©ABC 2013

Questions for discussion

Spring Fires

1. What is unusual about the timing of the recent NSW bushfires?

2. What month did the fires in NSW start?

3. What other Australian states have had devastating bushfires in the past? Locate using Google Maps.

4. What are the peak months for bushfire danger in Australia?

5. Why do big bushfires usually occur later in summer? Give some reasons.

6. List the three factors that contribute to early bushfires.

7. Bushfire risk decreases when one of these factors is removed. True or false?

8. Describe how dry winters and early summers affect bushfires.

9. Think of three adjectives to describe the bushfires in NSW.

10. What do you understand more clearly since watching the BtN story about bushfires?

Check out BtN’s Spring Fires teacher resource. Students will investigate the science of bushfires and the impact of bushfires on environments and communities. http://www.abc.net.au/btn/resources/teacher/episode/20131029-springfires.pdf

State Laws

1. What law was recently passed by the State Government in the Australian Capital Territory?

2. Why might this law not be accepted by the Federal Government?

3. List Australia’s states and territories.

4. Each of the states have their own parliaments, their own leaders and their own laws. True or false?

5. List some areas that the State Government gets to look after.

6. List some areas that the Federal Government gets to look after.

7. Give an example from the 80s when the federal government overturned a state government decision.

8. Where are legal fights between the levels of government settled?

a. Supreme Court

b. State Court

c. High Court

9. Do you think the federal government should be allowed to overturn state government decisions?

10. What was surprising about this story?

Find out more about the three levels of law-making. Visit the Parliamentary Education Office for more information http://www.peo.gov.au/students/cl/CloserLook_Three_Levels.pdf

Safe Crossings

1. Complete this sentence. Pedestrians are people who.......

2. Do you know any road safety rules for pedestrians? Make a list before watching the Safe Crossings

story.

3. What is an Audio Tactile Pedestrian Detector?

4. What is special about the Audio Tactile Pedestrian Detector?

5. Police can fine pedestrians if they cross the road in the wrong way. True or false?

6. Why is it important to stop, look, listen and think when you are crossing the road?

7. The road rules say you must use a pedestrian crossing if you...

a. are 10 metres from the crossing

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©ABC 2013

b. are 20 metres from the crossing

c. can see a crossing in the distance from where you are standing

8. What does the Greens politician in the story think about the current road safety laws for pedestrians?

9. Think of ways that the government could raise awareness about road safety laws for pedestrians.

10. Complete this sentence. Pedestrian crossings should be used because....

Should pedestrians be fined for crossing the road incorrectly? Have your say in the BtN online poll. To vote head to the BtN website http://abc.net.au/btn/polls.htm

Check out BtN’s Safe Crossings teacher resource. Students will investigate road safety rules and create an awareness raising campaign. http://www.abc.net.au/btn/resources/teacher/episode/20131029-safecrossings.pdf

Take 3

1. How many pieces of new plastic enter the world’s oceans each day?

2. What does bio-degradable mean?

3. What is it that pushes plastic towards giant rubbish patches in the ocean?

a. Whales

b. Ocean currents

c. ships

4. How many giant rubbish patches are there in our oceans? Locate using Google Maps.

5. Turtles can mistake plastic bags for what sea creature?

6. What happens to marine life that eats plastic found in the ocean?

7. Describe the Take 3 program.

8. Make a list of everyday plastic objects that might find their way into the ocean.

9. Count how many pieces of plastic your throw out each day. Keep a journal to reflect on your findings.

10. How can you help reduce the amount of plastic that ends up in our oceans?

Test your knowledge in the Take 3 quiz. Go to the BtN website and follow the links.

If your school's going to take part in Take 3... then why not share some of your photos. Just make sure you use the hashtag... #Take3ForTheSea

German Dancers

1. Where is Munich? Locate using Google Maps.

2. What is the world’s largest fair called?

3. What does Schuhplattler mean?

a. Shoe slapping

b. Shoe throwing

c. Plate throwing

4. Describe what the dance routines involve.

5. What is the name of the costume worn during this traditional dance?

6. What skills do you need to be a good Schuhplattler dancer?

7. What instrument is used in this traditional dance?

8. What animal originally wore these instruments?

9. What is the group of Schuhplattler dancers currently saving up for?

10. Illustrate an aspect of this story.

Write a message about the story and post it in the comments section on the BtN German Dancers story page. http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s3875976.htm

©ABC 2013

Activity

Spring Fires

Key Learning Students will investigate the science of bushfires and the impact of bushfires on environments and communities.

The Australian Curriculum Geography / Geographical Knowledge and Understanding

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

Geography / Geographical Inquiry and Skills / Collecting, recoding, evaluating and representing

Evaluate sources for their usefulness and represent data in different forms, for example, maps, plans, graphs, tables, sketches and diagrams. Year 5. (ACHGS035)

Geography / Geographical Inquiry and Skills / Interpreting, analysing and concluding

Interpret geographical data and other information, using digital and spatial technologies as appropriate, and identify spatial distributions, patterns and trends, and infer relationships to draw conclusions. Year 5. (ACHGS037)

Science / Science Understanding / Earth and space sciences

Sudden geological changes or extreme weather conditions can

affect Earth’s surface. Year 6. (ACSSU096)

Science / Science as a Human Endeavour / Nature and development of science

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

Science / Science Understanding / Biological sciences

The growth and survival of living things are affected by the physical conditions of their environment. Year 6. (ACSSU094)

Discussion Questions

1. What is unusual about the timing of the recent NSW bushfires?

2. What month did the fires in NSW start?

3. What other Australian states have had devastating bushfires in the past? Locate using Google Maps.

4. What are the peak months for bushfire danger in Australia?

5. Why do big bushfires usually occur later in summer? Give some reasons.

6. List the three factors that contribute to early bushfires.

7. Bushfire risk decreases when one of these factors is removed. True or false?

8. Describe how dry winters and early summers affect bushfires.

9. Think of three adjectives to describe the bushfires in NSW.

10. What do you understand more clearly since watching the BtN story about bushfires?

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Activities

Engage

After watching the BtN Spring Fires story, facilitate a questions and answers discussion to encourage

students to engage with the topic and learn more about the science of bushfires and their impact on

communities, individuals and the environment.

Throughout this activity students will keep a journal entering what they know, what they have learnt and what

they would like to learn. Students may want to organise their diary in the form of a KWLH chart (What do I

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

Ask students what they already know about bushfires and how they might start. Students will name

three things they know off the top of their heads. Record student’s responses on the whiteboard.

What causes bushfires? What are the risk factors? Think about fuel, weather and geographical

features.

Discuss how the different seasons might impact on bushfires.

What Australian bushfire disasters do you know about?

What is a ‘megafire’?

Explore

Students will explore the different fire seasons across

Australia.

What parts of Australia are more prone to

bushfires?

At what time of year do the different Australian

states experience their worst fires?

Where do some of the largest fires occur?

What types of areas generally have the largest loss

of life and economic damage after a bushfire?

Refer to GeoScience Australia and the Bureau of Meteorology for more information

http://www.ga.gov.au/hazards/bushfire/bushfire-basics/where.html

http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/environ/fires.shtml

Fire seasons across Australia: Bureau of Meteorology

What do I want to know?

What have I learnt?

What do I know?

How will I find out?

©ABC 2013

As a class look at some of the biggest bushfire disasters in Australia’s history. Students will collect evidence

(primary and secondary sources) to support their research.

Do you remember the following fires?

Tasmanian Bushfires – November 2012 – January 2013 across Tasmania

Black Saturday Bushfires – February 2009 across Victoria

Ash Wednesday Bushfires – February 1983 across South Australia & Victoria

Compare and contrast the above bushfire disasters.

Locate these areas using Google Maps

What caused these fires?

Why did they become so large?

Why were they were so devastating?

Which of these bushfires was most severe? Consider the short-term and long-term effects.

Describe the impact of these fires on Australian vegetation and the significance of fire damage on

communities.

Explain

There are three basic components that a fire needs to start and

continue burning: fuel, oxygen and heat.

Ask students to predict what these three elements might be?

Students will draw and label the fire triangle and then explain

how fuel, oxygen and heat might affect a fire.

Explain to students that a fire will not burn if one of these

components is removed. Ask students what might happen if

one of these components was removed?

As a class brainstorm ways that types of preparation is

needed to reduce risk during a bushfire period.

Refer to the following websites for more information.

CSIRO: The Fire triangle

http://www.csiro.au/Outcomes/Safeguarding-Australia/FireTriangle.aspx

Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority: Fire triangle

http://www.bushfireeducation.vic.edu.au/for-educators/learning-about-bushfires/ump-learn-act1.html

Make a list of bushfire vocabulary, starting with the following words:

Flammable, fuel, heat, oxygen. prepare, risk, danger

©ABC 2013

Order the following fire danger ratings from highest to lowest

Explain the difference between the following fire danger ratings?

Elaborate

Explain to students that they will be newspaper or online journalists investigating

how bushfires affect individuals, communities and the environment. Students will

report on the 2013 bushfires in New South Wales.

Students write a feature article for a newspaper or produce their own news report.

BtN would love to hear from you, just visit the Rookie Reporters page on the

Behind the News website for training, media assets, expert advice and then

submit your report.

Behind the News – Rookie Reporter training

http://www.abc.net.au/btn/rookietraining.htm

Evaluate

Students will reflect on their learning.

I learned that...

I enjoyed/did not enjoy...

I want to know more about...

I was surprised to discover that...

Further activity

Bushfire interactive. Help the characters within this comic book escape a bushfire.

http://streaming.lawley.wa.edu.au/students/TLF/DVD/los/L1275/index.html

How does a fire extinguisher work? Try this CSIRO Science by Email experiment.

http://www.csiro.au/helix/sciencemail/activities/FireExtinguisher.html

©ABC 2013

Related Research Links

CBBC Newsround – Australia bushfires: fire fighters merge the fires

http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/24600319

Geoscience Australia – Bushfire basics

http://www.ga.gov.au/hazards/bushfire/bushfire-basics.html

ACT Emergency Services Agency – What is a bushfire?

http://esa.act.gov.au/community-information/bushfires/what-is-a-bushfire/

ACT Emergency Services Agency – Bush Fire Survival Plan

http://esa.act.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/ACT-Bush-Fire-Survival-Plan-2013.pdf

CSIRO – Bushfires

http://www.csiro.au/Outcomes/Environment/Bushfires.aspx

Fire Danger Rating

http://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/file_system/attachments/Attachment_FireDangerRating.pdf

Department of Fire and Emergency Services – Bushfire Action Week 19-26 October 2013

https://extranet.dfes.wa.gov.au/bushfireactionweek/default.htm

ABC Black Saturday – See and hear all the stories

http://www.abc.net.au/innovation/blacksaturday/#/stories/mosaic

Behind the News – Upsetting News

http://www.abc.net.au/btn/resources/story/UpsettingNews.pdf

ABC Splash – Ecological effects of bushfires

http://splash.abc.net.au/media/-/m/31023/ecological-effects-of-bushfires

ABC Splash – Managing Bushfires

http://splash.abc.net.au/media/-/m/29907/managing-bushfires

Behind the News – Bushfire Season

http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s2430026.htm

Behind the News – Bushfire Disaster

http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s2488554.htm

©ABC 2013

Activity

Safe Crossings

Key Learning Students will investigate road safety rules and create an awareness raising campaign.

The Australian Curriculum

English / Literacy / Creating texts

Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive print and multimodal texts, choosing text structures, language features, images and sound appropriate to purpose and audience. Year 5. (ACELY1704)

Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive texts, choosing and experimenting with text structures, language features, images and digital resources appropriate to purpose and audience. Year 6. (ACELY1714)

English / literacy / Creating texts

Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive texts, selecting aspects of subject matter and particular language, visual, and audio features to convey information and ideas. Year 7. (ACELY1725)

Discussion Questions

1. Complete this sentence. Pedestrians are people who.......

2. Do you know any road safety rules for pedestrians? Make a list before watching the Safe Crossings

story.

3. What is an Audio Tactile Pedestrian Detector?

4. What is special about the Audio Tactile Pedestrian Detector?

5. Police can fine pedestrians if they cross the road in the wrong way. True or false?

6. Why is it important to stop, look, listen and think when you are crossing the road?

7. The road rules say you must use a pedestrian crossing if you...

a. are 10 metres from the crossing

b. are 20 metres from the crossing

c. can see a crossing in the distance from where you are standing

8. What does the Greens politician in the story think about the current road safety laws for pedestrians?

9. Think of ways that the government could raise awareness about road safety laws for pedestrians.

10. Complete this sentence. Pedestrian crossings should be used because....

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Activities

Engage

How well do you know your pedestrian crossing rules? As a class or individually ask students to complete

the following sentences.

Pedestrians are people who

Zebra crossings assist people to

Pedestrian crossings should be used because

How do you get to school?

Ask students how they get to school, what road rules are associated with the mode of transport they use and

the risks involved.

Drive – who drives you?

Walk – how many main roads do you cross? Are the streets busy or quiet? What are the benefits of

walking?

Ride – how long does it take to ride to school?

Public transport – do you catch a bus, tram or train?

Do you know any road safety rules or guidelines associated with these modes of transport? Complete the

following sentences...

I am being a safe car passenger when I...

When I walk to school I stay safe by...

When I ride to school I stay safe by...

I am being a safe bus passenger when I...

What are some of the risks when travelling on the road? What can you do to increase your safety either in

the car, walking on the road or in a bus?

©ABC 2013

When travelling on the road have you ever found yourself in situations where you feel unsafe? Discuss with

another student. Come up with some guidelines that will help you to keep safe when travelling.

Reading the road environment

Brainstorm the features of a road environment and list student’s ideas on the interactive whiteboard.

Consider the following features: footpath, driveway, laneway, fence, road, road sign, road marking, nature-

strip, kerb, verge, pedestrian crossing, children’s crossing, traffic lights, railway crossing, median strip,

roundabout.

As a class list as many types of road signs as possible.

What do they mean?

What would happen if we didn’t have these signs?

Here are some examples of road signs that students may see on a daily basis:

Ask students to document some of signs they come across on their way to school. What do they mean?

Students will plot their route from home to school using Google Maps. Students will then indicate the road

safety signs and traffic lights that are found along the route.

Campaign

‘Stop, look, listen and think’ is a slogan used in a road safety

campaign.

Stop, look, listen and think should be used when...?

Why is it important to stop, look, listen and think when in

traffic? Think of reasons for each of these steps.

Who is this campaign aimed at?

Department of Education and Early Childhood Development

http://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/teachers/health/Pages/trafficbussafe.aspx

Students will choose an area of concern to focus their road safety message on, conduct detailed research

and then design a campaign to help raise awareness in their community.

©ABC 2013

Some questions for students to consider when designing their campaign:

What is the campaign’s main aim?

Do you have a slogan or message? For example ‘Stop. Look. Listen. Think’

What is the value of raising awareness?

Who is your target audience?

How will I conduct my research? Consider interviewing an expert.

What is the best way to communicate the message to enhance audience engagement and

understanding? For example, will you use outdoor promotion, a short film, web page, community

service announcement, a press release or a combination!

What strategies will your campaign use?

How will you know how effective it’s been?

Discuss with students how their research findings can be presented to help raise public awareness. Students

may want to use one or more of the following applications:

Outdoor promotion (billboard, bus stop, on the side of a bus or tram)

Short film or animation (using iMovie).

Web page (consider publishing it on the school’s website).

Community service announcement (for television or radio).

Press release (create posters to be put up around the school or pamphlets to give to all students).

Reflection

What did you learn?

What did you find surprising?

How has this investigation changed your thinking about road safety?

Further activity

Do you know how to cross a road safely? Play this game to find out

http://think.direct.gov.uk/education/early-years-and-primary/media/stop-look-listen/

Related Research Links

NSW Department of Education and Communities – Road Safety Education resources

http://www.curriculumsupport.education.nsw.gov.au/policies/road/teach/rse_primary_schools.htm

Department of Education and Early Childhood Development – Bus Safety

http://www.education.vic.gov.au/about/programs/health/Pages/staybussafe.aspx

Department of Education and Early Childhood Development – Traffic Safety Essentials

http://www.education.vic.gov.au/Documents/school/teachers/health/trafficsafety.pdf

Department of Education and Early Childhood Development – Traffic Safety Education resources

http://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/teachers/health/Pages/trafficres.aspx

Department of Education and Early Childhood Development – Bus Crossword

http://www.education.vic.gov.au/Documents/school/teachers/health/busscrossw.pdf

©ABC 2013

BtN: Episode 30 Transcript 29/10/13 On this week's Behind the News:

Thousands have been fined by police for crossing the road incorrectly, we’ll find out what the rules really are.

How much plastic do you throw out each day and where does it all end up? I’ll give you a clue.

And we’re going to teach you German dancing. We’re putting Tash to the test. Should be interesting. Hey. How's it going? I'm Nathan. Let's not waste any time. The biggest story around this week has been those really serious bushfires around Sydney. Let's catch up with what's been going on. Here's Sarah.

The Wire It's been a tough couple of weeks but firefighters are starting to get the upper hand against the bushfires burning in NSW. They've made big fire breaks which they're hoping will stop the worst fires from spreading. Waterbombing is continuing too but last week everyone was reminded just how dangerous a job it is. A pilot died while waterbombing the fires when his plane crashed into thick forest. On the weekend the Danish royals visited one of the worst hit areas Winmalee to encourage people as the cleanup gets underway. Prince Frederik and Princess Mary met with kids some of whom lost their homes in the fires last week. Overall nearly 200 homes have been destroyed. ******** US President Barack Obama is in a whole lot of trouble with Germany. It started when the leader of Germany, Angela Merkel found out an American spy agency had been monitoring her mobile phone calls. And not surprisingly she was furious. Obama has told her he didn't know it was happening but German newspapers are saying they have information that he did. *******

©ABC 2013

And one of Australia's most iconic landmarks the Sydney Opera House has had a birthday. The famous building turned 40 over the weekend and celebrated with a big concert. Construction began on the Opera House in 1959, and it was officially opened on October 20, 1973.

Spring Fires Reporter: Nathan Bazley INTRO: It's pretty scary but in Australia it's not so unusual to get the occasional bushfire. But normally it doesn't happen till later in the summer months. So let's find out why this bushfire struck so early. NATHAN BAZLEY, REPORTER: Volunteer firefighters do an amazing job and this vision proves it. It came from the helmet of a member of the Mount Victoria Rural Fire Service, as he helped fight the intense fires that ripped through the area. But while this vision proves the amazing commitment of these and thousands of other fire service volunteers around Australia, it also proves something else - that fire season is well and truly on us. And most scarily, it's only just heating up. This fire struck in October, the very beginning of the NSW bushfire season. Usually, the worst fires in Australia happen towards the end of the season. Two examples are the Tassie bushfires, in January this year. And further back, the devastating Victorian Bushfires in Feb 2009. Both of them happened later in summer, when big bushfires are much more common. So why did such a horrible blaze appear so early in October? Well, there were three big factors that made this fire come much earlier and burn more ferociously than many would have expected. 1. FUEL LOAD When we talk about fuel and bushfires, we're not talking petrol or diesel. We're talking about the stuff bushfires use for fuel, dead leaves, branches, grasses; really anything that can burn. A couple of years ago higher amounts of rain sprouted more plant life than usual. It grew and grew. Which meant more bushfire fuel lying around. 2. DRY WINTER While the previous few years have been wetter than average throughout NSW, the last few months have been the complete opposite. This winter was warm and dry. And it doesn't take a genius to realise what effect that has on the fuel lying around there. It also becomes warm and dry. Leaving the whole area a big bushfire risk. 3. EARLY SUMMER As if a dry winter wasn't enough, this summer kicked off with a bang in NSW too. The month is sitting just below the record for the hottest October ever.

©ABC 2013

If NSW hadn't experienced any one of these factors, the bushfire risk wouldn't have been anywhere near as bad. But all three together were a nightmare that unfortunately came true. Now that the immediate danger has passed, investigators are getting a better idea of just how much damage was done. They say fast evacuations saved countless lives during this disaster. But as with any bushfire around Australia, evacuations only work when you have volunteers willing to stay and fight.

State Laws Reporter: Sarah Larsen INTRO: A law has been passed in the ACT which would make it legal for same sex couples to get married. But the Federal Government says it's not allowed to do that and want to stop it from happening. So who is allowed to make laws and who gets the final say? Sarah looks into it. New South Wales rocks Go South Australia Western Australia Northern Territory The ACT Queensland Victoria rules Tasmania's better SARAH LARSEN, REPORTER: Aussies can be passionate about their home states. And there's no wonder. Each state is pretty different. They have different climates, different landscapes. They like different sports and make money from different industries. There was a time when they weren't even part of the same country. Before Australia was Australia the states were separate colonies with their own governments and their own laws. And while some wanted to get together and form a nation others were quite happy to stay separate. Getting them to form a country took a bit of negotiation and part of the deal was that Australia's states would keep their law making powers. And that's why, today, each of the states have their own parliaments, their own leaders and their own laws. They get to decide how to run their schools, their hospitals, their police, forests, roads, mines and farms and, for the most part, the Federal Government looks after things like trade and immigration and defence. But sometimes Australia's two levels of government can make different laws about the same thing. KID: What happens then? REPORTER: Well the constitution says that if it's competition between a state law and a federal law covering the same thing then the federal government wins.

©ABC 2013

And while it doesn't happen very often, there have been times when state laws were overturned. Like in the 80s, when the Tasmanian government allowed an energy company to build a dam on the Franklin River. After many protests the Federal Government made laws to stop the dam and took the Tassie government to the High Court. REPORTER: It's the highest court in Australia and it's where legal fights between the levels of government can be settled once and for all. In that case the Tasmanian government lost and the dam was stopped. But some fights between the states and territories and the Federal Government have been really controversial. Now, in the ACT, they're gearing up for another one. Last week the territory's government there passed a law which would make it legal for gay couples to get married. Except the Federal Government already has a law about marriage. REPORTER: It's called the Marriage Act of 1961 and it says who can marry who, how they can do it, where they can do it, that sort of thing. In 2004 the Prime Minister changed it to make it clear that marriage could only be between a woman and a man. KID: So the Federal Government wins, right? The ACT can't have its own marriage law. Well, not necessarily. The ACT government reckons its law doesn't actually contradict the Marriage Act, it just gives people another way to get married. But the Federal Government disagrees. The Prime Minister says he'll take the ACT to the High Court to try to get the law overturned and many legal experts reckon he'll probably win. It's stirred up a lot of debate about things like marriage and tradition and equality and the power of the states and territories to be as different as they want to be.

Quiz 1 The question is: What are the leaders of the Territories called? Premier Governor Chief Minister Answer: Chief Minister A Chief Minister is the head of a territory while the head of a state is a Premier.

Safe Crossings Reporter: Sarah Larsen INTRO: Now it's probably pretty obvious that if you're near a pedestrian crossing you should use it. But did you know that not using it or crossing the road in the wrong way can land you with a fine? As Sarah reports, in some states thousands of people have been made to pay up for getting it wrong.

©ABC 2013

SARAH LARSEN, REPORTER: Do you ever feel like you're spending your life waiting for little green men? Chasing zebras, or waiting for that countdown which means it’s safe to cross the road. Pedestrian crossings are a part of daily life for most of us and they've been around for a long time. Ever since soft, fleshy people have had to share roads with big, hard, fast moving objects people have tried to find ways of keeping pedestrians safe. REPORTER: Did you know that this thing is actually an Australian invention? It's proper name is an Audio Tactile Pedestrian Detector and it was first thought up in the 60s to make crossing the road easier for people with vision impairments. In Australia cars have to stop at crossings. It's the law. But there are also rules for pedestrians and not following them can land you in big trouble. In some states there have been crackdowns with police fining thousands of people for crossing the road in the wrong way. The trouble is, there's a bit of confusion about just what the right way is. KID: The law is breaking rules. Cross the road at the lights and um. KID: You have to cross over at traffic lights and you have to cross over with an adult maybe if you're under a certain age. KID: You shouldn't really cross a road if there's a pedestrian crossing right next to you or like a couple of metres away. KID: I think you'd have to be 50 metres from the crossing to get a fine. KID: I think you'd have to be maybe 100? KID: I'd say around about 150 metres or 1 km to half a km KID: You probably wouldn't be able to see one from that far away. Well, first of all you should stay off the road when you can and use the footpath if there is one. If you need to cross the road then you can but you should always stop, look, listen and think and that means taking out your headphones and putting away your phone. If you're 20 metres or less from a pedestrian crossing, the road rules say you have to use it. If it’s one with lights, you have to wait until the signal says go. Setting off when it’s red or flashing red can get you fined. Traffic Authorities say it's about keeping people safe. But some reckon that instead of fining, people, governments should be doing more to help pedestrians get where they're going safely and quickly. REPORTER: : Waiting at the lights can add a big chunk of time to your journey, by the time you wait for the cars going that way and the cars going that way and the cars going that way. Some studies have suggested it might be putting people off walking. Some, like this Greens politician, say it seems like the rules are set up for drivers, not walkers. He wants to see changes to the way pedestrians crossing work to make it quicker to walk from point A to point B. MARK PARNELL, GREENS MEMBER: I think what we need are longer periods for pedestrian crossing and more opportunities to cross in each light cycle because at the moment the traffic system is geared primarily towards cars and pedestrians are second class citizens and I think we could reverse that. State governments say they're working on it; installing new types of crossings and thinking of new ways to encourage people to use their legs and stay safe while they're doing it.

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Online Poll What do you think about that story? It's our poll question. Should pedestrians be fined for crossing the road incorrectly? Jump on the website to vote. Last week we had a story about poverty. Our poll asked should the money we spend on overseas aid be spent on tackling poverty in Australia instead. 59% went with yes. 41% said no.

Take 3 Reporter: Natasha Thiele INTRO: You just need to look around you to realise that plastic is a part of our everyday lives. But some of our plastic rubbish ends up in places that can be dangerous to sea life like the ocean. Tash checks out a program that's encouraging people to clean up. NATASHA THIELE, REPORTER: Each day around three-and-a-half million pieces of new plastic enters the world's oceans. But the plastic stuff we throw away can stay there for a long time, sometimes for hundreds of years. Plastics are dangerous to our oceans because they're not bio-degradable. That means they don't dissolve easily in the environment. It can take many years in the sun for that to happen, until they're so small they're hard to see. REPORTER: So just walking down at the beach, I've managed to find these bits of plastic. These will eventually break down and turn into micro plastics. And plastic in the ocean can travel a long way. Websites like this one can show you just how far. REPORTER: Well let's say I drop a piece of rubbish near Perth. Now this will give us an idea of where it'll end up after 10 years. So you can see after a couple of years it's already heading towards Africa and after eight years towards South America and around the ten year mark it's already up near Asia. Eventually the currents in the water push plastic towards one of six giant rubbish patches in our oceans. It's in these areas that sea life is being badly affected. Turtles can mistake plastic bags for jelly fish and birds like this think small bits of plastic are actually food. And because their bodies can't digest the stuff, they often get really sick and die. These guys want to help save our marine animals by picking up rubbish. It's all part of a campaign called Take 3 that encourages people to pick up three pieces of rubbish when they're outside or when they visit the beach.

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TIM SILVERWOOD, TAKE 3: We're asking people to respond by picking up plastic and rubbish they see on the ground, but also to look at their relationship with plastic and try to reduce the amount of plastic they use, re-use, recycle and refuse disposable plastic. More than 60 schools have already taken part in the program. LILI, STUDENT: If animals eat the rubbish whole, it will kill them and then it'll become less and less of the animals and they can become extinct and we don't want that to happen. NATHAN, STUDENT: We want to help the environment and the animals can stay alive and have a good life. LILY, STUDENT: There can be plastic straws, plastic lollipop sticks and they all affect the marine life in the sea. There are other ways you can help stop plastic from getting into our oceans. We can take our food to school in reusable containers. We can also swap plastic bags for ones like this that you can use again. And some companies have started making eco-friendly packaging made of corn starch, which biodegrades in water. With plastic being a big part of our everyday lives, it's important to understand what plastic can do to our environment. So what role are you playing in protecting the planet? If your school's going to take part in this then why not share some of your photos. Just make sure you use the hashtag #Take3ForTheSea

Quiz 2 OK, let’s have a quiz. Here's the question: What are plastics made of? Crude oil Sand Proteins Answer: Crude oil And about 200ml of oil is used to make a 1 litre plastic bottle.

The Score

Alright what's been happening in the world of sport this week? Time to find out.

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Queensland has taken out the one-day cricket cup final against NSW. NSW set a target of 318 and the Bulls went after it right from the start. Usman Khawaja did the most damage with 104 which would be really annoying for NSW because he used to play for them. Ouch! ******** To the track now and Sebastian Vettel has clinched this year's Formula 1 Drivers’ championship. This win at the Indian Grand Prix sealed the deal whilst also making him the youngest guy to win four straight titles. ******** In rugby league Australia's beaten England in the opening game of the World Cup. The Kangaroos took out the match 28 to 20 to start the tournament off on the right note. But the news wasn't so good for the Indigenous All Stars in their second international rules test against Ireland. Ireland smashed the stars 116 to 37 after also beating them pretty convincingly in their first match.

German Dancers Reporter: Natasha Thiele INTRO: Each year, millions of people head to the German city of Munich to celebrate the world's largest fair 'Oktoberfest'. It involves a lot of fun and entertainment, including traditional folk dancing. Tash met some young German dancers who've been involved in Oktoberfest celebrations in Australia. NATASHA THIELE, REPORTER: They can spin, kick and slap. They're the 'Bund Der Bayern' dance group. These guys are known for performing a traditional German folk dance called Schuhplattler which means 'shoe slapping'. It's hundreds of years old and it comes from this area of Germany, Bavaria. A lot of the routines involve the girls spinning in a circle in their traditional Bavarian outfits, while the boys jump around and make slapping noises in leather costumes called Lederhosen. The slapping's done by hitting their shorts and shoes with their hands, along with clapping. DANCER 1: Well you need really strong legs if you're a boy and same with the girl. You need strong hands to slap really hard and make a really good sound. DANCER 2: Once you get used to it, I mean at the start it got a little bit dizzy. DANCER 3: First at the beginning it was a bit hard but then it got really easy quickly. REPORTER: Alright Eliza, so you're going to teach me one of the routines what do I need to know? ELIZA: Okay so first you need to know just how to sway, so you just, you leave your feet in the same position. You just turn to this side and then you turn to that side, but you keep your head facing forward yeah like that and then you just do it in time. The second thing is

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walk swaying, it's a bit like swaying but you're basically walking so you go one, two, three, one, two, three like that, yep you got it. REPORTER: So we just give it a go, let's see if it works? But it's not all about dancing, music is important too. These guys are playing cow bells. They're made of brass and were traditionally worn by, you guessed it, cows. It allowed farmers to keep track of where they were on the land. But these ones have been specially tuned, so they can be played. There are 13 bells and each one makes a different sound. SASKIA: First of all, you need to know how to hold them so you put your thumb at the back and fingers at the front, the rest of the fingers at the front and then you give them a little shake and here on Edelweiss we just copy the notes that it says here and ring them. At the moment, the group's saving up for something important. They're planning a trip to Germany next year to learn about the culture, meet other dance groups and to showcase what they can do. So hopefully they'll be spinning their way towards that goal soon.

Closer

Ok that’s it from us. Thanks for watching and we’ll see you next time.