY: I have a question.

MATT: Yes, you in the front there.

RUBY: What is it?

MATT: Uh, well, as you can see, it’s a coin with my face on it.

RUBY: Yes, but how does it work?

MATT: How does it work? Yes.

OK, you need a bit more than a fancy logo and a very impressive, well-respected, name, to create

your own currency. But in recent years, lots of people really have created their very own money.

Currencies that only exist in virtual form, but can be used and transferred around the world. And

the biggest, and most well-known, is bitcoin.

Bitcoin was invented in 2008 by a programmer who wanted to create a system of money not

controlled by governments or banks. Bitcoin works, in theory, like an online version of cash. You

can use it to buy products and services, although unlike the Aussie dollar, not many shops accept

bitcoin yet.

Each bitcoin is basically a computer file which is stored in a 'digital wallet' app on a smartphone or

computer. People can send bitcoins (or part of one) to your digital wallet, and you can send

bitcoins to other people. Every single transaction is recorded in a public list called a blockchain.

This makes it possible to trace the history of bitcoins to stop people from spending coins they don't

own, or making copies of them.

RUBY: So where can I get it?

MATT: Ah, yes.

You can buy cryptocurrencies, like bitcoin, with normal money or create them using a computer.

That's called mining. The computers are made to work out incredibly difficult sums, and

occasionally they are rewarded with a coin for the owner to keep. It's a lot more complicated than it

sounds.

But while lots of people have got behind it, there is a down side. While the value of regular money

is kept under fairly tight control how much cryptocurrencies, like bitcoin, are worth depends on how

many people want to buy them at that exact moment. And that's what all the fuss has been over

recently. The price of bitcoin spiked hugely towards the end of last year, but has been dropping

ever since. It means people who got in really early have seen an incredible return on their

investment. But some, who bought bitcoin later, have actually lost a lot of money.

RUBY: So why should I buy Mattcoin?

MATT: Yeah, you should definitely buy Mattcoin.

It's a good question. Although it's not always stable, some people like that cryptocurrencies aren't

regulated by governments. But there are concerns they can be used by criminals who want

something that's harder to track than traditional money.

©ABC 2018

Bitcoin's even been banned in some countries. But despite that uncertainty, cryptocurrencies still

have a lot of supporters. And while some virtual currencies have come and gone, others seem like

they're here to stay.

MATT: So, who wants Mattcoin?

Ask a Reporter

Have you got a question about cryptocurrencies? Ask me live on Friday during Ask A Reporter!

Head to our website for all the details.

Poll

And our poll this week asks whether you think cryptocurrencies will take over from regular money

one day.

Tell us what you think on our website.

Meanwhile here's the results from last week's poll. Thanks for voting!

Lunar New Year

Reporter: Jack Evans

INTRO: Friday the 16th of February marks the beginning of Chinese New Year. But you might be

wondering why it's celebrated a month after the official change of year in Australia. Here's the

answer!

This week you might notice a lot of people getting ready to celebrate the new year. But I know what

you're probably thinking, that was almost 2 months ago. Well this Friday marks the beginning of

the Chinese New Year. And more than 1 and a half billion people around the world will mark the

occasion with parades, performances, food and fireworks.

But why is it held now? Well it's all got to do with the phases of the Moon. You see Chinese New

Year follows a different calendar to the one used in Australia. It's called the Lunar calendar which

follows the moon. New Year is held on the second new moon after the middle of winter in the

northern hemisphere. And each year it actually falls on a different date in January or February.

This year it's the 16th of Feb. The date also marks the beginning of the Spring harvest the best

time for farmers to prepare for the growing season.

Each Lunar New Year in China is named after one of 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac. According

to legend when the gods decided to create this system, 12 animals argued about who should go

first. So, the gods held a race to decide which animal would be first and the rat won. Each year the

animal changes in the order they finished that race. This year will be called the Year of the Dog.

And the Chinese zodiac suggests that if you're born into the year of a certain animal you take on its

©ABC 2018

characteristics. For example, rats are seen as cunning, a tiger is seen as brave and a dog is seen

as being lucky.

A lot of the traditions that take place during Chinese New Year, like hanging red lanterns and

setting off fireworks, are believed to come from an ancient story about a beast called Nian. Every

year at the end of winter, Nian would apparently emerge from the mountains and terrorise people.

Until one year when an old man came up with a plan to scare off Nian. The villagers hung out red

lanterns and banners, banged on drums and set off fireworks. It was believed that the loud noises

and the colour red would scare Nian away.

Today these types of celebrations have continued and not just for one night a year. It's actually

celebrated over 15 days with dragon dancing, giving money to kids in red pockets and plenty of

dumplings to eat. For these guys it's just the start of two weeks’ worth of fun welcoming the

Chinese New Year with a BANG!

Quiz

Which of these is not a word used to describe the phases of the moon?

Waxing

Shrinking

Gibbous

The answer is, shrinking.

Sport

The Winter Olympics has kicked off in South Korea.

Scotty James led the way for Australia in the opening ceremony.

SCOTTY JAMES: After that atmosphere and all that just happened I think it's going to be awesome

to use that energy during the week.

Two Aussie women reached the final six of the moguls for the first time in history but both narrowly

missed out on medals.

Britt Cox, the 2017 world champion, finished fifth, while 19-year-old Jakara Anthony beat all

expectations to finish fourth.

JAKARA: It's been pretty unreal. I'm very excited and I'm so happy right now with my result and the

way I skiied today I'm really happy with that, even regardless of the result.

©ABC 2018

Melbourne City will get the chance to make it three W-League titles in a row after they upset the

Brisbane Roar 2 - nil in Queensland.

Roar finished top of the table in the regular season but couldn't get it done against Melbourne.

Melbourne City will take on Sydney FC this weekend for the title.

And finally, an Aussie has won the Empire State Building Run-Up for the ninth time!

Basically, people come to this super famous building in New York and race their way up 86 floors

that's almost sixteen hundred steps!

Suzy Walsham is particularly good at it. This is her sixth win in a row but she said her body is still

suffering a little!

Surfing Masterclass

Reporter: Matthew Holbrook

INTRO: Finally today. Some kids with a vision impairment in New South Wales recently got a

surfing masterclass from a record-breaking Paralympian. Let’s check it out.

Aussie beaches are pretty iconic. Waves, flags, and seagulls trying to eat your food. Oh, also

surfers. Lot of surfers.

That's something eleven-year old Travis is keen to have a go at today along with a heap of other

kids who are visually impaired.

TRAVIS: I'm blind in this eye and I've had that for all my life and I'm kind of just used to it now.

In the past, he's found it pretty hard to get into sports.

TRAVIS: It does affect me sometimes in class I can't play games like footy because I wouldn't be

able to tackle, because if somebody came at me this side my nose blocks my vision, so I wouldn't

be able to see them.

That's why Vision Australia set up this surfing masterclass with one of Australia's best blind surfers,

Matt Formston. He was diagnosed with Macular Dystrophy when he was five years old and has

gone on to become a cycling Paralympian and world champ in adaptive surfing's blind category!

MATT FORMSTON: I think the aim of today is just to give them a taste for surfing and more

importantly bring them together as a community. I think it's pretty easy to be isolated when there's

anything different in your life let alone a disability. To get out of your comfort zone and to do that

with some people that have similar challenges is something that the kids can take home and build

from.

He reckons surfing is a great sport for visually impaired people because they can use their other

senses to feel the waves and feed off the ocean.

©ABC 2018

MATT FORMSTON: For me I've been surfing since I was 5 years old and I've just learnt to feel the

wave. And even paddling out the back you can hear the wave coming towards you, you can feel

when the water sucks as the wave comes so I know when to duck dive. So, I can time my duck

dives based on feel and sound. There's a lot of feel in the ocean, there’s a lot of sound in the

ocean, so you can use other senses rather than just be reliant on sight.

And learning from the best has definitely helped Travis. While it's been challenging, he's says he's

loving the surf!

TRAVIS: Everyone, even if they don't have a disability should be able to do something they want to

do such as surfing and I wanted to give it a go!

Tyler's had a crack at this before.

TYLER: I can see things up close but if I'm far away, not really. Well it's my second go it's fun I get

to meet lots of new people and I hope I can do it again.

These guys have had a great time in the water and say it won't be their last time carving it up!

TYLER: It was pretty good. I was pretty happy when I got to stand up on the board. It's just like

freedom and being in the ocean.

Closer

And that's wraps us up for another week. But you can always head to our website to let us know

what you think about any of our stories.

I'll see you next week for more BTN!