Legal Studies for VCE Units 3 & 4 (16th edition) Suggested course timeline •
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This suggested course timeline is designed to help you plan your teaching time and resources to ensure complete coverage of Units 3 & 4 of the VCE Legal Studies Study Design (2024–2028). The information included in the program is intended for use as a guide only. Two columns at the right of the program have been left for you to make note of school holidays and events (e.g. camps, sporting events, etc), and planned assessment tasks (beyond those in the Student Book).
AOS 1; and 20 hours for Unit 4, AOS 2 (total 50 hours). This reflects VCAA advice of the provision of at least 50 hours of classroom instruction per unit. •
Adjustments •
You should factor in adjustments based on your own school timetables and events. Adjustments may be made, for example, as a result of extra teaching weeks (e.g. because of Headstart programs), fewer teaching weeks (e.g. additional school holidays in June/July or September), dedicated SAC times (e.g. after school or SAC days), finishing date for Year 12s, school events such as assemblies and special school days, significant absences, study periods for SAC preparation, difficult topics for your cohort and pre-reading.
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Adjustments will also need to be made if students do more than one school-assessed coursework for each Area of Study.
Timing •
The program has been designed with 4 x 50-minute periods of Legal Studies per week in mind (i.e. 200 minutes). Differences in individual school timetables, including number of periods and teaching time, will need to be considered when amending the program.
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The program also factors in time for revision, so suggested teaching timelines may not always reflect direct teaching and learning.
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The program assumes approximately 25 hours for each of the Areas of Study in Unit 3 (total 50 hours); 30 hours for Unit 4,
© Oxford University Press 2024 1 Legal Studies for VCE Units 3 & 4 Teacher obook pro ISBN 9780190342579 Permission has been granted for this page to be photocopied within the purchasing institution only. Version 1.0
The program assumes Term 4 will be allocated to exam revision only.
Dates •
All dates have been taken from the Victorian Government's term dates for government schools as at August 2023.
Assessment •
The program assumes one school-assessed coursework for each Area of Study.
Dates
Week
Area of Study
Prior to Term 1 (e.g. holiday work or Headstart program) 30 January– Term 1 Unit 3, AOS 1 2 February Week 1
5–9 February
Term 1 Week 2
Unit 3, AOS 1
12–16 February
Term 1 Week 3
Unit 3, AOS 1
19–23 February
Term 1 Week 4
Unit 3, AOS 1
26 February– 1 March
Term 1 Week 5
Unit 3, AOS 1
Content Introduction to Unit 3 • Introduction to the Victorian criminal justice system • Summary and indictable offences • Key principles in the Victorian criminal justice system • The rights of an accused (part) • The rights of an accused (part) • The rights of victims • Chapter 3 review • The principles of justice • Victoria Legal Aid • Community legal centres • Plea negotiations • The Victorian court hierarchy • The roles of key personnel: judge and magistrate • The roles of key personnel: the jury • The roles of key personnel: the parties • The need for legal practitioners
© Oxford University Press 2024 2 Legal Studies for VCE Units 3 & 4 Teacher obook pro ISBN 9780190342579 Permission has been granted for this page to be photocopied within the purchasing institution only. Version 1.0
2024 Student Book topics Chapter 2 Chapter 3, Topics 3.1 to 3.4
• Chapter 3, Topics 3.4 and 3.5 • Chapter 3 review Chapter 4, Topics 4.1 to 4.3 Chapter 4, Topics 4.4 to 4.6 Chapter 5, Topics 4.7 to 4.9
Holidays and school events
School-assessed coursework
Dates
Week
Area of Study
Prior to Term 1 (e.g. holiday work or Headstart program) 4–8 March Term 1 Unit 3, AOS 1 Week 6
11–15 March
Term 1 Week 7
Unit 3, AOS 1
18–22 March
Term 1 Week 8
Unit 3 AOS 1 and Unit 3, AOS 2
25–28 March
Term 1 Week 9
Unit 3, AOS 2
Content Introduction to Unit 3 • Costs, time and cultural differences • Chapter 4 review • Introduction to sanctions • Purposes of sanctions • Fines • Community correction orders • Imprisonment • Sentencing factors • Chapter 5 review • Introduction to the Victorian civil justice system • Key principles in the civil justice system • Factors to consider before initiating a civil claim • Chapter 6 review
• Chapter 4, Topic 4.10 • Chapter 4 review • Chapter 5, Topics 5.1 and 5.2 Chapter 5, Topics 5.3 to 5.5
• The principles of justice • Dispute resolution methods • The Victorian court hierarchy • The roles of key personnel: the judge and magistrate • The roles of key personnel: the jury • The roles of key personnel: the parties • The need for legal practitioners
Chapter 7, Topics 7.1 to 7.3
TERM 1 BREAK: 29 MARCH–14 APRIL 2024 15–19 April
Term 2 Week 1
Unit 3, AOS 2
22–26 April
Term 2 Week 2
Unit 3, AOS 2
29 April–3 May
Term 2
Unit 3, AOS 2
Student Book topics Chapter 2
© Oxford University Press 2024 3 Legal Studies for VCE Units 3 & 4 Teacher obook pro ISBN 9780190342579 Permission has been granted for this page to be photocopied within the purchasing institution only. Version 1.0
Holidays and school events
School-assessed coursework
• Labour Day (Victoria): Monday 11 March
• Chapter 5, Topic 5.6 • Chapter 5 review • Chapter 6, Topics 6.1 and 6.2 • Chapter 6, Topic 6.3 • Chapter 6 review
Chapter 7, Topics 7.4 to 7.6
Chapter 7, Topics
• Good Friday: Friday 29 March
• ANZAC Day: 25 April
Unit 3, AOS 1
Dates
Week
Area of Study
Prior to Term 1 (e.g. holiday work or Headstart program) Week 3 6–10 May
Term 2 Week 4
Unit 3, AOS 2
13–17 May
Term 2 Week 5
Unit 3, AOS 2
20–24 May
Term 2 Week 6
Unit 3, AOS 2
27–31 May
Term 2 Week 7
Unit 4, AOS 1
3–7 June
Term 2 Week 8
Unit 4, AOS 1
10–14 June
Term 2 Week 9
Unit 4, AOS 1
Content Introduction to Unit 3 • Class actions • Consumer Affairs Victoria (part) • Consumer Affairs Victoria • The Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal • The courts • Costs and time • Chapter 7 review • Introduction to remedies • Damages (part) • Damages • Injunctions • Chapter 8 review • Unit 3 review • Introduction to Unit 4 • Introduction to the Australian Constitution • The Commonwealth Parliament • The Victorian Parliament • The Crown • The division of law-making powers • Section 109 • One High Court case (division of law-making powers) • Chapter 10 review
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Student Book topics Chapter 2
Holidays and school events
School-assessed coursework
7.7 to 7.9 Chapter 7, Topics 7.9 to 7.11 • Chapter 7, Topic 7.12 • Chapter 7 review • Chapter 8, Topics 8.1 and 8.2 • Chapter 8, Topics 8.2 and 8.3 • Chapter 8 review • Unit 3 review • Chapter 9 • Chapter 10, Topics 10.1 and 10.2 Chapter 10, Topics 10.3 to 10.6
• Chapter 10, Topic 10.7 • Chapter 10 review
Unit 3, AOS 2
• King's Birthday: 10 June
Dates
Week
Area of Study
Content
Student Book topics Chapter 2
Prior to Term 1 (e.g. holiday work or Headstart program) 17–21 June Term 2 Unit 4, AOS 1 Week 10
Introduction to Unit 3 • The bicameral structure of parliament • International pressures
Chapter 11, Topics 11.1 and 11.2
24–28 June
• The representative nature of parliament • The High Court and representative government • The separation of powers (part)
Chapter 11, Topics 11.3 to 11.5
• Chapter 11, Topic 11.5 and 11.6 • Chapter 11 review Chapter 12, Topics 12.1 to 12.3
Term 2 Week 11
Unit 4, AOS 1
TERM 2 BREAK: 29 JUNE–14 JULY 2024 15–19 July
Term 3 Week 1
Unit 4, AOS 1
• The separation of powers (part) • The express protection of rights • Chapter 11 review
22–26 July
Term 3 Week 2
Unit 4, AOS 1
29 July–2 August
Term 3 Week 3
Unit 4, AOS 1
5–9 August
Term 3 Week 4
Unit 4, AOS 1
• Introduction to courts • Statutory interpretation • Features of the doctrine of precedent (part) • Features of the doctrine of precedent (part) • Factors that affect the ability of courts to make law – doctrine of precedent • Factors that affect the ability of courts to make law – judicial conservatism and judicial activism • Factors that affect the ability of courts to make law – costs and
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Chapter 12, Topics 12.3 to 12.5
• Chapter 12, Topics 12.6 to 12.8
Holidays and school events
School-assessed coursework
Dates
Week
Area of Study
Prior to Term 1 (e.g. holiday work or Headstart program)
12–16 August
Term 3 Week 5 Term 3 Week 6
Unit 4, AOS 2
26–30 August
Term 3 Week 7
Unit 4, AOS 2
2–6 September
Term 3 Week 8
Unit 4 AOS 2
9–13 September
Term 3 Week 9
Unit 4, AOS 2
16–20 September
Term 3 Week 10
Unit 4, AOS 2
19–23 August
Unit 4, AOS 2
Content Introduction to Unit 3 time • Factors that affect the ability of courts to make law – the requirement for standing • The relationship between courts and parliament in law-making • Chapter 12 review • Reasons for law reform • Petitions • Demonstrations • The use of the courts • The media and law reform • The Victorian Law Reform Commission • Parliamentary committees or Royal Commissions • Chapter 13 review • Reasons for constitutional reform • The process to change the Constitution • Factors affecting referendum success • The 1967 referendum • Future constitutional reform • Chapter 14 review • Unit 4 review (if time)
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Student Book topics Chapter 2
Holidays and school events
School-assessed coursework
• Chapter 12 review
Chapter 13, Topics 13.1 and 13.2 Chapter 13, Topics 13.3 to 13.5
Unit 4, AOS 1
Chapter 13, Topics 13.6 to 13.8 • Chapter 13 review • Chapter 14, Topics 14.1 and 14.2 Chapter 14, Topics 14.3 and 14.4 • Chapter 14, Topic 14.5 • Chapter 14 review • Unit 4 review
• TBC: Friday before AFL Grand Final
Unit 4, AOS 2
Dates
Week
Area of Study
Content
Prior to Term 1 (e.g. holiday work or Headstart program)
Introduction to Unit 3
7–11 October
Exam preparation
TERM 3 BREAK: 21 SEPTEMBER–6 OCTOBER 2024 14–18 October
Term 4, Week 1 Term 4, Week 2
Exam preparation
© Oxford University Press 2024 7 Legal Studies for VCE Units 3 & 4 Teacher obook pro ISBN 9780190342579 Permission has been granted for this page to be photocopied within the purchasing institution only. Version 1.0
Student Book topics Chapter 2
Holidays and school events
School-assessed coursework