HASS · Year 1

Active learning ideas

Rules and Laws in Community

Active learning works for this topic because rules and laws feel abstract to young learners. Hands-on role-plays and games turn invisible expectations into visible actions students can feel and see. Movement and discussion help children connect classroom concepts to their daily lives in ways worksheets cannot.

• ACARA Content Descriptions
• AC9HASS1K08

• 25–40 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Role Play
• 30 min · Small Groups

Role-Play: Following Rules Scenarios

Divide class into small groups to act out playground play with rules, then without. Groups perform for the class and lead a short discussion on what worked better and why. Record key learnings on chart paper.

Why do we have rules in our school and community?

Facilitation Tip

During the Role-Play: Following Rules Scenarios, assign one student to be the 'rule keeper' who holds up a sign after each scene to show if the rule was followed or broken.

What to look for

Present students with pictures of different school or community scenarios (e.g., children sharing toys, a stop sign, someone running in the hallway). Ask students to point to the picture and say if it shows a rule being followed or broken, and why.

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

Activity 02

• Role Play
• 25 min · Pairs

Sorting Game: Rules in Action

Prepare cards with images of school and community scenes, some showing rules followed and others broken. In pairs, students sort cards into 'safe and fair' or 'not safe' piles, then justify choices to the group.

What can happen when people do not follow the rules?

Facilitation Tip

For the Sorting Game: Rules in Action, provide picture cards with both child and adult examples so students notice rules apply to everyone.

What to look for

Ask students: 'Imagine our classroom had no rules about sharing. What might happen during playtime?' Guide the discussion towards consequences like arguments or no one getting a turn, reinforcing the need for rules.

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

Activity 03

• Role Play
• 40 min · Whole Class

Class Rules Creation Workshop

As a whole class, brainstorm rules for a pretend community event like a picnic. Vote on top rules, illustrate them on a poster, and role-play enforcement. Display the poster for ongoing reference.

Why do we need rules to keep everyone safe and treat everyone fairly?

Facilitation Tip

In the Class Rules Creation Workshop, write student ideas on chart paper using their exact words to build ownership and clarity.

What to look for

Give each student a small piece of paper. Ask them to draw one rule they have at school or home and write one word about why that rule is important (e.g., 'Safe', 'Kind', 'Quiet').

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

Activity 04

• Role Play
• 35 min · Pairs

Rule Hunt Walk

Take students on a short schoolyard or neighborhood walk. In pairs, they spot and photograph rules in action, like signs or line markers, then share findings in a class gallery walk.

Why do we have rules in our school and community?

Facilitation Tip

On the Rule Hunt Walk, give each pair a small clipboard so they can record rules and sketch simple symbols to bring back to class.

What to look for

Present students with pictures of different school or community scenarios (e.g., children sharing toys, a stop sign, someone running in the hallway). Ask students to point to the picture and say if it shows a rule being followed or broken, and why.

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

A few notes on teaching this unit

Start with what students already know about fairness and safety, then layer formal language gradually. Avoid lengthy lectures because young children learn rules through embodied experience. Research shows that when students create and role-play rules themselves, they remember their purposes longer than when rules are handed down. Keep the tone positive and solution-focused to build a sense of agency rather than fear of consequences.

Successful learning looks like students identifying rules in real contexts, explaining why they exist, and showing how following or not following them affects people. You will hear children use words like 'safe', 'fair', and 'helpful' naturally as they connect rules to outcomes.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During the Sorting Game: Rules in Action, watch for students who label rules as 'bad' or 'mean' when they remove cards.

  Pause the game and ask the group to discuss why each rule exists. Guide students to notice how rules protect people, using examples like 'The 'inside voice' rule helps us all hear the teacher'.

• During the Role-Play: Following Rules Scenarios, watch for students who act out only the consequences (e.g., bumping) without showing the rule being followed first.

  Before acting, ask each group to show both the rule being followed and the positive outcome. Use the prompt 'First show us the rule, then show us how it keeps everyone safe.'

• During the Class Rules Creation Workshop, watch for students who write rules only about what they cannot do, such as 'No running'.

  Prompt them to flip the rule into a positive action using 'We can...' or 'We keep...'. Provide sentence stems like 'We walk safely because...' to guide their thinking.

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Methods used in this brief

• Role Play