Teacher content information

Unit and context overview

Upstanders in Action is a Year 8 Mathematics and/or Civics and Citizenship unit that applies statistical concepts to real-world issues of ethics, representation and inclusion. Rather than treating statistics as purely procedural, the unit highlights the practical and ethical implications of data, exploring how bias, exclusion and incomplete sampling can shape conclusions and influence real-world decisions. Students examine how data can either reinforce inequity or support fair and inclusive outcomes.

This unit is intentionally designed as an application of statistical knowledge. While the curriculum requires students to understand sampling, variation and inference, the ethical dimensions of these concepts are not always made explicit in Mathematics classrooms. By foregrounding ethics and inclusion, the unit provides a real-world lens that helps students understand why statistical rigour matters and how mathematical reasoning can inform responsible decision-making and positive change.

The lessons can be taught within Mathematics or collaboratively with Civics and Citizenship, combining statistical investigation with civic inquiry. In doing so, the unit positions statistics not simply as numbers, but as tools for ethical, informed and Upstander action.

Courage to Care

These resources were created in collaboration with Courage to Care, a not-for-profit organisation that educates students about the dangers of discrimination, including antisemitism and racism. Proudly apolitical, Courage to Care has a universal mission: to educate and empower students to challenge prejudice and discrimination in all its forms. Courage to Care Upstander Programs take inspiration from real-life extraordinary acts of courage. Based on the idea that ordinary people have the power to make a positive difference to the lives of others by being Upstanders, the program inspires students to make a real difference in their community by standing up and taking action, creating real change.

Courage to Care offers face-to-face Upstander Programs at schools. Delivered by teams of skilled and dedicated volunteers, Upstander Programs feature inspiring testimonies from Holocaust Survivor Speakers and custodians of their stories, promote acceptance of diversity within the community, and transform bystander behaviour by inspiring participants to become Upstanders.

Courage to Care - What is an Upstander? – (youtube.com/watch?v=-ts04fKvwXs)

Upstander Programs encourage participants to become aware of their potential to make a positive difference and offer practical tools for standing up against bullying and prejudice by empowering participants to take positive action – in the schoolyard, workplaces, and in our communities. Contact Courage to Care to find out more about booking an Upstander Program in your school at couragetocare.org.au.

Safety

Unit-wide safety concerns to address

Cultural Safety

This unit invites students to explore diversity, inclusion and representation within their own school or community. As a result, discussions may touch on identity, culture, language, religion, gender, disability or lived experience. It is important that classroom dialogue remains respectful, strengths-based and focused on systems rather than individuals. Teachers should reinforce that identities are complex and personal, and that no student is expected to speak on behalf of a group or share personal information unless they choose to do so.

When discussing patterns in data, guide students to frame their thinking around access, opportunity and structures rather than deficit language. Redirect generalisations or stereotypes gently but clearly, and emphasise curiosity over judgement. Remind students that the purpose of collecting and analysing data in this unit is to understand experiences more fairly and improve inclusion, not to rank, label or compare groups. Establishing clear norms around respectful language and voluntary participation will support a culturally safe and inclusive learning environment throughout the unit.

Psychological safety

Throughout this unit, students engage with topics related to identity, inclusion, fairness and lived experience. While the focus is mathematical and evidence-based, some themes may feel personal. It is important to create an environment where students feel emotionally safe to participate without pressure. Reinforce that sharing personal experiences is always optional and that students can contribute through ideas, observations or systems-level thinking rather than personal disclosure.

Build clear norms around respectful listening, confidentiality and constructive feedback. Remind students that disagreement is about ideas, not people. If conversations become personal or specific to individuals in the room, gently redirect discussion back to broader patterns or systems. Emphasise that the goal of the unit is not to expose or critique individuals, but to practise ethical reasoning and thoughtful decision-making. When students feel safe, they are more likely to engage critically and responsibly with data and with each other.

Lesson-specific safety concerns to address

This lesson introduces data related to identity, diversity and lived experience. Although the focus is statistical, some topics (such as place of birth, language or cultural background) may feel personal. Avoid asking students to publicly disclose sensitive information about themselves. Where class data is collected, ensure participation is voluntary and consider anonymous methods if appropriate.

Keep discussions focused on patterns and systems rather than individuals in the room. Reinforce that data is about understanding communities, not comparing, judging or ranking groups. Monitor language carefully and redirect any stereotyping or deficit-based comments. Establish expectations for respectful listening and evidence-based discussion.

If students raise concerns about privacy or misuse of data, acknowledge these thoughtfully and clarify that Census data is aggregated, protected by law and used for planning and service provision.

Important lesson information

Although the content in this lesson and unit includes social themes, this remains a Mathematics lesson aligned to statistical investigation outcomes. Keep drawing students back to the following to encourage them to see the links between the mathematical and ethical lenses.

What method is being used?
What does this method allow us to see?
What does it limit?
How does representation influence interpretation?

Prerequisites

This is the first lesson within the Upstanders in Action unit. Cool.org recommends that you teach this lesson as a part of the whole 6-lesson package.

To participate fully in this unit, students would benefit from familiarity with planning and conducting simple statistical investigations, calculating and interpreting measures of central tendency, and describing distributions using appropriate data displays. Confidence working with percentages, ratios and rational numbers will support the interpretation and comparison of data.

Further Professional learning and reading

More Cool.org x Courage to Care Lessons

To deepen your understanding of discrimination, inclusion and the role of Upstanders, we recommend exploring the Courage To Care: How To Be an Upstander in Society unit. This Year 9&10 Health unit unpacks the Pyramid of Hate, examining how stereotyping can escalate into prejudice, discrimination and violence, and explores the bystander effect and the power of active intervention. Engaging with these concepts can strengthen your confidence in facilitating discussions about representation, harm and ethical action within this unit.

From Courage to Care Victoria

The team at Courage to Care offer a variety of additional resources for educators to deepen their understanding of the themes of this unit of lessons and their face-to-face program. Two of our favourites, the Upstander handbook for teachers and the Upstander Toolkit for students are linked below. Explore the rest of the collection of resources here.

Upstander Handbook Teaching Resource: A classroom resource for teachers that extends and deepens students’ understanding of the key themes of the Courage to Care Upstander Program.

Upstander Toolkit: A concise two-page toolkit to equip and empower Upstander action, outlining how to prepare yourself to act, and providing practical suggestions of words and actions for various situations.

Student Worksheet Answers

How do we collect and use data?

Read each scenario in the table below and match it to the data collection method it uses (Census, sampling, experiment or observation)

Scenario	Method
1. The school wants to know how every student travels to school, so they survey all students.	Census
2. A scientist changes the amount of water a plant gets to see how it affects growth.	Experiment
3. A PE teacher observes how many students choose to walk vs run during warm-up.	Observation
4. A researcher surveys 100 students to estimate how many teens in Victoria play video games.	Sampling
5. A class rolls two dice 200 times to test if they are fair.	Experiment
6. The local council checks every household’s bin once to see how much rubbish is being recycled.	Census
7. A wildlife ranger watches how often kangaroos visit a waterhole.	Observation
8. A company surveys a small group of customers to predict what the whole country prefers.	Sampling

Different ways of collecting data shape the stories we tell about people and communities. Read each scenario below and answer the following questions:

a.) Describe what the data collected could tell us about people or communities

b.) Explain one thing this method might miss or not fully capture.

Scenario 1: Census

A government organisation wants to understand who lives in a local area, including age groups, languages spoken at home, and places of birth. Every household is asked to provide the same information.

a.) The census data can show the age groups living in the area. It can show the languages spoken at home and where people were born. This information helps identify the diversity and needs of the community.

b.) This method does not show people’s personal experiences or feelings of belonging. It may miss people who do not respond or who do not have stable housing. It also does not explain why certain patterns exist.

Scenario 2: Sampling

A community group wants to understand how young people feel included in their neighbourhood. They survey a small group of young people from different ages and backgrounds rather than everyone in the area.

a.) Sampling can show how some young people feel about inclusion in their neighbourhood. It can highlight common experiences and differences between groups. This information can help identify areas for improvement.

b.) This method may not represent all young people in the community. Some voices may be missing if the sample is too small or not diverse enough. People who choose not to participate are not included in the results.

Scenario 3: Experiment

A community centre wants to understand what encourages more people to attend events. For one month, events are advertised using posters around the neighbourhood. The following month, the same types of events are advertised using social media and text messages. Attendance numbers are recorded for each approach.

a.) The experiment can show which advertising method leads to higher attendance. It allows organisers to compare two approaches and measure the impact of changing one factor. This helps identify which strategy is more effective.

b.) This method may miss other factors that influence attendance, such as weather or event timing. It does not explain why people chose to attend. It may also not show which groups were reached by each method.

Scenario 4: Observation

An organisation wants to understand how people use a public space. Observers record where people gather, how long they stay, and how groups interact, without speaking to them.

a.) Observation can show how people use the public space. It can reveal where people gather, how long they stay, and how groups interact. This helps identify patterns of behaviour.

b.) This method does not capture people’s thoughts or feelings about the space. It cannot explain why people behave in certain ways. It also does not include the perspectives of people who avoid the space.

3. Using the two data representations below, you will investigate different ways data can be interpreted and displayed and how this might alter the message or story the data communicates.

a.) What do you notice about how the data is represented in the two displays?

The graph makes the differences between groups more noticeable, especially the size of the largest group compared to smaller groups. The graph can make differences look bigger because we see them visually, while the table presents the differences more neutrally as numbers. The table emphasises accuracy and detail, while the graph emphasises comparison and patterns between groups.

b.) How might this data shape the story someone tells about diversity in this class?

The data could suggest that most students share a similar background, while also showing that there is a range of different backgrounds represented in the class.

c.) When might using an “Other” category be helpful, and when might it be unfair or misleading?

Using “Other” can be helpful when there are many small groups and the data needs to be simplified. However, it can be unfair or misleading if it hides important differences or makes some groups less visible.

Australian Census Data

Responses will vary based on the topic assigned.

What Does Data Say About Us?

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