Shea Steven - ESH360 - Assessment Task 1 - Full Blog
BLOG 1: Civics and Citizenship
Civics and Citizenship in 6S
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What are students
learning?
This term, 6S students will be
exploring civics and citizenship education (CCE) through inquiry-based learning
approaches. Students
will examine Australian citizenship and reflect on the rights and
responsibilities that being a citizen involves (citizenship and identity), and
explore the obligations that people may have as global citizens (citizenship,
diversity and identity) (ACARA, 2016).
Through the exploration of civics and citizenship, students will
be given the opportunity to discover democracy and how they, as Australian
citizens have a voice within our democratic society. As a class, we will
discuss what we believe a responsible active citizen is. While further developing
plans for our class and broader plans for our community as we develop skills
and knowledge required to discuss relevant controversial issues in a democratic
manner (Gilbert & Hoepper, 2014).
Why they are learning:
Discussing controversial issues with students prepares them to
deal with controversies in adult life in knowledgeable, sensible and moral ways
(Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, 1998). From learning about citizens
and citizenships, alongside controversial issues, students can develop a sense
of connection within their communities from research and discussions where they
then participate in civic life and develop a sense of responsible citizenship
where they also become active citizens as seen in the Melbourne Declaration.
How they are
learning:
Students will be learning throughout the whole term through the
Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS) unit. This unit will be based around
civics and citizenship and will include discussions on what the students know
about being a citizen, exploring what being a citizen means to the students,
learning democratic language, creating classroom, community and world wide
plans for controversial issues and finally using this knowledge and a
controversial issue to present a debate in small groups. This will show the
students understanding of civics and citizenship while also acknowledging their
learnings of controversial issues and how to respond to others in a respectful
way. Through this, students are able to work alongside other general
capabilities outlined in the Australian Curriculum such as literacy, ICT,
critical and creative thinking, ethical understanding and intercultural
understanding as well as relating to cross-curriculum priorities such as
sustainability when looking at controversial issues.
How parents/guardians
can support their child’s learning:
As we will be discussing and exploring some interesting and
controversial topics, students may come home and wish to continue the
conversation about the chosen topic at hand. The topics selected are not
intended to pressure you or your children in any way, rather it will help
strengthen their ability to articulate their own opinions and make constructive
comments towards other’s perspectives. I encourage you ask questions to further
their inquiry such as ‘why do you think/ believe that?’. For some inquiry based
questions to ask your children, or topics to discuss with them see the images
below from ACARA (2019). This can help students further their research and
broaden their understandings and perspectives towards topics. We can’t wait for
you to explore civics and citizenship with us!
BLOG 2: Citizenship learning in the context of an aspect of Australian history
Port Arthur (Port Arthur
Historic Site Management Authority, 2016)
What are children
learning?
Over the next four weeks students in 6S will be extending their
learning about civics and citizenship, expanding through citizenship
learning in the context of an aspect of Australian history. Through the
Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority [ACARA] (2019a),
students will examine Australia’s various connections with other countries and
places throughout the world, how these are changing, and the effects of these
interconnections. In particular, we will be looking at the world’s cultural
diversity, including that of its indigenous peoples (ACARA, 2019b).
Why they are
learning
According to Gilbert and Hoepper (2014) integrating civics,
citizenship and history within the classroom can promote a holistic way to
learning therefore strengthening comprehension and furthermore allowing
students to make connections to the real world. Students will be able to
research through the Port Arthur website, show empathy towards the citizens at
that time and form discussions based around what civics and citizenship may
have been like for Aboriginal people in that period and how it has therefore
changed. Students are also able to re-visit aspects of citizenship by building
on developing an understanding of rights, power, democracy, identity and more
through both research and through their excursion. From focusing on this form
of history, students can engage with multiple general capabilities through the
Australian Curriculum as well as engross in cross-curriculum priority areas.
How they are
learning
History should have a broad and comprehensive foundation from
which its implications for Australia can be grasped. It is only from such a
foundation that the longevity and richness of Indigenous history will be
appreciated; that the dimensions of our migrant experience and cultural
diversity will be intelligible; that our relations with the Asian region will
be comprehended; that the ecological limits of our current practices will be
seen in their historical context (ACARA, 2019c). Prior to our excursion to
the Port Arthur Historic Site, students will engage in inquiry based learning
approaches to research, discuss and form conclusions on the correlation between
civics and citizenship through geography while looking at Port Arthur from its
era of convicts. This will help students form empathy and research more about
the topic at hand before learning all about the history on site.
How parents/carers
can support their child’s learning
On Thursday the 18th of April, students of 6S will
be traveling to the Port Arthur Historic Site. We encourage as many parents/
carers to join us on this fun historical journey to learn alongside students
about the convict era within our local community. We also encourage you to ask
inquiry based questions to help generate critical thinking about the topic at
hand. These questions can include; What are Australia’s global connections between people and
places? And how do people’s connections to places affect their perception of
them?
BLOG 3: Education for sustainability linking to both Geography and Civics and Citizenship
What children are learning
In term 3 6S will be exploring how to be sustainable citizens
within our school and our wider community. This includes discussions, inquiry
based thinking and learning and implementing ideas on how we can make small
changes to make our environment more sustainable and environmentally friendly.
Throughout this term, students of 6S will be engaging in discussions and
activities that correlate with the outcomes provided by Australian Curriculum
Assessment and Reporting Authority [ACARA] (2019) in the Humanities and Social
Science (HASS) strand as well as combining understandings of sustainability as
a cross-curriculum priority area and how this can all be linked to becoming a
positive citizen.
Why they are learning
As much as we in 6S would love our school community to become
plastic and waste free, we cannot guarantee that everyone within our school
will partake. Our aim this term is to research, discuss and modify the way our
classroom and school community operates when it comes to waste. Our focus
throughout this term will be to become educated in Reusing, Reducing and
Recycling within our environment. Gilbert and Hoepper (2014) express that as
citizens of Australia, we have a responsibility to stop destruction of our
earth and therefore work towards change to improve our global status. If we
want to see a more sustainable future we need to change our attitudes,
behaviours and lifestyles. 6S will start to do this through our classroom,
school community and therefore make a positive impact on our wider community.
How they are learning
This video will start our unit off to help students understand
sustainability and how we have such a large impact on earth by little things we
do in our everyday life. From this short clip students will understand the
importance of limiting waste (reducing), swapping plastic to reusable objects
such as woven bags to carry groceries (reusing) and learning how to sort
through used items such as a milk carton to put into the correct bin to empower
environmentally friendly manners (recycling). Students will also have the
opportunity to form a compost bin within our school grounds, where all fruit
and vegetable scraps will be placed, thus allowing our students to see how
doing this can form decomposition and reduce waste.
How parents/carers can support their child’s learning
As we are focusing on making our classroom more sustainably
friendly, we hope to influence these changes within student’s home routine. In
no way shape or form do we want you to feel pressured to making changes within
your home, but if you are up for the challenge here are some things that you
can introduce to your home to help your children understand and maintain a
level of engagement within sustainability:
- · Reuse, Reduce and Recycle (understanding what can and cannot be placed into the recycling bin)
- · Saying no to plastic bags and taking reusable bags when going shopping; not just when grocery shopping but when doing some retail therapy too!
- · Using reusable and environmentally friendly packaging these can include; containers, cutlery, drink bottles and more!
- · Collect fruit and vegetable scraps and bring them to school to be decomposed in our compost bin!
Making these small changes can have a big impact on our
environment and can help ensure our students in 6S can having a positive impact
through civics and citizenship and sustainability within our school and wider
community.
References:
Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority
[ACARA]. (2019b).
General Capabilities. Retrieved from https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/f-10-curriculum/general-capabilities/
Australian Curriculum,
Assessment and Reporting Authority [ACARA]. (2016c). Foundation to year
10 curriculum. Retrieved from: https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/f-10-curriculum/humanities-and-social-sciences/hass/
Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority. (2013c). 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
Drawn from: The Shape of the Australian Curriculum:
History [2010] www.acara.edu.au and
the National Centre for History Education - www.hyperhistory.org]
Gilbert, R., & Hoepper, B. (2014). Teaching
humanities and social sciences: History, geography, economics and citizenship
in the Australian curriculum. South Melbourne, VIC: Cengage Learning
Australia.
Marsh, C., Clarke., & Pittaway, S.
(2014). Marsh's becoming a teacher. Frenchs Forest, N.S.W: Pearson
Australia.
Math Songs by Numberock (2018). Earth Day Song | Reduce,
Reuse, Recycle. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtyBzFV9yTs
Port Arthur Historic Site Management Authority. (2016). Port Arthur. Retrieved from http://portarthur.org.au/history/the-convict-era/
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