HSIE Australian

Democracy
Term 4 2015
Stage 3

Outcomes
CCS3.1 Explains the significance of particular people, places, groups, actions and events in the
past in developing Australian identities and heritage.
CCS3.2 Explains the development of the principles of Australian Democracy.
- Sequence events from penal colony to self governing colony to Federation
- Give some reasons for Federation
- Key figures in the development of Australian parliamentary democracy, eg Henry Parkes,
Edmund Barton, George Reid, Maybanke Anderson, Peter Lalor, Alfred Deakin
- examines examples of exclusion from citizenship, both past and present, and the eects of
this exclusion, including the eects of government policies on Aboriginal peoples
- locates examples of events and issues that have influenced democratic practices in Australia,
eg 1967 referendum, Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody
- examines instances where democratic aims have not been attained

This unit provides opportunities for students to explore beliefs and ideals associated with
democracy, both in past societies and Australia today. The unit focuses on functions of
representative government.

Unit Overview
The following unit explores the historical evolution of democracy in
Australia and indeed of Australia as a country.
This unit provides opportunities for students to explore beliefs and
ideals associated with democracy, both in past societies and Australia
today. The unit focuses on functions of representative government.
The unit has a strong focus on ICT and developing students ability to
skillfully develop a perspective from independent research. This is
scaolded by a Web Quest that moves along a high support to high
challenge framework.
It is envisaged that the unit will provide a context for which students
can evaluate their own lives and experiences as citizens or residents of
Australia today.

Lesson 1

Lesson 2

Brainstorm ideas on
democracy.
Define key terminology
democracy, liberty,
citizenship, freedom of
speech, freedom of
religion etc.
Discuss the relationship
between rights and
responsibilities, use
school setting as an
example.

The history of
democracy. Role play the
Greek General Assembly
Brainstorm the rights and
responsibilities of
Aboriginal people
pre-1788

Lesson 1 Resources

Democracy key terms

outlined in middle primary
units
http://www1.curriculum.edu.au/ddunits/
key/keyterms_units.htm

Lesson 2 Resources

Greek General Assembly role play
is an outdoor activity with a ball.
Students are divided into four
groups (A,B,C and D).
From there the game is
determined by the rules that
Group A decides. An explanation
of the task is available here
http://www1.curriculum.edu.au/
ddunits/downloads/pdf/
mp2_hand5.pdf

Discuss the relevance of the role
play to Ancient Greek culture as
explained here
http://www1.curriculum.edu.au/
ddunits/downloads/pdf/
mp2_hand6.pdf and to our own
lives.

Lesson 3

Lesson 4

Place students into groups of four.

From each group students are
assigned research material on
Australias Immigra9on policy during
the periods, pre federa9on, White
Australia Policy, Populate or Perish
and present day Australia.
Students team up with the people
around the room that have the same
9me period as them to search
through the research material and
highlight key informa9on pertaining
to their 9me period, crea9ng a
summary in their own books.
Students move back to their original
groups and share what they have
learned with their peers.

Place the numbers -2 through 0 through 2

around the room. Explain to students that
-2 means you completely disagree with the
statement while 2 is completely agreeing
with the statement.
Ask students a number of ques9ons about
their experience at school, in terms of
rights and responsibili9es. nish with the
ques9ons if two people have dierent
responsibili9es they should have dierent
rights? All students should be treated
equally at school?
AKer asking these ques9ons introduce
students to the context of the 1967
referendum and the events leading up to
that. Does that change anybodys answers?
Discuss students views on rights and
responsibili9es and design a class charter of
responsibili9es with associated rights for
classroom behaviour.

Lesson 3 Resources

http://www.noborders-group.com/
about-us/History-of-ImmigrationAustralia
http://www.australia.gov.au/aboutaustralia/australian-story/changingface-of-early-australia
http://
www.migrationheritage.nsw.gov.au/
exhibition/objectsthroughtime/
immigration-restriction-act/

Lesson 4 Resources
Sample rights and responsibilities questions;

All students have the responsibility to achieve

full marks in a test

All students have the right to sit the same test

Teachers have the responsibility to make

school fun

Teachers have the responsibility to treat

students individually

Final questions

If two people have dierent responsibilities they

should have dierent rights i.e. the school
captain has more responsibility so he should
have more rights than other students?

All students should be treated equally at

school?
The following website includes information on the
1967 Referendum
http://museum.wa.gov.au/exhibitions/online/
referendum/documents/1967%20Referendum
%20Teacher%20Resouce.pdf
Ask students what message was being sent to the
Aboriginal population pre-1967 when they were
expected to uphold the same legal responsibilities
as the rest of the population but didnt have the
right to be considered as part of a census or be
subjected to national laws.

Lesson 5 and 6
Students trace the history
of modern day
democracy through
significant contributions
made by significant
people in global and
Australian history.
Web Quest will go online
at
www.stagethreeprestonswebquest.weebly.com

Lesson 7-9

Lesson 10

Students are to map the

rights and responsibilities
associated with democracy
in Australia from a penal
colony after White
settlement, to self governed
colony to Federation on an
interactive timeline.
Create a Venn diagram with
the rights and
responsibilities of Australia
as a penal colony, self
governed colony and
Federated country.

Analyse the citizenship pledge,

concentrating on key words
and their implications.
Loyalty, democratic beliefs,
rights and liberties and laws.
Discuss how immigrants need
to make a special pledge to be
considered Australian citizens
but for those that are born
here it is implied. As citizens
we still have a responsibility to
uphold the citizenship pledge
even if we have never had to
make it. In small groups role
play a situation in which we
have upheld the citizenship
pledge in the last 48 hours

Lesson 5-9 Resources

Lessons 5 to 9 are to be completed
as a WebQuest at the URL

www.stagethreeprestonswebquest.co
m.au
The website will walk students
through a step by step study of
various historically significant figures
to democracy in Australian and
around the world as well as an in
depth study of Australia's transition
from British colony to Federated
country.

The Web Quest can be student driven
and independent exploration of the
content provided or if required
teacher guided.

Lesson 10 Resources

The citizenship pledge can be found
at:
http://www1.curriculum.edu.au/
ddunits/downloads/pdf/
citiz_pledge.pdf

Lesson 11
Students are to write a diary
entry explaining what being
an Australian citizen means
to them.
Prompt students to think
about their values and
beliefs.