Curriculum - HSIE

Justification for topic "Law enforcement"

Green text indicates quotes from the HSIE Syllabus and white text indicates examples specific to this topic.

Knowledge and Understanding
In learning about the police force in Australia, students will learn to participate effectively in the law enforcement aspects of their society: knowing what to report to police or when they can call on police for assistance.

By looking at the role of the police force historically students will see changes in the technology used by police (bicycles, horses, call boxes, two way radio, cars, paddy wagons, motorbikes, helicopters, boats and diving equipment) and by members of the public contacting police (mobile phones).

Skills
Students will learn the numbers to call to contact police "000" in an emergency or "131444" for more general enquiries or complaints.
Students will learn to state their home address to report an emergency and seek help effectively.

Values and Attitudes
By gaining an idea of the role of police officers, students could gain "informed and responsible attitudes" about what is expected of them as law-abiding citizens and what role they can perform to assist police in carrying out their duty (p 8).

Justification for inclusion of this topic in the curriculum:

(Please add your thoughts)

Significance of topic.

Understanding the role of the police within the community is an important learning outcome for children. Knowing exactly how to contact them is important for their safety and the safety of others. Linked to this important concept is teaching young children in what situations they would contact the police and when it would be inappropriate to do so.

This topic is linked to the Aims of the HSIE syllabus because it encourages students to develop a sense of community identity and instructs them in effective participation within society through civic efficacy.

This topic is also linked to the Subject Matter of the HSIE syllabus through its links to Change and Continuity and Social Systems and Structures.

In Change and Continuity, students will discover through the streetscape the impact of change and continuity. The historical and the contemporary are clearly shown in a visual and concrete exhibition in the artefact. Learning how citizens in the past contacted the police in times of need will develop their understanding of the past and the evolution of technology within their community and within the nation.

In Social Systems and Structures, the students are able to develop their understanding of roles, rights and responsibilities within their community and the social structures and systems of Australia and how the police and the law are vital to Australia.