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ABOUT Genie from Down Under>> link

The Genie From Down Under is a 26 part comedy-fantasy series for years 5-10 that contrasts two national cultural stereotypes exemplified through upper class English girl Penelope and two Australians, Bruce and his son Baz, who also happen to be genies.

The series and the free educational resources include important issues such as indigenous land rights, cultural ownership and the law and family. The educational resources for this series and Round the Twist also focus on the study of the comedy genre.

The Genie From Down Under is available in 2 series of 6 volumes, each consisting of 4 or 5 episodes

Resources

  • The Genie from Down Under videos (2 series of 6 volumes - also available for the hearing impaired) Order

  • Free Television Comedy Guide listed in the Education Catalogue.
  • Film Production Teaching Kit - film and TV production featuring this series

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    KLA, Year Level and Theme Description
    Year Level: Year 5 to Year 9

    KLA: The Arts; English; Health and Physical Education

    Theme/Topic:     Self and Relationships; Growth and Development    		 1. What's the Attraction?


    Many of the activities in this unit need to be managed with sensitivity by the teacher as they deal with issues are very 'close to home' for young people.
    Sample image for 'What's the Attraction?'
    Year Level: Year 4 to Year 8

    KLA: English

    Theme/Topic:     Narrative Structure; Film Language    		 2. Comedy from Screen to Print


    Students compare how a comedy scene is portrayed in a tv program with how it is written in the tie-in book then write their own book versions of a tv comedy scenes.
    Sample image for 'Comedy from Screen to Print'
    Year Level: Year 5 to Year 9

    KLA: English

    Theme/Topic:     Humour and Satire; Stereotypes    		 3. Customs


    With these activities students explore the use of the pun and stereotypes in Australian television and examine some of the film techniques used in film.
    Sample image for 'Customs'
    Year Level: Year 5 to Year 9

    KLA: English

    Theme/Topic:     Narrative Structure; Humour and Satire; Genre    		 4. The Eternal Quadrangle


    Students explore narrative devices of exposition and narrative knowledge and film techniques used to tell the story in romantic comedies. They discuss the concepts and write a parody of a romance.
    Sample image for 'The Eternal Quadrangle'
    Year Level: Year 5 to Year 9

    KLA: English

    Theme/Topic:     Narrative Structure; Humour and Satire    		 5. Good Cop, Bad Genie


    Students explore the use of parody and caricature in comedy, the strategy of running parallel story lines in a narrative and the theme of freedom.
    Sample image for 'Good Cop, Bad Genie'
    Year Level: Year 5 to Year 9

    KLA: English

    Theme/Topic:     Narrative Structure; Film Language; Symbolism and Icons    		 6. It's My Opal...(And I'll Cry If I Want To)


    Students explore the use of exposition and the role of a narrator. They analyse the motives behind some film techniques and explore the role of symbols and icons in filmed storytelling.
    Sample image for 'It's My Opal...(And I'll Cry If I Want To)'
    Year Level: Year 5 to Year 9

    KLA: English

    Theme/Topic:     Narrative Structure; Film Language    		 7. It's Still Magic


    Students viewing this last episode in the series discuss the concept of story resolution and the techniques used by filmmakers to build up to a climax in the story.
    Sample image for 'It's Still Magic'
    Year Level: Year 5 to Year 9

    KLA: English

    Theme/Topic:     Narrative Structure; Humour and Satire; Genre    		 8. Larceny


    Students explore the comedy genre in TV programs. They discuss various forms of comedy, view the episode Larceny and discuss the use of slapstick. They compare comedy shows from three countries.
    Sample image for 'Larceny'
    Year Level: Year 5 to Year 9

    KLA: The Arts; English; Health and Physical Education

    Theme/Topic:     Ethics, Values, Justice; Self and Relationships    		 9. Would I Lie to You?


    Students explore the nature of lies, do a PMI activity about what the world might be like using Lennon's Imagine as the stimulus; create a slogan about truth and explore the concept of truth in media.
    Sample image for 'Would I Lie to You?'
    Year Level: Year 5 to Year 9

    KLA: The Arts; English; SOSE; Health and Physical Education

    Theme/Topic:     Self and Relationships; Growth and Development    		 10. Me, Myself and I


    Students explore the notion of identity and the discrepancies between how we see ourselves and how others see us.
    Sample image for 'Me, Myself and I'
    Year Level: Year 5 to Year 9

    KLA: English

    Theme/Topic:     Narrative Structure; Humour and Satire; Stereotypes    		 11. Nobody's Perfect


    This episode provides source material for exploring the notion of parody and the use of stereotypes in portraying young women, particularly English women.
    Sample image for 'Nobody's Perfect'
    Year Level: Year 3 to Year 8

    KLA: The Arts; English

    Theme/Topic:     Narrative Structure; Film Language    		 12. Opening Scenes


    This lesson introduces students to the different styles authors adopt when writing for television then writing the same story for print media.
    Sample image for 'Opening Scenes'
    Year Level: Year 5 to Year 9

    KLA: English

    Theme/Topic:     Narrative Structure; Humour and Satire; Stereotypes    		 13. School Daze


    Students discuss how the techniques of exposition, stereotyping, and idiomatic expressions help to tell a story. They write a script for a scene and write a character description.
    Sample image for 'School Daze'
    Year Level: Year 5 to Year 9

    KLA: English

    Theme/Topic:     Narrative Structure; Film Language    		 14. A Tale of Two Cities


    With these activities, students explore some of the techniques for creating mood and atmosphere in filmed narratives. They analyse the theme and the parallel plots running through the episode.
    Sample image for 'A Tale of Two Cities'
    Year Level: Year 5 to Year 9

    KLA: English

    Theme/Topic:     Humour and Satire; Stereotypes    		 15. The Triple Agent


    After viewing the episode The Triple Agent and others, students discuss the use of the running gag and stereotypes in comedy. They write some dialogue for Penelope that defies the stereotype.
    Sample image for 'The Triple Agent'
    Year Level: Year 5 to Year 9

    KLA: English

    Theme/Topic:     Narrative Structure    		 16. Triple Treat


    Students analyse narrative devices used to tell a story. They explore the concept of recurring themes, the convention of hiding information from all but one character, and use of binary oppositions.
    Sample image for 'Triple Treat'
    Year Level: Year 5 to Year 9

    KLA: The Arts; English; SOSE

    Theme/Topic:     Ethics, Values, Justice; Cultural Studies; Indigenous Issues; Civics and Citizenship    		 17. What's Mine is....Mine?


    Students explore the concept of property ownership including landrights and examine some legal aspects of property. They consider some philosophical issues about property and the real sources of happiness.
    Sample image for 'What's Mine is....Mine?'
    Year Level: Year 5 to Year 9

    KLA: English

    Theme/Topic:     Narrative Structure; Humour and Satire; Genre    		 18. Where It's At


    With these activities, students discuss the use of parody in story-telling, the role of sub-plots in a series and the use of the device of narrative knowledge.
    Sample image for 'Where It's At'
    Year Level: Year 5 to Year 9

    KLA: English

    Theme/Topic:     Narrative Structure; Film Language; Humour and Satire; Stereotypes    		 19. Wishing and Hoping


    Students analyse the use of exposition, conflict and dialogue in storytelling. They write their observations of the characters and situation presented then analyse how they made these observations.
    Sample image for 'Wishing and Hoping'
    ABOUT Genie from Down Under>> link