k10outline - Year 8 Syllabus

Year 8 SyllabusTest

Year 8 Syllabus

Year Level Description

In Year 8, Humanities and Social Sciences consists of Civics and Citizenship, Economics and Business, Geography and History.

Students develop increasing independence in critical thinking and skill application, which includes questioning, researching, analysing, evaluating, communicating and reflecting. They apply these skills to investigate events, developments, issues and phenomena, both historical and contemporary.

Students continue to build on their understanding of the concepts of the Westminster system, democracy and participation. They investigate the types of law in Australia and how they are made. They consider the responsibilities and freedoms of citizens, and how Australians can actively participate in their democracy. Students explore the different perspectives of Australian identity.

The concept of markets is introduced to further develop students understanding of the concepts of interdependence, making choices and allocation. They consider how markets work and the rights, responsibilities and opportunities that arise for businesses, consumers and governments. Work and work futures are explored as students consider the influences on the way people work now and consider how people will work in the future. Students focus on national and regional issues, with opportunities for the concepts to also be considered in relation to local community, or global, issues where appropriate.

The concepts of place, space, environment, interconnection, sustainability and change continue to be developed as a way of thinking and provide students with the opportunity to inquire into the significance of landscapes to people and the spatial change in the distribution of populations. They apply this understanding to a wide range of places and environments at the full range of scales, from local to global, and in a range of locations.

Students develop their historical understanding through key concepts, including evidence, continuity and change, cause and effect, perspectives, empathy, significance and contestability. These concepts are investigated within the historical context of the end of the ancient period to the beginning of the modern period, c. 650 AD (CE) – 1750. They consider how societies changed, what key beliefs and values emerged, and the causes and effects of contact between societies in this period.

Knowledge and understanding

Civics and Citizenship

Democracy and law in action

The freedoms that enable active participation in Australia's democracy within the bounds of law, including freedom of speech, association, assembly, religion and movement (ACHCK061)

How citizens can participate in Australia's democracy, including use of the electoral system, contact with their elected representatives, use of lobby groups and direct action (ACHCK062)

How laws are made in Australia through parliaments (statutory law) (ACHCK063)

How laws are made in Australia through the courts (common law) (ACHCK063)

The types of law in Australia, including criminal law, civil law and the place of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander customary law (ACHCK064)

Different perspectives about Australia's national identity, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives and what it means to be Australian (ACHCK066)

Economics and Business

Participation and influences in the marketplace

The way markets operate in Australia and how the interaction between buyers and sellers influences prices and how markets enable the allocation of resources (how businesses answer the questions of what to produce, how to produce and for whom to produce) (ACHEK027)

How the government is involved in the market, such as providing some types of goods and services that are not being provided for sufficiently by the market (e.g. healthcare) (ACHEK027)

The rights and responsibilities of consumers and businesses in Australia (ACHEK029)

Types of businesses (e.g. sole trader, partnership, corporation, cooperative, franchise) and the ways that businesses respond to opportunities in Australia (ACHEK030)

Influences on the ways people work (e.g. technological change, outsourced labour in the global economy, rapid communication changes and factors that might affect work in the future) (ACHEK031)

Critical and creative thinking

Geography

Landforms and landscapes

The different types of landscapes in Australia and their distinctive landform features (e.g. coastal, riverine, arid, mountain, karst) (ACHGK048)

Numeracy

The spiritual, cultural and aesthetic value of landscapes and landforms for people, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples (ACHGK049)

The geographical processes that produce landforms, including a case study of one type of landform, such as mountains, volcanoes, riverine or coastal landforms (ACHGK050)

Numeracy

The causes, spatial distribution, impacts and responses to a geomorphic hazard (e.g. volcanic eruption, earthquake, tsunami, landslide, avalanche) (ACHGK053)

How the effects caused by geomorphic hazards are influenced by social, cultural and economic factors (e.g. where people choose to live, poverty, the available infrastructure and resources to prepare and respond to a hazard) (ACHGK053)

How the application of principles of prevention, mitigation and preparedness minimises the harmful effects of geomorphic hazards (ACHGK053)

Changing nations

The causes and consequences of urbanisation in Australia and one other country from the Asia region (ACHGK054)

The reasons for, and effects of, internal migration in Australia (ACHGK056)

Critical and creative thinking

The reasons for, and effects of, international migration in Australia (ACHGK058)

Critical and creative thinking

History

The ancient to the modern world

Overview

Key features of the medieval world (feudalism, trade routes, voyages of discovery, contact and conflict) (ACOKH009)

Intercultural understanding

Depth study 1: Investigating medieval Europe (c. 590 – c. 1500)

The way of life in medieval Europe (e.g. social, cultural, economic and political features) and the roles and relationships of different groups in society (ACDSEH008)

Significant developments and/or cultural achievements, such as changing relations between Islam and the West (including the Crusades), architecture, medieval manuscripts and music (ACDSEH050)

Continuity and change in society in one of the following areas: crime and punishment; military and defence systems; towns, cities and commerce (ACDSEH051)

The role of significant individuals in the medieval period (e.g. Charlemagne) (ACDSEH052)

Depth study 2: Investigating the Black Death in Asia, Europe and Africa (14th century plague)

Living conditions and religious beliefs in the 14th century, including life expectancy, medical knowledge and beliefs about the power of God (ACDSEH015)

The role of expanding trade between Europe and Asia during the Black Death, including the origin and spread of the disease (ACDSEH069)

The causes and symptoms of the Black Death and the responses of different groups in society to the spread of the disease, such as the flagellants and monasteries (ACDSEH070)

The effects of the Black Death on Asian, European and African populations, and conflicting theories about the impact of the plague (ACDSEH071)

Humanities and Social Sciences skills

Questioning and researching

Identify current understandings to consider possible gaps and/or misconceptions, new knowledge needed and challenges to personal perspectives (WAHASS64)

Construct a range of questions, propositions and/or hypotheses (WAHASS65)

Use a variety of methods to collect relevant information and/or data from a range of appropriate sources, such as print, digital, audio, visual and fieldwork (WAHASS66)

Select the best method for recording selected information and/or data (e.g. graphic organisers, such as structured overviews for classifying; mind maps, for identifying relationships and overviews; fieldwork, which may require sketch drawings, a list of observable features and photographs) (WAHASS67)

Identify differences in terms of origin and purpose between primary sources (e.g. a cartoon, speech, artefact) and secondary sources (e.g. reference books, such as a dictionary or encyclopedia) (WAHASS68)

Use appropriate ethical protocols to plan and conduct an inquiry (e.g. seek permission to use personal photos, seek permission when planning a visit to Aboriginal cultural land, use specific formats for acknowledging other people's information) (WAHASS69)

Analysing

Use criteria to select relevant information and/or data such as accuracy, reliability, currency and usefulness to the question (WAHASS70)

Interpret information and/or data to identify key relationships and/or trends displayed in various formats (e.g. change over time in a series of images, identify spatial distributions from a map) (WAHASS71)

Identify points of view/perspectives, attitudes and/or values in information and/or data (e.g. from tables, statistics, graphs, models, cartoons, maps, timelines) (WAHASS72)

Translate information and/or data from one format to another (e.g. from a table to a graph) (WAHASS73)

Apply subject-specific skills and concepts in familiar and new situations (WAHASS74)

Evaluating

Draw evidence-based conclusions by evaluating information and/or data to generate a range of alternatives and plan for action in response to contemporary events, challenges, developments, issues, problems and/or phenomena; make comparisons; evaluate costs (disadvantages) and benefits (advantages); and infer relationships (WAHASS75)

Communicating and reflecting

Represent information and/or data using appropriate formats to suit audience and purpose (e.g. tables/graphs, visual displays, models, timelines, maps, other graphic organisers) (WAHASS76)

Develop texts, particularly descriptions and explanations, using appropriate subject-specific terminology and concepts that use evidence to support findings, conclusions and/or arguments, from a range of sources (WAHASS77)

Reflect on learning to review original understandings and/or determine actions in response to events, challenges, developments, issues, problems and/or phenomena (WAHASS78)

Achievement standard

At Standard, students construct a range of questions and use a variety of methods to select, collect and organise information and/or data from appropriate sources. They develop criteria to determine the usefulness of primary and/or secondary sources for a purpose. When interpreting sources, students identify their origin and purpose, and distinguish between fact and opinion. They interpret information and/or data to identify points of view/perspectives, relationships and/or trends, and to sequence events and developments. Students apply subject-specific skills to translate information and/or data from one format to another, in both familiar and unfamiliar situations. They draw simple evidence-based conclusions in a range of contexts. Students represent information and/or data in appropriate formats to suit audience and purpose. They develop texts using appropriate subject-specific terminology and concepts. Students use evidence to support findings and acknowledge sources of information.

Students explain the types of laws and how laws are made within the Westminster system and describe the rights and responsibilities of participants in the process. They apply aspects of democracy to case studies and explain the freedoms that underpin Australia’s democratic values.

Students explain how markets allocate resources in Australia and describe the interdependence of consumers, businesses and the government as a result of their involvement in the market. They identify how consumers and businesses influence and respond to each other in the market.

Students describe the geographical processes that produce landforms, and explain how places are perceived and valued differently. They consider the environmental and human characteristics of places to compare strategies for responding to a geographical challenge that takes into account environmental, economic and social factors. Students describe the interconnections within environments, and between people and places, to explain the movement of people at a local, national and global scale.

Students explain the feudal system in medieval Europe and the causes and effects of the Black Death, and describe patterns of change and continuity over time. They explain the significance of individuals and groups and how they were influenced by the beliefs and values of medieval society.