Introduction
Australia is a country made up of all sorts of different people, cultures and traditions. Australians, like you, come from many different parts of the world and bring with them their own culture and traditions. Culture is the values, beliefs, attitudes, customs and behaviours of a particular social, ethnic or age group. Culture distinguishes one group of people from another and is passed on through language, material objects, rituals, institutions and art.
Every person has different cultures, traditions and experiences. Who are you? Where do you come from? Do you know where your parents come from? What experiences have shaped who you are as a person?
Every person has different cultures, traditions and experiences. Who are you? Where do you come from? Do you know where your parents come from? What experiences have shaped who you are as a person?
Demographics
Demographics are used to describe current statistical characteristics of a population in the world. Australian demographics relate to the statistics of Australia. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, in 2006, there were nearly 5 million people living in Australia who were born outside of Australia, out of a population of 21 million. This represents 24% of Australia’s total population. All of these people are born into different cultures and have many different experiences as a result.
The pie graph below shows the different cultural groups that are found in Australia, based on the people’s place of birth. What percentage of people born in Australia do you think are from Indigenous Australian cultures?
The pie graph below shows the different cultural groups that are found in Australia, based on the people’s place of birth. What percentage of people born in Australia do you think are from Indigenous Australian cultures?
Activities
Brainstorm
List all of the cultural groups you can think of in your community.
Can you think of any other cultural groups that you know? (Books, TV, Internet)
Can you think of any other cultural groups that you know? (Books, TV, Internet)
Flags
Draw and colour the flag of the country you were born in, or the country where your parents come from. Share your flag with the rest of the class.
Pie chart
Use your flags to create a pie chart of your classrooms demographics showing where all of the different students in your class are from.
Compare the completed pie chart to the one that illustrated the demographics of Australia. What are the similarities and
differences?
Compare the completed pie chart to the one that illustrated the demographics of Australia. What are the similarities and
differences?
Pie chart worksheet
Complete the Pie chart worksheet. It can be downloaded and printed off here.