Year 7 Civics & Citizenship Overview

Students continue to build on their understanding of the concepts of the Westminster system and democracy by examining the key features of Australia's democracy, and how it is
shaped through the Australian Constitution and constitutional change. The concepts of justice, rights and responsibilities are further developed through a focus on Australia's legal
system.

Civics & Citizenship Concepts

Democracy Democratic values The Westminster system Justice Participation Rights and responsibilities

Week Knowledge & Understanding Skills Resources Assessments

Designing our political and legal system: How is Australia’s political
1 system shaped by the constitution? Questioning and research, The Civics and Citizenship
The purpose and value of the Australian Constitution analysing, evaluating, toolkit
Politics Key concepts & knowledge / guide questions communicating and reflecting Oxford p. 412
• What is Civics and Citizenship?
• Why do we need laws? AEC: Constitutional
• Why do we need a government? referendums
• Why do we need to learn about them? Oxford Big Ideas 7
• Pre-test: How is Australia’s system of democratic government shaped by p. 412
the constitution? p. 424
• What is a constitution (purpose)?
• What is the Australian Constitution? Parliamentary Education
Office: Get Parliament
• How did Australia get a Constitution?
pack available from
• What is the value of the Australian Constitution?
http://www.peo.gov.au/pro
• How similar or different is the Australian Constitution to other countries ducts/2/257/Get-
Parliament.html

Designing our political and legal system

2 The concept of the separation of powers between the legislature, executive Questioning and research,
and judiciary and how it seeks to prevent the excessive concentration of analysing, evaluating, Oxford Big Ideas 7 p. 424;
power communicating and reflecting p. 433
Key concepts & knowledge / guide questions
• What are the different branches of the government? Parliamentary Education
• What is the make-up of each branch? Office: Get Parliament
• What are the responsibilities of each branch? pack available from
Designing our political and legal system: How is Australia’s political http://www.peo.gov.au/pro
system shaped by the constitution? ducts/2/257/Get-
The division of powers between state/territory and federal levels of Parliament.html
government in Australia
Key concepts & knowledge / guide questions
• What are three levels of government?
• Why do we have three levels of government?
• What are the responsibilities of each level of government?
3 Designing our political and legal system: How is Australia’s political Questioning and research, Oxford Big Ideas 7 p. 430
system shaped by the constitution? analysing, evaluating,
The different roles of the House of Representatives and the Senate in communicating and reflecting Parliamentary Education
Australia's bicameral parliament Office: Get Parliament
Key concepts & knowledge / guide questions pack available from
• Australia’s bicameral parliament http://www.peo.gov.au/pro
• What is the role of parliament? ducts/2/257/Get-
• Who gets elected to the H of R? Parliament.html
• Who forms government and what is their role?
• Who is the opposition?
• What is the role of a member of the H of R? SOSE Alive 3 p. 198
• What is the Senate? You and Your
Government p. 45
• How do members get elected to the Senate?
• What is the role of a senator?

Designing our political and legal system: How is Australia’s political

4 system shaped by the constitution? Questioning and research, Oxford Big Ideas 7 p. 426 Assessment 1
analysing, evaluating, - 428
The purpose and value of the Australian Constitution communicating and reflecting Civic Skills and
The process for constitutional change through a referendum and examples Parliamentary Education Content
of attempts to change the Australian Constitution by referendum Office: Get Parliament Multiple choice &
pack available from Short answer
Key concepts & knowledge / guide questions http://www.peo.gov.au/pro questions Test
• How do we change our constitution? ducts/2/257/Get-
• What is the process to change the constitution? Parliament.html Weighting 12.5% of
• What is a referendum? year
• What was the 1967 referendum? You & Your Government p
• What was the 1999 referendum? 87

AEC: Constitutional
referendums

Oxford Big Ideas 7 p. 424;

p. 433
 Designing our political and legal system: What are the key principles of
Australia’s legal system? Questioning and research, Oxford Big Ideas 7 p. 440
How Australia's legal system aims to provide justice, including through the analysing, evaluating, SOSE Alive 3 p. 226
5 rule of law, presumption of innocence, burden of proof, right to a fair trial, communicating and reflecting Becoming Active Citizens
and right to legal representation p. 114
Law
Key concepts & knowledge / guide questions
• What is the role of the courts?
• What is the role of the police?
• Principles of Australia’s legal system: the rule of law (and the Magna
Carta), right to a fair trial, right to legal representation, presumption of
innocence, burden of proof

Designing our political and legal system: What are the key principles of
6 Australia’s legal system? Questioning and research, Oxford Big Ideas 7 p. 440
How Australia's legal system aims to provide justice, including through the analysing, evaluating,
rule of law, presumption of innocence, burden of proof, right to a fair trial, communicating and reflecting
and right to legal representation

Key concepts & knowledge / guide questions

• Who are the participants in the legal system?
• Juries, witnesses, judges, legal practitioners
• Role play: being a witness and providing a witness report