Thinking Themes: Path to Federation

www.macmillan.com.au Samantha Frappell

Activities to switch on thinking skills!Activities to switch on thinking skills!

45 photocopiable pages

ages

10+Thinking Themes is a practical series packed with exciting, ready-to-use activities for popular Curriculum topics. Every activity is cross-referenced to Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences and to Bloom’s Taxonomy of thinking skills.

Use the activities as a learning centre, or add them to an inquiry unit. However you use the series, it will enable you to:• consciouslyandsystematicallyincorporate

thinking skills into your program• ensurethatyourstudentsworkacrossthe

intelligences as active investigators• covertheskillsoftheAustralianCurriculum.

The perfect partners . . .

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About the author

Dr Samantha Frappell is an author, historian and teacherwithaPhDinAustralianHistory.Shehaswritten numerous history books for students, ranging from primary to senior secondary school level.

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Samantha Frappell

ages

10+

Activities to switch on thinking skills!

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First published in 2012 by

MACMILLAN EDUCATION AUSTRALIA PTY LTD15–19 Claremont Street, South Yarra, Vic 3141

Visit our website at www.macmillan.com.au

Associated companies and representatives throughout the world.

Copyright © Samantha Frappell/Macmillan Education Australia 2012Thinking Themes: Path to Federation Ages 10+

ISBN 978 1 4202 9867 3Publisher: Sharon DalgleishManaging editors: Bonnie Wilson, Janne GalbraithEditor: Sarah PayneProduction controller: Janine BidermanDesign and illustrations: Nice Stuff

Printed in Australia by TYPO Corporate Services, South Melbourne

Copying of this work by educational institutions or teachersYou may reproduce pages within this book in accordance with the Australian Copyright Act 1968 (the Act) and provided the educational institution (or body that administers it) has given a remuneration notice to the Copyright Agency Limited (CAL) under the Act.

For details of the CAL licence for educational institutions, contact:Copyright Agency LimitedLevel 15, 233 Castlereagh StreetSydney NSW 2000Telephone: (02) 9394 7600Facsimile: (02) 9394 7601Email: [email protected]

Reproduction and communication for other purposesExcept as permitted under the Act (for example, any fair dealing for the purposes of study, research, criticism or review), no part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, communicated or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior written permission. All inquiries should be made to the publisher.

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Path to Federation 4

Models of federalism 30

Origins of Australian democracy 35

Democracy in action 40

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Thinking Themes: Path to Federation Ages 10+ © Samantha Frappell/Macmillan Education Australia. ISBN 978 1 4202 9867 3

Task 1

Make a time line of the events leading to Australia’s Federation, using the dates below. For each date, write the event and a brief description of what happened.

IntelligenceLogical-mathematical

Thinking skillUnderstanding

Path to Federation

Event

Event

Event

Event

Event

Description

Description

Description

Description

Description

Event

Event

Event

Event

Description

Description

Description

Description

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Task 2

IntelligenceIntrapersonal

Thinking skillAnalysing

Imagine you are living in your home state in 1899 (or 1900 for Western Australia) and that you are one of the following people. Tick the person that you choose.

an Indigenous Australian

a merchant

a farmer

a campaigner of voting rights for women

Write a paragraph about how you would have voted in your state’s Federation referendum.In your paragraph, state:• howFederationwouldbenefitordisadvantageyourhomestate• howFederationwouldbenefitordisadvantageyoupersonally.

Path to Federation

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State

New South Wales

Queensland

South Australia

Tasmania

Victoria

Western Australia

Adult men of British descent

Adult women of British descent

Indigenous Australians

People of non-British descent

Poor people Children


Thinking skillEvaluating

Task 3

More than half of all adult Australians were unable to vote in the Federation referendums held in 1899 and 1900.

Use the internet or your school library to complete the table. Use a tick to show who was able to vote in each of the states.

Path to Federation

Do you think the vote for Federation represented the will of most Australians? Why or why not?

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Of the people who were eligible to vote, only 60% did vote. Of those who voted, 72% voted for Australia to become a federation. But if all eligible voters were counted, only 43% of eligible voters actually voted for Federation.

What do you think this shows about the importance of the Federation issue for people who were eligible to vote?

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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IntelligenceVisual-spatial


Task 4

Why did people vote for Federation? List as many reasons as you can why people voted for Federation.

Path to Federation

Which reason do you think would be the most persuasive? __________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Why? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Now, design a poster based on that idea to convince people to vote for Federation. Remember to use a large eye-catching heading and bold colours.

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Queensland

State

New South Wales

South Australia

Tasmania

Victoria

Western Australia

Number of votes ‘for’

107 420 82 741

38 488 30 996

65 990 17 053

13 437 791

152 653 9805

44 800 19 691

Number of votes ‘against’


Thinking skillRemembering

Task 5

The table shows the outcome of the Federation referendums. All states voted in 1899 except for Western Australia, which voted in 1900.

Make a vertical column graph showing how each state voted in the 1899 and 1900 referendums. Use two columns for each state. One column will show votes ‘for’ and the other column will show votes ‘against’. Choose one colour for ‘for’ and another colour for ‘against’.

Path to Federation

What two states had the most support for Federation?

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What two states had the most opposition to Federation?

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

NSW QLD SA TAS VIC WA

Title Key

Number of votes ‘for’

Number of votes ‘against’

Num

ber

of

vote

s (1

000s)

200

150

100

50

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IntelligenceBodily-kinaesthetic

Thinking skillApplying

Task 6

Imagine you are the leader of Budget Federation Tours — the Federation tour that’s convenient, educational, fun and free. Your tour will visit six stops. Each stop will represent a location where a key event in Australia’s achievement of Federation happened.

1 Write a card for each stop to explain what happened there on the date shown.

Path to Federation

2 On the back of this page, draw a map of your school. Design a ‘Federation tour path’ on the map. Choose a place in the school to represent each stop on the tour. Write the names of the tour stops on your map.

3 Use cardboard or paper to make a sign for each tour stop. 4 Ask your teacher for permission to stick up your signs at the tour stops along the tour path.

Then, conduct a ‘Federation tour’ for some of your classmates. Use the fact cards to tell them about what happened at each tour stop.

Parliament (Westminster), London, England, 1885

Parliament House, Sydney, NSW, 1891

Adelaide, SA, 1897

Tenterfield, NSW, 1889

Corowa, NSW, 1893

Centennial Park, Sydney, NSW, 1901©

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Research area

Population Colour the map to show population density across Australia.

Resources Draw the location of Australia’s main mineral resources on the map.

Rainfall Colour the map to show the average rainfall across Australia.

Topography Draw Australia’s main rivers and mountain ranges on the map.

Task Group member

IntelligenceInterpersonal


Task 7

Work in a group of four. Imagine your group has been asked to redraw the boundaries of the six Australian states that form the federation.

1 Before your group can decide where the new boundaries will be, each group member must complete one research area.

Path to Federation

Research area map

New state boundaries map

2 In your group, decide which of the four research areas is the most important for defining the new state boundaries. Then, draw the new state boundaries so that each state has a fair share.

3 As a group, decide if these new state boundaries would have made Federation easier to achieve or more difficult.

easier more difficult

Why? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Australians all let us rejoice,For we are young and free;We’ve golden soil and wealth for toil;Our home is girt by sea;Our land abounds in nature’s giftsOf beauty rich and rare;In history’s page, let every stageAdvance Australia Fair.In joyful strains then let us sing,Advance Australia Fair.

Beneath our radiant Southern CrossWe’ll toil with hearts and hands;To make this Commonwealth of oursRenowned of all the lands;For those who’ve come across the seasWe’ve boundless plains to share;With courage let us all combineTo Advance Australia Fair.In joyful strains then let us sing,Advance Australia Fair.

‘Advance Australia Fair’ by Peter Dodds McCormick, © Commonwealth of Australia

IntelligenceMusical-rhythmic


Task 8

‘Advance Australia Fair’ was sung by a 10 000-voice choir at the inauguration of Australia’s Federation in 1901. It became Australia’s national anthem in 1984.

Path to Federation

Read the anthem verses. Does the anthem mention anything about Federation?

Yes No

What does the anthem celebrate about Australia? _______________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Write your own verse of ‘Advance Australia Fair’ to commemorate Australia’s Federation. You might like to refer to the different states, the referendums or to key people involved in the Federation process.

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Thinking skillCreating

Task 9

Design a menu for dignitaries to celebrate Federation. Write a six-course menu for the dinner.

The dinner must include:• appetiser

(small snack)• soup• entree• mainmeal• dessert• cheeseand

fruit platter.

You can choose to represent six different ethnic groups that were living in Australia at the time of Federation in 1901 (for example, Indigenous Australians, Chinese, English, Irish, Italian and Scottish). Or, you could include a menu item to represent each state.

Path to Federation

Now try this . . . If possible, cook one of the menu items to share with the class.

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Feature of celebration

Street decorations (streamers)

Street parade

Tiered outdoor seating for spectators

Formal ceremony in Centennial Park

New arrangements

IntelligenceNaturalistic


Task 10

Use the internet or your school library to find out Sydney’s average temperature in January. Then, find out what the weather was like for Federation Day in Sydney.

The average temperature for Sydney is __________________________________________

The weather in Sydney on 1 January 1901 was ___________________________________________________________________________

Find a photograph of people watching or participating in the ceremony. Consider their clothing and the crowds. How might the weather affect their feelings about the day?

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

How would different weather have affected the photographs taken on the day?

Stifling heat of 40 °C ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

A cold windy day of 15 °C ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Imagine you are in charge of celebrations for the sesquicentenary of Federation in 2051. You are planning a re-enactment of 1901’s Federation Day celebrations. The forecast is for thunderstorms, rain and wind. What changes will you make to the celebrations so that participants can cope with the weather?

Path to Federation

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Display section Group member

Important events leading to Federation (entrance to park)

Arguments for and against Federation

Key people

Federation Day celebrations (exit from park)



Task 11

Work in a group of four. Design a fun and educational theme park to teach school students about Federation. The park needs to include four display sections. Each group member is responsible for designing one section of the theme park.

Path to Federation

Now, draw a labelled map of your section of the theme park.

Cut out your map. Join your map with those of your other group members to make your theme park complete. Draw walkways that line up between the sections.

Name of section

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Site chosen



Task 12

Path to Federation

Make your slides and present your slide show to the class.

Would you like to travel to your chosen Federation Tour site? Why or why not?

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Nearby national parks or nature areas Local historical sites related to Federation

Other points of interest or tourist activities

Make a slide show to inform your class about one of these Federation Tour sites: • Corowa,NSW• Tenterfield,NSW• Adelaide,SAPlan the information that you will include on each slide, as well as any images. Your slide show must include the following information:

Season

Summer

Autumn

Winter

Spring

Temperature range

Local weather throughout the year

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Task 13

Design a garden to commemorate Australia’s Federation. Think about what plants you might use to represent the former colonies, statues or sculptures to include that commemorate important people and events, water features, and the shape of the pathways around the garden. Sketch the garden and label its features.

Path to Federation

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To the Right Honourable Richard Seddon, Prime Minister of New Zealand.

Dear Sir,



Task 14

New Zealand was originally invited to be part of the Australian Federation, but decided not to join.

Use the internet or your school library to find out two reasons why New Zealand decided not to join.

Path to Federation

Now, write a letter to Richard Seddon, New Zealand’s Prime Minister in 1901. You can either agree with the decision not to join the Federation or try and convince him to join.

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Task 15

Imagine you have been asked to design a new label for the South Australian Jam Company. The label will be released on 1 January 1901. The South Australian Jam Company hopes that the new label will help to sell their jam all over Australia.

Think about how you can design a label that appeals to people from all the states. Write some ideas in the box.

Use your ideas to design a label for your jam jar.

Path to Federation

Why do you think a company such as a jam manufacturer might have supported Federation?

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

Ideas

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Task 16

Imagine you are Henry Parkes. Write a letter to your daughter Clarinda (also known as ‘Menie’) who lives in England. Explain why you are working for Federation in Australia. Look carefully at the date. What has Henry Parkes been doing in the last few years? Mention some of these activities in your letter.

Path to Federation

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Why should not the name of an Australian citizen be equal to that of a Briton? . . . Why should not the name of an Australian citizen be equal to that of a citizen of the proudest country under the sun? . . . But there is something more. Make yourselves a united people, appear before the world as one, and the dream of going home would die away . . . We should have a home within our shores.



Task 17

Read the following extract from Henry Parkes’ speech given at the Australasian Federation Conference in 1890.

Tune

Path to Federation

You have been asked to write a song for the school choir about Federation, using Henry Parkes’ words as inspiration. Choose a well-known tune to set your words to. For example, ‘Waltzing Matilda’ or ‘I am Australian’.

Now, write the title and the words for your song.

Song title

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IntelligenceVerbal-linguistic


Task 18

There was significant opposition to Federation from all states, especially New South Wales and Victoria.

Complete the fact cards for each state. Write one reason each state gave for opposing Federation.

Reason for opposing Federation






Path to Federation

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Task 19

Today, it is compulsory to vote at referendums, but before 1924 it was voluntary. Only 60% of eligible voters actually voted in the Federation referendums of 1899 and 1900.

Imagine you have been asked to write a short jingle to encourage people to vote at the 1899 referendum. Remember, you do not need to tell people how to vote. You need to tell people why it is important that they do vote.

Brainstorm reasons why people should vote.

Path to Federation

Choose some music to set your jingle to. You could choose a well-known theme or song.

Write a catchphrase or slogan for your jingle.

Now, write your jingle.

Tune

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• IntroduceAlfredDeakintoyourlisteners.• Askhimthreequestionsabouthisinvolvement

in the Federation movement.• Writehisreplytoeachofyourquestions.• Concludeyourinterviewbythankingyourguest.



Task 20

Alfred Deakin was a great supporter of the Federation movement. He helped to write the Australian Constitution and was our second Prime Minister.

Imagine you are the host of a radio program called ‘Talking ’Bout our Federation’.

You have just interviewed Alfred Deakin. Write the transcript for the radio interview.

Path to Federation

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Name of state capital Distance from Canberra

247 km

467 km

860 km

942 km

960 km

3095 km



Task 21

At first, Western Australia was reluctant to join the Federation. It was an isolated colony with a small population, separated from the eastern colonies by an enormous stretch of desert. It took five days’ travel by steamship to reach the eastern colonies and the only means of communication was the Overland Telegraph. When the other five colonies agreed to federate in 1899, Western Australia decided to hold its own referendum for Federation in 1900. The referendum was successful.

Complete the table to show the distance between each capital city and Canberra.

Path to Federation

Work in a group of seven to play ‘Overland Telegraph’. One player is the prime minister and the other six are state premiers. The prime minister stands at one end of the playground or school oval. Each premier divides the distance from their state capital to Canberra by 100 000, then stands at that distance from the prime minister. For example, Sydney is 247 km from Canberra, so the premier of New South Wales stands 2.47 m from the prime minister.

Each premier thinks of a message for the prime minister. Then, one at a time, each premier tells their message to the player beside them who is nearest the prime minister. The message is delivered from player to player until it reaches the prime minister, who writes it down.

What was the outcome of the game? Was everyone’s message delivered accurately?

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

How did the person playing as the premier of Western Australia feel during the game?

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Task 22

Voting was not compulsory in 1899. People who voted in the Federation referendum received a special certificate. The certificate was very detailed, with ornate writing and beautiful pictures.

Research to find a picture of a voter’s certificate. Then, design your own commemorative certificate. What images will you include? Think about using images that symbolise Federation, such as Australian native animals and plants, portraits of all the colonial premiers or a map of Australia.

Path to Federation

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State Group member

New South Wales

Queensland

South Australia

Tasmania

Victoria

Western Australia



Task 23

Work in a group of six. Decide which group member will represent each of the six states that formed the Australian federation.

Path to Federation

Each group member needs to prepare a short statement (two or three sentences) declaring how Federation would benefit their state.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Share your statement with the group.

As a group, decide which state will benefit the most from Federation.

We think that ___________________________________________________________________________________ will benefit the most because

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ .

As a group, decide which state will benefit the least from Federation.

We think that ___________________________________________________________________________________ will benefit the least because

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ .

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Issue Ranking

A uniform railway gauge across Australia

Immigration control

Federal government’s spending of the taxes raised in each state

Method of representation of states in the Senate

Voting rights for women

Defence

Location of the new federal capital city

Issue Ranking

A uniform railway gauge across Australia

Immigration control

Federal government’s spending of the taxes raised in each state

Method of representation of states in the Senate

Voting rights for women

Defence

Location of the new federal capital city



Task 24

In the table, there are seven important issues that were related to the Federation question. Decide how you would rank each issue in order of importance. A ranking of 1 means it is the most important and 7 is the least important. Record your rankings in the table.

Now, work in a group of three. Discuss your rankings with the other two people in your group. Do you all have the same rankings? If not, work together to come up with a table of rankings that you all agree with. Record your group rankings in the table.

Why did your group decide that the issue you placed at rank 1 was more important than the issue at rank 4?

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Why did your group decide that the issue you placed at rank 6 was less important than the issue at rank 2?

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Chose a spokesperson for your group. Explain your group’s choice of rank 1 to the class.

Path to Federation

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So far as I am concerned, with all the criticisms I have levelled at this Federation bill, with all the fears I have for the future, I feel I cannot become a deserter from the cause of Federation. (Loud and prolonged cheers) I cannot take up this bill with enthusiasm. (Hear, hear) I see serious blots in it . . . I consider my duty to Australia demands me to record a vote in favour of the bill.

Source: Sydney Morning Herald, 29 March 1898.



Task 25

Path to Federation

On the evening of 28 March 1898, New South Wales Premier George Reid gave a speech about the Federation issue at the Sydney Town Hall. Reid was in favour of Federation, but he was concerned that New South Wales might be disadvantaged by federal taxes and by having the same number of senators as other states, despite having a larger population.

Here is an extract from the speech:

After this speech, George Reid was nicknamed ‘Yes-No Reid’.

Using a red pencil, underline the part of the speech where Reid appears to be agreeing with the Federation bill. Using a blue pencil, underline the part of the speech where Reid appears to be disagreeing with the Federation bill.

Imagine you have just arrived home after attending the speech. Write a diary entry explaining how you feel about George Reid and his speech. How did the audience react? Has he helped you decide how you will vote?

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Talking point Group member

Nearness to most of the state capital cities

Historical importance regarding Federation

Natural attributes (rivers, mountains, beaches, forests)

Ports, rail and road links, airport



Task 26

Path to FederationIn 1908, Canberra was chosen as Australia’s capital city.

Work in a group of four. Brainstorm the pluses and minuses of Canberra as the site for the national capital. Each group member is to research and lead the discussion on one of the talking points below.

Canberra

Alternative location:

Record your findings.

As a group, think of another place that could have been chosen for Australia’s capital city. Assess your alternative location using the same talking points as before. Record your research.

Pluses

Pluses

Minuses

Minuses

As a group, discuss each group member’s research about the two locations. Decide which location your group thinks is best for the nation’s capital.

Canberra Our alternative choice __________________________________________________________________________

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Country Name of plant/plants What they represent

Australia

United States of America



Task 27

Use the internet or your school library to find pictures of the Australian coat of arms and the coat of arms for the United States of America. Draw or paste a picture of each coat of arms in the spaces provided.

Models of federalism

Why were the animals chosen for each nation’s coat of arms?

What plants are included in each coat of arms? What do these plants represent?

The Australian animals were chosen because The American animals were chosen because

What other symbols are included in the coats of arms that indicate a federation of states?

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Australia United States of America

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You could think about: • theheadofstate• howFederationwas

achieved• whattheUpper

House is called• whattheLower

House is called• thenumberofstates.



Task 28

Make up a clapping game to describe some of the key differences between Australian and American models of federalism.

Write a four-line chant for your clapping game.


Plan your clapping game sequence. Then, complete the key with symbols for all the different types of claps you will use.

Now, write the clapping sequence for each line of the chant. Include the number of each type of clap and the volume.

claps by self

diagonal hand claps with partner

opposite hand claps with partner

Key

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Number of states

Head of state

Names of Houses

of Parliament or Congress

Federal coat of arms

Relationship between state and federal government



Task 29

Models of federalism Write a rap for an American

or an Australian citizen. Compare the two federations.

Now, compose a rap that claims that your chosen federation is the best.

Rap title

Perform the rap for the class.

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Introduction Ask and answer the questions Conclusion

Role

Interviewer

Prime Minister of Australia

President of the United States

Group member

Interview questions1 When did your country federate?2 How many states are in your country’s federation?3 How did your country become a federation?4 Are you the head of state of your country?5 Do the state governments in your country have their own responsibilities

that are independent of the federal government?



Task 30

Work in a group of three to plan a television interview program called Celebrity Feds.

Choose one group member to be the interviewer. The other two group members will be the panellists.

One panellist will be the Prime Minister of Australia and the other will be the President of the United States of America.

Complete the task for your role, as shown below.


Perform your program for the class. Use this format:

On the back of this page, write an introduction and a conclusion to the

program. Your introduction should briefly explain the program and introduce yourself and your panellists. The

conclusion should thank the panellists and sign off.

Research the answers your character might give to the interview questions listed below. Write these answers on the back of this page. You will give these answers during the interview

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Aspect of federal government

Head of state

Head of government

Date of federation

Method by which federation was achieved

Number of states in federation today

Type of government (bicameral or unicameral)

Name of Upper House

Name of Lower House

Do states have independence from the federal government?

Does the country have a constitution?

Does the country have a bill of rights?

Australia United States of America



Task 31

Use the internet or your school library to research Australian and American federalism and complete the table.


What is a bill of rights? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What aspects of American and Australian federalism are the same or similar?

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What aspects of American and Australian federalism are different?

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Task 32

What is the difference between bicameral and unicameral parliaments?

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Complete the boxes to show which countries have bicameral parliaments and which have unicameral parliaments.

Draw a native animal to represent each country.

Origins of Australian democracy

Type of parliament

__________________________________________

Native animal

Type of parliament

__________________________________________

Native animal

Type of parliament

__________________________________________

Native animal

Type of parliament

__________________________________________

Native animal

Type of parliament

__________________________________________

Native animal

Type of parliament

__________________________________________

Native animal

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_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________



Task 33


Imagine you are King John I of England. Every week, you write a column for The Medieval Times newspaper. This week you signed the Magna Carta. Write a column about why you signed the charter, what rights the barons will now enjoy and how you feel about signing the charter.

Illustrate the article with a picture of yourself signing the charter.

Caption©


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Task 34

Origins of Australian democracyA new multicultural nation of people

has been established on Antarctica. The people are discussing which form of government they will adopt. They are trying to decide between an absolute monarchy and a constitutional monarchy. Write an article for their newspaper, The Frozen Morning Herald, to persuade them to adopt a constitutional monarchy, like Australia.

Think about the negative aspects of an absolute monarchy and the positive aspects of a constitutional monarchy and brainstorm your ideas.

Now, write your article.

Negative aspects of an absolute monarchy Positive aspects of a constitutional monarchy

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Task 35

How did Australia come to have a parliamentary democracy? Create a slide show presentation which explains the major events in the development of ‘parliament’ as an institution.

Plan your slide show using the important years listed below as a guide. Explain why each year was significant to the development of parliamentary democracy.


Now, make your slide show and present it to the class.

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King John I of England had lost a lot of land in wars with the French.

He made the nobles pay large taxes to pay for more wars.

The nobles rebelled and captured the city of London.

King John agreed to meet the nobles at Runnymede.

King John was forced to sign a charter that gave freedom from unfair taxes and forbade the King from punishing anyone unless they broke the law.



Task 36

Use the internet or your school library to find out about the Magna Carta. Then, draw a six-frame cartoon. Use the captions provided as a guide to show how the barons made King John I of England sign the Magna Carta. Remember to include speech bubbles.


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HintRemember to make the

Senate red and the House of Representatives green.



Task 37

Build a 3-D model of the inside of Australia’s Parliament House. Your model should include:• HouseofRepresentativesChamber• SenateChamber• CabinetRoom• PrimeMinister’s Office.

Sketch a floor plan of your model.

Democracy in action

Now, make the model.

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Task 38

Democracy in actionWhat is meant by the term ‘separation of powers’?

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Draw and label a diagram to explain the separation of powers in Australia’s parliamentary system.

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Task 39

Was Federation a good idea for your state or not?

List the advantages of Federation for your state

List the disadvantages of Federation for your state

Democracy in action

Write a discussion about the advantages and disadvantages of Federation for your state. In your conclusion, write whether you think it would be better or worse for your state if Federation had not succeeded.

List the main areas of government that the federal

government is responsible for

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The Parliament has . . . power to make laws for the peace, order and good government of the Commonwealth with respect to . . . astronomical and meteorological observations.

Part V, the Australian Constitution



Task 40

The importance of science to the Australian Federation was enshrined in the Australian Constitution in 1901.

Democracy in action

What role does the Parliament have towards astronomy and meteorology, according to the Australian Constitution?

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Are there advantages to Australian scientists working together? Work with a partner to make a list of advantages.

Now, imagine that you are a scientist living at the time of the Federation debate. Write a brief speech to give at an intercolonial science conference, urging scientists to vote for Federation.

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Your brochure should contain the following information:1 number of

members of each House

2 how members are elected to each House

3 how many members of the House for each state

4 how long the House runs before another election

5 who can stand as a candidate for the House.



Task 41

Imagine you have been asked to create a brochure for school students to explain the two Houses of Parliament. Your brochure should consist of a single piece of A4 paper, folded in half to make a booklet. You need to put a title page on the front. Your information and pictures should go on the other pages.

Plan the brochure. Don’t forget to include pictures to illustrate your brochure.

Democracy in action

Page 1

Back cover

Front cover

Page 2

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Task 42

Imagine that you can make the rules to govern Australia. Write one law you would like to pass.

Democracy in action

Draw a flow diagram to show all the processes your law would have to undergo in order to be passed under the Australian parliamentary system.

Do you think everyone in Australia would like your law? Who might disagree with your law and why?

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In your blog you should discuss:• yourdutiesasAustralia’s head of state• howyoufeelaboutbeingAustralia’s head of state.

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Task 43

Imagine that you are the Queen or King of the Commonwealth. Create a blog page about your role as head of state.

Write your blog. Include a picture of yourself, with a caption that contains your official title.

Democracy in action

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Task 44


Design the cards and the rules for a game called ‘Westminster-mon’. Each card has: • anoverallpointvaluereflectingitsvalueasacard• apowertowieldforanothercard(pluscreditpoints)• apowertowieldagainstalowercard(plusdamagepoints).

Democracy in action

Make up the rules for a game to play with your cards. Your game can have more than one senator, member of parliament or citizen card if you like. Write the rules for your game. Make the cards you will need. Then, play the game with a partner or in a group.

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Task 45

Catherine Helen Spence was an author, campaigner for women’s suffrage and supporter of Federation. She was the only female candidate who stood for election to the first Federal Convention. In 1888 she wrote a book called A Week In the Future about what life might be like in 1988. She imagined there would be equality between men and women, better standards of health and education, no poverty, improved technology and an independent Australia.

Democracy in action

Now, write your story on a separate piece of paper.

Plan a story about a day in Australia’s future in 2088. What do you think will be different in the future? What changes to Australian society would you like to see?

Title

Orientation (characters and setting)

Complication

Series of events

Resolution

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www.macmillan.com.au Samantha Frappell

Activities to switch on thinking skills!Activities to switch on thinking skills!

45 photocopiable pages

ages

10+Thinking Themes is a practical series packed with exciting, ready-to-use activities for popular Curriculum topics. Every activity is cross-referenced to Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences and to Bloom’s Taxonomy of thinking skills.

Use the activities as a learning centre, or add them to an inquiry unit. However you use the series, it will enable you to:• consciouslyandsystematicallyincorporate

thinking skills into your program• ensurethatyourstudentsworkacrossthe

intelligences as active investigators• covertheskillsoftheAustralianCurriculum.

The perfect partners . . .

ISBN

978

1 4

202

9387

6

ISBN

978

1 4

202

9351

7

About the author

Dr Samantha Frappell is an author, historian and teacherwithaPhDinAustralianHistory.Shehaswritten numerous history books for students, ranging from primary to senior secondary school level.

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Documents

Thinking Themes: Path to Federation