The History of Australia’s Parliament… Explained!

The history of Australia’s parliamentary system is deeply embedded in our connection to the British monarchy. But why does The King have little say in the day-to-day running of Australia? And what makes our constitutional monarchy different from the absolute monarchies of days gone by?

If you are looking for a quick and easy way to present Civics and Citizenship content to your students in a manner that will inform, excite and engage them, then Teach Starter has the answer… the humble mini-book!

This detailed mini-book will deepen your students’ knowledge of the history and features of Australia’s parliamentary system. By engaging with this resource, students will read and learn about the following:

• What does ‘parliament’ mean?
• Australia’s parliament
• The Westminster system
• Westminster key features
• Australia’s system of government
• A mixed system of government
• Division of powers

The resource also contains a variety of student response activities so that you can make sure your students are grasping the concepts presented.

How to Create This Australian Government Mini-Book

This resource contains six pages. Each page includes two mini-book pages (12 pages in total). To assemble the mini-book, follow these simple steps.

1. Print out the resource. Create copies as required.
2. Cut each page along the dotted line.
3. Compile the pages in order.
4. Staple the pages along the left-side margin to create a booklet. 
5. Distribute to the students.

Tips for Scaffolding and Extension 

If you have a mixture of above- and below-level learners (and we’re sure that you do!), check out these suggestions for keeping all of your students on track with this resource:

🆘 Support Struggling Students

Students with lower reading levels may benefit from having the mini-book read to them aloud in a small-group setting. These students may also benefit from having key vocabulary words explicitly explained during reading. They may also benefit from highlighting key information that may help them answer the student response questions.

➕ Challenge High Fliers

Allow students who need more of a challenge to read and complete the mini-book independently. As an additional activity, encourage more-confident students to create a glossary for the key terms used in the mini-book.

Easily Prepare This Resource for Your Students

Use the dropdown icon on the Download button to choose between the easy-print PDF or the editable Google Slides version of this resource.

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This resource was created by Amy Adam, a Teach Starter collaborator.

Click below for more fantastic resources to help save you time in planning your Australian Government lessons!