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Questions for discussion

Mammal Extinction 1] What was the main point of the story? 2] How many Australian mammals have become extinct since European

settlement? 3] What has caused the Brush-tailed rock wallaby to become endangered? 4] How many Australian species are on the verge of extinction? 5] What is having a big impact on native species in Australia? 6] Why do you think it is important to protect native animals? 7] What are zoologists doing to protect species? 8] Why do you think Australia has the highest rate of mammal extinction in the

world? 9] What can be done to protect Australia’s threatened species? 10] How did this story make you feel?

Design an enclosure for a threatened species. Students need to consider the animals’ natural habitat. Construct the enclosure using recycled materials.

Malware

1] Retell the story in your own words. 2] What is malware? 3] What is it designed to do? 4] Why is it a huge problem? 5] What are the different types of malware? 6] Choose a type of malware and describe what it is and how it works. 7] Why do people produce it? 8] What do you think the consequences should be for people who produce

malware? 9] How can computer users protect themselves from malicious software? 10] Describe how you or your school avoids malware.

`Should spyware be made illegal?’ Vote in the online poll.

Take the computer virus quiz at the following website

http://www.brainpop.com/technology/computersandinternet/computerviruses/q

uiz/

Bionic eye

1] What is the cochlear bionic ear and how does it work? 2] Choose three adjectives to describe how Sophie felt when she could hear and

speak for the first time. 3] How many people have been helped with the bionic ear? 4] How does invention number one work? 5] What do you think the advantages and disadvantages are? 6] Describe invention number two. 7] What risks are associated with this invention? 8] Describe the impact technology has had on medical science. 9] How else are bionics being used in medical science?

EPISODE 19

29TH JULY 2008

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10] What are three things you now know about bionics that you didn’t know before you watched the BtN story?

Create a plus, minus and interesting chart about using bionics in medical science.

Ice factor

1] How does Henry describe good leadership? 2] Describe in your own words how Henry’s life has changed. 3] What is the `Ice Factor’ program trying to achieve? 4] What values is the program encouraging? 5] How has it helped people like Henry? 6] How many schools are involved in the program? 7] Why was Ice Hockey chosen for the program instead of cricket or football? 8] How do Henry’s teachers describe him? 9] Why do you think sport can be a strong motivator for students not interested

in school? 10] Describe how you were feeling when you were watching the BtN story.

Send a message or tell us what you think on the BtN Guestbook.

Judo

1] What is the main aim of a judo match? 2] Where will the Olympics be held after Beijing? 3] What is significant about Steve Brown’s achievement? 4] Describe in your own words what judo is. 5] What does the word judo mean? 6] What skills are required for the sport? 7] Why are there very few injuries in judo? 8] When were girls allowed to compete in judo at an Olympic level? 9] What do you now know about judo that you didn’t know before watching the

BtN story? 10] If you could send a message to Stephanie or Steve, what would it be?

Test your knowledge in the online quiz.

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Malware Online security can be a serious issue. A report recently found a lot of computer users were leaving themselves open to cyber criminals. So what is malware and how does it work?

Focus Questions

1] Retell the story in your own words. 2] What is malware? 3] What is it designed to do? 4] Why is it a huge problem? 5] What are the different types of malware? 6] Choose a type of malware and describe what it is and how it works. 7] Why do people produce it? 8] What do you think the consequences should be for people who produce

malware? 9] How can computer users protect themselves from malicious software? 10] Describe how you or your school avoids malware.

What is malware? Students will develop an information report about malware. Brainstorm what students

know about malware after watching the BtN story. Record understandings, key words

and any questions students may have. Students will need to research the topic in more

detail. Some web links have been provided at the end of this activity to support

students.

Structures and features of an information report Discuss with students what they already know about the purpose, structure and

features of an information report. Use the following as a guide to use with students.

Purpose

An information report provides information to the reader by stating facts.

Structure

Introduction - the opening statement explains the subject of the report and includes a

definition or short description. Students need to define what malware is.

Description – the body of the report is a series of paragraphs giving information about

the subject. Each paragraph can describe the different types of malware.

Conclusion – a summary of what has been said.

Language features

Present tense

Technical or scientific words

Written in the third person

Publishing work

Students can publish their work in a number of ways. These include:

EPISODE 19

29TH JULY 2008

Learning Area

Design and Technology,

English

Key learning

Students will develop a

deeper understanding of

what malware is and

write an information

report about it.

Print a copy of the Malware transcript. Go to the BtN website http://abc.net.au/news/btn/ and click on the transcript link

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Creating an animation - Quicktime Pro for PC and Mac platforms, i-movie (Mac) and Moviemaker 2 (PC)

Desktop publish

Oral presentation

Publish online using the following website http://www.teachers.ash.org.au/jeather/writingfun/writingfun.html

Further investigations

Create a true or false quiz about malicious software. Test another student in your class.

Create a comic strip about malware. The following websites allow students to create their comic strips online. http://www.readwritethink.org/materials/comic/index.html or http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/bluepeter/content/rich_media/comic_c_media.shtml

Related Research Links ABC Catalyst – Pop-up ads steal bank passwords

http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2004/07/01/1144495.htm?site=catalyst

Brain pop website for children – Animation of how computer viruses work

http://www.brainpop.com/technology/computersandinternet/computerviruses/

Howstuffworks – Information about spyware

http://computer.howstuffworks.com/spyware.htm

CNET website – Top 5 internet dangers for kids

http://www.cnet.com/4520-13384_1-6721368-1.html

Spyware refuge website – What is malware?

http://www.spyware-refuge.com/malware.html

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Mammal extinction Australia has a large number of critically

endangered species but environmentalists and

zoologists are working hard to keep them alive.

Focus Questions

1] What was the main point of the story? 2] How many Australian mammals have become extinct since European

settlement? 3] What has caused the Brush-tailed rock wallaby to become endangered? 4] How many Australian species are on the verge of extinction? 5] What is having a big impact on native species in Australia? 6] Why do you think it is important to protect native animals? 7] What are zoologists doing to protect species? 8] Why do you think Australia has the highest rate of mammal extinction in the

world? 9] What can be done to protect Australia’s threatened species? 10] How did this story make you feel?

Mammal extinction After watching the BtN story about mammal extinction, ask students to write down

what they think the following key words mean:

Habitat

Threatened species

Endangered

Critically endangered

Vulnerable

Extinct

Ask students to share their definitions with another students and then change or add to

them. They can then use a range of sources to check their understandings. Students

then need to choose a threatened Australian species and research the following

information:

What does the animal eat?

What type of habitat does it need?

Where does it live?

What are the threats to its decline?

What can be done to ensure its survival?

EPISODE 19 29TH JULY 2008

Learning Area

Science, Society and

Environment

Key learning

Students will develop a

deeper understanding of

Australian mammal

extinction.

Expert groups can be a useful resource for students when researching the topic.

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What are the impacts when an animal species becomes endangered or extinct?

Why is Australia’s rate of mammal extinction the highest in the world?

Students can present their information in one of the following ways:

Written or oral report

Develop a video or PowerPoint slide presentation

Create a model or poster

Further investigations

Design an enclosure for a threatened species. Students need to consider the animals’ natural habitat. Construct the enclosure using recycled materials.

Students research which threatened species are found in their local area. What is being done to protect them?

Make a game to teach people about threatened Australian species.

Organise a guest speaker from the zoo or environmental organisation to come and speak to the class about Australia’s threatened species.

Related Research Links ABC 730 Report – Climate change threatens extinction of Australian mammals

http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2007/s2205185.htm

ABC AM – WWF warns of mammal extinction

http://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2008/s2187017.htm

WWF –Australia’s threatened species face extinction

http://wwf.org.au/news/species-face-extinction-due-to-climate-change/

Unique Australian animal website

http://australian-animals.net/

Classification of threatened and extinct species

http://www.kidcyber.com.au/topics/threatened.htm

Children’s BBC – Information about endangered animals

http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/find_out/guides/animals/endangered_animals_worl

d/newsid_1614000/1614414.stm

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TRANSCRIPT 29/07/08

Episode 19 On this week's Behind the News - how worms and trojans attack your computer. The scientists creating bionic eyes And the Aussie cyclist pumping the pedals in the World's greatest bike race. Hi I'm Nathan Bazley, welcome to Behind the News. Also on the show today, why ice hockey is scoring goals for kids. Those items later, but first to our top story..

MAMMAL EXTINCTION

Sarah Larsen, Reporter INTRO: There's a lot of talk about climate change at the moment and it mostly has to do with the effect it will have on humans. But what about wildlife? Well some scientists say it could be devastating and whole species could be wiped out. Sarah's been finding out that they reckon Australian animals are particularly at risk. SARAH LARSEN, REPORTER: Australia's wildlife is pretty wild. We've got one of the most diverse collections of critters on the planet. They bring visitors from around the world. Some of the cutest are mammals. They're warm-blooded animals that have hair on their skin, have live babies and feed them with milk. But what if these weird and wonderful creatures were to disappear? REPORTER: Since European settlers came to Australia 27 Aussie mammals have become extinct. That's the highest rate of mammal extinction anywhere in the world. TAMMIE MATSON, WORLD WILDLIFE FUND: We're pretty good at cricket and swimming and sports and a lot of things in Australia but we're also really good at killing our mammals and that's something not to be so proud of. Tammie is a Zoologist who's helping to make a list of Australia's most endangered species. This is one of them. It's a brush-tailed rock wallaby and you'd better take a good look, because it may be the only way you'll ever see one in the wild. There used to be heaps all the way from southern Queensland through to Victoria but early last century they were declared a pest and hunted for their fur. Hundreds of thousands were killed and now they're close to becoming extinct. They're not the only ones. Ninety-one Australian species are on the verge of extinction; like the snubfin dolphin, the tree kangaroo and the northern quoll. Scientists are worried there may not be enough time or money to save them all. TAMMIE MATSON: When you get to the point where you're saying right, we can't save everything, this problem is so bad, I think that really shows just how bad the crisis is. Animals and insects are disappearing at a high rate all over the world and some researchers reckon one mammal is to blame - humans. In 80 years the world population has tripled and many say that's put a lot of pressure on the environment. Australia's environment is particularly fragile and, along with humans, feral animals like cats, foxes and cane toads have had a big impact on native species. But now there's climate change. Some experts reckon that will create more droughts and cause serious loss of habitat which could lead to a mass extinction. What's that? It's when a lot of species disappear at once. REPORTER: Extinction happened before humans too. These mega mammals roamed Australia millions of years ago.

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And before them were the dinosaurs, which famously bit the dust about 64 million years ago. But it's not all bad news. Zoologists are working hard to keep species alive by setting up reserves and breeding programs. They're doing that with brush tailed rock wallabies like Roxy. Not long ago she was the only one left in this corner of NSW bushland but National Parks officers brought her in her some friends. They gave them tracking devices and now they're watching a romance unfold. The hope is that Roxy and Adam will have babies so this species doesn't join the list of lost Aussie animals. ******

DID YOU KNOW Over the past 100 years the average temperature near the earth's surface has increased. Some scientists say this is because of air pollution made by humans. However there are other scientists who disagree and say this is part of a natural long term climate cycle.

It's a very interesting debate going on there... Ok, let’s have a look at some of the other stories in the news this week ...

******

THE WIRE Qantas passengers got the fright of their lives when an explosion ripped off part of their jumbo when they were flying back to Australia. They had to use emergency oxygen masks to breathe until the pilots dropped the plane 20 thousand feet. They managed to bring the aircraft under control and make an emergency landing. Investigators are now working out what went wrong. *** We've brought you the story of a bad facial tumour disease which effects Tasmanian Devils before, well now scientists have discovered the cancer is mutating in the wild. Nine different strains of the disease have been found, making it even harder to control. Researchers say the best case scenario is the cancers wipe themselves out, but the worst is that they could jump to infect a whole new species. *** And thousands of people across the country have got their hands dirty for national tree day. They help us get oxygen Start planting them. We need it or the planet won't survive. People won't survive. The event's called national tree day, but it's not all about trees. Caroline: The predominant plants we put in are the ground covers, the grasses and the under story species. They provide the habitat for a lot of our little birds and the middle fauna. It's estimated that hundreds of thousands of plants were planted.

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******

ICE FACTOR

Catherine Ellis, Reporter Troubled kids can find it really hard to get back on track. If they're struggling at school and find it hard to make friends they can start to feel really isolated. But in this story, Catherine checks out a program that is transforming lives - but it's using a very unusual sport!

CATHERINE ELLIS, REPORTER: Hahah! Not quite as easy as I thought! Lucky Henry has offered to show me how it's done! He's the captain of his school ice hockey team - the 'Mulishas' - and he loves it! But also, his team loves him and reckon he's a great leader! TEAM MATE: You can't get any better. If I had to choose a captain out of everyone here, it would be him. But two years ago things were very different for Henry. He spent more time here at the pipeline behind his High School than he did in class. HENRY: I'd come to school in the morning, catch up with a few of my friends usually I'd come with a packet of cigarettes and sell them all at school to get some money... we'd go ride our bikes down at the creek... catch up with a few more friends. Henry also didn't do his schoolwork, he lost confidence and didn't get along with his teachers. PETER ROBERTSON, SCHOOL TEACHER: His attitude was, oh I didn't do the work, I’m not doing any work, suspend me I don't really care. But thanks to a program called the 'Ice Factor', which gets troubled kids out playing ice hockey, he turned his life around. HENRY: It just gives me something to look forward to every week and like plus having something to look forward to then it can be taken away from me if I do the wrong thing so I sort of use that in my own mind to just keep continuing with school and just continuing with everything that I’m doing. The program began thanks to this lady, Marie Shaw and the Classic ice-hockey movie, The Mighty Ducks. GAME COMMENTATOR: And he's got the puck. You see Marie Shaw's daughter had learning problems - she struggled at school and had trouble making friends. But after watching the Mighty Ducks one day she took up ice-hockey and her mum noticed her daughter's confidence grew and she became more motivated at school. So in 2005 Marie Shaw started 'Ice Factor', which now involves 150 kids and ten schools. Henry's was one of the first to sign up. PETER: We have some of our year 12s, the only reason they're back at school to finish year 12 is because they're back in ice hockey.

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CATHERINE: You know how with popular sports like cricket and footy if you start late you can end up feeling hopeless because the other kids are already good, well very few have tried ice hockey so everyone's bad first-up. It helped Henry to gain lots of maturity and courage. Also his teachers love him now. PETER: He's responsible, respectful - he is always respectful. HENRY: I like going to school. I actually really enjoy going to school, I'm doing really well at school now. And this is just one of many happy stories to come out of this program. Unfortunately my skating wasn't one of them. I think Catherine'll need a lot more practice if she hopes to make the team... *********** QUIZ 1 Alright we'll do a quiz on that. The question is "Where did ice hockey begin?" a. United States b. Canada c. Russia Answer: Canada It actually started there in the 1850s. ****** MALWARE

Sarah Larsen, Reporter INTRO: If you're anything like me you'll spend a lot of time every day on the net. But it seems most of us don't take our online security very seriously. A big report that came out last month said net surfers around the world are leaving themselves open to cyber criminals who are using malware to do their dirty work. So what is Malware? Sarah had a look at what's lurking online. KIDS: Hey! We're here for the party. GIRL: There's no party and I don't even know you! SARAH LARSEN, REPORTER: You're careful about who you let into your house, right? But are you as careful when it comes to your computer? The internet gives you access to heaps of stuff, but there's plenty of nasties out there too. It's called Malware - that's short for malicious, or nasty, software and this is it in action. Malware is any software designed to do something you don't want. Computer experts say it's a huge problem around the world. Some reckon of all the software written today, more than half is malware. And most people don't even realise it's there. So let's have a look at

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some different types of malware that you could be letting in. First there's the virus. These nasty little critters piggyback on things like emails and downloads to get into your computer. They act like a real virus, copying themselves and then getting up to all sorts of things. They can make your computer sick, destroy your files, or just remind you that they're there in annoying ways. And here's a friend of the virus; the worm. They can sneak into your computer by themselves and cause all sorts of havoc. Next is the trojan horse. It's a program that looks like something you want, like a game, a download or another piece of software so you let it in and it goes berserk. There's a very sneaky one called spyware. It can watch and record everything you do what's on your screen. Even your key strokes. Your personal details, your credit card number, the names and email addresses of your friends all can be recorded by spyware. REPORTER: So you can see why malware can be more than a nuisance. So why do people do it? Sometimes it's done as a prank, other times it's more serious. Sometimes businesses use spyware to collect information about what you are like, to help them sell you things. Criminals can use it to steal money or information. Think of all the ways we use the internet from banking to your school and medical records and think of the damage that malware could do. But you can do things to protect yourself. Like, if you get an email from someone you don't know and there's an attachment, don't open it. It could be malware. And you might have seen messages like this. Don't get too excited, you probably haven't won anything! And if you click that link you could be letting in a nasty piece of software. Malware can lurk in random websites and downloading free games, videos, music and software can be risky. You can also get special scanning software to stop nasties sneaking in. Malware will probably always be there but if you're better at recognising it you can keep it from getting in! Better keep an eye out for those nasty little programs... ****** ONLINE POLL Now we'll make that our online poll. The question is "Should all spyware be made illegal?" If you want to vote go to our website at abc.net.au/btn. ******

BIONIC EYE Nathan Bazley, Reporter

INTRO: We've all seen movies like 'Ironman', where the hero gets a mechanical makeover and all of a sudden he's saving the world. While it may seem far fetched... the reality is still pretty amazing. Scientists are working flat-out to try to make a bionic eye! SOPHIE: I am profoundly deaf. It's amazing what a difference technology can make. 18 year old Sophie was born completely deaf, in fact, she couldn't even talk when she was a kid!

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But she was lucky enough to get two cochlear ear implants, and the results were life changing! SOPHIE: There were a few moments where I just sat back and I just went, I can't believe I am hearing this. It's fantastic! The cochlear bionic ear is basically a microphone that sends signals to an implant in the head, which stimulates the nerve that allows us to hear. They sound something like this... NURSERY RHYME: HUMPTY DUMPTY That allowed Sophie to learn how to talk, and transform her life SOPHIE: It's been a fantastic journey from where I was completely mute to where I am now. REPORTER: It's been 30 years since the first bionic ear was implanted, and since then over 100,000 people have been helped by these tiny bits of technology. But now scientists are hoping to branch out to help tens of thousands of blind Australians see the light. These pictures give you an idea of what bionic vision might look like. That sort of result is a long way off for now, but there are two Aussie teams racing to make it a reality as soon as possible... And both are tackling the problem in very different ways! This is invention number one. It kind of looks like a band-aid for the eye, but it's actually made up of electrodes. Users would wear glasses like this, which would have a camera in them. The image would be sent from the camera to the electrode band which would sit around the eyeball. It's already helped people see flashes of light, but critics question whether this method will be able to produce clear enough pictures. Invention number two is a little different. This team's plan consists of a tiny chip like this, which they would implant into the eye itself. A camera would be worn on the outside like before, but this chip would receive the images wirelessly, then send them as vision signals to the brain. From inside the eye scientists hope to be able to give people a far clearer picture, like the one we saw earlier, but it also has critics. They say this technology is much further away from being finished, and testing it is more dangerous because it needs surgery on the eye. REPORTER: But while these two teams continue racing for a clear-sighted future... other possibilities are popping up along the way... Some scientists think bionics could be used to help people with mental illness, or used to deliver medications. Most amazingly they're even looking at helping those with spinal cord injuries to walk again!

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It's an exciting field and the most exciting thing is the possibilities. Because just like the bionic ear changed the world for many deaf people, a bionic eye could bring the world into focus for many more. Let’s hope it’s not too far away… ****** QUIZ 2 Short-sightedness means objects appear blurry when they are a. close b. distant ANSWER: distant ****** THE SCORE Aussie Cadel Evans has come up just short of Tour de France glory, grabbing second behind Spain's Carlos Sastre. It all came down to the 2nd last stage for Cadel where he had to try and make up 1 min 34 in the solo time trial. But after 19 days of racing his tired legs could only make up 29 seconds. It's Cadel's second runners-up title in a row, but he won't have much time to celebrate with his attention shifting straight towards the Olympics. **** In Netball, the NSW Swifts have taken out the first ever trans-Tasman championship beating New Zealand side Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic in Sydney. The Game was played out in front of a world record netball crowd of 14,000. **** Moving to Rugby Union, and the Wallabies have stomped the All Blacks 34-19 in their tri-nations match over the weekend. The game makes it two losses in a row to the All Blacks, something that hasn't happened for almost five years. ***** And there's been massive controversy in the NRL, after star Bulldog Sonny Bill Williams ditched his side for a big contract playing Rugby Union in France. What's made it worse is that Sonny Bill, who's only one year through a five year contract, boarded a plane for France mid-season, without telling anyone at his club. Bulldogs teammates have expressed their shock and disappointment, and the NRL is hoping to find a way to block the move. But they warn if Sonny does take the field in France, he will be banned from ever playing League in Australia again.

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******

JUDO STARS Catherine Ellis, Reporter INTRO: I think we'll be hearing a lot more about that one in the weeks to come... With the Olympics fast approaching we've been hearing tonnes of stories about the megastars and the most popular olympic sports, but what about the kids who are heading to the games for the first time, in sports we don't hear much about? Catherine decided to find out about JUDO, and meet two young guns heading to Beijing. CATHERINE ELLIS, REPORTER: Ouch! They're not Kung Fu Pandas, they're Judo players and the aim is to throw your opponent on their back as quickly as possible. Something Stephanie Grant is very good at! She took up the sport when she was 13 and her dream was always to go to the Olympics. This year she is! She'll be the first girl from Tassie to compete in Judo at the Games. Another young Aussie Judo star about to live his dream is Steve Brown. He started when he was 12 and will be the first South Aussie Judo competitor at the Olympics. So what is Judo? Well it's a type of martial art like Karate or Taekwondo and it was created in Japan more than 120 years ago. It's now one of the most widely practised sports in the world! I decided to check it out for myself. You won't believe this but Judo actually stands for 'gentle way'. The idea is basically to pull your opponent off their centre of balance and then use yourself as a stumbling block. CATHERINE: Coach. NEIL, JUDO COACH: Yes. CATHERINE: How fast are they hitting the ground? NEIL: Well I've read that they hit the ground at about 60 kilometres an hour. So as fast as a car! NEIL: Yes. Luckily the first thing you learn is how to roll and break your fall so it doesn't hurt! There's no kicking or hitting in Judo, but … WILL, JUDO PLAYER: You're allowed to do foot sweeps which can be disguised as real hard knocks. So I can just hit to him like that nice and soft or I can just boot him in. CATHERINE (to Will's opponent): Ouch did that hurt?

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OPPONENT: Um no not much because I’m used to it - he does it all the time! And you don't wear masks, strike pads or groin protection in this sport, just a judo suit. CATHERINE: What about injuries? Are there many injuries in judo? COURTNEY, JUDO PLAYER: There are plenty. You know you have broken arms that go everywhere, dislocated shoulders, knees, ankles. MICHAEL, JUDO PLAYER: Toes, Fingers. CATHERINE: Have you guys ever had that? COURTNEY: Um... I've had a couple of broken bones, toes mainly, just get caught in the mat, twist and they pop out. Size and strength help in Judo, but as 12-year-old Michael showed me, if you have technique and balance you can fight anyone! I then bravely decided Courtney could flip me. CATHERINE: That was the nice soft version haha! At the end of class, you bow to the teacher. Now Judo first became an Olympic sport in 1964, but girls had to wait another 24 years till they were allowed to compete! It's done in weight divisions, but unlike other Olympic sports, it all happens in one day! An Aussie team of 13 will go to Beijing. And both Steph and Steve are hoping their performances will inspire the next generation of Aussie kids to give Judo a go. CLOSER Looks like Catherine got a few bruises there. Just before we go a tip on how to catch up with your favourite TV shows. The ABC has launched the I-View video player where you can watch free internet TV. It has a children's channel and a news channel where you can see BTN Daily if you miss it at five to six. Check it out and we'll see ya.