Glencoe World Geography

Chapter 33: The Cultural Geography of Australia, Oceania, and Antarctica

Web Activity Lesson Plans

"Australia"

Introduction
Students have read about Australia's diverse population. In this lesson they will learn about immigration patterns and multiculturalism in Australia. They will also learn about trends in immigrants' regions of origin.

Lesson Description
Students will use information from the Australian Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs Web site to learn about multiculturalism and immigration in Australia. Students will answer four questions and then use what they have learned to create graphs and charts from immigration data.

Instructional Objectives

Students will discover how the Australian government promotes cultural understanding.
Students will learn about the evolution of Australia's policies on immigration.
Students will learn about current Australian immigration practices and statistics.
Students will recognize trends in Australian immigration patterns.
Students will apply this knowledge by creating charts and graphs to communicate statistical immigration data.

Student Web Activity Answers

Early immigrants included European criminals who were transported to the region when it was established as a penal colony. Beginning in the late 1700s, free Europeans immigrated for a variety of reasons, including economic or social upheavals in their home countries, a growing labor market in Australia, and the discovery of gold in the area in the 1850s.
The first phase, assimilation, was also known as the White Australia policy. All non-British immigrants were expected to put aside their cultures and languages and blend into Australian society. During the integration phase from the mid-1960s to 1972, the government allowed more non-Europeans to settle, provided economic assistance to migrants, and encouraged ethnic organizations. Since 1972 the multicultural phase has included greater activity by minorities to preserve their heritages as well as government promotion of cultural understanding and tolerance.
The “Community Grants” program provides funding to community organizations for projects that encourage community harmony, increase racial tolerance, and develop cultural understanding. The program encourages organizations to involve young people, schools, media, police, sports groups, workers, and rural people.
Immigrants have boosted Australia’s economy by increasing both demand and supply. They have affected demand through their own spending, business expansion, and the expansion of government services. They have increased supply by providing a labor force and new businesses as well as by contributing to increased technology.
Students’ charts should show sub-Saharan Africa as the region with the largest increase in settlers to Australia and the Americas as the region with the smallest increase.