Civics and citizenship / Year 8 / Civics and Citizenship Skills / Problem-solving and decision-making

Curriculum content descriptions

Use democratic processes to reach consensus on a course of action relating to a civics or citizenship issue and plan for that action (ACHCS072)

Elaborations
  • participating in a simulation to achieve consensus (for example, a mock court case or parliamentary committee)
  • working in groups to evaluate the options before deciding on any course of action (for example, to influence change relating to a current event or issue)
General capabilities
  • Literacy Literacy
  • Critical and creative thinking Critical and creative thinking
  • Personal and social capability Personal and social capability
  • Ethical understanding Ethical understanding
ScOT terms

Democracy,  Consensus

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BTN: History of voting

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The Australian Dream: Racism

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The Australian Dream: Resilience and reconciliation

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The House In Session, Ep 2: Secrets of the Parliament House building

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State, territory and Australian parliaments

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Make a law: Senate

Discover how bills—proposed laws—are introduced, debated and voted on in the Senate by turning your class into a Parliament and doing it yourself! This lesson plan outlines the steps to run a role play in the classroom and includes a video illustrating the process, teacher notes, class preparation and plans for making the ...

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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 ...

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Australian Constitution online

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Rogue nation, 2009: Democracy and the colony of NSW

This clip is an excerpt from the 2009 documentary 'Honour among thieves', the first of a two-part television series entitled 'Rogue nation'. In a dramatised re-enactment, British Commissioner John Thomas Bigge investigates the colony of NSW in 1819. He is advised by John Macarthur, a member of the 'exclusives' class of ...

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Making a Nation: changing the Constitution

This interactive resource looks at the creation of the Australian Constitution and then explores the process used to change it - referendum. Information on several referendums is presented (1910, 1937, 1967, 1984) but, in a case study, students investigate the 1951 anti-communism referendum in more detail. The seven activities ...

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Australian Constitution in focus

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Federal Parliament history timeline

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Separation of powers

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Government

This fact sheet explores the role and functions of the Australian Government, including who is in the government, how it is formed, minority government and the principle of responsible government.