Episode 18
th
25 June 2013
Activity
Gender Equality
Key Learning
Students will investigate the experiences of democracy and citizenship of women, in particular the
suffragette movement.
The Australian Curriculum
History /Historical Knowledge and Understanding /
Australia as a nation
Experiences of Australian democracy and citizenship, including
the status and rights of Aboriginal people and/or Torres Strait
Islanders, migrants, women, and children.(ACHHK114)
investigating the experiences of democracy and citizenship
of women (for example the suffragette movement, the bar
on married women working, equal pay, the Sex
Discrimination Act 1984)
English /Language /Expressing and developing ideas
English /Literacy /Texts in context
Identify and explain language features of texts from earlier times
and compare with the vocabulary, images, layout and content of
contemporary texts(ACELY1686)
English /Literature /Literature and context
Identify and explore ideas and viewpoints about events, issues
and characters represented in texts drawn from different
historical, social and cultural contexts (ACELT1619)
Understand how to use banks of known words, as well as word
origins, prefixes and suffixes, to learn and spell new
words (ACELA1513)
Discussion Questions
1. In small groups discuss the issues raised in the Gender Equality story.
2. Julia Gillard is not Australia’s first Prime Minister. True or false?
3. Describe what life was like for women in the 1800s.
4. What does suffrage mean?
5. Who were the suffragettes?
6. What did they do to change things for women?
7. Which state was one of the first in the world to give women the right to vote?
8. How did war change the role of women in society?
9. What were some important changes for women in the 1960s?
10. Do you think women have equal rights to men? Explain your answer.
©ABC 2013
Activities
Facilitate a class discussion
After watching the BtN Gender Equality story facilitate a class discussion. Here are some discussion
starters:
Discussion questions
What does gender equality mean to you?
How did you feel after watching the story?
What surprised you about the story?
List some facts that you learnt from this story.
What challenges have women faced in the past? What challenges do women still face
today?
How would your life be different if people didn’t fight for women’s rights?
Act like an historian
Provide your students with the opportunity to act like an historian in the classroom. Students will develop
an understanding of the suffragette movement and then present their findings in an interesting way.
Act like an historian
What does suffrage mean? Find a dictionary meaning.
Describe the suffragette movement.
Imagine you are a suffragette living in the late 1800’s – write a persuasive letter, article
or petition to your local government explaining why women should be able to vote.
Further investigation – Democracy Timeline
Ask students find answers to the questions below and then create their own democracy timeline.
Research questions
When were women first given the right to vote in Australia? This may differ from state
to state.
When were Australian Aboriginal Women given the right to vote?
When were women first given the right to stand for federal parliament in Australia?
This may differ from state to state.
Who was the first woman elected as a member of parliament in Australia?
Who was the first woman Australian prime minister?
Can you find any other important events that have contributed to gender equality in
Australia’s history? Include these in your democracy timeline.
Whilst Australian women gained the right to vote in the late 1800’s, many women around the world still do
not have the right to vote. Ask students to find out where in the world women still do not have the vote.
Students will highlight their findings on a world map.
©ABC 2013
Women in politics
Working in groups of three or four, students will use the Parliament@Work website or other sources to
find out how many women there are in each of the following:
the parliament in your State or Territory
the Commonwealth House of Representatives
the Commonwealth Senate
What did you find surprising about your findings?
Do you think women have full equality in politics? Explain your answer.
Further Investigation
International Women's Day is a global day celebrating the economic, political and social
achievements of women past, present and future. How does your school honour and
celebrate the achievements of women all around the world?
http://www.internationalwomensday.com/default.asp#.UcEt3-emgVA
 Related Research Links
ABC The Making of Modern Australia – Struggle for Women’s rights
http://www.abc.net.au/tv/makingaustralia/educationextras/episode-three/clip-two.htm
National Museum of Australia – Women and Equality as Citizens
http://www.nma.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/19378/Women_equality_full_colour.pdf
CBBC Newsround – Who were the suffragettes?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/22766676
Australian Electoral Commission – Women and the Right to Vote in Australia
http://www.aec.gov.au/Elections/australian_electoral_history/wright.htm
Australian Government – Australian suffragettes
http://australia.gov.au/about-australia/australian-story/austn-suffragettes
Australian Electoral Commission – Electoral Milestones for Women
http://www.aec.gov.au/Elections/Australian_Electoral_History/milestone.htm
©ABC 2013