HASS · Year 6

Active learning ideas

The Role of Political Parties and Interest Groups

Active learning helps students grasp how political parties and interest groups shape policy beyond textbooks. By role-playing debates or analyzing real campaigns, students see how power is shared and contested in democracy.

• ACARA Content Descriptions
• AC9HASS6K05
• AC9HASS6K06

• 30–50 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Formal Debate
• 45 min · Small Groups

Role-Play: Party Policy Debate

Divide class into three groups representing Labor, Liberal, and Greens parties. Each group prepares a 2-minute pitch on a policy issue like climate action, then debates in a mock parliament. Vote as a class to form government.

Explain the primary function of political parties in a democratic election.

Facilitation Tip

During the Party Policy Debate, assign clear roles so students experience how party platforms are negotiated and compromised.

What to look for

Pose the question: 'Imagine you are starting a new interest group to advocate for more green spaces in your local area. What would be your group's main goal, and what two specific actions would you take to try and achieve it?' Facilitate a brief class discussion where students share their ideas.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Decision-Making

Activity 02

• Gallery Walk
• 30 min · Pairs

Gallery Walk: Interest Group Campaigns

Display posters of real Australian interest group campaigns (e.g., GetUp!, unions). Students rotate in pairs, noting goals, methods, and impacts, then discuss in whole class how groups challenge government.

Compare the goals and methods of two different interest groups in Australia.

Facilitation Tip

For the Gallery Walk, provide a mix of large and small interest groups so students notice differences in campaign power and reach.

What to look for

Provide students with a short news article about a recent government decision. Ask them to identify: 1) Which political party or parties are in government? 2) Was there an interest group that supported or opposed this decision? How did they express their views?

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

Activity 03

• Jigsaw
• 50 min · Small Groups

Jigsaw: Party Functions

Assign expert roles on party roles (e.g., candidate selection, policy making). Experts teach their home group, then mixed groups answer key questions on elections and representation.

Assess how interest groups can both support and challenge government decisions.

Facilitation Tip

In the Jigsaw activity, give each group a specific party function to research so all contributions are necessary for the final understanding.

What to look for

On an index card, ask students to write: 'One key difference between a political party and an interest group.' and 'One example of how an interest group might try to influence the government.'

• Understand
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Relationship Skills
• Self-Management

Activity 04

• Formal Debate
• 35 min · Pairs

Influence Mapping: Group Goals

In pairs, students research two interest groups, map their goals and methods on a Venn diagram, then present comparisons to class.

Explain the primary function of political parties in a democratic election.

Facilitation Tip

During Influence Mapping, ask students to justify their connections between goals and influence tactics with concrete examples.

What to look for

Pose the question: 'Imagine you are starting a new interest group to advocate for more green spaces in your local area. What would be your group's main goal, and what two specific actions would you take to try and achieve it?' Facilitate a brief class discussion where students share their ideas.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Decision-Making

A few notes on teaching this unit

Use role-play and mapping to make abstract concepts visible and interactive. Research shows students retain political processes better when they act them out rather than read about them. Avoid long lectures; instead, build in frequent opportunities for students to apply ideas immediately in structured tasks.

Students will explain the distinct roles of parties and interest groups, identify their methods of influence, and critique their effectiveness. They will use evidence from activities to support their reasoning about political processes.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During the Role-Play: Party Policy Debate, watch for students assuming parties control everything without negotiation.

  Use the debate structure to redirect students by requiring amendments and compromises, showing how parties must negotiate with each other and sometimes with interest groups to pass policies.

• During the Gallery Walk: Interest Group Campaigns, watch for students believing all groups have equal power.

  Guide students to compare the size and visibility of campaigns, noting how large groups often partner with media or political allies, while small groups rely on grassroots efforts.

• During the Jigsaw: Party Functions, watch for students thinking parties are internally united on every issue.

  Ask students to include factional debates in their presentations, using party policy documents that show internal disagreements to illustrate this dynamic.

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Methods used in this brief

• Formal Debate
• Gallery Walk
• Jigsaw