Government & Defence - PARLIAMENTARIAN

Excursion to Canberra

Take an excursion to Parliament House, Canberra and watch Parliament.  There are Tours that you can undertake.

Upon returning to school, create your own parliament!

Your Own Classroom Electorate

PrimaryMiddle & Secondary

Cooperative Learning Activity

The following roles are involved in this activity

• Residents - 3 - 5 students

• Press Agent

• Parliamentarian

1. In pairs, you are to propose new initiatives that could help improve your "Electorate". The electorate could be the school, the local area or a region.

List these new initiatives. There should be a list of between 2 - 5 initiatives.

2. Compile all the new initiatives into one list for the class. Select one intiative by class consensus.

3. Have 3 - 5 students elected to speak on behalf of the "residents" about the impact of this new initiative on the community. After the speech, one person is to act as the Parliamentarian  and make a decision about this initiative and decide whether it is important enough to bring up in Parliament.

With their press agent, the Parliamentarian is to write a press release on the initiative and why or why not they will support the initiative.

4. After completing this activity you are to then to conduct a discussion about whether or not the decisions made by one person were ineffective or not. 

5.

Reflection.

What initiatives could you take on as a class to change?

You might want to go online and start a Petition to help with this change!

Debate

PrimaryMiddle Secondary

1. In groups of 5 - 7 students are to create a debate based around a current topic being displayed on news. 

 

2.

Divide into two groups - 3 for the affirmative team and 3 for the negative team.  Students are to debate for 3 minutes on the topic chosen by the group. 

3. Students need to take into consideration the correct format of a debate, first speaker, second speaker plus rebuttal, third speaker plus rebuttal who also concludes debate.  Students will be adjudicated by class members and the Teacher.  

Political Cartoons Australia

Secondary


Australian Curriculum General Capability: Literacy

Australian Curriculum General Capability: Critical & Creative Thinking

Australian Curriculum General Capability: Personal and Social Capability

1. Look at the Political Cartoons Australia website, (on Facebook so you might need it unblocked at school)

2. Select a cartoon and,

3. Using the Rubric,

4. Critique your selected cartoon

5. Using a current political event, draw a cartoon of your own and share with the class.

Websites, Games & Apps

Debate Game for Kids Australian Curriculum General Capability: Literacy Australian Curriculum General Capability - Information and communication technology (ICT) capability
UK - Parliament Games  Australian Curriculum General Capability: Literacy Australian Curriculum General Capability - Information and communication technology (ICT) capability
Debate WebQuest [Just an Online Worksheet]	Debating Rules - for Teachers