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Story of Our Rights and Freedoms - Democratic Dissent

Story of Our Rights and Freedoms - Democratic Dissent

Lesson 3 of 5 in this unit

  • Secondary
  • Year 8
  • Humanities and Social Sciences
  • Civics and Citizenship
  • Social
  • Equality
  • Human Rights
  • Social Action
  • ...

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Lesson summaryLesson guides and printablesCurriculum linksLesson details

Lesson summary

In this finding out lesson, students will watch a short video overviewing the concept of democracy, then outline their current understanding of democracy by completing the 3-2-1 Bridge visible thinking routine. In a role play class vote, students will consider the democratic right to vote, and what it feels like to be excluded from it. They will then work in groups to conduct in-depth research into two groups that struggled for the right to vote in Australia: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and women. Students will present their findings to their peers, and connect the actions of these groups to the concept of democratic dissent.

Essential questions:

  • What is a democratic process?
  • How do democratic processes link to our rights and freedoms?
  • Who has the right to vote?
  • What is democratic dissent?

Lesson guides and printables

View Lesson Guide
Lesson Plan
Student Worksheet
Teacher Content Info

Curriculum links

Select your curriculum from the options below.

  • AU V8.4
  • AU V9.0
  • NSW
  • VIC

ACHASSK116

The key features of the electoral process in Australia

ACHCK062

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

ACHCK076

How citizens’ political choices are shaped, including the influence of the media

ACHASSK147

The shared values of Australian citizenship and the formal rights and responsibilities of Australian citizens

ACHCK066

Different perspectives about Australia’s national identity, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives, and what it means to be Australian

ACHCK067

How national identity can shape a sense of belonging in Australia’s multicultural society

ACHCS074

Reflect on their role as a citizen in Australia’s democracy

ACHCK081

How ideas about and experiences of Australian identity are influenced by global connectedness and mobility

ACHASSI157

Analyse primary sources and secondary sources to identify values and perspectives on people, actions, events, issues and phenomena, past and present

ACHCS057

Appreciate multiple perspectives and use strategies to mediate differences

ACHASSI105

Present ideas, findings, viewpoints and conclusions in a range of texts and modes that incorporate source materials, digital and non-digital representations and discipline-specific terms and conventions

ACHCS073

Present evidence-based civics and citizenship arguments using subject-specific language

AC9HC8K01

how Australians are informed about and participate in democracy

AC9HC8K06

different experiences of, perspectives on and debates about Australia’s national identity and citizenship, including the perspectives of First Nations Australians as owners of their respective nations, and of different migrant groups

AC9HC8S03

analyse information, data and ideas about political, legal or civic issues to identify and explain differences in perspectives and potential challenges

AC9HC8S05

create descriptions, explanations and arguments using civics and citizenship knowledge, concepts and terms that reference evidence

COLS-DEC-01

makes informed decisions in a range of contexts

AST5-IDE-01

describes the diverse factors that contribute to an Aboriginal person's identity

ASTLS-IDE-01

recognises factors that contribute to identity

ASTLS-IDE-02

recognises the importance of identity for Aboriginal Peoples

PHLS-IBC-01

recognises factors that contribute to identity

VCCCC027

Examine how national identity can shape a sense of belonging and examine different perspectives about Australia’s national identity, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' perspectives

Lesson details

Skills

This lesson is designed to build students’ competencies in the following skills:

  • collaboration
  • communication
  • empathy

Curriculum mapping

(V9) Australian Curriculum content descriptions:

Year 8 Civics and Citizenship:

  • How Australians are informed about and participate in democracy (AC9HC8K01) 
  • Different experiences of, perspectives on and debates about Australia’s national identity and citizenship, including the perspectives of First Nations Australians as owners of their respective nations, and of different migrant groups (AC9HC8K06)
  • Analyse information, data and ideas about political or legal issues to identify and explain differences in perspectives and potential challenges (AC9HC8S03)
  • Create descriptions, explanations and arguments using civics and citizenship knowledge, concepts and terms that reference evidence (AC9HC8S05) 

General capabilities: Literacy, Critical and Creative Thinking, Intercultural Understanding, Ethical Understanding.

Cross-curriculum priority: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures.

Relevant parts of year 8 achievement standards: Students explain how Australians are informed about and participate in their democracy. They identify ways in which Australians express different aspects of their identity and explain perspectives on Australia’s national identity. Students analyse information and identify and describe perspectives and challenges related to political, legal or civic issues. They use civics and citizenship knowledge, concepts, terms and references to evidence from sources to create descriptions, explanations and arguments.

Unit of work: Story of Our Rights and Freedoms – Human Rights and Democracy

Time required: 120 mins.

Level of teacher scaffolding: Low – present some brief scenarios to the class and pose some reflective questions.

Resources required

  • Student Worksheet – one copy per student
  • Device capable of presenting a video and webpage to the class
  • Women and the Right to Vote Factsheet (enough for half of the class)
  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People and the Right to Vote Factsheet (enough for half of the class)
  • Web enabled devices (enough for one per pair)

Additional info

Throughout the Story of Our Rights and Freedoms lessons, students will consider Civics and Citizenship concepts through a human rights lens. They will critically assess the Australian system of government and the effect that it has on our rights and freedoms.

There is no universally accepted definition of human rights, and our understanding is continually developing. Some definitions include:

  • The recognition and respect of peoples’ dignity
  • A set of moral and legal guidelines that promote and protect the recognition of our values, our identity and access to an adequate standard of living
  • The basic standards by which we can identify and measure inequality and fairness
  • Those rights associated with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR)

When we talk about human rights we usually refer to principles that have been agreed upon by countries throughout the world. These rights have been set down in international agreements and form part of international law. They can also be written into the domestic law of individual countries. Human rights cover virtually every area of human life and activity. These include:

  • Civil and political rights, such as freedom of speech and freedom from torture
  • Economic and social rights, such as the rights to health and education
  • Individual rights, including the right to a fair trial
  • Collective rights, or those rights that apply to groups of people, such as the right to a healthy environment or to live on one’s ancestral land.

The UDHR is an international document that recognises the basic rights and fundamental freedoms to which all human beings are entitled. It was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 10 December 1948 and marks a key milestone in the history of human rights. The Magna Carta, though limited in who it protected, was an important precursor to the UDHR.

Click here to watch a video about the Magna Carta.

You can view the entire text of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the other core international human rights treaties, on the United Nation’s website or by downloading RightsApp (free from the iTunes App store).

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  • Lesson 1 of 5
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Story of Our Rights and Freedoms - Tuning In

  • Secondary
  • Year 8
  • Humanities and Social Sciences
  • Civics and Citizenship
  • Social
  • Equality
  • Human Rights
  • Social Action
  • Lesson 2 of 5
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  • ...

Story of Our Rights and Freedoms - Understanding Democracy

  • Secondary
  • Year 8
  • Humanities and Social Sciences
  • Civics and Citizenship
  • Social
  • Equality
  • Human Rights
  • Social Action
  • Lesson 4 of 5
  • Free
  • ...

Story of Our Rights and Freedoms - Our Democratic Freedoms

  • Secondary
  • Year 8
  • Humanities and Social Sciences
  • Civics and Citizenship
  • Social
  • Equality
  • Human Rights
  • Social Action
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