HASS · Year 6

Active learning ideas

Understanding Australia's Three Levels of Government

Active learning works for this topic because Australia’s three levels of government are often taught as abstract concepts. Moving, discussing, and role-playing with real responsibilities helps students see how the system functions in practice rather than as disconnected facts.

• ACARA Content Descriptions
• AC9HASS6K05

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

Activity 01

• Stations Rotation
• 45 min · Small Groups

Stations Rotation: The Responsibility Sort

Set up three stations (Federal, State, Local). Students are given 'problem cards' (e.g., 'The local playground is broken', 'We need a new navy ship') and must move to the correct station to 'file' their request.

Compare the primary responsibilities of Federal, State, and Local governments in Australia.

Facilitation Tip

During the Responsibility Sort, place the most debated items (like schools or roads) at the front of the station to spark immediate discussion.

What to look for

Provide students with three scenarios: 'Building a new school', 'Collecting household rubbish', and 'Declaring war'. Ask students to write which level of government (Federal, State, or Local) is primarily responsible for each scenario and one reason why.

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

Activity 02

• Inquiry Circle
• 40 min · Pairs

Inquiry Circle: My Local Council

Students use local government websites to find the name of their Mayor and one recent project the council has completed. They share their findings in a 'community board' style display.

Explain why a multi-level government system is beneficial for a diverse nation like Australia.

Facilitation Tip

For the Local Council investigation, provide a mix of digital and print resources so students practice evaluating sources while gathering evidence.

What to look for

Display a list of services (e.g., 'Operating a public library', 'Managing Medicare', 'Maintaining local playgrounds'). Ask students to hold up fingers representing the level of government responsible: 1 for Local, 2 for State, 3 for Federal. Discuss any disagreements.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Self-Awareness

Activity 03

• Role Play
• 50 min · Small Groups

Role Play: The Inter-Government Meeting

Students act as representatives from each level of government who must work together to plan a major event, like the Olympics. They must negotiate who pays for the stadium (State), the security (Federal), and the local road closures (Local).

Analyze how a specific local issue might be addressed by different levels of government.

Facilitation Tip

In the Role Play, assign students roles in advance so they arrive prepared to represent their level’s priorities with genuine conviction.

What to look for

Pose the question: 'Imagine your local park needs a new playground. Which level of government would you contact first, and why? What if the playground equipment was unsafe due to faulty manufacturing? Which level might then become involved?' Guide students to analyze the roles of different government levels.

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

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teachers approach this topic best by grounding abstract constitutional powers in concrete examples students encounter daily. Avoid presenting the levels as a hierarchy—emphasize their constitutional partnership instead. Research suggests that students grasp division of powers more deeply when they analyze real conflicts between levels, so build in time for disagreement and resolution.

Successful learning looks like students confidently sorting responsibilities by level, explaining why each level handles what it does, and applying this understanding to new situations. They should also demonstrate respectful debate when roles overlap or conflict.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During the Responsibility Sort, watch for students labeling the Federal Government as the ‘boss’ of the other levels.

  Guide students to re-read the Constitution cards at the station and physically move the Federal-only items (like defence) away from shared items (like education) to see that each level has its own domain.

• During the Who do I call? flowchart in the Role Play, watch for students assuming the Prime Minister is responsible for everything, including local schools.

  Have students trace the flowchart with a partner, starting from a local issue and moving up levels only when necessary, to see that education stays at the State level.

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Methods used in this brief

• Stations Rotation
• Inquiry Circle
• Role Play