Voting – choosing your parliamentary representatives: Introduction

Key learning area: Studies of Society and Environment

Year level: Upper primary/ Lower Secondary

Unit topic: Australian Parliamentary Democracy

Lesson topic: Voting – choosing your parliamentary representatives

Aim of the lesson

For students to develop an understanding of the democratic process of voting to elect representatives (including the key Australian voting system concepts of secret ballots, compulsory voting, absolute majority, and preferential voting in the House of Representatives ). This lesson will link with the lesson on ‘How are you represented’.

Curriculum Links

Links to the Australian Curriculum

Intended student learning objectives/outcomes

Knowledge: Students will understand the concept of preferential voting, absolute majority and compulsory voting, and differentiate between different decision-making processes and voting systems.

Skills: Students will employ cooperative learning skills, analyse the relationship between voting and representation, and apply knowledge to a voting situation.

Values: Students will demonstrate respect for others’ knowledge and dispositions, develop an understanding of equality, rights and responsibility as linked to voting to elect representatives.

Resources:

1. BLM Sheets 1-5
2. Poster paper
3. Cover paper
4. Voting tally sheet

Teaching and learning activities

Students will work in a range of group situations to examine decision-making issues when choosing representatives. They will examine different decision-making strategies for fairness, rights and responsibilities. They will analyse the Australian voting system and be provided with the opportunity to vote using the voting system used to elect House of Representatives parliamentarians.

• Activity One: Decision-making: identifying types of decision-making
• Activity Two: Fairness in voting and decision-making: analysing decision-making processes
• Activity Three: Rights and responsibilities: compulsory voting - analysing and assessing information
• Activity Four: Voting - the Australian way: clarifying and participating 

Introduction | Activity One | Activity Two | Activity Three | Activity Four

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