"Good" Flag, "Bad" Flag

Primary Middle Secondary

 

Australian Curriculum General Capability: Critical and creative thinking

Australian Curriculum General Capability: Literacy

Australian Curriculum General Capability: Personal and social capability

 

Cooperative Learning Activity

 

Teacher

Here is the local copy of the PDF by Ted Kaye from the North American Vexillological Association. Not all vexillologists agreed with the NAVA assessment of flags but it is a good place to start.

Article was at: https://www.ausflag.com.au/assets/images/Good-Flag-Bad-Flag.pdf

Local Copy - PDF - Good Flag, Bad Flag.

 

 

Students

 

1. In pairs, study the following article "Good" Flag, "Bad" Flag by using the Local Copy.

 

2. At the end, there is an exercise to decide on the "good" flags according to the article. Complete this exercise together. Discuss why or why not you classify each flag into "good" or "bad" flag.

3. With your knowledge, look at the following flags from around our region and decide if it is a "good" flag or a "bad" flag. Look at 6 flags each and identify the "good" and "bad" designs.

4. Discuss with your partner your ideas.

 

Papua & New Guinea	New Zealand
Singapore	Malaysia
Indonesia	Japan
China	India
Taiwan	Pakistan
NZ's rejected flag 2016	Australia

 

 

 

 

Design a new Australian Flag

 

Middle Secondary

 

Australian Curriculum General Capability: Critical and creative thinking

Australian Curriculum General Capability: Literacy

Australian Curriculum General Capability: Personal and social capability

Cooperative Learning Activity

 

This activity requires students to "Connect Three". Here is the Local Word doc that needs looking at and printing before the students start the activity.

 

Students

 

1. Form groups of 3 - 5 students and look at the Connect Three activities you need to complete. Local Copy: Word doc. Divide up the activities between the group knowing that your group needs to complete 3 activities.

 

Process: select one row (horizontal, vertical or diagonal) and complete the activities.

2. Read the following articles from The Conversation. 

The Conversation 25 March 2014

The Conversation 20 April 2015

Also, The Conversation 1 February 2016

A proposed new flag that everyone's talking about... but what do Aboriginal

people think about it?

The Conversation 7 April 2014

Boxing Kangaroo Flag [Wikipedia] - Australia's Sporting Flag

OR

Local Copy - PDF - Boxing Kangaroo History

Did You Know? WA Maritime Museum Ever wondered about the history behind Australia's iconic boxing Kangaroo flag? This emblematic symbol traces its roots back to a 1981 match race in England between yachts owned by Australia's Alan Bond and England's Peter de Savary. Before the race, de Savary hoisted a battle flag featuring a cigar-smoking bulldog named Winston. The Aussies weren't about to back down and responded with the first version of the, now iconic, kangaroo emblem complete with red boxing gloves, ready to take on the bulldog. As the lead-up to the historic 1983 America’s Cup challenge heated up, the flag was further refined into the version we all know and love today by Steve Castledine, a 23-year-old graphic designer from Perth. Steve received an unexpected call from Bond’s Syndicate Executive Director, Warren Jones, with the urgent task of designing a new boxing kangaroo for a battle flag. He dove into library records, seeking inspiration from past representations. His goal was to create a design that was not only easy to reproduce but also fun and formidable, ready to take on a 'bald eagle or British bulldog'. Little did he know that this design would transcend its origins, evolving into an informal national emblem. Now, this historic flag has found its home at the WA Museum, where it features prominently in our latest exhibition, Australia II: 40 Years On. (2023)

3. Complete the Connect Three that your group has decided on and help each other to complete the task. .

4. Share with another group who have completed a different lot of connect three.

Design a new Australian Flag

You can use any of the following free flag creators. Instructions are on their websites

a. https://flag-creator.com/

b. https://tennessine.co.uk/flags/ 

c. https://www.canva.com/create/flags/

The Jolly Roger

Teacher

Students are to use the Question Grid to interrogate the podcast - the Jolly Roger. You need to teach students how to use the Question Grid.

The Jolly Roger - Object in Time (28 mins listening)

This is the story of one of history’s most mysterious flags - the Jolly Roger.

It’s the pirate flag that defined one of the world’s most intriguing criminal enterprises and it helps us to understand how the high seas transformed from lawlessness to order.

Guests:

Dr Rebecca Simon, author of Why We Love Pirates
Peter Leeson, Duncan Black Professor of Economics and Law at George Mason University
Dr Ziv Bohrer, Senior Lecturer at Bar-Ilan University Faculty of Law

Credits:

Presenter: Sarah Percy, Associate Professor of International Relations at the University of Queensland

Students

1. Form groups of 3 - 5 students.

2. Listen to the Jolly Roger - An Object in Time, or read this article from ABC RN about the Object in Time or view the video.

History of the Jolly Roger | The Pirates Port
https://youtu.be/Y7yO6phlTAc?si=CzMuze2AdnRfsfY8

3. Use the Question Grid to interrogate this podcast, or article or video (or all three!). Split up the questions between the students in your group. Write up the questions and the answers.

4. Add to your knowledge of Pirates by looking at the following articles and add to the answers you have obtained already. 

Wikipedia - The Jolly Roger 

Very detailed - it might need 2 students to read and report to the others in the group.

The Conversation 24 May 2017

The Conversation 21 August 2017

The Conversation 3 May 2022

The Conversation 30 May 2024

5. Share with another group your questions and answers.

Denmark's New Royal Coat of Arms: Spot the Difference!

Play Spot the Difference by providing the students with the image of the two coats of arms side by side. Here is the image of the two coats of arms to be printed in colour for each group of students.

Students

1. Form groups of 3 - 5 students. The Realm of Denmark consists of Greenland, Faroe Islands and Denmark. These territories can be found within the red line on the map below. 

Look at the following maps to give you an idea of the territory "The Realm" you will be studying.

Greenland, Faroe Islands, Denmark
(Source: Foreign Affairs, Denmark)

Different aspect of same territory

(Source: Research Gate)

2. Look at the following flags of The Realm of Denmark. What are the similarities?

Faroe Islands' Flag
(Source: About Denmark)

Greenland's Flag
(Source: About Denmark)

Denmark's Flag - this is the world's oldest national flag in continuous use.
(Source: Nordics Info)

3. Read the following article from The Conversation and note down the history of Denmark on a timeline.

On a map show the significant territories when they were part of Denmark and when they were lost to Denmark or remained.

The Conversation 23 January 2025

4. King Frederick changed the Royal Coat of Arms in December 2024. Why did King Frederick change the Royal Coat of Arms? State reasons.

What is the Kalmar union?

5. Here is the old coat of arms and the new one (below).

Using "Spot the difference" show all the differences between the two Royal Coat of Arms. List these differences in each Royal Coat of Arms. You can show them on the image provided by your teacher and write down the differences.

 How many did you find? Check with another group to see all the differences.

6. Create a timeline for the different aspects of each Royal Coat of Arms.

Optional Extra

 Secondary

Discuss as a class why President Trump wants to have Greenland. Should he have it? At what price?

Resources to read

Wikipedia

ABC News: 14 February 2025

Australian Flags and Flag Protocol

Teacher

You are to indicate where students can find Australian Flags and Flag Protocol - in the Australian Army Cadet Corps package from pages 131 - 164. Black & white version - 131 - 142; Coloured version with more information 143 - 164.

Local Copy PDF - Full PDF Flag Protocol from pages 131 - 164

Your students are to create & conduct a Snakes N Ladders game after creating 20 questions about the Flag Protocol.

Students

1. Form groups of 3 - 5 students. Divide up amongst your group for reading of the Protocols for the appropriate use and the flying of the flag.

Your group is to create a  game of Snakes & Ladders around Flying the Australian National Flag - page 131 - 164 of Australian Flags and Flag Protocol - in the Australian Army Cadet Corps package

You can use a local copy - PDF with the same page numbers.

2. Your group is to create 20 questions (and their answers - which could include drawings) to conduct a Snakes & Ladders game. Remember your group is also to play the game from another group.

Use the Virtual Dice Roller to create the number for the turn.