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Lesson ideas

Growing in Harmony

Students explore and respond to poetry which reflects upon our cultural diversity.

Harmony Day each year occurs on 21 March and coincides with the United Nations' International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. It builds on Australia's successful record of community harmony and emphasises our traditional values of justice, equality, fairness and friendship.
These activities are based on poetry from a collection, Hey, I've got a Racist Flu! -a faint voice from Vietnamese school children by Xuan Duong, a Vietnamese Australian. The inspiration for his collection came mostly from students who have been discriminated against but also from experiences which celebrate our community harmony.

Growing in Harmony

Refer to Teacher's notes on Responses
Download and distribute copies of X. Duong's poem Growing in Harmony
Discuss the title. What might it mean?
What does community harmony mean to you?
Read the poem together.

• Prepare individual or group verbal responses to the poem.
  Encourage students to discuss striking and unusual features in X. Duong's use of language and imagery.
• Students create their own poetry, prose or artwork on the theme of 'Living in Harmony' which represents what it means to them.

My Grandma and your Grandma
They all call Australia home
We are all Australian
The fortunate Land

Refer to Teacher's notes on Readers Theatre and Choral Dramatisation.
Download copies of the poems for group Readers Theatre or Choral Dramatisation presentation.
Explain activity. Encourage students to use appropriate pitch, pace, pause and emphasis when presenting their poems.
Divide class into groups and distribute copies of poems.
Groups prepare their poem for presentation to class.
Students may respond verbally or visually to each poem.

DIMIA Harmony Day
Lesson ideas
Icons
Aussie Legends
Factsheets
Harmony Day 2001- Join the Celebrations
Austraia's Cultural Diversity