In this workshop, students are introduced to the fantastical picture book called the Incredible Freedom Machines by Kirli Saunders, a proud Gunai woman with ties to the Yuin, Gundungurra, Gadigal and Biripi peoples, Indigenous to Australia. Students examine their ideas of freedom, and write a one stanza poem about their very own freedom machine. The students explore what their machines look like, how it moves and where it would take them. This workshop produces heart-warming and surprising poetry full of delight and wonder. 

This workshop is ideal for a mixed ability classroom.

In this workshop students will explore the artworks of contemporary Australian artists including Ramesh Mario Nithiyendran, using their quirky and colourful sculptures to inspire poetry. Students will learn to unpack and decribe visual art and expand their vocabulary. Students will write their own poems bringing art to life by reimagining the stories and characters behind the works.

Looking to share contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices with your students? Each week students will explore a music video by contemporary Indigenous artists, including Baker Boy and King Stingray, and use their songs as inspiration for their own lyric writing. 

They will learn about Indigenous cultures and languages from diverse communities around Australia. 

Students will explore rhyme, similes and metaphor as they write lyrics on their own experiences and values in forms such as rap and lullabies.