Civics and citizenship / Year 8 / Civics and Citizenship Knowledge and Understanding / Government and democracy

Curriculum content descriptions

How citizens can participate in Australia’s democracy, including use of the electoral system, contact with their elected representatives, use of lobby groups, and direct action (ACHCK062)

Elaborations
  • comparing the effectiveness of different forms of participation in Australia’s democracy
  • exploring how elected representatives can advocate on behalf of citizens
  • investigating examples where citizens have taken direct action such as organising a public demonstration or social media campaign
  • analysing how opinion polls are conducted and the ways they are used in democratic debate
  • exploring the different ways that citizens can participate in and support Australia’s democracy through their working lives, such as by serving in the armed services or as a reservist, teaching, representing Australia abroad as a diplomat or aid worker, or joining the police service or the public service
General capabilities
  • Critical and creative thinking Critical and creative thinking
  • Personal and social capability Personal and social capability
  • Ethical understanding Ethical understanding
ScOT terms

Activism,  Voting rights,  Active citizenship,  Direct action

Video

Tasmania's Hare-Clark voting system

Did you know that Tasmania has an entirely different voting system to the rest of Australia? It allows five politicians to be voted into the one seat (division) in state elections. Watch as Andrew Hawkey, the Tasmanian Electoral Commissioner explains how that system works, why it came to be and why it's important for Tasmania ...

Interactive

Discovering democracy: men and women in political life

Interact with a slideshow of images and text to explore some Australian men and women who have influenced the political landscape of Australia, both as elected representatives and as political leaders outside parliament. Complete a related task.

Video

Get involved

Explore the ways ordinary Australians can get involved in the work of Parliament with this short video (6:25 min). Find out how you can get informed about the work of the Parliament, the role of petitioning and ways to participate in parliamentary inquiries.

Text

Voting in Australia

The representatives elected to federal Parliament make decisions that affect many aspects of Australian life including tax, marriage, the environment, trade and immigration. This 28 page PDF document explains the history of Australia’s electoral system and how it works, Australia’s system of government and the role citizens ...

Text

Drug Crime and the Law

This sequence of four lesson ideas focuses on the concept that Australia's social wellbeing is enhanced when individuals understand the behaviours and laws associated with being responsible citizens, and report signs of illicit criminal drug activity to the appropriate authorities. This resource provides the opportunity ...

Interactive

Be the change

This is an interactive about becoming an effective agent of change through civic action in a local community. Users learn a number of practical ways to take democratic action on issues. The context is an abandoned block of land located in an area with a range of issues, such as youth unemployment and environment concerns. ...

Online

Australian Civics and Citizenship Curriculum Year 8 unit of work

The activities and assessments in the unit will help develop students’ understanding of how citizens can participate in a democratic society and the different types of law.

Online

Get Voting

This website provides a step-by-step guide to running an school elections such as student leadership positions. The five-step process provides practical advice on preparation and a variety of downloadable resources. The forms can be customised and include nomination forms, ballot papers, how to vote cards and tally sheets ...

Downloadable

Aboriginal change makers

Aboriginal history, self-determination and identity are examined in this teaching and learning eBook. The book draws on the lived experience of First Nations peoples drawing on historical record, cultural protocols and community connections to explore perspectives on traditional culture and leadership in the face of colonisation. ...

Video

Stateline TAS: Aunty Ida West: Tasmanian Aboriginal Elder, 1995

Imagine being told not to speak your own language to your family and friends. Even worse, imagine being told that your whole culture had vanished, when you know it has not. These challenges were faced by Aboriginal people in the 20th century. In this clip, discover how Aunty Ida West's background and life experiences forged ...

Video

Counted: Being an Aboriginal student in the 1960s

Listen to Stan Grant Snr, Marcia Langton and Sol Bellear as they share their school experiences. How would you describe what they experienced? How do their memories make you feel? Why do you think these things happened to them? And what effect do you think their experiences would have had on them?

Video

Aboriginal Cultures, Ch 14: Identity, racism and connection

How do you identify yourself? For some of us our identity is linked to the way we look, but for many people, especially in a multicultural country like Australia, it is generally more complicated. Does the way you look inform how you identify yourself? Grace is a Yorta Yorta person, and her identity is linked to her connection ...

Video

BTN: Nuclear tests at Maralinga

Can you imagine nuclear bombs being exploded in Australia, over your home? Between 1953 and 1963, the Australian Government led by Robert Menzies allowed Britain to test nuclear bombs in the open air at sites in Australia. These sites included Maralinga in South Australia. It was the land of the Maralinga Tjarutja people ...

Video

Meet the Fremantle Port Hostesses

In the 1960s, Marie Novak and Pauline Noble worked for the Fremantle Port Authority as hostesses, welcoming new migrants who arrived by ship. Why were hostesses needed? How do Marie and Pauline describe their time as hostesses? Compare the migration experiences of Marie's and Pauline's families. How did their backgrounds ...

Video

The Australian Dream: Racism

This clip highlights Adam Goodes’s belief that the whole community needs to work together to put an end to racism. Through the heartbreaking story of Nicky Winmar and Gilbert McAdam, you'll get an insight into how far we've come in tackling racism, but Adam shows us how far we still have to go. Find out how people used ...

Video

Counted: A new referendum

Today people are campaigning to hold a referendum that seeks to fully recognise Indigenous people in the Constitution. Why does Marcia Langton believe this is a crucial thing to do? What do you think? What makes Stan Grant Snr angry about the prospect of holding another referendum?

Video

Benalla Migrant Camp

While many postwar immigrants were sent to Bonegilla Migrant Reception and Training Centre when they arrived in Australia, others lived at the smaller Benalla Migrant Camp. Like Bonegilla, Benalla is in north-east Victoria. Unlike at Bonegilla, however, many immigrants remained at Benalla for over a decade. Listen as Sabine ...

Video

The Australian Dream: Introducing Adam Goodes

To get to really know people, it's important to learn about their lives and the impact they've made on the world. As you watch this clip, you'll learn all about Adam Goodes and who he is. You'll gain a deeper understanding of Adam’s path to becoming an advocate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and why standing ...

Video

The history of the Aboriginal Tent Embassy

The Aboriginal Tent Embassy was established on the lawns of the Old Parliament House in 1972 only to be forcibly removed a few months later. Why do you think the reporter compares the protest in Canberra to events in Louisiana and Mississippi in USA? What are the protesters chanting? See if you can find out what happened ...

Video

Birds and totems

Yuin, Bunurong and Tasmanian man Bruce Pascoe shares his delight in encountering birds on Country. Bruce explains the significance of Umburra, or black duck, and his obligation to care for the species. Bruce explains that his brothers and sisters look after other animals, such as kangaroos, bream, wallabies, flathead and ...