This history learning module for year 10 explores human and civil rights in Australia, focusing on the Freedom Rides of 1965.
History, Civil Rights, Human Rights, Aboriginal History, Indigenous History
Objectives:
This unit targets the Rights and Freedoms element of the Australian Curriculum v5.1 for Year 10 History.
Students will investigate:
Rights and freedoms (1945 – the present)
Students will apply historical skills including:
Standard
By the end of Year 10, students refer to key events, the actions of individuals and groups, and beliefs and values to explain patterns of change and continuity over time. They analyse the causes and effects of events and developments and explain their relative importance. They explain the context for people’s actions in the past. Students explain the significance of events and developments from a range of perspectives. They explain different interpretations of the past and recognise the evidence used to support these interpretations.
Students sequence events and developments within a chronological framework, and identify relationships between events across different places and periods of time. When researching, students develop, evaluate and modify questions to frame an historical inquiry. They process, analyse and synthesise information from a range of primary and secondary sources and use it as evidence to answer inquiry questions. Students analyse sources to identify motivations, values and attitudes. When evaluating these sources, they analyse and draw conclusions about their usefulness, taking into account their origin, purpose, and context. They develop and justify their own interpretations about the past. Students develop texts, particularly explanations and discussions, incorporating historical argument. In developing these texts and organising and presenting their arguments, they use historical terms and concepts, evidence identified in sources, and they reference these sources.
Learning intention: To understand existing rights and freedoms in Australia;
Human rights are commonly defined as:
"The fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being" (Sepúlveda et al. 2004, p. 3)
Comment: Keeping this in mind, write a list of the human rights that we have here in Australia. Comment on what other students add to the list, stating whether you think it is a fundamental right or not, and why.
This is the first in a series of lessons based on Stanford's Reading Like A Historian (sic) curriculum (see http://sheg.stanford.edu/rlh). Each sequence will start with the formation of a central historical question and the establishment of relevant background knowledge. Students will then be presented with documents which they will read before answering guiding questions or completing a graphic organiser. This will take the form of either an Opening up the Textbook activity, a Structured Academic Controversy, and Historical Inquiry or a Cognitive Apprenticeship.
The lesson will conclude with the application of this knowledge through some form of plenary activity, such as a class discussion, PEC paragraph response, drawn plenary, wandering plenary, frozen picture or some other appropriate or creative form.
Learning intention: to understand how rights and freedoms are protected by Australia's constitution;
Take a look at the list of rights that are protected by Australia's constitution:
Section 41 - right to vote (includes freedom of speech, so long as it relates to an election)
Section 80 - right to jury trial if you could be sent to prison
Section 116 - freedom of religion
Sub-section 51(xxxi) - if the Commonwealth acquires your property, it must do so "on just terms"
Comment: How many of these were on your list? Comment on any rights you listed that aren't listed here and add any that are.
Once students have completed their lists of rights, display a list of Australia's constitutionally protected rights. Get students to cross out any rights that they recorded that aren't on the list, and add the rights that are on the list. Explain that people often confuse things they hear about rights from the US and international media with the reality of Australia's human rights regime.
It's time to introduce the Guiding historical question:
Do Australia's laws really protect our human rights?
Learning intention: to analyse whether the Australian Constitution is an exhaustive statement of Australia's rights and freedoms;
We're going to be comparing some different points of view on the same event. Read the textbook excerpt your teacher has handed to you and answer the following guiding questions:
a) According to the textbook, what rights do Australians have?
b) Do Australians have any other rights apart from the ones the textbook describes?
c) Why do Australians have so few rights?
d) Do you think Australians should have better protections for their rights?
After you have finished answering these questions, your teacher will distribute some new documents which take a different point of view. Read the new documents and answer the following "guiding questions"
1) What are the similarities and differences between these accounts?
2) Why are they different?
3) Which one do you find most trustworthy? Why?
This activity will follow the "Opening up the Textbook" format. It will begin by looking at a textbook explanation of constitutional rights in Australia, then ask students to challenge or complicate this understanding by reading and understanding conflicting sources of evidence.
Begin by handing out the textbook excerpt and asking students to answer the following guiding questions:
a) According to the textbook, what rights do Australians have?
b) Do Australians have any other rights apart from the ones the textbook describes?
c) Why do Australians have so few rights?
d) Do you think Australians should have better protections for their rights?
After students have finished answering these questions, distribute the complicating documents. Ask them to read the new documents and answer the following "guiding questions"
1) What are the similarities and differences between these accounts?
2) Why are they different?
3) Which one do you find most trustworthy? Why?
Learning Intention: To critically apply our understanding of Australia's Rights and Freedoms;
Comment: Referring to what you have learned in this lesson, write a PEC paragraph that answers the question:
Do Australia's laws really protect our human rights?
It's time for students to apply their learning to the guiding question. Give students 10 minutes to write a PEC paragraph, answering the guiding historical question:
Do Australia's laws really protect our human rights?
Learning Intention: to understand Australia's obligations under the UDHR and how the UDHR protects out human rights;
This lesson will focus on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Take notes as your teacher goes through the powerpoint presentation with you.
Begin lesson by introducing the UDHR (using the powerpoint presentation, if necessary).
Pose the question to the class:
What is the effect of the UDHR for Australians?
Learning Intention: To develop an understanding of international statute law through collaborative practice;
Look at the copy of the UDHR you have been given. Does it make sense? What is it for?
To help make sense of it, you will engage with the UDHR by writing hypothetical scenarios in which somebody might need to access one of the rights it guarantees.
To begin with, follow along as your teacher models this process with Article 15 - the right to a nationality.
Wikipedia states that:
Nationality is the legal relationship between a person and a nation state. Nationality normally confers some protection of the person by the state, and some obligations on the person towards the state.
As such, the right to a nationality means the right to be a citizen of a particular country and to get the protections that citizens of that country normally receive, subject to the same rules.
For example, sometimes one country conquers another and the inhabitants of that new country are, temporarily, without a nationality. Alternatively, somebody may be born in a country that they are not a citizen of and which does not give citizenship solely on the basis of country-of-birth.
Students are given copies of the UDHR with no other context. They will engage with the UDHR by writing hypothetical scenarios in which somebody might need to access one of the rights it guarantees.
To begin with, the teacher models this process with Article 15 - the right to a nationality. The teacher begins by defining the right:
Wikipedia states that:
Nationality is the legal relationship between a person and a nation state. Nationality normally confers some protection of the person by the state, and some obligations on the person towards the state.
As such, the right to a nationality means the right to be a citizen of a particular country and to get the protections that citizens of that country normally receive, subject to the same rules.
The teacher than gives the class an example of where someone doesn't have a nationality:
For example, sometimes one country conquers another and the inhabitants of that new country are, temporarily, without a nationality. Alternatively, somebody may be born in a country that they are not a citizen of and which does not give citizenship solely on the basis of country-of-birth.
Learning Intention: To apply definitions of human rights to develop hypothetical situations; To think creatively about human rights.
Follow along as your teacher applies the definition of rights in a hypothetical example:
"So, if a person without a nationality arrives in Australia and seeks to access article 15 of the UDHR, Australia has to ensure that person becomes either the national of another country, or give that person Australian nationality."
Now, return to your definitions of the UDHR and create your own hypothetical situations in which a person might need to appeal to each of those human rights.
Finally, the teacher applies the definition of rights in a hypothetical example:
So, if a person without a nationality arrives in Australia and seeks to access article 15 of the UDHR, Australia has to ensure that person becomes either the national of another country, or give that person Australian nationality.
Students are then asked to return to their definitions of the UDHR and create their own hypothetical situations in which they might need to use it.
In pairs, choose one of the hypothetical scenarios that you have written and create a brief role-play to demonstrate that scenario. The role-play may be spoken or acted out, but must be no longer than 1 minute and is not allowed to contain any physical violence.
In pairs, act out your scenario in front of the class.
In pairs, students choose one of the hypothetical scenarios that they have written and create a brief role-play to demonstrate that scenario, where a universal human right has been breached. The role-play may be spoken or acted out, but must be no longer than 1 minute and is not allowed to contain any physical violence.
In those pairs, they act out their scenario in front of the class.
Listen and take notes as your teacher introduces the 1938 day of mourning.
This lesson will be a structured academic controversy, in which students will prepare arguments for or against today's question. You must be prepared to argue either side and play Devil's Advocate.
Introduce the Guiding Historical Question: Is it okay to celebrate Australia Day on the anniversary of the landing of the first fleet?
Briefly introduce the 1938 day of mourning for the students, explaining its broad impact and significance.
Explain that the lesson will be a structured academic controversy, in which students will prepare arguments for or against today's question. They must be prepared to argue either side (note that specific attention must be paid where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students are concerned to ensure that they are comfortable with this activity). Explain the concept of a "devil's advocate" - a person who argues a position for the sake of presenting a view they do not personally agree with.
Introduce the Guiding Historical Question: Is it okay to celebrate Australia Day on the anniversary of the landing of the first fleet?
Take the documents your teacher has distributed and read through them carefully. You will need to use what you learn to help you to form arguments.
1. Pre-reading and reflection on the issue: Students are organised into groups of four, and each group is split into two pairs. One pair in a foursome studies one side of the controversy, while the second pair studies an opposing view. Partners read the background material and identify facts and arguments that support their assigned position. They prepare to advocate the position.
2. The presentations on the issue: Pairs take turns advocating their positions. Students on the other side make notes and ask questions about information they don’t understand. Next, pairs reverse positions. Each pair uses their notes and what they learned from the other side to make a short presentation demonstrating their understanding of the opposing view.
4. Responses to the presentations: Students leave their assigned positions and discuss the issue in their foursomes, trying to find points of agreement and disagreement among group members. Teams try to reach consensus on something; if they cannot reach consensus on any substantive aspect of the issue, they should try to reach consensus on a process they could use to resolve disagreements.
5. Responses by other teams: The class debriefs the activity as a large group, focusing on how the group worked as a team and how use of the process contributed to their understanding of the issue.
Distribute this lesson's documents to the students - note that they will include both factual and opinion pieces. We then commence the Academic Controversy:
1. Pre-reading and reflection on the issue: Students are organised into groups of four, and each group is split into two pairs. One pair in a foursome studies one side of the controversy, while the second pair studies an opposing view. Partners read the background material and identify facts and arguments that support their assigned position. They prepare to advocate the position.
2. The presentations on the issue: Pairs take turns advocating their positions. Students on the other side make notes and ask questions about information they don’t understand. Next, pairs reverse positions. Each pair uses their notes and what they learned from the other side to make a short presentation demonstrating their understanding of the opposing view.
4. Responses to the presentations: Students leave their assigned positions and discuss the issue in their foursomes, trying to find points of agreement and disagreement among group members. Teams try to reach consensus on something; if they cannot reach consensus on any substantive aspect of the issue, they should try to reach consensus on a process they could use to resolve disagreements.
5. Responses by other teams: The class debriefs the activity as a large group, focusing on how the group worked as a team and how use of the process contributed to their understanding of the issue.
Now that you have finished arguing both sides of today's guiding question, we need to weight up the relative strengths of arguments on both sides. To do so, we will complete a CAMPER analysis:
CAMPER
| Consequences and Consistency |
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| Assumptions and Accuracy |
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| Meaning and Main Points |
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| Prejudice and Point of View |
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| Evidence and Examples |
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| Relevance and Reliability |
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After students have presented their arguments, ask them to return to the documents and prepare a CAMPER analysis:
CAMPER
| Consequences and Consistency |
|
| Assumptions and Accuracy |
|
| Meaning and Main Points |
|
| Prejudice and Point of View |
|
| Evidence and Examples |
|
| Relevance and Reliability |
|
Imagine that you have been put in charge of choosing a new event to celebrate Australia's history as a nation. You are to write a brief advertisement for an event that will be part of the celebration, including an explanation of how the event represents the coming together of indigenous and non-indigenous cultures.
To cement knowledge gained, ask students to complete a brief plenary. They will imagine that they have been put in charge of choosing a new event to celebrate Australia's history as a nation. They are to write a brief advertisement for an event that will be part of the celebration, including and explanation of how their event represents the coming together of indigenous and non-indigenous cultures.
In pairs you will become an expert on one of the following topics.
Use the questions as a guide to help you.
Present your information on a thinkboard.
Present your ideas to a new group.
On a mini thinkboard record the information you learn about the other topics.
For this topic, we will use an expert groups task.
A traditional expert jigsaw can be found here Jigsaw and Gallery Tour. Todays jigsaw will work differently.
Thinkboards should be displayed around the classroom, you can refer to this in further teaching.
Reflections
Learning activity 3 - 4 should take 2 lessons.
Learning Intention:
Social skill - Actively participate in pair and small group activities.
Understanding - To discuss and make connections between the information learnt.
In pairs or small groups begin to make connections with all the information you just learnt. Create a consequence/effect wheel that shows links between the topics.
Following on from the expert groups tasks, students individually complete a consequences/effects wheel in relation to the Australian Civil Rights Movement.
Consequences/Effects Wheels
In the centre circle, write an event, for example ‘Widespread use of solar energy’ Think of and write a direct consequence of this event in an oval and connect it to the centre with a single line. This is a first order consequence. Think of some other first order consequences and draw/write them in. Think of and record second order consequences. These are things that resulted from the first order consequence. Join it to first order consequences by a double line. This tool can be used in analysing critically to examine environmental and societal impacts.
Follow along and take relevant notes as your teacher explains the ongoing issues faced by ATSI people. This lesson we will be answering the Guiding historical question:
Is the struggle over for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander rights?
Briefly explain to students the ongoing issues that face Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people using the powerpoint. Time permitting, highlight the Reynolds/Windschuttle debate over frontier massacres and the accompanying "culture wars"
It's time to introduce the Guiding historical question:
Is the struggle over for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander rights?
Your teacher will distribute a copy of a textbook article about ATSI rights and freedoms. Read the textbook, then answer the following questions:
a) According to the textbook, what rights and recognition should Indigenous Australians have?
b) What are some of the issues facing indigenous Australians today?
c) Do you think there are any rights/recognition that indigenous Australians have that goes too far?
d) Do you think Australians should have any additional rights and recognition?
After you have finished answering these questions, your teacher will distribute some "complicating documents". Read the new documents and answer the following "guiding questions"
1) What are the similarities and differences between these accounts?
2) Why are they different?
3) Which one do you find most trustworthy? Why?
4) Would you now change any of your answers to the first four questions?
Having distributed the textbook account of indigenous rights in Australia, ask students to answer the following guiding questions:
a) According to the textbook, what rights and recognition should Indigenous Australians have?
b) What are some of the issues facing indigenous Australians today?
c) Do you think there are any rights/recognition that indigenous Australians have that goes too far?
d) Do you think Australians should have any additional rights and recognition?
After students have finished answering these questions, distribute the complicating documents. Ask them to read the new documents and answer the following "guiding questions"
1) What are the similarities and differences between these accounts?
2) Why are they different?
3) Which one do you find most trustworthy? Why?
4) Would you now change any of your answers to the first four questions?
Applying your knowledge from the earlier learning, write a PEC paragraph, answering the guiding historical question:
Is the struggle for rights over for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people?
It's time for students to apply their learning to the guiding question. Give students 10 minutes to write a PEC paragraph, answering the guiding historical question:
Is the struggle for rights over for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people?
In preparation for your presentation assessment, you are to complete a Thinkboard on an Australian Civil Rights Activist. You can choose from:
After you have completed your thinkboard, you will present it to a small group (this can be your table group). They will give you feedback on what areas you can improve. You can use this feedback to guide you in preparing your formal presentation.
Students are to research the story of one Australian civil rights activist and complete a thinkboard on their chosen figure:
Thinkboards
Promotes conceptual understanding by enabling children to make connections. Design a large piece of card divided into 4 sections with each section displaying the same mathematical idea using different representations.
Four students are arranged around the board. They discuss and complete each section as it relates to their challenge. Responses are discussed in class. Think Boards can also be use in ‘Experiencing the known’.
Students will then present their thinkboards to their table group. They will use the information that they have gained from this process to inform the way they go about presenting to the class for the assignment.