Lesson

Title: Local Council and Decision Making

Stage: Stage 2 Year 3/4

KLA: HSIE

Date: 13-9-16

Duration: 45 minutes

Time: 2:10pm-2:55pm

Outcomes
SSS2.8 Investigates rights, responsibilities and decision-making
processes in the school and community and demonstrates
how participants can contribute to the quality of their
school and community life. (Roles, rights and
responsibilities)


ENS2.6 Describes peoples interactions with environments and
identifies responsible ways of interacting with
environments (Relationships with places)

Indicators
Analyses local community needs
Investigates current community issues
Participates in looking at different points of view about a
particular local community example
Contributes to decision-making processes
Participates in voting
Describes how decisions are made in local government and
the roles and responsibilities of those involved

Plans a strategy for caring for a particular feature or site
Presents alternatives to, and consequences of, using
features, sites and places in particular ways
Gives reasons why a specifies feature, place or site should
be cared for

Lesson Objective:
Students understand the structure of Local Council and how decisions are made.
This is achieved through:
Participation in ward discussions
Councillors being elected for/by each ward
Councillors presenting one strong idea from each ward
A final decision made by the joint Mayors (two class representatives) which represents what the citizens want

Learning Sequence
Preparation (10 minutes)
- Introduction
- Establish WALT and WILF

-
-
-

Body (20 minutes)

- Group discussions in wards
- Elect councillor
- Vote on the best idea

-
-
-
-

Conclusion/Summary (15 mins)

- Students present
- Joint Mayors make a decision
about the best idea

-
-
-
-
-

Teaching Points
Remind students about the task they completed for homework.
(Each student saw a need in the community and proposed how
to fix or change it for the better with many considerations)
Introduce that students will shares and discussed their ideas in
small groups.
The WALT and WILF is established and written on whiteboard
WALT: understand the structure of Local Council and
how decisions are made.
WILF: participation in ward discussions, councillors
being elected for/by each ward, councillors presenting
one strong idea from each ward, a final decision made by
the joint Mayors (two class representatives) which
represents what the citizens want
Small groups of 4 or 5 are formed wards and students
completed homework task is handed back to them to use during
discussions
Students take turns to present and discuss their concern and
ideas with all members in their group
Students elect a councillor in each group by voting on who
would be best to present the chosen idea
Students vote on the best idea, they explain their thinking by
justifying their decision
The chosen idea from each ward is presented to the whole class
by the councillor of that ward
The joint Mayors listen and write notes about each idea
The joint Mayors have a short confidential discussion and make
a decision about which idea is successful (the winning idea!)
The decision is announced and a discussion about why it was a
great idea is had
Each councillor and the students with chosen ideas receive an
Oakie Dokie, winning idea and councillor get 2

Resources
- Whiteboard
- Students
completed
homework
task

Students
completed
homework
task

Paper and
pencils






Assessment methods:

Participates in discussions and voting
Teacher observe students actively listening to each other
Teacher observes students discussing ideas
Councillors are elected and ideas are chosen from each ward
Uses relevant terminology
Students use local council terminology in discussions (ward, councillor, Mayor)
Teacher corrects students, encouraging them to use appropriate terminology
Understands the structure of local council and the decision-making process
Students participate in the discussions and voting
Teacher observes students engaging in all levels of the process (ward discussion, listening to councillors and final decision)