Week 1
The idea of Wagga going on this discovery tour is based on the story 'Ernie Dances to the Didgeridoo' by Alison Lester. Nicola House is a teacher librarian in Kuranda, North Queensland. She suggested this project to Erica Shadiac, the computing teacher at Pembroke Junior School in Adelaide.
The children looked at the activities in the story and discussed whether they were pre-contact (traditionally indigenous) or post-contact (after the arrival of Europeans).
Before Nicola returned to Kuranda after her trip to Adelaide, she gave the Pembroke children two stories: the one above and another story called 'Wombat Goes Walkabout'. She then took Wagga Wombat home with her.
The teachers at Pembroke read this other story to the children in class. It talks about how the Wombat is not appreciated by other animals until his digging skills are needed.
The children looked at photos Mrs Shadiac had taken of Wagga at Pembroke before he left.
After discussions the children had questions about the place where Wagga had gone and wondered whether the children in Kuranda might like to see what Adelaide looks like. So a list of sites was compiled to collect photos.
The children at Pembroke visited the website Indigenous Education and Training Alliance to follow Wagga Wombat's diary entries. He is listed under 'Choose a Travelling Mate'.
Then click on his diary entries:
'Wagga Wombat goes Walkabout'.
The most recent entry is at the top.In Week 1 the children looked at the diary entry headed 'I have arrived'.
