Civics & Citizenship · Year 4

Active learning ideas

Australia and Our Neighbours

Active learning turns abstract global connections into tangible experiences students can see, touch, and discuss. When students simulate trade, examine maps, and debate aid, they move beyond memorizing facts to understanding interdependence firsthand.

• ACARA Content Descriptions
• AC9HASS4K03
• AC9HASS4S01

• 25–50 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 3 activities

Activity 01

• Simulation Game
• 50 min · Small Groups

Simulation Game: The Global Trade Game

Assign groups different 'resources' (paper, scissors, markers). They must trade with other groups to get what they need to complete a 'product' (a decorated card), experiencing the interdependence of nations.

Analyze the different ways Australia connects with countries close by, like New Zealand or Indonesia.

Facilitation Tip

During the Global Trade Game, circulate with a clipboard to listen for students naming real products and their countries of origin as they trade.

What to look for

Provide students with a world map showing Australia and its neighbours. Ask them to draw lines connecting Australia to two neighbouring countries and write one sentence for each explaining a reason for the connection (e.g., trade, aid, culture).

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Social Awareness
• Decision-Making

Activity 02

• Gallery Walk
• 40 min · Pairs

Gallery Walk: Australia's Neighbors

Display posters of countries in the Asia-Pacific region. Students rotate and find one way Australia is connected to each (e.g., tourism, trade, or shared history), recording it on a 'connection map.'

Explain how Australians and people in other countries help each other in times of need.

Facilitation Tip

For the Gallery Walk, place a large world map at the front and have students physically move their sticky notes to mark connections as they discuss.

What to look for

Pose the question: 'Imagine a major earthquake hits Indonesia. How might Australia help, and why is it important for Australia to help its neighbours?' Facilitate a class discussion, encouraging students to use vocabulary like 'international aid' and 'cooperation'.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Create
• Relationship Skills
• Social Awareness

Activity 03

• Think-Pair-Share
• 25 min · Pairs

Think-Pair-Share: Why Give Aid?

Students discuss why Australia might send money or supplies to another country after a flood or earthquake. They brainstorm the benefits for both the receiving country and for Australia's reputation.

Evaluate the importance of being friendly and cooperative with our international neighbours.

Facilitation Tip

During the Think-Pair-Share on aid, provide sentence starters on the board to scaffold equitable participation, such as 'One benefit of aid for Australia is...'

What to look for

Present students with short scenarios describing interactions between Australia and a neighbouring country (e.g., a cultural festival, a disaster relief effort, a trade agreement). Ask students to identify whether the scenario represents cultural exchange, international aid, or cooperation.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

A few notes on teaching this unit

Start with concrete examples students know, like their backpack or shoes, to make global links visible. Avoid overwhelming them with too many countries at once—instead, focus on deepening understanding of a few neighbours. Research shows that role-playing real-world scenarios builds empathy and retention more effectively than lectures.

Successful learning looks like students confidently explaining how Australia relies on trade, recognizing why aid benefits everyone, and identifying different types of cooperation with neighbours. They should use specific examples and vocabulary in discussions and written work.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During the 'Made In' scavenger hunt in the Global Trade Game, watch for students assuming all items were made in Australia.

  Have students physically group items by country on a large poster during the debrief, then ask each group to justify one item’s origin using evidence from the labels.

• During the Think-Pair-Share on Why Give Aid?, listen for students describing aid as a one-way gift.

  Prompt pairs to fill in a two-column table: one side lists what Australia gains (e.g., safer shipping routes), the other what the neighbour gains (e.g., rebuilt schools), then share one row from each pair.

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Methods used in this brief

• Simulation Game
• Gallery Walk
• Think-Pair-Share