1. Introducing Civics and Citizenship: Levels 3 - 10

2. Outline of this session
FAQs
The rationale and aims of the curriculum
The structure of the curriculum
Approaches to teaching Civics and Citizenship
Resources

3. Do I have to teach Civics and Citizenship (CC) as a discrete subject in the curriculum?
No – the content of CC may be taught in a range of ways including integrated with other Humanities curriculum, other Learning areas, or as part of themed units. The requirement is that the content of the curriculum be taught and be part of the school’s learning program.
You may have other questions about CC but these are some common ones……

4. How often do I have to report against the Civics and Citizenship achievement standards?
Schools should report on student achievement in the course of each two year band of school – in accordance with the whole-school teaching and learning plan
See: Victorian Curriculum F-10, Revised curriculum planning and reporting guidelines.

5. What is the place of active citizenship in the Civics and Citizenship curriculum?
Active citizenship focuses on the actions that citizens can take to contribute to and improve their community. The curriculum encourages students to consider the ways they can participate in school, local, state, national and global communities. They are also asked to consider options and arguments in relation to issues of community concern and develop action plans to address these. The nature of active citizenship will differ between schools.  
Community’ may refer to the school community, the local community, the state, the nation or the global community.  Active participation may be as small as improving a classroom recycling program or include large school-community social service programs, student leadership programs, volunteer programs and partnership programs with local councils or groups outside the school.

6. Where is Civics and Citizenship placed?
The Civics and Citizenship curriculum is written for Levels
The Humanities include four disciplines
The Humanities
Civics and Citizenship
Economics and Business
Geography
History
All of the Humanities curriculum is written in two year bands in the Victorian Curriculum. This is to enable teaching and learning flexibility over two years

7. Rationale
Civics and Citizenship is essential in enabling students to become active and informed citizens who participate in and sustain Australia’s democracy. Through the study of Civics and Citizenship, students investigate political and legal systems, and explore the nature of citizenship, diversity and identity in contemporary society. They gain the knowledge and skills necessary to question, understand and contribute to the world in which they live.
When looking at the curriculum, I know it’s tempting to go straight to the content descriptions – the what do they want me to teach? – but it’s a good idea to start with a bird’s eye view.
This is the first paragraph of the rationale – and you can see that CC is very clearly linked to student identity, empowerment, contribution. – and this of course is the notion that the curriculum provides students with knowledge, skills and understandings to make a critical difference to their society….. CC affects the way we live.

8. Aims … students develop:
a lifelong sense of belonging to, and engagement with, civic life as an active and informed citizen in the context of Australia as a secular democratic nation with a dynamic, multicultural and multi-faith society
knowledge, understanding and appreciation of the values, principles, institutions and practices of Australia’s system of democratic government and law, and the role of the citizen in Australian government and society
skills necessary to investigate contemporary civics and citizenship issues, and foster responsible participation in Australia’s democracy
the capacities and dispositions to participate in the civic life of their nation at a local, regional and global level.
Developing a civic identity within a diverse society
Knowledge and understanding
Skills for critical understanding and participation in Australian democracy

9. Structure of each two year band
Curriculum structure: Bands 3 & 4, 5 & 6, 7 & 8, 9 & 10
1. Band description with key focus questions
2. Content descriptions in three strands:
Government and democracy
Laws and Citizens
Citizenship, Diversity and Identity
( Elaborations for each content description)
3. Achievement standards

10. Band descriptions: an overview of the learning in a two year band
Key questions: key questions which are the focus of teaching and learning
Content descriptions – in three strands – define essential content in this band
Achievement standards – what students should know/ be able to do – as a result of learning in this band and are the basis of reporting student achievement.

11. Elaborations
Each content description has elaborations. These are ways of unpacking the key knowledge and provide illustrations of what you might do to teach the key knowledge.
For example: the eleborations above unpack the first content description for government and democracy in outlining the features of government under the Australian Constitution.

12. Achievement standards
Band descriptions
advisory
Content descriptions
what teachers are expected to teach and students are expected to learn
Elaborations
Achievement standards
what students are able to understand and do, and are the basis for reporting student achievement.
Status of curriculum elements
advisory
What is the status of each of these curriculum elements?

13. Strand: Government and Democracy
Government and Democracy involves the study of:
Australian democracy
principles and values which underpin Australia’s democratic institutions
key institutions, processes and roles people play in Australia’s system of government.

14. Strand: Laws and Citizens
Laws and Citizens involves the understanding of:
Australia’s legal system
principles and values which underpin the Australian legal system
the process of creation of laws
the rights and legal obligations of Australian citizens.

15. Strand: Citizenship, Diversity and Identity
Citizenship, Diversity and Identity explores the:
shared values of Australian citizenship
the diversity of Australia as a multicultural and multi-faith society
factors that shape identity and belonging in Australia
the nature of citizenship in a diverse society

16. A3 Scope and Sequence Speak to: Progression of understanding
Achievement standards at two-level-bands

17. Approaches – all strands
use of contemporary events and issues to teach the content and develop critical understanding
evaluate democratic principles and values e.g. the ‘fairness’ of laws, how ‘representative’ of the community are our politicians
inquiry skills e.g. Australian government responsibilities at a global level
examine the ways that citizens participate (e.g. volunteers, interest groups, social media groups) and consider how they might act individually and in groups.
Daily issues/ democratic processes in the newspapers can be used e.g. the recent election

18. 2016 Election
3 - 4
how and why decisions are made democratically
5 - 6
values, principles and institutions that underpin Australia’s democratic forms of government and explain how this system is influenced by the Westminster system
key features of the Australian electoral process
roles and responsibilities of electors and representatives in Australia's democracy
explore ways citizens can participate in society
7 - 8
freedoms that enable active participation in Australia's democracy…..
how citizens can participate in Australia's democracy, including the use of the electoral system, contact with their elected representatives
9 - 10
the role of political parties and independent representatives in Australia’s system of government, including the formation of governments
how citizens’ political choices are shaped, including the influence of the media

19. Issues Contemporary Issues Types of questions Sky rail
Great barrier reef
Greyhound racing
Local parks
Homelessness
Asylum seekers
Wind farms
Global terrorism
Social media abuse
Types of questions
Level of government involved?
Laws which apply to the issue? New laws needed?
Interest groups are involved?
How can citizens participate?
What are the arguments for and against (and what is the evidence)?
What actions can citizens take?
How are decisions made in a democracy?

20. Resources http://victoriancurriculum.vcaa.vic.edu.au/
Show curriculum
View of curriculum
Consecutively down the page
In columns across the page
With elaborations

21. Resources Parliamentary Education Office ( PEO) http://www.peo.gov.au/
Key resource for teaching CC and learning about CC to teach students
From Menu:
LEARNING: parliament now, fact sheets, Closer look ( Governing Australia: three levels of law-making)
TEACHING: Links for Australian Curriculum – Year 8 Unit. Parliamentary Lesson Plans
MULTIMEDIA: List of videos/ list of images
QUICK ANSWERS
RESOURCES

22. Resources
Australian Electoral Commission (AEC)
She them: Get voting – How to run an election for your school – can order a kit free from AEC

23. Resources Civics and Citizenship Education

24. Resources
Department of Immigration and Border Protection:

25. Resources Victorian Electoral Commission, Passport to democracy:

26. Contact Pat Hincks, Curriculum Manager: History and Civics
Telephone: