The Franklin River blockade endures as a historically significant moment in Australian politics and an undeniable example of what can be achieved through grassroots people power.
Now, we must journey to the past in a quest for the future.
Australia’s democracy is being increasingly threatened by escalating attacks on the right to freedom of assembly and the right to freedom of expression. We must act now to protect the right to protest to ensure the voices of young people all across Australia are heard and they are supported in becoming powerful agents of change who challenge injustice now and in the future!
Amnesty International Australia has partnered with the producers of Franklin to develop an ACARA-aligned human rights education resource for high school teachers complete with lesson plans, learning materials, assessment tools, and cross-curriculum connections… just in time for the 2024 school year!
Through an in-depth exploration of the Franklin River blockade and its impact on Australian society and environmental law, this resource aims to educate, empower, and inspire students to learn about the importance of the right to protest, the role of protest in Australia’s democracy, why it’s crucial to protect the civil and political right to protest, and the power of grassroots movements to effect change… just like the Franklin River protectors did!
In the downloadable Resource Pack you will find:
1. A complete Year 9-10 Civics and Citizenship Unit Plan mapped to ACARA national curriculum standards which includes:
- 10x lesson plans
- an authentic summative assessment task
- a summative assessment task rubric
- all learning resources including readings and videos
- all student materials
- a list of additional resources
2. A slide deck with discussion and thinking prompts to accompany the Unit Plan
We’d love to hear how you use this HRE resource, so please let us know by emailing Tahlia Nesfield (Youth Engagement Coordinator) at tahlia.nesfield@amnesty.org.au.
PS: Check out lots of other Franklin educational materials for primary and high school here!