Discovery

Images

Photo of the Day | National Geographic This link opens in a new window
HubbleSite Gallery This link opens in a new window
"Explore the universe through Hubble's eye, and witness the most dangerous, spectacular and mysterious depths of the cosmos."

Discovery News

Discovery News This link opens in a new window
From the Discovery Channel.

Non-fiction

Temple Grandin by Sy Montgomery; Temple Grandin
Call Number: 616.85 GRA
ISBN: 9780544339095
Publication Date: 2014-10-07
Untamed by Anita Silvey; Jane Goodall (Foreword by)
Call Number: 599.885 GOO
ISBN: 9781426315183
Publication Date: 2015-06-09

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Engraving of a flea. 'Micrographia', published in 1665, is the result of detailed observations by Robert Hooke using the recently invented microscope.
Source: Wellcome Library, London

This Area of Study requires students to explore the ways in which the concept of discovery is represented in and through texts.

Students consider the ways composers may invite them to experience discovery through their texts and explore how the process of discovering is represented using a variety of language modes, forms and feature.

BOS Area of Study 2015-18 Syllabus This link opens in a new window

Spud by John Van de Ruit
Call Number: REAL F VAN
ISBN: 9780141323565
Publication Date: 2005

Visuals

'An Experiment on the Bird in the Air Pump' by Joseph Wright (1768)
Masterpiece of British art, candlelit scene of enlightenment.
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Discoveries can emerge from a process of deliberate and careful planning evoked by curiosity, necessity or wonder.
'Wanderer above the sea of fog' by Caspar Friedrich (1818)
Iconic romantic landscape.
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Discovery can encompass the experience of discovering something for the first time or rediscovering something that has been lost, forgotten or concealed.
'Arrowhead Night' by Joshua Warren (2014)
Metaphors for discovery include arrow, moon, rocket / creative, intellectual, physical.
'Self Portrait' by Gordon Bennett
Indigenous Australian identity. Click on the link to go to the National Gallery of Victoria site with supporting educational resources.
'The Conciliation' by Benjamin Dutterau (1840)
First historical painting in the colonies, Australia. Click on the link to go to ABC Hobart site and more detailed info.
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Texts have the potential to affirm or challenge individuals’ or more widely-held assumptions and beliefs about aspects of human experience and the world

Poetry

Percy Shelley
Links to information about Shelley and an extensive collection of his poems. Try 'Ozymandias' (1817) and 'Epipsychidion' (1821).
'Science' (1994) by Alison Deming
This link takes you to the poem and some information about the author.
Poem Hunter
This is an international poetry database. Search for poems from around the world here.
Australian Poetry Library
This is an Australian poetry library database.
Poetry Foundation
This is a USA poetry database.

Drama Scripts

'Man of La Mancha' (1964) by Dale Wasserman
This links to a Wikipedia page with lots of information about the play including a synopsis and study guide.
'Oedipus the King' (429BC) by Sophocles
Oedipus was cursed by destiny to destroy his father and take his father's place by his mother's side. This links to a Cliff Notes site.
'Death of a Salesman' (1949) by Arthur Miller
An old man is going senile. When the present disappoints him he hallucinates and goes back into the past, until he runs out of past to go back to, and then he kills himself.

Fiction

Burial Rites by Hannah Kent
Call Number: SEN F KEN
ISBN: 9781742612829
Publication Date: 2013
Reimagines the life and death of Agnes Magnusdottir, the last woman to be executed in Iceland.
Lost Horizon by James Hilton
Call Number: ADV HIL
ISBN: 9780062113726
Publication Date: 2012-04-03
Fictional utopian monastery high in the mountains of Tibet.
Journey to the Centre of the Earth by Jules Verne; Keith Carabine (Contribution by); David Stuart Davies (Introduction by)
Call Number: F VER
ISBN: 1853262870
Publication Date: 1996-01-01
Science fiction story of a German professor who believes there are volcanic tubes going into the centre of the earth.
The Awakening by Kate Chopin
Call Number: SEN F CHO
ISBN: 9780007420056
Publication Date: 2011
Self discovery of the struggle between an individual's views and that of the deep South at the turn of the century regarding feminism and motherhood.
Eon by Alison Goodman
Call Number: F GOO
ISBN: 9780142417119
Publication Date: 2010-08-31
The Two Pearls of Wisdom by Alison Goodman
Call Number: F GOO
ISBN: 9780732288006
Publication Date: 2008-08-01
The Spare Room by Kathryn Lomer
Call Number: REAL F LOM
ISBN: 9780702234774
Publication Date: 2004
Foreign Soil by by Maxine Beneba-Clarke
Call Number: SEN F BEN
ISBN: 9780733632426
Publication Date: 2014
In Melbourne's western suburbs, in a dilapidated block of flats overhanging the rattling Footscray train lines, a young black mother is working on a collection of stories. (From publisher)

Short Stories

The Turning by Tim Winton
Call Number: SEN F WIN
ISBN: 9780330422734
Publication Date: 2006
A collection of connected stories about turnings of all kinds -- changes of heart, slow awakenings, nasty surprises and accidents, sudden detours, resolves made or broken.
The Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin
ISBN: 078915479X
In these four stories, Kate Chopin subtly captures the intricate interior lives of a generation of women. From the famous proto-feminist tale "The Story of an Hour" to "A Respectable Woman," Chopin sheds light on the frustrations, desires, and dreams of her own era and their reverberations today. Artist Gemma Correll's quirky illustrations provide a perfect modern counterpoint to Chopin's classic prose
The Boat by Nam Le
ISBN: 030726808X
Publication Date: 2008-05-13
A stunningly inventive, deeply moving fiction debut: stories that take us from the slums of Colombia to the streets of Tehran; from New York City to Iowa City; from a tiny fishing village in Australia to a foundering vessel in the South China Sea, in a masterly display of literary virtuosity and feeling.
Foreign Soil by by Maxine Beneba-Clarke
Call Number: SEN F BEN
ISBN: 9780733632426
Publication Date: 2014

Picture Books, Graphic Novels

The Lost Thing by Shaun Tan
This is a picture book which has also been made into a short film. Set in the near future of a dystopian Melbourne, a story of Shaun who enjoys collecting bottle tops discovers a strange creature.

The Arrival by Shaun Tan
ISBN: 9780340969939
In a heartbreaking parting, a man gives his wife and daughter a last kiss and boards a steamship to cross the ocean. He's embarking on the most painful yet important journey of his life- he's leaving home to build a better future for his family.
Rules of Summer by Shaun Tan
ISBN: 1444908898
Combining humour and surreal fantasy, Shaun Tan pictures a summer in the lives of two boys. Each spread tells of an event and the lesson learned. By turns, these events become darker and more sinister as the boys push their games further and further.
The Red Tree by Shaun Tan (Illustrator)
ISBN: 0968876838
Publication Date: 2003-04-15
When a child awakens with dark leaves drifting into her bedroom, she feels that 'sometimes the day begins with nothing to look forward to, and things go from bad to worse.'
The Viewer by Gary Crew; Shaun Tan (Illustrator)
ISBN: 1894965027
Publication Date: 2003-11-15
A boy finds a Viewmaster that takes him on a journey.
Eric by Shaun Tan
ISBN: 9781742372921
Publication Date: 01.04.2010
“Years ago we had a foreign exchange student come to live with us. We found it very difficult to pronounce his name correctly, but he didn’t mind. He told us to just call him ‘Eric’.”
Tales from Outer Suburbia by Shaun Tan
ISBN: 0771084021
Publication Date: 28.10.2008
Through a series of captivating and sophisticated illustrated stories, Tan explores the precious strangeness of our existence. He gives us a portrait of modern suburban existence filtered through a wickedly Monty Pythonesque lens.
The Rabbits by John Marsden; Shaun Tan (Illustrator)
ISBN: 0968876889
Publication Date: 2003-09-15
The Rabbits is an allegory about colonization, told from the perspective of animals.
My Two Blankets by Irena Kobald
ISBN: 9781921714764
Publication Date: 2014
Cartwheel has moved to a place that is so strange to her, she no longer feels like herself.
This is a story about new ways of speaking, new ways of living, new ways of being.
Weslandia by Paul Fleischman; Kevin Hawkes (Illustrator)
ISBN: 0763610526
Publication Date: 2002-08-01
Enter the witty, intriguing world of Weslandia! Now that school is over, Wesley needs a summer project. He’s learned that each civilization needs a staple food crop, so he decides to sow a garden and start his own - civilization, that is.
My Teacher Is a Monster! (No, I Am Not.) by Peter Brown
ISBN: 0316070297
Publication Date: 2014-07-01
Bobby has a problem.
You see, his teacher is a monster.
But when Bobby runs into his teacher outside of school, he learns there is more to her than meets the eye.
The Peasant Prince by Li Cunxin
ISBN: 1742141021
Publication Date: 2008-12-01
In a poor village in northern China, a small boy is about to be taken away from everything he's ever known. He is so afraid, but his mother urges him to follow his dreams. For soon he will become a dancer, one of the finest dancers in the world . . .
Requiem for a Beast by Matt Ottley
ISBN: 0734407963
When the boy becomes a jackaroo in outback Queensland, he embarks on a quest for personal healing and self-identity. He pursues a wild bull and faces dark secrets that he’s inherited from his father, secrets that have become fantasy beasts—Minotaur, Centaurs and Ned Kellyish riders—that inhabit his dreamscapes and torment him. His is a story, which is both entertaining and confronting.
Edward and the Great Discovery by Rebecca McRitchie; Celeste Hulme (illustrator)
ISBN: 9781925059007
Although he comes from a long line of archaeologists, Edward has never discovered anything. Then one rainy night, he stumbles upon what could be his first great discovery.
The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore by William Joyce (Illustrator); Joe Bluhm (Illustrator)
ISBN: 1442457023
Publication Date: 2012-06-19
Morris Lessmore loved words.
He loved stories.
He loved books.
But every story has its upsets.
Everything in Morris Lessmore’s life, including his own story, is scattered to the winds.
But the power of story will save the day.
One Red Shoe by Karin Gruss; Tobias Krejtschi (Illustrator)
ISBN: 0987109960
Publication Date: 2015-02-01
There's been an attack. Grabbing his camera, a newspaper photographer rushes to the nearest clinic. What he finds there will change the way he thinks forever.
The Island by Armin Greder (Illustrator)
ISBN: 1741752663
Publication Date: 2008-04-01
When the people of an island find a man sitting on their shore, they immediately reject him because he is different. Fearful to the point of delusional paranoia, the islanders lock him in a goat pen, refuse him work, and feed him scraps they would normally feed a pig. As their fears progress into hatred, they force him into the sea.
Oh, the Places You'll Go! by Dr. Seuss
ISBN: 0679805273
Publication Date: 1990-01-22
In this joyous ode to life, Dr. Seuss addresses graduates of all ages, from nursery school to medical school, and gives them the get-up-and-go to move mountains with the unrivaled exuberance and charm that have made Dr. Seuss's books favorites for years.
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
ISBN: 0099408392
One night Max puts on his wolf suit and makes mischief of one kind and another, so his mother calls him 'Wild Thing' and sends him to bed without his supper. That night a forest begins to grow in Max's room and an ocean rushes by with a boat to take Max to the place where the wild things are.
Parachute by Danny Parker; Matt Ottley (illustrator)
ISBN: 1921894202
It is the first thing he puts on each morning. It gives him the courage to deal with all kinds of tricky situations, such as getting out of bed, sliding off a chair, and riding his bike. But sometimes someone else's trouble can be greater than your own, and this is what Toby discovers one day.
The Little Refugee by Anh Do; Suzanne Do; Bruce Whatley (Illustrator)
ISBN: 1742378323
Publication Date: 2011-11-01
Anh nearly didn't make it to Australia. His entire family came close to losing their lives as they escaped from war-torn Vietnam in an overcrowded boat. Anh’s life in Australia also started off badly as he was a small boy who didn’t speak English. But he never stopped smiling and went on to achieve his dreams.
The Treasure Box by Margaret Wild; Freya Blackwood (illustrator)
ISBN: 9780670073658
When the enemy bombed the library, everything burned.
As war rages, Peter and his father feel their home, taking with them a treasure box that holds something more precious than jewels. They journey through ud and rain and long cold nights, and soon their survival becomes more important than any possessions they carry.
Sector 7 by David Wiesner (Illustrator)
ISBN: 0395746566
Publication Date: 1999-09-20
A boy makes friends with a mischievous little cloud, who whisks him away to the Cloud Dispatch Center for Sector 7 (the region that includes New York City). The clouds are bored with their everyday shapes, so the boy obligingly starts to sketch some new ones. . . .
Luke's Way of Looking by Nadia Wheatley; Matt Ottley
ISBN: 1929132182
Publication Date: 2001-12-01
All the boys in Luke's art class see things the same way -- except for Luke. Luke has his own vision of the world, a wild, colorful, crazy vision that upsets his art teacher ("he went ballistic") and confuses the other boys. When he just can't face one more difficult day at school, Luke discovers a whole "palace" filled with wild, colorful, crazy pieces of art.
Journey by Aaron Becker (Illustrator)
ISBN: 0763660531
Publication Date: 2013-08-06
A lonely girl draws a magic door on her bedroom wall and through it escapes into a world where wonder, adventure, and danger abound. Red marker in hand, she creates a boat, a balloon, and a flying carpet that carry her on a spectacular journey toward an uncertain destiny.
Mr. M and the Red Thread by Soizick Meister; Kallie George
ISBN: 1897476884
Publication Date: 2013-04-26
This art book of beautiful images by celebrated artist Soizick Meister is the second book about "Mr. M", a mysterious and imaginative dreamer.
Arcane, evocative words and rich language are used to tell this new tale of Mr. M who has recently been liberated from heavy memories and uncertainties, (struggles he overcame in "Mr. M and the Exploring Dreamer"). But now he realizes he is still missing something: companionship.
Are We There Yet? by Alison Lester (Illustrator)
ISBN: 1929132735
Publication Date: 2005-03-01
"The year I turned eight, Mum and Dad took us on a trip around Australia. Luke, Billy and I missed school for the whole winter term."
Join Grace and her family on their adventurous and sometimes funny expedition.
Window by Jeannie Baker (Illustrator)
ISBN: 0688089186
Publication Date: 1991-04-26
The effect human beings have on the landscape around them is the theme of Baker's most recent tour de force....The artist's multimedia collage constructions are, as ever, fascinating in their realistic detail and powerfully convey the dramatic message.
American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang (Illustrator)
ISBN: 1596431520
Publication Date: 2006-09-05
These three apparently unrelated tales come together with an unexpected twist, in a modern fable that is hilarious, poignant and action-packed. American Born Chinese is an amazing rise, all the way up to the astonishing climax.
The link will take you to a summary and study guide.
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
ISBN: 159448547X
Publication Date: 2011-09-06
Since its publication in 2003, nearly 7 million readers have discovered "The Kite Runner." Through Khaled Hosseini's brilliant writing, a previously unknown part of the world was brought to vivid life for readers. Now, in this beautifully illustrated graphic novel adaptation, Hosseini brings his compelling story to a new generation of readers.
Maus: A Survivor's Tale by Art Spiegelman
ISBN: 0394541553
Publication Date: 1991-11-01
A story of a Jewish survivor of Hitler's Europe and his son, a cartoonist who tries to come to terms with his father's story and history itself.
Coraline by Neil Gaiman; Dave McKean (Illustrator)
ISBN: 0061139378
Publication Date: 2006-08-29
Coraline's often wondered what's behind the locked door in the drawing room. It reveals only a brick wall when she finally opens it, but when she tries again later, a passageway mysteriously appears. Coraline is surprised to find a flat decorated exactly like her own, but strangely different. And when she finds her "other" parents in this alternate world, they are much more interesting despite their creepy black button eyes.
Journey by Aaron Becker
Call Number: P BEC
ISBN: 9781406355345
One Red Shoe by Karin Gruss; Tobias Krejtschi (Illustrator)
Call Number: P GRU
ISBN: 9780987109965
Publication Date: 2015-02-01
Edward and the Great Discovery by Rebecca McRitchie and Celeste Hulme
Call Number: P McR
ISBN: 9781925059007
Publication Date: 2014
Weslandia by Paul Fleischman
Call Number: P FLE
ISBN: 9781406313758
Publication Date: 1999
Oh, the Places You'll Go by Dr.Seuss
Call Number: P SEU
ISBN: 9780007413577
Publication Date: 1990
Parachute by Danny Parker and Matt Ottley
Call Number: P PAR
ISBN: 9781742976778
Publication Date: 2013
Sector 7 by David Wiesner (Illustrator)
Call Number: PWIE
ISBN: 9780395746561
Publication Date: 1999-09-20

Multimedia

The Boat by Nam Le adaptation
SBS - 'The Boat', an interactive graphic novel about escape after the Vietnam War. Based on the story by Nam Le, adapted by Matt Huynh.

Happy Feet by Robin Williams
Call Number: 227 DVD
ISBN: 9398710408096
Publication Date: 2007
S.Darko: A Donnie Darko Tale by Daveigh Chase,Briana Evigan,Jackson Rathbone,James Lafferty and Ed Westwick
Call Number: 264 DVD
ISBN: R68195WREGI
Publication Date: 2010
Pan's Labyrinth by Doug Jones, Ariadna Gil and Alex Angulo
Call Number: 229 DVD
ISBN: 9321337137797
The Lives of Others by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck
ISBN: 9321337137803
Publication Date: 2007
Babel by Brad Pitt,Cate Blanchett,Gael Garcia Bernal and Rinko Kikuchi
Call Number: 223 DVD
ISBN: 9317206034380
Publication Date: 2011
TransAmerica by Felicity Huffman,Kevin Zegers and Fionnula Flangan
Call Number: 222 DVD
ISBN: 9321337140193

Non-Fiction

Cook's Endeavour Journal: The inside story (2008) National Library of Australia
Told in Cooks own words, this illustrative companion to exploration brings to life the stories that almost prevented the HMS Endeavour arriving in Sydney.

Pinterest Boards

Search the links below for resources pinned to our different Boards.

Discovery - HSC Area of Study from 2015
Explore many of the Library's resources in both senior and junior collections. Read what they are about.
Discovery on the Web
The pins on this board are linked to web-based resources.
Discovery in verse
Into poetry and verse? Take a look at these pins.
Discovery in art
Some of these images may appeal to you - explore and enjoy.
Discovery in film
Films which work well with the concept of Discovery
Discovery in the non-fiction genre
Discovery in TED
TED talks - new discoveries, innovations, ways of thinking

Discovery - Area of Study 2015-2020: Discovery