See

• What does the 1956 cover photograph show? 

• What machine is the woman using in the photograph on page 35?

Think

• Why were lessons broadcast to schools on the radio?

• Are they the same subjects that are taught in schools today?

• Why was there a book to accompany the broadcast lessons? Hint - look at the song page with words and music.

• What songs would you like to hear if there was a Broadcast to Schools today?

Wonder

• What do you wonder about ABC broadcasts to schools?

• What questions do have about ABC broadcast books?

Do

Say and clap the rhythms on page 16.

1.  Say and clap the names ' Bill Smith', 'shetland pony', 'Claire Johnson' and 'cockatoo'.

2. Say and clap your name. 

3. Write down your name and write the note pattern or shorthand examples as shown in the examples. For example, Schoolhouse Museum is II  IV.

Research the song of Sir Eglamore on page 36. 

• Who  was Sir Eglamore?  Was he a real knight?

ABC 1966 Broadcasts to Schools book

The main programs that were broadcast to schools in 1966 were very similar to the broadcasts of 1956. 

There were infants school programs as well as English, social studies, music, folk dancing, the schools' service and the correspondence school listening lessons.

The 1966 book contains an overview for each lesson, photographs and images. In health and hygiene there are lists of things to do with students. The last pages list  the black and white television programs for schools.  

Experimental television for schools programs were introduced in 1961. From 1962 the books listed twice daily television shows for schools. 

Colour television was introduced in 1975.

• What focus is represented in the cover illustration?

ABC 1975 Sing! book

The 1975 Sing! book marked a new era in ABC broadcasts. From 1975 the ABC Broadcast program focused on singing,  reflected in the 1975 title, Sing! and sub-title 'ABC Radio Songbook for Primary Schools'. 

The first half of the book is 'Let's Have Music' for lower grades with the first song being 'Fly Around'.  

The second half is 'Singing and Listening' for upper grades with the first song being 'The Court of King Caractacus'.

The ABC music broadcast program has been part of the music lessons in Australian schools since the 1930s. It exposed children to a diversity of music that ranged from traditional to popular music and even melancholy or absurd.

• How is the 1975 cover similar and different to the 1956 cover?

ABC 1987 Sing It book

The format of the 1987 Sing It book is little changed from the 1975 book. The two sections are 'Let's Have Music' and 'Sing '87'

ABC Sing books were usually ordered in bulk so each student had a copy. 

Teachers used them with cassette tapes. Later on tapes were replaced with CDs. Some teachers took their class outside for singing.

Each year many schools would collect and reuse the books over and over again.  Some schools still have them in storerooms today. 

The student sing books were eventually replaced by teacher only books with the teacher using  audio visual aids to project the words onto a screen.  

A list of all songs can be found at the ABC Sing song index.

• What resources do you use for singing lessons today?