Civics & Citizenship · Year 7

Active learning ideas

How a Bill Becomes a Law: Parliamentary Stages

Active learning helps students grasp the complexity of policy-making by putting them in roles where they see how ideas move through the system. When students simulate meetings or analyze real campaigns, they connect abstract stages of law-making to tangible actions and decisions.

• ACARA Content Descriptions
• AC9C7K02

• 30–45 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 3 activities

Activity 01

• Role Play
• 40 min · Small Groups

Role Play: The Minister's Office

One student plays a Minister, while others represent different lobby groups (e.g., a mining company vs. an environmental group). Each group has two minutes to 'pitch' their position on a new project to the Minister.

Explain the sequential steps a bill must undergo to become law.

Facilitation Tip

During the Role Play activity, assign students clear roles (e.g., minister’s advisor, lobbyist, committee chair) and provide a one-page brief so they prepare specific talking points before the discussion.

What to look for

Present students with a simplified flow chart of the legislative process with key stages missing. Ask them to fill in the blanks using the correct parliamentary terms and briefly describe the main activity at each stage.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness

Activity 02

• Gallery Walk
• 30 min · Pairs

Gallery Walk: Campaign Analysis

Display posters or advertisements from various interest groups. Students move around the room in pairs, identifying the target audience, the main message, and the specific change the group is asking for.

Analyze the purpose of each stage in the legislative process.

Facilitation Tip

For the Gallery Walk, rotate student groups every 5 minutes to ensure they engage with multiple campaigns and avoid crowding around one poster.

What to look for

Pose the question: 'Imagine a bill to ban single-use plastics has been introduced. At which parliamentary stage do you think it is most likely to be amended, and why?' Facilitate a class discussion where students justify their predictions based on the purpose of each stage.

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

Activity 03

• Inquiry Circle
• 45 min · Small Groups

Inquiry Circle: Who is Lobbying?

In small groups, students research a current news story and identify which interest groups are mentioned. they create a 'stakeholder map' showing how each group is trying to influence the outcome.

Predict potential points of failure or amendment for a proposed bill.

Facilitation Tip

In the Collaborative Investigation, provide a mix of sources (government websites, news articles, social media posts) so students see lobbying in different formats and tones.

What to look for

On a slip of paper, ask students to write the name of one house of the Australian Parliament (House of Representatives or Senate) and one specific action that occurs during the Second Reading stage of a bill in that house.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Self-Awareness

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teachers should frame lobbying as a routine part of democratic participation, not a suspicious activity. Use the ‘Code of Conduct’ in the Role Play to reinforce professional standards. Avoid framing advocacy as only corporate-driven; highlight community and grassroots efforts to broaden students’ understanding of who participates in policy debates.

Students will explain the difference between lobbying and bribery, identify key stages where interest groups influence legislation, and justify their reasoning with examples from the activities. They should also recognize the diversity of groups that engage in advocacy.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During the Role Play: The Minister's Office, some students may assume lobbyists offer bribes to get their way.

  Use the ‘Code of Conduct’ handout during the role play to remind students that lobbying must follow legal and ethical guidelines, such as disclosing meetings and providing evidence-based arguments.

• During the Gallery Walk: Campaign Analysis, students might think only big corporations have the resources to lobby effectively.

  Ask students to compare the corporate campaign with a local group’s petition or social media post in the Gallery Walk, noting how both use different strengths to influence policy.

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Methods used in this brief

• Role Play
• Gallery Walk
• Inquiry Circle