The Discovering Democracy Units have been developed with funding from the Department of Education, Science and Training as part of the Discovering Democracy Program. The Discovering Democracy Units are an online version of the Discovering Democracy Units first published in book form and distributed with the Discovering Democracy Kits to all primary and secondary schools in 1998.

By publishing the units online the Department of Education, Science and Training is ensuring they will be more accessible for schools and teachers throughout Australia.

Discovering Democracy Units online utilises the dynamic web environment to enable teachers to customise the teaching and learning activities. Discovering Democracy Units online also provides ESL activities and advice, as well as the full text of John Hirst's A Guide to Government and Law in Australia and selected sources such as the Australian Constitution.

The Discovering Democracy Program was announced by the Hon. Dr David Kemp MP, the then Minister for Schools, Vocational Education and Training in May 1997, and endorsed by the Ministerial Council for Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs (MCEETYA) in June 1997.

The Discovering Democracy Program encourages the development of skills, values and attitudes that enable effective, informed and reflective participation in political processes and civic life.

The aim of the Discovering Democracy Program can be readily stated. We want students to understand the way we govern ourselves and to think of themselves as active citizens.
John Hirst, Chair, Civics Education Group

Achieving this aim requires a knowledge of the history and operation of Australia's political and legal systems and institutions, and of the principles that underpin Australian democracy.

The Discovering Democracy Program was implemented in two stages. The first stage (1997–2001) produced the majority of teaching and learning materials, established Discovering Democracy Project Officers in the States and Territories, and introduced the teaching and learning of the Discovering Democracy Program in Australian schools. The second stage (2001–2004) aims to enhance professional development for teachers and consolidate the program in Australian schools. The program is intended to lay the foundations for ongoing civics and citizenship education across a range of education sectors: schools, higher education, adult and community education, and vocational education and training institutions.

The following outlines all the materials distributed to date.

Release date	No. to each school	Resource	Distribution
Launched 1997 Redesigned 2001 Ongoing development	Discovering Democracy website	The website provides the following information: Background information on the Discovering Democracy Project Discovering Democracy Project news Resource Database Discovering Democracy Units Classroom Activities Democracy Insite Newsletter Links to State and Territory Discovering Democracy Projects & Professional Development Case Studies Discovering Democracy Discussion Group Parliament@Work The Journey	Available to all. The website is hosted on the Curriculum Corporation website.
November 1988	1 Discovering Democracy Primary Kit	Discovering Democracy Middle Primary Units Discovering Democracy Upper Primary Units a professional development manual CD ROMs Stories of Democracy Parliament at Work A video Posters and cards A Guide to Government and Law in Australia	Primary schools throughout Australia
	1 Discovering Democracy Secondary Kit	Discovering Democracy Lower Secondary Units Discovering Democracy Middle Secondary Units A professional development manual CD ROMs Stories of Democracy Parliament at Work A video Posters and cards A Guide to Government and Law in Australia	Secondary schools throughout Australia
November 1999	Australian Readers (in sets of 15, plus 1 teacher guide for middle and upper primary levels)	Australian Readers Discovering Democracy Middle Primary Collection Australian Readers Discovering Democracy Upper Primary Collection Australian Readers Discovering Democracy Middle Primary Teacher Guide Australian Readers Discovering Democracy Upper Primary Teacher Guide	Primary schools
		Australian Readers Discovering Democracy Lower Secondary Collection Australian Readers Discovering Democracy Middle Secondary Collection	Secondary schools
September 2001 Reprint	Additional sets of 10	Australian Readers - Primary and Secondary	Distributed to Discovering Democracy Project Officers in States and Territories
May 2000	1 Discovering Democracy through Research	A book of 10 research investigations	Primary and secondary schools
	Discovering Democracy Assessment Resources	The Assessment Resources provide assessment activities to use in conjunction with the Discovering Democracy Units.
	1 middle primary and 1 upper primary to each school	Primary Discovering Democracy Middle Primary Units Assessment Resources Discovering Democracy Upper Primary Units Assessment Resources	All primary schools
	1 lower secondary and 1 middle secondary to each school	Secondary Discovering Democracy Lower Secondary Units Assessment Resources Discovering Democracy Middle Secondary Units Assessment Resources	All secondary schools
May 2001	1 Australians All! Discovering Democracy Australian Readers Lower Primary	An illustrated big book developed especially for lower primary students. It is designed for shared reading and offers a collection of fiction, poetry, song, history and visual texts.	All primary schools
	1 One Destiny! The Federation Story Centenary Edition CD ROM	A redeveloped version of the One Destiny! CD ROM with educational enhancements. Intended as a resource for teacher-directed learning about Federation, its educational activities explore eight themes from the Federation story.	Primary and secondary schools
Launched April 2001 Ongoing updates	Parliament@Work	This website is an interactive database of all State, Territory and Commonwealth Members of Parliament and electorates, and associated census and election results. It also contains information about each Australian parliament and major Australian political parties.	Available on the Discovering Democracy website
Launched June 2001 Ongoing updates	Discovering Democracy Discussion Group	This is an online discussion group for civics and citizenship educators and users of Discovering Democracy materials. Newsletters and guest experts feature on this site.	Available on the Discovering Democracy website
July 2001 Ongoing updates	Case Studies	The case studies describe how schools are adapting and integrating Discovering Democracy materials for particular contexts. Many case studies focus on Indigenous students.	Available on the Discovering Democracy website