Questions for discussionTax Balance

1. What were the biggest changes announced in the 2016 budget?2. It’s expected that there will be a _______ billion dollar deficit next year.3. What is the government planning to do to pay back the money it owes?4. Is it a good idea for everyone to pay a lot more tax? Explain your answer.5. Why is spending good for the economy?6. Should businesses pay a lot more tax? Give reasons for your answer.7. Finish the following sentence: Taxes pay for things like...8. The most Aussie’s pay in tax is around 45%. True or false?9. How does that compare to other countries? 10. What do you understand more clearly since watching the BtN story?

Write a message about the story and post it in the comments section on the story page

Ivory Trade1. Discuss the Ivory Trade story with another student. Record the three main points of your

discussion.2. What is happening to the piles of illegal ivory?3. Authorities started the fires to send a message to...4. Explain what poaching is.5. About how many elephants are being killed in Africa each year?6. Where does the ivory often end up? What sort of products is it used to make?7. Why is ivory a valuable product?8. When was a worldwide ban on ivory introduced?9. What other things have authorities done to fight poaching?10. Do you think it is a good idea to burn the ivory? Explain your answer.

Check out the Ivory Trade resource on the Teachers pageVote in the Behind the News online poll .

Eye Issues1. What was the main point of the BtN story?2. Glasses and contact lenses help correct a person’s____________.3. Using words or pictures, explain how the eye works.4. Why do some people have blurred vision?5. What are the two most common eye problems for kids?6. If you are long-sighted your have problems seeing things...7. What is short-sightedness?8. Short-sightedness is also called

©ABC 2016

Episode 1110th May 2016

a. Myopiab. Tunnel visionc. Glaucoma

9. What do scientists now think is the cause of myopia?10. Which animals did scientists use to test light levels?

Check out the Eye Issues resource on the Teachers pageDo the quiz on the BtN website

Refugee Experience1. Before you watch the BtN story, predict what the story is about. 2. Discuss the BtN story with another student. Record the main points of your discussion.3. What are the kids in the Refugee Experience story doing?4. Where is `Camp Refugee’?5. What is the purpose of the camp?6. What is the biggest challenge of the camp?7. Describe some of the challenging conditions the kids face on the camp.8. What did the kids on the camp learn about what it’s like to be a refugee?9. How would you feel about participating in the camp?10. Do you think `Camp Refugee’ is a good idea? Explain your answer.

Write a message about the story and post it in the comments section on the story page

Koala Tracker1. Explain the Koala Tracker story to another person.2. Why is Maya looking for koala poo?3. Why is it difficult to find koalas?4. What is happening to the koala population in many parts of Australia?5. What are the threats to koalas?6. Explain why dogs like Maya are good at finding koala poo.7. Why do you think stamina is important?8. Why is training important?9. How has Maya’s life changed since becoming a poo detection dog?10. What did you like about the Koala Tracker story?

Write a message about the story and post it in the comments section on the story page.

©ABC 2016

Teacher Resource

Ivory Trade

1. Discuss the Ivory Trade story with another student. Record the three main points of your discussion.

2. What is happening to the piles of illegal ivory?3. Authorities started the fires to send a message to...4. Explain what poaching is.5. About how many elephants are being killed in Africa each year?6. Where does the ivory often end up? What sorts of products is it

used to make?7. Why is ivory a valuable product?8. When was a worldwide ban on ivory introduced?9. What other things have authorities done to fight poaching?10. Do you think it is a good idea to burn the ivory? Explain your

answer.

What do you see, think and wonder?After watching the BtN Ivory Trade story, respond to the following questions as a class or in pairs:

- How did this story make you FEEL?- What did you SEE in this video?- What do you THINK about what you saw in this video?- What does this video make your WONDER?- What did you LEARN from this story?

Write a personal response to the Ivory Trade story. Leave a comment on the BtN Ivory Trade story page. Finish one or more of the following incomplete sentences:

Elephants are special because... Elephants are in danger because... Poaching is... In Kenya recently, authorities set fire to 100 tonnes of elephant

tusks to send a message to... We can protect the elephants by... It’s surprising that...

©ABC 2016

Episode 1110th May 2016

Students will develop and deeper understanding of African elephants and the issues related to the ivory trade.

Science – Year 7Science and technology contribute to finding solutions to a range of contemporary issues; these solutions may impact on other areas of society and involve ethical considerations (ACSHE120)

Geography – Year 4The importance of environments, including natural vegetation, to animals and people (ACHASSK088)

The main characteristics of the continents of Africa and South America and the location of their major countries in relation to Australia (ACHASSK087)

Six Hat Thinking As a class, use Edward De Bono’s Six Hat Thinking to explore the ivory trade issue. Make your own coloured hat cut-outs and place on the floor. Students will take it in turns answering questions in relation to what they already know about the issue, what they have learned from the BtN Ivory Trade story and what they want to learn further about the topic. Ask students the following questions:

How did the Ivory Trade story make you feel?How do you feel about ivory trading?

What do you know about ivory trading?What have you learnt from the story?

What are some of the positives that you learnt from the story?

What are some of the negatives or challenges that you learnt from the story?

Why is it important to raise awareness about the ivory trade issue? Think of ways to raise awareness about the issue.

What questions were raised during this activity?What do you want to learn further about this topic?

GlossaryBrainstorm a list of words that relate to the BtN Ivory Trade story. Use these words to make your own sentences about the issue. Consider using pictures and diagrams to illustrate the meaning and create your own glossary. Here are some words to get you started.

ivory poaching poacher tusk trade illegal traders animal rights smuggler supply and demand conservation

©ABC 2016

Creature Feature reportStudents will research and write a Creature Feature about the African Elephant. Display your research around the classroom or make a book for the class library. Use this Creature Feature: African Elephant worksheet to record your findings.

Consider creating a creature feature on the Asian elephant. How is it different to the African elephant? Explore how elephants from different climates have slightly different features and differ in size. Find out which of these elephant species have the biggest ears and the wrinkliest skin - and why!

©ABC 2016

Compare and contrastResearch the main types of natural vegetation and native animals found in tropical savannas in Africa. Compare them with those found in Australian tropical savannas. Use the table below to help organise your information.

As part of your research you will need to: Write down the name of the source of the information. Look for facts and opinions that answer your inquiry question/s. Write down in your own words facts and opinions from the source.

Compare and contrastAfrican

tropical savanna climate

Australian tropical savanna

climate

Where do these climate zones exist? Locate and highlight the region/s on a map

Native animals List and describe some of the native animals

that live in these areas How have these species adapted to the

natural environment? Include photographs and/or illustrations

Natural vegetation List and describe some of the species found

in this region How have these species adapted to the

natural environment? Include photographs and/or illustrations Create a diorama of the landscape

People Why is this type of environment important to

the people that live there?

Compare and contrastWrite a short report, highlighting some of the similarities and differences between Australian and African tropical savannas. Where else in the world can this type of climate zone be found?

ReferencesCollect and reference primary and secondary sources (including photographs, newspapers, stories and maps). Consider using internet search engines, museums and library catalogues to find your information. How useful were your sources of information?

©ABC 2016

Wildlife expedition to KenyaIn groups students will develop and plan a wildlife expedition to Kenya. Students will need to identify what their team’s expedition will involve. Teams should be looking for a blend of adventure, cultural and educational highlights (include 2-3 highlights). Research what the expedition highlights will be and as well a list of things to know about Kenya (see examples below).

Students will then plan their itinerary and budget. Research the cost of airfares from Australia to Kenya for the team. Students will need to consider any other costs when planning for the expedition. Design and create your own passports and a brochure.

Expedition highlights Visit Amboseli and Masai Mara

National Parks and meet a park ranger.

Track elephant families and lion prides in the national parks.

Meet wildlife biologists and learn about conservation efforts happening in the wildlife parks.

Meet some locals and find out how elephants bring benefits to the community through ecotourism.

Factsheet! Find out more about Kenya’s...

Climate Landscape People Culture and customs Language – learn some useful

words and phrases.

Design and create a tourism brochure promoting your wildlife expedition to Kenya.

Behind the News – Trophy Huntinghttp://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s4287353.htm

CBBC Newsround – 100 tonnes of poached ivory set on fire in Kenyahttp://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/36181536

Time for Kids – Crushing the Ivory Tradehttp://www.timeforkids.com/news/crushing-ivory-trade/248631

National Geographic – Tracking the illegal tusk tradehttp://www.nationalgeographic.com/tracking-ivory/map.html

National Geographic Education – History of the ivory tradehttp://education.nationalgeographic.org/media/history-ivory-trade/

WWF – African Elephantshttp://www.wwf.org.uk/wildlife/african_elephant/

BBC – Nature Wildlife: African Elephantshttp://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/life/African_elephant

©ABC 2016

Teacher Resource

Eye Issues

1. What was the main point of the BtN story?2. Glasses and contact lenses help correct a

person’s________________.3. Using words or pictures, explain how the eye works.4. Why do some people have blurred vision?5. What are the two most common eye problems for kids?6. If you are long sighted your have problems seeing things...7. What is short-sightedness?8. Short-sightedness is also called

a. Myopiab. Tunnel visionc. Glaucoma

9. Which animals did scientists use to test light levels?10. What was surprising about this story?

KWLH OrganiserDiscuss the BtN Eye Issues story as a class. What questions were raised in the discussion (what are the gaps in their knowledge)? Ask students to record what they know about the eye; how it works, the parts of the eye and eye conditions like short sightedness.

The following KWLH organiser provides students with a framework to explore their knowledge on this topic and consider what they would like to know and learn.

What do I know?

What do I want to know?

What have I learnt?

How will I find out?

©ABC 2016

Episode 1110th May 2016

Students will investigate and explain how the human eye works.

Science - Year 5Light from a source forms shadows and can be absorbed, reflected and refracted (ACSSU080)

Science – Years 5 & 6Scientific understandings, discoveries and inventions are used to solve problems that directly affect peoples’ lives (ACSHE083) (ACSHE100)

Communicate ideas, explanations and processes in a variety of ways, including multi-modal texts (ACSIS093) (ACSIS110)

Science - Years 7 & 8Communicate ideas, findings and solutions to problems using scientific language and representations using digital technologies as appropriate (ACSIS133)  (ACSIS148)

English – Years 5 & 6Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive print and multimodal texts, choosing text structures, language features, images and sound appropriate to purpose and audience Years (ACELY1704) (ACELY1714)

How does the eye work?Students will investigate the parts of the human eye and what each part does. Students will use the following as a guide during their investigation.

Draw a diagram of the human eye. Label the features of the eye including the cornea, pupil, lens, iris, retina and optic nerve. Create a glossary on each of the features of the eye. Create a model of the eye. Explain to another student how our eyes work.

Students will develop their own question/s for inquiry, collecting and recording information from a wide variety of sources (internet, books, newspaper and magazines). Alternatively, students can respond to one or more of the following questions.

How do our eyelids, eyelashes, eyebrows and tears protect our eyes?

What is our blind spot? How can cats see in the dark?

Information ReportStudents will collect and record information about the eye using a wide variety of sources (internet, books, newspaper and magazines) and present in the form of an information report.

The following may help guide students’ research: Description – How the eye works Diseases and disorders Interesting facts

Structure and features of an information reportInformation reports are factual texts written to inform and provide detailed facts about a topic. Discuss with students what they already know about the purpose, structure and features of an information report. Use the following as a guide to use with students.

Purpose – An information report provides information to the reader by stating facts. Structure – see table below. Language features – write in the present tense, use technical or scientific words and write in the

third person.

©ABC 2016

Source: Ask A Biologist, Seeing Colour. Link

Students can then use the following plan to help write their report. There are some website links at the end of this activity to help students with their research.

Information report – structure

Title States a topic

Introduction The opening statement explains the subject of the report, and includes a definition or short description.

Body Facts grouped into paragraphs. Starts with a topic sentence. Include subject specific language. Text features such as sub-headings, labelled diagrams, charts and captioned photographs may be included.

Conclusion A summary of what the topic is about and end with an interesting fact.

Behind the News has covered a number of stories relating to eyes. Student can watch one or more of the following stories and respond to the questions:

Watch BtN’s Eyesight story and respond to the following questions:

1. How many kids in Australia under 12 have a vision problem?

2. What are the two most common eye problems in kids?

3. If you are long sighted you have problems seeing things…

4. What is short-sightedness?5. What does Alexis wear when she plays sport?6. Contact lenses work the same way as glasses.

True or false?7. What happens to the lenses in our eyes over time?8. What does that mean for our eyesight?9. Who pays for an eye test at the optometrist?10. Name three facts learnt in the Eyesight story.

©ABC 2016

Watch BtN’s Colour Confusion story and respond to the following questions:

1. What does it mean to be colour blind?2. What do the rods and cones in our eyes do?3. Which part of the eye doesn’t work properly in

someone who is colour blind?4. Which colours does David have trouble seeing?5. What proportion of boys are colour blind?6. About how many girls are colour blind?7. Colour blindness is not a genetic condition. True

or false?8. How does David’s colour blindness impact on his life?9. Illustrate an aspect of this story.10. What was surprising about this story?

Watch BtN’s Bionic Eye story and respond to the following questions:

1. How long has Jessye been blind?2. How does she get around?3. Describe echo location.4. Scientists hope the bionic eye will help around

____% of people to see.5. What is the cochlear bionic ear and how does it

work?6. Choose three adjectives to describe how Sophie

felt when she could hear and speak for the first time.

7. What job does the retina perform?8. Using words or pictures, describe how the bionic eye works.9. Describe the images people would see with the bionic eye.10. What do you now know about bionics since watching the BtN story?

ABC Catalyst – Myopiahttp://www.abc.net.au/catalyst/stories/4450296.htm

Behind the News – Eyesighthttp://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s3314154.htm

Behind the News – Colour Confusionhttp://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s4191136.htm

Behind the News – Bionic Eyehttp://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s3779423.htm

Child and Youth Health – How your eyes workhttp://www.cyh.com/HealthTopics/HealthTopicDetailsKids.aspx?p=335&np=152&id=1730

©ABC 2016

Child and Youth Health – Vision: Short sightedness (myopia)http://www.cyh.com/HealthTopics/HealthTopicDetails.aspx?p=243&id=2378&np=292

Eye Care Plus – Sight Matters: Children’s vision problemshttp://www.eyecareplus.com.au/downloads/Child_visn_A4.pdf

©ABC 2016

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter for an update on upcoming BtN stories and other useful and relevant teacher information. Visit the BtN website and go to the Teachers page to join up.

BtN: Episode 11 Transcript 10/05/16

Hello and welcome BtN!

Coming up today:

Why some people thought this was a bad move in the fight against poachers.

We find out if staring at a screen can really ruin your eyesight.

And the dog that tracks koalas in the most smelly way imaginable.

You will see all of that soon.

But first:

Tax Balance

Reporter: Nic Maher

INTRO: The 2016 Australian budget has now been revealed and some of the biggest changes were to tax rates. Some people and companies were given tax cuts while other companies might soon be getting taxed more. But what do Treasurers have to keep in mind when tinkering with tax rates like this? In this prequel to last week's budget story BtN's resident treasurer gave us exclusive access as he tried to decide where to set his tax rates for this year's budget.

ANNOUNCER: Previously, on BtN's Budget Emergency.

COMMUNICATION KID: Sir, it's getting closer. We need to make some decisions.

TREASURER: Just give me a minute, I need to think!

COMMUNICATION KID: But it's nearly time!

ANNOUNCEMENT: Budget will release in 3, 2, 1.

TREASURER: This whole 'making the budget' business is a piece of cake. I can't believe people actually stress out over this kind of stuff.

ADVISOR: Alright, let's get to it. They're saying we'll have a big budget deficit next year. We need to start paying that back. What do you want to do?

TREASURER: Well, check this out! Everyone pays heaps more in taxes, we get more money, goodbye deficit. Let's get some milkshakes.

©ABC 2016

ADVISOR: I don't think that's going to work. With less money, Aussies can't buy as much stuff.

TREASURER: Why does that matter? Can't people just spend less for the next few years.

ADVISOR: They could, but spending is good for the economy. More spending means more money for businesses, which means more jobs for people and more people paying taxes to the government. Plus, it's not exactly a vote winner and there is an election coming up.

TREASURER: Alright I've got it! How about we make businesses pay more tax til it's all sorted out? Solved!

ADVISOR: I don't think that's going to work sir! Businesses need money so they can hire more people and grow. If you take too much away from them, that means fewer jobs and fewer people with money to spend, and that's bad news for the economy.

TREASURER: So you're saying I can't get more money from anyone! Fine! How about we get rid of taxes altogether. At least then everyone will have heaps of cash, the economy will be doing really well and everyone will be happy!

ADVISOR: Not so fast. That means the government won't have any money to spend. That means no healthcare, no schools, no roads and that will make a lot of people angry.

TREASURER: I don't get it. How about other countries, can we steal their ideas?

ADVISOR: Well, every country works differently. The most an Aussie pays in tax is around 45%. But, in somewhere like Denmark it's around 60% because they get things like free uni degrees, really good maternity leave and some of the lowest poverty rates anywhere.

TREASURER: Are all countries taxes that high?

ADVISOR: No, not all of them. Some countries like Russia only tax people 13% and others like Qatar don't tax people at all! Some people don't expect their government to do much and others get money from different places, like selling natural resources.

TREASURER: This budget stuff is a nightmare! I'm just going to try and balance it all out somewhere in the middle.

LEIGH SALES: Joining me in our Canberra studio to talk us through his first budget is Treasurer Johnson.

TREASURER: Hi Leigh, thanks for having me.

LEIGH SALES: People have described your budget as boring, a balancing act. Are you afraid to make the tough decisions?

TREASURER: I'm sick of this!

©ABC 2016

Presenter: Well that didn't end well. Now, the budget wasn't the only political news around this week. There was also the small matter of a federal election being called.

The Week in News

It's official, Australia will be heading to the polls on Saturday the second of July! Yesterday Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull went to visit the Governor General to ask him to call a double-dissolution election. That means every Aussie politician is out of a job. And has to campaign for re-election! But there's still 9 weeks til the Election Day itself. So this will be the longest campaign in almost 50 years.

Emergency crews in Canada are desperately fighting a huge wildfire that's burning out of control. It started last Sunday in the state of Alberta. And so far more than 100 thousand people have had to evacuate. Authorities say the fire has destroyed more than 1600 buildings. And reckon it could be months til it's completely brought under control.

And police officers around the world have been engaged in an epic battle. Of dance! Last week police in New Zealand issued a running man challenge to Aussie, US and UK cops. And they set the bar pretty high! In response the NYPD got some local kids to help out.

While police from the Northern Territory had a croc onboard! They've now passed the gauntlet on to others proving that many cops have a great sense of humour and some pretty good moves too.

Ivory Trade

Reporter: Emma Davis

INTRO: Next up authorities in Kenya, Africa have been fighting poachers and the illegal wildlife trade for decades. Last week they took the dramatic step of burning more than 100 tonnes of elephant tusks they'd seized. Their aim was to send a message to the world. But some think they may have made a mistake.

Here, in the middle of Nairobi National Park, more than 100 million dollars is going up in flames. These are piles and piles of illegal ivory. More than 100 tonnes of elephant tusks, representing the death of thousands and thousands of elephants. Authorities started these fires to send a message to poachers in Africa and illegal traders around the world.

ROBIN HOLLISTER, FIRE MASTER: How do you send a message, you do something spectacular.

©ABC 2016

HELEN CLARK, UNITED NATIONS: That elephant alive is worth so much more than it ever was dead.

Africa is home to around 500 thousand elephants but the United Nations says 25 to 30 thousand are killed every year, many as a result of poaching. Poaching is when a person illegally kills an animal to sell part of it. In the case of elephants, poachers kill them to steal their ivory tusks. Ivory is used to make things like ornaments, jewellery and sculptures and in many countries, particularly in Asia, people will pay thousands of dollars for them because it's a sign of wealth and some believe ivory might have medicinal properties if eaten!

This is a piece of ivory that Australian customs officials confiscated from someone coming into the country and so is this one. This is an elephant's tusk and it was donated. It's been carved and is probably worth thousands and thousands of dollars.

In 1989 a worldwide ban on ivory was introduced which made it illegal to buy new ivory products. Experts say after that, the demand for ivory went down and elephant numbers started to recover. But over the past 10 years, poaching has increased, partly because of demand in countries like China and Vietnam.

ALI BONGO ONDIMBA, PRESIDENT OF GABON: Even in Gabon, the value of a forest elephant ivory has sparked an alarming increase in poaching. Poaching has turned elephants into refugees.

Authorities have tried heaps of different things to fight poaching, like using drones to spot illegal hunting parties, giving rangers special training and creating special private reserves for the elephants to live on. But recently African leaders got together to talk about new ways to stop poachers in their countries, like burning ivory. Kenya's president wants other leaders to destroy their stockpiles like he did, to show that they don't tolerate poaching.

UHURU KENYATTA, KENYAN PRESIDENT: And to do what we can to ensure that never again will our elephants be attacked in this way.

But not everyone agrees. Some think that the burn will actually make ivory more expensive because there'll be less of it available on the market and that could encourage more people to become poachers. Some have even suggested creating ivory farms and making ivory trading legal again to get rid of the need for poaching.

While many people are divided on how to tackle the illegal ivory trade, most agree that more needs to be done to stop these great creatures from disappearing forever.

Poll

And staying with Ivory, I think the controversy around that burn will make for an interesting poll. Do you think burning the ivory was a good idea? To vote just head to our website.

©ABC 2016

Eye Issues

Reporter: Carl Smith

INTRO: Now to some eye news, over the past 50 years, short-sightedness or myopia has increased dramatically around the world. Many researchers have blamed things like increased screen time. But now, evidence has come out that points to a different cause.

CARL SMITH, REPORTER: Our eyes help us to see the world around us.

But for kids like Sophie, and nearly half of all Australians, their eyes show them a slightly different version of the world.

REPORTER: I'm also one of those people who needs to wear glasses or contacts!

The lenses in my glasses correct my vision so I can see the world clearly.

But how come my eyes can't do that by themselves?

Well in a normal healthy eye light comes through the 'cornea' at the front.

Then it's focussed by the 'lens' onto the back of your eye.

There you'll find a layer of special nerve cells that detect light and colour called the 'retina'.

And that helps to tell your brain what you are seeing.

But some people's eyes are shaped a little differently which can distort or blur what they see!

Being long-sighted or short-sighted are the two most common eye problems kids can have.

REPORTER: Being long-sighted means it's hard to see things up close, and being short-sighted like me means it's hard to see things that are far away.

And it's short-sightedness, also known as being 'myopic', that lots of people have been especially worried about lately.

In countries like China around one in five people used to be short-sighted.

But lately that's jumped up and now four out of every five kids leaving high school have the condition!

And the numbers have also been rising in places like Europe and the US, with signs Australia is also starting to follow the trend.

For a long time many people have thought it's reading or too much time in front of screens that's increasing short-sightedness.

But scientists now say the problem could be not getting enough sunlight!

©ABC 2016

And this is how they tested it - with chickens and tiny goggles.

These little guys are being exposed to different levels of light to see how it affects their sight!

And the result?

Well with 3 to 5 hours of bright light each day fewer chickens became short sighted!

ASSISTANT PROF REGAN: That is enough per day of this high light to prevent myopia.

These guys say that light releases a chemical called dopamine in our bodies which can stop or slow short-sightedness!

Lots of people will still have to wear glasses because eye conditions can be genetic too.

REPORTER: But the research is really good news for many school kids! Because the scientists reckon if you can spend a few hours outside every day, then there's a much lower chance of you becoming short sighted.

Researchers are even testing out some new ways to bring more light into kids' lives.

So in places like China they're trialling these glass classrooms that let in more light all day!

Spending more time outside in bright light won't mean everyone will always see clearly but it could mean a sharper world for many.

Quiz

How long does it take your eye to blink?

Is it

1/100th of a second

1/10th of a second

Or a second.

Answer: 1/10th of a second

Kind Classrooms

Now, last week we launched BtN's Kind Classrooms, a campaign that aims to get all classes around Australia thinking of something small they can do for someone else. We've

©ABC 2016

had a great response so far, with heaps of schools all over Australia signing up. Some say they're going to help at an aged care home, some are giving food to the needy, some are even washing their teacher's cars! That is kind!

Just remember there is still time for your class to register and get involved. All it takes is one kind idea and your class could end up on BtN. Go to our website for all the info you need to become one of BtN's Kind Classrooms today.

Refugee Experience

Reporter: Carl Smith

INTRO: Now kids’ camps are usually a fun experience. But one camp for kids in Norway is anything but. Its aim is to give attendees a glimpse into life as a refugee. And despite being really tough, Norwegian kids are signing up in huge numbers. Here's a taste of what it's like.

Hiding in the trees, crossing borders, unable to stop to catch their breath. But earlier that morning life was very different for these teenagers.

KRISTINE: Do you think it's going to be wet outside?

MAREN: I hope not!

KRISTINE: Yeah.

MAREN: My name is Maren.

KRISTINE: My name is Kristine. I am 15 years old. And now we're going to Camp Refugee. That's a camp where you play a refugee for 24 hours.

Kristine and Maren are just two of the schoolkids taking part in a giant, real-life simulation of what it would be like to be a refugee.

KRISTINE: I'm expecting that it's going to be hard and maybe a little bit cold. We'll probably get hungry because we're not getting too much food.

To start the day-long camp they have to take on brand new names and nationalities. So for today they've become refugees from Sudan in Africa.

MAREN: But it's my new identity. So, this is who I am now.

The camp's organisers want to give the kids on this camp a glimpse of what life could be like for refugees forced to flee their homes.

KENNETH JOHANSEN, SOCIAL WORKER: Biggest challenge is that they don't know what's gonna happen. Norwegian kids don't have a grip of what it means to be a refugee. They see it on TV, but they don't know the feeling.

©ABC 2016

So while on the camp the kids face the kinds of challenging conditions many of the world's refugees would.

KRISTINE: Not very many people are speaking to us because we are women. We can't talk to other men.

CAMP REFUGEE EMPLOYEE II: Is there anything in your backpack I need know about?

As they travel through the night, experiencing what it would be like crossing into new countries, things can get pretty full on.

KRISTINE: Walking, running, threw ourselves in the side of the road every time a car drove by.

CAMP REFUGEE EMPLOYEE IV: You have been on a long journey. This is a place to relax and get new energy. Here you will get water, you will get the chance to go to the toilet.

MAREN: Now it's just relaxing and maybe get some food and water.

But just like in the real world, refugee camps aren't always the most stable places to live.

MAREN: I don't know. They suddenly just screamed that we have to move and pack our stuff.

KRISTINE: They told us earlier that this place was safe, but obviously not.

Finally, at the end of their 24 hour refugee journey, crossing through many different countries they've arrived in Norway.

CAMP REFUGEE EMPLOYEE IV: OK, how did you get to Norway? I want the exact route.

But just like with real refugees, not all of them have been given asylum in this final country.

CAMP REFUGEE EMPLOYEE V: You walked far and came up against many challenges! Only a few has been granted temporary stay in the Kingdom of Norway!

MAREN: It was a long and exhausting journey, but in the end, we didn't even get our asylum.

It wasn't the most fun school camp. But it showed these guys just how tough it can be for those, forced to flee their countries, hoping for a safe place to call home.

Quiz

Time for our second quiz now. How many refugees were there worldwide at the end of 2014?

©ABC 2016

950,000

9.5 million

or 19.5 million

Answer: 19.5 million

Sport

It's been a bad week for the Parramatta Eels. The club's been accused of cheating by breaking the NRL's Salary Cap rules. The rules limit how much clubs can spend on players to make sure rich teams can't buy all the best talent. Now the Eels could lose all 12 competition points they've earned this season and face a really big fine.

The Youth Girls AFL National Championships wrapped up on Friday as Victoria Metro beat Western Australia in the Grand Final. The Victorians dominated the match winning 95 points to zero. It capped off a big week of footy for some of Australia's best young female footy players.

Leicester City has won the English Premier League for the first time in its 132 year history. Experts are calling it one of the biggest underdog sports stories ever.

ALAN BIRCHENALL, FORMER LEICESTER CITY PLAYER: If you wrote a script and Walt Disney was still alive he'd say I'm not doing that as a film it's too unbelievable.

In fact, at the beginning of the season experts thought it was more likely, we'd discover the Lochness monster actually exists or we'd find life on other planets.

Koala Tracker

Reporter: Carl Smith

Okay finally today, to better protect endangered species, scientists often have to do massive surveys to work out how many there are in the wild. But some animals can be pretty tough to track down like, say koalas that live up in the treetops. So one group of researchers has come up with a pretty interesting way to track them down - koala tracking dogs. Just wait till you hear how they sniff them out though.

CARL SMITH, REPORTER: This is Maya, and she's on the hunt. But she's not hunting an animal; she's hunting its poo.

©ABC 2016

DR ROMANE CRISTESCU: Maya's job is to help us humans do a better job finding koala poo.

Yep, Maya is a koala poo hunter. Disgusting. So how come Maya's trained to find koala droppings? Well it's to help her handlers find the koalas that dropped them there. Because koalas aren't always that easy to find, hiding all the way up in their trees.

DR CELINE FRERE: The great thing with dogs is they can smell what we can't see. Koala poo smells very much of eucalyptus, and so they can help us locate scats very easily.

DR ROMANE CRISTESCU: Where is it? Where is it? Do you see? She just pointed at it with her nose and then she dropped. You're such a good girl, Maya. Well done.

And a smart nose like this one can even track down koalas that have moved around a bit!

DR ROMANE CRISTESCU: The poo stay in the environment for many months, sometimes years, which mean that if you arrive in a site and there's no koala, you may find the evidence on the ground, and that tells you that's koala habitat.

In many parts of Australia koala numbers are declining because of dog attacks, road strikes and vanishing habitat. So researchers like these guys are trying to figure out which are the most important areas to keep protected.

DR ROMANE CRISTESCU: You can see how small they are and they're so easily obscured in the litter, so for a human to see that is really hard. Maya, Maya!

Although a canine researcher might sound like a strange idea, dogs like Maya are really suited to the job!

DR CELINE FRERE: You need a lot of stamina because you have to cover a lot of ground and look under each tree for scats. For Maya that's not a problem. She's playing and she has high stamina, so she's 20 times faster at finding the scats. But most importantly for conservation, she's 150% more accurate.

But even the best poo detectors need to keep their skills up with a bit of training!

DR CELINE FRERE: So it's very simple 'cause we don't want to take her in the bush and for her to start indicating on possum poo or eastern grey poo. We want to make sure that Maya knows what koala poo is and exclude any other marsupial poo.

And what does Maya get out of it? Well, first up she was actually rescued and given a home when she got the job!

DR ROMANE CRISTESCU: It was a win-win for her. She got a second family, and for us, we pretty much got the best detection dog we could wish for.

And on top of that, for this pup tracking and playing fetch rarely feels like work.

DR ROMANE CRISTESCU: You're such a good girl, Maya! If you think about it, dogs don't go to work for a salary, they go to work because for them it's play.

©ABC 2016

CLOSER

And that brings us to an end for today!

Please head to our website for more info on anything you've seen today including how you can be a part of BtN's Kind Classrooms.

And I'll see you next week!

Bye for now.

©ABC 2016