Carine Senior High School

Humanities and Social Sciences

Year 8 Civics and Citizenship

Week Essential Content Assessments

1 Examine different perspectives about Australia's national identity
 Investigate representations of Australian identity evident in national day events
 Investigate representations of Australian identity in the media and popular
culture
 Analyse different perspectives on the interpretation of national identity.
2 Examine contemporary influences on the shaping of Australian national identity
Identify the way in which the following contributed to Australia’s national identity:
 Natural environment (beach and bush)
 Immigration (colonisation, White Australia populate or perish, post WW2 settlement
and post 1970s Asian migration)
 Sport-AFL & Cricket
3 Identify the freedoms that enable active participation in Australia's democracy
 Including;
 Speech
 Association
 Assembly
 Religion
 Movement
4 Explore how citizens can participate in Australia's democracy, including:
 The electoral system (Why we vote)
 Contact with their elected representatives
Explore how elected representatives can advocate on behalf of citizens.
 Use of lobby groups
 Direct action.
 Protests
5/6 How are Laws made in Australia? Assessment 4
Investigation:
 Describe how laws are made in Australia through parliaments (statutory law)
 Describe how laws are made in Australia through the courts (common law) Australian National
Identity
Compare some examples of statutes and common laws and the way they are made.

Discuss examples of recent laws passed through parliaments that enact government
policy.
7/8 Identify and distinguish between the types of law in Australia.
 Define and distinguish between criminal law, civil law.
 Identify various actions as leading to criminal or civil disputes.
 Identify and distinguish between various criminal actions.
 Identify and distinguish between different types of civil disputes including:
o Contract law
o Tort law

9 Considering the significance of customary law for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Assessment 5: End of
Peoples.
Topic Test
 What is customary law?
 What role does customary law play in Aboriginal and Torre strait Islander culture?
 Explore the issues resulting from the interaction of customary law and the Australian
legal system.
 Term Definition
Adversarial system

Australian Constitution

Balance of probabilities

Beyond reasonable doubt

Citizenship

Civics

Civil Law

Common Law

Criminal Law

Democracy

Government

Judiciary

Laws

National Identity

Parliament

Precedent

Rights
Responsibilities

Statutory Laws