Submitted by bcato on Tue, 01/13/2009 - 12:36.
With the release of the new movie Australia (November 26, 2008), Australia is being placed into the pop culture spotlight, making now an opportune time to teach about Australia in the classroom. Ayers Rock is one of the most famous geological structures in the world, and is located in the desolate Northern Territory of Australia. Its aboriginal name is Uluru, and aborigines still use Uluru to this day for religious ceremonies. Some areas of the rock are restricted from having pictures taken, as they are sacred, restricted places for either males or females. To avoid all unnecessary contact with these sacred places in society, these areas are never photographed.
Uluru is a geological feature referred to as an “islenberg,” which literally means “island rock.” It comprised of sandstone, stands 1,142 feet high (348 m), and is the largest exposed rock in the world.Other than its large size, Uluru is famous for its “ability” to change colors. As the sun hits the rock at different angles, it can appear to change from hues of grey to bright orange.
Australia’s most iconic figures is the kangaroo; however, it is not only this marsupial which makes Australia’s wildlife special. Australia has the greatest number of non-placental mammals on the planet. (North America has one – the opossum). An abundance of mammal species live around Ayers Rock, twenty-one in total; however, the area used to be the home to 46 species. Habitat deterioration, drought, and increased human interaction are often cited as the causes for this decline in biodiversity. Some notable inhabitants include wallabies, possums, bats, and the red kangaroo.
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