Civics and Citizenship
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This activity examines how misinformation, disinformation and fake news spread, and how false information affects democratic decision‑making. Students explore historical and modern examples, analyse how unreliable information undermines accountability and social cohesion, and consider the challenges emerging technologies pose for identifying credible news. Through research and creative tasks, the activity builds students’ skills in evaluating sources and understanding why accurate information is essential for a healthy democracy.
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This activity helps students explore key Australian values—fair go, respect for freedoms and respect for others—and translate them into simple, child‑friendly explanations. Students discuss how these values support cooperation and social cohesion, then create a ‘Value of the Day’ resource for young children using examples that show the value in action.
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This card game introduces students to Australia’s core democratic beliefs, including equality, freedom, respect and the rule of law. Students match concepts, definitions and examples, building their understanding of how democratic values shape civic behaviour and support a fair, stable society. The activity works as a quick starter, revision task or group discussion prompt.
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This activity strengthens students’ understanding of key rule‑of‑law concepts by asking them to identify a term and explain its meaning in their own words. Students draw on examples from real‑world contexts—such as rights, responsibilities, fairness and legal processes—to build clarity, confidence and vocabulary for civics and legal studies.
Activity: Value of the Day
Resource creation
Approximately 60 minutes
Learning Intentions
Identify the common values that support cooperation in Australia’s diverse community.
Explain the meaning of one of these values.
Instructions
Step 1 Class Discussion and Brainstorm (10 minutes)
After reviewing the factsheet with students, use the following question prompts to facilitate a class discussion on Australian values.
Give an example of someone getting a ‘Fair-Go’.
How does recognising the freedoms of religion, speech, association, movement and from slavery help to maintain and support our democracy?
Why is respect for others an important value for social cohesion?
What would be the outcome if any or all of these values was not respected? Explain your perspective.
Step 2 Create your own Value of the Day Resource
Choose one of the following values from the Australian Values factsheet:
Fair go
Respect for Freedoms
Respect for Others
Using this video as an example, create a ‘Value of the Day’ resource that can help young children (pre-schoolers) understand your chosen value.
Example: https://youtu.be/-t5BPUhYHtw?feature=shared.
Suggestions for resource type include:
Canva video
Video
Storyboard
Storybook
Poster (in Canva or on paper)
Remember to include an example of your value in action that a pre-schooler would be able to understand!
Related Resources
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A practical guide to the formal and informal roles citizens play in sustaining Australia’s democratic system. It explains how participation—through voting, jury service, civic engagement, and everyday respectful behaviour—protects democratic stability and prevents authoritarianism. The resource traces the development of voting rights, emphasises the role of juries as community decision‑makers, and connects rights with responsibilities essential to a healthy civic culture.
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This factsheet outlines the core values that support Australia’s free and democratic society, including equality, freedom, respect and responsibility. It shows how these values guide civic behaviour, protect rights and underpin Australia’s democracy and rule of law.
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This fact sheet explains how rights and responsibilities work together, using freedom of speech as a case example. It outlines different types of rights, why rights are not absolute, and how responsibilities ensure everyone can exercise their freedoms safely and equally. The resource shows how Australian law protects freedom of expression while allowing limits—such as anti‑discrimination laws—to prevent harm and uphold the rights of others.
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