HASS · Foundation

Active learning ideas

Democracy in Australia: Elections and Voting

Active learning works for this topic because commemoration and remembrance are deeply personal and require emotional engagement. When students physically practice respectful behavior and explore symbols of meaning, they connect cognitive understanding with embodied experience.

• ACARA Content Descriptions
• AC9HC7K01
• AC9HC7K02

• 30–60 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 3 activities

Activity 01

• Hot Seat
• 60 min · Whole Class

Classroom Election Simulation

Students nominate for classroom roles (e.g., line leader, helper). They create simple posters, present their 'platforms,' and then vote using paper ballots. Tally the votes to determine the 'winners.'

Explain the key principles of Australia's democratic system.

Facilitation Tip

During the Simulation: A Minute of Silence, model the physical cues yourself first before asking students to practice.

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

Activity 02

• Hot Seat
• 45 min · Small Groups

Voting Booth Experience

Set up a mock voting booth with privacy screens. Provide picture ballots for simple choices, like choosing a class pet or a book for story time. Model the process of marking a ballot and placing it in a box.

Describe the process of elections in Australia, including voting and preferential voting.

Facilitation Tip

For Collaborative Investigation: Symbols of Respect, assign small groups one symbol to research so all voices contribute.

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

Activity 03

• Hot Seat
• 30 min · Whole Class

What Makes a Good Leader?

Brainstorm qualities of good leaders as a class. Students can draw pictures or use simple sentence starters to illustrate these qualities. Discuss how these qualities relate to choosing representatives.

Analyze how citizens can participate in and influence democratic decision-making beyond voting.

Facilitation Tip

During the Gallery Walk: NAIDOC Posters, have students jot down one new thing they learned from each poster to encourage close observation.

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

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teach this topic by first establishing clear behavioral expectations for respectful behavior during ceremonies. Use concrete examples like photos or videos of ANZAC Day services to ground abstract concepts in observable actions. Research shows that when students physically practice solemnity, they internalize its significance more deeply than through discussion alone.

Successful learning looks like students demonstrating respect during ceremonies, accurately identifying symbols of remembrance, and explaining why these symbols matter. They should articulate the difference between celebration and commemoration with clear examples.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Simulation: A Minute of Silence, watch for students giggling or fidgeting, which suggests they may confuse remembrance with celebration.

  Redirect by modeling the expected behavior and explaining that remembrance is about quiet respect. Use the 'Quiet vs. Loud' comparison and have students practice standing still and silent for short intervals until the behavior becomes automatic.

• During Collaborative Investigation: Symbols of Respect, watch for students assuming symbols like the poppy are about winning wars.

  Guide students to focus on the qualities represented by each symbol. For the poppy, emphasize bravery and sacrifice. Provide stories of helpers like nurses to shift the focus from conflict to service.

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Methods used in this brief

• Hot Seat