Year five

Civics and citizenship

Drama
Activity Overview:
Students are to work in groups and dramatize the roles and
responsibilities of federal and state police officers. Groups will be
assigned to be either a federal or State police officer, alongside this
they will be given laws to act out. Students are to role play the text
and allow for students to make educated choices on what law they
are enforcing and whether they are federal or state officers.
Student Background Knowledge
Students have had prior lessons revolving around Federal and State
police Officers, by this stage of the unit they have sound knowledge
on both Police forces. They will be able to act out the scenes given
to them with ease.
Teacher Background Knowledge
As this lesson is focusing on civics and citizenship, the teacher
should have a sound knowledge regarding State and Federal laws.
The teacher must be able to adequately describe the differences
and how these laws are enforced differently.
Learning intentions and Objections
This activity falls und Civics and citizenship and the arts in the
Australian curriculum. The aim of this activity is for students to
recognize that state and federal police officers have different roles
within society, students should be able to recognize the difference
between a state or federal law. Students are expected to act out a
role play, it is expected that they will be able to use their voice,
body, movement and language to portray their role in an
appropriate manner.
Curriculum Links
The roles and responsibilities of key personnel in law enforcement
and in the legal system (ACHCK026)
Develop skills and techniques of voice and movement to
create character, mood and atmosphere and focus dramatic
action (ACADRM036)
General Capabilities:
Literacy: This activity has been based around the Australian
curriculum, and it has clear connections with the general capability
of literacy. The aim is to allow students, to compose texts through
speaking and learning through visual experiences.
Incorporating ICT

For this activity, each group will be allowed onto their laptops to find
ONE backdrop scene for their role play, these background images
can be selected from Google images. When students are using the
internet, teachers must stress the importance of web safety and
staying on task.

Assessment as learning
This activity is perfect for students self-assessment, as the activity is
very hands on and allows for students self expression. It is required
after all role plays have been completed, to write down one
sentence on what they thought they did well and a sentence for
what they could have improved on. By allowing this self reflection,
students will be able to look ahead in their learning and think of
what they need to improve on before they achieve more.
Student Ability
Individual learning needs have been taken into account when
creating this activity, to ensure all members of the class are learning
to a particular standard students have been placed into suitable
learning groups that will benefit all members. The groups have been
arranged with mixed learning abilities in each group, which is with
hopes that it will enhance group learning and participation.
Student Direction
Step One: Sit quietly at the back of the classroom, wait for the
teacher to initiate the discussion.
Step Two: discuss with peers and teacher, the differences between a
state and federal police officer.
Step Three: The activity will be a role play, each group will be given
a card with a law and a state/federal police officer listed, this must
be acted out in front of peers.
Step Four: Teacher will pick groups and send them off to a table,
each table will already have a card on the desk.
Step Five: Search for a relevant backdrop picture to be put on the
interactive whiteboard, one student to look for this on the internet.
Step Six: Practice the role play.
Step Seven: Present the role play in front of your peers, allow one
student at a time to guess what law you were enforcing and whether
a state or federal police officer was enforcing it.
Step Eight: Discuss as a class what you liked most about the role
plays.