HASS · Year 1

Active learning ideas

Local Government and Services

Active learning works well for this topic because young students build understanding through direct observation and role-play. When children see real services in their neighbourhood or act out council decisions, abstract ideas become concrete and memorable. This approach connects classroom learning to their everyday experiences.

• ACARA Content Descriptions
• AC9HASS1K08

• 20–35 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Numbered Heads Together
• 30 min · Small Groups

Community Walk: Service Hunt

Plan a short walk around the school neighbourhood to spot council services like parks, bins, or library signs. Provide clipboards for students to draw or note what they see. Back in class, share findings on a large community map.

What services does our local council provide for our community?

Facilitation Tip

During the Community Walk, give each pair a simple checklist with pictures of services to locate, so all students actively search and record their findings.

What to look for

Show students pictures of different community services (e.g., a park, a library, a rubbish bin, a playground). Ask students to point to or name the service and say one word about how it helps them or their family.

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Relationship Skills
• Self-Management

Activity 02

• Numbered Heads Together
• 25 min · Small Groups

Role-Play: Council Decisions

Assign roles as council members discussing a new park or library fix. Use props like toy bins or book stacks. Groups present ideas, then vote as a class on the best plan.

How do local services like libraries, parks, and rubbish collection help everyone?

Facilitation Tip

In the Role-Play activity, assign roles clearly and provide sentence starters to guide students, ensuring everyone participates meaningfully.

What to look for

Give each student a piece of paper. Ask them to draw one service their local council provides and write one sentence explaining why it is important for the community.

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Relationship Skills
• Self-Management

Activity 03

• Numbered Heads Together
• 35 min · Pairs

What If: No Services Drama

In pairs, act out daily life without parks, libraries, or rubbish collection. Draw before-and-after pictures. Discuss as a class how services solve problems.

What would it be like if we did not have libraries, parks, or rubbish collection?

Facilitation Tip

For the What If drama, pause after each scenario to ask students to turn and talk with a partner before sharing with the class.

What to look for

Pose the question: 'Imagine our town did not have a library for one month. What would be different?' Encourage students to share their ideas about what they would miss or how they would find books and information.

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Relationship Skills
• Self-Management

Activity 04

• Numbered Heads Together
• 20 min · Small Groups

Service Match: Needs and Helpers

Prepare cards with community needs (e.g., clean streets) and services (rubbish collection). Students match and explain links in small groups, then share with the class.

What services does our local council provide for our community?

Facilitation Tip

In Service Match, use picture cards and Velcro dots so students can physically move and rearrange matches on a board.

What to look for

Show students pictures of different community services (e.g., a park, a library, a rubbish bin, a playground). Ask students to point to or name the service and say one word about how it helps them or their family.

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Relationship Skills
• Self-Management

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teachers approach this topic best by starting with what students already know. Use familiar places like their local park or library as entry points. Avoid overwhelming detail about levels of government; focus on the council’s role in daily life. Research suggests that concrete experiences like walks and role-plays build stronger mental models than abstract explanations alone. Keep language simple and connected to their world.

Successful learning looks like students naming local services, explaining their purpose, and showing how council actions meet community needs. They should demonstrate curiosity about how places they visit are managed and cared for. Evidence of learning includes correct matches between services and helpers, thoughtful role-play dialogue, and clear drawings with explanations.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During the Community Walk, watch for students who only point out large buildings like schools.

  Use the walk to focus on services like rubbish bins, benches in parks, or library book drops. Pause at each stop to ask, 'How does this help our community?' and prompt students to share their observations with a partner.

• During the Role-Play: Council Decisions, watch for students who think services appear without planning.

  After explaining the role-play scenario, ask students to brainstorm two reasons the council might choose to build a new park or library. During the role-play, have them explain their decisions aloud to highlight the planning process.

• During the Service Match activity, watch for students who confuse council services with home or school rules.

  Before matching, review examples of services (e.g., a playground vs. a school rule about sharing toys). Ask students to explain why each example belongs to one category or the other during the matching task.

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Methods used in this brief

• Numbered Heads Together