HASS · Year 6

Active learning ideas

The Westminster System: Origins and Structure

Active learning works for this topic because students need to physically and cognitively engage with abstract structures like separation of powers and bicameralism. Role-playing and simulations make the Westminster System’s mechanics visible, while comparative tasks help students grasp why Australia’s system relies on checks and balances.

• ACARA Content Descriptions
• AC9HASS6K05

• 40–50 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 3 activities

Activity 01

• Simulation Game
• 50 min · Whole Class

Simulation Game: The Three Branches of Power

Divide the class into the Parliament (makers), the Cabinet (doers), and the Courts (judges). Give them a new 'rule' to implement and have them demonstrate how each branch plays a different role in making it work.

Explain the key features of the Westminster system adopted by Australia.

Facilitation Tip

For the Gallery Walk, assign each group one key difference between Westminster and Washington systems to present succinctly in two minutes.

What to look for

Present students with a scenario: 'The Prime Minister has advised the Governor-General to dissolve Parliament.' Ask students to write down two specific actions the Governor-General might take in response, based on their understanding of the role.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Social Awareness
• Decision-Making

Activity 02

• Role Play
• 40 min · Pairs

Role Play: The Governor-General's Day

Students act out the ceremonial and constitutional roles of the Governor-General, such as signing bills into law (Royal Assent) or meeting with the Prime Minister, to understand they are a 'figurehead' with specific duties.

Analyze the constitutional role and powers of the Governor-General in Australian democracy.

What to look for

Pose the question: 'Why is it important for Australia to have a Governor-General as the Monarch's representative, rather than the Monarch themselves being directly involved?' Facilitate a class discussion, guiding students to consider historical context and practical governance.

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

Activity 03

• Gallery Walk
• 45 min · Small Groups

Gallery Walk: Westminster vs. Washington

Display features of the Australian system alongside the US system. Students use a Venn diagram to identify what we took from Britain (Westminster) and what we took from America (the 'Washminster' hybrid).

Compare the Australian parliamentary system with another democratic system globally.

What to look for

Students will draw a simple diagram showing the relationship between the Monarch, the Governor-General, and the Australian Parliament. They should label each component and write one sentence explaining the primary function of the Governor-General.

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

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teachers should model the separation of powers visibly in class activities, using clear role boundaries and real constitutional examples. Avoid over-simplifying the Governor-General’s role—students need to see both its symbolic and advisory functions. Research shows that students grasp parliamentary systems better when they trace a single bill through all three branches, so design activities that follow one piece of legislation from introduction to royal assent.

Students should be able to explain the symbolic role of the Governor-General and the practical limits on the Prime Minister’s power, using evidence from the simulation, role play, and gallery walk.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During the Role Play: The Governor-General's Day, watch for students assuming the Governor-General acts independently without advice.

  During the role play, have students reference the Prime Minister’s written advice before making any decision, using the prompt cards you provide to remind them of constitutional conventions.

• During the Simulation: The Three Branches of Power, watch for students believing the judiciary has no power over elected officials.

  During the simulation, pause after the High Court ‘rules’ on a law and ask students to revise the law in response, using the ‘Check and Balance’ diagram to guide their changes.

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Methods used in this brief

• Simulation Game
• Role Play
• Gallery Walk