Chinese Explorers

See below for a summary table of these resources.
Detailed information for teachers is provided in the Teachers’ notes section of this website.

Accessing the Explorers

  1. You can access the Explorers from this website by linking directly to the launch page of each Explorer.
  2. You can download (zip file) a standalone executable version of each Explorer (no plug ins required).*
  3. To run the Explorers locally on a school network (LAN or WAN) in browser mode with a functioning Backpack, you require a server side solution. A ‘web’ version for deployment on a LAN or WAN in either ‘.php’ or ‘asp.net’ can be provided on request. Only these two versions have been prepared. Note that these versions will not be supported by technical help. Contact: col@curriculum.edu.au

NOTE: The standalone versions that you can download are compressed .zip files. These must be extracted/unzipped/uncompressed before they can be used using Winzip, Stuffit expander, Winrar etc. See Technical help for more information.

Explorer 1: Chinatown Explorer 2: Beijing Zoo
  1. Launch Chinatown
  2. Download standalone: Windows (16.3 MB) | Mac OS X (20.5 MB)
  1. Launch Beijing Zoo
  2. Download standalone: Windows (14.2 MB) | Mac OS X (18.3 MB)
Explorer 3: Food and Drink Explorer 4: Minority Groups
  1. Launch Food and Drink
  2. Download standalone: Windows (17.9 MB) | Mac OS X (22 MB)
  1. Launch Minority Groups
  2. Download standalone: Windows (16.7 MB) | Mac OS X (20.9 MB)

1 Chinatown: This learning object will provide students with the opportunity to visit seven locations in Sydney’s Chinatown. These include a Chinese pharmacy, a yumcha restaurant, Chinese garden, Signs and shrines, Internet cafe, Chinese gift shop and a Chinese book.

Tour 1: In Tour 1, a Chinese boy and an Australian girl visit a Chinese garden, a Chinese gift shop and a Daniang dumpling outlet.

Tour 2: In Tour 2, they visit an Internet cafe and a Chinese herbalist and enjoy yumcha.
2 Beijing Zoo: The aim of this learning object is to develop students’ awareness of China’s environmental conservation work by investigating some of the country’s indigenous animals.

Tour 1: In Tour 1, a Chinese guide and an Australian visitor discuss the different animals in Chinese.

Tour 2: In Tour 2, a Chinese guide and an Australian visitor discuss the Hanzi for some Chinese and Australian animals. This tour is in English.
3 Food and Drink: The aim of this learning object is to develop students’ awareness of the different types of food and drink available in China, from fruit and vegetables to meat, seafood and staple foods.

Tour 1: In Tour 1, two Chinese teenagers talk about the different food and drink while preparing for a surprise birthday celebration.

Tour 2: In Tour 2, the Chinese host and the Australian birthday girl are enjoying the meal that has been prepared.
4 Minority Groups (in China): The aim of this learning object is to develop students’ awareness of China’s multicultural and multilingual diversity by exploring some of the country’s minority groups. Approximately 92 per cent of China’s total population of 1.2 billion belongs to the Han ethnic group. In the Chinese context the term ‘minority groups’ refers to the 8 per cent of the population who belong to more than 50 other ethnic groups.

Tour 1: In Tour 1, a Han Chinese is the visitor and the guide is from a minority group.

Tour 2: In Tour 2, a westerner is the visitor and the guide is a Han Chinese.
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