Questions for discussion

Bushfire Investigation

1. What do bushfire investigators do? 2. What’s the first step to investigating a bushfire?3. Name three things that can start a bushfire.4. What do you think a piece of physical evidence could be in a bushfire investigation?5. Why do you think physical evidence is important?6. What is a witness?7. Why is it important to use physical evidence as well as talk to witnesses?8. Why do you think physical evidence could be hard to find after a bushfire?9. Why is it important to investigate the cause of bushfires?10. What was one change made as a result of investigations into the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires in

Victoria?

Check out BtN’s Bushfire Investigation teacher resource on the BtN Teachers page http://www.abc.net.au/btn/teachers.htm

Proceeds of Crime1. What does “proceeds of crime” mean?2. Why do you think Australia has laws which stop you from earning money from crime?3. What country does Schapelle Corby come from?4. What country was she arrested in?5. How many years did she spend in jail?6. Why do you think television stations would pay someone for an interview?7. What happened to the 128 thousand dollars Schapelle Corby made for her book?8. Will Schapelle Corby get to keep any money she makes from interviews? 9. Do you think Schapelle Corby should get to keep money she makes from telling her story?

Why/why not?10. Do you think it’s right to pay people for telling stories to the media?

Vote in the BtN Proceeds of Crime poll. Go to http://www.abc.net.au/btn/polls.htm

Banjo Birthday1. What song is known as Australia’s “unofficial national anthem”?2. Where would you see Banjo Paterson’s face most often?3. What was Banjo Paterson’s real name?4. Where did his nickname come from?5. Name two jobs that Banjo Paterson had in his lifetime.6. What Banjo Paterson poem was made into a movie and a TV series?7. What inspired a lot of Banjo Paterson’s poetry?

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Episode 318th February 2014

8. What famous person quoted Banjo Paterson when he visited Australia recently?9. In “Waltzing Matilda” who camps by the Coolabah tree?10. Why do you think Banjo Paterson’s poetry was so popular?

Check out BtN’s Banjo Paterson teacher resource on the BtN Teachers page http://www.abc.net.au/btn/teachers.htmTest your knowledge in the BtN Banjo Birthday quiz. http://www.abc.net.au/btn/quiz.htm

University Camp1. What does the Yalari Indigenous Scholarship do? 2. What state do Kaleishia, K'tahni and Bradley come from?3. What do the kids want to do after they finish high school?4. What percentage of new university students in Australia are Aboriginal or Torres Strait

Islanders?5. Indigenous Australians make up what percent of the Australian population?6. What university does Brittney visit over the summer holidays?7. What does Brittney want to be when she leaves school?8. What are some suggestions the kids give for encouraging Indigenous kids to go to university?9. Do you think going to university is important? Why/why not?10. Why do you think people are trying to encourage more Indigenous kids to go to university?

Write a message about the story and post it in the comments section on the BtN University Camp story page. http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s3895044.htm

Figure Skating1. What qualities do you need to be a good figure skater?2. Why do James and Guiseppe like figure skating?3. Name a competition that James and Guiseppe have competed in.4. What figure skating event do James and Giuseppe compete in?5. What are some other figure skating events?6. Why do figure skaters wear costumes?7. Is figure skating an Olympic sport?8. When are the next Winter Olympic Games?9. In what year is James hoping to get to the Olympics?10. Other than Australia, what country’s figure skating team does James go for?

Create a facts sheet about Olympic Figure Skating http://www.sochi2014.com/en/figure-skating-about

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Activity

Fire InvestigatorsKey LearningStudents will develop a deeper understanding of the mechanics of fire and the causes of bushfires. They will learn about types of evidence and how evidence is used to develop explanations of events.

The Australian CurriculumGeography / Geographical Knowledge and Understanding

The impact of bushfires or floods on environments and communities and how people can respond (ACHGK030)(year 5)

Science as Human Endeavour/Nature and development of science

Science involves testing predictions by gathering data and using evidence to develop explanations of events and phenomena (ACSHE081) (year 5)

Science as Human Endeavour/Nature and development of science

Science involves testing predictions by gathering data and using evidence to develop explanations of events and phenomena (ACSHE098) (year 6)

Science and Understanding/ Earth and Space Science

Sudden geological changes of extreme weather conditions can affect Earth’s surface (ACSSU096) (year 6)

Science as Human Endeavour/ Use and influence of science

Scientific knowledge is used to inform personal and community decisions (ACSHE220) (year 6)

Discussion Questions1. What do bushfire investigators do?

2. What’s the first step to investigating a bushfire?

3. Name three things that can start a bushfire.

4. What do you think a piece of physical evidence could be in a bushfire investigation?

5. Why do you think physical evidence is important?

6. What is a witness?

7. Why is it important to use physical evidence as well as talk to witnesses?

8. Why do you think physical evidence could be hard to find after a bushfire?

9. Why is it important to investigate the cause of bushfires?

10. What was one change made as a result of investigations into the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires in Victoria?

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ActivitiesFire Investigation Glossary

Discuss some of the fire investigation terms used in the story. As a class, ask students to share what they know about each term and compile a glossary.

Witnesses

Physical Evidence

Clues

Ignition

Indicator

Process of Elimination

Trial and Error

Area of Origin

SuspiciouslyThe Fire Triangle

For a fire to thrive and spread it requires three things:

• fuel for the fire to burn• air for the fire to breathe• heat for the fire to continue burning.

The first two parts of the triangle are present whenever fuel is in open air. The amount of heat needed to start the fire depends on the kind of fuel.

Remove any side of the Fire Triangle and the fire will go out.

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The Fire Triangle

Discuss each of the different situations where fire is produced in reference to the fire triangle. In each case two sides of the fire triangle are provided. Think about what the third side could be.Fire Oxygen Fuel Heat1. A match is struck on the side of the box

air friction of the match against the box.

2. A candle is lit with a match

air the candle’s wick

3. A haystack is struck by lightning

air the hay

4. A welding spark lands in a pile of cleaning rags

air the rags, cleaning chemicals on the rags

5. A car drives through long grass

air sparks from the car’s exhaust

6. Sun shines through a magnifying glass onto dry grass

Air heat from the sun focussed by the magnifying glass

7. A gas burning stove is turned on

Air a spark

Answers: 1. Fuel = wood, chemicals on the end of the match, 2. Heat = fire on the match, 3. Heat = the lighting, 4. Heat = the welding spark, 5. Fuel = the grass, 6. Fuel = the grass, 7. Fuel = gas

Bushfire causes mind map

As a class, brainstorm a list of possible bushfire causes. Consider working on a class mind map to visually outline information – the words ‘bushfire causes” will be placed in the centre, to which associated ideas, words and concepts are added. Some examples are given below:

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Bushfire Causes Arson

Farm Machinery

Assessing the evidence

Ask students to play the role of fire investigator for a made-up bushfire scenario by analysing the evidence given below:

Be a Fire Investigator:A bushfire has burned around 20 hectares of farmland in Victoria. Luckily CFA crews managed to put it out before any homes were damaged but it was a close call! Now it’s your job as a fire investigator to find out what caused the blaze. Look at each piece of evidence carefully and see if you can figure out where and how the fire started.

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Clue 1: WeatherYou visit the Bureau of Meteorology to find out what the weather was doing before and during the fire.

You find out that there were some storms and lightning the night before the fire.

The next day it was very hot and windy. The wind was blowing in a North-Westerly direction

Clue 2: Interview with Farmer JakeFarmer Jake lives to the north west of the fire zone.

Jake: “I remember seeing some people at the campground the night before the fire. They might have been cooking something on the fire”

Clue 3: Interview with Farmer JanFarmer Jan lives on the western side of the fire zone.

Jan: “The day before the fire I lent my welding equipment to my friend Farmer Dave down the road. He said he was going to fix the shed.”

Clue 4: Interview with Farmer PhilFarmer Phil lives on the north eastern side of the fire zone.

Dave: “I did borrow some welding gear from Jan. I was going to fix the shed but then I saw that it was a catastrophic fire day. You should never weld when it’s hot and windy!”

After examining the evidence carefully, what do you think the best explanation is for how the fire started? Give reasons for your answer. Share your ideas with the class and discuss how you used the evidence to reach a conclusion.

8 Related Research Links

ABC Emergency – Current ABC Emergency Coveragehttp://www.abc.net.au/news/emergency/

ABC Emergency – Get Ready & Survive: Plan for an Emergencyhttp://www.abc.net.au/news/emergency/plan-for-an-emergency/

Government of South Australia – Emergency plans and kitshttp://www.sa.gov.au/subject/Emergency,+safety+and+infrastructure/Emergency/Earthquakes/Before+an+earthquake/Emergency+plans+and+kits

CFS – Fun Stuffhttp://www.cfs.sa.gov.au/site/prepare_act_survive_2012/reference/fun_stuff.jsp

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Clue 5: Interview with Farmer DaveFarmer Dave lives at the South Eastern side of the fire zone.

Dave: “I remember hearing a really loud bang, like an explosion, in the middle of the night before the fire. It

Clue 6: Damaged tree:Inside the fire zone at the South Eastern end you find a tree that seems to have been split down the middle.

The trees to the North West are burnt but the ones in the forest to the South East aren’t.

Clue 6: Campfire remains:At the camping ground you find remains of a campfire.

The fire is in a patch of sand with no trees or grass nearby. The area around it doesn’t seem to be burnt.

CFA Kids and Schoolshttp://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/kids-schools/

Geoscience Australia – Bushfire Basicshttp://www.ga.gov.au/hazards/bushfire/bushfire-basics.html

Australian Attorney General’s Office – Emergency Management for Schoolshttp://www.em.gov.au/sites/schools/Getthefacts/Bushfires/Pages/default.aspx

ABC Splash – Climate and Bushfires in Australiahttp://splash.abc.net.au/media/-/m/30033/climate-and-bushfires-in-australia

Behind the News – Bushfire Planhttp://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s3880224.htm

Behind the News – Spring Fireshttp://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s3875965.htm

Behind the News – Bushfire Disasterhttp://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s2488554.htm

Behind the News – Disaster Responsehttp://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s1655134.htm

Behind the News – Forensic Sciencehttp://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s3576831.htm

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Activity

Banjo BirthdayKey LearningStudents will develop a deeper understanding of the life and work of Banjo Paterson.

The Australian CurriculumEnglish / Language / Language variation and change

Understand that the pronunciation, spelling and meanings of words have histories and change over time. (ACELA1500) Year 5

English / Literacy / Interacting with others

Participate in and contribute to discussions, clarifying and interrogating ideas, developing and supporting arguments, sharing and evaluating information, experiences and opinions(ACELY1709) Year 6

History / Historical Knowledge and Understanding / The Colonies

The role that a significant individual or group played in shaping a colony: for example, explorers, farmers, entrepreneurs, artists, writers, humanitarians, religious and political leaders, and Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples.  (ACHHK097) Year 5

Discussion Questions

1. What song is known as Australia’s “unofficial national anthem”?2. Where would you see Banjo Paterson’s face most often?3. What was Banjo Paterson’s real name?4. Where did his nickname come from?5. Name two jobs that Banjo Paterson had in his lifetime.6. What Banjo Paterson poem was made into a movie and a TV series?7. What inspired a lot of Banjo Paterson’s poetry?8. What famous person quoted Banjo Paterson when he visited Australia recently?9. In “Waltzing Matilda” who camps by the Coolibah tree?10. Why do you think Banjo Paterson’s poetry was so popular?

Activities

Banjo Paterson

Using the information from the BtN story and their own research, students will create a summary of Banjo Paterson’s life.

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Encourage students to present their research in an interesting way, for example using:

Prezi http://prezi.com/index/ Glogster http://www.glogster.com/ Bio Cube Creator http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/cube_creator/

The words of Waltzing Matilda

Students will investigate one of Banjo Paterson’s most well-known pieces of work Waltzing MatildaRead through or listen to Waltzing Matilda by Banjo Paterson.http://www.imagesaustralia.com/waltzingmatilda.htmhttp://www.nfsa.gov.au/collection/sound/sounds-australia/waltzing-matilda/

Swagman Billabong Billy

Waltzing Matilda Jumbuck

Squatter Thoroughbred Troopers

Coolabah tree Tucker-bag Shoved

Ask students to write what they think is the meaning of each word. Swap definitions with a partner and ask them to add to or change the definition. Check these against the dictionary definition or website.

Researching Waltzing Matilda

Working in pairs, students research and prepare a double-page spread as though for a history magazine aimed at the general public about the Banjo Paterson’s song Waltzing Matilda. Encourage students to come up with their own questions to research. Here are some to get them started:

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Research questions What was Banjo Paterson’s full name? When and where was he born? What was his cultural heritage? What jobs did he have? What are his most well-known works? What is an interesting fact about Banjo

Paterson?

Should Waltzing Matilda be Australia’s national anthem?

Waltzing Matilda has been referred to as Australia’s unofficial national anthem. Students will develop an argument for or against the song replacing Advance Australia Fair as Australia’s national anthem. Encourage students to share their persuasive texts with the class.

Further Investigation

Create a portrait of Banjo Paterson or an artwork that shows a scene from Waltzing Matilda. Encourage students to explore and experiment with different techniques and media to produce their artwork. These could include painting, drawing, photography, collage or mixed media.

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Tips for persuasive text writing Who is your audience? For

example are you directing your argument at kids, teachers or politicians?

Provide facts and evidence to support your argument.

Be creative with your word choice to enhance your argument. Convey emotion using thinking and feeling words.

Write in the present tense Check your spelling and

punctuation.

Research questions What story does the song tell? How did Banjo Paterson come to write the lyrics of the song? Who wrote the music? What events were happening in Australia around the time Waltzing

Matilda was written? What do you think Waltzing Matilda tells us about Australia? Do you think

it’s accurate? Explain your answer. What role did bush poets like Banjo Paterson play in helping to shape a

colony?

Structure of a persuasive textIntroduction What is the point you are trying to argue? Construct an

introductory paragraph which states the issue or topic. Introduce the arguments that will be developed in the

body of the text.

Body Construct arguments that support your point of view. Each paragraph starts with a topic sentence which

introduces each point. The rest of the paragraph gives more reasons. Arguments can be ordered from strongest to weakest.

Conclusion Restate your position on the argument Construct a concluding paragraph that provides a

summary of your arguments and a call to action.

Use the read, write, think persuasion map to plan your exposition text.

8 Related Research Links

Australian Dictionary of Biography –Banjo Patersonhttp://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/paterson-andrew-barton-banjo-7972

National Film and Sound Archives – Waltzing Matilda recordingshttp://www.nfsa.gov.au/collection/sound/sounds-australia/waltzing-matilda/

Australian Geographic – Banjo Patersonhttp://www.australiangeographic.com.au/blogs/on-this-day/2012/02/on-this-day-in-history-banjo-paterson-was-born/

ABC Splash - The story behind Waltzing Matildahttp://splash.abc.net.au/media/-/m/104760/the-story-of-waltzing-matilda-and-winton

Civics and Citizenship - Andrew Barton (Banjo) Patersonhttp://www.civicsandcitizenship.edu.au/cce/paterson,34824.htmlNational Film and Sound Archive – Biography Banjo Patersonhttp://www.nfsa.gov.au/site_media/uploads/file/2011/01/17/biograph_patterson.pdf

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BtN: Episode 3 Transcript 18/2/14

On this week's Behind the News

A big crime goes down in the classroom would it be wrong to cash in?

We celebrate the 150th birthday of an Aussie icon.

And meet the kids spinning their way towards the Winter Olympics.

Hey I'm Nathan and this is BtN. We'll have those stories and more coming up but first let's get the news just in. Here's Emma.

The Wire

There's been a bit of trouble at the Manus Island detention centre. Immigration Minister Scott Morrison says 35 asylum seekers escaped last night but they were quickly caught. A refugee action group says the asylum seekers got upset after they were told there wasn't much chance of them being resettled in another country

***Corporal Cameron Baird has been awarded Australia's 100th Victoria Cross which is our top military honour. The corporal died in Afghanistan in June last year after a battle in which he acted courageously. The Corporal was awarded the cross posthumously which means he received it after he died. His family will hold onto the award.

***

And finally, one brave kid from Brisbane's about to depart on a big adventure! Coen has Cystic Fibrosis. It's a disorder that affects the lungs and it got so bad that Coen needed a new set!

COEN: It took me 18 months to get a transplant and i was on my deathbed by the end of that.

But now that he's got his replacements, he's feeling better than ever.

COEN: 100 percent better, I've never felt like this in my wildest dreams.

Now he wants to tell everyone how important being an organ donor is, so he's going to jet ski 2000ks along the Murray River to raise awareness!

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COEN: It's really important, only two percent of people who die can actually be organ donors, so more people on the list means creates more hope for people like me.

Bushfire InvestigationReporter: James Bartold

INTRO: As you just heard there, bushfires have caused a lot of damage in Victoria. Now they're finally looking to be under control, the next task is to find out how they started. But how can they work that out after everything's been burnt? We sent James out with a fire detective for the day to find out.

JAMES BARTOLD, REPORTER: I'm on a hunt for clues. I've got my trusty magnifying glass and my eyes peeled. I'm looking for anything to help me figure out the mystery cause of a 'bushfire'. Ok, well I don't really have any idea how you look for bushfire clues, so let's go meet someone who does.

REPORTER: Hi, I'm James.

PHIL: How are you James? Phil.

REPORTER: Phil, so you're the man in the know when it comes to investigating bushfires?

PHIL: Yes, I'm a qualified bushfire investigator.

REPORTER: Brilliant! Do you think you could show me how it's done?

PHIL: Sure, I can show you some of the moves.

Phil's job is to figure out how bushfires start. Even though my magnifying glass isn't needed, it's still a bit like detective work. And I'm his trusty sidekick.

REPORTER: Alright Phil, so what's this here?

PHIL: That's a piece of grass, James.

REPORTER: So it's not a clue?

PHIL: It's not a clue.

REPORTER: Alright, we'll keep looking.

Phil tells me the first step is to find where the fire started. And if you look hard enough, there are clues hidden after a fire.

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PHIL: OK James, this is a good little indicator here. We can tell that the fire has actually travelled up this way, because it's burnt this side of the log, but this side of the logs unburnt.

PHIL: You can see that the fires actually come through here, and its frozen the leaves in a particular direction, so we can see that the fires actually travelled up and through, so the leaf freeze will point towards the area of origin.

JAMES: So should we follow that direction then?

PHIL: I think we should.

A bit like a real detective, Phil's got a whole bunch of nifty tools to help him. These special markers map out where the fire went. Pink for the front of the fire, blue for the back, yellow for the sides, and white for evidence.

His real pride and joy, though, is this thing called a range finder, which measures distances and the angle of the ground.

PHIL: It helps me document what's been happening with the fire at the time.

REPORTER: It's amazing, it’s pretty flash, isn't it?

Once we've worked out where the fire started, then we can figure out step 2: How it started. All kinds of things can start fires; machinery, power lines, the weather, and sometimes even people lighting them. Phil has to work through all the possible options, and pick which ones he thinks are most likely.

PHIL: Through the process of elimination we'd figure out what was in the area, rarely do we get it wrong,

REPORTER: Has there ever been a silly one someone's told you that something had happened and it was a little bit different to that?"

PHIL: Absolutely. People think they're going to get in trouble, people will tell different stories to get you off the track, and just using the physical evidence we can get to the truth.

That's why fire investigators are so important. Once the cause of a fire is known, changes can be made to try to stop it happening again. For example, after the Black Saturday bushfires, investigators found one of the worst fires was started by an electrical fault. So the Victorian government put heaps of cash in to start fixing their system!

Back at our bushfire site, Phil's got a fair idea that our fire was started by lightning.

PHIL: Because of the remoteness, and access issues here lightning is looking pretty good.

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But he'll need to take some snaps of the area, pack up all his evidence and take it back to the lab to make sure once and for all. In the meantime, I'm going to keep my eyes peeled for any more clues. After all, I've learnt there's a lot more to bushfire investigating than meets the eye!

Quiz 1Presenter: Thanks Sherlock.

Let's stick with bushfires for our first quiz of the day

The question is:

What happens to the speed of a bushfire when it travels uphill?

Does it

Speed up?

Slow down?

or not change?

Answer:

It speeds up.

In fact, a fire will move about 4 times faster burning up an average hill.

Crime CashReporter: Matthew Holbrook

INTRO: Okay, if you do something wrong do you think it's fair to be rewarded for it? That's the debate going round this week after an Aussie woman named Schapelle Corby was released from a prison in Bali after doing nine years for drug smuggling. Rumour is she's been offered millions to tell her story. But as Matt found out there's an Australian law designed to stop that happening.

TEACHER: You're in serious trouble, mister. You've cheated. I'm going to have to fail you. What have you got to say for yourself?

NICK: Well...

TEACHER: Your test begins now.

NICK: Finished!

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TEACHER: Your answers are all correct! But wait up, what's this?

MATTHEW HOLBROOK, REPORTER: When you do something you know is wrong, you've got to be prepared to face the music.

TEACHER: You could be expelled for this. You're ruining our testing system and setting a bad example for the younger children! Off to the Principal, Nick. Outside!

But what if, aside from the whole punishment thing, doing something wrong actually worked in your favour?

GROUP OF STUDENTS: Nick, Nick, Come on, tell us what happened! Tell us everything!

NICK: Okay, okay, I'll tell you for a price!

Here in Australia, there are laws designed to stop people making money from situations like this (although you have to do something worse than cheating on a test).

It's called the Proceeds of Crime Act. Basically, if someone commits a serious crime, they're not allowed to earn money from it in any way...at all...ever. They can't be paid for interviews or for writing books about their experiences or cash in on the fame breaking the law has given them.

That's why everyone's talking about this woman, Schapelle Corby. She spent nine years in an Indonesian jail after trying to smuggle drugs into the country. And now she's out, it's rumoured she's getting the big bucks for an exclusive interview. Somewhere in the order of two million dollars!

That's a fair chunk of change and a lot of people don't want her to have it. They say it's against Australian law because it would mean she's profiting from her crime. So any money she makes should be taken away.

That might be a bit tough, because she's in Indonesia. Still, critics say everything that can be done should be to stop her cashing in.

But there are people in her corner. They argue that everyone has the right to tell their story and to earn money from it. After all, she's done her time, why should she still be punished?

It's not the first time Schapelle's had to deal with this issue either. When she wrote a book about her life a few years ago she had to hand over her share of the money.

That's what Aussie authorities want to happen again. And they're sure to fight hard to stop her from getting her hands on the cash. In the classroom it's a bit easier.

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PRINCIPAL: NICK! Come with me

The old saying still seems to be true: crime doesn't pay.

Online PollLet's go to a poll on that one.

The question is:

Should Schapelle Corby be allowed to sell her story?

To vote just head to our website.

Last week we asked if you feel confident riding your bike on the road and it looks like most of you do.

65% said you're all good pedalling on the street.

Banjo BirthdayReporter: Matthew Holbrook

INTRO: This week marks 150 years since the birth of one of Australia's most famous writers. There's no doubt you've heard of the stuff he wrote even though it was done so long ago. Matt reveals who we're talking about and why he's such a big deal.

KIDS: Once a jolly swagman camped by a billabong,

Under the shade of a Coolabah tree,

And he sang as he watched and waited till his billy boiled,

You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me.

MATTHEW HOLBROOK, REPORTER: You could call it our unofficial national anthem. And, in fact, there are more recordings of it, than any other Australian song. But do you know who it was written by? The answer is Banjo Patterson.

MATT: That's this guy on our ten dollar note. You've got to be pretty important to get yourself on one of these. So what's so special about him?

Well, to begin with, Banjo isn't really his name. It's Andrew Barton Paterson. He called himself Banjo because it was the name of his favourite horse. He was born back in 1864 near Orange in New South Wales. He grew up on a

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farm and rode a pony to the nearby town of Binalong for school. After finishing school, he did a lot of things. He became a lawyer and a journalist, even a war correspondent! He was an ambulance driver in the First World War and, most famously, he was a bush poet!

Banjo wrote about the bush and Aussie life as he saw it - and a lot of it! He was inspired by his experiences growing up. He wrote throughout his life even when he was busy with other jobs. By 1895 he had a whole book's worth of poetry. It featured one of his most famous poems – The Man from Snowy River.

TIM ELIOT READING OF MAN FROM SNOWY RIVER: But the man from Snowy River let the pony have his head, and he swung his stockwhip round and gave a cheer, and he raced him down the mountain like a torrent down its bed.

Over the years, it's been made into a movie and a TV series. But Banjo didn't just write poetry, he also wrote short stories and novels. Banjo Patterson died in 1941 at the age of 76. Now, one hundred and fifty years on from his birth, his legacy as a poet and author is still strong even outside of Australia! When US President Barack Obama visited a couple of years ago, he quoted something Banjo had written.

BARACK OBAMA: Of Australia he wrote: "Hath she the strength for the burden laid on her, has she the power to protect and guard her own."

Today, people recite his poems, remember his stories, and sing his songs - helping to celebrate an important part of Australia's history.

KIDS: And his ghost may be heard as you pass by that billabong, who'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me.

Quiz 2Happy birthday Banjo!

Let's do a quiz.

The question is:

What does ‘Waltzing Matilda’ actually mean?

To dance with a girl?

To jump into a waterhole?

To travel with a swag?

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ANSWER: To travel with a swag.

Back in the day 'Waltzing' was slang for going for a walk and it's thought 'Matilda' was one of the names given to a travellers' swag, or sleeping bag.

Uni CampReporter: Peter Ah Sam

INTRO: Right, as you'd know University is a goal for many kids after high school. But one group is there in fewer numbers than they should be. Indigenous kids only make up one percent of enrolments. Peter took a look at one program trying to fix that.

K'TAHNI: Hey, my name is K'tahni and I am from Darwin.

BRADLEY: Hey my name is Bradley and I am from Halls Creek.

KALEISHIA: Hey my name is Kaleishia and I am from Katherine.

PETER AH SAM, REPORTER: These guys might be from small towns but they have big dreams.

All three are on an Indigenous scholarship, called Yalari, which offers free private schooling to Indigenous students from rural and remote communities.

I thought I'd break them out of class to ask them about their next big step.

REPORTER: Hey Bradley, Kaleishia and K'tahni do you want to come out and have a chat?

REPORTER: So what are your plans for next year?

K'TAHNI: I'm hoping to maybe get into a uni course next year and hopefully be able to pursue filming, film making.

KALEISHIA: Well, I want to be a sport psychologist but I don’t know yet something to do with sport really.

Bradley: I think I'll come back and do psychologist or something like that cause yeah it's real good.

All three are keen to go to university, which puts them in a pretty small minority.

You see, only one percent of uni enrolments in Australia are Indigenous kids, despite the fact that they make up 3 percent of Australia's population.

REPORTER: Why do you think that is?

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Bradley: I think that cause like I know people back at home that have finished school and didn't want to go because they'll be homesick you know. They don't want to miss out on like spending time with their all their people.

KALEISHIA: I think some think it's going to be too hard for them to cope.

It's a problem heaps of people want to fix.

But how?

Well, up in Darwin, Brittney is taking part in one program that's aiming to help.

BRITTNEY: I'm nervous about meeting new people and going away without somebody I know, but I am looking forward to making new friends and getting a better experience on everything.

Brittney is part of a group of 250 Indigenous students who were invited to check out the University of Sydney over their summer holidays.

BRITTNEY: It kind of reminded me of the Harry Potter buildings and everyone else keeps saying that, but it's really big and old, but it's beautiful.

She loved getting the chance to experiment with her future career.

BRITTNEY: I want to be a forensic scientist or maybe a midwife, but definitely a forensic scientist.

And she says this program has certainly encouraged her to aim for uni entrance.

BRITTNEY: I've always wanted to come to university, but now I, like, really, really want to come and it doesn't look that hard to do.

Back with me at high school, these guys say there are some other simple ways more Indigenous kids could be encouraged to give uni a shot.

KALEISHIA: Advertisement of more Indigenous students, like, succeeding in the areas; promoting more indigenous students graduating and going to uni and graduating from uni.

K'TAHNI: Inspiration is probably the biggest thing because it hits home for them and then they'll probably be inspired to achieve for themselves and for other people.

Inspiration for more Indigenous kids to turn their big dreams into a reality.

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The ScorePresenter: I think it's sport time now.

Here Emma with the score.

It's been a great week for the Aussie cricket team in South Africa! They were up against the best test team in the world and not a lot of people thought they'd win. But thanks to some dynamite bowling from Mitchell Johnson and some big centuries from Warner, Marsh and Smith, the Aussies smashed South Africa by 281 runs!

***

In W league soccer Melbourne Victory have pulled off a big upset, knocking out Sydney FC in a blockbuster semi final! Melbourne started with an early lead but Sydney clawed their way back into the game. It wasn't enough though - a late penalty gave Melbourne the win. The Victory will now take on Brisbane in the grand final this Sunday.

***

To Sochi, and the Aussies have picked up a couple of medals! Snowboarder Torah Bright won Australia's first, grabbing Silver in the Women's Halfpipe.

Lydia Lassila chipped in with a Bronze for aerial skiing. She tried pulling off a super tricky quadruple twist but slipped at the end and just missed out on the gold.

***And finally, Australia's largest Indigenous cricket carnival's just wrapped up. It's been running for 21 years in Alice Springs and grown from two teams to forty! But one of the biggest changes this year is the focus on kids. The aim is to find Australia's next Indigenous cricketer.

YOUNG CRICKETER: I've just dreamt of it all my life, just playing cricket, I've always wanted to play for Australia.

It looks like they've got plenty of options!

Figure SkatingReporter: Emma Davis

INTRO: Now as you saw there the Winter Olympics are well underway. And one of the events that always draws some attention is figure skating. Emma went to meet some champion junior figure skaters to find out how the sport works and why they love it.

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EMMA DAVIS, REPORTER: This is what figure skating is supposed to look like. This is what figure skating isn't supposed to look like. I tried backwards skating, some turns, even a tiny jump! But mostly I just ended up landing on the ice. So if anyone needs some help from two young experts, it's me.

James and Giuseppe are 13 years old and as you can probably tell, they're a lot better on the ice than I am!

REPORTER: "You guys look awesome and I look ridiculous, How did you get into ice skating?"

JAMES MIN: "I was really interested in the sport and one day my Auntie offered to take me to the ice rink just for a public session and I just fell in love with the sport and I love the speed and the feel of the ice."

GIUSEPPE TRIULCIO: "My sister skated before me and then one day my mum brang me in and I was watching and I liked what I saw."

REPORTER: "OK so what made you keep going? You did classes but why did you like it so much?"

GIUSEPPE: "Just the jumps and spins and stuff."

It's just as well they kept with it, because they're achieving awesome things. This is James and Giuseppe competing at the state championships. Soon after, both went to the nationals, where James took home gold and a spot on the international team.

JAMES: "At the end of the day, like once you reach the high levels it’s not more like a physical competition anymore it's more like a mental so if you can handle the nerves you'll do it on the day."

So what do you need to be a star on the ice? Well figure skating needs a combination of both grace and strength. You also need some wicked moves.

Once you've got that, you need to work out which discipline you want to compete in.

There's men's and ladies singles; ice dancing, where the couple can't ever be more than 2m apart; and pair skating, where the couple can dance where ever they want.

James and Giuseppe both compete in the men's singles and they're already mastering some pretty wicked tricks. It's amazing they don't get dizzy!

REPORTER: "I'm terrified of falling over on the ice, aren't you guys scared?"

JAMES: "Well we fall over but we keep trying and trying until we master it. It's all about having the confidence inside of you."

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REPORTER: "Now your costume is super sparkly, do you have to wear a fancy costume?"

JAMES: You don't have to but it's better because your program has to tell a story and your costume helps with that."

EMMA: "The winter Olympics are on right now so the next ones are 20-18? Are you going to go?

GIUSEPPE: "Hopefully, yes, that's the goal."

JAMES: "It's my goal but we'll see how I go, we'll just take every step as it comes. Maybe even 20-22 is more likely."

But in the meantime these two guys will be sitting down in front of the TV like the rest of us, watching their heroes compete in Sochi.

REPORTER: "And during these Winter Olympics will you be watching it on tv?"

JAME: "Yes, Japanese and Australia."

EMMA: "You have to go for Australia!"

JAMES: "Yeah, Australia definitely, but Japanese."

CloserPRESENTER: That's us done for today but there's plenty to keep you busy until next week. Just go to our website, where you can vote in our poll, do some quizzes and tell us what you thought about today's stories. You can also tweet about today's ep anytime using #BehindtheNews.

See you next week.

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