Joining In

At a glance

• Student introduction
• Focus question 1: Why do community groups exist?
• Focus question 2: How do groups function?
• Focus question 3: How do groups get things done?
• Focus question 4: How can groups make a difference?
• Focus question 5: How and where in the community can people join in?

Focus question 1: Why do community groups exist?

Content	Activities (Assessment activities are in bold italics.)	Preparation
community groups (purpose and membership)         forming student groups	conduct group research complete journal entries       propose suggestions and voting make posters write letters	collect pamphlets and advertising information from local community groups and from newspapers and magazines groups: Handouts 1-8. Joining In poster poster size paper large cardboard circles (Activity 3) student workbooks (to use as journals)

Teaching and learning activities

Focus question 2: How do groups function?

Content	Activities (Assessment activities are in bold italics.)	Preparation
how groups function   constitutions meeting procedures	identify pluses and minuses form committees run meetings contribute to decision-making	OHTs: Handouts 9, 10, 11 poster paper copy the table in Activity 3 onto poster paper

Teaching and learning activities

Focus question 3: How do groups get things done?

Content	Activities (Assessment activities are in bold italics.)	Preparation
Clean Up Australia campaign   project planning   committee structures class project	view a video     develop action plans   work on committees use interactive CD ROMs undertake a project complete journal entries participate in discussion	whole class: (optional) Handout 12 groups: Handout 13 (enlarged to A3) OHT: Handout 11 Discovering Democracy Primary Video Parliament at Work and Stories of Democracy CD ROMs

Teaching and learning activities

Focus question 4: How can groups make a difference?

Content	Activities (Assessment activities are in bold italics.)	Preparation
evaluations	undertake evaluations complete journal entries	whole class: Handout 1

Teaching and learning activities

Focus question 5: How and where in the community can people join in?

Content	Activities (Assessment activities are in bold italics.)	Preparation
local government   barriers to participation	translate information   list positives and negatives create brochures	whole class: Handout 15 OHT: Handout 16 Joining In poster

Teaching and learning activities