Week 2 - Civics and Citizenship, learning about identity and cultural diversity.


Year 4 Civics and Citizenship – Learning about identity and cultural diversity.


Welcome to our first Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS) blog! 

YYear Four is about to embark modified civics and citizenship unit of work called We are Australian based on a unit of work provided by Education Services Australia (2011) looking at what factors shape a person’s identity and sense of belonging. As part of this unit we will be looking at the cultural, social and religious groups students and/or other people may belong to and comparing the different beliefs, symbols and traditions these groups have as well as the broader notion of being Australian (ACHASSK093) (Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority [ACARA], 2018).



This unit of work is an interesting concept for students to explore, especially give the multicultural nature of Australia. This promotes the development of inclusive attitudes and beliefs as students understanding of broader values such as respect, civility, equity, justice and responsibility are developed (ACARA, 2013). This topic has real life relevance for students, it enables them to think actively about how they can make their community or world a better place and it acknowledges the voices of those that may be marginalised or silenced (Brett, 2018a). Additionally, this unit of work will help your children to: think independently; cooperate and learn from each other; and appreciate more than one point of view (Brett, 2018b). For those of you wanting to know how this unit of work links to the Australian Curriculum please see the images below.





This unit will be taught as an inquiry unit and as such I will not be giving students my opinion and will be instead be encouraging students to answer the various inquiry questions through student to student interaction whole class discussion and student investigation (DET Victoria, 2017; Reynolds, 2014). Students will also be asked to conduct some small informal interviews with their family and friends about this and I hope to have your support and co-operation with this. I am aware that some people will have different views on this topic, and I ask that people participating in the interviews remain respectful towards other cultures.


Additionally, I have organized some guest speakers to speak to students about what social, cultural or religious groups they below to and what symbols, traditions and beliefs each of those have as well as what being Australian means to them. These speakers include an Aboriginal elder, a farmer whose ancestors started farming the same land he lives on five generations ago and an asylum seeker I am hopeful this will encourage students to consider these things in the context of themselves.


As the students have been especially interested in performance this term I will be asking them to form small groups to either demonstrate what the Australian identity is to them, or on the flip side what Australian identity isn’t (e.g. bbq’s, g’day mate type language etc.). These will be performed at ‘our’ assembly in the last week of term should you wish to come along. For those of you that can’t attend I will be videoing this and placing it on this blog for you to see.
 







References:
Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority [ACARA]. (2013).  Draft years 3-10 Australian Curriculum: Civics and Citizenship. Retrieved from:  http://consultation.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Static/docs/HSS/Draft%20Years%203%20-%2010%20Australian%20Curriculum%20-%20Civics%20and%20Citizenship%20-%20May%202013.pdf
Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority [ACARA]. (2018). Australian Curriculum. F-10 Curriculum. Humanities and social sciences. Retrieved from: https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/f-10-curriculum/humanities-and-social-sciences/hass/
Bolt, A. (2015). Multicultural Australia. Retrieved from: https://papundits.wordpress.com/2015/10/17/australia-no-were-not-multicultural-or-shouldnt-be/
Booktopia Pty Ltd. (2018). I’m Australian Too by Mem Fox. Retrieved from: https://www.booktopia.com.au/i-m-australian-too-mem-fox/prod9781760276218.html
Brett, P. (2018a). Educating for democratic citizenship: Promoting active citizenship and community involvement, week 2 notes [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from: https://mylo.utas.edu.au/content/enforced/239728-AW_EAS_18S1_16840_0_0_0_1_1/1.%20Active%20Citizenship_PB_SLIDES.pdf?_&d2lSessionVal=eHGvVqGRWYR66pE4thrkqpgpN&ou=239728
Brett, P. (2018b). Aims and purposes of teaching humanities and social sciences education, week 1 notes [PowerPoint Slides]. Retrieved from: https://mylo.utas.edu.au/content/enforced/239728-AW_EAS_18S1_16840_0_0_0_1_1/Aims%20and%20Purposes%20of%20teaching%20humanities%20and%20social%20sciences%20education.pdf?_&d2lSessionVal=eHGvVqGRWYR66pE4thrkqpgpN&ou=239728
Californian Department of Education Sacramento. (2017). History social science framework: For Californian public schools: Kindergarten through grade 12. Retrieved from: https://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/hs/cf/documents/hssfwchapter1.pdf
Council of Europe. (2015). Teaching controversial issues: Professional development pack for the effective teaching of controversial issues developed with the participation of Cyprus, Ireland, Montenegro, Spain and the United Kingdom and the support of Albania, Austria, France and Sweden. Retrieved from: https://rm.coe.int/16806948b6
Davies, G. (2014). Word cloud. Retrieved from: https://independentaustralia.net/australia/australia-display/citizenship-pledge--to-an-australian-republic,6278
Department of Education and Training Victoria. (2017). The 5e instructional model. Retrieved from: http://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/teachers/teachingresources/practice/Pages/e5about.aspx?Redirect=1
Education Services Australia. (2011). This Australian Nation: We are Australian introduction. Retrieved from: http://www.civicsandcitizenship.edu.au/cce/default.asp?id=9206
Gilbert, R., & Hoepper, B. (Eds.). (2014). Teaching Humanities and Social Sciences: History, Geography, Economics and Citizenship (5th edn.). Southbank, VIC: Cengage Learning.
Home Educated Youth Incorporated. (2016). World holding hands. Retrieved from: http://heyfever.com.au/civics-citizenship/
Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs [MCEETYA]. (2008). Melbourne declaration on educational goals for young Australians. Retrieved from http://www.curriculum.edu.au/verve/_resources/National_Declaration_on_the_Educational_Goals_for_Young_Australians.pdf 





Comments

  1. Nicola20 March 2018 at 02:10

    Hi Katie,
    I really enjoyed reading your blog post and found it very engaging and easy to understand. I have picked up on a few spelling errors and wording, which I have made suggestions for below. I think in your first sentence, that although you have a heading civics and citizenship- using CCE would not make sense to parents, maybe write ‘Civics and Citizenship (CCE) modified unit of work…. ‘.
    I really like how you have used PowerPoint slides with the curriculum links and Melbourne declaration – very smart!

    I think when you talk about the 5E’s, you state "this unit of work is going to be delivered using a delivery model known as the 5E’s". Personally, I think parents will wonder what you are talking about when saying a ‘delivery model’, I would suggest saying something like – this unit of work is going to be taught using the 5E learning model, rather than delivery model, perhaps? Along those lines anyway!

    You have touched on and suggested with your curriculum links that this will include Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander perspectives. Maybe you could have your guest speaker be an Aboriginal elder from your local community, and make that an explicit guest speaker.

    I think the last two paragraphs and finish to your blog is very strong. I love your idea of interviewing the parents and friends about being Australian etc

    This will be a very interesting and engaging topic for students to explore and think critically about, I really enjoyed reading your blog and think it's going to be a excellent series of lessons.

    All the best,
    Nicola

    See below for some suggested spelling/wording edits.

    This unit of work is an interesting concept for students to explore, especially given the multicultural nature of Australia. This(???) promotes the development of inclusive attitudes and beliefs as students understanding of broader values such as respect, civility, equity, justice and responsibility are developed (ACARA, 2013). This topic has real life relevance for students, it enables them to think actively about how they can make their community or (and?) world a better place and it acknowledges the voices of those that may be marginalised or silenced (Brett, 2018a). Additionally, this unit of work will help your children to: think independently; cooperate and learn from each other; and appreciate more than one point of view (Brett, 2018b). For those of you wanting to know how this unit of work links to the Australian Curriculum please see the images below.
    (that sentence doesn’t make sense! – this? This unit of work? This what? Perhaps something like – This unit of work is an interesting concept for students to explore, helping to develop inclusive attitudes and beliefs etc…. This topic is relevant to students’ lives, enabling them to think….. their community AND world.

    Additionally, I hope to organise some guest speakers to speak to students about what social, cultural or religious groups they below (belong) to and what symbols, traditions and beliefs each of those have as well as what being Australian means to them. I am hopeful this will encourage students to consider these things in the context of themselves.

    You (Your) children are going to encounter differing opinions and confronting topics and practicing skills for dealing with this in a safe environment such as the classroom provides the perfect platform (Council of Europe, 2015)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Caroline19 April 2018 at 02:57

    Hi Kate

    I love your tone in this blog. I think you have balanced the academic nature of the assessment with your audience exceptionally well. I think parents would read this with interest and feel that they are being included in their childs education.
    One aspect that seems to be lacking is details of how they are going to do this learning. Is it through discussion or a written project? I think it would this is important to add more classroom context.
    You have also brought up the issue of the topic being controversial and confronting, but until then, there did not seem to be any mention of it. Perhaps your description should include other perspectives to add to this idea.
    Your use of pedagogies such as the 5E's is appropriate, but again I am not seeing the "how" being demonstrated clearly.
    I think overall it is an excellent communique for parents, and contains a warm and nurturing overtone which is important to see in a teacher.

    ReplyDelete

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