Hands on Democracy: my place in my community

• Duration: 60 minutes
• Years: K-3
• Curriculum links: History and Civics and Citizenship

This teacher resource focuses on the school program My place in my community and explores how we as individuals can work within our communities to make them better places. The resource has been developed to help you plan your class visit and to book a school program. It contains activities which can be used in the classroom before and after your visit as well as information on the activities available in the onsite program.

Hands on Democracy: my place my community learning resource (pdf, 2.4MB )

Hands on Democracy: my place my community learning resource (MS Word, 2.9MB)

Hands on Democracy: I can make a difference

• Duration: 60 minutes
• Years: 4-6
• Curriculum links: History and Civics and Citizenship

This teacher resource focuses on the school program I can make a difference which explores how we as individuals can make a difference in local, national and global communities. The resource has been developed to help you plan your class visit and to book a school program. It contains activities which can be used in the classroom before and after your visit as well as information on the activities available in the onsite program.

Hands on Democracy: I can make a difference learning resource (pdf, 1MB )

Hands on Democracy: I can make a difference learning resource (MS Word, 10MB )

Marnti warajanga—a walk together

• Duration: 60 minutes
• Years: 5-10
• Curriculum links: English and History

Explore milestones of the Indigenous journey of democracy in Australia and consider their relevance to today. This resource contains background information, discussion questions and class activities to enhance student learning and engagement with the Marnti warajanga—a walk together exhibition.

The information and activities are relevant for either an onsite or an online visit to the exhibition.

Marnti warajanga—a walk together learning resource (pdf, 5.4MB)

Marnti warajanga—a walk together learning resource (MS Word, 101KB)

Getting it together: from colonies to federation

• Duration: dependant on chosen activity
• Years: 5-8
• Curriculum links: History and Civics and Citizenship

This extensive resource examines each Australian state’s unique journey to federation using historical sources such as newspaper extracts, cartoons, speeches and biographies. Getting it together is organised into seven packages. Each is designed so that it can be used as a stand-alone teaching/learning resource or in conjunction with other packages or select parts of them.

The information and activities are for use online and/or in the classroom.

Getting it together: from colonies to federation learning resource

A history of Old Parliament House

• Duration: n/a
• Years: 5-10
• Curriculum links: History

Discover the history of Old Parliament House and the people who worked here. Produced in a fact sheet format with each page covering one topic, teachers can use the information for background research for a unit on Federal Parliament and as a starting point for further study and discussion

This resource is for pre-visit preparation or as post-visit extension.

A history of Old Parliament House learning resource (pdf, 2.6MB)

A history of Old Parliament House learning resource (MS Word, 53KB)

The Franklin River debate 1983: classroom role-play

• Duration: 30 minutes
• Years: 5-8
• Curriculum links: History and Civics and Citizenship

Re-live history in your classroom through a scripted role-play. Students take on the roles of federal politicians from 1983 and debate an historic bill which prevented the damming of the Franklin River in Tasmania.

The classroom program can be used as an introduction or conclusion to a unit on Federal Parliament or the environment. The program is flexible in application—it can be used as a one-off activity or extended to be a unit of work.

Franklin River debate in-class program (pdf, 1.3MB)

Franklin River debate in-class program (MS Word, 60KB)

The Petrov affair: webquest

• Duration: 30 minutes
• Years: 9-12
• Curriculum links: History and Studies of Society and Environment

Delve into Australia’s reaction to the threat of communism. Students investigate the Petrov affair from the perspectives of the major characters, evaluate its impact and make recommendations about individual and national responses to fear.

Visit the Petrov affair online webquest

Billy Hughes at War

• Duration: dependant on activity
• Years: 9-12
• Curriculum links: History

Explore the challenging years of the First World War and the man who led Australia through those turbulent times. Through interactive online activities, students can investigate the arguments for and against conscription, cast their vote and learn how to deconstruct historic political cartoons.

The information and activities are for use online and/or in the classroom.

Visit the Billy Hughes at War website

Australia’s prime ministers: Prime Facts

• Duration: n/a
• Years: 5-12
• Curriculum links: History

Discover little-known facts about our former prime ministers in the Prime Facts series. There are also titles on related topics including prime ministers’ wives, leaders of the opposition and elections.

This resource is for pre-visit preparation or as post-visit extension.

Visit the Australian Prime Ministers Centre

National History Challenge

Attention all students—the museum sponsors a category about Australia’s democracy in the National History Challenge. The challenge invites students to act as historians—researching and interpreting the past.

Visit the 2013 National History Challenge for information about this year’s challenge.