Lesson 1

Curriculum link: The roles and responsibilities of Australias three levels of government (ACHASSK144)
Learning Intention: Diagnostic assessment of student knowledge.
Students will identify key political figures and indicate their current
understanding of Australias law making.
,

Success Criteria: I have completed that table, drawing on any prior

knowledge I had about the three levels of government.
ICT/Diversity:

Equipment: Pictures of various politicians; Malcolm Turnbull, Bill

Assessment:
Shorten, Will Hodgeman, Brian Green, Albert Van Zetten A3 paper x
7.
Phase
EST
ACTIVITIES
TIME
Intro
Place photos around the room of various government figures.
5 mins
Explain to students we will be looking at the different levels of government in Australia.
Activity

10 mins

Ask students draw up a table with 3 columns with the headings, photo number, name and position (Prime
minister etc). Instruct students to move around the room and decide who they think each of the people are.

Share

10 mins

Developing
inquiry question

10 mins

Activity

15 mins

Ask students (one photo at a time) to choose a photo they have identified and bring it up the front and share
with the class who they thought it was.
If answered correctly ask if they can explain what this persons duty is.
Any phots left answered, I will explain who they are etc.
Why are you hear? Who says you have to be at school? What is something you like doing outside of school?
(for example watch YouTube) Who makes it possible for you to watch YouTube?
What is a question we can ask that will guide us to finding all this out?
(How are laws developed in Australia, Who makes laws in Australia or who controls things in Australia)
Explain to students that we have three levels of government in Australia. Write these on the board and match
them to a politician.
In table groups, students must then write these down and brainstorm things they think each government is
responsible for.

Conclusion/share

5 mins

Share different ideas and discuss.

Lesson 2
Curriculum link: The roles and responsibilities of Australias three levels of government (ACHASSK144)
Learning Intention: Students investigate the roles and responsibilities Success Criteria: I have found at least 10 areas that each level of
of Australias three levels of government.
government is responsible for. I have presented this information in my
own words. The method of presentation is easy for the audience to
read/hear/understand.
ICT/Diversity:
Equipment: Pictures of various politicians; Malcolm Turnbull, Bill
Assessment:
Shorten, Will Hodgeman, Brian Green, Albert Van Zetten A3 paper x
7, computers x12
Phase
EST
ACTIVITIES
TIME
Intro
Revisit last lesson. See if students can recall each of the political figures.
5-10 mins Have students locate poster they did last week.
What are the three levels of government?
What is our inquiry question that we set? (How are laws developed in Australia)
Activity

20 mins

Presentation
activity

40+ mins

Conclusion/share

Students are tasked with confirming or changing what responsibilities they thought each level of government
had.
Students will be given the website http://levelsofgovernmentgrade6.weebly.com/
Students must use this website to find information about the levels of government.
Students must decide upon a way to present the information (in pairs). Students may select any mode of their
choosing as long as they cover the concepts. Students will be given the remainder of this lesson and the
following lesson to complete their presentation.
Students present their information to the class.

Lesson 3
Curriculum link: The roles and responsibilities of Australias three levels of government (ACHASSK144)
Learning Intention: That students are able to identify what areas of
Success Criteria: I am able to identify which laws the federal
law making the federal government can override the state government government can override, I can refer to a source of information to
on. Students develop understanding that the federal government cannot support my claims.
control all areas of the law.
ICT/Diversity: Students will have access to a laptop to conduct
further research if they so wish to justify their decisions.
Diversity Orally allow Hugh and Lewis to describe their
understanding, I will record their answers in written format.
Equipment: PDF government sheet, a laptop for each group. HASS
Assessment: Formative check students
books
work books for justifications.
Phase

EST
TIME

Intro
10 mins

ACTIVITIES
Recap what students have learned so far. Use the word wall as a reference point.
Play video and draw attention to the part that says the federal government over rule on some matters. Use
marriage as an example.

Activity

25 mins

Students are broken back up into their pairs, pairs are then combined to form groups of four.
I (the state) will make up some laws, the students (the federal) in their groups must decide what laws are
allowed and what laws they would disallow. Students must refer to the work they completed previously as
justification for their decisions.

Share

10 mins

Each group will share which laws they believed they (as the federal government) would allow and which they
would have power to disallow.

Lesson 4
Curriculum link: The roles and responsibilities of Australias three levels of government (ACHASSK144)
Learning Intention: Students develop understanding of laws the state Success Criteria: I have created 5 new laws. I am able to refer to a
and federal government can create.
source to support why I am allowed to create this law.

Equipment: Computers computer lab.

Phase

EST
TIME

Intro
10 mins

ICT/Diversity:
Students will be given an option of which level of government
they choose. Students can select any method to record their law
(pictorially, written, etc)
Students will be using computers to source support for the laws
they create.
Assessment:
Formative laws that each pair create.
ACTIVITIES

Recap what students have covered so far in the unit. Refer to word wall for support.
Explicitly highlight last lesson (if students do not) ask how students worked about what laws were allowed and
what were not.

Activity

30 mins

Explain to students that they will be assigned to be either a state or federal government. Students (in pairs)
must then create 5 new laws. Students must be able to justify why they are legally allowed to create that law
(refer to previous work/website).

Share

15 mins

Each pair will share one of their laws to the class. The class must then decide if the law they have proposed is
within their power.

Lesson 5
Curriculum link: The roles and responsibilities of Australias three levels of government (ACHASSK144)
Learning Intention: Students investigate the roles and responsibilities Success Criteria: I can name what roles and responsibilities the
of Australias head of state.
Queen has in Australia. I can explain verbally what impact the queen
has on laws made in Australia.

Equipment: 26 sheets of A4 paper.

Phase

EST
TIME

Intro
5-10 mins
Activity

10 mins

Activity

30 mins

Conclusion/share

10 mins

ICT/Diversity:
Laptops ( Hugh will be offered a laptop to take notes)
I will ask Hugh and Lewis to verbally explain their
understanding of the Queen when other students are recoding
this in writing.
Lewis will then be asked to draw a diagram of his
understanding of the queen power.
Assessment: Formative: Students what I think I know and what I
now know sheets.
ACTIVITIES

Recap what students have learned so far. Use the word wall as a reference point.
Explain that today we are going to be investigating what the Queens role is in Australia.
Students brainstorm in table groups the things they think the Queen can do (what power she has). They will be
given an A4 sheet each split in half, one half will be labelled what I think I know and the other half What I
now know
Students share ideas. Discuss as a whole class so of the ideas shared. Trouble any misconceptions.
Students will be given a web address, each web address will share different information about the queen (1
laptop per group).
Students will be numbered off in their group. Following the jigsaw model students in their number groups will
find out different ideas about the queen. Students will then return to their home table and share what they have
learnt with their group.
As students read the information they will put a tick or a across next to their original ideas about what the
queen can do. Students will then add to the what I now know side of the paper.
Discussion some key points that students have learnt. Aim of discussion will be that students understand that
the queen has no practical power in the decisions of how Australia is run.