Our Voices, Our Choices

Students participating in role play in the House of Representatives chamber.

Examine how people participate in Australia’s democracy through an inquiry-based activity exploring active citizenship and role-play.

During Our Voices, Our Choices, students engage in deeper learning as they explore the importance of civic participation in a functioning democracy.

In either the heritage House of Representatives or Senate chambers, students will use modified Hansard speeches and authentic costumes to take on the role of historic Australian politicians and re-enact historic debates, on conscription or the Tasmanian dam debate giving students the opportunity to participate in parliamentary process in authentic surroundings.

This program is eligible for the Parliamentary and Civics Education Rebate (PACER). For your school to receive the rebate you must apply at least three weeks before your visit.

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*Australian Curriculum V8.3 – Curriculum Learning Areas

Civics and citizenship

Year 7

The key features of government under the Australian Constitution with a focus on: the separation of powers, the roles of the Executive, the Houses of Parliament, and the division of powers (ACHCK048)
How values, including freedom, respect, inclusion, civility, responsibility, compassion, equality and a ‘fair go’, can promote cohesion within Australian society (ACHCK052)
How groups, such as religious and cultural groups, express their particular identities; and how this influences their perceptions of others and vice versa (ACHCK053)
Develop a range of questions to investigate Australia's political and legal systems (ACHCS054)
Identify, gather and sort information and ideas from a range of sources (ACHCS055)
Critically analyse information and ideas from a range of sources in relation to civics and citizenship topics and issues (ACHCS056)
Appreciate multiple perspectives and use strategies to mediate differences (ACHCS057)
Use democratic processes to reach consensus on a course of action relating to a civics or citizenship issue and plan for that action (ACHCS058)
Present evidence-based civics and citizenship arguments using subject-specific language (ACHCS059)
Reflect on their role as a citizen in Australia’s democracy (ACHCS060)

Year 8

The freedoms that enable active participation in Australia’s democracy within the bounds of law, including freedom of speech, association, assembly, religion and movement (ACHCK061)
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)
How laws are made in Australia through parliaments (statutory law) and through the courts (common law) (ACHCK063)
Different perspectives about Australia’s national identity, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives, and what it means to be Australian (ACHCK066)
How national identity can shape a sense of belonging in Australia’s multicultural society (ACHCK067)
Develop a range of questions to investigate Australia's political and legal systems (ACHCS068)
Identify, gather and sort information and ideas from a range of sources (ACHCS069)
Critically analyse information and ideas from a range of sources in relation to civics and citizenship topics and issues (ACHCS070)
Appreciate multiple perspectives and use strategies to mediate differences (ACHCS071)
Use democratic processes to reach consensus on a course of action relating to a civics or citizenship issue and plan for that action (ACHCS072)
Present evidence-based civics and citizenship arguments using subject-specific language (ACHCS073)
Reflect on their role as a citizen in Australia’s democracy (ACHCS074)

Year 9

The role of political parties and independent representatives in Australia’s system of government, including the formation of governments (ACHCK075)
How citizens’ political choices are shaped, including the influence of the media (ACHCK076)
The process through which government policy is shaped and developed, including the role of Prime Minister and Cabinet (ACHCK103)
The key features of Australia’s court system and how courts apply and interpret the law, resolve disputes and make law through judgements (ACHCK077)
How and why individuals and groups, including religious groups, participate in and contribute to civic life (ACHCK079)
Develop, select and evaluate a range of questions to investigate Australia's political and legal systems (ACHCS082)
Critically evaluate information and ideas from a range of sources in relation to civics and citizenship topics and issues (ACHCS084)
Account for different interpretations and points of view (ACHCS085)
Use democratic processes to reach consensus on a course of action relating to a civics or citizenship issue and plan for that action (ACHCS087)
Reflect on their role as a citizen in Australian, regional and global contexts (ACHCS089)

Year 10

The Australian Government’s role and responsibilities at a global level, for example provision of foreign aid, peacekeeping, participation in international organisations and the United Nations (ACHCK091)
The challenges to and ways of sustaining a resilient democracy and cohesive society (ACHCK094)
Develop, select and evaluate a range of questions to investigate Australia's political and legal systems (ACHCS095)
Critically evaluate information and ideas from a range of sources in relation to civics and citizenship topics and issues (ACHCS097)
Account for different interpretations and points of view (ACHCS098)
Recognise and consider multiple perspectives and ambiguities, and use strategies to negotiate and resolve contentious issues (ACHCS099)
Use democratic processes to reach consensus on a course of action relating to a civics or citizenship issue and plan for that action (ACHCS100)
Reflect on their role as a citizen in Australian, regional and global contexts (ACHCS102)

History

Year 7

Sequence historical events, developments and periods (ACHHS205)
Use historical terms and concepts (ACHHS206)
Identify a range of questions about the past to inform a historical inquiry (ACHHS207)
Identify the origin and purpose of primary and secondary sources (ACHHS209)
Locate, compare, select and use information from a range of sources as evidence (ACHHS210)
Draw conclusions about the usefulness of sources (ACHHS211)
Identify and describe points of view, attitudes and values in primary and secondary sources (ACHHS212)

Year 8

Sequence historical events, developments and periods (ACHHS148)
Use historical terms and concepts (ACHHS149)
Identify a range of questions about the past to inform a historical inquiry (ACHHS150)
Identify the origin and purpose of primary and secondary sources (ACHHS152)
Locate, compare, select and use information from a range of sources as evidence (ACHHS153)
Draw conclusions about the usefulness of sources (ACHHS154)
Identify and describe points of view, attitudes and values in primary and secondary sources (ACHHS155)

Year 9

Use chronological sequencing to demonstrate the relationship between events and developments in different periods and places (ACHHS164)
Use historical terms and concepts (ACHHS165)
Identify and select different kinds of questions about the past to inform historical inquiry (ACHHS166)
Identify the origin, purpose and context of primary and secondary sources (ACHHS169)
Evaluate the reliability and usefulness of primary and secondary sources (ACHHS171)
Identify and analyse the perspectives of people from the past (ACHHS172)

Year 10

Use chronological sequencing to demonstrate the relationship between events and developments in different periods and places (ACHHS182)
Use historical terms and concepts (ACHHS183)
Identify and select different kinds of questions about the past to inform historical inquiry (ACHHS184)
Identify the origin, purpose and context of primary and secondary sources (ACHHS187)
Process and synthesise information from a range of sources for use as evidence in an historical argument (ACHHS188)
Evaluate the reliability and usefulness of primary and secondary sources (ACHHS189)
Identify and analyse the perspectives of people from the past (ACHHS190)
Identify and analyse different historical interpretations (including their own) (ACHHS191)

Year 11 and 12

Identify links between events to understand the nature and significance of causation, change and continuity over time (ACHAH001)
Use historical terms and concepts in appropriate contexts to demonstrate historical knowledge and understanding (ACHAH002)
Formulate, test and modify propositions to investigate historical issues (ACHAH003)
Frame questions to guide inquiry and develop a coherent research plan for inquiry (ACHAH004)
Identify the origin, purpose and context of historical sources (ACHAH007)
Analyse, interpret and synthesise evidence from different types of sources to develop and sustain a historical argument (ACHAH008)
Evaluate the reliability, usefulness and contestability of sources to develop informed judgments that support a historical argument (ACHAH009)
Analyse and account for the different perspectives of individuals and groups in the past(ACHAH010)
Evaluate critically different historical interpretations of the past, how they evolved, and how they are shaped by the historian’s perspective (ACHAH011)
Evaluate contested views about the past to understand the provisional nature of historical knowledge and to arrive at reasoned and supported conclusions (ACHAH012)

Geography

Year 7

Classification of environmental resources and the forms that water takes as a resource (ACHGK037)
The way that flows of water connects places as it moves through the environment and the way this affects places (ACHGK038)
Develop geographically significant questions and plan an inquiry, using appropriate geographical methodologies and concepts (ACHGS047)
Reflect on their learning to propose individual and collective action in response to a contemporary geographical challenge, taking account of environmental, economic and social considerations, and predict the expected outcomes of their proposal (ACHGS054)

Year 8

Human causes and effects of landscape degradation (ACHGK051)
Ways of protecting significant landscapes (ACHGK052)
Develop geographically significant questions and plan an inquiry using appropriate geographical methodologies and concepts (ACHGS055)
Reflect on their learning to propose individual and collective action in response to a contemporary geographical challenge, taking account of environmental, economic and social considerations, and predict the expected outcomes of their proposal (ACHGS062)

Year 9

The perceptions people have of place, and how these influence their connections to different places (ACHGK065)
Develop geographically significant questions and plan an inquiry that identifies and applies appropriate geographical methodologies and concepts (ACHGS063)
Reflect on and evaluate findings of an inquiry to propose individual and collective action in response to a contemporary geographical challenge, taking account of environmental, economic, political and social considerations; and explain the predicted outcomes and consequences of their proposal (ACHGS071)

Year 10

Human-induced environmental changes that challenge sustainability (ACHGK070)
Environmental world views of people and their implications for environmental management (ACHGK071)
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ approaches to custodial responsibility and environmental management in different regions of Australia (ACHGK072)
The application of systems thinking to understanding the causes and likely consequences of the environmental change being investigated (ACHGK073)
The application of environmental economic and social criteria in evaluating management responses to the change (ACHGK075)
Develop geographically significant questions and plan an inquiry that identifies and applies appropriate geographical methodologies and concepts (ACHGS072)
Reflect on and evaluate findings of an inquiry to propose individual and collective action in response to a contemporary geographical challenge, taking account of environmental, economic, political and social considerations; and explain the predicted outcomes and consequences of their proposal (ACHGS080)

English

Year 7

Understand the way language evolves to reflect a changing world, particularly in response to the use of new technology for presenting texts and communicating (ACELA1528)
Understand how language is used to evaluate texts and how evaluations about a text can be substantiated by reference to the text and other sources (ACELA1782)
Identify and explore ideas and viewpoints about events, issues and characters represented in texts drawn from different historical, social and cultural contexts (ACELT1619)
Analyse and explain the ways text structures and language features shape meaning and vary according to audience and purpose (ACELY1721)
Use comprehension strategies to interpret, analyse and synthesise ideas and information, critiquing ideas and issues from a variety of textual sources (ACELY1723)

Year 8

Analyse how the text structures and language features of persuasive texts, including media texts, vary according to the medium and mode of communication (ACELA1543)
Understand and explain how combinations of words and images in texts are used to represent particular groups in society, and how texts position readers in relation to those groups (ACELT1628)
Recognise and explain differing viewpoints about the world, cultures, individual people and concerns represented in texts (ACELT1807)
Analyse and evaluate the ways that text structures and language features vary according to the purpose of the text and the ways that referenced sources add authority to a text (ACELY1732)
Explore and explain the ways authors combine different modes and media in creating texts, and the impact of these choices on the viewer/listener (ACELY1735)

Year 9

Investigate how evaluation can be expressed directly and indirectly using devices, for example allusion, evocative vocabulary and metaphor (ACELA1552)
Identify how vocabulary choices contribute to specificity, abstraction and stylistic effectiveness (ACELA1561)
Explore and reflect on personal understanding of the world and significant human experience gained from interpreting various representations of life matters in texts (ACELT1635)

Year 10

Understand that Standard Australian English in its spoken and written forms has a history of evolution and change and continues to evolve (ACELA1563)
Understand how language use can have inclusive and exclusive social effects, and can empower or disempower people (ACELA1564)
Understand that people’s evaluations of texts are influenced by their value systems, the context and the purpose and mode of communication (ACELA1565)
Compare the purposes, text structures and language features of traditional and contemporary texts in different media (ACELA1566)
Evaluate the impact on audiences of different choices in the representation of still and moving images (ACELA1572)
Compare and evaluate a range of representations of individuals and groups in different historical, social and cultural contexts (ACELT1639)
Analyse and explain how text structures, language features and visual features of texts and the context in which texts are experienced may influence audience response (ACELT1641)
Evaluate the social, moral and ethical positions represented in texts (ACELT1812)
Analyse and evaluate how people, cultures, places, events, objects and concepts are represented in texts, including media texts, through language, structural and/or visual choices (ACELY1749)

Year 11 and 12

Explaining how texts are created in and for different contexts (ACEEN001)
Evaluating the choice of mode and medium in shaping the response of audiences, including digital texts. (ACEEN003)
Evaluating the impact of description and imagery, including figurative language, and still and moving images in digital and multimodal texts. (ACEEN007)
Purpose, taking into account that a text’s purpose is often open to debate (ACEEN008)
Personal, social and cultural context (ACEEN009)
The use of imaginative, persuasive and interpretive techniques. (ACEEN010)