Activity: Consider books or stories in which the setting plays an important part.
The Rabbits, written by John Marsden and illustrated by Shaun Tan, is a partly allegorical fable about colonisation, told from the viewpoint of the colonised. A video of the story is available below.
Activity
Read the story about the way rabbits have invaded and taken over a country.
Explore the importance of “setting” by drawing on students’ previous knowledge. Draw on students’ responses to make a chalkboard statement that ‘The setting is the time and place in which a story occurs’
As a class, discuss other books or stories in which the setting plays an important part, e.g. Rosy Dock (Jeannie Baker), My Place (Nadia Wheatley), Idjhil (Helen Bell).
Divide the class into small groups and ask each group to list two or three books in which the setting plays an important role. Give each group a prepared chart so that information about stories can be recorded.
Conduct a whole class discussion about the importance of Place, relating back to the themes of land, Country, Place & colonisation.
Name of book or story
Place/setting
Importance of place/setting
You and Me, Murrawee
River bank
Continuity
My Place
City
Environment & cultural traditions
Angel’s Gate
Country town
People’s lives
The Fat and Juicy Place
Behind the school
Special things happen there
Resources
Baker, J 1995, The story of Rosy Dock, Random House, NSW.
Bell, H 1996, Idjhil—and the land cried for its lost soul, Cygnet, WA.
Crew, G 1995, Angel’s Gate, Mammoth, Port Melbourne, Vic.
Hashmi, K 1998, You and Me, Murrawee, Viking, Ringwood, Victoria.
Kidd, D 1992, The fat and juicy place, Angus & Robertson, Pymble, NSW.
Marsden, J & Tan, S 1998, The rabbits, Thomas C Lothian, Port Melbourne, Vic.
Wheatley, N & Rawlins, D 1987, My place, Collins Dove, Vic.
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The Rabbits, written by John Marsden and illustrated by Shaun Tan, is a partly allegorical fable about colonisation, told from the viewpoint of the colonised. A video of the story is available below.
Activity
Read the story about the way rabbits have invaded and taken over a country.
Name of book or story
Place/setting
Importance of place/setting
Resources
Baker, J 1995, The story of Rosy Dock, Random House, NSW.
Bell, H 1996, Idjhil—and the land cried for its lost soul, Cygnet, WA.
Crew, G 1995, Angel’s Gate, Mammoth, Port Melbourne, Vic.
Hashmi, K 1998, You and Me, Murrawee, Viking, Ringwood, Victoria.
Kidd, D 1992, The fat and juicy place, Angus & Robertson, Pymble, NSW.
Marsden, J & Tan, S 1998, The rabbits, Thomas C Lothian, Port Melbourne, Vic.
Wheatley, N & Rawlins, D 1987, My place, Collins Dove, Vic.
Related content
The Rabbits: Part 2
Assessment: As a class, or in groups, develop a mind map about the story The Rabbits, by John Marsden.Read More