Civics and Citizenship Program Outline
To address the Civics and Citizenship Learning Area of the Victorian Curriculum, Melbourne High School has developed an engaging and dynamic course of study that encourages students to explore how they can make a positive difference to their local community as active citizens. Throughout this course, students will develop the important life skills of: independent research, teamwork and critical thinking.
This program will run from Wednesday 20th November until Thursday 5th December and is a compulsory component of the MHS curriculum.
The Civics and Citizenship course is divided into three units:
- Students will be conducting an election for the Year 10 SRC Executive. This will copy the current Australian electoral process including candidate speeches, having the voter’s names crossed off an electoral roll before voting, vote counting and scrutineering, and concession and victory speeches.
- Students will take various sessions on how to complete the task and workshops relating to Australian Civics and Citizenship. Summaries for these sessions can be found on the following page.
- In groups of 4, the task is to explore a local, state or federal problem that is important in Melbourne and then explore ways that they can be agents for positive change in their communities. Your findings will be presented in a 5 min documentary similar to a segment on Channel 10’s “The Project”.
Possible Focus Questions
What can individuals do to shape the operation of Australia's political system?
How does Australia's court system work in support of a democratic and just society?
How is Australia’s democracy defined and shaped in Melbourne?
How can Melbourne citizens participate in an interconnected world?
How are government policies shaped by Australia’s international legal obligations in Melbourne?
What are the features of a resilient democracy in Melbourne?
How are citizens’ political choices shaped in Melbourne?
Why shouldn’t prisons be modelled on what occurred in the Old Melbourne Gaol?
What is Melbourne doing to assist Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people?
What are some contemporary examples and issues relating to Australian democracy in Melbourne?
What role do charitable organisations play in the lives of Melbourne?
Guide created by Suzannah Hawtin and Tania Sheko
