Work in small groups for each of these activities.

The approval of the 1855 Constitution and the 1856 elections were only the beginning of responsible government in Victoria.

Activity 1: Premiers and ministries: What do you already know?

Download the document, Victorian Ministries Since Responsible Government, 1855 - Current from the Victorian Parliament website (www.parliament.vic.gov.au/history/minis.cfm)

Circle the names of premiers that are familiar to you. Write down as many ideas as you can about each of these premiers. Decide which ideas are facts (F) and which are opinions (O) about each person.

Find students who know something about each of the premiers you know about. Share your findings. Online, click onto the premier's name to check facts. Add new and interesting information to each person's biography.

Find further information in library books and by conducting an internet search. Use this information to finish your biography. Ask your teacher to show you how to prepare a bibliography. Collect the following information about each reference: author, full title, publisher, date of publication and/or website address. Add completed biographies to the Landmarks timeline.

Identify premiers whom no students in your class investigated. Use the information in the document, Victorian Ministries Since Responsible Government, 1855 - Current to prepare a short biography for some of these premiers. Share responsibility for this between members of your class. Add completed biographies to the Landmarks timeline.

Activity 2: Quiz - For the Record Book

Print out the activity sheet, 'For the Record Book'. Use the document, Victorian Ministries Since Responsible Government, 1855 - Current to find answers to the questions.

Activity 3: Landmarks for the Premiers

You have already noted some of these landmarks in Quiz question 13.

Revisit notes you have made and information you have placed on the Landmarks timeline. Identify who was premier of Victoria at the time:

• each Land Act became law
• each law was introduced to make it easier to vote and to stand as a candidate in an election
• other events you think are important Victorian landmarks took place.

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• Introductory activities
• Investigating the past
• Visiting the exhibition
• Going further
• Extension activities
Links
• Activity sheet: For the Record Book
• Victorian Ministries Since Responsible Government, 1855 - Current