The name of the theme is "Co-operating Communities" and it will begin with looking at particular places in our States and Territories. The students will then narrow their area of investigation to New South Wales and look at what each region has to offer.

• Initiating investigations
• Identifying and gathering information
• Analysing and organising information
• Synthesising information using a range of media and tools to communicate
• Applying the information to new or different situations
• Planning and implementing action individually or in groups
• Reflecting on their learning

Displaying our findings.

• Local and other Australian communities
• Major cities, rivers and mountains in NSW
• Capital Cities in Australia
• Roles and responsibilities of citizens in local government

• Local Government
• Services and contributions made by community organisations and groups
• Goods and services in communities

• Contributions of paid and unpaid workers in the community

CCS3.2 – Explains changes in the community and evaluates the effects of these on different individuals, groups and environment.

• demonstrates an understanding that different groups may have different points of view about changes in the local community.
• identifies the effects of change on different individuals and groups in the local area, eg. changes in transport leading to changes in the community.
• identifies the effects of change in the environment, eg. changes in land use, weed infestation.
• compares their local area history with another local area using technology such e-mail.
• collects and uses primary and secondary sources to investigate the history of their community.
• distinguishes between primary and secondary source material when acquiring information.

CUS2.3 – Explains how shared customs, practices, symbols, languages and traditions in communities contributes to Australian and community identities.

• identifies some customs, practices and symbols shared by their local community and all communities within Australia.
• compares their own community with another Australian community.
• gives some reasons why their local community is different to others and why it is of value and should be respected.
• describes some similarities and differences between other communities in Australia.
• identifies the advantages and disadvantages of living within a community.

ENS2.5 – Explains the significance of features and sites in the local community and in other areas of Australia.

• locates and names the capital city of Australia and the capital city of each state and major regional centres.
• compares natural and built features, sites and places in their local area with other locations in Australia.
• compares ways in which members of the community use features of the community to meet their needs.
• locates cities, river and mountains in NSW and uses geographic reference point terminology such as North, South, East, West.

ENS2.6 – Describes people’s interactions with environments and identifies responsible ways of interacting with environments.

• identifies organisations, concerned with the care of features, places and environments in the community.
• examines the effects of regulations, laws and practices associated with the management and care of natural and built features and sites.
• gives reasons why a specified feature, place or site should be cared for.

SSS2.8 – Investigates, rights, responsibilities and decision making processes in the school and community and demonstrates how participation can contribute to the quality of their school and community life.

• Describes how decisions are made in Local Government and the roles and responsibilities of those involved.
• explains the processes involved in civic action within the community.
• identifies the contributions made by community organisations and groups to the quality of community life, eg. APEX and Rotary.
• investigates current community issues
• contributes to decision making processes in the class and school.
• identifies how work and leisure meet needs.

1. Teacher and students will jointly compile lists under "What we know" and "What we want to find out about communities," to focus investigation for a new topic. The whole class will construct, "What we know", then students will devise their own list of "What we want to find out." Groups will report back to the whole class. The class will brainstorm any words associated with the theme to create a word bank.
2. Teacher and students view video "Touring Australia" (ABC) and discuss some of these places and other places in Australia that students have been, have heard about or read about or places they would like to visit. (Built features, sites and places) 1 lesson (T)
3. Class will discuss, as a group, the basic features of NSW, such as cities, river, mountains and regions using reference point terminology such as N,S, E,W. Class will be assigned to a group () and will generate investigation questions regarding built features, sites and places in NSW that they will be researching. a) What area of NSW have you been researching? b) What are the main features of your area, both natural and built? Include major cities, rivers, mountains and it’s location in relation to Sydney. c) Why would people visit the area? d) List some similarities and differences between your researched area and Pittwater. e) List any interesting facts about your area. 15 mins (S) Students will identify and gather information for homework or library lesson (1). Students will be given 30 minutes to put their research together to be displayed in the classroom.
4. Teacher will put the following question on the board: "How can we find out about the changes that have happened in Pittwater?" List the ideas given and adopt one. Teacher and students jointly devise a set of questions that invite the community to comment on any changes that they have experienced or have knowledge of, in the Pittwater area. These questions will be advertised to the community in the manner already suggested by the students. 1 lesson (S).
5. In week 5, the class will gather and collate the information gained from the surveys. The aim of this activity is to assist the students in recognising the changes that have occurred and how this effects different groups within the community. 1 lesson (S).
6. Teachers formulate an extensive list of questions that may be included in a questionnaire relating to community members, their customs, practices, work and leisure specific to the community. In table groups the students decide which ten questions would be most appropriate for the questionnaire. As a whole class, tally the results of the groups and formulate arguments to support their choices. 1 lesson (S).
7. Combine the two classes and participate in a polarised debate that will decide the most appropriate questions to be included in the questionnaire. 1 lesson (T). Teachers will format the questionnaire for students to give one to a friend and one to a family member to complete (Allow students 1 week to complete).
8. As a whole class students will brainstorm the best way to collate the information obtained in the questionnaire with teacher guidance. The class will then put the results together using a tally system. (Teachers then combine the results of the two classes). 1 lesson (S).
9. In heterogeneous groups, students decide on and discuss with teacher, an effective way to display the results. The students will then create their own display. 1 lesson (T).
10. The teacher will pose the questions "What is a good?" "What is a service?" "What is the difference between the two?" The students will respond with their ideas about these questions and the class will have a discussion on the difference between goods and services. Using the Council Information on pages 21-38 of the Manly-Warringah-Pittwater Yellow Pages 1998-99 Local Directory, the students will choose a service that they are familiar with and describe what that service provides. 1 lesson (S).
11. Using Think, Pair, Share, the students will be put into pairs and given a section of text on Local Government to summarise. The students will then share their summary with the rest of the class and the teacher will list the important words and information on the board. This will then be organised into a mind/concept map based on Local Government. 1 lesson (S/T). 
12. The students will be given a frame of the cartoon "Imagine If’ (Page 20-21 "Councils at Work"). The students will analyse the cartoon and state to what it is referring and how it relates to the council. The students will then make up their own cartoon frame about Local Council and what life would be like without the services they provide. These will be used to make a collage titled "Life Without Councils Would Be Like…" 1 lesson (S/T)
13. The students will participate in an excursion to Warringah Council Chambers. During this excursion, a guide, from the council, will revise the role of governments, the three levels of government in Australia and the responsibilities of each. The students will engage in a ‘mock’ council meeting on issues that effect them.
14. In preparation for this excursion, the students need to elect a mayor, general manager and eight councillors. In order to do this, the class will go through the process of nominating, campaigning, electing and announcing. Each stage in the process will be explained and demonstrated, where possible, to the students. The class will then experience this process, to obtain students acting in these roles for the excursion.
15. The students will complete a mini-research project on services and contributions made by community organisations and groups. The students will be given a list of information that must be included in their research:
16. Name of the organisation?

    What service does it provide? Who makes use of the service? Where does the money come from to run the organisation? Who works for the organisation? Is it volunteers or paid workers? Some suggestions of organisations may be Meals on Wheels, Centacare, Coastal Environment Centre, Apex, Rotary International, WIRES and Fund for Animals. The students will choose the manner in which they would like to present their information. Homework

17. Students are to become familiar with the organisation and managing of a community. It will be the responsibility of the students to run and live in their community to the best of their ability. It is the responsibility of the teachers to assimilate situations that are realistic to the communities in which we live. All students will adopt a profession and identity in the community, this will contribute to the success of the assimilation of a community. Each student will nominate which profession they want to be part of and what position they hold within that profession. They will also describe their living details. Do they rent a home or own their own home? Do they live alone or with other family members? Do they own their own pets? Do they have a garden?
18.  

    The classroom environment is transformed into a community where all the people in the community have their own personal space and will run their business or live in that area. It is important that the students: get paid, pay taxes and superannuation, buy food, pay electricity and water bills etc.

19. As a community it is important that the students take nominations for council members and elect themselves a council to represent them. This council will then need to resolve any problems that arise in the community. The teachers then issue scenario problems that would normally arise in a community. Issues like:

• There are too many dogs running around the parks without dog collars and they are leaving their business on the ground for the people to step in. What do we do?

• A neighbour has an overhanging tree that is blocking out the sun. One neighbour wants to cut down part of the tree that is on their property. Are they allowed to do so?

• One of the main streets leading to the local school does not have a footpath and so the children are walking and riding on the road with the cars and buses. Is there anything we can do?

• The council is running out of money. How can it raise more money to help make the community a better and safer place to live in?

12. The students will be given an assignment, that relates to ‘Co-operating Communities’, based on Bloom’s taxonomy. It will look, more specifically, the role of Local Government. This project will involve some research and will be completed at home.
13. The teacher will refer to the rights and responsibilities outlined in Elanora’s Student Welfare Policy and pose the question "What is a responsibility?" The students will write their answer in their theme book. The various answers will be discussed while a student locates a dictionary definition. Using the pamphlets and information given from Pittwater Council, the students will then individually examine the information and write a list of community members’ responsibilities. These will be shared with the class and the students may add to their own list. A list about the responsibilities of community members will be displayed in the classroom.
14. In relation to the previous activity, the students will discuss what would happen if people were not cooperative when using community facilities or services, did not volunteer to help with community projects or participate in community decision-making. Using the information brochure ‘How to have your say in council,’ the teachers and students will briefly outline the Public Officer’s role in handling requests and helping citizens find documents, what accountability means, which documents are available to the public and how a community member can participate in council. The students will then design a poster, in their Theme Book, to encourage people to become involved in their council.
15. The students will be informed about an excursion to the local council chambers. After a short discussion on this, each student will reflect on the work they have done on local government up to this point and write at least 1 question they would like to ask a person who works for the council. These will be written into their theme book. The class will discuss some of the questions and eliminate the questions for which the students already have the answer. The final questions will be transferred to pieces of paper, which will be taken on the excursion and used at the appropriate time.
16. Thinking about what has been learnt during the past few weeks, the teacher and students will jointly construct the ‘skeleton’ of an information report on Local Government. It will then be the students’ responsibility to fill ‘the blank spaces’ with correct information, using the resources and stimulus materials around the room, their theme book and what they have learnt throughout the unit. This will be done individually and may be used as an assessment task relating to content and skills.

17. To end the unit, the students will be asked to use pictures, words or diagrams to show what they have learnt about living in a a community and the three levels of Government in Australia, particularly Local Government. This can be used as an assessment tool for both the teacher and students.