Teacher Notes

Overview

This Site Study is an inquiry-based examination of a historically and culturally significant location. it provides a virtual tour of NSW Parliament House and assists students to develop an understanding of how the NSW Parliament House site reflects the State history, politics and society from colonial to present times.

Syllabus links
Learning outcomes
Quality Teaching
Resources

Syllabus links

This resource is specifically aimed to support:

Stage 5 Australian History, Civics and Citizenship - Mandatory site study requirements and aspects of topics 1, 3, 6 and 7.
Stage 3 Primary - Social Systems and Structures – Roles, Rights and Responsibilities, which focuses on explaining the structures, roles, responsibilities and decision-making process of State and Federal governments.
Aspects of Elective History, Stage 5 Commerce, Geography and Legal Studies.

Learning outcomes

Students learn to:

locate and select information and sources related to key historical events connected with NSW Parliament House
identify, comprehend and evaluate historical sources
explore the Legislative Assembly, Legislative Council, Jubilee Room and Fountain Court areas using a virtual tour
plan and design an interactive artefacts exhibition with a democracy theme
explore a streetscape of Macquarie street East which gives the context of the Parliament site
examine interactive floor plans which identify key objects and locations within the Legislative assembly and Legislative Council
use historical and parliamentary terms and concepts in appropriate contexts.

Students learn about:

the role of the New South Wales Parliament site in civics and citizenship by exploring the Chambers and artefacts of the parliament site
the structure, roles and responsibilities of the State Government
the stages in making laws
key historical people and events connected with the New South Wales Parliament.
changing rights and freedoms of citizens, women and Aboriginal people in the context of New South Wales Parliament.

Quality Teaching

Intellectual quality

Deep Knowledge

Inside NSW Parliament – a site study supports the understanding of key concepts, such as civics, citizenship and parliamentary democracy. The virtual tour of the Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council of the parliament site informs students of the different roles and functions of the Lower and Upper House.

Deep understanding

Students use information, arguments and reasoning to demonstrate their understanding of the roles and functions of the symbols, objects and layout of the site. Students evaluate and gain a deeper understanding by considering scenario proposals and ‘think about’ questions which promote debate and analysis on Reconciliation, the significance of the chamber design layouts for open government, the way the voting system in the Upper House makes it easier for small parties to be represented and the sequence of a Bill from proposal to enactment.

Higher order thinking

Students are challenged to research and create their own virtual public exhibition of significant artefacts in the Fountain Court at NSW Parliament House. This problem-solving activity requires the student to choose from a selection of artworks, documents and objects from the site and archives to design an exhibition which reflects a theme or story of democracy at Parliament House.

Problematic knowledge

Students learn about the procedures and purpose of Committee work through a video explanation and a scenario task based on a choice of relevant topics and the role of a Committee member or a person making a submission to the Committee. They consider a range of significant public issues and different and sometimes conflicting perspectives.

Substantive communication

This resource is designed to model skills for substantive communication and facilitate discussion about the key features and role of the Parliament House site for the state and its citizens.

Quality learning environment

Explicit quality criteria

Clear criteria are provided with the more significant activities to inform students about the learning they are expected to demonstrate

Engagement

The resource contains Flash activities that are interactive, with audio-visual elements. Students can analyse video clips, explore panorama photographs of the main areas of Parliament House which have roll-over information and extension pop ups, create their own virtual exhibition, pan along the streetscape of historical buildings on Macquarie Street East,

Student direction

The resource is designed to allow learners to study the different areas and functions of NSW Parliament House at different depths and at different times. Not all activities have to be attempted. Nor is the order in which activities are to be completed prescriptive.

Significance

The video virtual tour introduction by the Deputy Speakers of the Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council uses parliamentary experts to give authentic knowledge of the layout, symbols and procedures of both Chambers.

Connectedness

The resource activities allow students to make connections between classroom knowledge and situations outside the classroom, such as civics and citizenship and how the state Parliament operates and how it affects their lives.

Resources

NSW Parliament House

http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au

The official NSW Parliament website.

Playing Your Part

http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/PARLMENT/publications.nsf/key
/PlayingYourPart/$File/PlayingYourPartrevised0507.pdf

A Parliamentary activities and resources book for teachers. (PDF 2,721kb)

Parliament in NSW – How does it work?

http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/PARLMENT/publications.nsf
/key/ParliamentofNewSouthWalesHowDoesitWork/$File/HDIWrevised07a.pdf

Information about the way parliament works.

NSW Parliamentary Crossword

http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/PARLMENT/publications.nsf/key/IS07
/$File/Crossword+NEWwb.pdf

A printable crossword to test your knowledge of NSW Parliament.

Civics and Citizenship

http://www.civicsandcitizenship.edu.au/cce/

A focus on Australian civics and citizenship.

Discovering Democracy Units

http://www1.curriculum.edu.au/ddunits/units/units.htm

Units of work with the theme of democracy.

The History of Democracy

http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/web/common.nsf/key/HistoryDemocracy

A chronological view of democracy from 1788 to now.

Coat of Arms

http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/web/common.nsf/key/resourcesimgNSWCoat

and

http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/web/common.nsf/key/resourcesimagesCrests

and

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coat_of_Arms_of_New_South_Wales

Information about the design and significance of the State coat of arms.

NSW Parliament Sustainability Program

http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/web/common.nsf/key/SustainabilityProgram

Information about the Sustainability Program initiated within the NSW Parliament House site.

Levels of Government in Australia

http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/PARLMENT/publications.nsf/key/IS02/$File
/levels+of+govtwb.pdf

Information Sheet 02 of the NSW Parliament (PDF 128kb).

Making the law

http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/PARLMENT/publications.nsf/key/IS04
/$File/Making+lawNEWwb.pdf

Information Sheet 04 of the NSW Parliament (PDF 39kb).

Separation of Powers

http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/PARLMENT/publications.nsf/key/SeparationofPowers

Legal Studies Year 11-12 article by Graham Spindler , Education Manager NSW Parliament.

Making a Mace

http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/PARLMENT/publications.nsf/key/makeamace
/$File/Make+a+Mace.pdf

A classroom activity from the NSW Parliament Education Section (PDF 225kb).

NSW Government

http://www.nsw.gov.au/

The official website of the NSW government.

The Federal government

Australia has different levels of government. The state system should be understood in the context of the Federal system in existence since Federation in 1901.

The Australian Constitution

http://www.a-pac.tv/classroom/worksheets/teacher/TheConstitution.pdf

Key aspects of the Australian Constitution.

A-pac

http://www.a-pac.tv/

The website for Australia’s Public Affairs Channel, with a focus on Parlaimentary .

The Federal parliamentary Process

http://www.a-pac.tv/classroom/worksheets/teacher/ParlimentaryProcess.pdf

Worksheets on the Federal Parliamentary process.

Other Countries

The following group of sites allows some comparative study of other democratic parliamentary systems.

Parliament House Australia

http://www.aph.gov.au

The official site of the Federal Parliament House in Canberra

New Zealand Parliament

http://www.parliament.nz/en-NZ

The official site of the New Zealand Parliament.

United Kingdom Parliament

http://www.parliament.uk

The official site of the United Kingdom Parliament at Westminster in London.

United States of America Parliament

http://www.ipu.org/cntr-e/usa.htm

The national parliament of the United States.

History connections

Bunyip Aristocracy

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bunyip_aristocracy

An overview of the origins of the bunyip aristocracy speech and significance

Bunyip definition

http://www.allwords.com/word-bunyip+aristocracy.html

Brief dictionary meaning and background.

Bunyip aristocracy speech

http://www.southsearepublic.org/story/2004/8/17/7431/18874

http://encyclopedia.stateuniversity.com/pages/3392/bunyip-aristocracy.html

A transcript of Daniel Deniehy’s speech which started the ‘bunyip aristocracy’ theme.

Bunyip

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bunyip

Find out what a bunyip is.

Federation

http://www.a-pac.tv/classroom/worksheets/teacher/Federation.pdf

Federation – Becoming a nation worksheets (from A-Pac).

Federation quiz

http://www.a-pac.tv/classroom/worksheets/junior/JnrFederation.pdf

A five-question junior level quiz about Australian Federation.

Federation and the NSW Parliament

http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/web/common.nsf/key/HistoryFederation

Overview of the lead up to Federation. Federation and Women’s Suffrage.

The Federation Story

http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/10492/20021115-0000/resources/history/federation_story.htm

Federation Facts – The Federation story outline

The Journey to Federation

http://www.abc.net.au/federation/fedstory/home.htm

The Australian Centenary of Federation website.

Federation Role Play Activity

http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/PARLMENT/publications.nsf/key/RPFederation
/$File/fFederationRolePlay.pdf

Follow a role play scenario to better understand aspects of Federation. (PDF 55kb)

Henry Parkes

http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A050455b.htm

The Australian Dictionary of Biography online life of Sir Henry Parkes.

Parkes Parliamentary Record

http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/Prod/Parlment/Members.nsf

This includes his electorates, periods as premier and Parliamentary Committee work, such as the Federation of the Australian Colonies Committees.

Civics and citizenship and Parkes

http://www.civicsandcitizenship.edu.au/cce/parkes,9158.html

A brief biography of Henry Parkes on the Australian government civics and citizenship site

http://www.nnsw.com.au/tenterfield/hparkes.html

A focus on Henry Parkes’ Tenterfield speech.

Parkes and Federation

http://www.parkesfoundation.org.au/BobCarrSpeech.htm

Former Premier Bob Carr’s speech about Parkes. to commemorate the 110th anniversary of Parkes' Tenterfield Address.

Tom Roberts’ portrait

http://www.artistsfootsteps.com/html/Roberts_Parkes.htm

A profile of Tom Roberts’ portrait of Henry Parkes which is in NSW Parliament House.

Henry Parkes – An audio

http://www.abc.net.au/rural/telegraph/speeches/parkes.htm

This ABC program has various audio formats of re-enactments of Parkes key speeches.

Edmund Barton

http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A070202b.htm

Australian Dictionary of Biography online.

Barton and Parkes and Federation

http://www.nla.gov.au/barton/pages/towardsfed-01.html

National; Library of Australia – a series of information images and text slides on the theme of ‘toward federation’.

Barton

http://www.nla.gov.au/guides/federation/people/barton.html

National Library of Australia’s Federation Gateway – a few paragraphs on Barton.

Braund: a biography

http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A070400b.htm

A short life from the Australian Dictionary of Biography

Larkin: a biography

http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A090675b.htm

A short life from the Australian Dictionary of Biography’s short life of George Frederick Braund

Australian War Memorial search tool

http://www.awm.gov.au/search/collections

Enter search words for Braund and Larkin to research Australian War Memorial data.

JD Lang

http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A090666b.htm

Jack Lang – the Australian Dictionary of Biography.

The Depression and Crisis

http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/web/common.nsf/key/HistoryDepression

The nature and impact of the Great Depression and the role of J D Lang..

The National Archives

http://www.naa.gov.au/about-us/publications/fact-sheets/fs96.aspx

The National Archives resources on Lang.

Dismissal of a Premier

http://www.skwirk.com.au/p-c_s-14_u-114_t-309_c-1045/dismissal-of-jack-lang/nsw/dismissal
-of-jack-lang/australia-between-the-wars-1930s/a-significant-political-development-in-the-1930s

A Teaching and learning unit on the times and circumstances of the dismissal of Premier Lang.

Premier Lang

http://www.schools.nsw.edu.au/nswconstitution/htm/premier00.htm

The following section contains an overview of the role of the Premier, a focus on Dismissal of Premier Jack Lang and references to relevant sections of the NSW constitution.

Women in Parliament

Women in NSW Parliament

http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/web/common.nsf/key/historywomeninparliament

The official NSW Parliament site summary.

http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/PARLMENT/publications.nsf
/key/WomenintheParliamentofNewSouthWales/$File/Women+in+parl09+A5+WEB+version.pdf

A printable book (PDF 1,285kb)

Women Suffragettes

http://www.abc.net.au/ola/citizen/women/women-home-vote.htm

The ABC site on the women’s vote.

Streetscape study

The following are information links to the sites of the Streetscape of Macquarie Street East.