Year 8 Strand 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

Construct a range of questions, propositions and/or hypotheses

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

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)

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)

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)

Analysing

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

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)

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

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

Apply subject-specific skills and concepts in familiar and new situations

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

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)

Develop texts, particularly descriptions and explanations, using appropriate subject­specific terminology and concepts that use evidence to support findings, conclusions and/or arguments, from a range of sources

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