ACTF News

As we approach the end of the year, primary school students may be feeling mentally and physically drained. They may have shorter attention spans, lower energy levels and a greater need for support.

Australian screen content can give your class a much-needed break from traditional lessons while still supporting learning outcomes, and can provide a simple and effective way to create a calm and enjoyable classroom atmosphere at the end of a long year. Our supporting education resources can be used to further explore screen content and extend and reinforce learnings.

The following screen stories and supporting resources will engage and entertain students of all year levels and take the stress out of lesson planning.

Eddie’s Lil’ Homies (F-2)

Curriculum links: English, Health and Physical Education

“Rock, Paper, Scissors is the name of the game. Play it once and you’ll never be the same!”

Explore friendship and fun with Eddie’s Lil' Homies. Watch it on SBS on Demand or Netflix or download to own from the ACTF shop, then rap along to the karaoke videos in our resource.

Kangaroo Beach S3 (F-2)

Curriculum links: English, Health and Physical Education

Let your young students escape to Kangaroo Beach and prepare them for summer by the water with this fun, warm-hearted series where each episode contains a crucial water safety lesson. Watch the series on ABC iview or download it from the ACTF Shop, then explore our Kangaroo Beach S3 resource, which includes movement challenges and creative exercises.

Are You Tougher Than Your Ancestors? (F-6)

Curriculum links: English, The Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

This engaging living history series takes today’s kids on a wild ride back through time. Each episode puts modern children into a scenario faced by our ancestors. They must take risks, push themselves and make decisions on their own – without the help of Mum, Dad or Google. Watch the series on ABC iview or download it from the ACTF Shop, and explore our teaching resource containing activities for every year level.

RUNT (Years 3-6)

Curriculum links: English, The Arts

Craig Silvey’s beloved best-selling novel leaps onto the big screen in this charming Australian family movie. Download the film to watch from the ACTF Shop, then explore our newly revamped RUNT teaching resource, which provides sequenced learning tasks suitable for a whole-class film study. Students may also enjoy the recording of our special Q&A event with author and screenwriter Craig Silvey.

Space Nova S2 (Years 3-6)

Curriculum links: English, The Arts, Technologies, Science

Explore outer space with the Nova family in the newly released second season of Space Nova, available to stream on ABC iview or for download from the ACTF Shop, then explore our Space Nova S2 teaching resource. Students will meet Australia’s first astronaut, Katherine Bennell-Pegg, then develop their own original characters, stories and spacecraft inspired by the series.

The Funny Ones (Years 3-6)

Curriculum links: English, The Arts

In The Funny Ones, four girls with a passion for making people laugh are introduced to four of Australia’s funniest women. Together they turn ideas from their own lives into material for a show that has everyone in stitches. Download this short film from the ACTF Shop, then explore the teaching resource and guide your students to write and perform their own skits.

Paper Planes (Years 5-6)

Curriculum links: English, The Arts, Health and Physical Education, Humanities and Social Sciences, Science, Languages

Paper Planes is a classic Australian family film about a young boy's passion for flight and his challenge to compete in the World Paper Plane Championships in Japan. Stream it or download it to own from the ACTF Shop, then experiment with the downloadable Fold 'n' Fly plane design and hold a class paper plane competition.