Year 7

This sequence of learning covers the knowledge and understanding content descriptions for the Year 7 Civics and Citizenship learning area in the Australian Curriculum V9.0.


Topic Focus Duration AC V9.0
1. Australia's system of government The features of the Australian government to make laws, govern and ensure accountability. 3h 40min AC9HC7K01
2. Australia's legal system The Australian court system, the rule of law principles and citizen rights. 2h 55min AC9HC7K03
3. Democracy, diversity, and values The democratic freedoms, privileges and responsibilities of Australia’s diverse citizens. 4h 50min AC9HC7K02
AC9HC7K04
AC9HC7K05

 

Topic 1: Australia’s system of government (3h 40min)

Curriculum alignment
AC9HC7K01

Getting started (20 min)

Australia’s system of government is the way our country is organised to make laws, govern and ensure accountability. It affects how decisions are made and how citizens participate in democracy.

Ask students:

  • Why do you think it’s important to understand how our system of government works?
  • What do you already know about it?

Students work in pairs to review information in Introducing Australia’s System of Government fact sheet.

While reading, ask them to identify:

  • one feature they already knew
  • one feature that surprised them or seems most important
  • one feature that they find confusing or don’t fully understand yet.

The foundational feature: The Australian Constitution (20 min)

The Australian Constitution is the legal foundation of our system of government. It sets out the framework for how power is shared and exercised, but the system itself includes principles and practices that go beyond the text of the Constitution.

Show The Constitution video (2min 26s) and ask students to note the answers to the following questions while watching:

  • What did people in the Australian colonies want to achieve by joining together to form a nation? 
  • Why was the Constitution written?

As a class, play the Constitution quiz or Constitution Kahoot!

Key features of the Australian system of government (3 h)

Previous learning considered the overall concept of Australia’s system of government and the Constitution as the legal foundation for this system. This lesson examines the key principles and structures in more detail to understand how they work together.

The Australian system of government fact sheet is a useful resource to revisit at any time during this activity. It provides a broad overview and shows how all the features fit together as part of one system.

Students will work in small groups.

Before starting their research, students work in their group to create 3 inquiry questions that will guide their investigation. Use the question words who, what, where, when, why, and how as sentence starters to help think broadly and deeply about the topic.

Each group will research one feature of Australia’s system of government and create a poster that answers the inquiry questions.

Required (core) topics include:

Additional topics include:

As each group presents their poster and explains the feature they researched, ask the other students to note 3 points from each presentation to help them remember the key features of Australia’s system of government.

Topic 2: Australia's legal system (2h 55min)

Curriculum alignment
AC9HC7K03

Getting started (10 min)

Australia’s legal system is based on principles like the rule of law, rights and responsibilities, and independent courts to promote justice.

The Australian Constitution plays an important role in this system. It doesn’t just set up Parliament - it also creates the legal framework for our courts and makes sure the rule of law applies to everyone, including the government.

The Australian Constitution establishes the High Court of Australia and gives it the power to interpret laws and resolve disputes. This means that laws apply to everyone, including the government. By creating independent courts, the Constitution helps protect fairness and justice and ensures the rule of law is upheld.

As a class, highlight or underline the three most important ideas in the paragraphs above.

In pairs, answer these questions:

  • What does the Constitution create for the legal system?
  • Why is it important that laws apply to everyone, including the government?
  • How do independent courts help ensure fairness?

The Court System (30 min)

Australia’s court system is organised in levels (a hierarchy). Display the Australian Court Hierarchy graphic while explaining the following information:

The High Court of Australia:

  • sits at the top of the court hierarchy
  • hears the most important cases and interprets the Australian Constitution.

Below the High Court are two main types of courts:

  • State and Territory Courts
    • Supreme Courts – deal with the most serious criminal cases and major civil disputes
    • Intermediate Courts (County or District Courts) – hear less serious criminal cases and medium-level civil cases
    • Lower Courts (Local or Magistrates Courts) – deal with minor crimes and small civil matters. 
  • Federal Courts
    • Federal Court and Family Court – handle federal law cases, including family law, migration, and workplace disputes
    • Federal Magistrates Court – hears simpler federal law matters.

View The High Court of Australia BTN video (4min 9s) to help consolidate this information.

Play the following game with your students to check their understanding:

Instructions:

  • Stand in the middle of the room.
  • When you hear each statement:
    • move to the left side of the room if you think it is true
    • move to the right side of the room if you think it is false.
  • Be ready to explain why you chose your answer. 

Statements:

  1. The High Court of Australia is the highest court in the country. (A= True)
  2. Magistrates Courts deal with the most serious criminal cases. (A = False)
  3. Supreme Courts are part of the state and territory court system. (A= True)
  4. County or District Courts are also called intermediate courts. (A= True)
  5. Federal courts deal with cases involving federal laws. (A= True)
  6. All court cases in Australia go straight to the High Court first. (A= False)
  7. Local Courts and Magistrates Courts deal with minor cases. (A= True)
  8. Australia has only one court system and no federal courts. (A = False)
  9. The court system in Australia is organised in levels, from lower to higher courts. (A= True)
  10. Family law cases are held in state and territory courts. (A= False)

Rules, laws and justice (15 min)

Use the Unpack democracy classroom activity to discuss with students some general ideas about justice, for example:

The Rule of Law (20 min)

Show the NSW Law Society What is the Rule of Law? video (5min 17s) and review the Rule of law fact sheet. Afterwards, discuss with students why it is important to uphold the rule of law.

Rule of law principles (30 min)

Ask students to research and provide a brief explanation of some or all of these principles:

  • independent courts
  • presumption of innocence
  • no arbitrary arrest
  • equality before the law
  • burden of proof.

Rights under the law (10 min)

View the NSW Law Society What rights do you have when under arrest? video (4min 14s). You may prefer to source an equivalent video from your own jurisdiction or use the NSW video as a point of comparison with the rights in your state/territory. Ensure students understand in Australia there is a presumption of innocence until a court has found guilt. Our legal system provides legal aid to people who are arrested, but this support is mostly available to those who cannot afford to pay for a lawyer, to help ensure fairness and justice.  Discuss with students why the presumption of innocence is important in a democratic system.

Alternatively you can distribute the what to do if charged with a criminal offence information sheet from the Frances Burt Law Education Programme. Students in states other than Western Australia can use the sheet as a guide to researching equivalent information about where they can get legal advice in their own state or territory.

A fair trial (1 h)

According to the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, a fair trial is a right all people of the world have. But what makes a trial fair or unfair? To help students understand the principles of a fair trial, undertake the Amnesty International Fair trial classroom activity. Teacher’s notes are available.  Afterwards, discuss:

  • if a suspect is clearly guilty, does it matter if they get a fair trial?
  • should everyone have their rights to a fair trial fulfilled or are there some instances where these rights should be restricted?
  • do you think it is important that regular citizens sit on a jury and pass judgement on their fellow citizen/s? Why/ why not?
  • why is a fair trial important to democracy?

Topic 3: Democracy, diversity, and values (4h 50min)

Curriculum alignment
AC9HC7K02
AC9HC7K04
AC9HC7K05

Getting started (20 min)

Ask students to write on a sticky note one thing they value about living in our democracy. On a classroom wall or a digital mind-map tool, share the following 4 key ideas of Australian democracy, and ask students to place their values against the element of democracy it best fits: 

  • free and fair franchised elections
  • rule of law
  • equity
  • freedom.

Ask students to explain their choices and encourage the class to add more examples as the conversation continues. You can extend the conversation by asking questions such as:

  • What do you value about our way of life in Australia?
  • How do you think our way of life is different or similar to other countries around the world?
  • How has life in Australia changed over time?
  • Do you know how the elements of our democracy - including our freedoms - are protected in Australia?
  • What else should we add to this brainstorm to describe what it means to be Australian?

Privileges and responsibilities (30 min)

Discuss the differences between a privilege and a responsibility with the class. Explore the responsibilities, privileges and freedoms outlined in the Department of Home Affairs Australian Citizenship website. As a class, create 2 lists:

  • responsibilities of Australian citizens 
  • privileges and freedoms of Australian citizens.

Democratic freedoms (1 h)

Display the Department of Home Affairs Australian Values: Our Common Bond document and read the information about our democratic freedoms (p19). Study the scenarios below and decide as a class which freedom is being exercised. Students should justify their answers with a clear reason.

  • A group of students start a club to protect the environment.
  • An artist paints a mural criticising a government policy.
  • A family celebrates a religious festival in their home.
  • People gather in the city to protest peacefully about a government decision.
  • A person chooses not to join any political party.
  • A musician writes a song about social justice issues.

Students choose one of the above scenarios and write a paragraph to answer the following questions:

  • Why is this freedom important in a democracy?
  • What limits apply to this freedom under Australian law?

Design a poster or mini comic strip that shows one of these freedoms in action including:

  • a short slogan (For example, “Freedom of Speech Matters!”)
  • an image or drawing that represents the freedom.

Diverse electorates (45 min)

Show the class the Australian Electoral Commission’s maps of Australian electorates. 

Remind students there are 150 electorates in Australia, each with 120,658 voters on average.

Ask students to consider how life is different across our country and how this might affect what people in those communities value about living in Australia.

Ask students to select 3 electorates (their own, an electorate from another state or territory and an electorate that is either larger or smaller than their own) and to make notes about each electorate on the Research Australian electorates worksheet. They can research electorates at the Australian Electoral Commission and at the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

A secular and multi-faith society (45 min)

Using the Australian Constitution webpage from the PEO website, section 116.

Discuss the meaning of the section and distribute A secular and multi-faith society worksheet, reading the definitions of secular and multi-faith. Ask students to complete the worksheet and share some of the examples they have listed with the whole class.

A pluralist society is one that allows diversity to exist. Use the information on the A secular and multi-faith society worksheet to explain why Australia is considered a pluralist, multi-faith society.

Australian values and social cohesion (30 min)

Display the Department of Home Affairs Australian Values: Our Common Bond document and review section 4 (pp33−­39). Ask students to consider:

  • how ‘Commitment to the Rule of Law’ and ‘Parliamentary Democracy’ (p34) relates to the value of fairness?
  • what freedoms does Australia value? (p35)
  • what systems are in place in Australia to promote equal rights and opportunities for all? (p36)
  • how Australian values can bring people from diverse backgrounds together after reading ‘Compassion for those in need’ (p38) and the bushfire season example (p39). 
  • what other elements (on p38) could support cohesion in Australia’s diverse society?

Citizenship pledge and affirmation (1 h)

Explain that Australia, and many other countries around the world, require new citizens to make an oath or pledge of loyalty. These pledges are more than a formality - they express shared values and responsibilities that unite people in a nation. By committing to principles like respect, fairness and obedience to the law, citizenship pledges help create a sense of belonging and trust among citizens. This shared commitment supports social cohesion, where people work together peacefully and strengthens democracy, because citizens agree to uphold rights, freedoms and the rule of law.

Show the Department of Home Affairs Australian Citizenship pledge recited by new Australian citizens at their Citizenship Ceremony. As a class, view the Department of Home Affairs citizenship affirmation video (4min 2s) and discuss how it describes the freedoms, rights and responsibilities of Australian citizens:

  • fair go – not just how we try our best but also in providing opportunity for all
  • mateship - a generosity of spirit and compassion for those in need
  • respect – of self, of others, our community and the environment
  • inclusion – acceptance and respect of difference.

Divide your students into small groups and distribute the Different oaths worksheet. Each group compares and contrasts the Australian Citizenship Pledge to the citizen oath from Canada, Philippines or Russia. Groups can report their findings to the whole class.

After completing this comparison task, think about what these pledges reveal about the values each country considers important. Discuss how the wording of the Australian pledge shows the values that help Australians live together peacefully and maintain a democratic society. Use the following discussion questions to unpack these ideas with your class:

  • what values stand out in the Australian pledge?
  • what differences did you notice about the Australian pledge and the other three countries? What do these differences tell us about what each country sees as important for unity and democratic life?
  • why is it important for citizens to commit to these values in a diverse society like Australia?

Going further: Citizenship stories

Becoming an Australian citizen is an important step for many migrants. In this activity, you will look at stories of people who have become Australian citizens. You’ll explore why they chose Australia, how they contribute to their communities, and how their actions and values help build social cohesion in our diverse society.

Distribute the Celebrating citizenship stories worksheet, split students into small groups and assign each group a Celebrating citizenship video to watch sourced from the Department of Home Affairs. Students complete the worksheet as they watch the video. Share the responses with the class and discuss what these citizenship stories show about why people choose to become Australian citizens, the values they bring and demonstrate and how these values and contributions help Australia remain a fair, inclusive, and democratic society.

 

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