Humanities and Social Science provides students with the knowledge, skills and values to be well rounded citizens of the community – both locally and more broadly. Year 7 – 10 students engage with the WA Curriculum which includes ancient history, economics, geography, modern history, law and politics.
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 and democracy by examining the key features of Australia’s democracy, and how it is shaped through the Australian Constitution and constitutional change. The concepts of justice, rights and responsibilities are further developed through a focus on Australia’s legal system.
An understanding of the concepts making choices and allocation is further developed through a focus on the interdependence of consumers and producers in the market, and the characteristics of successful businesses, including how entrepreneurial behaviour contributes to business success. Work and work futures are introduced, as students consider why people work. Students focus on national 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 nature of water as a natural resource. The concept of place is expanded through students’ investigation of the liveability of their own place. 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 how we know about the ancient past, and why and where the earliest societies developed.