©ABC 2013

Activity

Parliament House

Key Learning Students will describe the history of Australia’s Parliament House using primary and secondary sources. Students will learn about the people, place, policies and systems of Australia’s democratic process.

The Australian Curriculum History / Historical Knowledge and Understanding / Australia as a Nation

Key figures and events that led to Australia’s Federation,

including British and American influences on Australia’s system

of law and government. (ACHHK113)

History / Historical Skills / Chronology, terms and concepts

Use historical terms and concepts (ACHHS118)

History / Historical Skills / Historical questions and research

Identify questions to inform an historical inquiry (ACHHS119)

Identify and locate a range of relevant sources (ACHHS120)

History / Historical Skills / Explanation and communication

Use a range of communication forms (oral, graphic, written) and

digital technologies (ACHHS125)

English / Literacy / Interacting with others

Use interaction skills, varying conventions of spoken

interactions such as voice volume, tone, pitch and pace,

according to group size, formality of interaction and needs and

expertise of the audience(ACELY1816)

Use interaction skills when discussing and presenting ideas and

information, selecting body language, voice qualities and other

elements, (for example music and sound) to add interest and

meaning (ACELY1804)

Discussion Questions

1. Where in Australia is Parliament House? Locate using Google Maps.

2. The House of Representatives is also known as the ________ house.

3. Apart from federal members who else can sit in the House of Representatives?

4. Describe the purpose of Question Time.

5. What does it mean when the speaker says ‘order’?

6. How many senators are there in the Senate?

a. 56

b. 76

c. 106

7. What happens in the Prime Minister’s sitting room?

8. How much does the flag on top of Parliament House weigh?

9. Describe the Parliament House building.

10. Can you name two past Australian Prime Ministers?

Episode 24

27th August 2013

©ABC 2013

Activities

The history of Parliament House

In this activity students analyse primary and secondary sources describing the history of Australia’s

Parliament House.

Provide students with the opportunity to present their findings in an interesting way using a range of

communication forms (a combination of oral, graphic, written modes) and digital technologies. Here are

some ideas:

Find and collect images, photographs and illustrations that represent the history of Australia’s Parliament

House. Students may want to organise and sequence their pictures in the form of a timeline.

Refer to the following websites for sources of information.

The National Archives of Australia - http://www.naa.gov.au/

Parliament of Australia - http://www.aph.gov.au/Visit_Parliament/Photo_gallery

Parliamentary Education Office – http://www.peo.gov.au/students/cl/CloserLook_Parliament-House.pdf

Images: Parliamentary Education Office – http://www.peo.gov.au/students/cl/CloserLook_Parliament-House.pdf

Locate Canberra and Parliament House using Google Maps.

Students will draw their own map and include the following features: scale, key, direction, title and border.

Calculate the proximity of Canberra to Sydney and Melbourne.

What is the climate of Canberra?

Research Questions

How and when did Canberra come to be Australia’s capital city?

When and where did Australia’s Federal Parliament first meet?

When was Australia’s ‘new’ Parliament House built?

Where is it located?

Who officially opened the building?

Who designed the building and how long did it take to construct?

©ABC 2013

Place, People, Policies and Systems

After watching the BtN Parliament House story invite students to

participate in a class discussion. Find out what your students know

about Parliament House, what they learnt from the story and what

questions they have about the topic.

Where do your students stand? abc.net.au/btn/government.htm

Live exports, car manufacturing, foreign aid, funding

for education, migrants, becoming a republic, the

NBN and climate change. Where would you stand

on these issues?

Download BtN’s AUSSIE KIDS VOTE 2013 activity

which asks students where they stand on important

issues that are relevant to the 2013 Federal

Election. abc.net.au/btn/government.htm

Complete the activity as a class. Make three large

signs reading AGREE, NEUTRAL and DISAGREE

and arrange them on the classroom floor. As you

work through the activity ask students to stand on

either the agree, neutral or disagree sign.

Ask students why they agree, disagree or are

neutral on an issue?

What is democracy?

What is the difference between a bill and a law?

What is the difference between the House of

Representatives and the Senate?

Explore these questions, plus more on:

Federation

The Australian Constitution

Three levels of law-making

Members of parliament

The houses of parliament

http://www.peo.gov.au/publications/get_parliament_

web.pdf

http://www.peo.gov.au/quick-answers/bills-

laws.html

What happens at Parliament House?

Meeting place for members of parliament – what

is a meeting place?

Symbol of Australia’s democracy

A place where decisions that shape the nation

are made.

Site for celebration

Site for memorial

Site for protest

Tours

http://www.peo.gov.au/quick-answers/parliament-

house-building.html

Who visits Parliament House?

Member of the Australian public

Parliamentarian

Media

Protestor

International visitor or dignitary

If you were to be a guest at Parliament House

which one would you be? Explain your answer.

Compare and contrast the roles of these people.

http://www.peo.gov.au/quick-answers/people-

parliament-house.html

©ABC 2013

Further activities – Get involved!

Examine the floor plans of Parliament

House. Identify key objects and

locations including the chambers,

offices and other rooms. Draw your own

floor plan or diagram of Parliament

House. Include a border, title, source

and north and south directions.

Here is an example taken from the

Parliamentary Education Office website:

http://www.peo.gov.au/students/cl/Close

rLook_Parliament-House.pdf

Refer to these maps of Parliament

House for more detail:

http://www.aph.gov.au/Visit_Parliament/

Planning_a_visit/Maps

Create your own tour of Parliament House, in an interesting way (for example make a book or Prezi

presentation), which can be used by other students at your school. Students may want to include some

interesting features in their ‘tour’, for example:

Photographs to represent the old and new Parliament House

Information about the art collection

How many people work there

A model or floor plans

Interesting fun facts: How many clocks can be found at Parliament House? How large is the

flagpole? Why is the House of Representatives green and the Senate red?

We’re inviting students to do a drawing of a pollie and send it into

us.

Download the activity sheet http://www.abc.net.au/btn/resources/teacher/events/2013election/electionissues.pdf or visit BtN’s Government page abc.net.au/btn/government.htm Students can create their caricature using pen, pencils, collage, ink,

paint or watercolours! Submit your student’s designs via email

(scanned 200dpi):

btn-education@your.abc.net.au or post to: Education Adviser, 85

North East Road Collinswood SA 5081.

Image: Parliamentary Education Office

©ABC 2013

Students can also gather inspiration for their portraits from the following websites:

National Portrait Gallery – http://www.portrait.gov.au/

Australia’s PM’s – http://primeministers.naa.gov.au/primeministers/

Display your students work as an art exhibition to be displayed in the classroom or art area which can be

accessed by the rest of the school.

How does portraiture increase understanding and appreciation of the Australian people – their identity,

history, culture and diversity?

Refer to the National Portrait Gallery’s 2013 Portrait School document for a guide on portraiture programs for

students. http://www.portrait.gov.au/UserFiles/resources/downloads/NPGPortraitSchool13.pdf

Related Research Links

Parliament of Australia – Tours

http://www.aph.gov.au/Visit_Parliament/Tours

Parliamentary Education Office – Closer Look: Australia’s Parliament House

http://www.peo.gov.au/students/cl/aph.html

Parliamentary Education Office – Fact Sheet: Parliament House

http://www.peo.gov.au/students/fact_sheets/parliament_house.html

Parliamentary Education Office – Parliament House: the building

http://www.peo.gov.au/quick-answers/parliament-house-building.html

Parliamentary Education Office – People in Parliament House

http://www.peo.gov.au/quick-answers/people-parliament-house.html

Parliamentary Education Office – Parliament House: our house

http://www.peo.gov.au/kidsview/parlhouse/ourhouse_tnotes.html

Parliamentary Education Office – Get Parliament: How your federal parliament works

http://www.peo.gov.au/publications/get_parliament_web.pdf

DISAGREE

AUSSIE KIDSVOTE 2013

The government should spend more on defence.

Live exports should be banned.

The government should give money to help car manufacturers.

Mining companies should pay more tax.

Companies should be allowed to explore for coal seam gas on private property.

All schools should receive the same amount of money from the government.

Australia should become a republic.

More migrants should be allowed into Australia.

Medicare should offer basic dental care for everyone.

The NBN should deliver faster speeds even if it costs more.

Australia should spend more on foreign aid.

The government should spend less money and start paying off its debt.

A carbon tax for Australian businesses is a good idea.

The government should do more to tackle climate change.

Asylum seekers arriving by boat shouldn’t be allowed to settle in Australia.

Defence Dollars http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s3502465.htm

Live Exports http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s3236813.htm

Car Manufacturing http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s3769106.htm

Mining Tax http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s3374193.htm

Gas Dispute http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s3148196.htm

School Funding http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s3440825.htm

Republic http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s3775972.htm

Migration Cuts http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s2523683.htm

Dental Check-Up http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s3445933.htm

NBN Plans http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s3744562.htm

Overseas Aid http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s3759807.htm

Budget Surplus http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s3493730.htm

Carbon Tax http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s3277508.htm

ETS Shelved http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s2885085.htm

PNG Plan http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s3809180.htm

AGREE NEUTRAL

Find out more information on these issues and politics at: abc.net.au/btn/government.htm

DrawPollie

Politician Caricature by:(USE ONLY YOUR FIRST NAME OR NICKNAME)

School Name:(INCLUDE STATE OR TERRITORY)

POLITICIANS NAME: SUBMIT YOUR DESIGNScanned (200dpi): btn-education@your.abc.net.au Post: Education Advisor, 85 North East Rd, Collinswood 5081PLEASE PROVIDE CONTACT DETAILS WHEN SUBMITTING.[please note, we may not be able to put all entries online]

You can create your caricature using pen, pencils, collage, ink, paint, watercolours, anything you like really! Listing: http://www.openaustralia.org/mps/