Week 3 Citizenship through History

            An experience has been developed for Year 1 students which integrates HE and CCE. There are links between the Year 1 History Curriculum (Figure 1) and the Year 3 Civics and Citizenship Curriculum (Figure 2).

Figure 1: History Year 2 Content Descriptor (ACARA, 2016).

 

Figure 2: Civics and Citizenship Year 3 Content Descriptor (ACARA, 2016)

In this experience, students will be exploring the differences and similarities between students’ daily lives and the life during their parents’ and grandparents’ childhoods. They will be asked to bring in photos of their parents, grandparents and themselves as children to compare in a class discussion. Students may also choose to bring an artefact, such as a toy, if this is an option for their family. Students will then develop a ‘similarities, differences and same’ chart to display their findings (See Figure 3). 

Figure 3: ‘Similarities, Differences, Same’ Chart.

            History Education (HE) and Civics and Citizenship Education (CCE) have existing connections that allow for rich learning opportunities to take place (Brett, 2005). There are many concepts and topics studied in CCE that are also imbedded and integrated into History (Gilbert & Hoepper, 2014). Integrating these two learning areas promotes a holistic, meaningful learning approach and allows students to become knowledgeable, informed participants in society (Gilbert & Hoepper, 2014). Gilbert & Hopper (2014) state that it is possible to integrate and effectively blend authentic and active historical learning with rich, varied and transformative citizenship learning. 

The use of the childrens parents and grandparents as a starting point for this activitiy sets to engage students and spark an interest in the learning (Brett, 2013). Arthur, Beecher, Death, Dockett & Farmer (2007) state that exeptional learning takes place when there is an engaging stimulation for students implemented.

            As students participating are Year 1, the link to the CCE Curriculum will only be a small part of the experience. Students will use the chart that they have developed, and begin to inquire about why things have changed over time. They will then discuss what rules they think their parents and grandparents would have had, in comparison to the rules that we have today (these rules can just be classroom rules). After this discussion, there will be an activity about what the consequences may have been if the rules were not followed in the past, compared to now. Gilbert & Hoepper (2014) say that historical discussions develop skills for analysisng and empathy.

            This activity provides students with real life experiences and focuses on links between the past and present, in terms of daily living (Brett, 2013). Students begin to understand more about their own lives if they appreciate important developments of the past (Brett, 2013). By enaging thoughtfully with the past and understanding historical developments, students can make informed decisions about their futures and participate with their local community with an empathic understanding of daily conventions (Gilbert & Hoepper, 2014). This starts with the school enviornment where students have the opportunity to contribute to decisions and rules that affect them. 

References

Arthur, L., Beecher, B., Death, E., Dockett, S., & Farmer, S. (2007). Programming and planning in early childhood settings (4^th Ed.). South Melbourne, VIC: Cengage.

Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority [ACARA] (2016) F – 2 The Australian Curriculum: Humanities and Social Sciences. (Version 8.3). (Humanities and Social Sciences, all year levels, all curriculum elements) Retrieved from: http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/humanities-and-social-sciences/hass/curriculum/f-10?layout=1

Brett, P. (2013). Claims made for the benefits of history education and its links to citizenship education (unpublished). Drawn from: The shape of the Australian Curriculum: History (2010). www.acara.edu.au and the National Centre for History Education – www.hyperhistory.org. Retrieved from: https://mylo.utas.edu.au/d2l/le/content/186678/viewContent/2195156/View

Brett, P. (2005). Citizenship through history – what is good practice? International Journal of Historical Teaching, Learning and Research, 5, 10-26.

Brett, P. (2013). Links between History and Civics and Citizenship Education (CCE) Concepts (unpublished). Adapted from Claire, H. (2004) Teaching Citizenship in Primary Schools (Learning Matters, 2004). Retrieved from: https://mylo.utas.edu.au/d2l/le/content/186678/viewContent/2195156/View

Gilbert, R. & Hoepper, B. (2014). Teaching Humanities and Social Sciences: History, geography, economics & citizenship (5th ed.). South Melbourne, Vic: Cengage Learning Australia Pty. Ltd.