Humanities and social sciences / Year 5 / Knowledge and Understanding / Civics and citizenship

View on Australian Curriculum website Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority
Curriculum content descriptions

The key features of the electoral process in Australia (ACHASSK116)

Elaborations
  • exploring the secret ballot and compulsory voting as key features of Australia’s democracy
  • recognising the role of the Australian Electoral Commission in administering elections that are open, free and fair
  • clarifying who has the right to vote and stand for election in Australia
General capabilities
  • Personal and social capability Personal and social capability
  • Ethical understanding Ethical understanding
ScOT terms

Voting rights,  Parliamentarians,  Elections,  Political leaders,  Voting

Text

Electoral pocketbook: an electoral education resource

The 2016 Electoral Pocketbook is a compact and comprehensive guide to the 2016 federal election, the largest election the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) has ever delivered. The Pocketbook serves as a useful electoral education resource for teachers as it contains historical information about Australia’s electoral ...

Online

Voting in the classroom

This is a learning module that develops practical skills in teaching electoral education as part of the Civics and Citizenship Curriculum. The module includes background information and a step by step guide to running an election. Aligned to the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers, the module provides one hour ...

Video

BTN: History of voting

Australia's first parliamentary election was in 1843. What was different about voting then? When and how did that change to resemble elections we have now? See if you can list the three significant dates in Australia’s history of voting and the changes that occurred on those dates.

Video

Tour of NSW Government House

This resource is a YouTube playlist containing a series of videos taken as a group of senior high school students are given a guided tour of NSW Government House in 2010. The tour covers primary sources such as architecture, furniture and images significant to the history of Australia and NSW.

Online

How do you make a difference?

In this learning sequence, students determine improvements they would like to see in public transport. They research ways of suggesting improvements to public transport authorities and other decision makers, and prepare letters and emails for this purpose. They prioritise future improvements and develop arguments to support ...

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 ...

Video

NSW Governor Marie Bashir – 2010 speech to students

This resource is a YouTube playlist containing a series of videos from a speech the NSW Governor Marie Bashir gave to senior high school students at Government House in 2010. She speaks on a range of topics, including the Australian system of government, the history of Australia and NSW, and her life. She also answers ...

Image

Robert Menzies, prime minister 1939-41, 1949-66

This is a black-and-white photograph of Robert Menzies, Australia's twelfth prime minister. It shows him wearing a suit as he poses for his official photograph.

Text

State, territory and Australian parliaments

This website is about the parliaments of the states and territories of Australia, as well as the Australian Parliament. It describes the different origins of the colonies and their movement to self-government during the 19th century, and subsequent federation into one nation in 1901. The resource describes the structures, ...

Online

Electoral events timeline

This is a timeline setting out some major dates in Australia's electoral history. It begins in 1835 with the establishment of Australia's first political 'party', the Australian Patriotic Association, in NSW and ends with the granting of self-government to the ACT in 1989. The timeline is supported by a set of focus questions ...

Online

Stories of the people and rulers - unit of work

This is an extended unit of work for the mid-primary years about who should rule. It comes from the 'Discovering democracy' series of units. The unit includes studies of the pharaohs' absolute rule in ancient Egypt and of democracy in ancient Athens, as well as an examination of who rules in Australia and how a nation should ...