Lesson summary
In this lesson, students will complete a pre-lesson homework activity to interview three people about their views on the issue of homelessness. When they are in class, they will engage in a hexagonal thinking activity to summarise what they understand about the issue of homelessness, and its link to society and its institutions. They will share what they found out in their interviews, and analyse their discoveries in a class discussion. Students will view a short clip from the Life After The Oasis documentary that highlights the impact that social action can have, after which they will be set their own Social Action Challenge. Students will watch a short clip that explores how to change someone’s mind, then will come up with their own ideas about how to change people’s minds about the issue of homelessness. Students will work independently or with others to make their idea happen, then reflect on their work by responding to a set of questions.
Learning intentions:
Students will...
- understand that they can influence other people’s understanding about social issues
- gain knowledge about how to change people’s minds
Success criteria:
Students can...
- identify misconceptions that people have around the issue of homelessness
- create and disseminate a message to educate others about the realities faced by people experiencing homelessness
Lesson guides and printables
Lesson details
Curriculum mapping
Australian curriculum content descriptions:
Year 9 Civics and Citizenship:
- How citizens’ political choices are shaped, including the influence of the media (ACHCK076)
- Reflect on their role as a citizen in Australian, regional and global contexts (ACHCS089)
- Present evidence-based civics and citizenship arguments using subject-specific language (ACHCS088)
Year 10 Civics and Citizenship:
- Identify, gather and sort information and ideas from a range of sources and reference as appropriate (ACHCS096)
- Reflect on their role as a citizen in Australian, regional and global contexts (ACHCS102)
- Present evidence-based civics and citizenship arguments using subject-specific language (ACHCS101)
General capabilities: Literacy, Ethical Understanding, Critical and Creative Thinking, Personal and Social Capability
Relevant parts of Year 9 achievement standards: Students identify and analyse the influences on people’s political choices. They analyse a range of factors that influence identities and attitudes to diversity. They reflect on how groups participate and contribute to civic life. When researching, students analyse a range of questions to investigate Australia’s political and legal systems and critically analyse information gathered from different sources for relevance and reliability. They compare and account for different interpretations and points of view on civics and citizenship issues.
Relevant parts of Year 10 achievement standards: Students evaluate a range of factors that sustain democratic societies. They account for and evaluate different interpretations and points of view on civics and citizenship issues.
Unit of work: Life After The Oasis – Civics & Citizenship
Time required: 120 mins (plus time to complete a prior learning task)
Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium – facilitate class discussion and coordinate collaboration between students
Resources required
- Student Worksheets – one copy per student
- Device capable of presenting a video to the class
- Handling Sensitive Topics And Controversial Issues Factsheet (optional)
- Hexagon Thinking Tool – one per student
- Interview Question Sheet – one per student
- Interview Question Posters – printed, one set to be hung in the classroom
- Materials required to carry out ideas for social change (this will depend on what students’ ideas are)
Skills
- Collaboration
- Communication
- Community engagement
- Creativity
- Critical thinking
- Empathy
- Initiative
- Problem solving
- Social skills
Additional info
This resource has been adapted from ‘Teaching Social Issues Through English’ developed with the English Teachers Association NSW and the ‘Youth Homelessness Matters Resource’ developed by Janice Atkin. You can find these resources here.
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