Civics and Citizenship (Version 8.4)

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Rationale

A deep understanding of Australia's federal system of government and the liberal democratic values that underpin it is essential in enabling students to become active and informed citizens who participate in and sustain Australia’s democracy.

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Aims

The Australian Curriculum: Civics and Citizenship aims to ensure 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, multi-faith society and a Christian heritage

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Structure

The Years 7–10 Australian Curriculum: Civics and Citizenship is organised into two interrelated strands: civics and citizenship knowledge and understanding, and civics and citizenship inquiry and skills.

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PDF documents

Resources and support materials for the Australian Curriculum: Civics and Citizenship are available as PDF documents. 
Civics and Citizenship: Sequence of content 7-10
Civics and Citizenship: Sequence of achievement 7-10  

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Glossary

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Year 7

Year 7 Level Description

The Year 7 curriculum provides a study of the key features of Australia’s system of government and explores how this system aims to protect all Australians. Students examine the Australian Constitution and how its features, principles and values shape Australia’s democracy. They look at how the rights of individuals are protected through the justice system. Students also explore how Australia’s secular system of government supports a diverse society with shared values.

The civics and citizenship content at this year level involves two strands: civics and citizenship knowledge and understanding, and civics and citizenship skills. These strands are interrelated and have been developed to be taught in an integrated way, and in ways that are appropriate to specific local contexts. The order and detail in which they are taught are programming decisions.

Key inquiry questions

A framework for developing students’ civics and citizenship knowledge, understanding and skills at this year level is provided by the followingkey questions:

  • How is Australia’s system of democratic government shaped by the Constitution?
  • What principles of justice help to protect the individual’s rights to justice in Australia’s system of law?
  • How is Australia a diverse society and what factors contribute to a cohesive society?

Year 7 Content Descriptions

Government and democracy

The key features of government under the Australian Constitution with a focus on: the separation of powers, the roles of the Executive, the Houses of Parliament, and the division of powers (ACHCK048 - Scootle )
Ethical Understanding

Exploring values, rights and responsibilities
  • Explore rights and responsibilities

Reasoning in decision making and actions
  • Consider consequences

Understanding ethical concepts and issues
  • Explore ethical concepts in context

Personal and Social Capability

Social awareness
  • Contribute to civil society
  • Understand relationships

  • exploring the concept of the separation of powers between the legislature, executive and judiciary and how it seeks to prevent the excessive concentration of power
    Literacy

    Composing texts through speaking, writing and creating
    • Compose spoken, written, visual and multimodal learning area texts

    Word Knowledge
    • Understand learning area vocabulary

    Comprehending texts through listening, reading and viewing
    • Interpret and analyse learning area texts
    • Navigate, read and view learning area texts

    Text knowledge
    • Use knowledge of text structures

    Critical and Creative Thinking

    Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
    • Organise and process information
    • Identify and clarify information and ideas

    Personal and Social Capability

    Social awareness
    • Understand relationships
    • Contribute to civil society

    Ethical Understanding

    Understanding ethical concepts and issues
    • Recognise ethical concepts
    • Explore ethical concepts in context

    Exploring values, rights and responsibilities
    • Explore rights and responsibilities

  • using an issue such as water management, education or health to explore the division of powers between state/territory and federal levels of government and identifying the way that conflicts between state laws and Commonwealth laws are resolved
    Literacy

    Comprehending texts through listening, reading and viewing
    • Navigate, read and view learning area texts
    • Interpret and analyse learning area texts

    Text knowledge
    • Use knowledge of text structures

    Word Knowledge
    • Understand learning area vocabulary

    Composing texts through speaking, writing and creating
    • Compose spoken, written, visual and multimodal learning area texts

    Personal and Social Capability

    Social awareness
    • Understand relationships
    • Contribute to civil society

    Ethical Understanding

    Understanding ethical concepts and issues
    • Recognise ethical concepts
    • Explore ethical concepts in context

    Exploring values, rights and responsibilities
    • Explore rights and responsibilities

    Reasoning in decision making and actions
    • Consider consequences

    Critical and Creative Thinking

    Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
    • Identify and clarify information and ideas
    • Organise and process information

  • describing the role of the Governor-General, the different roles of the House of Representatives and the Senate, the Prime Minister, ministers or the Cabinet and courts
    Literacy

    Comprehending texts through listening, reading and viewing
    • Interpret and analyse learning area texts
    • Navigate, read and view learning area texts

    Word Knowledge
    • Understand learning area vocabulary

    Text knowledge
    • Use knowledge of text structures

    Composing texts through speaking, writing and creating
    • Compose spoken, written, visual and multimodal learning area texts
    • Use language to interact with others

    Ethical Understanding

    Exploring values, rights and responsibilities
    • Explore rights and responsibilities

    Understanding ethical concepts and issues
    • Explore ethical concepts in context
    • Recognise ethical concepts

    Personal and Social Capability

    Social awareness
    • Appreciate diverse perspectives
    • Contribute to civil society

    Critical and Creative Thinking

    Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
    • Identify and clarify information and ideas
    • Organise and process information

  • identifying the principles of representative and responsible government that underpin the Australian Constitution
    Ethical Understanding

    Exploring values, rights and responsibilities
    • Explore rights and responsibilities

    Understanding ethical concepts and issues
    • Explore ethical concepts in context
    • Recognise ethical concepts

  • identifying the composition of the Legislature (the Queen, represented by the Governor-General, and the Senate and the House of Representatives), Executive (the Queen, represented by the Governor-General, Prime Minister and ministers) and Judiciary (the High Court and other federal courts)
    Ethical Understanding

    Understanding ethical concepts and issues
    • Explore ethical concepts in context
    • Recognise ethical concepts

    Exploring values, rights and responsibilities
    • Explore rights and responsibilities

  • discussing how ministers are subject to the scrutiny of other members of the parliament led by an officially recognised opposition
    Ethical Understanding

    Exploring values, rights and responsibilities
    • Consider points of view

    Understanding ethical concepts and issues
    • Explore ethical concepts in context
    • Recognise ethical concepts

The process for constitutional change through a referendum (ACHCK049 - Scootle )
Ethical Understanding

Reasoning in decision making and actions
  • Consider consequences

Exploring values, rights and responsibilities
  • Examine values
  • Explore rights and responsibilities

Understanding ethical concepts and issues
  • Explore ethical concepts in context

Personal and Social Capability

Social awareness
  • Understand relationships
  • Contribute to civil society

  • describing the process by which referendums to change the Australian Constitution are initiated and decided
    Ethical Understanding

    Understanding ethical concepts and issues
    • Explore ethical concepts in context
    • Recognise ethical concepts

    Exploring values, rights and responsibilities
    • Explore rights and responsibilities
    • Examine values

    Critical and Creative Thinking

    Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
    • Organise and process information
    • Identify and clarify information and ideas

    Literacy

    Comprehending texts through listening, reading and viewing
    • Navigate, read and view learning area texts
    • Interpret and analyse learning area texts

    Composing texts through speaking, writing and creating
    • Compose spoken, written, visual and multimodal learning area texts
    • Use language to interact with others

    Word Knowledge
    • Understand learning area vocabulary

    Text knowledge
    • Use knowledge of text structures

  • exploring examples of attempts to change the Australian Constitution by referendum (for example, the successful vote on the Constitution Alteration (Aboriginals) 1967 or the unsuccessful vote on the Constitution Alteration (Establishment of Republic) 1999)
    • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures
    Personal and Social Capability

    Social awareness
    • Understand relationships
    • Contribute to civil society

    Critical and Creative Thinking

    Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
    • Identify and clarify information and ideas
    • Organise and process information

    Ethical Understanding

    Understanding ethical concepts and issues
    • Explore ethical concepts in context
    • Recognise ethical concepts

    Exploring values, rights and responsibilities
    • Examine values
    • Explore rights and responsibilities

    Reasoning in decision making and actions
    • Consider consequences

    Literacy

    Text knowledge
    • Use knowledge of text structures

    Composing texts through speaking, writing and creating
    • Compose spoken, written, visual and multimodal learning area texts

    Comprehending texts through listening, reading and viewing
    • Interpret and analyse learning area texts
    • Navigate, read and view learning area texts

    Word Knowledge
    • Understand learning area vocabulary

  • discussing the advantages and disadvantages of having a Constitution that can only be amended by referendum
    Personal and Social Capability

    Social management
    • Communicate effectively
    • Negotiate and resolve conflict

Laws and citizens

How Australia’s legal system aims to provide justice, including through the rule of law, presumption of innocence, burden of proof, right to a fair trial and right to legal representation (ACHCK050 - Scootle )
Ethical Understanding

Exploring values, rights and responsibilities
  • Consider points of view
  • Explore rights and responsibilities
  • Examine values

Understanding ethical concepts and issues
  • Explore ethical concepts in context

Reasoning in decision making and actions
  • Consider consequences

Critical and Creative Thinking

Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
  • Pose questions
  • Identify and clarify information and ideas
  • Organise and process information

Personal and Social Capability

Social awareness
  • Contribute to civil society
  • Understand relationships

  • discussing the elements of a ‘fair trial’, including citizens’ roles as witnesses and jurors
    Literacy

    Composing texts through speaking, writing and creating
    • Use language to interact with others
    • Compose spoken, written, visual and multimodal learning area texts

    Grammar knowledge
    • Express opinion and point of view
    • Use knowledge of sentence structures
    • Use knowledge of words and word groups

    Word Knowledge
    • Understand learning area vocabulary

    Critical and Creative Thinking

    Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
    • Pose questions
    • Identify and clarify information and ideas

    Generating ideas, possibilities and actions
    • Consider alternatives

    Analysing, synthesising and evaluating reasoning and procedures
    • Apply logic and reasoning

    Ethical Understanding

    Understanding ethical concepts and issues
    • Recognise ethical concepts
    • Explore ethical concepts in context

    Exploring values, rights and responsibilities
    • Explore rights and responsibilities
    • Examine values

    Reasoning in decision making and actions
    • Consider consequences

    Personal and Social Capability

    Social awareness
    • Understand relationships
    • Appreciate diverse perspectives
    • Contribute to civil society

  • exploring how Australians can receive access to justice and legal representation, such as through legal aid
    Critical and Creative Thinking

    Analysing, synthesising and evaluating reasoning and procedures
    • Apply logic and reasoning
    • Draw conclusions and design a course of action

    Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
    • Identify and clarify information and ideas
    • Organise and process information

    Reflecting on thinking and processes
    • Reflect on processes

    Ethical Understanding

    Reasoning in decision making and actions
    • Consider consequences
    • Reason and make ethical decisions

    Exploring values, rights and responsibilities
    • Examine values
    • Explore rights and responsibilities
    • Consider points of view

    Understanding ethical concepts and issues
    • Recognise ethical concepts
    • Explore ethical concepts in context

    Literacy

    Comprehending texts through listening, reading and viewing
    • Interpret and analyse learning area texts
    • Navigate, read and view learning area texts

    Word Knowledge
    • Understand learning area vocabulary

    Text knowledge
    • Use knowledge of text structures

    Composing texts through speaking, writing and creating
    • Compose spoken, written, visual and multimodal learning area texts

    Personal and Social Capability

    Social awareness
    • Contribute to civil society
    • Understand relationships

  • discussing the meaning and importance of the rule of law, presumption of innocence, and burden of proof
    Literacy

    Composing texts through speaking, writing and creating
    • Use language to interact with others
    • Compose spoken, written, visual and multimodal learning area texts

    Word Knowledge
    • Understand learning area vocabulary

    Grammar knowledge
    • Use knowledge of words and word groups
    • Use knowledge of sentence structures
    • Express opinion and point of view

    Ethical Understanding

    Reasoning in decision making and actions
    • Consider consequences

    Understanding ethical concepts and issues
    • Explore ethical concepts in context
    • Recognise ethical concepts

    Exploring values, rights and responsibilities
    • Explore rights and responsibilities
    • Examine values
    • Consider points of view

    Personal and Social Capability

    Social awareness
    • Understand relationships
    • Appreciate diverse perspectives
    • Contribute to civil society

    Critical and Creative Thinking

    Analysing, synthesising and evaluating reasoning and procedures
    • Apply logic and reasoning

    Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
    • Identify and clarify information and ideas
    • Pose questions

    Generating ideas, possibilities and actions
    • Consider alternatives

Citizenship, diversity and identity

How Australia is a secular nation and a multi-faith society with a Christian heritage (ACHCK051 - Scootle )
Critical and Creative Thinking

Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
  • Organise and process information
  • Pose questions
  • Identify and clarify information and ideas

Ethical Understanding

Understanding ethical concepts and issues
  • Explore ethical concepts in context

Exploring values, rights and responsibilities
  • Consider points of view
  • Examine values
  • Explore rights and responsibilities

Personal and Social Capability

Social awareness
  • Appreciate diverse perspectives
  • Understand relationships
  • Contribute to civil society

Intercultural Understanding

Recognising culture and developing respect
  • Investigate culture and cultural identity

  • defining the terms ‘secular’, ‘multi-faith’ and ‘diverse society’ and discussing their relevance to Australia today
    Personal and Social Capability

    Social awareness
    • Appreciate diverse perspectives
    • Understand relationships
    • Contribute to civil society

    Literacy

    Grammar knowledge
    • Use knowledge of sentence structures
    • Use knowledge of words and word groups

    Composing texts through speaking, writing and creating
    • Use language to interact with others
    • Compose spoken, written, visual and multimodal learning area texts

    Word Knowledge
    • Understand learning area vocabulary

    Critical and Creative Thinking

    Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
    • Organise and process information
    • Pose questions
    • Identify and clarify information and ideas

    Analysing, synthesising and evaluating reasoning and procedures
    • Apply logic and reasoning

    Ethical Understanding

    Understanding ethical concepts and issues
    • Recognise ethical concepts
    • Explore ethical concepts in context

    Reasoning in decision making and actions
    • Reason and make ethical decisions

    Exploring values, rights and responsibilities
    • Examine values
    • Consider points of view

    Intercultural Understanding

    Recognising culture and developing respect
    • Investigate culture and cultural identity

  • identifying trends regarding religious observance in Australian society using the Australian Bureau of Statistics and other data sources
    Numeracy

    Using spatial reasoning
    • Interpret maps and diagrams

    Interpreting statistical information
    • Interpret data displays

    Literacy

    Composing texts through speaking, writing and creating
    • Compose spoken, written, visual and multimodal learning area texts

    Comprehending texts through listening, reading and viewing
    • Navigate, read and view learning area texts
    • Interpret and analyse learning area texts

    Text knowledge
    • Use knowledge of text structures

    Word Knowledge
    • Understand learning area vocabulary

    Critical and Creative Thinking

    Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
    • Identify and clarify information and ideas
    • Organise and process information

    Analysing, synthesising and evaluating reasoning and procedures
    • Apply logic and reasoning

    Ethical Understanding

    Understanding ethical concepts and issues
    • Explore ethical concepts in context
    • Recognise ethical concepts

    Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability

    Investigating with ICT
    • Locate, generate and access data and information
    • Select and evaluate data and information

  • exploring the diversity of spiritualities among Aboriginal and Torres Islander communities from traditional spirituality to the adoption of other religions such as Christianity and Islam
    • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures
    Ethical Understanding

    Understanding ethical concepts and issues
    • Explore ethical concepts in context
    • Recognise ethical concepts

    Exploring values, rights and responsibilities
    • Examine values
    • Consider points of view

    Reasoning in decision making and actions
    • Reason and make ethical decisions

    Literacy

    Word Knowledge
    • Understand learning area vocabulary

    Composing texts through speaking, writing and creating
    • Compose spoken, written, visual and multimodal learning area texts

    Comprehending texts through listening, reading and viewing
    • Navigate, read and view learning area texts
    • Interpret and analyse learning area texts

    Text knowledge
    • Use knowledge of text structures

    Intercultural Understanding

    Recognising culture and developing respect
    • Investigate culture and cultural identity
    • Develop respect for cultural diversity
    • Explore and compare cultural knowledge, beliefs and practices

    Interacting and empathising with others
    • Consider and develop multiple perspectives

    Personal and Social Capability

    Social awareness
    • Contribute to civil society
    • Appreciate diverse perspectives
    • Understand relationships

    Critical and Creative Thinking

    Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
    • Organise and process information
    • Identify and clarify information and ideas

    Analysing, synthesising and evaluating reasoning and procedures
    • Apply logic and reasoning
    • Draw conclusions and design a course of action

  • appreciating the cultural and historical foundations of Australia's Christian heritage
    Intercultural Understanding

    Interacting and empathising with others
    • Consider and develop multiple perspectives

    Recognising culture and developing respect
    • Develop respect for cultural diversity

    Personal and Social Capability

    Social awareness
    • Appreciate diverse perspectives

How values, including freedom, respect, inclusion, civility, responsibility, compassion, equality and a ‘fair go’, can promote cohesion within Australian society (ACHCK052 - Scootle )
Critical and Creative Thinking

Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
  • Pose questions
  • Identify and clarify information and ideas
  • Organise and process information

Ethical Understanding

Exploring values, rights and responsibilities
  • Consider points of view

Understanding ethical concepts and issues
  • Explore ethical concepts in context

Personal and Social Capability

Social awareness
  • Contribute to civil society
  • Appreciate diverse perspectives
  • Understand relationships

Intercultural Understanding

Reflecting on intercultural experiences and taking responsibility
  • Challenge stereotypes and prejudices

Recognising culture and developing respect
  • Investigate culture and cultural identity
  • Develop respect for cultural diversity
  • Explore and compare cultural knowledge, beliefs and practices

  • identifying values shared by Australians and deciding which ones could also be considered universal values
    Literacy

    Word Knowledge
    • Understand learning area vocabulary

    Comprehending texts through listening, reading and viewing
    • Navigate, read and view learning area texts
    • Interpret and analyse learning area texts

    Composing texts through speaking, writing and creating
    • Compose spoken, written, visual and multimodal learning area texts

    Text knowledge
    • Use knowledge of text structures

    Critical and Creative Thinking

    Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
    • Identify and clarify information and ideas
    • Organise and process information

    Ethical Understanding

    Reasoning in decision making and actions
    • Reason and make ethical decisions
    • Consider consequences

    Exploring values, rights and responsibilities
    • Consider points of view
    • Examine values

    Understanding ethical concepts and issues
    • Recognise ethical concepts
    • Explore ethical concepts in context

    Personal and Social Capability

    Social awareness
    • Understand relationships
    • Appreciate diverse perspectives
    • Contribute to civil society

    Intercultural Understanding

    Recognising culture and developing respect
    • Investigate culture and cultural identity

  • identifying how human rights values are consistent with Australian values
    Ethical Understanding

    Understanding ethical concepts and issues
    • Recognise ethical concepts
    • Explore ethical concepts in context

    Exploring values, rights and responsibilities
    • Examine values
    • Consider points of view

    Reasoning in decision making and actions
    • Consider consequences
    • Reason and make ethical decisions

    Personal and Social Capability

    Social awareness
    • Appreciate diverse perspectives
    • Understand relationships
    • Contribute to civil society

    Intercultural Understanding

    Recognising culture and developing respect
    • Investigate culture and cultural identity

    Literacy

    Comprehending texts through listening, reading and viewing
    • Interpret and analyse learning area texts
    • Navigate, read and view learning area texts

    Text knowledge
    • Use knowledge of text structures

    Composing texts through speaking, writing and creating
    • Compose spoken, written, visual and multimodal learning area texts

    Word Knowledge
    • Understand learning area vocabulary

    Critical and Creative Thinking

    Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
    • Identify and clarify information and ideas
    • Organise and process information

How groups, such as religious and cultural groups, express their particular identities; and how this influences their perceptions of others and vice versa (ACHCK053 - Scootle )
Intercultural Understanding

Recognising culture and developing respect
  • Investigate culture and cultural identity
  • Explore and compare cultural knowledge, beliefs and practices

Interacting and empathising with others
  • Consider and develop multiple perspectives

Reflecting on intercultural experiences and taking responsibility
  • Challenge stereotypes and prejudices

Critical and Creative Thinking

Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
  • Identify and clarify information and ideas
  • Organise and process information
  • Pose questions

Personal and Social Capability

Social awareness
  • Appreciate diverse perspectives
  • Contribute to civil society
  • Understand relationships

Ethical Understanding

Understanding ethical concepts and issues
  • Explore ethical concepts in context

Exploring values, rights and responsibilities
  • Consider points of view

  • investigating how and why different Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities are maintaining and developing their identities and what this means for Australia as a whole
    • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures
    Literacy

    Word Knowledge
    • Understand learning area vocabulary

    Text knowledge
    • Use knowledge of text structures

    Comprehending texts through listening, reading and viewing
    • Navigate, read and view learning area texts
    • Interpret and analyse learning area texts

    Composing texts through speaking, writing and creating
    • Compose spoken, written, visual and multimodal learning area texts

    Critical and Creative Thinking

    Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
    • Organise and process information
    • Identify and clarify information and ideas
    • Pose questions

    Analysing, synthesising and evaluating reasoning and procedures
    • Draw conclusions and design a course of action
    • Apply logic and reasoning

    Ethical Understanding

    Reasoning in decision making and actions
    • Consider consequences
    • Reason and make ethical decisions

    Understanding ethical concepts and issues
    • Recognise ethical concepts
    • Explore ethical concepts in context

    Exploring values, rights and responsibilities
    • Consider points of view
    • Examine values

    Personal and Social Capability

    Social awareness
    • Understand relationships
    • Appreciate diverse perspectives
    • Contribute to civil society

    Intercultural Understanding

    Recognising culture and developing respect
    • Explore and compare cultural knowledge, beliefs and practices
    • Investigate culture and cultural identity

    Reflecting on intercultural experiences and taking responsibility
    • Challenge stereotypes and prejudices

    Interacting and empathising with others
    • Consider and develop multiple perspectives

  • discussing how stereotypes are linked with people's cultural identity (for example, clothes, accent/language, media representations)
    Ethical Understanding

    Reasoning in decision making and actions
    • Reason and make ethical decisions
    • Consider consequences
    • Reflect on ethical action

    Understanding ethical concepts and issues
    • Explore ethical concepts in context
    • Recognise ethical concepts

    Exploring values, rights and responsibilities
    • Examine values
    • Consider points of view

    Critical and Creative Thinking

    Analysing, synthesising and evaluating reasoning and procedures
    • Apply logic and reasoning

    Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
    • Identify and clarify information and ideas
    • Organise and process information

    Intercultural Understanding

    Interacting and empathising with others
    • Consider and develop multiple perspectives

    Reflecting on intercultural experiences and taking responsibility
    • Challenge stereotypes and prejudices

    Recognising culture and developing respect
    • Explore and compare cultural knowledge, beliefs and practices
    • Investigate culture and cultural identity

    Personal and Social Capability

    Social awareness
    • Understand relationships
    • Contribute to civil society
    • Appreciate diverse perspectives

    Literacy

    Grammar knowledge
    • Use knowledge of sentence structures
    • Use knowledge of words and word groups

    Composing texts through speaking, writing and creating
    • Compose spoken, written, visual and multimodal learning area texts
    • Use language to interact with others

    Word Knowledge
    • Understand learning area vocabulary

  • considering how Australia’s location in the Asian region influences interactions between Australians and those living in the region
    • Asia and Australia’s Engagement with Asia
    Critical and Creative Thinking

    Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
    • Organise and process information
    • Identify and clarify information and ideas

    Generating ideas, possibilities and actions
    • Consider alternatives

    Personal and Social Capability

    Social awareness
    • Understand relationships
    • Appreciate diverse perspectives
    • Contribute to civil society

    Intercultural Understanding

    Reflecting on intercultural experiences and taking responsibility
    • Reflect on intercultural experiences

    Interacting and empathising with others
    • Consider and develop multiple perspectives

    Recognising culture and developing respect
    • Investigate culture and cultural identity

    Literacy

    Word Knowledge
    • Understand learning area vocabulary

    Comprehending texts through listening, reading and viewing
    • Interpret and analyse learning area texts
    • Navigate, read and view learning area texts

    Composing texts through speaking, writing and creating
    • Compose spoken, written, visual and multimodal learning area texts

    Text knowledge
    • Use knowledge of text structures

    Ethical Understanding

    Exploring values, rights and responsibilities
    • Examine values
    • Consider points of view

    Understanding ethical concepts and issues
    • Recognise ethical concepts
    • Explore ethical concepts in context

  • discussing how belonging to a religious or cultural group can provide a sense of belonging and how this group membership can shape an individual's identity
    Personal and Social Capability

    Social management
    • Communicate effectively
    • Negotiate and resolve conflict

    Intercultural Understanding

    Recognising culture and developing respect
    • Explore and compare cultural knowledge, beliefs and practices
    • Develop respect for cultural diversity
    • Investigate culture and cultural identity

  • identifying the different ways that cultural and religious groups express their beliefs, identity and experiences (for example, through customs, practices, symbols, language, traditions and art, and virtual communities)
    Intercultural Understanding

    Interacting and empathising with others
    • Consider and develop multiple perspectives

    Recognising culture and developing respect
    • Investigate culture and cultural identity
    • Develop respect for cultural diversity
    • Explore and compare cultural knowledge, beliefs and practices

Questioning and research

Develop a range of questions to investigate Australia's political and legal systems (ACHCS054 - Scootle )
Critical and Creative Thinking

Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
  • Identify and clarify information and ideas
  • Pose questions
  • Organise and process information

Literacy

Comprehending texts through listening, reading and viewing
  • Navigate, read and view learning area texts
  • Interpret and analyse learning area texts
  • Comprehend texts

Composing texts through speaking, writing and creating
  • Compose texts
  • Compose spoken, written, visual and multimodal learning area texts

Word Knowledge
  • Understand learning area vocabulary

Text knowledge
  • Use knowledge of text structures

Ethical Understanding

Understanding ethical concepts and issues
  • Explore ethical concepts in context

Intercultural Understanding

Recognising culture and developing respect
  • Investigate culture and cultural identity

Personal and Social Capability

Social awareness
  • Understand relationships
  • Contribute to civil society

  • developing a key question such as ‘How does the law protect all individuals?’ and related questions to inform the investigation (for example, ‘What is the presumption of innocence?’)
    Ethical Understanding

    Reasoning in decision making and actions
    • Reason and make ethical decisions

    Understanding ethical concepts and issues
    • Explore ethical concepts in context
    • Recognise ethical concepts

    Literacy

    Composing texts through speaking, writing and creating
    • Compose spoken, written, visual and multimodal learning area texts

    Word Knowledge
    • Understand learning area vocabulary

    Comprehending texts through listening, reading and viewing
    • Interpret and analyse learning area texts
    • Navigate, read and view learning area texts

    Text knowledge
    • Use knowledge of text structures

    Critical and Creative Thinking

    Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
    • Pose questions
    • Identify and clarify information and ideas
    • Organise and process information

  • considering current events to generate ideas for research
    Critical and Creative Thinking

    Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
    • Organise and process information
    • Identify and clarify information and ideas

    Generating ideas, possibilities and actions
    • Consider alternatives

    Literacy

    Text knowledge
    • Use knowledge of text structures

    Comprehending texts through listening, reading and viewing
    • Interpret and analyse learning area texts
    • Navigate, read and view learning area texts

    Word Knowledge
    • Understand learning area vocabulary

    Composing texts through speaking, writing and creating
    • Compose spoken, written, visual and multimodal learning area texts

Identify, gather and sort information and ideas from a range of sources (ACHCS055 - Scootle )
Literacy

Comprehending texts through listening, reading and viewing
  • Navigate, read and view learning area texts
  • Comprehend texts
  • Interpret and analyse learning area texts

Text knowledge
  • Use knowledge of text structures

Composing texts through speaking, writing and creating
  • Compose spoken, written, visual and multimodal learning area texts
  • Compose texts

Word Knowledge
  • Understand learning area vocabulary

Critical and Creative Thinking

Generating ideas, possibilities and actions
  • Consider alternatives

Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
  • Organise and process information
  • Identify and clarify information and ideas

  • using a range of sources of information to show religious diversity in Australia, such as articles, graphs, charts and statistics
    Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability

    Investigating with ICT
    • Locate, generate and access data and information
    • Select and evaluate data and information

    Creating with ICT
    • Generate solutions to challenges and learning area tasks

    Numeracy

    Interpreting statistical information
    • Interpret data displays

    Using spatial reasoning
    • Interpret maps and diagrams

    Literacy

    Word Knowledge
    • Understand learning area vocabulary

    Comprehending texts through listening, reading and viewing
    • Interpret and analyse learning area texts
    • Navigate, read and view learning area texts

    Text knowledge
    • Use knowledge of text structures

    Composing texts through speaking, writing and creating
    • Compose spoken, written, visual and multimodal learning area texts

    Critical and Creative Thinking

    Generating ideas, possibilities and actions
    • Consider alternatives
    • Seek solutions and put ideas into action

    Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
    • Organise and process information
    • Identify and clarify information and ideas

  • categorising information under headings that are the focus for research
    Literacy

    Word Knowledge
    • Understand learning area vocabulary

    Text knowledge
    • Use knowledge of text structures

    Comprehending texts through listening, reading and viewing
    • Navigate, read and view learning area texts
    • Interpret and analyse learning area texts

    Composing texts through speaking, writing and creating
    • Compose spoken, written, visual and multimodal learning area texts

    Critical and Creative Thinking

    Generating ideas, possibilities and actions
    • Consider alternatives

    Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
    • Organise and process information
    • Identify and clarify information and ideas

Analysis, synthesis and interpretation

Critically analyse information and ideas from a range of sources in relation to civics and citizenship topics and issues (ACHCS056 - Scootle )
Literacy

Composing texts through speaking, writing and creating
  • Compose spoken, written, visual and multimodal learning area texts
  • Compose texts

Word Knowledge
  • Understand learning area vocabulary

Comprehending texts through listening, reading and viewing
  • Comprehend texts
  • Navigate, read and view learning area texts
  • Interpret and analyse learning area texts

Text knowledge
  • Use knowledge of text structures

Critical and Creative Thinking

Analysing, synthesising and evaluating reasoning and procedures
  • Apply logic and reasoning
  • Draw conclusions and design a course of action

Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
  • Identify and clarify information and ideas
  • Organise and process information

Generating ideas, possibilities and actions
  • Consider alternatives

  • analysing how information can be used selectively to persuade citizens (for example, in a debate about a suggested constitutional change)
    Literacy

    Composing texts through speaking, writing and creating
    • Compose spoken, written, visual and multimodal learning area texts

    Word Knowledge
    • Understand learning area vocabulary

    Comprehending texts through listening, reading and viewing
    • Navigate, read and view learning area texts
    • Interpret and analyse learning area texts

    Text knowledge
    • Use knowledge of text structures

    Critical and Creative Thinking

    Generating ideas, possibilities and actions
    • Consider alternatives

    Analysing, synthesising and evaluating reasoning and procedures
    • Apply logic and reasoning
    • Evaluate procedures and outcomes
    • Draw conclusions and design a course of action

    Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
    • Identify and clarify information and ideas
    • Organise and process information

    Personal and Social Capability

    Social awareness
    • Contribute to civil society
    • Appreciate diverse perspectives

  • evaluating data from a survey to draw conclusions about a current event or issue
    Literacy

    Comprehending texts through listening, reading and viewing
    • Interpret and analyse learning area texts
    • Navigate, read and view learning area texts

    Word Knowledge
    • Understand learning area vocabulary

    Text knowledge
    • Use knowledge of text structures

    Composing texts through speaking, writing and creating
    • Compose spoken, written, visual and multimodal learning area texts

    Critical and Creative Thinking

    Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
    • Organise and process information
    • Identify and clarify information and ideas

    Analysing, synthesising and evaluating reasoning and procedures
    • Apply logic and reasoning
    • Evaluate procedures and outcomes
    • Draw conclusions and design a course of action

Problem-solving and decision-making

Appreciate multiple perspectives and use strategies to mediate differences (ACHCS057 - Scootle )
Intercultural Understanding

Interacting and empathising with others
  • Empathise with others
  • Consider and develop multiple perspectives

Reflecting on intercultural experiences and taking responsibility
  • Mediate cultural difference

Literacy

Word Knowledge
  • Understand learning area vocabulary

Comprehending texts through listening, reading and viewing
  • Interpret and analyse learning area texts
  • Navigate, read and view learning area texts
  • Comprehend texts

Composing texts through speaking, writing and creating
  • Compose spoken, written, visual and multimodal learning area texts
  • Compose texts

Text knowledge
  • Use knowledge of text structures

Ethical Understanding

Exploring values, rights and responsibilities
  • Consider points of view

Personal and Social Capability

Social awareness
  • Appreciate diverse perspectives
  • Contribute to civil society

Social management
  • Make decisions

Critical and Creative Thinking

Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
  • Organise and process information
  • Identify and clarify information and ideas

  • identifying the influences or circumstances that may have informed different perspectives about a civics and citizenship issue
    Ethical Understanding

    Exploring values, rights and responsibilities
    • Examine values
    • Consider points of view

    Understanding ethical concepts and issues
    • Explore ethical concepts in context
    • Recognise ethical concepts

    Reasoning in decision making and actions
    • Reason and make ethical decisions
    • Consider consequences

    Literacy

    Word Knowledge
    • Understand learning area vocabulary

    Comprehending texts through listening, reading and viewing
    • Navigate, read and view learning area texts
    • Interpret and analyse learning area texts

    Text knowledge
    • Use knowledge of text structures

    Composing texts through speaking, writing and creating
    • Compose spoken, written, visual and multimodal learning area texts

    Personal and Social Capability

    Social awareness
    • Contribute to civil society
    • Appreciate diverse perspectives

    Critical and Creative Thinking

    Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
    • Organise and process information
    • Identify and clarify information and ideas

  • identifying where there is a common understanding or points of agreement in a discussion as a basis for resolving a conflict or differences
    Ethical Understanding

    Understanding ethical concepts and issues
    • Explore ethical concepts in context
    • Recognise ethical concepts

    Exploring values, rights and responsibilities
    • Consider points of view
    • Examine values

    Reasoning in decision making and actions
    • Consider consequences
    • Reason and make ethical decisions

    Critical and Creative Thinking

    Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
    • Organise and process information
    • Identify and clarify information and ideas

    Personal and Social Capability

    Social management
    • Negotiate and resolve conflict

    Social awareness
    • Contribute to civil society
    • Appreciate diverse perspectives

    Intercultural Understanding

    Interacting and empathising with others
    • Consider and develop multiple perspectives
    • Empathise with others

    Reflecting on intercultural experiences and taking responsibility
    • Mediate cultural difference

    Literacy

    Text knowledge
    • Use knowledge of text structures

    Word Knowledge
    • Understand learning area vocabulary

    Composing texts through speaking, writing and creating
    • Use language to interact with others

    Comprehending texts through listening, reading and viewing
    • Interpret and analyse learning area texts
    • Navigate, read and view learning area texts

    Grammar knowledge
    • Express opinion and point of view

Use democratic processes to reach consensus on a course of action relating to a civics or citizenship issue and plan for that action (ACHCS058 - Scootle )
Personal and Social Capability

Social awareness
  • Appreciate diverse perspectives
  • Contribute to civil society

Social management
  • Make decisions

Critical and Creative Thinking

Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
  • Identify and clarify information and ideas
  • Organise and process information

Generating ideas, possibilities and actions
  • Seek solutions and put ideas into action

Literacy

Comprehending texts through listening, reading and viewing
  • Listen and respond to learning area texts
  • Navigate, read and view learning area texts
  • Comprehend texts

Composing texts through speaking, writing and creating
  • Compose texts
  • Use language to interact with others
  • Deliver presentations

Grammar knowledge
  • Express opinion and point of view

Text knowledge
  • Use knowledge of text structures

Word Knowledge
  • Understand learning area vocabulary

Ethical Understanding

Exploring values, rights and responsibilities
  • Consider points of view

  • developing a plan of action that incorporates a consultation process to ensure a range of views are heard and people are provided with opportunities to respond
    Personal and Social Capability

    Social management
    • Make decisions
    • Develop leadership skills
    • Work collaboratively

    Social awareness
    • Appreciate diverse perspectives
    • Contribute to civil society

    Ethical Understanding

    Exploring values, rights and responsibilities
    • Explore rights and responsibilities
    • Consider points of view
    • Examine values

    Understanding ethical concepts and issues
    • Recognise ethical concepts
    • Explore ethical concepts in context

    Reasoning in decision making and actions
    • Consider consequences
    • Reason and make ethical decisions

    Literacy

    Comprehending texts through listening, reading and viewing
    • Interpret and analyse learning area texts
    • Navigate, read and view learning area texts

    Word Knowledge
    • Understand learning area vocabulary

    Composing texts through speaking, writing and creating
    • Compose spoken, written, visual and multimodal learning area texts

    Text knowledge
    • Use knowledge of text structures

    Critical and Creative Thinking

    Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
    • Identify and clarify information and ideas
    • Organise and process information

Communication and reflection

Present evidence-based civics and citizenship arguments using subject-specific language (ACHCS059 - Scootle )
Literacy

Comprehending texts through listening, reading and viewing
  • Navigate, read and view learning area texts
  • Comprehend texts
  • Listen and respond to learning area texts

Word Knowledge
  • Understand learning area vocabulary

Text knowledge
  • Use knowledge of text structures

Composing texts through speaking, writing and creating
  • Deliver presentations
  • Compose texts

Grammar knowledge
  • Express opinion and point of view

Critical and Creative Thinking

Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
  • Identify and clarify information and ideas
  • Organise and process information

  • using appropriate terms and concepts such as rule of law, separation of powers and secular nation
    Critical and Creative Thinking

    Generating ideas, possibilities and actions
    • Seek solutions and put ideas into action

    Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
    • Identify and clarify information and ideas
    • Organise and process information

    Literacy

    Comprehending texts through listening, reading and viewing
    • Interpret and analyse learning area texts
    • Navigate, read and view learning area texts

    Text knowledge
    • Use knowledge of text structures

    Composing texts through speaking, writing and creating
    • Compose spoken, written, visual and multimodal learning area texts

    Word Knowledge
    • Understand learning area vocabulary

  • using digital technologies and graphic displays for a specific audience, purpose and context (for example, to argue the case for a constitutional change)
    Literacy

    Comprehending texts through listening, reading and viewing
    • Navigate, read and view learning area texts
    • Interpret and analyse learning area texts

    Word Knowledge
    • Understand learning area vocabulary

    Text knowledge
    • Use knowledge of text structures

    Composing texts through speaking, writing and creating
    • Compose spoken, written, visual and multimodal learning area texts

    Visual Knowledge
    • Understand how visual elements create meaning

    Grammar knowledge
    • Express opinion and point of view

    Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability

    Communicating with ICT
    • Collaborate, share and exchange

    Creating with ICT
    • Generate solutions to challenges and learning area tasks

    Investigating with ICT
    • Locate, generate and access data and information
    • Select and evaluate data and information

    Personal and Social Capability

    Social awareness
    • Appreciate diverse perspectives

    Critical and Creative Thinking

    Generating ideas, possibilities and actions
    • Seek solutions and put ideas into action

    Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
    • Identify and clarify information and ideas
    • Organise and process information

Reflect on their role as a citizen in Australia’s democracy (ACHCS060 - Scootle )
Ethical Understanding

Exploring values, rights and responsibilities
  • Explore rights and responsibilities
  • Consider points of view
  • Examine values

Understanding ethical concepts and issues
  • Explore ethical concepts in context

Critical and Creative Thinking

Analysing, synthesising and evaluating reasoning and procedures
  • Draw conclusions and design a course of action

Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
  • Identify and clarify information and ideas
  • Organise and process information

Reflecting on thinking and processes
  • Reflect on processes

Intercultural Understanding

Recognising culture and developing respect
  • Investigate culture and cultural identity

Personal and Social Capability

Social awareness
  • Contribute to civil society
  • Appreciate diverse perspectives

  • recognising their own emotional reactions when interacting with people who are different from them
    Ethical Understanding

    Reasoning in decision making and actions
    • Reason and make ethical decisions
    • Consider consequences

    Exploring values, rights and responsibilities
    • Explore rights and responsibilities
    • Examine values
    • Consider points of view

    Understanding ethical concepts and issues
    • Recognise ethical concepts
    • Explore ethical concepts in context

    Personal and Social Capability

    Self-awareness
    • Recognise personal qualities and achievements
    • Understand themselves as learners
    • Recognise emotions

    Social awareness
    • Appreciate diverse perspectives

    Social management
    • Work collaboratively

    Critical and Creative Thinking

    Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
    • Identify and clarify information and ideas
    • Organise and process information

  • raising awareness of different perspectives (for example, about sustainability challenges)
    • Sustainability
    Literacy

    Composing texts through speaking, writing and creating
    • Compose spoken, written, visual and multimodal learning area texts

    Word Knowledge
    • Understand learning area vocabulary

    Text knowledge
    • Use knowledge of text structures

    Comprehending texts through listening, reading and viewing
    • Navigate, read and view learning area texts
    • Interpret and analyse learning area texts

    Ethical Understanding

    Exploring values, rights and responsibilities
    • Consider points of view
    • Examine values

    Reasoning in decision making and actions
    • Reason and make ethical decisions
    • Consider consequences

    Understanding ethical concepts and issues
    • Recognise ethical concepts
    • Explore ethical concepts in context

    Critical and Creative Thinking

    Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
    • Identify and clarify information and ideas
    • Organise and process information

    Personal and Social Capability

    Social awareness
    • Appreciate diverse perspectives


Year 7 Achievement Standards

By the end of Year 7, students explain features of Australia’s Constitution, including the process for constitutional change. They explain how Australia’s legal system is based on the principle of justice. Students explain the diverse nature of Australian society and identify the importance of shared values in promoting a cohesive society.

When researching, students develop a range of questions and gather and analyse information from different sources to investigate Australia’s political and legal systems. They consider different points of view on civics and citizenship issues. When planning for action, students take into account multiple perspectives to develop solutions to an issue. Students develop and present arguments on civics and citizenship issues using appropriate texts, terms and concepts. They identify ways they can be active and informed citizens.


Year 7 Work Sample Portfolios