The content of the Year 7, 8 and 9 History courses provides opportunities to develop historical understanding through key concepts, including continuity and evidence, change, cause and effect, perspectives, empathy, significance and contestability.

Year 7
Students explore the oldest continuous culture, that of Australia’s Aboriginal communities. Classes undertake depth studies of Ancient Societies and the areas to be studied may be negotiated with classes. Through this exploration, students develop their skills in source identification, inquiry, analysis and evaluation as well as exploring the concept of historical timelines. Opportunities for negotiation of task styles will occur.

Year 8
Students study history from the end of the ancient period to the beginning of the modern period c.650– 1750 AD (CE) through three different case studies which may include Medieval Europe, Shogunate Japan and the Black Death. This was a time when major civilizations around the world met each other and beliefs were challenged. It provides excellent context to many events occurring now.

Year 9
Students investigate the making of the modern world from 1750 to 1918. This was a period of industrialisation and rapid change in the ways people thought and lived in terms of changes to personal rights, expansion to new worlds and the advances in opportunities for education. Students examine Australia and Australia’s development in the 19th Century and the historical time of World War I. There are opportunities for role plays, visual and oral presentations in addition to written responses.