Story of Our Rights and Freedoms - Democratic Dissent

In this finding out lesson, students will watch a short video overviewing the concept of democracy, then outline their current understanding of democracy by completing the 3-2-1 Bridge visible thinking routine. In a role play class vote, students will consider the democratic right to vote, and what it feels like to be excluded from it. They will then work in groups to conduct in-depth research into two groups that struggled for the right to vote in Australia: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and women. Students will present their findings to their peers, and connect the actions of these groups to the concept of democratic dissent.

Essential questions:

• What is a democratic process?
• How do democratic processes link to our rights and freedoms?
• Who has the right to vote?
• What is democratic dissent?