PART 3
Choose ONE OR MORE Significant ideas questions or Elements of Democracy questions.
(i) create a detailed informative piece of writing to present your work based on your research. Your writing should include factual information about the significant idea, a timeline (important stages in the history of the idea), the people involved, and its contribution to democracy.
(ii) You may present a glossary of unfamiliar words as a list at the end of your writing.
(iii) You may use images to illustrate your work.
(iv) Your information should come from more than three sources (books, websites, etc.), and should be presented in your own words. You should provide a bibliography of your sources, made using the SLASA online referencing generator (use the Middle School option).
DOCUMENTS
What is the Magna Carta? How did it change the government at the time? How does it contribute to democracy in Australia?
What is The Australian Constitution? Who wrote it? What does the constitution do?
What is the Statute of Westminster? When was it made? What is its purpose? How did it contribute to democracy in Australia?
VOTING
How does voting at elections work in Australia?
What is "suffrage"? When and where in Australia did all men get the right to vote? When and where in Australia did all women get the right to vote?
What is a Secret Ballot? When was it first used in Australia? What difference does it make to democracy in Australia?
What is Compulsory voting, and what difference does it make to democracy in Australia?
What is Preferential voting? How is it different from other kinds of voting (such as First-past-the-post)? What difference does it make to democracy in Australia?
RIGHTS & FREEDOMS
What is the Universal Declaration of Human Rights? Who created it and why? When did Australia sign it? What contribution does it make to democracy in Australia?
Devise a timeline showing changes to Australian laws about discrimination. Include gender, age, race, religious, and other forms of discrimination.
GOVERNMENT
What is a Constitutional Monarchy? What is the role of the Governor-General in Australia's government?
What is "Separation of powers"? What are the Executive, Legislative and Judicial parts of government in Australia?
What are the three levels of government in Australia? How are they different from each other? What roles and responsibilities do each level of government have?
Research the Australian Parliament. What are the two chambers of parliament? How does parliament make laws? What are the different jobs in parliament (e.g. Usher of the Black Rod; Speaker; Sergeant-at-Arms)?
Research the role of the Prime Minister. How does a person become Prime Minister? Who is the current Prime Minister of Australia?
What is a political party? What ideas do each party support? Which parties have members in parliament? Who is our Federal member of parliament, and which party do they belong to? How does a person become a Member of Parliament? What does an MP do at Parliament House? What do they do when they are not at Parliament House?
Research the High Court of Australia. Who is on the High Court? What is the High Court's job? Who is the Chief Justice, and what special jobs do they have? How does the High Court contribute to Australian democracy?
