Environment and animals

Authors have drawn on the beauty, harshness and challenges of Australia’s landscapes to tell their stories. Often, these stories are set in familiar locations, with the environment shaping the narrative’s central theme.

Module Australian children’s literature

Year 4 English

Animal stories

Animal stories typically fall into 3 categories:

educational life-cycle nature studies presented as stories
indirect explorations of reality through talking animals
investigations of human-animal relationships

Every year has its special film - this year it's... [picture] : Storm Boy, 1976 nla.gov.au/nla.obj-133752089

Learning activities

Activity 1: Exploring behaviour and habitat

The animal world is full of mystery and wonder. Ask students to choose a favourite animal—this could be themed, such as an Australian land animal, sea creature, or bird. Have them research its habitat, behaviours, and other key characteristics.

Next, invite students to create a fictional story about their chosen animal. To spark ideas, consider these questions:

What does the animal do when no people are around?
What might it be communicating with others of its kind?
How does it interact with different species?
What challenges does the animal face, and how might it overcome them? Could humans play a role in helping?

This activity encourages creativity while building understanding of animal behaviour and environments.