The Constitutional Centre of Western Australia offers a diverse range of free, in person, educational programs for students from Year 1 to Year 12, all of which are linked to the WA Curriculum Civics and Citizenship outcomes. Information on each of these programs is available below, along with additional resources such as worksheets and lesson plans.
A series of online learning programs based on our face-to-face programs is now available. These programs are designed for students in Year 1 to Year 9, but can be adapted for other year groups and are also available for anyone keen to learn more about State, Federal and Local Government.
All of these programs have been designed to work well with a wide range of classroom and home-based technologies. While they are best suited to the age group mentioned in the program descriptions below, all online programs can be adapted to suit both younger and older students.
- For access to an online program please click Online Access in the relevant program description below, and fill out the form when prompted. You will receive an access link to the program within 24 hours of submitting this form.
- For in person visits please visit our bookings calendar to view availability and complete a booking request.
Voting in the Community (Years 1 to 3) Available Online
Show moreStudents explore the concepts of rules, community, and the democratic process of voting to build on their understanding of civics and citizenship.
Through the use of storytelling and puppets, this program introduces students to the imaginary town of Parkesville and its inhabitants and discusses the concept of rules required to form a constitution, and the democratic process of voting to elect representatives. (EYLF Outcome 2; ACHASSK070; ACHASSK071)
See additional resources.
Belonging to the Community (Years 1 to 3)
Show moreStudents explore the concepts of rules and community to develop their understanding of civics and citizenship.
Through the use of a large storybook and puppets, this program introduces students to the imaginary town of Parkesville and its inhabitants to explore the problem of prejudice in the new community and how the residents deal with this issue. (EYLF Outcome 2)
See additional resources.
Rules and Laws (Year 4)
Show moreStudents continue to build their understanding of civics and citizenship by exploring the need for rules and the importance of laws in society.
Through class and group discussion, students compare the difference between rules and laws, and explain the need for and importance of laws in society. They consolidate this knowledge by completing a game and group activity which helps relate rules and laws to everyday situations. (ACHASSK092)
See additional resources.
Local Government - Where I Live (Year 4)
Show moreStudents continue to build their understanding of civics and citizenship by exploring the purpose and services provided by local government.
Through class discussion and the completion of activities and games, students learn about local government and the services it provides in their community. The program concludes with a letter writing activity to their local government leader to reflect on local services they enjoy and areas they think need improvement. (ACHASSK091; ACELY1694)
See additional resources.
Democracy (Year 5) Available Online
Show moreStudents continue to build on their understanding of the concepts that underpin Australia’s democracy as they further develop their understanding of civics and citizenship.
Through a series of interactive activities students learn about the concept of democracy including its origins, features, and the values which underpin democracy in Australia. Students put this information into action by completing a group activity. (ACHASSK115)
See additional resources.
Three Levels of Government (Year 6) Available Online
Show moreStudents continue building on their understanding of civics and citizenship by looking at the Westminster system, and the history and current functioning of Australia’s system of government.
Through interactive activities students learn about the differing and shared structures, roles and responsibilities of the three levels of government. This includes a discussion of key figures such as the Monarch and their representative in Australia. (ACHASSK144; ACHASSK143)
See additional resources.
Magna Carta (Year 6)
Show moreStudents continue building on their understanding of civics and citizenship by looking at the impact of history on the current functioning of Australia’s system of government.
Through a series of interactive activities including a role-play, students consolidate their understanding of the feudal system in medieval England and explore the issues which led to the creation of the Magna Carta and explain its key points. To complete the program, students examine how the Magna Carta links to modern democracy, and the ways Australia’s democracy has been influenced by ‘The Great Charter’. (ACHASSK143; ACHASSK134)
See additional resources.
Federation (Year 6)
Show moreStudents continue building on their understanding of civics and citizenship by looking at the history and current functioning of Australia’s system of government.
Through class discussion and the completion of interactive activities students learn about what Australia was like before 1901, and examine the road to Federation including the timeline, concerns of the colonies, key figures, and the referendums of 1899 and 1900. (ACHASSK134; ACHASSK143)
See additional resources.
Making Laws (Year 6)
Show moreStudents continue building on their understanding of civics and citizenship by looking at the functioning of Australia’s system of government and Federal Parliament.
Through an interactive role-play students learn about and examine the way federal laws are initiated, debated, and passed through Parliament. Students sit in a chamber-style classroom and engage in a mock parliamentary debate to consolidate their understanding of how a bill is passed by the Federal Government. (ACHASSK146; ACHASSK143; ACHASSK144)
See additional resources.
Power and the Constitution (Year 7) Available Online
Show moreThrough a series of interactive activities including a class role-play students learn about the historical context of Australia’s Constitution and examine the structure of the government it establishes. This includes a look at the three arms of government, their structure, and the separation of power between them. (ACHCK048)
See additional resources.
Democracy in Action (Year 8)
Show moreThrough discussion and small group activities students work to consolidate their knowledge on Australia’s democracy, investigate types of democracy in comparison to Australia, and classify the rights and responsibilities of Australian citizenship. Students also look closely into the freedoms of speech, religion, movement, media, assembly, and association. (ACHCK061; ACHCK062)
See additional resources.
Forming Government (Year 9)
Show moreThrough the completion of interactive activities and group discussion, students learn about the roles and responsibilities of political parties and independent members within Australia’s bicameral parliament. This includes an examination of how government is formed, what happens in the case of a hung parliament, and an introduction to the concept of political spectrums. (ACHCK075)
See additional resources.
The Dismissal (Year 11/12)
Show moreStudents support their progression through the Politics and Law ATAR course by looking at roles, responsibilities, and powers of key players in Australia’s system of government.
This session walks students through a constitutional perspective of the events leading up to and including the 1975 crisis. Students look closely at the relevant sections of the Australian Constitution, and examine the role of constitutional conventions in the functioning of Australia’s system of government and distribution of power. (UNIT 3 Politics and Law ATAR)
