Years 5–6

Unit overview

This unit will support students to understand the values that underpin Australia’s democracy, the freedoms they enjoy and their role and the role of the government as duty bearers of rights.

They learn to appreciate the role of volunteers and Australia’s three levels of government in supporting the community. Students will understand how taxation is collected and how it is spent responsibly to provide for all members of the community.

They also learn the value of short-term sacrifices for long-term gain and further develop strategies for short- and long-term financial planning.

Throughout the course of this unit, students collaboratively design an ideal community that takes account of principles of accessibility, safety, health and wellbeing. In their sales pitch to community members, students demonstrate their appreciation of the value of taxation in supporting Australian communities.

The following values of Australian schooling are developed in this unit:

• Care and compassion (kindness and sharing)
• Doing your best
• Fair go
• Freedom
• Honesty and trustworthiness
• Integrity
• Respect
• Responsibility
• Tolerance and inclusion

Teacher notes

These topics have been designed for students in Year 5 and Year 6. The activities can be adjusted to cater to the needs of learners. Activities have been designed as a sequence however teachers can select individual activities that suit their students.

As Topic 6 is a culminating topic, it may require the study of other topics.

Topics

• 1. Community rights and responsibilities
• 2. Community support
• 3. Collecting tax fairly
• 4. Responsible government spending
• 5. Savings and superannuation
• 6. Our ideal community

Assessment

Teachers can gather evidence of student learning throughout this unit of work. Activities that elicit evidence of student learning in relation to the Australian Curriculum achievement standards have been identified. This evidence can be compiled into a student portfolio called 'Building our ideal community'.

To support teachers to make judgments about the quality and sophistication of student learning, each topic is accompanied by year level rubrics.

The tasks that will form part of the assessment portfolio and their links to learning areas are summarised in the table below.

The assessment package includes for Year 5:

• Year 5 teacher guidelines
• Year 5 rubrics
• Year 5 achievement standards

The assessment package includes for Year 6:

• Year 6 teacher guidelines
• Year 6 rubrics
• Year 6 achievement standards

Curriculum mapping

• Australian Curriculum mapping for Year 5 and Year 6
• NSW syllabuses mapping for Year 5 and Year 6
• Victorian syllabuses mapping for Year 5 and Year 6
• Western Australia syllabuses mapping for Year 5 and Year 6

Links to the national consumer and financial literacy framework

Knowledge and understanding

Students can:

• explore the value of unpaid work to the community
• recognise that families use household income to meet regular financial commitments and immediate and future expenses

Competence

Students can:

• create simple budgets for a range of purposes and explain the benefits of saving for future needs and wants
• identify key features used in advertising, marketing and social media to influence consumer decision-making.

Responsibility and enterprise

Students can:

• exercise a range of enterprising behaviours through participation in relevant class and/or school activities
• recognise that matching household expenditure against income is important
• explain the role played by the voluntary sector in the community to help those in financial need.

Return to:

• Paying it Forward – Primary school resource