Rational of unit planning:

The unit plan is designed for students who are in an Enrichment class. The students are
not those who passed the Selective exam but chosen by the school’s exam. The students in the
program have advanced skills in literacy and numeracy, as well as in conducting informative
research using ICT application.

A short version of scope and sequence shows topics which the class would take in Year 9
and Year 10. While the topics in Year 9 emphasize more on micro-economy, Year 10’s content
focuses more on macro-economy. The unit’s topic “Political involvement” is introduced after all
4 core units have been taught, as a continuation of “Law and society” topic.

Vanassel- Baska & Johnsen (2007) wrote in their paper explaining the personnel
preparation in the 21st century regarding teaching standards for talented students, emphasising
that teachers need to prepare for students not only knowledge but also pay attention to their
personalities, learning styles and backgrounds. The unit plan’s contents is designed to fit the need
of advaned leaners, with stress on their research skills (research activities using ICT), to develop
students’ research summary skill (summary using flowchart task) and encourage them to adapt
and apply their newly gained knowledge in real life situation (voting activity).

The teacher understands the importance of individual learning differences, especially the
diverse characteristics of the enrichment classroom. In addition to designing various tasks using
constructivism pedagogy (including Think-pair-share, role play, mind map design), the teacher
also tries to create opportunities for students to express their opinions based on their gender,
social backgrounds, cultural understanding, and self-interests [ CITATION Gay02 \l 1033 ]. This
reflects on the topic of each task, namely writing tasks (name a social issues/political issues,
suggest a change in law as an attempt to fix it), suggest the importance of the Local court,
present about a state Representative, understanding statistic of a postal survey (same-sex
marriage) and so on.

The content follows the outcomes from the Political Involvement, Commerce Syllabus
[ CITATION NSW03 \l 1033 ]. However, the teacher sees the need to develop a suitable
differentiated curriculum for students who are at a higher learning ability. The content is
developed to facilitate students to think more rapidly and deeply through solving complex
problems [ CITATION Dob11 \l 1033 ]. In order to achieve this, teacher considers quality
teaching element such as: deep knowledge (such as understand and use the method of counting
votes for House of Representatives and Senate), metalanguage (terms and definition which
frequently used in political matters), creative thing ( mind-map, debate, compare and contrast,
practicing counting votes using preferential voting methods…) [ CITATION Qua17 \l 1033 ].

Students’ own interests are also taken into consideration. The teacher has set up the unit
content so that the other 3 weeks would be strongly connected to the first 4 weeks. There are
minor changes in learning order (political involvement before political actions and decision-
making). This is for the purpose of challenging gifted students. For example, the teacher would
ask students to prepare a proposal to change the law at the beginning of the units, which later
will be used to develop other related topics such as political issues, political actions, public and
individual decision-making in political movements,... Teaching techniques such as: role-play,
reality game-based activity (voting using ICT, Google Forms) are also used to stimulate and
engage talented students in teaching and learning process. The teacher also notes that the
Enrichment class is not yet the same level as Selective class. Therefore, the load of work is not
too heavy, which can leave space for students’ creativity and the classroom’s flexibility.

References
Dobron, K. H. (2011). Gifted students' perceptions of the differentiated curriculum. University of Southern
California. Proquest Dissertation Publishing.

Gay, G. (2002). Preparing for cuturally responsive teaching. Journal of Teacher Education, 106-116.

NSW Department of Education and Training. (2017). Quality teaching in NSW public schools: A classroom
practice guide (3rd ed.). Sydney, Australia: NSW Department of Education and Training. Retrieved
from NSW Department of Education and Training.

NSW Education Standard Authority. (2003, June). Commerce 7-10 Syllabus. Retrieved from NSW
Education Standards Authority: http://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/k-
10/learning-areas/hsie/commerce

Vanassel- Baska, J., & Johnsen, S. (2007). Teacher Education Standards for the Field of Gifted Education-
A Vision of coherence for Personnel Preparation in the 21st century. The Gifted Child Quarterly,
21(2), 182-205.
Sample Scope and Sequence 1

School ABD, Year 9 Commerce

Term 1 Term 2 Term 3 Term 4
Topic Consumer Choice E-commerce Toward Promoting and
(Core Unit 1) (cont.) Independence Selling: (cont.)
Week 1- 7: 20 Week 1- 3: 9 hours Week 1-7: 20 Week 1-2: 6 hours
hours hours

E-commerce: Personal Finance Promoting and Running a

Week 7- 10: 13 (Core Unit 2) Selling: business:
hours Week 4-10: 20 Week 7-10: 13 Week 3-10: 24
hours hours hours

School ABD, Year 10 Commerce

Term 1 Term 2 Term 3 Term 4

Topic Employment Issue Our economy: Political Investing (cont.):
(Core Unit 3) (cont.) Involvement Week 1-3: 9 hours
Week 1-7: 20 hours Week 1-3: 9 hours Week 1-7:21 hours

Our economy: Law and Society Investing: Travel:

Week 7-10: 13 (Core Unit 4) Week 7-10: 13 Week 4-10: 21
hours Week 4 -9: 20 hours hours
hours

1 NESA specify what a scope and sequence must contain according to the Registered and Accredited Individual Non-government
Schools (NSW) Manual (the manual). It must include an overview of the school’s educational program indicating:  the scope
and sequence of learning/units of work in relation to the outcomes of the Board of Studies syllabus for each course for each
Year and documentation to indicate the total number of hours allocated to each Preliminary/HSC course.
 Year 10, Term 3 – Week 1-7: UNIT SCOPE: POLITICAL INVOLVEMENT

Unit Focus and Outcomes: Political involvement

Focus Students develop an understanding of how political processes operate at various levels and
how they can be involved in these processes to achieve desired outcomes.

Outcomes
5.2 analyses the right and responsibilities of individuals in a range of consumer, financial,
business, legal and employment contexts
5.3 examines the role of law in society
5.4 Analyses key factors affecting commercial and legal decision
5.5 Evaluates options for solving commercial and legal problems and issues
5.6 Monitors and modifies the implementation of plans designed to solve commercial and
legal problems and issues
5.7 Researches and assesses commercial and legal information using a variety of sources
5.8 Explains commercial and legal information using variety of forms
5.9 Works independently and collaboratively to meet individual and collective goals within
specified timelines
Students learn to:
 Structure of government:
- describe the roles and responsibilities of the various levels of government
 Political action:
- identify key issues at different levels of government that affects the lives of
individuals, young people and groups
- research and report on methods of political actions taken by individuals and
groups
 Decision making:
- identify the impact of decision made by various organisations on different groups
in the community
- discuss the influence of particular organizations in the community on different
groups
- explain how governments make decisions
Unit scope (cont.) Unit planning summary

TERM TWO 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

TOPICS Structure of Democracy in Type of Participation in Role and function Current political Decision
government Australia governments the democracy of political parties issues making:
(3 hours) (3 hours) (1,5 hour) process (1,5 hour) (1,5 hour) Individual
(1.5 hours) & & involvement
Voting: right and Political action: Decision (3 hours)
responsibility recent industrial making: Public
(1,5 hour) movements decision
(1,5 hours) (1,5 hour)

OUTCOMES 5.2; 5.3; 5.4; 5.5; 5.6; 5.7; 5.8; 5.9 (see Unit scope, page 3)
ASSESMENT
Writing proposal: Formally propose a political
Voting activities: ITC/ Game-based learning change which you think your community will
benefit from it
 UNIT OUTLINE
Subject: Commerce Course: Year 10 Number of Weeks: 4 weeks/7
weeks
Unit title: Political Involvement

Key Concepts/ Big Ideas The importance of this learning

- Structure of government Students gain knowledge and understanding of:
- Living in a Democracy country - Rights and responsibilities of individuals in legal and political matters
- Voting process - Roles of law and political individuals/parties/organization in society.
- Type of government Students can gain skills in:
- Roles of political parties - Identify types and roles of different political parties and government bodies
- Political actions: industrial movement/ - Analysing key factors affecting commercial and legal decision: political figures, lobbying,
majority voting system (for example: gay marriage vote)
lobbying…
- Making decision and solving problems in relation to their own legal rights and responsibility: vote
- Current political issues
responsibly, choices to involve in rightful political acts,…
- Political decision making process Student develop skills in:
- Researching and assessing commercial and legal information in their community and in their
daily life: current issues and possible reasons/ solutions for them
- Explaining, presenting and applying legal and political knowledge using a variety of sources and
forms.

(Objectives, Commerce Syllabus, NSW Education Standard Authority, 2003, p. 12)

Unit context within Scope and Sequence Syllabus Outcomes
The unit is planned from Week 1 to Week 7 in
Term 3 for Year 10 Commerce students. The
Political Involvement unit is introduced after Law 5.2; 5.3; 5.4; 5.5; 5.6; 5.7; 5.8; 5.9 (see Unit scope, page 3)
and Society unit, and followed by Investing and
Travel Unit.
Literacy Focus Numeracy Focus ICT Focus
Differentiation
- Create a poster and - Understand the voting - Research and create a flow chart of - Voting: strong students can present as parties leaders, other
slogan for a statistic (proportional current structure of government in students can participate in the voting activity by vote for
campaign representative voting Australia. their favourite candidate
- Talk about a system/ majority - Online voting system: Creating a - Students can work individually or pair up to present about
politician (can be vote…) poll their favourite politician. There are group works to
from anywhere in the - Calculate the rates of - Research on current political issues encourage students to work together and help each other.
world). land in different in Australia and Asia, and how - Create scaffold/ sample flowchart for government structure
- Writing a proposal council areas. other countries’ political states activity and proposal writing assignment
 for a political change
in NSW.
Week/ Syllabus Content
Sequence
Structure of Australian
government
Week 1 - Democracy government
(3 hours) system
- Federation: national, state
and territory, local
government.
- Levels of government
responsibility
Outcomes: 5.3, 5.7, 5.9
Democracy in Australia
- Democracy: parliament,
Week 2 executive and the judicial.
( 3 hours) - Participation in the
democracy process:
passing a bill
Outcomes: 5.2;5.7; 5.3; 5.8
Type of government
Week 3 (around the world):
Democracy, Communism,
could affect Australia - Give worksheets for calculation of rates of land levy with
examples so all students can understand.
Teaching and Learning Strategies including
assessment for learning.
 Concept map: draw/design/fill in a flow chart
of the Australian government structure.
 Research activities: the roles and
responsibility of different levels of
government, and how they connect and
influence each other. (extension of flow
chart)
 Discuss: How important is Local Council?
- Calculation: Land levied rate from
home owners
- Students watch the video and discuss what
have changed from the origin of Democracy
to the present democracy system.
- Think-pair-share: explain the difference
between the parliament, the executive and the
judiciary. Suggest why it might be important
in a democracy to keep these functions
separate.
- Role play: Teacher divides the class
into 3 groups. Teacher promotes a bill
(formal suggestion to change laws in the
state). All 3 groups discuss and debate
whether or not to pass the bill.
- Compare and contrast: Students can
choose to compare different government
system: America, China, Vietnam…
Resources
 www.parliament.curriculum.edu.au
 www.parliament.nsw.gov.au
 Worksheet : example flow chart of
government structure
 Worksheet: research leading questions and
answers.
 Video: Meet the local judge with his
creative punishment
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=pZSTu98-Cus
Video: History of Democracy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=0fivQUlC7-8
 Reading: Making a law
https://www.peo.gov.au/uploads/peo/docs/f
act-sheets/making_law.pdf
 Home work: students think about
proposing a change in the Australian
law. Write 200 words reports a about a
law you would like to change and suggest
how you would change the laws to make
it better.
(Revision: law and society: Area of law:
Criminal, civil law, human right…)
 Worksheets: matching definition of
different government system, advantages
and disadvantages table for 2 countries
 Monarchy, Autocracy,
Anarchy…
Participation in the
democracy process
- Voting system in Australia:
preferential system,
proportional
representation, optional
preferential
- Senate: Above-the-line and
Below-the-line voting
system
Outcomes: 5.2; 5.3; 5.4;
5.7; 5.8; 5.9
Voting: Right and
Week 4 responsibility
- Voting right: who can
votes, laws about voting
- Method of voting: first
past of the post,
preferential, optional
preferential, proportional
Outcomes: 5.2; 5.3; 5.6;
5.8; 5.9
Note: The following table of Unit Plan: Political Involvement only covers the content of the first 4 weeks of the term.
- Research about: House of Representatives
electorates, Senate electorates, Nexus, general
election
- Summarize diagram: Students draw a flow
chart showing the steps involved in holding a
general election
- Compare and contrast: Counting House of
Representatives and Senate votes.
- Discuss: Why is it important that we can
choose who can be our Representative? What
are the benefits and consequences of picking
the right/wrong candidates?
- Presentation: Students work in group
to present about one of the NSW’s
representative.
 Case study: Same-sex marriage public vote:
Students discuss the importance of public
opinions vote
 Voting activities: Teacher divides the class
into 4 groups with different number of
students in each group. Each group chooses a
representative. The class needs to vote for a
Class President and a Vice President.
government system
 Web page: Voting in Australia
https://education.aec.gov.au/teacher-
resources/files/voting-in-australia.pdf
 Video: New Australian Senate voting
explain https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=9BqgiUarZDo
 Reading: Example of counting: House of
Representatives votes
 Survey result: Australian Law Postal
Survey on same-sex marriage
http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/
mf/1800.0
 Students use the Google Form tool to
vote for their candidates.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQL
Se8iz1qdD9ahMLshVuDZnvAU0YEBT5K
kfqN8TvoZ3t_VHJUMg/viewform
 Students then take the results can
calculate the preferential rate.
Assessment Details Outcomes
- Concept map + Research activities: Structure of government 5.7, 5.8
- Calculation: Land levied rate 5.4, 5.5, 5.9
- Think-pair-share: democracy’s key positions 5.4; 5.7
- Role play: Suggest a bill 5.2; 5.3; 5.8
- Writing: Changing in law/regulation Proposal 5.2; 5.5; 5.7
- Compare and contrast: different types of government 5.3; 5.7
- Summary diagram: Voting flow chart 5.4; 5.6; 5.8
Australian’s Democracy
- Discuss: the importance of a Representative 5.2; 5.4
- Presentation: a Representative in NSW 5.7; 5.8; 5.9 House of
- Case-study: the important of Postal Survey 5.2; 5.7; 5.8; 5.9 Representatives
- Voting activity: using preferential voting system to find a new class President 5.2; 5.4; 5.6; 5.8; 5.9
Federal Voting System
Evaluation of the Learning and Teaching Indicators of Learning
Teacher should be able to find evidence that: - Students can design aSenate
clear and well-structured map to show
Structure
- Students can list different components of the structure
in government’s different government bodies and their connections within the
- Students can organize and connect different government bodies within the State system.
Government
concept map - Students can provide correct answers for the correct land levied
- Students understand the concept of land levied rate, and be able to calculate rate question.
the fee exercise. - Student can distinguish between different government bodies,
- Students gain a deep understanding about different parts of the Local Political system.
understand their roles and responsibility in the democracy Parties
government’s structure. - Students show understanding in how a bill is passed through the
- Students applies background knowledge and newly gained knowledge to government, and develop a negotiation skill as well as critical
Social groups and
debate about a political issue. thinking and judgement.
- StudentsIndividual
research about an existing social injustice problem and propose a - Students’ reports show efficient literacy skill with logical
suitable change in law as an attempt to fix the problem argument on suggesting change of law
Decision
- Students making
research about the similarities and differences about various - Students present a clear comparison which highlight the
government systems in the world. advantages and disadvantages of certain government system.
- Students understand the responsibility of voting and the Australian voting - Students can summarize the correct order of voting step in the
system. flow chart diagram.
- Students research and reflect current social political knowledge about their - Students’ presentation are well-structure with the correct
State’s Representative Political information about one of the State’s Representative
- Students gain ethical understanding about social and cultural knowledge - Students understand the statistic, show research result about the
Issues/ Actions
postal survey and give relevant analysis from the data.
about political issues in Australia.
- Students apply newly gained knowledge to design their own class election. - Students calculate the right result using the right method for the
preferential vote counting method.

Figure 1 Political Involvement: Unit’s concept map

Sample Resource 1: Unit Concept Map
Sample Resource 2:
Survey Form link:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe8iz1qdD9ahMLshVuDZnvAU0YEBT5KkfqN8TvoZ3t_VHJ
UMg/viewform
Sample Resource 3:
Sample resource 4: Reading: Making a Law
(Source: www.tinyurl.com/Inforsheet7)
Sample Original Resource:

Reading’s Q&A: Read the Infosheet: Making a Law and answer the following questions:
1. What is a bill?
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2. At which government bodies will a bill need to be seen and pass? List them in the correct
order.
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3. What are the differences between “Consideration in details” and ‘Consideration of the
whole”?
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_________________________________________________________________________
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4. When will a bill become an Act of Parliament?
_________________________________________________________________________
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5. Research about 2017’s bill reading and passing. Report on the total number and the
percentage of bill being passed in 2017.
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