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WS01 - Participating in Australia's Democracy

Humanities and Social Sciences, Civics and Citizenship, Year 7

By the end of Year 7, students describe the key features of Australia's system of government, and the principles and features of the Australian legal system. They explain the characteristics of Australian democracy. Students describe the nature of Australian society, its cultural and religious diversity, and identify the values that support cohesion in Australian society.

 

Students develop questions and locate, select and organise information from sources to investigate political and legal systems, and contemporary civic issues. They analyse information and identify perspectives and challenges related to political, legal or civic issues. They identify and describe the methods or strategies related to civic participation or action. Students use civics and citizenship concepts, terms and sources to create descriptions, explanations and arguments.

Knowledge and understanding | Government and democracy

AC9HC7K02

the characteristics of Australia's democracy, including freedom of speech, association, assembly, religion and movement

Knowledge and understanding | Citizenship, diversity and identity

AC9HC7K04

how Australia’s secular democracy and pluralist, multi-faith society draws upon diverse cultural origins, including Christian and Western heritage, distinct First Nations Australian histories and cultures, and migrant communities

Knowledge and understanding | Citizenship, diversity and identity

AC9HC7K05

how values based on freedom, respect, fairness and equality of opportunity can support social cohesion and democracy within Australian society

Skills | Questioning and researching

AC9HC7S01

develop questions to investigate Australia’s political and legal systems, and contemporary civic issues

Skills | Questioning and researching

AC9HC7S02

locate, select and organise information, data and ideas from different sources

Skills | Analysis, evaluation and interpretation

AC9HC7S03

analyse information, data and ideas about political, legal or civic issues to identify and explain differences in perspectives and potential challenges

Skills | Civic participation and decision-making

AC9HC7S04

explain the methods or strategies related to making decisions about civic participation

Skills | Communicating

AC9HC7S05

create descriptions, explanations and arguments using civics and citizenship knowledge, concepts and terms that reference evidence

Annotations

 

1. Identifies that parliament, politicians and citizens have responsibilities for acting on civic issues in Australia’s democracy.

 

2. Uses subject-specific concepts and language, such as “parliament” and “active and engaged citizen”.

 

3. Describes the diversity of people in Australian communities.

 

4. Identifies examples of shared values such as equality that are important to making Australian society cohesive.

 

5. Provides information on 3 contemporary issues in Australian society.

 

6. Selects information on the median cost of housing to explain why housing affordability is an issue.

 

7. Analyses information to determine the most important issue to them as a member of their community.

 

8. Selects information on the distance from the nearest bike/skate park and the low number of children meeting physical activity guidelines to justify the need for a new park being an important issue.

 

9. Identifies and describes the process, involving different levels of government, required to address this civic issue.

 

10. Demonstrates an understanding of the division of powers between the different levels of government.

 

11. Uses subject-specific concepts and language, such as “minister”, “local council” and “planning”.