TheAusVELS

Curriculum

Domain

Mathematics,TheHumanitiesHistory

Level

Level7,Level8,Level9andLevel10

Dated

Friday,10April2015

Exceptinglogos,trademarksorotherthirdpartycontentasindicated,theF10AusVELSCurriculumcontentinthisdocument
islicensedCreativeCommonsAttributionNonCommercialShareAlike(3.0Australia).

AusVELSAustralianCurriculumcontent(identifiedwithAC),derivesfromtheAustralianCurriculumAssessmentand
ReportingAuthority(ACARA).
AusVELS andthe

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The Humanities - History

TableofContents
Overview

RationaleandAims

Contentstructure

HistoryacrossFoundationtoLevel10

Achievementstandards

Diversityoflearners

Crosscurriculumpriorities

CurriculumF10

10

Level7

10

Level8

19

Level9

29

Level10

37

VCAA | AusVELS Curriculum | Date PDF created: Friday, 10 April 2015

The Humanities - History

Rationale
Historyisadisciplinedprocessofinquiryintothepastthatdevelopsstudents'curiosityandimagination.Awarenessof
historyisanessentialcharacteristicofanysociety,andhistoricalknowledgeisfundamentaltounderstandingourselvesand
others.Itpromotestheunderstandingofsocieties,events,movementsanddevelopmentsthathaveshapedhumanityfrom
earliesttimes.Ithelpsstudentsappreciatehowtheworldanditspeoplehavechanged,aswellasthesignificantcontinuities
thatexisttothepresentday.History,asadiscipline,hasitsownmethodsandprocedureswhichmakeitdifferentfromother
waysofunderstandinghumanexperience.Thestudyofhistoryisbasedonevidencederivedfromremainsofthepast.Itis
interpretativebynature,promotesdebateandencouragesthinkingabouthumanvalues,includingpresentandfuture
challenges.Theprocessofhistoricalinquirydevelopstransferableskills,suchastheabilitytoaskrelevantquestions
criticallyanalyseandinterpretsourcesconsidercontextrespectandexplaindifferentperspectivesdevelopandsubstantiate
interpretations,andcommunicateeffectively.
ThecurriculumgenerallytakesaworldhistoryapproachwithinwhichthehistoryofAustraliaistaught.Itdoesthisinorderto
equipstudentsfortheworld(local,regionalandglobal)inwhichtheylive.Anunderstandingofworldhistoryenhances
studentsappreciationofAustralianhistory.Itenablesthemtodevelopanunderstandingofthepastandpresentexperiences
ofAboriginalandTorresStraitIslanderpeoples,theiridentityandthecontinuingvalueoftheirculture.Italsohelpsstudents
toappreciateAustralia'sdistinctivepathofsocial,economicandpoliticaldevelopment,itspositionintheAsiaPacificregion,
anditsglobalinterrelationships.Thisknowledgeandunderstandingisessentialforinformedandactiveparticipationin
Australia'sdiversesociety.

Aims
AusVELSHistoryaimstoensurethatstudentsdevelop:
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interestin,andenjoymentof,historicalstudyforlifelonglearningandwork,includingtheircapacityandwillingnessto
beinformedandactivecitizens

knowledge,understandingandappreciationofthepastandtheforcesthatshapesocieties,includingAustralian
society

understandinganduseofhistoricalconcepts,suchasevidence,continuityandchange,causeandeffect,perspectives,
empathy,significanceandcontestability

capacitytoundertakehistoricalinquiry,includingskillsintheanalysisanduseofsources,andinexplanationand
communication.

ContentStructure
AusVELSHistoryisorganisedintotwointerrelatedstrands:HistoricalKnowledgeandUnderstandingandHistoricalSkills.

HistoricalKnowledgeandUnderstanding
Thisstrandincludespersonal,family,local,stateorterritory,national,regionalandworldhistory.Thereisanemphasison
AustralianhistoryinitsworldhistorycontextatFoundation(includingLevelsAtoDforStudentswithDisabilities)toLevel10
andafocusonworldhistoryintheseniorsecondarylevels.Thestrandincludesastudyofsocieties,events,movementsand
developmentsthathaveshapedworldhistoryfromthetimeoftheearliesthumancommunitiestothepresentday.

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The Humanities - History

Thisstrandexploreskeyconceptsfordevelopinghistoricalunderstanding,suchas:evidence,continuityandchange,cause
andeffect,significance,perspectives,empathyandcontestability.Theseconceptsmaybeinvestigatedwithinaparticular
historicalcontexttofacilitateanunderstandingofthepastandtoprovideafocusforhistoricalinquiries.

HistoricalSkills
Thisstrandpromotesskillsusedintheprocessofhistoricalinquiry:chronology,termsandconceptshistoricalquestions
andresearchtheanalysisanduseofsourcesperspectivesandinterpretationsexplanationandcommunication.Withinthis
strandthereisanincreasingemphasisonhistoricalinterpretationandtheuseofevidence.

Relationshipbetweenthestrands
Thetwostrandsareintegratedinthedevelopmentofateachingandlearningprogram.TheHistoricalKnowledgeand
Understandingstrandprovidesthecontextsthroughwhichparticularskillsaretobedeveloped.HistoricalSkillshavebeen
describedinbandsofschooling,overthreelevelsatFoundation(includingLevelsAtoDforStudentswithDisabilities)to
Level2andattwolevelintervalsinsubsequentlevels.ThesequencinganddescriptionoftheHistoricalSkillsstrand,in
bandsofschoolingwillassistinmultiageprogrammingbyprovidingacommonfocusfortheteachingandlearningof
contentintheHistoricalKnowledgeandUnderstandingstrand.

Inquiryquestions
Eachlevelincludeskeyinquiryquestionsthatprovideaframeworkfordevelopingstudentshistoricalknowledge,
understandingandskills.

Overviews
HistoricalKnowledgeandUnderstandingincludesanoverviewofthehistoricalperiodtobecoveredineachlevelfromLevel
7to10.Theoverviewisnotintendedtobetaughtindepthitwillconstituteapproximately10%ofthetotalteachingtimeforthe
level.Theoverviewcontentidentifiesimportantfeaturesofthehistoricalperiodattherelevantlevelandprovidesanexpansive
chronologythathelpsstudentsunderstandbroadpatternsofhistoricalchange.

Depthstudies
Inadditiontotheoverview,HistoricalKnowledgeandUnderstandingincludesthreedepthstudiesforthehistoricalperiodat
eachlevelfromLevel7to10.Foreachdepthstudy,thereareuptothreeelectivesthatfocusonaparticularsociety,event,
movementordevelopment.ItisexpectedthatONEelectiveisstudiedindetail,whichwillconstituteapproximately30%ofthe
totalteachingtimeforthelevel.Thecontentineachelectiveisdesignedtoallowdetailedstudyofspecificaspectsofthe
historicalperiod.Theorderanddetailinwhichcontentistaughtisaprogrammingdecision.Contentmaybeintegratedin
waysappropriatetothespecificlocalcontextanditmaybeintegratedwiththecontentofotherdepthstudyelectives.

Relationshipbetweenoverviewsanddepthstudies
Aspartofateachingandlearningprogram,thedepthstudycontentateachlevelfromLevel7to10maybeintegratedwith
theoverviewcontent.Theoverviewprovidesthebroadercontextfortheteachingofdepthstudycontent.Thismeansthatthe
overviewcontentcanprovidestudentswithanintroductiontothehistoricalperioditcanmakethelinkstoandbetweenthe
depthstudies,anditcanconsolidateunderstandingthroughareviewoftheperiod.

Conceptsfordevelopinghistoricalunderstanding
AusVELSHistoryincludesconceptsfordevelopinghistoricalunderstanding,suchas:evidence,continuityandchange,cause
andeffect,perspectives,empathy,significanceandcontestability.

VCAA | AusVELS Curriculum | Date PDF created: Friday, 10 April 2015

The Humanities - History

InFoundation(includingLevelsAtoDforStudentswithDisabilities)toLevel2,thereisaparticularemphasisonthe
conceptsofcontinuityandchange,causeandeffect,andsignificancewithinthecontextofpersonal,familyandlocalhistory.
TheseconceptscontinuetobeafocusofstudyinLevels36withtheinclusionofcontentrelatedtoperspectiveschallenging
thenotionthatthepastisagivenandisunproblematic.InLevels710theconceptsofevidenceandcontestabilityare
introducedtofurtherdevelopstudents'understandingofthenatureofhistoricalinterpretationandargument.

Leveldescriptions
Leveldescriptionsprovideanoverviewofthecontentthatisbeingstudiedatthatlevel.Theyalsoemphasisetheinterrelated
natureofthetwostrandsandtheexpectationthatplanningwillinvolveintegrationofcontentfromacrossthestrands.

Contentdescriptions
AusVELSHistoryincludescontentdescriptionsateachlevel.Thesesetouttheknowledge,understandingandskillsthat
teachersareexpectedtoteachandstudentsareexpectedtolearn.Howevertheydonotprescribeapproachestoteaching.
Thecontentdescriptionshavebeenwrittentoensurethatlearningisappropriatelyorderedandthatunnecessaryrepetitionis
avoided.However,aconceptorskillintroducedatonelevelmayberevisited,strengthenedandextendedatlaterlevelsas
needed.

Contentelaborations
Contentelaborationsareprovidedforalllevelstoillustrateandexemplifycontentandtoassistteachersindevelopinga
commonunderstandingofthecontentdescriptions.Theyarenotintendedtobecomprehensivecontentpointsthatall
studentsneedtobetaught.

Glossary
Aglossaryisprovidedtosupportacommonunderstandingofkeytermsandconceptsinthecontentdescriptions.

HistoryacrossFoundationtoLevel10
TheAusVELScurriculumisdescribedbylevels.Thisdocumentprovidesadviceonthenatureoflearners,byleveland
ageandtherelevantcurriculum:
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FoundationtoLevel2:typicallystudentsfrom5to8yearsofage

Levels36:typicallystudentsfrom8to12yearsofage

Levels710:typicallystudentsfrom12to16yearsofage.

TheTowardsFoundationLevelAusVELSLevelsAtoD(StudentswithDisabilities)focussesonprogressingstudentsfrom
apreintentionaltointentionalstate,andarenotassociatedwithanysetageoryearlevelthatlinkschronologicalageto
cognitiveprogress.

FoundationtoLevel2
Curriculumfocus:Awarenessoffamilyhistoryandcommunityheritage
Throughexperimentation,practiceandplay,childrenintheselevelsusetheirinterestinpeopleandhowthingsworktomake
senseoftheirworld.

VCAA | AusVELS Curriculum | Date PDF created: Friday, 10 April 2015

The Humanities - History

ThishistorycurriculumenablesstudentsinFoundationtoLevel2tolearnabouttheirownsocialcontextoffamily,friendsand
school,andthesignificanceofthepast.Theyengagewiththeremainsofthepastdevelopaconceptoftimeaspresent,past
andfuture,andthroughroleplayusetheirimaginationtospeculateaboutthelivesofothersinthepast.

Levels36
Curriculumfocus:Local/nationalhistoryanduseofarangeofsources
Studentsdrawontheirgrowingexperienceoffamily,schoolandthewidercommunitytodeveloptheirunderstandingofthe
worldandtheirrelationshiptootherspastandpresent.Intheselevels,studentsbegintobetterunderstandandappreciate
differentpointsofviewandtodevelopanawarenessofjusticeandfairplay.
ThishistorycurriculumseekstotargetthedistinctnatureoflearnersinLevels3to6byincludingcontentaboutAboriginal
andTorresStraitIslandersocieties,democraticconceptsandrights,andthediversityofAustraliansociety.
Inthisway,studentsdevelopanunderstandingoftheheritageoftheircommunityandoftheirabilitytocontributetoit.They
becomeawareofsimilaritiesanddifferencesbetweenpeopleandbecomemoreawareofdiversityinthewidercommunity
aswellastheconceptofchangeovertime.

Levels710
Curriculumfocus:WorldandAustralianhistory,theanalysisanduseofsourcesandhistorical
interpretation
Asstudentsmoveintoadolescence,theyundergoarangeofimportantphysical,cognitive,emotionalandsocialchanges.
Studentsoftenbegintoquestionestablishedconventions,practicesandvalues.Theirinterestsextendwellbeyondtheirown
communitiesandtheybegintodevelopconcernsaboutwiderissues.
Studentsinthisagerangeincreasinglylookforandvaluelearningthatisperceivedtoberelevant,isconsistentwithpersonal
goals,and/orleadstoimportantoutcomes.Increasinglytheyareabletoworkwithmoreabstractconceptsandarekeento
explorethenatureofevidenceandthecontestabilityofideas.
Throughthishistorycurriculum,studentsinLevels7to10pursuebroadquestionssuchas:Howdoweknowaboutthe
ancientpast?Whatkeybeliefsandvaluesemergedandhowdidtheyinfluencesocieties?Howdidthenatureofglobal
conflictchangeduringthetwentiethcentury?Thiscurriculumalsoprovidesopportunitiestoengagestudentsthrough
contextsthataremeaningfulandrelevanttothemandthroughpastandpresentdebates.

Curriculumstructure:FoundationtoLevel6andLevels710
Thecurriculumstructureateachlevel(F6)includesadescriptionofthecontentfocusandkeyinquiryquestions.The
curriculumprovidesopportunitiesforthecontenttobetaughtusingspecificlocalcontexts.
Thecurriculumstructureateachlevel(710)includesadescriptionofthecontentfocus,keyinquiryquestions,overviewof
thehistoricalperiod,anddepthstudies.Theoverviewisdesignedtointroducethebroadcontentandcontextsforstudy.In
addition,forLevels710therearethreedepthstudiesthatprovideanopportunitytoinvestigateaspectsingreaterdepthand
thusprovidescopeforthedevelopmentofhistoricalknowledge,understandingandskills.Thecurriculumprovides
opportunitiesforthecontenttobetaughtusingspecificlocalcontexts.ThestudyofhistoryinLevels710consistsoffour
historicalperiods:
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theLevel7curriculumfocusesonhistoryfromthetimeoftheearliesthumancommunitiestotheendoftheancient
period(approximately60,000BCEc.650CE)aperioddefinedbythedevelopmentofculturalpracticesandorganised
societies

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The Humanities - History

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theLevel8curriculumfocusesonhistoryfromtheendoftheancientperiodtothebeginningofthemodernperiod
(c.6501750)aspanofhumanhistorymarkedbysignificanteconomic,religiousandpoliticalchange

theLevel9curriculumfocusesonthemakingofthemodernworldandAustraliafrom1750to1918aneraof
industrialism,nationalismandimperialism

theLevel10curriculumfocusesonthehistoryofthemodernworldandAustraliafrom1918tothepresentThe
twentiethcenturywasanimportantperiodinAustraliassocial,cultural,economicandpoliticaldevelopment.

TheAusVELSHistoryScopeandSequencechartisavailablefromtheVCAAwebsite.

AchievementStandards
Achievementstandardsindicatethequalityoflearningstudentsshouldtypicallydemonstratebyaparticularpointintheir
schooling.Theydescribethequalityoflearning(theextentofknowledge,thedepthofunderstandingandthesophisticationof
skills)thatwouldindicatethestudentiswellplacedtocommencethelearningrequiredatthenextlevelofachievement.
Thesequenceofachievementstandardsacrossthelevelsdescribesprogressinthelearningarea.Thissequenceprovides
teacherswithaframeworkofgrowthanddevelopmentinthelearningarea.
Studentworksamplesplayakeyroleincommunicatingexpectationsdescribedintheachievementstandards.Eachwork
sampleincludestherelevantassessmenttask,thestudentsresponse,andannotationsidentifyingthequalityoflearning
evidentinthestudentsresponseinrelationtorelevantpartsoftheachievementstandard.Together,thedescriptionofthe
achievementstandardandtheaccompanyingsetofannotatedworksampleshelpteacherstomakejudgmentsabout
whetherstudentshaveachievedthestandard.

DiversityofLearners
TheAusVELScurriculumhasbeendevelopedtoensurethatcurriculumcontentandachievementstandardsestablishhigh
expectationsforallstudents.Everystudentisentitledtoenrichinglearningexperiencesacrossallareasofthecurriculum.
StudentsinAustralianclassroomshavemultiple,diverseandchangingneedsthatareshapedbyindividuallearning
historiesandabilitiesaswellascultural,languagebackgroundsandsocioeconomicfactors.

StudentswithDisabilities
TheobjectivesofAusVELSarethesameforallstudents.Thecurriculumoffersflexibilityforteacherstotailortheirteachingin
waysthatproviderigorous,relevantandengaginglearningandassessmentopportunitiesforstudentswithdisabilities.
Moststudentswithdisabilitiescanengagewiththecurriculumprovidedthenecessaryadjustmentsaremadetothe
complexityofthecurriculumcontentandtothemeansthroughwhichstudentsdemonstratetheirknowledge,skillsand
understanding.
Forsomelearners,makingadjustmentstoinstructionalprocessesandtoassessmentstrategiesenablesstudentsto
achieveeducationalstandardscommensuratewiththeirpeers.
Forotherstudents,teacherswillneedtomakeappropriateadjustmentstothecomplexityofthecurriculumcontent,focusing
instructiononcontentdifferenttothattaughttoothersintheiragegroup.Itfollowsthatadjustmentswillalsoneedtobemade
tohowthestudentsprogressismonitored,assessedandreported.

VCAA | AusVELS Curriculum | Date PDF created: Friday, 10 April 2015

The Humanities - History

Forasmallpercentageofstudentswithdisabilities,theirlearningwillbewellbelowtheAusVELSFoundationstandards.
Mostofthesestudentshaveasignificantintellectualdisability.TowardsFoundationLevelAusVELSprovidesthiscohortof
studentswithaccesstocurriculumcontentandstandardsthatenablesstudentstomovetowardthelearningdescribedat
Foundationlevel.
ForAusVELSEnglish,Mathematics,ScienceandHistory,theTowardsFoundationLevelAusVELSmaterialsareintegrated
directlyintotheAusVELScurriculumandarereferredtoasLevelsAtoD.Thesematerialsincludelearningareaspecific
leveldescriptions,contentdescriptionsandelaborations,achievementstandardsandscopeandsequencecharts.
AboutLevelsAtoD(StudentswithDisabilities)
LevelsAtoD(StudentswithDisabilities)focusonprogressingstudentsfromapreintentionaltointentionalengagementin
learning.Theysupportstudentstodeveloptheirindependenceastheyexplore,participateandengageintheworldaround
them.Asstudentsprogressthroughtheselevels,theamountofsupportdecreasesastheyproceedtowardsbecoming
independentlearners.
LevelsAtoDarenotassociatedwithanysetageoryearlevelthatlinkschronologicalagetocognitiveprogress.Ratherthe
learningdescriptionsforlevelsAtoDarestructuredbythefollowingcontinuum:
LevelA:BeginningtoExplore
Atthislevelstudentsexperiencearangeoflearningactivitiesthatwillassistthemtoattendtoandexploretheworldaround
themwithasmuchindependenceaspossible.Experiencesaredesignedtomovestudentsfromapreintentionallevelof
respondingtoalevelwheretheresponseindicatesbeginningintention.Studentsneedhighlevelsofcoactivesupportand
focusedattentionfromtheteachertohelptheminitiateandrefinetheirresponses.Studentsdemonstratesomeawareness
andrecognitionoffamiliarpeopleandroutineactivities.
LevelB:ActiveExploration
Studentsatthislevelbecomelessreliantonhighlevelsofcoactivesupportandbecomemorereliantonverbalpromptsand
gesturestofacilitatetheirlearning.Theybegintoexploretheirworldindependentlyandengageinsimplecauseandeffect
playactivities.Studentsareabletofocusonstructuredlearningactivitiesforshortperiodsoftime.Theyrespondtofamiliar
peopleandeventsandbegintouseyes/noresponses.
LevelC:IntentionalParticipation
Studentsatthislevelarelessdependentoncoactivesupportandrespondmoreconsistentlytopromptsandsimpleclear
directionsfromtheteachertosupportthemintheirlearning.Theyaredisplayingthefirstsignsofindependenceand
becomingmorepeerfocused.Studentsparticipateinstructuredlearningactivitieswithothersandtheybegintousepictures,
photosandobjectstocommunicatepersonalinterestsandexperiences.Theystarttouseandlinksomefamiliarwordsand
imagestoconstructameaningfulcommunication.
LevelD:BuildingIndependence
Withteachersupportandcurriculumscaffolding,studentsatthislevelparticipatecooperativelyingrouplearningactivities.
Theyexpresstheirfeelings,needsandchoicesinincreasinglyappropriatewaysandcombineandsequencekeywordsand
imagestocommunicatepersonalinterestsandtorecountsignificantexperiences.Theyindicatebeginningunderstandingof
socialrulesandexpectationsandarebeginningtoreflectontheirownbehaviour.
SpecificleveldescriptionsforAusVELSHistoryareintegratedwiththeAusVELScurriculum,i.e.,see

http://ausvels.vcaa.vic.edu.au/TheHumanitiesHistory/Curriculum/F10.

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The Humanities - History

Formoreadviceinregardtocurriculumprovisionandstudentswithdisabilities,pleaseseetheAusVELSStudents

withDisabilitiesGuidelines(PDF).AdditionaladviceandsupportisalsoavailablefromtheDEECDAbilitiesBased
LearningandEducationSupport(ABLES)website.

Englishasanadditionallanguage
ManystudentsinAustralianschoolsarelearnersofEnglishasanadditionallanguage(EAL).LearnersofEALarestudents
whosefirstlanguageisalanguageotherthanStandardAustralianEnglishandwhorequireadditionalsupporttoassist
themtodevelopEnglishlanguageproficiency.WhilemanyEALlearnersdowellinschool,thereisasignificantgroupof
theselearnerswholeaveschoolwithoutachievingtheirpotential.
EALstudentscomefromdiversebackgroundsandmayinclude:
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childrenwhosefirstlanguageisalanguageotherthanEnglish

AboriginalandTorresStraitIslanderstudentswhosefirstlanguageisanIndigenouslanguage,includingtraditional
languages,creolesandrelatedvarieties,orAboriginalEnglish.

EALlearnersenterAustralianschoolsatdifferentagesandatdifferentstagesofEnglishlanguagelearningandhavevarious
educationalbackgroundsintheirfirstlanguages.Forsome,schoolistheonlyplacetheyuseEnglish.
TheaimsofAusVELSHistoryareultimatelythesameforallstudents.However,EALlearnersaresimultaneouslylearninga
newlanguageandtheknowledge,understandingandskillsofthehistorycurriculumthroughthatnewlanguage.They
requireadditionaltimeandsupport,alongwithinformedteachingthatexplicitlyaddressestheirlanguageneeds,and
assessmentsthattakeintoaccounttheirdevelopinglanguageproficiency.
AnationalEALdocumentisbeingproducedthatsupportstheAusVELScurriculum.Itprovidesadescriptionofhowlanguage
proficiencydevelops,andisavaluablereferenceforallteachers.Itallowshistoryteacherstoidentifythelanguagelevelsof
theEALlearnersintheirclassroomsandtoaddresstheirspecificlearningrequirementswhenteaching,ensuringequityof
accesstothehistorylearningareaforall.
Intheinterim,adviceabouthowtousethecurriculumwithEALstudentsisavailablehere.

Crosscurriculumpriorities
TherearethreecrosscurriculumprioritiesinAusVELSHistory:
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AboriginalandTorresStraitIslanderhistoriesandcultures

AsiaandAustraliasengagementwithAsia

Sustainability.

Thecrosscurriculumprioritiesareembeddedinthecurriculumandwillhaveastrongbutvaryingpresencedependingon
theirrelevancetoeachofthelearningareas.

AboriginalandTorresStraitIslanderhistoriesandcultures
AboriginalandTorresStraitIslandercommunitiesarestrong,richanddiverse.AboriginalandTorresStraitIslanderIdentityis
centraltothispriorityandisintrinsicallylinkedtoliving,learningAboriginalandTorresStraitIslandercommunities,deep
knowledgetraditionsandholisticworldview.

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The Humanities - History

AconceptualframeworkbasedonAboriginalandTorresStraitIslanderPeoplesuniquesenseofIdentityhasbeen
developedasastructuraltoolfortheembeddingofAboriginalandTorresStraitIslanderhistoriesandcultureswithin
AusVELSHistory.ThissenseofIdentityisapproachedthroughtheinterconnectedaspectsofCountry/Place,Peopleand
Culture.Embracingtheseelementsenhancesallareasofthecurriculum.
TheAboriginalandTorresStraitIslanderpriorityprovidesopportunitiesforalllearnerstodeepentheirknowledgeofAustralia
byengagingwiththeworldsoldestcontinuouslivingcultures.Thisknowledgeandunderstandingwillenrichtheirabilityto
participatepositivelyintheongoingdevelopmentofAustralia.
AusVELSHistoryvaluesAboriginalandTorresStraitIslanderhistoriesandcultures.ItcelebratesAboriginalandTorresStrait
IslanderhistoriesaspartofthesharedhistorybelongingtoallAustralians.
StudentswillexaminehistoricalperspectivesfromanAboriginalandTorresStraitIslanderviewpoint.Theywilllearnabout
AboriginalandTorresStraitIslanderPeoplespriortocolonisationbytheBritish,theensuingcontactanditsimpacts.They
willexaminekeypoliciesandpoliticalmovementsoverthelasttwocenturies.Studentswilldevelopanawarenessofthe
significantrolesofAboriginalandTorresStraitislanderpeopleinAustraliansociety.

AsiaandAustraliasengagementwithAsia
AusVELSHistory,thepriorityofAsiaandAustraliasengagementwithAsiaprovidesrichandengagingcontentandcontexts
fordevelopingstudentshistoricalknowledge,understandingandskills.
AusVELSHistoryenablesstudentstodevelopanunderstandingofhistoriesofthediversepeoplesofAsiaandtheir
contributionstotheregionandtheworld,andanappreciationoftheimportanceoftheregionforAustraliaandtheworld.This
happensasstudentslearnabouttheimportanceofthetraditions,beliefsandcelebrationsofpeoplesfromtheAsiaregion
andthroughthestudyofancientsocieties,trade,conflicts,progressivemovementsandmigrationtoAustraliabypeoplefrom
Asia.
Inthislearningarea,studentsrecognisethedynamicnatureofsociopoliticalrelationshipswithintheregionovertime,and
therolethatindividuals,governmentsandotherorganisationsplayinshapingrelationshipsbetweenpeoplesandcountries.
TheydevelopanappreciationofthehistoryofAustraliaAsiaengagementandhowthisinfluencescontemporary
relationshipswithinAustraliansocietyandrelationshipsbetweenAustraliaandthecountriesofAsia.Studentsalso
understandtheongoingroleplayedbyAustraliaandindividualAustralians,includingAustraliansofAsianheritage,inmajor
eventsanddevelopmentsintheAsiaregion.

Sustainability
InAusVELSHistory,thepriorityofsustainabilityprovidesacontextfordevelopingstudentshistoricalknowledge,
understandingandskills.Itassistsstudentsinunderstandingtheforcesthatinfluencecontinuityandchange.
AusVELSHistory providescontentthatsupportsthedevelopmentofstudentsworldviews,particularlyinrelationto
judgmentsaboutpastsocialandeconomicsystems,andaccesstoanduseoftheEarthsresources.Itprovides
opportunitiesforstudentstodevelopanhistoricalperspectiveonsustainability.Makingdecisionsaboutsustainabilitytohelp
shapeabetterfuturerequiresanunderstandingofhowthepastrelatestothepresent,andneedstobeinformedby
historicaltrendsandexperiences.
Inthislearningarea,studentsdevelopunderstanding,forexample,ofthechangesinenvironmentsovertime,theroleplayed
byindividualsandcommunitiesinprotectingenvironments,theemergenceoffarmingandsettledcommunities,the
developmentoftheIndustrialRevolutionandthegrowthofpopulation,theoveruseofnaturalresourcesandtheriseof
environmentalmovements.

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The Humanities - History

Level7
TheAncientWorld
TheLevel7curriculumprovidesastudyofhistoryfromthetimeoftheearliesthumancommunitiestotheendofthe
ancientperiod,approximately60000BC(BCE)c.650AD(CE).Itwasaperioddefinedbythedevelopmentofcultural
practicesandorganisedsocieties.Thestudyoftheancientworldincludesthediscoveries(theremainsofthepastand
whatweknow)andthemysteries(whatwedonotknow)aboutthisperiodofhistory,inarangeofsocietiesincluding
Australia,Egypt,Greece,Rome,ChinaandIndia.
Thecontentprovidesopportunitiestodevelophistoricalunderstandingthroughkeyconcepts,includingevidence,
continuityandchange,causeandeffect,perspectives,empathy,significanceandcontestability.Theseconceptsmay
beinvestigatedwithinaparticularhistoricalcontexttofacilitateanunderstandingofthepastandtoprovideafocusfor
historicalinquiries.
Thehistorycontentatthislevelinvolvestwostrands:HistoricalKnowledgeandUnderstandingandHistoricalSkills.
Thesestrandsareinterrelatedandshouldbetaughtinanintegratedwayandinwaysthatareappropriatetospecific
localcontexts.Theorderanddetailinwhichtheyaretaughtareprogrammingdecisions.
Aframeworkfordevelopingstudentshistoricalknowledge,understandingandskillsisprovidedbyinquiryquestions
throughtheuseandinterpretationofsources.Thekeyinquiryquestionsatthislevelare:
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Howdoweknowabouttheancientpast?

Whyandwheredidtheearliestsocietiesdevelop?

Whatemergedasthedefiningcharacteristicsofancientsocieties?

Whathavebeenthelegaciesofancientsocieties?

HistoricalKnowledgeandUnderstanding
Overview
Thefollowingcontentistobetaughtaspartofanoverviewforthehistoricalperiod.Itisnotintendedtobetaughtin
depth.Anoverviewwillconstituteapproximately10%ofthetotalteachingtimeforthelevel.Overviewcontentidentifies
importantfeaturesoftheperiod,approximately60000BC(BCE)c.650AD(CE),aspartofanexpansivechronology
thathelpsstudentsunderstandbroadpatternsofhistoricalchange.Assuch,theoverviewprovidesthebroader
contextfortheteachingofdepthstudycontentandcanbebuiltintovariouspartsofateachingandlearningprogram.
Thismeansthatoverviewcontentcanbeusedtogivestudentsanintroductiontothehistoricalperiodtomakethe
linkstoandbetweenthedepthstudiesandtoconsolidateunderstandingthroughareviewoftheperiod.
Overviewcontentfortheancientworld(Egypt,Mesopotamia,Persia,Greece,Rome,India,ChinaandtheMaya)
includesthefollowing:
thetheorythatpeoplemovedoutofAfricaaround60000BC(BCE)andmigratedtootherpartsoftheworld,including
Australia.
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usingamaptodescribethepatternofmovementofhumansoutofAfricaandacrossothercontinentsovertime,
andlookingatthetypesofevidenceofthesemovements(forexamplestonetools,humanremainsandcave
paintings)

theevidencefortheemergenceandestablishmentofancientsocieties(includingart,iconography,writingtoolsand

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The Humanities - History

pottery)
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exploringanearlyexampleofart(forexamplethe17000BCEgreatbullpaintingsfromtheLascauxCavein
France)anddiscussingwhytheymayhavebeenpainted

discussingtheevolvingnatureoftheevidenceinthisperiod,whichshowsincreasinglysophisticatedformsof
technology(forexamplethetransitionfrommakingtoolsoutofstone,boneandwoodtometalworking)

identifyingsourcesofevidencefortheemergenceoforganisedstates(forexampletheCuneiformscriptphonetic
writingoftheSumeriansc.3500BCEtheancientlawcodeofHammurabiclaytabletsfromancientBabylon
c.1790BCEartefactsfoundinthetombsatUrSumerc.2500BCE,whichindicatethepresenceofeitherroyalty
orpriestessespotteryshardsandfragmentsdiscoveredinPalestinemadeofmudfromtheRiverNileinEgypt
asevidenceoftrade

keyfeaturesofancientsocieties(farming,trade,socialclasses,religion,ruleoflaw)

exploringwhytheshiftfromhuntingandforagingtocultivation(andthedomesticationofanimals)ledtothe
developmentofpermanentsettlements

identifyingthemajorcivilisationsoftheancientworld(namelyEgypt,Mesopotamia,Persia,Greece,Rome,India,
ChinaandtheMaya)whereandwhentheyexisted,andtheevidenceforcontactbetweenthem

locatingthemajorcivilisationsoftheancientworldonaworldmapandusingatimelinetoidentifythelongevityof
eachancientcivilisation

identifyingthemajorreligions/philosophiesthatemergedbytheendoftheperiod(Hinduism,Judaism,
Buddhism,Confucianism,Christianity,Islam),andtheirkeybeliefs(throughgroupwork)

Depthstudies
Therearethreedepthstudiesforthishistoricalperiod.Foreachdepthstudy,thereareuptothreeelectivesthatfocus
onaparticularsociety,event,movementordevelopment.ItisexpectedthatONEelectivewillbestudiedindetail.A
depthstudyelectivewillconstituteapproximately30%ofthetotalteachingtimeforthelevel.Thecontentineachdepth
studyelectiveisdesignedtoallowdetailedstudyofspecificaspectsofthishistoricalperiod.Aspartofateachingand
learningprogram,depthstudycontentcanbeintegratedwiththeoverviewcontentand/orwithotherdepthstudy
electives.
1Investigatingtheancientpast

Elaborations

Studentsbuildonandconsolidatetheirunderstandingofhistoricalinquiryfrompreviouslevelsindepth,usinga
rangeofsourcesforthestudyoftheancientpast.
Investigatingtheancientpast
Howhistoriansandarchaeologistsinvestigate

identifyingdifferentapproachestohistoricalinvestigationsuch
astheuseofexcavationandstratigraphy,oralhistoryanduse
ofdataderivedfromradiocarbondating

listingarangeofsources(botharchaeologicalandwritten)
requiredinanhistoricalinvestigationtodeveloparesponseto
thequestion(s)beingasked

history,includingexcavationandarchival
research(ACDSEH001)
Therangeofsourcesthatcanbeusedinan
historicalinvestigation,including
archaeologicalandwrittensources
(ACDSEH029)

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Themethodsandsourcesusedtoinvestigate

evaluatingvariousmethodsforinvestigatingtheancientpast,
forexamplestratigraphytodatediscoveriesDNAtestingto
identifypastindividualsfromtheirremains(suchasEgyptian
mummies)aswellascommondiseases

usingacrosssectionaldrawingoftheearthssurfacefroman
archaeologicalexcavationtoidentifytheevidencelocatedat
variouslayers(stratigraphy)andwhatitrevealsaboutchange
overtime(forexampleacharcoallayercontaininghuman
remainsandweaponsmayindicatethecaptureand
destructionofanancientsettlementsuchasTroy)

investigatingthediscoveryofMungoWomanin1969andthe
useofradiocarbondatingtodrawconclusionsaboutthe
longevityofhumanoccupationatLakeMungo

generatingarangeofquestionstoinvestigateasource(for
exampleashellmiddeninancientAustraliawhereitwas
found,howlongitwasusedfor,whatitrevealsabout
technologyandtheuseofenvironmentalresources)

investigatingworldheritagecriteriaforthelistingofsignificant
ancientsites,usinganexampleofanancientsitesuchas
Pompeii

explainingtheUNESCOledrescuemissiontosavethe
templesofAbuSimbel

atleastONEhistoricalcontroversyormystery
thathaschallengedhistoriansor
archaeologists,suchasintheanalysisof
unidentifiedhumanremains(ACDSEH030)

ThenatureofthesourcesforancientAustralia
andwhattheyrevealaboutAustraliaspastin
theancientperiod,suchastheuseof
resources(ACDSEH031)

Theimportanceofconservingtheremainsof
theancientpast,includingtheheritageof
AboriginalandTorresStraitIslanderPeoples.
(ACDSEH148)

2TheMediterraneanworld

Elaborations

StudentsinvestigateONEoftheseMediterraneansocietiesindepth:EgyptorGreeceorRome.
Egypt
ThephysicalfeaturesofancientEgypt(suchas

describingtheimportanceoftheRiverNiletoEgyptiansociety
(forexampleinundationandfarming,theworshipofHapi(god
oftheNile),andtheuseoftheNileasameansof
transportation)

creatingagraphicrepresentationofthesocialstructureof
Egyptiansociety

outliningtherightsofwomen(forexampleintheareasof
marriage,familylife,workandeducation)andtheir
responsibilities(thatis,generallylimitedtothehomeand
family)

investigatingsignificantbeliefsassociatedwithdeathand
funerarycustoms(forexamplebeliefinanafterlife)and
practices(forexampleburialintombsandtechniquesof
mummification)

generatingalternativeexplanationsforthebuildingofthe
pyramidsatGiza

theRiverNile)andhowtheyinfluencedthe
civilisationthatdevelopedthere(ACDSEH002)

RolesofkeygroupsinancientEgyptiansociety
(suchasthenobility,bureaucracy,women,
slaves),includingtheinfluenceoflawand
religion(ACDSEH032)

Thesignificantbeliefs,valuesandpracticesof
theancientEgyptians,withaparticular
emphasisonONEofthefollowingareas:
everydaylife,warfare,ordeathandfunerary
customs(ACDSEH033)

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Contactsandconflictswithinand/orwithother

explainingthenatureofcontactwithothersocieties(for
exampletradewithCyprus,CreteandGreece)andconflict(for
exampletheBattleofKadeshintheNewKingdomthat
concludedwithRamesesIIspeacetreatywiththeHittites)

examiningthehistoricalcontext,earlylifeandachievementsof
asignificanthistoricalfigurefromancientEgypt,andhowthey
wereperceivedbytheircontemporaries

describingtheimpactoftheseaandmountainrangesof
AncientGreeceonthedevelopmentofselfgoverningcitystates

examiningevidenceofthesocialstructureofAthenianor
Spartansociety(forexampletherolesofcitizens,women,
slavesinAtheniansocietyandtherolesofSpartiates,Perioikoi
andHelotsinSpartansociety)

outliningtherightsofcitizensinancientAthens(forexamplethe
righttovote),theirresponsibilities(forexamplemilitaryservice,
attendingassemblymeetings)andtheinventionoffreedom

investigatingthesignificantbeliefs,valuesandpracticesofthe
ancientGreeks(forexampletheOlympicGamesortheDelphic
Oracle)

investigatingsignificantbeliefsandvaluesassociatedwith
warfare(forexampleheroicidealsasrevealedintheIliad)and
militarypractices(forexamplearmyorganisation,thehoplite
phalanxandnavalwarfare)

explainingthenatureofcontactwithothersocieties(for
examplethecommoditiesthatformedthetradewithEgypt,
GreekcolonisationoftheMediterranean),andconflict(for
examplethePersianWarsandtheBattleofSalamis,the
empireofAlexandertheGreatandthereachofGreekculture)

examiningthehistoricalcontext,earlylifeandachievementsof
asignificanthistoricalfigurefromancientGreece,andhowthey
wereperceivedbytheircontemporaries

societies,resultingindevelopmentssuchas
theconquestofotherlands,theexpansionof
trade,andpeacetreaties(ACDSEH034)

Theroleofasignificantindividualinancient
EgyptianhistorysuchasHatshepsutor
RamesesII(ACDSEH129)
OR
Greece
ThephysicalfeaturesofancientGreece(such
asitsmountainouslandscape)andhowthey
influencedthecivilisationthatdevelopedthere
(ACDSEH003)
RolesofkeygroupsinAthenianand/orSpartan
society(suchascitizens,women,slaves),
includingtheinfluenceoflawandreligion
(ACDSEH035)

Thesignificantbeliefs,valuesandpracticesof
theancientGreeks,withaparticularemphasis
onONEofthefollowingareas:everydaylife,
warfare,ordeathandfunerarycustoms
(ACDSEH036)

Contactsandconflictswithinand/orwithother
societies,resultingindevelopmentssuchas
theexpansionoftrade,colonisationandwar
(suchasthePeloponnesianandPersianwars)
(ACDSEH037)
Theroleofasignificantindividualinancient
GreekhistorysuchasLeonidasorPericles
(ACDSEH130)
OR
Rome

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The Humanities - History

ThephysicalfeaturesofancientRome(such

describingthemethodsusedbytheRomanstomanage
resources(forexamplethewatersupplythroughaqueducts
andplumbingsystems)

examiningtheevidenceofthesocialstructureofRoman
society(forexampletherolesofpatricians,plebeians,women
andslavesinthecityofRome)andtheideaofRepublican
virtueanditshistoricalresonance

describingthesignificanceofslaveryintheperiodofthe
RomanEmpire(forexampletheacquisitionofslavesthrough
warfare,theuseofslavesasgladiatorsandagricultural
labourers,andtheriseoffreedmen)

investigatingsignificantbeliefsassociatedwithdailylife(for
exampletheevidenceofhouseholdreligion)andpractices(for
exampletheuseofpublicamenitiessuchasbaths,andthe
formsofentertainmentintheatresandamphitheatres)

describingthefurthestextentoftheRomanEmpireandthe
influenceofforeigncultsonRomanreligiousbeliefsand
practices(forexamplethePantheonofGods(Greece),Isis
(Egypt)andMithras(Persia)

readingaccountsofcontactsbetweenRomeandAsian
societiesintheancientperiod(forexamplethevisitofChinese
andIndianenvoystoRomeinthetimeofAugustus,as
describedbytheRomanhistorianFlorus)

examiningthehistoricalcontext,earlylifeandachievementsof
asignificanthistoricalfigurefromancientRome,andhowthey
wereperceivedbytheircontemporaries

astheRiverTiber)andhowtheyinfluencedthe
civilisationthatdevelopedthere.(ACDSEH004)

RolesofkeygroupsinancientRomansociety
(suchaspatricians,plebeians,women,
slaves),includingtheinfluenceoflawand
religion.(ACDSEH038)

Thesignificantbeliefs,valuesandpracticesof
theancientRomans,withaparticular
emphasisonONEofthefollowingareas:
everydaylife,warfare,ordeathandfunerary
customs.(ACDSEH039)
Contactsandconflictswithinand/orwithother
societies,resultingindevelopmentssuchas
theexpansionoftrade,theriseoftheRoman
empire(includingitsmaterialremains),andthe
spreadofreligiousbeliefs(ACDSEH040)

Theroleofasignificantindividualinancient
RomeshistorysuchasJuliusCaesaror
Augustus(ACDSEH131)
3TheAsianworld

Elaborations

StudentsinvestigateONEoftheseAsiansocietiesindepth:ChinaorIndia
India
ThephysicalfeaturesofIndia(suchasfertile

describinghowharmoniousrelationshipswiththenatural
worldwerereflectedinIndianbeliefsystems(forexample
Hinduism,BuddhismandJainism)

creatingagraphicrepresentationoftheextentofIndiaasa
politicalunitatthistime,includingforexampleitsdiverse
climaticandgeographicalfeatures,typesandlocationoffood
production,areasofhighandlowdensitypopulation

riverplains)andhowtheyinfluencedthe
civilisationthatdevelopedthere(ACDSEH006)

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The Humanities - History

RolesofkeygroupsinIndiansocietyinthis

creatingagraphicrepresentationofthesocialstructureof
Indiansociety

explainingthesocialstructureofIndia,includingtheroleof
Brahminspriests,teachersKshatriyaskings,warriors
Vaishyasmerchants,artisansShudraslabourers,
peasants

investigatingthesignificantbeliefs,valuesandpracticesof
Indiansocietyassociatedwithforexample,ritesofpassagefor
boysandmenritesofpassageforgirlsandwomenmarriage
rites(forexample,theroleofthefamily,religiousceremonies).

investigatingthesignificantbeliefs,valuesandpracticesof
Indiansocietyassociatedwithdeathandfunerarycustoms(for
examplecremation,theuseofprofessionalmourners,the
constructionofstupas)

examiningtheextentofIndiancontactwithothersocietiessuch
asthePersiansunderCyrus,theMacedoniansunder
AlexandertheextensivetradewiththeRomansandChinese
thematerialremainsoftheMauryanEmpiresuchasthePillars
ofAshokaandtheBarabarCavesthespreadofHinduismand
Buddhism

examiningthehistoricalcontext,earlylifeandachievementsof
asignificanthistoricalfigurefromIndiainthisperiod,andhow
theywereperceivedbytheircontemporaries

describingthesignificanceoftheYellowRivertoirrigationand
theimpactoffeaturessuchastheHimalayasoncontactswith
othersocieties,includingtrade

creatingagraphicrepresentationofthesocialstructureof
Chinesesociety

outliningtherightsandresponsibilitiesofwomen(forexample
intheareasofmarriage,familylife,workandeducation)

investigatingthesignificantbeliefs,valuesandpracticesof
Chinesesocietyassociatedwithdailylife(forexampleirrigation
andthepracticeofagriculture,theteachingsofConfucius,the
evidenceofdailylifefromtheHantombs)

period(suchaskings,emperors,priests,
merchants,peasants),includingtheinfluence
oflawandreligion.(ACDSEH044)

Thesignificantbeliefs,valuesandpracticesof
Indiansociety,withaparticularemphasison
ONEofthefollowingareas:everydaylife,
warfare,ordeathandfunerarycustoms
(ACDSEH045)

Contactsandconflictswithinand/orwithother
societies,resultingindevelopmentssuchas
theexpansionoftrade,theriseoftheMauryan
Empire(includingitsmaterialremains),and
thespreadofphilosophiesandbeliefs
(ACDSEH046)

TheroleofasignificantindividualinIndian
historysuchasChandraguptaMauryaor
Ashoka(ACDSEH133)

OR
China
ThephysicalfeaturesofChina(suchasthe
YellowRiver)andhowtheyinfluencedthe
civilisationthatdevelopedthere(ACDSEH005)

RolesofkeygroupsinChinesesocietyinthis
period(suchaskings,emperors,scholars,
craftsmen,women),includingtheinfluenceof
lawandreligion.(ACDSEH041)

Thesignificantbeliefs,valuesandpracticesof
Chinesesociety,withaparticularemphasison
ONEofthefollowingareas:everydaylife,
warfare,ordeathandfunerarycustoms
(ACDSEH042)

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The Humanities - History

Contactsandconflictswithinand/orwithother

explainingtheriseofimperialChina(forexampletheuseof
chariotwarfareandtheadoptionofmassinfantryarmies,the
buildingofthefirstphaseoftheGreatWallofChina,military
strategiesascodifiedinSunTzusTheArtofWar)

examiningthehistoricalcontext,earlylifeandachievementsof
asignificanthistoricalfigurefromChinainthisperiod,andhow
theywereperceivedbytheircontemporaries

societies,resultingindevelopmentssuchas
theexpansionoftrade,theriseofImperial
China(includingitsmaterialremains),andthe
spreadofphilosophiesandbeliefs
(ACDSEH043)

Theroleofasignificantindividualinancient
ChinesehistorysuchasConfuciusorQinShi
Huang(ACDSEH132)

HistoricalSkills
Chronology,termsandconcepts
Sequencehistoricalevents,developments

Elaborations
l

identifyingtheapproximatebeginningandenddatesofancient
societiesandtheperiodsoftimewhentheycoexisted

definingandusingtermssuchasBC(BeforeChrist),AD(Anno
Domini),BCE(BeforeCommonEra),andCE(CommonEra)prehistory
(beforetheperiodoftextualrecording)andhistory(theperiodbeginning
withnamedindividualsandtextualrecording)

definingandusingconceptssuchasslavery,divineright,source(where
ahistorianfindsinformation)andevidence(theinformationthatisused
bythehistorian)

andperiods(ACHHS205)
Usehistoricaltermsandconcepts
(ACHHS206)

Historicalquestionsandresearch
Identifyarangeofquestionsaboutthe

Elaborations
l

posingakeyquestionsuchas:HowwerethepyramidsatGizabuilt?
andunderstandingthattheremaynotbeadefinitiveansweridentifying
relatedquestionstoinformtheinquiryincluding:Whatevidenceis
there?Whattheorieshavebeendeveloped?

posingquestionsofsourcessuchas:Wheredoesitcomefrom?How
doweknow?Whatinformationdoesitprovide?Whatothersources
mightbeneeded?

identifyingstepsintheresearchprocess(forexampleidentifying
informationneeded,locatingthatinformation,recordingrelevant
informationfromsources)

compilingalistofdifferentsources(forexamplepapyrusscrolls,coins,
statues,humanremains)

usingwebsearchtechniquestorefineasearchforinformation/images
relatedtoahistoricsite(forexampleuseofplacenames,datesand
searchwordssuchasphotogallery)

identifyinginformationwithinasourcethatcanbeusedasevidenceto
supportaninterpretation

pasttoinformanhistoricalinquiry
(ACHHS207)

Identifyandlocaterelevantsources,using
ICTandothermethods(ACHHS208)

Analysisanduseofsources

Elaborations

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The Humanities - History

l

discussingthedifficultiesinidentifyingtheoriginandpurposeofsome
sources(forexampletheKimberleyBradshawpaintings)

respondingtoquestionsaboutphotographs,artefacts,stories,
buildingsandothersourcestoexplainthepastsuchas:Who
wrote/producedthis?When?Why?Whatdoesitshowaboutthe
past?

differentiatingbetweenprimarysources(thosefromthetimeofthe
event/person/sitebeinginvestigated)andsecondarysources(those
thatrepresentlaterinterpretations)

creatingcategories(thatis,concepts)withwhichtoorganise
informationobtainedfromsources

evidence(ACHHS210)

identifyingarangeofarchaeologicalsources(forexamplethephysical
remainsoftheColosseum,gladiatorialequipmentsuchashelmets,
mosaicsshowinggladiatorialcombat,writtenaccountsofwhat
happenedintheColosseum)

Drawconclusionsabouttheusefulnessof

recognisingthat,whileevidencemaybelimitedforaparticulargroupof
people,suchevidencecanprovideusefulinsightsintothepower
structuresofasociety

distinguishingbetweenafact(forexamplesomegladiatorswore
helmets)andanopinion(forexampleallgladiatorswerebrave)

usingstrategiestodetectwhetherastatementisfactoropinion,
includingwordchoicesthatmayindicateanopinionisbeingoffered(for
exampletheuseofconditionals'might','could',andotherwordssuch
as'believe','think','suggests')

Identifytheoriginandpurposeofprimary
andsecondarysources(ACHHS209)

Locate,compare,selectanduse
informationfromarangeofsourcesas

sources(ACHHS211)

Perspectivesandinterpretations
Identifyanddescribepointsofview,

Elaborations
l

identifyingthepossiblemeaningofimagesandsymbolsinprimary
sources

identifyingtheperspectiveinahistoricalsource,suchasthesayingof
Confuciusthat,womenandunderlingsareespeciallydifficulttohandle
anddiscussingthevaluesandattitudesofthesocietythatproducedit

attitudesandvaluesinprimaryand
secondarysources(ACHHS212)

Explanationandcommunication
Developtexts,particularlydescriptionsand

Elaborations
l

outliningthesignificanceofapastevent,providingreasonsfortheevent
andreferringtorelevantevidence

describingthesocialstructureoftheancientsociety,usingevidence
fromsourcessuchasartworkandwrittenaccounts

creatinganaudiovisualpresentation,usingICT,torecreateandshow
thespecificfeaturesofanancientbattle,temple,pyramidcomplexor
burialsite

explanationsthatuseevidencefroma
rangeofsourcesthatareacknowledged
(ACHHS213)

Usearangeofcommunicationforms
(oral,graphic,written)anddigital
technologies(ACHHS214)

Level7achievementstandard

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The Humanities - History

BytheendofLevel7,studentssuggestreasonsforchangeandcontinuityovertime.Theydescribetheeffectsofchangeon
societies,individualsandgroups.Theydescribeeventsanddevelopmentsfromtheperspectiveofdifferentpeoplewholived
atthetime.Studentsexplaintheroleofgroupsandthesignificanceofparticularindividualsinsociety.Theyidentifypast
eventsanddevelopmentsthathavebeeninterpretedindifferentways.
Studentssequenceeventsanddevelopmentswithinachronologicalframework,usingdatingconventionstorepresentand
measuretime.Whenresearching,studentsdevelopquestionstoframeanhistoricalinquiry.Theyidentifyandselectarange
ofsourcesandlocate,compareanduseinformationtoanswerinquiryquestions.Theyexaminesourcestoexplainpointsof
view.Wheninterpretingsources,theyidentifytheiroriginandpurpose.Studentsdeveloptexts,particularlydescriptionsand
explanations.Indevelopingthesetextsandorganisingandpresentingtheirfindings,theyusehistoricaltermsandconcepts,
incorporaterelevantsources,andacknowledgetheirsourcesofinformation.

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The Humanities - History

Level8
TheAncienttotheModernWorld
TheLevel8curriculumprovidesstudyofhistoryfromtheendoftheancientperiodtothebeginningofthemodernperiod,
c.650AD(CE)1750.Thiswaswhenmajorcivilisationsaroundtheworldcameintocontactwitheachother.Social,
economic,religious,andpoliticalbeliefswereoftenchallengedandsignificantlychanged.Itwastheperiodwhenthe
modernworldbegantotakeshape.
Thecontentprovidesopportunitiestodevelophistoricalunderstandingthroughkeyconcepts,includingevidence,
continuityandchange,causeandeffect,perspectives,empathy,significanceandcontestability.Theseconceptsmay
beinvestigatedwithinaparticularhistoricalcontexttofacilitateanunderstandingofthepastandtoprovideafocusfor
historicalinquiries.
Thehistorycontentatthislevelinvolvestwostrands:HistoricalKnowledgeandUnderstandingandHistoricalSkills.
Thesestrandsareinterrelatedandshouldbetaughtinanintegratedwayandinwaysthatareappropriatetospecific
localcontexts.Theorderanddetailinwhichtheyaretaughtareprogrammingdecisions.
Aframeworkfordevelopingstudentshistoricalknowledge,understandingandskillsisprovidedbyinquiryquestions
throughtheuseandinterpretationofsources.Thekeyinquiryquestionsatthislevelare:
l

Howdidsocietieschangefromtheendoftheancientperiodtothebeginningofthemodernage?

Whatkeybeliefsandvaluesemergedandhowdidtheyinfluencesocieties?

Whatwerethecausesandeffectsofcontactbetweensocietiesinthisperiod?

Whichsignificantpeople,groupsandideasfromthisperiodhaveinfluencedtheworldtoday?

HistoricalKnowledgeandUnderstanding
Overview
Thefollowingcontentistaughtaspartofanoverviewforthehistoricalperiod.Itisnotintendedtobetaughtindepth.
Anoverviewwillconstituteapproximately10%ofthetotalteachingtimeforthelevel.Overviewcontentidentifies
importantfeaturesoftheperiod,c.650AD(CE)1750,aspartofanexpansivechronologythathelpsstudents
understandbroadpatternsofhistoricalchange.Assuch,theoverviewprovidesthebroadercontextfortheteachingof
depthstudycontentandcanbebuiltintovariouspartsofateachingandlearningprogram.Thismeansthatoverview
contentcanbeusedtogivestudentsanintroductiontothehistoricalperiodtomakethelinkstoandbetweenthe
depthstudiesandtoconsolidateunderstandingthroughareviewoftheperiod.
Overviewcontentfortheancienttomodernworld(Byzantine,Celtic,AngloSaxon,Viking,Ottoman,Khmer,Mongols,
YuanandMingdynasties,Aztec,Inca)includesthefollowing:
thetransformationoftheRomanworldandthespreadofChristianityandIslam
l

recognisinghowrelationsbetweentheIslamicandWesternworldswerecharacterisedbybothpeaceful
coexistence(trade)andconflictduringthisperiod(theCrusades)

discussingBritainaftertheendoftheRomanoccupationtheAngloSaxonkingdomsOldEnglishandthe
foundationsofmodernEnglishBeowulfandarchaeologyAngloSaxoninstitutionsandtherootsofmedieval
parliament

keyfeaturesofthemedievalworld(feudalism,traderoutes,voyagesofdiscovery,contactandconflict)

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l

describingbeliefsabouttheworldandthevoyagesofdiscovery(EuropeanandAsian),thenatureofthevoyages
andtheredrawingofthemapoftheworld

locatingthemajortradingroutes(includingtheMediterraneantheSilkRoadthesearoutebetweenChina,India
andtheeastcoastofAfricaandtheColumbianExchange)onamapandidentifyingthenatureofthe
trade/contact(forexamplealongtheSilkRoadslaves,spices,silk,glassware,spreadofknowledgeand
diseases)

identifyingthemajorcivilisationsoftheperiod(Byzantine,Celtic,AngloSaxon,Viking,Ottoman,Khmer,Mongols,
YuanandMingdynasties,Aztec,Inca)whereandwhentheyexistedandtheirextent(forexampletheVikings
throughEurope,theMongolsacrossEurasia,andSpainintheAmericas)

explainingthesignificanceoflandownershipinthepracticeoffeudalismandthenatureoffeudalisminEurope
(forexampleknights)andJapan(forexamplesamurai)

theemergenceofideasabouttheworldandtheplaceofpeopleinitbytheendoftheperiod(suchasthe
Renaissance,theScientificRevolutionandtheEnlightenment).

discussingtheextentofknowledgeabouttheworldasindicatedthroughchangingworldmaps(forexamplethe
DaMingHunYiTuworldmap(1389CE)andtheNovaTotiusTerrarumOrbisbyHendrikHondius(1630)

Depthstudies
Therearethreedepthstudiesforthishistoricalperiod.Foreachdepthstudy,thereareuptofourelectivesthatfocus
onaparticularsociety,event,movementordevelopment.ItisexpectedthatONEelectivewillbestudiedindetail.A
depthstudywillconstituteapproximately30%ofthetotalteachingtimeforthelevel.Thecontentineachdepthstudy
electiveisdesignedtoallowdetailedstudyofspecificaspectsofthishistoricalperiod.Aspartofateachingand
learningprogram,depthstudycontentcanbeintegratedwiththeoverviewcontentand/orwithotherdepthstudy
electives.
1TheWesternandIslamicWorld

Elaborations

StudentsinvestigateONEofthesesocieties/empiresfromtheWesternorIslamicworldindepth:theVikingsor
MedievalEuropeortheOttomanEmpireorRenaissanceItaly.
TheOttomanEmpire(c.1299c.1683)
ThewayoflifeintheOttomanEmpire(social,

describingthewayoflifeofpeopleintheOttomanEmpire
(forexampletheroleofthecoffeehouseandbazaaror
marketplace,thepowerandresponsibilityoftheSultanto
ensurethatjusticewasservedwithinsociety)

describingOttomanartandarchitecture(forexamplethe
SelimiyeMosqueinthecityofEdirneinTurkey,andIslamic
geometricdesign)

outliningthemilletsystemthatregardednonMuslim
peopleassubjects,butasnotbeingsubjecttoMuslimlaw

explainingthetoleranceoftheOttomanstowards
ChristiansandJews

cultural,economicandpoliticalfeatures)andthe
rolesandrelationshipsofdifferentgroupsinsociety
(ACDSEH009)
Significantdevelopmentsand/orcultural
achievementsthatreflectthepowerandinfluenceof
theOttomanEmpire,suchasthefallof
Constantinoplein1453AD(CE),artand
architecture.(ACDSEH053)
Relationshipswithsubjectpeoples,includingthe
policyofreligioustolerance(ACDSEH054)

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The Humanities - History

TheroleofsignificantindividualssuchasSelimIor

investigatingtheachievementsofindividuals(forexample
SelimIinestablishingtheempireandcapturing
JerusalemorSuleimantheMagnificentinexpandingthe
empiretoBelgradeinEurope)

describingthewayoflifeofpeopleinRenaissanceItaly(for
exampletheroleofmenintendingthefieldsormerchant
shops,theinfluenceofgovernmentinparticularcitystates,
forexampleNaplesamonarchy,Florencearepublic)

describingtheworkofLeonardoDaVinciforexamplehis
artworks(theMonaLisaandTheLastSupper)and
inventions(arudimentaryhelicopterandsolarpower)the
workofMichelangelo(forexampletheSistineChapel
paintings,David,Pieta)thethinkingofCopernicus(for
exampleastronomyseeingthesunasthecentreofthe
universe)andtheinventionoftheprintingpress

investigatinglearningintheRenaissanceperiod(for
examplehumanism,astrology,alchemy,theinfluenceof
ancientGreeceandRome)

explainingtheinfluenceoftheMedicifamilyinFlorenceas
bankersandmerchants,andtheirpatronageofthearts

investigatingtheachievementsofGalileo(forexample
improvementsinthetelescopeandhisastronomical
observations)

outliningthespreadofRenaissanceculturetoEngland(for
exampletheriseofliteraturethroughShakespeare)

locatingVikinglandsinScandinavia(Denmark,Norway
andSweden)

describingthewayoflifeoftheVikings(forexampleliving
inacoldandharshenvironmenttheimportanceoffarming
andraidsthesignificanceofhonourinVikingwarrior
society)

SuleimantheMagnificentinmaintainingthe
strengthandinfluenceoftheOttomanEmpire
(ACDSEH055)
OR
RenaissanceItaly(c.1400c.1600)
ThewayoflifeinRenaissanceItaly(social,cultural,
economicandpoliticalfeatures)andtherolesand
relationshipsofdifferentgroupsinsociety
(ACDSEH010)
Significantdevelopmentsand/orcultural
achievementsthatreflecttheconcentrationof
wealthandpowerinthecitystates,suchasartand
learning(ACDSEH056)

RelationshipsbetweenrulersandruledinONE
ItaliancitystatesuchasFlorenceorNaples
(ACDSEH057)
Theroleandachievementsofsignificantindividuals
suchasLucreziaBorgia,Galileo,Leonardoda
Vinci,NiccoloMachiavelli(ACDSEH058)
ThespreadofRenaissanceculturetotherestof
Europe,anditslegacy(ACDSEH059)
OR
TheVikings(c.790c.1066)
ThewayoflifeinVikingsociety(social,cultural,
economicandpoliticalfeatures)andtherolesand
relationshipsofdifferentgroupsinsociety
(ACDSEH007)

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The Humanities - History

Significantdevelopmentsand/orcultural

describingVikingcraftwithparticularemphasisonthe
productionofweapons(forexampleswords,battleaxes
andhelmets)

outliningthekeyroleofgodssuchasOdin,Thor,Freyand
FreyjainVikingreligionandtheadoptionofChristianity
duringtheVikingperiod

investigatingtheconstructionoflongboatsandtheirrolein
exploration,includinginnovationsinkeelandsaildesign.

describingevidenceofVikingtradebetweenRussia(Kiev)
andtheeast(throughConstantinople)

explainingtheattacksonmonasteries,forexample
Lindisfarne(793CE)andIona(795CE)andreviewingthe
writtenaccountsbymonksthatcontributedtotheVikings'
reputationforpillageandviolence

thesurvivalofaheroicIronAgesocietyinEarlyMedieval
Ireland,asdescribedinthevernacularepics,andits
transformationbythespreadofChristianitytheinfluenceof
theVikingstheAngloNormanconquest

investigatingtheremainsofVikingsettlements(for
exampleDublin(Ireland)andJorvik(York)

outliningEriktheRedsdevelopmentofVikingsettlements
inEasternandWesternGreenlandin985CE

comparingtheartefactsdiscoveredatLAnseaux

achievementsthatledtoVikingexpansion,
includingweaponsandshipbuilding,andtheextent
oftheirtrade(ACDSEH047)

Vikingconquestsandrelationshipswithsubject
peoples,includingtheperspectivesofmonks,
changesinthewayoflifeoftheEnglish,andthe
Normaninvasion(ACDSEH048)

Theroleofasignificantindividualintheexpansion
ofVikingsettlementandinfluence,suchasErikthe
RedorLeifEricson

MeadowsinNewfoundland(Canada)withVikingartefacts
(ACDSEH049)

aspossibleevidencethattheVikingshaddiscovered
America500yearsbeforeChristopherColumbus

OR
MedievalEurope(c.590c.1500)
ThewayoflifeinMedievalEurope(social,cultural,

economicandpoliticalfeatures)andtherolesand
relationshipsofdifferentgroupsinsociety

describingthestructureoffeudalsociety(forexamplethe
roleandresponsibilitiesoftheking,nobles,church,
knightsandpeasants)

(ACDSEH008)

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The Humanities - History

Significantdevelopmentsand/orcultural

describingthefeaturesofcastlesandchurchesofthe
period(forexampleWarwickCastleinEnglandandNotre
DameCathedralinParis)asexamplesoftheChurchs
powerintermsofitscontrolofwealthandlabour

outlininginventionsanddevelopmentsintheIslamicworld
(forexampletheastrolabe,publichospitalsandlibraries
andtheirsubsequentadoptionintheWesternworld)

recognisingthatthemedievalmanuscriptsofmonastic
scribescontributedtothesurvivalofmanyancientGreek
andRomanliterarytexts

examiningthereligiousnatureofilluminatedmanuscripts
andhowtheyweretheproductofacomplexandfrequently
costlyprocess

listeningtotheGregorianchantsofWesternChristianity
andexploringhowtheyreflectthenatureandpowerofthe
Churchinthisperiod

investigatingdifferenttypesofcrimeandpunishment(for
exampletrialbycombatasaprivilegegrantedtothe
nobilitybeinghung,drawnandquarteredasapunishment
forheinouscrimessuchastreason,andtheuseofthe
duckingstoolasapunishmentforwomen)andinwhat
waysthenatureofcrimeandpunishmentstayedthesame,
orchangedovertime

explainingwhyCharlemagnewasasignificantfigurein
MedievalEurope,suchashisexpansionoftheFrankish
kingdomandhissupportoftheChurch

achievements,suchaschangingrelationsbetween
IslamandtheWest(includingtheCrusades),
architecture,medievalmanuscriptsandmusic
(ACDSEH050)

ContinuityandchangeinsocietyinONEofthe
followingareas:crimeandpunishmentmilitaryand
defencesystemstowns,citiesandcommerce
(ACDSEH051)

ThedominanceoftheCatholicChurchandtherole
ofsignificantindividualssuchasCharlemagne
(ACDSEH052)
2TheAsiaPacificWorld

Elaborations

StudentsinvestigateONEoftheseAsiaPacificsocietiesindepth:theAngkor/KhmerEmpireorShogunateJapanor
thePolynesianexpansionacrossthePacific.N.B.Whereappropriate,thisdepthstudymayincludesomereference
beyondtheendoftheperiodc.1750.
Angkor/KhmerEmpire(c.802c.1431)
ThewayoflifeintheKhmerEmpire,including,

describingthewayoflifeintheKhmerEmpirethrough
stonecarvingsandthewritingsoftheChinese
AmbassadorZhouDaguan(forexampleinrelationto
fishing,tradinginmarkets,templeconstruction)

explaininghowbeingreveredasthegodkingordeva
rajaenabledtheKhmerkingstoruleovertheempirewith
absoluteauthority,therebyenhancingtheirabilityto
mobilisemanpowertodefendtheempireaswellasto
invadeneighbours

social,cultural,economicandpoliticalfeatures
(includingtheroleoftheking).(ACDSEH011)

ThereasonsforAngkorsrisetoprominence,
includingwealthfromtradeandagriculture
(ACDSEH060)

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The Humanities - History

TheculturalachievementsoftheKhmercivilisation,

describingthemainfeaturesofthewatermanagement
systematAngkor(forexampletheextensiveuseof
reservoirsandcanals)

outliningtheoriesaboutthedeclineoftheKhmer
civilisation(forexamplethedevelopmentofanunstable
climatesuchasdroughtandmonsoons,theriseof
TheravadaBuddhismthearrivaloftheBlackDeathandthe
breakdownofAngkorswatermanagementsystem)

describingthewayoflifeinfeudalJapanunderthe
shoguns(forexamplebushidothechivalriccodeof
conductofthesamuraithatemphasisedfrugality,loyalty,
masteryofmartialarts,andhonour)

describingtherelationshipbetweentheemperor,shogun,
daimyo(lords)samurai(warriors),workers(forexample
farmers,artisansandtraders)

explainingreasonsforJapansclosuretoforeignersunder
theTokugawaShogunateandtheimpactofUS
CommodorePerrysvisitin1853

investigatingthedemandforavailablelandandthe
patternsoflanduseintheperiod

outliningtheattemptsbytheTokugawaShogunatetocurb
deforestation(forexampleimposingheavyregulationson
farmersmanagingtheharvestingoftreesandusingnew,
lighterandmoreefficientconstructiontechniques)

describinginternalpressuresinshogunateJapan(for
exampletheriseofacommercialclassattheexpenseof
thesamurai,peasantuprisingssuchasOsaka1837,and
famine)

describingtheincreasingexposuretoWesterntechnology
andideas(forexampletheestablishmentofanavalschool
withDutchinstructors,thetranslationofWesternbooks)

evaluatingthesignificanceoftheMeijiRestorationof1868
CEthatrestoredimperialruletoJapan

includingitssystemofwatermanagementandthe
buildingofthetemplesofAngkor(ACDSEH061)

TheoriesofthedeclineofAngkor,suchasthe
overuseofwaterresources,neglectofpublicworks
asaresultofongoingwar,andtheeffectsof
climatechange(ACDSEH062)

OR
JapanundertheShoguns(c.7941867)
ThewayoflifeinshogunateJapan,including
social,cultural,economicandpoliticalfeatures
(includingthefeudalsystemandtheincreasing
poweroftheshogun)(ACDSEH012)

TheroleoftheTokugawaShogunateinreimposing
afeudalsystem(basedondaimyoandsamurai)
andtheincreasingcontroloftheShogunover
foreigntrade.(ACDSEH063)

TheuseofenvironmentalresourcesinShogunate
Japanandtheforestryandlandusepoliciesofthe
TokugawaShogunate(ACDSEH064)

TheoriesaboutthedeclineoftheShogunate,
includingmodernisationandwesternisation,
throughtheadoptionofWesternarmsand
technology(ACDSEH065)

OR
ThePolynesianexpansionacrossthePacific(c.7001756)

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The Humanities - History

TheoriesabouttheoriginandspreadofPolynesian

locatingPolynesiaonamap,tracingtheexpansionof
PolynesiansettlersthroughoutthePacific,andconsidering
howtheymadetheirjourneys

outliningdifferenttheoriesabouttheexpansion(for
examplewest/eastandeast/westmovement,the
expansionasaccidentalversusintentional)

describingthewayoflifeofEasterIslandsociety(Rapa
Nui)forexamplefishingbythemen,linksbetweenthe
householdandtheextendedclanthroughtheexchangeof
goods,wives,andlabourtheuseofstonetools

investigatingtheconstructionofthemoai(giantstatues)on
EasterIsland(RapaNui),thetechniquesusedtomake
andtransportthem,andtheoriesabouttheirmeaning(for
examplerepresentationsofdeadancestorsorchiefs)

researchingtheextinctionofthemoainNewZealandasa
resultofhuntingandhabitatdecline

explainingthesignificanceofRahuiasawayofprohibiting
thecollectionofresources,toensuretheirsustainability

evaluatingtheevidencefortheoriesaboutthedeforestation
ofEasterIsland(RapaNui)

settlersthroughoutthePacific(ACDSEH013)

ThewayoflifeinONEPolynesiansociety,including
social,cultural,economicandpoliticalfeatures,
suchastheroleofthearikiinMaoriandinRapa
Nuisociety(EasterIsland)(ACDSEH066)
TheculturalachievementsofONEPolynesian
society,suchastheTamokoandhangiinMaori
societyORthemoaiconstructedonEasterIsland
(ACDSEH067)
ThewayPolynesiansocietiesusedenvironmental
resources(sustainablyandunsustainably),
includingtheextinctionofthemoainNewZealand,
theuseofreligious/supernaturalthreatsto
conserveresources,andtheexploitationofEaster
Islandspalmtrees(ACDSEH068)

3Expandingcontacts

Elaborations

StudentsinvestigateONEofthefollowinghistoricaldevelopmentsindepthtoexploretheinteractionofsocietiesin
thisperiod:theMongolexpansionortheBlackDeathinAfrica,AsiaandEuropeortheSpanishconquestoftheAztecs
andIncas.
MongolExpansion(c.1206c.1368)
ThenomadiclifestyleoftheMongolsandtheriseof

describingthenomadicnatureofMongollifeandtheriseof
Temujin(GenghisKhan)whounitedallMongoltribesin
1206CE

outliningGenghisKhansuseofdecimalorganisationin
hisarmyandhispoliciesforgoverninghisempire(for
examplecodifyinglaws,banningthekillingofanimalsin
thebreedingseason,supportingreligiousfreedom,and
expandingtrade)

mappingtheexpansionoftheMongolempireacrossAsia
andEurope

describingthewayoflifeinMongoliaanditsincorporation
intoChineselife(forexampleagriculturedomestication
ofanimalssuchashorses,camelsandcattlefooddried
meatandyoghurtandhousingyurts)

Temujin(GenghisKhan)(ACDSEH014)

TheorganisationoftheMongolarmyunder
GenghisKhanandthetreatmentofconquered
peoples,suchasthecodificationoflawsand
exemptionofteachers,lawyersandartistsfrom
taxes(ACDSEH077)

TheextentoftheMongolexpansionasoneofthe
largestlandempiresinhistory,includinglifein
Chinabefore,duringandaftertheMongolconquest
(ACDSEH078)

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The Humanities - History

TheconsequencesoftheMongolexpansion,

includingcontributionstoEuropeanknowledgeand
traderoutes(ACDSEH079)

explainingtheroleoftheMongolsinforgingconnections
betweenEuropeandAsiathroughconquest,settlement
andtrade(forexampletheuseofpapermoneyand
coinagethegrowingnumberofEuropeanmerchants
travellingtoChina)

OR
TheBlackDeathinAsia,EuropeandAfrica(14thcenturyplague)
Livingconditionsandreligiousbeliefsinthe14th

investigatinglivingconditionsinLondoninthefourteenth
century(forexamplethelackofsanitation,crowded
housing)theextentofmedicalknowledge(forexample
basedonHippocratestheory)andbeliefsaboutthepower
ofGod(forexamplethatdiseaseswereapunishmentof
God)

mappingthespreadoftheBlackDeath(Asia,Africa,
Europe)inthefourteenthcenturyCE

explainingreactionstotheBlackDeath,forexamplethe
emergenceofflagellants(thosewhowouldwhip
themselvestobefreeofsin)andthepersecutionofJewish
people

usingstudiesofchurchrecordsfromtheperiodtoidentify
theeffectoftheBlackDeathonhumanpopulationsandto
considerthereliabilityofthesestatistics

categorisingtheeffectsoftheBlackDeath,aseithershort
termorlongtermanddrawingconclusionsaboutthe
severityoftheBlackDeath

century,includinglifeexpectancy,medical
knowledgeandbeliefsaboutthepowerofGod
(ACDSEH015)

TheroleofexpandingtradebetweenEuropeand
AsiaintheBlackDeath,includingtheoriginand
spreadofthedisease(ACDSEH069)

ThecausesandsymptomsoftheBlackDeathand
theresponsesofdifferentgroupsinsocietytothe
spreadofthedisease,suchastheflagellantsand
monasteries(ACDSEH070)

TheeffectsoftheBlackDeathonAsian,European
andAfricanpopulations,andconflictingtheories
abouttheimpactoftheplague(ACDSEH071)

OtherimmediateandlongtermeffectsoftheBlack
Death,includinglabourshortages,peasant
uprisings,theweakeningoffeudalstructures,and
increasedsocialmobility(ACDSEH072)
OR

TheSpanishConquestoftheAmericas(c.1492c.1572)
PreColumbianlifeintheAmericas,includingsocial

organisation,citylifeandbeliefs.(ACDSEH016)

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describingthesocialorganisationoftheAztecs(for
examplenobility,slaves)theirbeliefs(forexampleworship
ofanumberofgodsandtheneedtomakehuman
sacrificestoappeasethesegods)lifeinthecapitalcity
Tenochtitlan

26

The Humanities - History

When,howandwhytheSpanisharrivedinthe

explainingthearrivalofSpanishconquistadoresinMexico
andPerufrom1510CE(Balboa)to1531(Pizarro),and
theirreasons(forexampleseekingwealth,claimingland
fortheirking,convertingthelocalpopulationsto
Christianity,senseofadventure)

describingencountersbetweenHernanCortesandthe
Aztecs,aswellasthesiegeofTenochtitlan

outliningtheimpactofSpanishconquestontheAmericas
(forexamplethespreadofdiseaseduetothelackof
immunitytheintroductionofcropssuchasmaize,beans,
potatoes,tobaccoandchocolatefromtheAmericasto
Europe)

explainingthelongertermeffectsofconquestand
colonisationontheindigenouspopulationsofthe
Americas(forexampletheunequaldistributionoflandand
wealth,andpoliticalinequality)

Americas,andwheretheywent,includingthe
varioussocietiesandgeographicalfeaturesthey
encountered(ACDSEH073)

ThenatureoftheinteractionbetweentheSpanish
andtheindigenouspopulations,withaparticular
focusoneithertheAztecsORIncas(ACDSEH074)
TheimpactoftheconquestontheAztecsORIncas
aswellasonthewiderworld,suchasthe
introductionofnewdiseases,horsesand
gunpowderintheAmericas,andnewfoodsand
increasedwealthinEurope(ACDSEH075)
Thelongertermeffectsofcolonisation,including
slavery,populationchangesandlackofcontrolover
resources(ACDSEH076)

HistoricalSkills
Chronology,termsandconcepts
Sequencehistoricalevents,developments

Elaborations
l

placinghistoricaleventsinsequenceinordertoidentifybroader
patternsofcontinuityandchange(forexamplethePolynesian
expansionacrossthePacificthestabilityoftheAngkor/KhmerEmpire
overmanycenturies)

understandingthedifferentmeaningsofparticulartermsand
conceptswhenviewedintheirhistoricalcontext,suchasfeudalismin
medievalEuropeandJapan

andperiods(ACHHS148)

Usehistoricaltermsandconcepts
(ACHHS149)

Historicalquestionsandresearch
Identifyarangeofquestionsaboutthepast

Elaborations
l

experimentingwithdifferentwords/phrases/historicalconcepts,when
draftingaquestion,todeveloparesearchfocus

posingakeyquestionsuchas:WhydidEasterisland(RapaNui)
societydecline?andidentifyingrelatedquestionstoinformtheinquiry
(forexampleWhatevidenceisthere?Whattheorieshavebeen
developed?)

compilingalistofdifferentsourcesneededinaninquiryandtheir
possiblelocations

toinformanhistoricalinquiry(ACHHS150)

Identifyandlocaterelevantsources,using
ICTandothermethods(ACHHS151)
Analysisanduseofsources

Elaborations

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The Humanities - History

l

explaininghowclueswithinasourcecanbeusedtoidentifywhereit
wasmadeorwhoitwasmadeby(forexampletheplacewhereitwas
found,thematerialsused,theconditionoftheobject,decorative
features)

Locate,compare,selectanduse

creatingcategoriestoorganisetheinformationobtainedfromsources

informationfromarangeofsourcesas

designingatabletolistsourcesandtheaspectsofthepastabout
whichtheyprovideinformation(forexamplesocialstructure,economy,
governance)

recognisingthat,whileevidencemaybelimitedforaparticulargroup
ofpeople,suchevidencecanprovideusefulinsightsintothepower
structuresofasociety

distinguishingbetweenfact(forexampleTheMoaiwereconstructed
onEasterIsland(RapaNui))andopinionorinterpretation(for
example.TheMoaionEasterIsland(RapaNui)arerepresentations
ofgods')

Identifytheoriginandpurposeofprimary
andsecondarysources(ACHHS152)

evidence(ACHHS153)

Drawconclusionsabouttheusefulnessof
sources(ACHHS154)

Perspectivesandinterpretations
Identifyanddescribepointsofview,

Elaborations
l

attitudesandvaluesinprimaryand
secondarysources(ACHHS155)
Explanationandcommunication
Developtexts,particularlydescriptionsand

Elaborations
l

usingscaffoldsillustratingthestructuralandlanguagefeaturesof
particulartexttypes(forexampledescriptionsandexplanations)in
ordertocreateatextthatcommunicatesspecificfindingsaboutthe
past

creatinganoralpresentation,supportedbyaudiovisualmaterial,to
recountthelifeofTemujin(GenghisKhan)andtoexplainhis
contributiontotheMongolworld

explanationsthatuseevidencefromarange
ofsourcesthatareacknowledged
(ACHHS156)
Usearangeofcommunicationforms(oral,
graphic,written)anddigitaltechnologies
(ACHHS157)

describingthevaluesandattitudesrevealedbyasource(suchasan
individualaccount)andusingadditionalsourcestoshowhowtheyare
broadlyrepresentativeofthevaluesandattitudesofthesociety

Level8achievementstandard
BytheendofLevel8,studentsrecogniseandexplainpatternsofchangeandcontinuityovertime.Theyexplainthecauses
andeffectsofeventsanddevelopments.Theyidentifythemotivesandactionsofpeopleatthetime.Studentsexplainthe
significanceofindividualsandgroupsandhowtheywereinfluencedbythebeliefsandvaluesoftheirsociety.Theydescribe
differentinterpretationsofthepast.
Studentssequenceeventsanddevelopmentswithinachronologicalframeworkwithreferencetoperiodsoftime.When
researching,studentsdevelopquestionstoframeanhistoricalinquiry.Theyanalyse,selectandorganiseinformationfrom
primaryandsecondarysourcesanduseitasevidencetoanswerinquiryquestions.Studentsidentifyandexplaindifferent
pointsofviewinsources.Wheninterpretingsources,theyidentifytheiroriginandpurpose,anddistinguishbetweenfactand
opinion.Studentsdeveloptexts,particularlydescriptionsandexplanations,incorporatinganalysis.Indevelopingthesetexts,
andorganisingandpresentingtheirfindings,theyusehistoricaltermsandconcepts,evidenceidentifiedinsources,and
acknowledgetheirsourcesofinformation.

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The Humanities - History

Level9
TheMakingoftheModernWorld
TheLevel9curriculumprovidesastudyofthehistoryofthemakingofthemodernworldfrom1750to1918.Itwasa
periodofindustrialisationandrapidchangeinthewayspeoplelived,workedandthought.Itwasaneraofnationalism
andimperialism,andthecolonisationofAustraliawaspartoftheexpansionofEuropeanpower.Theperiodculminated
inWorldWarI19141918,thewartoendallwars.
Thecontentprovidesopportunitiestodevelophistoricalunderstandingthroughkeyconcepts,includingevidence,
continuityandchange,causeandeffect,perspectives,empathy,significanceandcontestability.Theseconceptsmay
beinvestigatedwithinaparticularhistoricalcontexttofacilitateanunderstandingofthepastandtoprovideafocusfor
historicalinquiries.
Thehistorycontentatthislevelinvolvestwostrands:HistoricalKnowledgeandUnderstandingandHistoricalSkills.
Thesestrandsareinterrelatedandshouldbetaughtinanintegratedwayandinwaysthatareappropriatetospecific
localcontexts.Theorderanddetailinwhichtheyaretaughtareprogrammingdecisions.
Aframeworkfordevelopingstudentshistoricalknowledge,understandingandskillsisprovidedbyinquiryquestions
throughtheuseandinterpretationofsources.Thekeyinquiryquestionsatthislevelare:
l

Whatwerethechangingfeaturesofthemovementsofpeoplefrom1750to1918?

Howdidnewideasandtechnologicaldevelopmentscontributetochangeinthisperiod?

Whatwastheorigin,development,significanceandlongtermimpactofimperialisminthisperiod?

WhatwasthesignificanceofWorldWarI?

HistoricalKnowledgeandUnderstanding
Overview
Thefollowingcontentistaughtaspartofanoverviewforthehistoricalperiod.Itisnotintendedtobetaughtindepth.
Anoverviewwillconstituteapproximately10%ofthetotalteachingtimeforthelevel.Overviewcontentidentifies
importantfeaturesoftheperiod(17501918)aspartofanexpansivechronologythathelpsstudentsunderstand
broadpatternsofhistoricalchange.Assuch,theoverviewprovidesthebroadercontextfortheteachingofdepthstudy
contentandcanbebuiltintovariouspartsofateachingandlearningprogram.Thismeansthatoverviewcontentcan
beusedtogivestudentsanintroductiontothehistoricalperiodtomakethelinkstoandbetweenthedepthstudies,
andtoconsolidateunderstandingthroughareviewoftheperiod.
Overviewcontentforthemakingofthemodernworldincludesthefollowing:
thenatureandsignificanceoftheIndustrialRevolutionandhowitaffectedlivingandworkingconditions,including
withinAustralia
l

comparingtheusefulnessofartworksdepictinglifeintheperiodwiththefirstphotographs

investigatingthechangingnatureofthesourcesthatprovidearecordoflifeinthisperiod,suchaspaintings,
travellersjournalsandthedevelopmentofphotographyandfilmby1918

thenatureandextentofthemovementofpeoplesintheperiod(slaves,convictsandsettlers)
l

identifyingthenumberofslavestransportedandthenations/placesinvolved(forexamplePortugal,Britain,
France,Spain,NorthAmerica)

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The Humanities - History

theextentofEuropeanimperialexpansionanddifferentresponses,includingintheAsianregion

outliningthetechnologiesofmassproductionthatcontributedtotheIndustrialRevolutionandthechangesin
Australianlifethatoccurredasaresultofthesetechnologies

recognisinghowAsiansocietiesrespondedtoEuropeanimperialism,theextenttowhichtheywerechangedand
theinfluencetheyexercisedontherestoftheworld

identifyingAsiansocietiesthatwerecolonisedbytheEuropeans(suchasIndonesiabytheDutch),andthose
thatremainedindependent.

theemergenceandnatureofsignificanteconomic,socialandpoliticalideasintheperiod,includingnationalism
l

outliningthefeaturesthatreflecttheemergenceofabeliefinsocialandpoliticalequality,includingtherightto
vote,egalitarianismanduniversaleducationinAustralia

recognisinghoweventssuchastheFrenchRevolutionandAmericanindependencecontributedtoideasof
equality

theroleofClassicalmodelsandtheoriesontheinventionofdemocraticvalues

Depthstudies
Therearethreedepthstudiesforthishistoricalperiod.Foreachdepthstudy,thereareuptothreeelectivesthatfocus
onaparticularsociety,event,movementordevelopment.ItisexpectedthatONEelectivewillbestudiedindetail.A
depthstudywillconstituteapproximately30%ofthetotalteachingtimeforthelevel.Thecontentineachdepthstudy
electiveisdesignedtoallowdetailedstudyofspecificaspectsofthishistoricalperiod.Aspartofateachingand
learningprogram,depthstudycontentcanbeintegratedwithoverviewcontentand/orwithotherdepthstudyelectives.
1MakingaBetterWorld?

Elaborations

StudentsinvestigatehowlifechangedintheperiodindepththroughthestudyofONEofthesemajordevelopments:
theIndustrialRevolutionorMovementofpeoplesorProgressiveideasandmovements.Thestudyincludesthe
causesandeffectsofthedevelopment,andtheAustralianexperience.
TheIndustrialRevolution(17501914)
ThetechnologicalinnovationsthatledtotheIndustrial

mappingtheBritishEmpirec.1800CEandtheraw
materialsitobtainedfromcolonies(forexamplesugar
fromJamaica,woolfromAustralia,andcottonfrom
India)

explainingchangesintechnology(forexamplesteam
drivenspinningmills,railwaysandsteamships)which
ledtofactoriesandcities

identifyingthespreadofinnovationssuchassteam
powerironandsteelproductiontransportand
chemicalsinEurope,USAandJapan

describingthegrowthofcitiesasmen,womenand
childrenmovedtothecitiestofindemployment

investigatingchangestothecitiesandlandscapein
EuropeancountriesandAustraliaastheIndustrial
Revolutioncontinuedtodevelop,usingphotos(for
examplethosethatweretakenastheEiffeltowerwas
beingconstructedusingiron)

Revolution,andotherconditionsthatinfluencedthe
industrialisationofBritain(theagriculturalrevolution,
accesstorawmaterials,wealthymiddleclass,cheap
labour,transportsystem,andexpandingempire)and
ofAustralia(ACDSEH017)

Thepopulationmovementsandchangingsettlement
patternsduringthisperiod(ACDSEH080)

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The Humanities - History

l

describingtheimpactofsteam,gasandelectricityon
peopleswayoflifeduringtheIndustrialRevolution

(ACDSEH081)

investigatingthechangesinworkingconditions(for
examplelongerworkinghoursforlowpayandtheuse
ofchildrenasacheapsourceoflabour)

TheshortandlongtermimpactsoftheIndustrial

describingtheimpactoffactories,minesandcitieson
theenvironment,andonpopulationgrowthand
distribution

outliningthegrowthoftradeunionsasaresponseto
theimpactsoftheIndustrialRevolution

explainingwhyanideaemergedandthebasisofthat
idea(forexampleegalitarianismbeingjudgedon
meritratherthanbybirthorpastdeeds)

investigatingthesupportforChartismamongthepoorer
classesasaresponsetodeterioratinglivingand
workingconditions

explaininghowreligiousgroupsrespondedtotheideas
inCharlesDarwins1859bookOntheOriginofSpecies

discussingtheriseofnationalistsentimentinAustralia
inthemidtolatenineteenthcentury

mappingthemovementofpeoplesinthetransatlantic
slavetradeorinconvicttransportationtoAustralia

explainingtheroleoftheIndustrialRevolutionin
creatingagrowingneedforlabourandtransportation

investigatingsourcesthatrecordthereactionsofnew
arrivalstoothercountriesinthisperiod(forexample
responsestothenaturalenvironmentandclimate)

Theexperiencesofmen,womenandchildrenduring
theIndustrialRevolution,andtheirchangingwayoflife

Revolution,includingglobalchangesinlandscapes,
transportandcommunication(ACDSEH082)

OR
Progressiveideasandmovements(17501918)
Theemergenceandnatureofkeyideasintheperiod,
withaparticularfocusonONEofthefollowing:
capitalism,socialism,egalitarianism,nationalism,
imperialism,Darwinism,Chartism(ACDSEH019)
ThereasonswhyONEkeyideaemergedand/or
developedafollowing,suchastheinfluenceofthe
IndustrialRevolutiononsocialism(ACDSEH086)
Theroleofanindividualorgroupinthepromotionof
ONEofthesekeyideas,andtheresponsestoitfrom,
forexample,workers,entrepreneurs,landowners,
religiousgroups(ACDSEH087)
TheshortandlongtermimpactsofONEofthese
ideasonAustraliaandtheworld(ACDSEH088)
OR
Movementofpeoples(17501901)
TheinfluenceoftheIndustrialRevolutiononthe
movementofpeoplesthroughouttheworld,including
thetransatlanticslavetradeandconvicttransportation
(ACDSEH018)
Theexperiencesofslaves,convictsandfreesettlers
upondeparture,theirjourneyabroad,andtheir
reactionsonarrival,includingtheAustralian
experience(ACDSEH083)

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The Humanities - History

Changesinthewayoflifeofagroup(s)ofpeoplewho

investigatingtheexperiencesofaspecificgroupof
arrivalstoAustralia(forexampleconvictsinSydney,
Hobart,BrisbaneorfreesettlersinMelbourne,
Adelaide,PerthorDarwin)

describingtheimpactofthisgroupontheAboriginal
andTorresStraitIslanderpeoplesoftheregion

evaluatingtheeffectsofthemovementofpeoplesonthe
indigenousandimmigrantpopulations

movedtoAustraliainthisperiod,suchasfreesettlers
onthefrontierinAustralia(ACDSEH084)

Theshortandlongtermimpactsofthemovementof
peoplesduringthisperiod(ACDSEH085)
2AustraliaandAsia

Elaborations

StudentsinvestigatethehistoryofAustraliaORanAsiansocietyintheperiod17501918indepth.
Asiaandtheworld
Thekeyfeatures(social,cultural,economic,political)

identifyingtheterritorialextentofQingChina,therole
andinfluenceoftheEmperor,andthenatureof
literature,artandarchitectureatthetime

describingtheBritishRajandtheformsofBritish
influenceinIndia(forexamplethebuildingofroads,an
extensiverailwaynetwork,schoolsandChristian
missions)

investigatingtheconfrontationbetweenJapanand
Westernpowers(forexampletheRussoJapanesewar)
andtheemergenceofJapanasamajorworldpower

describingtheactivitiesofChristianmissionariesin
ChinaandtheoutcomesoftheBoxerRebellion

ofONEAsiansociety(suchasChina,Japan,India,
DutchEastIndies,India)atthestartoftheperiod
(ACDSEH093)

ChangeandcontinuityintheAsiansocietyduringthis
period,includinganyeffectsofcontact(intendedand
unintended)withEuropeanpower(s)(ACDSEH094)

ThepositionoftheAsiansocietyinrelationtoother
nationsintheworldaroundtheturnofthetwentieth
century(thatis1900),includingtheinfluenceofkey
ideassuchasnationalism(ACDSEH142)

ThesignificanceofONEkeyeventthatinvolvedthe
AsiansocietyandEuropeanpower(s),including
differentperspectivesoftheeventatthetime
(ACDSEH141)

Makinganation

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The Humanities - History

Theextensionofsettlement,includingtheeffectsof

explainingtheeffectsofcontact(forexamplethe
massacresofAboriginalandTorresStraitIslander
peopletheirkillingofsheepthespreadofEuropean
diseases)andcategorisingtheseeffectsaseither
intendedorunintended

investigatingtheforcibleremovalofchildrenfrom
AboriginalandTorresStraitIslanderfamiliesinthelate
nineteenthcentury/earlytwentiethcentury(leadingtothe
StolenGenerations),suchasthemotivationsforthe
removalofchildren,thepracticesandlawsthatwerein
place,andexperiencesofseparation.

outliningthemigrationofChinesetothegoldfieldsin
Australiainthenineteenthcenturyandattitudestowards
theChineseasrevealedincartoons(forexamplethe
MongolianOctopus)

identifyingthemainfeaturesofhousing,sanitation,
transport,educationandindustrythatinfluencedliving
andworkingconditionsinAustralia

describingtheimpactofthegoldrushes(hinterland)on
thedevelopmentofMarvellousMelbourne

explainingthefactorsthatcontributedtofederationand
thedevelopmentofdemocracyinAustralia,including
defenceconcerns,the1890sdepression,nationalist
ideals,egalitarianism,theWestminstersystem

investigatinghowthemajorsociallegislationofthenew
FederalGovernmentaffectedlivingandworking
conditionsinAustralia,forexampleinvalidandoldage
pensionsandthematernityallowancescheme

contact(intendedandunintended)betweenEuropean
settlersinAustraliaandAboriginalandTorresStrait
Islanderpeoples(ACDSEH020)

TheexperiencesofnonEuropeansinAustraliapriorto
the1900s(suchastheJapanese,Chinese,South
SeaIslanders,Afghans)(ACDSEH089)

LivingandworkingconditionsinAustraliaaroundthe
turnofthetwentiethcentury(thatis1900)
(ACDSEH090)

KeyeventsandideasinthedevelopmentofAustralian
selfgovernmentanddemocracy,includingwomen's
votingrights(ACDSEH091)

Legislation19011914,includingtheHarvester
Judgment,pensions,andtheImmigrationRestriction
Act(ACDSEH092)

3WorldWarI

Elaborations

StudentsinvestigatekeyaspectsofWorldWarIandtheAustralianexperienceofthewar,includingthenatureand
significanceofthewarinworldandAustralianhistory.
WorldWarI(19141918)
AnoverviewofthecausesofWorldWarIandthe
reasonswhymenenlistedtofightinthewar
(ACDSEH021)

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investigatingtheriseofnationalistsentimentaswellas
thevaluesandattitudestowardswarintheperiod1750
1918(forexampleidealisticnotionsofwarsenseof
adventure)

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The Humanities - History

TheplaceswhereAustraliansfoughtandthenatureof

identifyingtheplaceswhereAustraliansfought,
includingFromelles,theSomme,Gallipoli,Sinaiand
Palestine

usingsourcestoinvestigatethefightingatGallipoli,the
difficultiesoftrenchwarfare,andtheuseoftanks,
aeroplanesandchemicalweapons(gas)

exploringtheexperiencesofAboriginalandTorresStrait
Islanderpeoplesduringthewar

graphingtheproportionofAustralianservicemenwho
diedduringWorldWarI,comparedtothatofother
countriesinvolvedinthewar

investigatingexamplesofthewarsimpacton
Australiaseconomyandsociety(forexamplethe
developmentofthesteelindustryinNewcastleandthe
implementationoftheWarPrecautionsAct)

identifyingthegroupswhoopposedconscription(for
exampletradeunionists,IrishCatholics)andthe
groundsfortheirobjections

studyingthefirstandsecondreferendaonconscription,
includingthedivisionwithintheLaborPartyoverthis
issue

explainingthetreatmentofpeopleofGermandescent
duringthewar(forexampletheirclassificationas
enemyaliensandplacementininternmentcamps,as
wellastheirdepictioningovernmentpropaganda)

investigatingtheidealsassociatedwiththeAnzac
traditionandhowandwhyWorldWarIis
commemoratedwithinAustraliansociety

warfareduringWorldWarI,includingtheGallipoli
campaign(ACDSEH095)

TheimpactofWorldWarI,withaparticularemphasis
onAustralia(suchastheuseofpropagandato
influencethecivilianpopulation,thechangingroleof
women,theconscriptiondebate)(ACDSEH096)

ThecommemorationofWorldWarI,includingdebates
aboutthenatureandsignificanceoftheAnzaclegend
(ACDSEH097)
HistoricalSkills
Chronology,termsandconcepts
Usechronologicalsequencingto

Elaborations
l

representingtherelationshipbetweeneventsindifferenttimesand
placesusinginteractivetimelines

placingkeyeventsinsequence(forexampletheBoerWar,18991902
WorldWarI,19141918),andidentifyingpartsoftheworldthatwere
involvedin,oraffectedby,thoseevents

discussingthecontestabilityofparticularhistoricaltermssuchas
'settlement','invasion'and'colonisation'inthecontextofAustralias
history

definingandusingconceptssuchasimperialism,nationalism,
evolution,evidence

demonstratetherelationshipbetween
eventsanddevelopmentsindifferent
periodsandplaces(ACHHS164)

Usehistoricaltermsandconcepts
(ACHHS165)

Historicalquestionsandresearch

Elaborations

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The Humanities - History

l

developingquestionsaboutaspectsofthepastthatrequirehistorical
argument

inquiry(ACHHS166)

assembling,aspartoftheplanningprocess,arangeofsourcesthat
wouldbeusefulforresearchingthecausesofWorldWarI

Evaluateandenhancethesequestions

developinganinquiryquestionsuchas:Whatweretheeffectsofthe
IndustrialRevolution?andrefiningitasfurtherfactorsareintroduced
intotheresearchprocess

locatinghistoricalsourcesfromarchives,museumsandonline
collections

Identifyandselectdifferentkindsof
questionsaboutthepasttoinformhistorical

(ACHHS167)

Identifyandlocaterelevantsources,using
ICTandothermethods(ACHHS168)
Analysisanduseofsources
Identifytheorigin,purposeandcontextof

Elaborations
l

explainingthecontextualsignificanceofasource,suchasFrank
HurleysWorldWarIphotos,andidentifyingthepurposeofHurleys
creationofcompositephotos

graphinghistoricaldatatoidentifypasttrendsandtodrawconclusions

primaryandsecondarysources
(ACHHS169)
Processandsynthesiseinformationfroma
rangeofsourcesforuseasevidenceinan

abouttheirsignificance(forexampletheproportionofAustralian

historicalargument(ACHHS170)

servicemenwhoreturnedfromWorldWarI,andthelostgenerations
intheyearsafterthewar)

Evaluatethereliabilityandusefulnessof

primaryandsecondarysources
(ACHHS171)

Perspectivesandinterpretations

understandingthatthereliabilityandusefulnessofasourcedepends
onthequestionsaskedofit(forexampleanaccountmaybeone
sided,howeveritmaystillbeusefulinrevealingpastprevailing
attitudes)

Elaborations
l

investigatingtheroleofhumanagencyinhistoricaleventsand
developments

analysingtheaccountsofpoetssuchasWilliamBlake(darkSatanic
mills)andnovelistssuchasCharlesDickens(OliverTwist,Bleak
House)assourcesofinformationonlivingconditionsinEngland
duringtheIndustrialRevolution

Identifyandanalysedifferenthistorical

recognisingthathistoricalinterpretationsmaybeprovisional

interpretations(includingtheirown)

examiningdifferentaccountsofeighteenthcenturyjourneytoAustralia
(forexampleshipslogs,diaries,recordedtestimoniesofconvictsand
officers,bothmaleandfemale),andexplainingthevariationsin
perspectivewhichcanleadtodifferenthistoricalinterpretations

Identifyandanalysetheperspectivesof
peoplefromthepast(ACHHS172)

(ACHHS173)

Explanationandcommunication
Developtexts,particularlydescriptionsand
discussionsthatuseevidencefromarange
ofsourcesthatarereferenced(ACHHS174)

Elaborations
l

developinganhistoricalargumentthatidentifiesdifferentpossibilities
ininterpretationandarguesaparticularpointofviewwithconsistent
referencetotheevidenceavailable

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The Humanities - History

Selectandusearangeofcommunication

usingonlineconferencingandotherformsofICTtodiscusshistorical
questionsandissues

creatingatravelbrochure(incorporatingwrittentextandgraphics)to
advertisetheachievementsandopportunitiesavailabletoan
immigranttonineteenthcenturyBrisbane

forms(oral,graphic,written)anddigital
technologies(ACHHS175)

Level9achievementstandard
BytheendofLevel9,studentsrefertokeyeventsandtheactionsofindividualsandgroupstoexplainpatternsofchangeand
continuityovertime.Theyanalysethecausesandeffectsofeventsanddevelopmentsandmakejudgmentsabouttheir
importance.Theyexplainthemotivesandactionsofpeopleatthetime.Studentsexplainthesignificanceoftheseeventsand
developmentsovertheshortandlongterm.Theyexplaindifferentinterpretationsofthepast.
Studentssequenceeventsanddevelopmentswithinachronologicalframework,withreferencetoperiodsoftimeandtheir
duration.Whenresearching,studentsdevelopdifferentkindsofquestionstoframeanhistoricalinquiry.Theyinterpret,
process,analyseandorganiseinformationfromarangeofprimaryandsecondarysourcesanduseitasevidencetoanswer
inquiryquestions.Studentsexaminesourcestocomparedifferentpointsofview.Whenevaluatingthesesources,they
analyseoriginandpurpose,anddrawconclusionsabouttheirusefulness.Theydeveloptheirowninterpretationsaboutthe
past.Studentsdeveloptexts,particularlyexplanationsanddiscussions,incorporatinghistoricalinterpretations.Indeveloping
thesetexts,andorganisingandpresentingtheirconclusions,theyusehistoricaltermsandconcepts,evidenceidentifiedin
sources,andtheyreferencethesesources.

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The Humanities - History

Level10
TheModernWorldandAustralia
TheLevel10curriculumprovidesastudyofthehistoryofthemodernworldandAustraliafrom1918tothepresent,with
anemphasisonAustraliainitsglobalcontext.ThetwentiethcenturybecameacriticalperiodinAustraliassocial,
cultural,economicandpoliticaldevelopment.Thetransformationofthemodernworldduringatimeofpoliticalturmoil,
globalconflictandinternationalcooperationprovidesanecessarycontextforunderstandingAustraliasdevelopment,its
placewithintheAsiaPacificregion,anditsglobalstanding.
Thecontentprovidesopportunitiestodevelophistoricalunderstandingthroughkeyconcepts,includingevidence,
continuityandchange,causeandeffect,perspectives,empathy,significanceandcontestability.Theseconceptsmay
beinvestigatedwithinaparticularhistoricalcontexttofacilitateanunderstandingofthepastandtoprovideafocusfor
historicalinquiries.
Thehistorycontentatthislevelinvolvestwostrands:HistoricalKnowledgeandUnderstandingandHistoricalSkills.
Thesestrandsareinterrelatedandshouldbetaughtinanintegratedway,andinwaysthatareappropriatetospecific
localcontexts.Theorderanddetailinwhichtheyaretaughtareprogrammingdecisions.
Aframeworkfordevelopingstudentshistoricalknowledge,understandingandskillsisprovidedbyinquiryquestions
throughtheuseandinterpretationofsources.Thekeyinquiryquestionsatthislevelare:
l

Howdidthenatureofglobalconflictchangeduringthetwentiethcentury?

WhatweretheconsequencesofWorldWarII?Howdidtheseconsequencesshapethemodernworld?

HowwasAustraliansocietyaffectedbyothersignificantglobaleventsandchangesinthisperiod?

HistoricalKnowledgeandUnderstanding
Overview
Thefollowingcontentistaughtaspartofanoverviewforthehistoricalperiod.Itisnotintendedtobetaughtindepth.
Anoverviewwillconstituteapproximately10%ofthetotalteachingtimeforthelevel.Overviewcontentidentifies
importantfeaturesoftheperiod(1918tothepresent)aspartofanexpansivechronologythathelpsstudents
understandbroadpatternsofhistoricalchange.Assuch,theoverviewprovidesthebroadercontextfortheteachingof
depthstudycontentandcanbebuiltintovariouspartsofateachingandlearningprogram.Thismeansthatoverview
contentcanbeusedtogivestudentsanintroductiontothehistoricalperiodtomakethelinkstoandbetweenthe
depthstudies,andtoconsolidateunderstandingthroughareviewoftheperiod.
OverviewcontentfortheModernWorldandAustraliaincludesthefollowing:
theinterwaryearsbetweenWorldWarIandWorldWarII,includingtheTreatyofVersailles,theRoaringTwentiesand
theGreatDepression

recognisingthemainfeaturesoftheTreatyofVersailles,forexampleterritorialconcessionsrequiredbyGermany
andtheimpositionofwarreparations

outliningkeyfeaturesoftheinterwaryears(forexamplemassproductioninthe1920s,suchasthemanufacture
ofvehiclesintheUStheflappergenerationandtheJazzAgetheCrashof1929andtheconsequencesofthe
GreatDepression

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The Humanities - History

continuingeffortspostWorldWarIItoachievelastingpeaceandsecurityintheworld,includingAustralias
involvementinUNpeacekeeping
l

creatingachronologicalaccountofconflictsinwhichAustraliahasbeeninvolvedandtheresources(forexample
soldiers,equipment,intelligence)thatAustraliacommittedtoeachconflict

outliningthepurposeoftheUnitedNationsandthekeyplaceswhereAustraliahasbeeninvolvedinUN
peacekeeping,suchasEastTimor(TimorLeste).

themajormovementsforrightsandfreedomintheworldandtheachievementofindependencebyformercolonies

identifyingthemajormovementsforrightsandfreedomintheworld(includingtheUSCivilRightsmovement,
AboriginalandTorresStraitIslandermovements,womensmovements)
recognisingthecontinuingnatureofcivilrightsmovementsinthetwentiethcentury,suchasthestrugglefor
democracyinBurma

thenatureoftheColdWarandAustraliasinvolvementinColdWarandpostColdWarconflicts(Korea,Vietnam,The
GulfWars,Afghanistan),includingtherisinginfluenceofAsiannationssincetheendoftheColdWar

identifyingtheColdWarsuperpowersaswellasthesignificanceoftheCubanMissileCrisisandthefallofthe
BerlinWall
outliningthecompetingideologiesofcapitalismandcommunism,theUSastheworldslastremaining
superpower,andtherisinginfluenceofChinaandIndia(economicandpolitical)

developmentsintechnology,publichealth,longevityandstandardoflivingduringthetwentiethcentury,andconcern
fortheenvironmentandsustainability

brainstormingformsoftechnologythathaveaffectedwhatpeopleseeandhear,wheretheygo,andhowtheylive

tracingkeydevelopmentsintechnologysince1918thathavechangedtheworldinthefollowingareas:the
household(radio,television,appliances),travelandtrade(shipping,passengerjets),communications(invention
ofthemicrochip,satellites,digitaltechnologies)

recognisingthegrowthintheworldspopulationduringthetwentiethcentury,lifeexpectancychangesindifferent
partsoftheworld,andthedepletionofnaturalresources

Depthstudies
Therearethreedepthstudiesforthishistoricalperiod.Foreachdepthstudy,thereareuptothreeelectivesthatfocus
onaparticularsociety,event,movementordevelopment.ItisexpectedthatONEelectivewillbestudiedindetail.A
depthstudywillconstituteapproximately30%ofthetotalteachingtimeforthelevel.Thecontentineachdepthstudy
electiveisdesignedtoallowdetailedstudyofspecificaspectsofthishistoricalperiod.Aspartofateachingand
learningprogram,depthstudycontentcanbeintegratedwithoverviewcontentand/orintegratedwithotherdepth
studyelectives.
1WorldWarII

Elaborations

StudentsinvestigatewartimeexperiencesthroughastudyofWorldWarIIindepth.Thisincludesastudyofthe
causes,events,outcomeandbroaderimpactoftheconflictasanepisodeinworldhistory,andthenatureof
Australiasinvolvement.
WorldWarII(193945)

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The Humanities - History

AnoverviewofthecausesandcourseofWorldWar

outliningthecontributingfactorsofWorldWarII(for
exampletheoutcomesoftheTreatyofVersaillesandthe
LeagueofNationstheriseofHitlerandJapansimperial
ambitions)

identifyingkeyeventsintheEuropeantheatreofwar(for
exampleGermanysinvasionofPolandin1939the
Holocaustfrom194245theRussiansreachingBerlinin
1945

identifyingkeyeventsintheAsiaPacifictheatreofwar(for
exampletheJapaneseattackonPearlHarbourin1941
thefallofSingaporein1942theAmericanvictoryatthe
BattleofMidwayin1942)

investigatingthescaleandsignificanceoftheHolocaust,
usingprimarysources

explainingtheracetobuildtheatomicbomb(byGermany,
Japan,theUS)andwhytheatomicbombsweredropped
onHiroshimaandNagasaki

explainingthesignificanceofKokodaasthebattlethat
haltedtheJapaneseadvanceonPortMoresbyandhelped
fostertheAnzaclegend

investigatingtheimpactofWorldWarIIatalocaland
nationallevel(forexamplesignificanteventssuchasthe
bombingofDarwintheJapanesesubmarineattackon
SydneyandthesinkingofshipsofftheAustraliancoastthe
BattleofBrisbanetheCowrabreakoutandtheBrisbane
Line)

evaluatingtheimpactofWorldWarIIontheemergenceof
theUnitedStatesasamajorworldpowerandon
AustraliasalliancewiththeUS(forexamplethethreatof
Japan)

II(ACDSEH024)

AnexaminationofsignificanteventsofWorldWarII,
includingtheHolocaustanduseoftheatomic
bomb(ACDSEH107)

TheexperiencesofAustraliansduringWorldWarII
(suchasPrisonersofWar(POWs),theBattleof
Britain,Kokoda,theFallofSingapore)
(ACDSEH108)

TheimpactofWorldWarII,withaparticular
emphasisontheAustralianhomefront,including
thechangingrolesofwomenanduseofwartime
governmentcontrols(conscription,manpower
controls,rationingandcensorship)(ACDSEH109)

ThesignificanceofWorldWarIItoAustralias
internationalrelationshipsinthetwentiethcentury,
withparticularreferencetotheUnitedNations,
Britain,theUSAandAsia(ACDSEH110)

2Rightsandfreedoms

Elaborations

Studentsinvestigatestrugglesforhumanrightsindepth.Thiswillincludehowrightsandfreedomshavebeen
ignored,demandedorachievedinAustraliaandinthebroaderworldcontext.
Rightsandfreedoms(1945thepresent)
TheoriginsandsignificanceoftheUniversal

DeclarationofHumanRights,includingAustralias

describingthedraftingoftheUniversalDeclarationof
HumanRightsandthecontributionofAustraliasH.V.Evatt

involvementinthedevelopmentofthedeclaration
(ACDSEH023)

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The Humanities - History

BackgroundtothestruggleofAboriginalandTorres

describingaccountsofthepastexperiencesofAboriginal
andTorresStraitIslanderpeopleswhowereforcibly
removedfromtheirfamilies

outliningtheFreedomRidesintheUS,howtheyinspired
civilrightscampaignersinAustralia,andhowtheybecame
aturningpointintheAboriginalandTorresStraitIslander
peoplesstruggleforrightsandfreedoms

describingtheaims,tacticsandoutcomesofaparticular
eventintheAboriginalandTorresStraitIslanderpeoples
struggleforrightsandfreedoms

investigatingtheroleofCharlesPerkinsintheFreedom
Rideof1965andtheefficacyoftelevisioninbringingthe
struggleforrightsandfreedomstonationalattention

identifyingareas(forexampleeducation,health,work)that
arethefocusforcontinuedcivilrightsactionforAboriginal
andTorresStraitIslanderpeoples

investigatingthelegacyofchildrensexperiencesin
care(theirplacementinorphanages,ChildrensHomes,
fostercareandotherformsofoutofhomecare),andthe
significanceoftheUnitedNationsConventiononthe
RightsoftheChild(1990)

StraitIslanderpeoplesforrightsandfreedoms
before1965,includingthe1938DayofMourning
andtheStolenGenerations(ACDSEH104)

TheUScivilrightsmovementanditsinfluenceon
Australia(ACDSEH105)

Thesignificanceofthefollowingforthecivilrightsof
AboriginalandTorresStraitIslanderpeoples:1962
righttovotefederally1967Referendum
ReconciliationMabodecisionBringingThem
HomeReport(theStolenGenerations),theApology
(ACDSEH106)

Methodsusedbycivilrightsactiviststoachieve
changeforAboriginalandTorresStraitIslander
peoples,andtheroleofONEindividualorgroupin
thestruggle(ACDSEH134)

Thecontinuingnatureofeffortstosecurecivilrights
andfreedomsinAustraliaandthroughouttheworld,
suchastheDeclarationontheRightsof
IndigenousPeoples(2007)(ACDSEH143)

3Theglobalisingworld

Elaborations

StudentsinvestigateonemajorglobalinfluencethathasshapedAustraliansocietyindepth,includingthe
developmentoftheglobalinfluenceduringthetwentiethcentury.StudentsstudyONEoftheseelectives:Popular
cultureorTheenvironmentmovementorMigrationexperiences.
Popularculture(1945present)
ThenatureofpopularcultureinAustraliaattheend

ofWorldWarII,includingmusic,filmandsport

identifyingsportsthatwerepopularinAustraliasuchas
football,horseracing,cricket

(ACDSEH027)

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l

investigatingAmericasculturalinfluence,asseeninthe
arrivaloftelevisionfortheMelbourneOlympics(1956)and
BillHaleysAustraliantour(1957)

(ACDSEH121)

comparingandcontrastingviewsonthevaluesandbeliefs
ofrocknroll,filmandtelevisionacrosstime,ageand
gender(forexampleissuesofconservatismandrebellion,
thechallengetoestablishedideasandnationalidentity)

Thechangingnatureofthemusic,filmand

identifyingAmericanandAsianinfluencesonAustralian
popularculturesinceWorldWarII(forexamplethrough
mainstreamandHollywoodandBollywoodfilms)

investigatingthechangingcontributionoftheAustralian
rocknroll,filmandtelevisionindustriestoAustralian
cultureandidentitythroughthedevelopmentandexportof
music,filmandtelevision,forexampletheEasybeatsfrom
SydneyandGoBetweensfromBrisbane,Crocodile
Dundee(1986)

describingsignificantexamplesofcontinuityandchangein
beliefsandvalues,suchasdemocraticideals,religious
beliefs,egalitarianism

investigatingthenatureofthewavesofmigrationsuchas
thecountriesthatwerethesourceofmigrants,the
numbersofmigrantsfromthosecountries,andtrendsin
migrationsinceWorldWarIIsuchasincreasingmigration
fromtheAsianregiontoAustralia

describingthemainfeaturesofagovernmentpolicythat
affectedmigrationtoAustralia,suchastheImmigration
RestrictionAct1901anduseofthedictationtesttorestrict
theimmigrationofnonEuropeans

explainingthereasonsforchangesingovernmentpolicy,
forexampletheinfluenceofWhiteAustraliaideologyatthe
timeoftheintroductionoftheImmigrationRestrictionAct
1901theDisplacedPersonsSchemeintheaftermathof
WorldWarII

Developmentsinpopularcultureinpostwar
Australiaandtheirimpactonsociety,includingthe
introductionoftelevisionandrocknroll

televisionindustryinAustraliaduringthepostwar
period,includingtheinfluenceofoverseas
developments(suchasHollywood,Bollywoodand
theanimationfilmindustryinChinaandJapan)
(ACDSEH122)

Australiascontributiontointernationalpopular
culture(music,film,television,sport).
(ACDSEH123)

Continuityandchangeinbeliefsandvaluesthat
haveinfluencedtheAustralianwayoflife
(ACDSEH149)
OR
Migrationexperiences(1945present)
ThewavesofpostWorldWarIImigrationto
Australia,includingtheinfluenceofsignificantworld
events(ACDSEH144)

Theimpactofchanginggovernmentpolicieson
Australiasmigrationpatterns,includingabolitionof
theWhiteAustraliaPolicy,Populateor
Perish(ACDSEH145)

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TheimpactofatleastONEworldeventor

describingtheimpactoftheVietnamwaronVietnamand
howthecommunistvictoryinVietnam(1975)resultedin
thearrivalofrefugeesintoAustralia

investigatingpoliciesofmulticulturalismsincethe1970s
andtheconceptsofculturalheritageandassimilation

analysingpostWorldWarIIpopulationgrowthandthe
developmentofAustraliasculturallydiversesocietyusing
differenttypesofgraphs

outliningtheemergenceofconcernsaboutthe
preservationofnaturalareasforfuturegenerations(for
exampleasreflectedintheestablishmentofNational
ParksintheUnitedStates(YellowstoneNationalParkin
1872),Australia(RoyalNationalParkin1879),Canada
(RockyMountainsNationalParkin1885)andNewZealand
(TongariroNationalParkin1887)

investigatingtheimpactofearlytextsthatwarnedabout
environmentalchange(forexampleSilentSpringbyRachel
Carson,1962,DontItMakeYouWantToGoHomebyJoe
South,1970,MotherEarthNewsmagazinein1970,Mercy
MercyMe(TheEcology)lyricsbyMarvinGaye,1971)

recognisingthehistoricimpactofthepicturesofEarth
takenduringtheApollo8missionandhowtheyinfluenced
peoplesviewoftheworld

explainingthesignificanceofideasabouttheenvironment
(forexampleGaiatheinteractionofEarthandits
biospherelimitsofgrowththatunlimitedgrowthis
unsustainablesustainabilitythatbiologicalsystems
needtoremaindiverseandproductiveovertimeandrights
ofnaturerecognitionthathumansandtheirnatural
environmentarecloselyinterrelated)

investigatingarangeofenvironmentalimpacts(for
examplethefloodingofLakePedderinTasmania,
deforestationinIndonesia,thedeclineoftheAralSea,the
ExxonValdezoilspill,thewhalingindustry)

explainingthestruggleoverFrenchnuclearweapontesting
inthePacificfrom19661996(forexamplethesinkingof
theship,theRainbowWarrior,in1985)

developmentanditssignificanceforAustralia,such
astheVietnamWarandIndochineserefugees
(ACDSEH146)

ThecontributionofmigrationtoAustralias
changingidentityasanationandtoitsinternational
relationships(ACDSEH147)

OR
Theenvironmentmovement(1960spresent)
Thebackgroundtoenvironmentalawareness,
includingthenineteenthcenturyNationalParks
movementinAmericaandAustralia(ACDSEH028)

Theintensificationofenvironmentaleffectsinthe
twentiethcenturyasaresultofpopulationincrease,
urbanisation,increasingindustrialproductionand
trade(ACDSEH125)

Thegrowthandinfluenceoftheenvironment
movementwithinAustraliaandoverseas,and
developmentsinideasabouttheenvironment
(notionofGaia,limitstogrowth,conceptof
sustainability,conceptofrightsofnature)
(ACDSEH126)

Significanteventsandcampaignsthatcontributed
topopularawarenessofenvironmentalissues,
suchasthecampaigntopreventthedammingof
AustraliasGordonRiver,thenuclearaccidentat
ChernobylandtheJabilukaminecontroversyin
1998(ACDSEH127)

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42

The Humanities - History

Responsesofgovernments,includingthe

explainingtheresponsesofgovernmentsand
organisationstoenvironmentalthreats(forexampleNew
Zealandsantinuclearpolicy,theUnitedStates
ComprehensiveEnvironmentalResponse,Compensation
andLiabilityAct1980(CERCLA),AustraliasGreatBarrier
ReefOutlookReport(2009)

evaluatingtheeffectivenessofinternationalprotocolsand
treatiessuchasKyoto(1997),theUnitedNations
FrameworkConventiononClimateChange(since1992)
andtheWashingtonDeclaration(2007)

Australiangovernment,andinternational
organisationstoenvironmentalthreatssincethe
1960s(includingdeforestationandclimate
change).(ACDSEH128)

HistoricalSkills
Chronology,termsandconcepts
Usechronologicalsequencingto

Elaborations
l

placinginsequencethemaineventsoftheFreedomRidescampaignsin
theUnitedStatesandAustraliaandexplainingthelinksbetweenthetwo
campaigns

usinginteractivetimelinestoexplorethevariousmanifestationsoreffects
ofaneventindifferentgeographicallocations

definingandusingtermsandconceptssuchasliberation,humanrights,
popularcultureandcontestability

demonstratetherelationshipbetween
eventsanddevelopmentsindifferent
periodsandplaces(ACHHS182)

Usehistoricaltermsandconcepts
(ACHHS183)
Historicalquestionsandresearch
Identifyandselectdifferentkindsof

Elaborations
l

changingakeyquestionorrelatedquestionsinaninquirydependingon
thesuitabilityofthesourcesavailable

developingquestionsaboutaspectsofthepastthatrequirehistorical
argument

identifying,planningandinvestigating(individuallyandaspartofateam)
specifichistoricalquestionsorissues

changingakeyquestionorrelatedquestionsinaninquirydependingon
thesuitabilityofthesourcesavailable

locatingsourcesforrecordingoralhistories(forexampleVietnamWar
veterans,recentmigrants)

recognisingtheroleofICTinprovidingaccesstosourcesandtheneedto
askrelevantquestionsofthosesources(forexampleaGooglesearchfor
significanceofKokoda)

questionsaboutthepasttoinform
historicalinquiry(ACHHS184)

Evaluateandenhancethesequestions
(ACHHS185)
Identifyandlocaterelevantsources,
usingICTandothermethods
(ACHHS186)

Analysisanduseofsources
Identifytheorigin,purposeandcontext

Elaborations
l

usingdatafromimmigrationrecordsandprocessingitusingICTtoidentify
historicaltrendsovertime

explainingthecontextofasourcesuchastheBringingThemHomeReport
(1997)andthesignificanceofthatcontextinunderstandingresponsesto
thereport(withvaryingperspectives)

ofprimaryandsecondarysources
(ACHHS187)

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43

The Humanities - History

Processandsynthesiseinformation

combininghistoricaldatafromarangeofsourcestoidentifyandexplain
theimpactofWorldWarII

understandingthatthereliabilityandusefulnessofasourcedependson
thequestionsaskedofit(forexampleanaccountmaybeonesidedand
thereforeofuseinrevealingpastprevailingattitudes)

discussingthereliabilityandusefulnessofMartinLutherKings1963I
HaveADreamspeechasasourcetoassistinunderstandingtheaims
andmotivationsoftheUSCivilRightsmovement

fromarangeofsourcesforuseas
evidenceinanhistoricalargument
(ACHHS188)
Evaluatethereliabilityandusefulness
ofprimaryandsecondarysources
(ACHHS189)

Perspectivesandinterpretations
Identifyandanalysetheperspectivesof

Elaborations
l

analysingtheviewsofbothmenandwomenatdifferenttimesregarding
genderequalityinAustraliaandexplaininghowtheseviewsmightreflect
changingvaluesandattitudes

examiningdifferentaccountsofthefirst1957rocknrolltoursofAustralia
andidentifyingthedifferentperspectivesbasedonage

explainingtheenthusiasmofyoungpeopleforthetoursandtheopposition
ofoldergenerations,asreflectedinthesources

peoplefromthepast(ACHHS190)

Identifyandanalysedifferenthistorical
interpretations(includingtheirown)
(ACHHS191)

Explanationandcommunication

Elaborations
l

developinganhistoricalargumentthatidentifiesdifferentpossibilitiesin
interpretationandarguesaparticularpointofview,withconsistentand
specificreferencetotheevidenceavailable

referenced(ACHHS192)

explainingthesignificanceofthefallofSingapore(1942)inthechangesin
AustraliasmilitaryalliancesanduseoftroopsduringWorldWarII,usinga
rangeofsources(forexampleaccountsofprisonersofwar,commanders
suchasGeneralGordonBennett,politicianssuchasPrimeMinisterJohn
Curtin,andJapaneseandBritishsources)

Selectandusearangeof

designingaposterthatoutlinesthemainargumentsagainstFrench
nucleartestinginthePacificandexplainingthenatureandreliabilityofthe
sourcesusedtoconstructtheposter

Developtexts,particularlydescriptions
anddiscussionsthatuseevidence
fromarangeofsourcesthatare

communicationforms(oral,graphic,
written)anddigitaltechnologies
(ACHHS193)

Level10achievementstandard
BytheendofLevel10,studentsrefertokeyevents,theactionsofindividualsandgroups,andbeliefsandvaluestoexplain
patternsofchangeandcontinuityovertime.Theyanalysethecausesandeffectsofeventsanddevelopmentsandexplain
theirrelativeimportance.Theyexplainthecontextforpeoplesactionsinthepast.Studentsexplainthesignificanceofevents
anddevelopmentsfromarangeofperspectives.Theyexplaindifferentinterpretationsofthepastandrecognisetheevidence
usedtosupporttheseinterpretations.

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The Humanities - History

Studentssequenceeventsanddevelopmentswithinachronologicalframework,andidentifyrelationshipsbetweenevents
acrossdifferentplacesandperiodsoftime.Whenresearching,studentsdevelop,evaluateandmodifyquestionstoframean
historicalinquiry.Theyprocess,analyseandsynthesiseinformationfromarangeofprimaryandsecondarysourcesanduse
itasevidencetoanswerinquiryquestions.Studentsanalysesourcestoidentifymotivations,valuesandattitudes.When
evaluatingthesesources,theyanalyseanddrawconclusionsabouttheirusefulness,takingintoaccounttheirorigin,
purpose,andcontext.Theydevelopandjustifytheirowninterpretationsaboutthepast.Studentsdeveloptexts,particularly
explanationsanddiscussions,incorporatinghistoricalargument.Indevelopingthesetextsandorganisingandpresenting
theirarguments,theyusehistoricaltermsandconcepts,evidenceidentifiedinsources,andtheyreferencethesesources.

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45

Mathematics

TableofContents
Overview

RationaleandAims

Contentstructure

MathematicsacrossFoundationtoLevel10

Achievementstandards

Diversityoflearners

Crosscurriculumpriorities

CurriculumF10

12

Level7

12

Level8

18

Level9

23

Level10

28

Level10A

33

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Mathematics

Rationale
LearningmathematicscreatesopportunitiesforandenrichesthelivesofallAustralians.AusVELSMathematics provides
studentswithessentialmathematicalskillsandknowledgeinNumberandAlgebra,MeasurementandGeometry,and
StatisticsandProbability.Itdevelopsthenumeracycapabilitiesthatallstudentsneedintheirpersonal,workandciviclife,
andprovidesthefundamentalsonwhichmathematicalspecialtiesandprofessionalapplicationsofmathematicsarebuilt.
MathematicshasitsownvalueandbeautyandtheAusVELSMathematics aimstoinstilinstudentsanappreciationofthe
eleganceandpowerofmathematicalreasoning.Mathematicalideashaveevolvedacrossallculturesoverthousandsof
levels,andareconstantlydeveloping.Digitaltechnologiesarefacilitatingthisexpansionofideasandprovidingaccessto
newtoolsforcontinuingmathematicalexplorationandinvention.Thecurriculumfocusesondevelopingincreasingly
sophisticatedandrefinedmathematicalunderstanding,fluency,logicalreasoning,analyticalthoughtandproblemsolving
skills.Thesecapabilitiesenablestudentstorespondtofamiliarandunfamiliarsituationsbyemployingmathematical
strategiestomakeinformeddecisionsandsolveproblemsefficiently.
AusVELSMathematics ensuresthatthelinksbetweenthevariouscomponentsofmathematics,aswellastherelationship
betweenmathematicsandotherdisciplines,aremadeclear.Mathematicsiscomposedofmultiplebutinterrelatedand
interdependentconceptsandsystemswhichstudentsapplybeyondthemathematicsclassroom.Inscience,forexample,
understandingsourcesoferrorandtheirimpactontheconfidenceofconclusionsisvital,asistheuseofmathematical
modelsinotherdisciplines.Ingeography,interpretationofdataunderpinsthestudyofhumanpopulationsandtheirphysical
environmentsinhistory,studentsneedtobeabletoimaginetimelinesandtimeframestoreconcilerelatedeventsandin
English,derivingquantitativeandspatialinformationisanimportantaspectofmakingmeaningoftexts.
Thecurriculumanticipatesthatschoolswillensureallstudentsbenefitfromaccesstothepowerofmathematicalreasoning
andlearntoapplytheirmathematicalunderstandingcreativelyandefficiently.Themathematicscurriculumprovidesstudents
withcarefullypaced,indepthstudyofcriticalskillsandconcepts.Itencouragesteacherstohelpstudentsbecomeself
motivated,confidentlearnersthroughinquiryandactiveparticipationinchallengingandengagingexperiences.

Aims
AusVELSMathematics aimstoensurethatstudents:
l

areconfident,creativeusersandcommunicatorsofmathematics,abletoinvestigate,representandinterpretsituations
intheirpersonalandworklivesandasactivecitizens

developanincreasinglysophisticatedunderstandingofmathematicalconceptsandfluencywithprocesses,andare
abletoposeandsolveproblemsandreasoninNumberandAlgebra,MeasurementandGeometry,andStatistics
andProbability

recogniseconnectionsbetweentheareasofmathematicsandotherdisciplinesandappreciatemathematicsasan
accessibleandenjoyabledisciplinetostudy.

Contentstructure
AusVELSMathematics isorganisedaroundtheinteractionofthreecontentstrandsandfourproficiencystrands.
ThecontentstrandsareNumberandAlgebra,MeasurementandGeometry,andStatisticsandProbability.Theydescribe
whatistobetaughtandlearnt.

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Mathematics
TheproficiencystrandsareUnderstanding,Fluency,ProblemSolving,andReasoning.Theydescribehowcontentis
exploredordeveloped,thatis,thethinkinganddoingofmathematics.Theyprovidethelanguagetobuildinthe
developmentalaspectsofthelearningofmathematicsandhavebeenincorporatedintothecontentdescriptionsofthethree
contentstrandsdescribedabove.Thisapproachhasbeenadoptedtoensurestudentsproficiencyinmathematicalskills
developsthroughoutthecurriculumandbecomesincreasinglysophisticatedoverthelevelsofschooling.

Contentstrands
NumberandAlgebra
NumberandAlgebraaredevelopedtogether,aseachenrichesthestudyoftheother.Studentsapplynumbersenseand
strategiesforcountingandrepresentingnumbers.Theyexplorethemagnitudeandpropertiesofnumbers.Theyapplya
rangeofstrategiesforcomputationandunderstandtheconnectionsbetweenoperations.Theyrecognisepatternsand
understandtheconceptsofvariableandfunction.Theybuildontheirunderstandingofthenumbersystemtodescribe
relationshipsandformulategeneralisations.Theyrecogniseequivalenceandsolveequationsandinequalities.Theyapply
theirnumberandalgebraskillstoconductinvestigations,solveproblemsandcommunicatetheirreasoning.

MeasurementandGeometry
MeasurementandGeometryarepresentedtogethertoemphasisetheirrelationshiptoeachother,enhancingtheirpractical
relevance.Studentsdevelopanincreasinglysophisticatedunderstandingofsize,shape,relativepositionandmovementof
twodimensionalfiguresintheplaneandthreedimensionalobjectsinspace.Theyinvestigatepropertiesandapplytheir
understandingofthemtodefine,compareandconstructfiguresandobjects.Theylearntodevelopgeometricarguments.
Theymakemeaningfulmeasurementsofquantities,choosingappropriatemetricunitsofmeasurement.Theybuildan
understandingoftheconnectionsbetweenunitsandcalculatederivedmeasuressuchasarea,speedanddensity.

StatisticsandProbability
StatisticsandProbabilityinitiallydevelopinparallelandthecurriculumthenprogressivelybuildsthelinksbetweenthem.
Studentsrecogniseandanalysedataanddrawinferences.Theyrepresent,summariseandinterpretdataandundertake
purposefulinvestigationsinvolvingthecollectionandinterpretationofdata.Theyassesslikelihoodandassignprobabilities
usingexperimentalandtheoreticalapproaches.Theydevelopanincreasinglysophisticatedabilitytocriticallyevaluate
chanceanddataconceptsandmakereasonedjudgmentsanddecisions,aswellasbuildingskillstocriticallyevaluate
statisticalinformationanddevelopintuitionsaboutdata.

Proficiencystrands
Theproficiencystrandsdescribetheactionsinwhichstudentscanengagewhenlearningandusingthecontent.Whilenot
allproficiencystrandsapplytoeverycontentdescription,theyindicatethebreadthofmathematicalactionsthatteacherscan
emphasise.TheyarerepresentedacrossandwithintheLevelDescriptions,ContentDescriptionsandAchievement
Standards.

Understanding
Studentsbuildarobustknowledgeofadaptableandtransferablemathematicalconcepts.Theymakeconnectionsbetween
relatedconceptsandprogressivelyapplythefamiliartodevelopnewideas.Theydevelopanunderstandingofthe
relationshipbetweenthewhyandthehowofmathematics.Studentsbuildunderstandingwhentheyconnectrelatedideas,
whentheyrepresentconceptsindifferentways,whentheyidentifycommonalitiesanddifferencesbetweenaspectsof
content,whentheydescribetheirthinkingmathematicallyandwhentheyinterpretmathematicalinformation.

Fluency

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Mathematics
Studentsdevelopskillsinchoosingappropriateprocedures,carryingoutproceduresflexibly,accurately,efficientlyand
appropriately,andrecallingfactualknowledgeandconceptsreadily.Studentsarefluentwhentheycalculateanswers
efficiently,whentheyrecogniserobustwaysofansweringquestions,whentheychooseappropriatemethodsand
approximations,whentheyrecalldefinitionsandregularlyusefacts,andwhentheycanmanipulateexpressionsand
equationstofindsolutions.

ProblemSolving
Studentsdeveloptheabilitytomakechoices,interpret,formulate,modelandinvestigateproblemsituations,and
communicatesolutionseffectively.Studentsformulateandsolveproblemswhentheyusemathematicstorepresent
unfamiliarormeaningfulsituations,whentheydesigninvestigationsandplantheirapproaches,whentheyapplytheir
existingstrategiestoseeksolutions,andwhentheyverifythattheiranswersarereasonable.

Reasoning
Studentsdevelopanincreasinglysophisticatedcapacityforlogicalthoughtandactions,suchasanalysing,proving,
evaluating,explaining,inferring,justifyingandgeneralising.Studentsarereasoningmathematicallywhentheyexplaintheir
thinking,whentheydeduceandjustifystrategiesusedandconclusionsreached,whentheyadapttheknowntotheunknown,
whentheytransferlearningfromonecontexttoanother,whentheyprovethatsomethingistrueorfalseandwhenthey
compareandcontrastrelatedideasandexplaintheirchoices.

Contentdescriptions
Themathematicscurriculumincludescontentdescriptionsateachlevel.Thesedescribetheknowledge,concepts,skills
andprocessesthatteachersareexpectedtoteachandstudentsareexpectedtolearn.However,theydonotprescribe
approachestoteaching.Thecontentdescriptionsareintendedtoensurethatlearningisappropriatelyorderedandthat
unnecessaryrepetitionisavoided.However,aconceptorskillintroducedatonelevelmayberevisited,strengthenedand
extendedatlaterlevelsasneeded.

Substrands
Contentdescriptionsaregroupedintosubstrandstoillustratetheclarityandsequenceofdevelopmentofconceptsthrough
andacrossthelevels.Theysupporttheabilitytoseetheconnectionsacrossstrandsandthesequentialdevelopmentof
conceptsfromFoundation(includingLevelsAtoDforStudentswithDisabilities)toLevel10.
NumberandAlgebra

MeasurementandGeometry

StatisticsandProbability

Numberandplacevalue(F8)

Usingunitsofmeasurement

Chance(110)

(F10)

Fractionsanddecimals(16)

Shape(F7)

Datarepresentationandinterpretation(F
10)

Realnumbers(710)

Geometricreasoning(310)

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Mathematics
Moneyandfinancialmathematics(1

Locationandtransformation

10)
(F7)

Patternsandalgebra(F10)

Pythagorasandtrigonometry(9

10)
Linearandnonlinearrelationships(8

10)

Leveldescriptions
Leveldescriptionsemphasisetheimportanceofworkingmathematicallywithinthecontent.Theyprovideanoverviewofthe
relationshipbetweentheproficiencies(Understanding,Fluency,ProblemSolvingandReasoning)andthecontentforeach
level.

Contentelaborations
Contentelaborationsareprovidedforalllevelstoillustrateandexemplifycontentandassistteacherstodevelopacommon
understandingofthecontentdescriptions.Theyarenotintendedtobecomprehensivecontentpointsthatallstudentsneed
tobetaught.

Glossary
Aglossaryisprovidedtosupportthecommonunderstandingofkeytermsinthecontentdescriptions.
Thissupportdocumentcontainsadditionalinformationtosupporttheglossary.

MathematicsacrossFoundationtoLevel10
TheAusVELScurriculumisdescribedbylevels.Thisdocumentprovidesadviceonthenatureoflearners,bylevelandage
andtherelevantcurriculum:
l

FoundationtoLevel2:typicallystudentsfrom5to8yearsofage

Levels36:typicallystudentsfrom8to12yearsofage

Levels710:typicallystudentsfrom12to16yearsofage.

TheTowardsFoundationLevelAusVELSLevelsAtoD(StudentswithDisabilities)focussesonprogressingstudentsfrom
apreintentionaltointentionalstate,andarenotassociatedwithanysetageoryearlevelthatlinkschronologicalageto
cognitiveprogress.

FoundationtoLevel2
Theselevelslaythefoundationforlearningmathematics.Studentsatthislevelcanaccesspowerfulmathematicalideas
relevanttotheircurrentlivesandlearnthelanguageofmathematics,whichisvitaltofutureprogression.

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Mathematics
Childrenhavetheopportunitytoaccessmathematicalideasbydevelopingasenseofnumber,order,sequenceandpattern
byunderstandingquantitiesandtheirrepresentationsbylearningaboutattributesofobjectsandcollections,position,
movementanddirection,andbydevelopinganawarenessofthecollection,presentationandvariationofdataandacapacity
tomakepredictionsaboutchanceevents.
Understandingandexperiencingtheseconceptsintheearlylevelsprovidesafoundationforalgebraic,statisticaland
numericalthinking,thatwilldevelopinsubsequentlevels.Thesefoundationsalsoenablechildrentoposebasic
mathematicalquestionsabouttheirworld,toidentifysimplestrategiestoinvestigatesolutions,andtostrengthentheir
reasoningtosolvepersonallymeaningfulproblems.

Levels36
Theselevelsemphasisetheimportanceofstudentsstudyingcoherent,meaningfulandpurposefulmathematicsthatis
relevanttotheirlives.Studentsstillrequireactiveexperiencesthatallowthemtoconstructkeymathematicalideas,butalso
graduallymovetousingmodels,picturesandsymbolstorepresenttheseideas.
Thecurriculumdevelopskeyunderstandingsbyextendingthenumber,measurement,geometricandstatisticallearning
fromtheearlylevelsbybuildingfoundationsforfuturestudiesthroughanemphasisonpatternsthatleadtogeneralisations
bydescribingrelationshipsfromdatacollectedandrepresentedbymakingpredictionsandbyintroducingtopicsthat
representakeychallengeintheselevels,suchasfractionsanddecimals.
Intheselevelsofschooling,itisparticularlyimportantforstudentstodevelopadeepunderstandingofwholenumbersto
buildreasoninginfractionsanddecimalsandtodevelopaconceptualunderstandingofplacevalue.Theseconceptsallow
studentstodevelopproportionalreasoningandflexibilitywithnumberthroughmentalcomputationskills,andtoextendtheir
numbersenseandstatisticalfluency.

Levels710
Theselevelsofschoolmarkashiftinmathematicslearningtomoreabstractideas.Throughkeyactivitiessuchasthe
exploration,recognitionandapplicationofpatterns,thecapacityforabstractthoughtcanbedevelopedandthewaysof
thinkingassociatedwithabstractideascanbeillustrated.
Thefoundationsbuiltinpreviouslevelspreparestudentsforthischange.Previouslyestablishedmathematicalideascanbe
drawnuponinunfamiliarsequencesandcombinationstosolvenonroutineproblemsandtoconsequentlydevelopmore
complexmathematicalideas.However,studentsofthisagealsoneedanunderstandingoftheconnectionsbetween
mathematicalconceptsandtheirapplicationintheirworldasamotivationtolearn.Thismeansusingcontextsdirectlyrelated
totopicsofrelevanceandinteresttothisagegroup.
Duringtheselevels,studentsneedtobeabletorepresentnumbersinavarietyofwaystodevelopanunderstandingofthe
benefitsofalgebra,throughbuildingalgebraicmodelsandapplicationsandthevariousapplicationsofgeometrytoestimate
andselectappropriateunitsofmeasuretoexplorewaysofworkingwithdatatoallowavarietyofrepresentationsandto
makepredictionsabouteventsbasedontheirobservations.
Theintentofthecurriculumistoencouragethedevelopmentofimportantideasinmoredepth,andtopromotethe
interconnectednessofmathematicalconcepts.Anobviousconcernisthepreparationofstudentsintendingtocontinue
studyingmathematicsintheseniorsecondarylevels.Teacherswill,inimplementingthecurriculum,extendthemore
mathematicallyablestudentsbyusingappropriatechallengesandextensionswithinavailabletopics.Adeeper
understandingofmathematicsinthecurriculumenhancesastudentspotentialtousethisknowledgetosolvenonroutine
problems,bothatthislevelofstudyandatlaterstages.

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Mathematics
Level10Acontentdescriptorsindicateoptionaladditionalcontentsuitablefordevelopmentofstudentmathematical
backgroundinpreparationforfurtherstudyoffunctions,algebra,andcalculusaswellasotheradditionalcontentrelatedto
statisticsandtrigonometry.
TeacherscanincorporateaselectionofthisandotheradditionalcontentinLevel10mathematicscourses,asapplicablefor
extensionandenrichmentpurposes,andtopreparestudentsforsubsequentstudyofvariousimplementationsofGeneral
MathematicsUnits1and2and/orMathematicalMethods(CAS)Units1and2inLevel11.
WhereadditionalmaterialisincludedinparticularaspreparationforsubsequentstudyofMathematicalMethods(CAS)Units
1and2,contentrelatingtoanintroductorytreatmentoflogarithmicfunctionsandcircularfunctions(asfunctionsofareal
variable)willbehelpful.Thiscouldincluderelatedalgebraandsolvingsimpleequations,aswellassomesimple
transformationsofgraphs,especiallyinmodellingcontexts.Studentsshouldalsobefamiliarwithcorrespondingworkon
sets,includingrelevantnotation,thatunderpinsthestudyoffunctions,algebra,calculusandprobabilityaswellastheuseof
technologyfornumeric,graphicandsymboliccomputation.
TheAusVELSMathematicsScopeandSequencechartisavailablefromtheVCAAwebsite.

AchievementStandards
Achievementstandardsindicatethequalityoflearningstudentsshouldtypicallydemonstratebyaparticularpointintheir
schooling.Theydescribethequalityoflearning(theextentofknowledge,thedepthofunderstandingandthesophisticationof
skills)thatwouldindicatethestudentiswellplacedtocommencethelearningrequiredatthenextlevelofachievement.
Thesequenceofachievementstandardsacrossthelevelsdescribesprogressinthelearningarea.Thissequenceprovides
teacherswithaframeworkofgrowthanddevelopmentinthelearningarea.
Studentworksamplesplayakeyroleincommunicatingexpectationsdescribedintheachievementstandards.Eachwork
sampleincludestherelevantassessmenttask,thestudentsresponse,andannotationsidentifyingthequalityoflearning
evidentinthestudentsresponseinrelationtorelevantpartsoftheachievementstandard.Together,thedescriptionofthe
achievementstandardandtheaccompanyingsetofannotatedworksampleshelpteacherstomakejudgmentsabout
whetherstudentshaveachievedthestandard.

DiversityofLearners
TheAusVELScurriculumhasbeendevelopedtoensurethatcurriculumcontentandachievementstandardsestablishhigh
expectationsforallstudents.Everystudentisentitledtoenrichinglearningexperiencesacrossallareasofthecurriculum.
StudentsinAustralianclassroomshavemultiple,diverseandchangingneedsthatareshapedbyindividuallearning
historiesandabilitiesaswellasculturallanguagebackgroundsandsocioeconomicfactors.

StudentswithDisabilities
TheobjectivesofAusVELSarethesameforallstudents.Thecurriculumoffersflexibilityforteacherstotailortheirteachingin
waysthatproviderigorous,relevantandengaginglearningandassessmentopportunitiesforstudentswithdisabilities.
Moststudentswithdisabilitiescanengagewiththecurriculumprovidedthenecessaryadjustmentsaremadetothe
complexityofthecurriculumcontentandtothemeansthroughwhichstudentsdemonstratetheirknowledge,skillsand
understanding.

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Mathematics
Forsomelearners,makingadjustmentstoinstructionalprocessesandtoassessmentstrategiesenablesstudentsto
achieveeducationalstandardscommensuratewiththeirpeers.
Forotherstudents,teacherswillneedtomakeappropriateadjustmentstothecomplexityofthecurriculumcontent,focusing
instructiononcontentdifferenttothattaughttoothersintheiragegroup.Itfollowsthatadjustmentswillalsoneedtobemade
tohowthestudentsprogressismonitored,assessedandreported.
Forasmallpercentageofstudentswithdisabilities,theirlearningwillbewellbelowtheAusVELSFoundationstandards.
Mostofthesestudentshaveasignificantintellectualdisability.TowardsFoundationLevelAusVELSprovidesthiscohortof
studentswithaccesstocurriculumcontentandstandardsthatenablesstudentstomovetowardthelearningdescribedat
Foundationlevel.
ForAusVELSEnglish,Mathematics,ScienceandHistory,theTowardsFoundationLevelAusVELSmaterialsareintegrated
directlyintotheAusVELScurriculumandarereferredtoasLevelsAtoD.Thesematerialsincludelearningareaspecific
leveldescriptions,contentdescriptionsandelaborations,achievementstandardsandscopeandsequencecharts.
AboutLevelsAtoD(StudentswithDisabilities)
LevelsAtoD(StudentswithDisabilities)focusonprogressingstudentsfromapreintentionaltointentionalengagementin
learning.Theysupportstudentstodeveloptheirindependenceastheyexplore,participateandengageintheworldaround
them.Asstudentsprogressthroughtheselevels,theamountofsupportdecreasesastheyproceedtowardsbecoming
independentlearners.
LevelsAtoDarenotassociatedwithanysetageoryearlevelthatlinkschronologicalagetocognitiveprogress.Ratherthe
learningdescriptionsforlevelsAtoDarestructuredbythefollowingcontinuum:
LevelA:BeginningtoExplore
Atthislevelstudentsexperiencearangeoflearningactivitiesthatwillassistthemtoattendtoandexploretheworldaround
themwithasmuchindependenceaspossible.Experiencesaredesignedtomovestudentsfromapreintentionallevelof
respondingtoalevelwheretheresponseindicatesbeginningintention.Studentsneedhighlevelsofcoactivesupportand
focusedattentionfromtheteachertohelptheminitiateandrefinetheirresponses.Studentsdemonstratesomeawareness
andrecognitionoffamiliarpeopleandroutineactivities.
LevelB:ActiveExploration
Studentsatthislevelbecomelessreliantonhighlevelsofcoactivesupportandbecomemorereliantonverbalpromptsand
gesturestofacilitatetheirlearning.Theybegintoexploretheirworldindependentlyandengageinsimplecauseandeffect
playactivities.Studentsareabletofocusonstructuredlearningactivitiesforshortperiodsoftime.Theyrespondtofamiliar
peopleandeventsandbegintouseyes/noresponses.
LevelC:IntentionalParticipation
Studentsatthislevelarelessdependentoncoactivesupportandrespondmoreconsistentlytopromptsandsimpleclear
directionsfromtheteachertosupportthemintheirlearning.Theyaredisplayingthefirstsignsofindependenceand
becomingmorepeerfocused.Studentsparticipateinstructuredlearningactivitieswithothersandtheybegintousepictures,
photosandobjectstocommunicatepersonalinterestsandexperiences.Theystarttouseandlinksomefamiliarwordsand
imagestoconstructameaningfulcommunication.
LevelD:BuildingIndependence

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Mathematics
Withteachersupportandcurriculumscaffolding,studentsatthislevelparticipatecooperativelyingrouplearningactivities.
Theyexpresstheirfeelings,needsandchoicesinincreasinglyappropriatewaysandcombineandsequencekeywordsand
imagestocommunicatepersonalinterestsandtorecountsignificantexperiences.Theyindicatebeginningunderstandingof
socialrulesandexpectationsandarebeginningtoreflectontheirownbehaviour.
SpecificleveldescriptionsforAusVELSMathematicsareintegratedwiththeAusVELScurriculum,i.e.,see

http://ausvels.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Mathematics/Curriculum/F10.
Formoreadviceinregardtocurriculumprovisionandstudentswithdisabilities,pleaseseetheAusVELSStudents

withDisabilitiesGuidelines(PDF).AdditionaladviceandsupportisalsoavailablefromtheDEECDAbilitiesBased
LearningandEducationSupport(ABLES)website.

Englishasanadditionallanguage
ManystudentsinAustralianschoolsarelearnersofEnglishasanadditionallanguage(EAL).LearnersofEALarestudents
whosefirstlanguageisalanguageotherthanStandardAustralianEnglishandwhorequireadditionalsupporttoassist
themtodevelopEnglishlanguageproficiency.WhilemanyEALlearnersdowellinschool,thereisasignificantgroupof
theselearnerswholeaveschoolwithoutachievingtheirpotential.
EALstudentscomefromdiversebackgroundsandmayinclude:
l

childrenwhosefirstlanguageisalanguageotherthanEnglish

AboriginalandTorresStraitIslanderstudentswhosefirstlanguageisanIndigenouslanguage,includingtraditional
languages,creolesandrelatedvarieties,orAboriginalEnglish.

EALlearnersenterAustralianschoolsatdifferentagesandatdifferentstagesofEnglishlanguagelearningandhavevarious
educationalbackgroundsintheirfirstlanguages.Forsome,schoolistheonlyplacetheyuseEnglish.
TheaimsofAusVELSMathematics areultimatelythesameforallstudents.However,EALlearnersaresimultaneously
learninganewlanguageandtheknowledge,understandingandskillsofthemathematicscurriculumthroughthatnew
language.Theyrequireadditionaltimeandsupport,alongwithinformedteachingthatexplicitlyaddressestheirlanguage
needs,andassessmentsthattakeintoaccounttheirdevelopinglanguageproficiency.
AnationalEALdocumentisbeingproducedthatwillsupporttheAusVELScurriculum.Itwillprovideadescriptionofhow
languageproficiencydevelops,andwillbeavaluablereferenceforallteachers.Itwillallowmathematicsteacherstoidentify
thelanguagelevelsoftheEALlearnersintheirclassroomsandtoaddresstheirspecificlearningrequirementswhen
teaching,ensuringequityofaccesstothemathematicslearningareaforall.
Intheinterim,adviceabouthowtousethecurriculumwithEALstudentsisavailablehere.

Crosscurriculumpriorities
TherearethreecrosscurriculumprioritiesintheAusVELSMathematics:
l

AboriginalandTorresStraitIslanderhistoriesandcultures

AsiaandAustraliasengagementwithAsia

Sustainability.

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Mathematics
Thecrosscurriculumprioritiesareembeddedinthecurriculumandwillhaveastrongbutvaryingpresencedependingon
theirrelevancetoeachofthelearningareas.

AboriginalandTorresStraitIslanderhistoriesandcultures
AboriginalandTorresStraitIslandercommunitiesarestrong,richanddiverse.AboriginalandTorresStraitIslanderIdentityis
centraltothispriorityandisintrinsicallylinkedtoliving,learningAboriginalandTorresStraitIslandercommunities,deep
knowledgetraditionsandholisticworldview.
AconceptualframeworkbasedonAboriginalandTorresStraitIslanderPeoplesuniquesenseofIdentityhasbeen
developedasastructuraltoolfortheembeddingofAboriginalandTorresStraitIslanderhistoriesandcultureswithin
AusVELSMathematics.ThissenseofIdentityisapproachedthroughtheinterconnectedaspectsofCountry/Place,People
andCulture.Embracingtheseelementsenhancesallareasofthecurriculum.
TheAboriginalandTorresStraitIslanderpriorityprovidesopportunitiesforalllearnerstodeepentheirknowledgeofAustralia
byengagingwiththeworldsoldestcontinuouslivingcultures.Thisknowledgeandunderstandingwillenrichtheirabilityto
participatepositivelyintheongoingdevelopmentofAustralia.
AusVELSMathematicsvaluesAboriginalandTorresStraitIslanderhistoriesandcultures.Itprovidesopportunitiesfor
studentstoappreciatethatAboriginalandTorresStraitIslandersocietieshavesophisticatedapplicationsofmathematical
concepts.
Studentswillexploreconnectionsbetweenrepresentationsofnumberandpatternandhowtheyrelatetoaspectsof
AboriginalandTorresStraitIslandercultures.Theywillinvestigatetime,place,relationshipsandmeasurementconceptsin
AboriginalandTorresStraitIslandercontexts.StudentswilldeepentheirunderstandingofthelivesofAboriginalandTorres
StraitIslanderPeoplesthroughtheapplicationandevaluationofstatisticaldata.

AsiaandAustraliasengagementwithAsia
AusVELSMathematics,thepriorityofAsiaandAustraliasengagementwithAsiaprovidesrichandengagingcontextsfor
developingstudentsmathematicalknowledge,skillsandunderstanding.
AusVELSMathematicsprovidesopportunitiesforstudentstolearnabouttheunderstandingsandapplicationsof
MathematicsinAsia.MathematiciansfromAsiacontinuetocontributetotheongoingdevelopmentofMathematics.
Inthislearningarea,studentsdevelopmathematicalunderstandinginfieldssuchasnumber,patterns,measurement,
symmetryandstatisticsbydrawingonknowledgeofandexamplesfromtheAsiaregion.Thesecouldincludecalculation,
money,art,architecture,designandtravel.Investigationsinvolvingdatacollection,representationandanalysiscanbeused
toexamineissuespertinenttotheAsiaregion.

Sustainability
AusVELSMathematics,thepriorityofsustainabilityprovidesrich,engagingandauthenticcontextsfordevelopingstudents
abilitiesinnumberandalgebra,measurementandgeometry,andstatisticsandprobability.
AusVELSMathematicsprovidesopportunitiesforstudentstodeveloptheproficienciesofproblemsolvingandreasoning
essentialfortheexplorationofsustainabilityissuesandtheirsolutions.Mathematicalunderstandingsandskillsare
necessarytomeasure,monitorandquantifychangeinsocial,economicandecologicalsystemsovertime.Statistical
analysisenablespredictionofprobablefuturesbasedonfindingsandhelpsinformdecisionmakingandactionsthatwill
leadtopreferredfutures.

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Mathematics
Inthislearningarea,studentscanobserve,recordandorganisedatacollectedfromprimarysourcesovertimeandanalyse
datarelatingtoissuesofsustainabilityfromsecondarysources.Theycanapplyspatialreasoning,measurement,
estimation,calculationandcomparisontogaugelocalecosystemhealthandcancostproposedactionsforsustainability.

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11

Mathematics

Level7
TheproficiencystrandsUnderstanding,Fluency,ProblemSolvingandReasoningareanintegralpartofmathematics
contentacrossthethreecontentstrands:NumberandAlgebra,MeasurementandGeometry,andStatisticsand
Probability.Theproficienciesreinforcethesignificanceofworkingmathematicallywithinthecontentanddescribehow
thecontentisexploredordeveloped.Theyprovidethelanguagetobuildinthedevelopmentalaspectsofthelearningof
mathematics.
Atthislevel:
Understandingincludesdescribingpatternsinusesofindiceswithwholenumbers,recognisingequivalencesbetween
fractions,decimals,percentagesandratios,plottingpointsontheCartesianplane,identifyinganglesformedbya
transversalcrossingapairoflines,andconnectingthelawsandpropertiesofnumberstoalgebraictermsand
expressions
Fluencyincludescalculatingaccuratelywithintegers,representingfractionsanddecimalsinvariousways,investigating
bestbuys,findingmeasuresofcentraltendencyandcalculatingareasofshapesandvolumesofprisms
ProblemSolvingincludesformulatingandsolvingauthenticproblemsusingnumbersandmeasurements,workingwith
transformationsandidentifyingsymmetry,calculatinganglesandinterpretingsetsofdatacollectedthroughchance
experiments
Reasoningincludesapplyingthenumberlawstocalculations,applyingknowngeometricfactstodrawconclusionsabout
shapes,applyinganunderstandingofratioandinterpretingdatadisplays
NumberandAlgebra
Numberandplacevalue
Investigateindexnotationandrepresent

Elaborations
l

definingandcomparingprimeandcompositenumbersand
explainingthedifferencebetweenthem

applyingknowledgeoffactorstostrategiesforexpressingwhole
numbersasproductsofpowersofprimefactors,suchas
repeateddivisionbyprimefactorsorcreatingfactortrees

solvingproblemsinvolvinglowestcommonmultiplesand
greatestcommondivisors(highestcommonfactors)forpairsof
wholenumbersbycomparingtheirprimefactorisation

investigatingsquarenumberssuchas25and36and
developingsquarerootnotation

investigatingbetweenwhichtwowholenumbersasquareroot
lies

understandingthatarithmeticlawsarepowerfulwaysof
describingandsimplifyingcalculations

wholenumbersasproductsofpowersof
primenumbers(ACMNA149)

Investigateandusesquarerootsofperfect
squarenumbers(ACMNA150)

Applytheassociative,commutativeand
distributivelawstoaidmentalandwritten
computation(ACMNA151)

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Mathematics
Compare,order,addandsubtractintegers
(ACMNA280)
Realnumbers
Comparefractionsusingequivalence.Locate

Elaborations
l

exploringequivalenceamongfamiliesoffractionsbyusinga
fractionwalloranumberline(forexamplebyusingafraction
walltoshowthat2/3isthesameas4/6and6/9)

exploringanddevelopingefficientstrategiestosolveadditive
problemsinvolvingfractions(forexamplebyusingfractionwalls
orrectangulararrayswithdimensionsequaltothe
denominators)

investigatingmultiplicationoffractionsanddecimals,using
strategiesincludingpatterningandmultiplicationasrepeated
addition,withbothconcretematerialsanddigitaltechnologies,
andidentifyingtheprocessesfordivisionastheinverseof
multiplication

usingauthenticexamplesforthequantitiestobeexpressedand
understandingthereasonsforthecalculations

usingroundingtoestimatetheresultsofcalculationswithwhole
numbersanddecimals,andunderstandingtheconventionsfor
rounding

justifyingchoicesofwritten,mentalorcalculatorstrategiesfor
solvingspecificproblemsincludingthoseinvolvinglarge
numbers

understandingthatquantitiescanberepresentedbydifferent
numbertypesandcalculatedusingvariousoperations,andthat
choicesneedtobemadeabouteach

calculatingthepercentageofthetotallocalmunicipalareaset
asideforparkland,manufacturing,retailandresidential
dwellingstocomparelanduse

usingauthenticproblemstoexpressquantitiesaspercentages
ofotheramounts

understandingthatrateandratioproblemscanbesolvedusing
fractionsorpercentagesandchoosingthemostefficientformto
solveaparticularproblem

andrepresentpositiveandnegativefractions
andmixednumbersonanumberline
(ACMNA152)
Solveproblemsinvolvingadditionand
subtractionoffractions,includingthosewith
unrelateddenominators(ACMNA153)

Multiplyanddividefractionsanddecimals
usingefficientwrittenstrategiesanddigital
technologies(ACMNA154)

Expressonequantityasafractionofanother,
withandwithouttheuseofdigital
technologies(ACMNA155)
Rounddecimalstoaspecifiednumberof
decimalplaces(ACMNA156)

Connectfractions,decimalsandpercentages
andcarryoutsimpleconversions
(ACMNA157)

Findpercentagesofquantitiesandexpress
onequantityasapercentageofanother,with
andwithoutdigitaltechnologies.(ACMNA158)
Recogniseandsolveproblemsinvolving
simpleratios(ACMNA173)

Moneyandfinancialmathematics
Investigateandcalculate'bestbuys',withand
withoutdigitaltechnologies(ACMNA174)

Elaborations
l

applyingtheunitarymethodtoidentifybestbuyssituations,
suchascomparingthecostper100g

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13

Mathematics
Patternsandalgebra
Introducetheconceptofvariablesasawayof

Elaborations
l

understandingthatarithmeticlawsarepowerfulwaysof
describingandsimplifyingcalculationsandthatusingthese
lawsleadstothegeneralityofalgebra

usingauthenticformulastoperformsubstitutions

identifyingorderofoperationsincontextualisedproblems,
preservingtheorderbyinsertingbracketsinnumerical
expressions,thenrecognisinghoworderispreservedby
convention

movingfluentlybetweenalgebraicandwordrepresentationsas
descriptionsofthesamesituation

representingnumbersusingletters
(ACMNA175)
Createalgebraicexpressionsandevaluate
thembysubstitutingagivenvalueforeach
variable(ACMNA176)
Extendandapplythelawsandpropertiesof
arithmetictoalgebraictermsandexpressions
(ACMNA177)

Linearandnonlinearrelationships
Givencoordinates,plotpointsonthe

Elaborations
l

plottingpointsfromatableofintegervaluesandrecognising
simplepatterns,suchaspointsthatlieonastraightline

solvingequationsusingconcretematerials,suchasthebalance
model,andexplaintheneedtodothesamethingtoeachsideof
theequationusingsubstitutiontochecksolutions

investigatingarangeofstrategiestosolveequations

usingtravelgraphstoinvestigateandcomparethedistance
travelledtoandfromschool

interpretingfeaturesoftravelgraphssuchastheslopeoflines
andthemeaningofhorizontallines

usinggraphsofevaporationratestoexplorewaterstorage

Cartesianplane,andfindcoordinatesfora
givenpoint(ACMNA178)
Solvesimplelinearequations(ACMNA179)

Investigate,interpretandanalysegraphsfrom
authenticdata(ACMNA180)

MeasurementandGeometry
Usingunitsofmeasurement
Establishtheformulasforareasofrectangles,

Elaborations
l

buildingontheunderstandingoftheareaofrectanglesto
developformulasfortheareaoftriangles

establishingthattheareaofatriangleishalftheareaofan
appropriaterectangle

usingareaformulasforrectanglesandtrianglestosolve
problemsinvolvingareasofsurfaces

investigatingvolumesofcubesandrectangularprismsand
establishingandusingtheformulaV=lbh

understandingandusingcubicunitswheninterpretingand
findingvolumesofcubesandrectangularprisms

trianglesandparallelogramsandusethese
inproblemsolving(ACMMG159)

Calculatevolumesofrectangularprisms
(ACMMG160)

Shape

Elaborations

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14

Mathematics
Drawdifferentviewsofprismsandsolids

formedfromcombinationsofprisms

usingaerialviewsofbuildingsandother3Dstructuresto
visualisethestructureofthebuildingorprism

(ACMMG161)
Locationandtransformation
Describetranslations,reflectionsinanaxis,

Elaborations
l

describingpatternsandinvestigatingdifferentwaystoproduce
thesametransformationsuchasusingtwosuccessive
reflectionstoprovidethesameresultasatranslation

experimentingwith,creatingandrecreatingpatternsusing
combinationsofreflectionsandrotationsusingdigital
technologies

androtationsofmultiplesof90onthe
Cartesianplaneusingcoordinates.Identify
lineandrotationalsymmetries(ACMMG181)

Geometricreasoning
Identifycorresponding,alternateandco

Elaborations
l

definingandclassifyingpairsofanglesascomplementary,
supplementary,adjacentandverticallyopposite

constructingparallelandperpendicularlinesusingtheir
properties,apairofcompassesandaruler,anddynamic
geometrysoftware

definingandidentifyingtherelationshipsbetweenalternate,
correspondingandcointerioranglesforapairofparallellines
cutbyatransversal

usingconcretematerialsanddigitaltechnologiestoinvestigate
theanglesumofatriangleandquadrilateral

identifyingsideandanglepropertiesofscalene,isosceles,right
angledandobtuseangledtriangles

describingsquares,rectangles,rhombuses,parallelograms,
kitesandtrapeziums

interiorangleswhentwostraightlinesare
crossedbyatransversal(ACMMG163)
Investigateconditionsfortwolinestobe
parallelandsolvesimplenumericalproblems
usingreasoning(ACMMG164)

Demonstratethattheanglesumofatriangle
is180andusethistofindtheanglesumofa
quadrilateral(ACMMG166)
Classifytrianglesaccordingtotheirsideand
anglepropertiesanddescribequadrilaterals
(ACMMG165)

StatisticsandProbability
Chance
Constructsamplespacesforsinglestep

Elaborations
l

discussingthemeaningofprobabilityterminology(forexample
probability,samplespace,favourableoutcomes,trial,events
andexperiments)

distinguishingbetweenequallylikelyoutcomesandoutcomes
thatarenotequallylikely

expressingprobabilitiesasdecimals,fractionsandpercentages

experimentswithequallylikelyoutcomes
(ACMSP167)

Assignprobabilitiestotheoutcomesofevents
anddetermineprobabilitiesforevents
(ACMSP168)
Datarepresentationandinterpretation

Elaborations

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15

Mathematics
Identifyandinvestigateissuesinvolving

obtainingsecondarydatafromnewspapers,theInternetandthe
AustralianBureauofStatistics

investigatingsecondarydatarelatingtothedistributionanduse
ofnonrenewableresourcesaroundtheworld

understandingthatsomedatarepresentationsaremore
appropriatethanothersforparticulardatasets,andanswering
questionsaboutthosedatasets

usingorderedstemandleafplotstorecordanddisplay
numericaldatacollectedinaclassinvestigation,suchas
constructingaclassplotofheightincentimetresonashared
stemandleafplotforwhichthestems12,13,14,15,16and17
havebeenproduced

understandingthatsummarisingdatabycalculatingmeasures
ofcentreandspreadcanhelpmakesenseofthedata

usingmeanandmediantocomparedatasetsandexplaining
howoutliersmayaffectthecomparison

locatingmean,medianandrangeongraphsandconnecting
themtoreallife

numericaldatacollectedfromprimaryand
secondarysources(ACMSP169)

Constructandcomparearangeofdata
displaysincludingstemandleafplotsanddot
plots(ACMSP170)

Calculatemean,median,modeandrangefor
setsofdata.Interpretthesestatisticsinthe
contextofdata(ACMSP171)

Describeandinterpretdatadisplaysusing
median,meanandrange(ACMSP172)

Level7achievementstandard
NumberandAlgebra
Studentssolveproblemsinvolvingtheorder,additionandsubtractionofintegers.Theymaketheconnectionsbetweenwhole
numbersandindexnotationandtherelationshipbetweenperfectsquaresandsquareroots.Theysolveproblemsinvolving
allfouroperationswithfractions,decimals,percentagesandtheirequivalences,andexpressfractionsintheirsimplestform.
Studentscomparethecostofitemstomakefinancialdecisions,withandwithouttheuseofdigitaltechnology.Theymake
simpleestimatestojudgethereasonablenessofresults.Studentsusevariablestorepresentarbitrarynumbersand
connectthelawsandpropertiesofnumbertoalgebraandsubstitutenumbersintoalgebraicexpressions.Theyassign
orderedpairstogivenpointsontheCartesianplaneandinterpretandanalysegraphsofrelationsfromrealdata.Students
developsimplelinearmodelsforsituations,makepredictionsbasedonthesemodels,solverelatedequationsandcheck
theirsolutions.
MeasurementandGeometry
Studentsuseformulasfortheareaandperimeterofrectangles.Theyclassifytrianglesandquadrilateralsandrepresent
transformationsoftheseshapesontheCartesianplane,withandwithouttheuseofdigitaltechnology.Studentsnamethe
typesofanglesformedbyatransversalcrossingparallellinesandsolvesimplenumericalproblemsinvolvingtheselines
andangles.Theydescribedifferentviewsofthreedimensionalobjects,andusemodels,sketchesanddigitaltechnologyto
representtheseviews.Studentscalculatevolumesofrectangularprisms.
StatisticsandProbability

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16

Mathematics
Studentsidentifyissuesinvolvingthecollectionofdiscreteandcontinuousdatafromprimaryandsecondarysources.They
constructstemandleafplotsanddotplots.Studentsidentifyorcalculatemean,mode,medianandrangefordatasets,
usingdigitaltechnologyforlargerdatasets.Theydescribetherelationshipbetweenthemedianandmeanindatadisplays.
Studentsdeterminethesamplespaceforsimpleexperimentswithequallylikelyoutcomes,andassignprobabilities
outcomes.

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17

Mathematics
Level8
TheproficiencystrandsUnderstanding,Fluency,ProblemSolvingandReasoningareanintegralpartofmathematics
contentacrossthethreecontentstrands:NumberandAlgebra,MeasurementandGeometry,andStatisticsand
Probability.Theproficienciesreinforcethesignificanceofworkingmathematicallywithinthecontentanddescribehow
thecontentisexploredordeveloped.Theyprovidethelanguagetobuildinthedevelopmentalaspectsofthelearningof
mathematics.
Atthislevel:
Understandingincludesdescribingpatternsinvolvingindicesandrecurringdecimals,identifyingcommonalitiesbetween
operationswithalgebraandarithmetic,connectingrulesforlinearrelationstheirgraphs,explainingthepurposeof
statisticalmeasures,andexplainingmeasurementsofperimeterandarea
Fluencyincludescalculatingaccuratelywithsimpledecimals,indicesandintegers,recognisingequivalenceofcommon
decimalsandfractionsincludingrecurringdecimals,factorisingandsimplifyingbasicalgebraicexpressions,and
evaluatingperimeters,areasofcommonshapesandtheirvolumesandthreedimensionalobjects
ProblemSolvingincludesformulating,andmodellingpracticalsituationsinvolvingratios,profitandloss,areasand
perimetersofcommonshapes,andusingtwowaytablesandVenndiagramstocalculateprobabilities
Reasoningincludesjustifyingtheresultofacalculationorestimationasreasonable,derivingprobabilityfromits
complement,usingcongruencetodeducepropertiesoftriangles,findingestimatesofmeansandproportionsof
populations
NumberandAlgebra
Numberandplacevalue
Useindexnotationwithnumberstoestablishthe

Elaborations
l

evaluatingnumbersexpressedaspowersofpositive
integers

usingpatternstoassistinfindingrulesforthemultiplication
anddivisionofintegers

usingthenumberlinetodevelopstrategiesforaddingand
subtractingrationalnumbers

indexlawswithpositiveintegralindicesandthe
zeroindex(ACMNA182)
Carryoutthefouroperationswithrationalnumbers
andintegers,usingefficientmentalandwritten
strategiesandappropriatedigitaltechnologies
(ACMNA183)
Realnumbers
Investigateterminatingandrecurringdecimals

Elaborations
l

recognisingterminating,recurringandnonterminating
decimalsandchoosingtheirappropriaterepresentations

understandingthattherealnumbersystemincludes
irrationalnumbers

(ACMNA184)
Investigatetheconceptofirrationalnumbers,
including(ACMNA186)

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Mathematics
l

usingpercentagestosolveproblems,includingthose
involvingmarkups,discounts,andGST

withandwithoutdigitaltechnologies(ACMNA187)

usingpercentagestocalculatepopulationincreasesand
decreases

Solvearangeofproblemsinvolvingratesand

understandingthatrateandratioproblemscanbesolved
usingfractionsorpercentagesandchoosingthemost
efficientformtosolveaparticularproblem

calculatingpopulationgrowthratesinAustraliaandAsia
andexplainingtheirdifference

Solveproblemsinvolvingtheuseofpercentages,
includingpercentageincreasesanddecreases,

ratios,withandwithoutdigitaltechnologies
(ACMNA188)

Moneyandfinancialmathematics
Solveproblemsinvolvingprofitandloss,withand

Elaborations
l

expressingprofitandlossasapercentageofcostorselling
price,comparingthedifference

investigatingthemethodsusedinretailstorestoexpress
discounts

withoutdigitaltechnologies(ACMNA189)

Patternsandalgebra
Extendandapplythedistributivelawtothe

Elaborations
l

applyingthedistributivelawtotheexpansionofalgebraic
expressionsusingstrategiessuchastheareamodel

recognisingtherelationshipbetweenfactorisingand
expanding

identifyingthegreatestcommondivisor(highestcommon
factor)ofnumericandalgebraicexpressionsandusinga
rangeofstrategiestofactorisealgebraicexpressions

understandingthatthelawsusedwithnumberscanalso
beusedwithalgebra

expansionofalgebraicexpressions(ACMNA190)
Factorisealgebraicexpressionsbyidentifying
numericalfactors(ACMNA191)

Simplifyalgebraicexpressionsinvolvingthefour
operations(ACMNA192)
Linearandnonlinearrelationships
PlotlinearrelationshipsontheCartesianplane

Elaborations
l

completingatableofvalues,plottingtheresultingpoints
anddeterminingwhethertherelationshipislinear

findingtheruleforalinearrelationship

solvingreallifeproblemsbyusingvariablestorepresent
unknowns

withandwithouttheuseofdigitaltechnologies
(ACMNA193)

Solvelinearequationsusingalgebraicand
graphicaltechniques.Verifysolutionsby
substitution(ACMNA194)
MeasurementandGeometry
Usingunitsofmeasurement

Elaborations

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19

Mathematics
l

choosingunitsforareaincludingmm 2,cm 2,m 2,hectares,

km 2,andunitsforvolumeincludingmm 3,cm 3,m 3

recognisingthattheconversionfactorsforareaunitsarethe
squaresofthoseforthecorrespondinglinearunits

recognisingthattheconversionfactorsforvolumeunitsare
thecubesofthoseforthecorrespondinglinearunits

establishingandusingformulasforareassuchas
trapeziums,rhombusesandkites

investigatingthecircumferenceandareaofcircleswith
materialsorbymeasuring,toestablishanunderstandingof
formulas

involvingcircumferenceandarea(ACMMG197)

investigatingtheareaofcirclesusingasquaregridorby
rearrangingacircledividedintosectors

Developtheformulasforvolumesofrectangular

investigatingtherelationshipbetweenvolumesof
rectangularandtriangularprisms

identifyingregionsinAustraliaandcountriesinAsiathatare
inthesametimezone

Chooseappropriateunitsofmeasurementforarea
andvolumeandconvertfromoneunittoanother
(ACMMG195)

Findperimetersandareasofparallelograms,
trapeziums,rhombusesandkites(ACMMG196)
Investigatetherelationshipbetweenfeaturesof
circlessuchascircumference,area,radiusand
diameter.Useformulastosolveproblems

andtriangularprismsandprismsingeneral.Use
formulastosolveproblemsinvolvingvolume
(ACMMG198)
Solveproblemsinvolvingduration,includingusing
12and24hourtimewithinasingletimezone
(ACMMG199)

Geometricreasoning
Definecongruenceofplaneshapesusing

Elaborations
l

understandingthepropertiesthatdeterminecongruenceof
trianglesandrecognisingwhichtransformationscreate
congruentfigures

establishingthattwofiguresarecongruentifoneshapelies
exactlyontopoftheotherafteroneormoretransformations
(translation,reflection,rotation),andrecognisingthatthe
matchingsidesandthematchinganglesareequal

investigatingtheminimalconditionsneededfortheunique
constructionoftriangles,leadingtotheestablishmentofthe
conditionsforcongruence(SSS,SAS,ASAandRHS)

solvingproblemsusingthepropertiesofcongruentfigures

constructingtrianglesusingtheconditionsforcongruence

establishingthepropertiesofsquares,rectangles,
parallelograms,rhombuses,trapeziumsandkites

identifyingpropertiesrelatedtosidelengths,parallelsides,
angles,diagonalsandsymmetry

transformations(ACMMG200)

Developtheconditionsforcongruenceoftriangles
(ACMMG201)

Establishpropertiesofquadrilateralsusing
congruenttrianglesandangleproperties,and
solverelatednumericalproblemsusingreasoning
(ACMMG202)
StatisticsandProbability
Chance

Elaborations

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Mathematics
Identifycomplementaryeventsandusethesumof

identifyingthecomplementoffamiliarevents

probabilitiestosolveproblems(ACMSP204)

understandingthatprobabilitiesrangebetween0to1and
thatcalculatingtheprobabilityofaneventallowsthe
probabilityofitscomplementtobefound

Describeeventsusinglanguageof'atleast',

posing'and','or'and'not'probabilityquestionsabout
objectsorpeople

usingVenndiagramsandtwowaytablestocalculate
probabilitiesforevents,satisfying'and','or'and'not'
conditions

understandingthatrepresentingdatainVenndiagramsor
twowaytablesfacilitatesthecalculationofprobabilities

collectingdatatoanswerthequestionsusingVenn
diagramsortwowaytables

exclusive'or'(AorBbutnotboth),inclusive'or'(Aor
Borboth)and'and'.(ACMSP205)
RepresenteventsintwowaytablesandVenn
diagramsandsolverelatedproblems(ACMSP292)

Datarepresentationandinterpretation
Investigatetechniquesforcollectingdata,including

Elaborations
l

identifyingsituationswheredatacanbecollectedbycensus
andthosewhereasampleisappropriate

investigatingtheusesofrandomsamplingtocollectdata

usingsamplepropertiestopredictcharacteristicsofthe
population

usingdisplaysofdatatoexploreandinvestigateeffects

census,samplingandobservation(ACMSP284)
Explorethepracticalitiesandimplicationsof
obtainingdatathroughsamplingusingavarietyof
investigativeprocesses(ACMSP206)
Explorethevariationofmeansandproportionsof
randomsamplesdrawnfromthesamepopulation
(ACMSP293)
Investigatetheeffectofindividualdatavalues,
includingoutliers,onthemeanandmedian
(ACMSP207)

Level8achievementstandard
NumberandAlgebra
Studentsuseefficientmentalandwrittenstrategiestomakeestimatesandcarryoutthefouroperationswithintegers,and
applytheindexlawstowholenumbers.Theyidentifyanddescriberationalandirrationalnumbersincontext.Students
estimateanswersandsolveeverydayproblemsinvolvingprofitandlossrates,ratiosandpercentages,withandwithoutthe
useofdigitaltechnology.Theysimplifyavarietyofalgebraicexpressionsandconnectexpansionandfactorisationoflinear
expressions.StudentssolvelinearequationsandgraphlinearrelationshipsontheCartesianplane.
MeasurementandGeometry

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Mathematics
Studentsconvertbetweenunitsofmeasurementforareaandforvolume.Theyfindtheperimeterandareaofparallelograms,
rhombusesandkites.Studentsnamethefeaturesofcircles,calculatecircumferenceandarea,andsolveproblemsrelating
tothevolumeofprisms.Theymakesenseoftimedurationinrealapplications,includingtheuseof24hourtime.Students
identifyconditionsforthecongruenceoftrianglesanddeducethepropertiesofquadrilaterals.Theyusetools,including
digitaltechnology,toconstructcongruentshapes.
StatisticsandProbability
Studentsexplainissuesrelatedtothecollectionofsampledataanddiscusstheeffectofoutliersonmeansandmediansof
thedata.Theyusevariousapproaches,includingtheuseofdigitaltechnology,togeneratesimplerandomsamplesfroma
population.StudentsmodelsituationswithVenndiagramsandtwowaytablesandexplaintheuseof'not','and'and'or'.
Studentschooseappropriatelanguagetodescribeeventsandexperiments.Theydeterminecomplementaryeventsand
calculatethesumofprobabilities.

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22

Mathematics
Level9
TheproficiencystrandsUnderstanding,Fluency,ProblemSolvingandReasoningareanintegralpartofmathematics
contentacrossthethreecontentstrands:NumberandAlgebra,MeasurementandGeometry,andStatisticsand
Probability.Theproficienciesreinforcethesignificanceofworkingmathematicallywithinthecontentanddescribehow
thecontentisexploredordeveloped.Theyprovidethelanguagetobuildinthedevelopmentalaspectsofthelearningof
mathematics.
Atthislevel:
Understandingincludesdescribingtherelationshipbetweengraphsandequations,simplifyingarangeofalgebraic
expressions,explainingtheuseofrelativefrequenciestoestimateprobabilities,andtheuseofthetrigonometricratios
forrightangletriangles
Fluencyincludesapplyingtheindexlawstoexpressionswithintegerindices,expressingnumbersinscientificnotation,
listingoutcomesforexperimentsanddevelopingfamiliaritywithcalculationsinvolvingtheCartesianplaneand
calculatingareasofshapesandsurfaceareasofprisms
ProblemSolvingincludesformulating,andmodellingpracticalsituationsinvolvingsurfaceareasandvolumesofright
prisms,applyingratioandscalefactorstosimilarfigures,solvingproblemsinvolvingrightangletrigonometry,and
collectingdatafromsecondarysourcestoinvestigateanissue
Reasoningincludesfollowingmathematicalarguments,evaluatingmediareportsandusingstatisticalknowledgeto
clarifysituations,developingstrategiesininvestigatingsimilarityandsketchinglineargraphs

NumberandAlgebra
Realnumbers
Solveproblemsinvolvingdirectproportion.Explorethe

Elaborations
l

identifyingdirectproportioninreallifecontexts

simplifyingandevaluatingnumericalexpressions,
usinginvolvingbothpositiveandnegativeinteger
indices

representingextremelylargeandsmallnumbersin
scientificnotation,andnumbersexpressedinscientific
notationaswholenumbersordecimals

relationshipbetweengraphsandequations
correspondingtosimplerateproblems(ACMNA208)
Applyindexlawstonumericalexpressionswithinteger
indices(ACMNA209)

Expressnumbersinscientificnotation(ACMNA210)

Moneyandfinancialmathematics
Solveproblemsinvolvingsimpleinterest(ACMNA211)

Patternsandalgebra

Elaborations
l

understandingthatfinancialdecisionscanbeassisted
bymathematicalcalculations

Elaborations

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Mathematics
Extendandapplytheindexlawstovariables,using

understandingthatindexlawsapplytovariablesas
wellasnumbers

understandingthatthedistributivelawcanbeapplied
toalgebraicexpressionsaswellasnumbers

understandingtherelationshipbetweenexpansionand
factorisationandidentifyingalgebraicfactorsin
algebraicexpressions

positiveintegerindicesandthezeroindex(ACMNA212)
Applythedistributivelawtotheexpansionofalgebraic
expressions,includingbinomials,andcollectliketerms
whereappropriate(ACMNA213)

Linearandnonlinearrelationships

Elaborations
l

investigatinggraphicalandalgebraictechniquesfor
findingdistancebetweentwopoints

graphingsoftware(ACMNA214)

usingPythagoras'theoremtocalculatedistance
betweentwopoints

Findthemidpointandgradientofalinesegment

investigatinggraphicalandalgebraictechniquesfor
findingmidpointandgradient

strategies,includinggraphingsoftware(ACMNA294)

recognisingthatthegradientofalineisthesameas
thegradientofanylinesegmentonthatline

Sketchlineargraphsusingthecoordinatesoftwo

determininglinearrulesfromsuitablediagrams,tables
ofvaluesandgraphsanddescribingthemusingboth
wordsandalgebra

graphingparabolas,andcirclesconnectingx
interceptsofagraphtoarelatedequation

Findthedistancebetweentwopointslocatedona
Cartesianplaneusingarangeofstrategies,including

(interval)ontheCartesianplaneusingarangeof

pointsandsolvelinearequations(ACMNA215)

Graphsimplenonlinearrelationswithandwithoutthe
useofdigitaltechnologiesandsolvesimplerelated
equations(ACMNA296)
MeasurementandGeometry
Usingunitsofmeasurement

Elaborations

Calculatetheareasofcompositeshapes(ACMMG216)

understandingthatpartitioningcompositeshapesinto
rectanglesandtrianglesisastrategyforsolving
problemsinvolvingarea

Calculatethesurfaceareaandvolumeofcylindersand

analysingnetsofcylinderstoestablishformulasfor
surfacearea

connectingthevolumeandcapacityofacylinderto
solveauthenticproblems

solvingpracticalproblemsinvolvingsurafceareaand
volumeofrightprisms

investigatingtheusefulnessofscientificnotationin
representingverylargeandverysmallnumbers

solverelatedproblems(ACMMG217)

Solveproblemsinvolvingthesurfaceareaandvolume
ofrightprisms(ACMMG218)
Investigateverysmallandverylargetimescalesand
intervals(ACMMG219)
Geometricreasoning

Elaborations

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Mathematics
Usetheenlargementtransformationtoexplain

establishingtheconditionsforsimilarityoftwo
trianglesandcomparingthistotheconditionsfor
congruence

usingthepropertiesofsimilarityandratio,andcorrect
mathematicalnotationandlanguage,tosolve
problemsinvolvingenlargement(forexample,scale
diagrams)

usingtheenlargementtransformationtoestablish
similarityunderstandingthatsimilarityandcongruence
helpdescriberelationshipsbetweengeometrical
shapesandareimportantelementsofreasoningand
proof

establishingtherelationshipbetweenareasofsimilar
figuresandtheratioofcorrespondingsides(scale
factor)

similarityanddeveloptheconditionsfortrianglestobe
similar(ACMMG220)

Solveproblemsusingratioandscalefactorsinsimilar
figures(ACMMG221)

Pythagorasandtrigonometry
InvestigatePythagorasTheoremanditsapplicationto

Elaborations
l

understandingthatPythagoras'Theoremisauseful
toolindeterminingunknownlengthsinrightangled
trianglesandhaswidespreadapplications

recognisingthatrightangledtrianglecalculationsmay
generateresultsthatcanbeintegers,fractionsor
irrationalnumbers

developingunderstandingoftherelationshipbetween
thecorrespondingsidesofsimilarrightangled
triangles

understandingtheterms'adjacent'and'opposite'sides
inarightangledtriangle

selectingandaccuratelyusingthecorrecttrigonometric
ratiotofindunknownsides(adjacent,oppositeand
hypotenuse)andanglesinrightangledtriangles

solvingsimpleproblemsinvolvingrightangled
triangles(ACMMG222)

Usesimilaritytoinvestigatetheconstancyofthesine,
cosineandtangentratiosforagivenangleinright
angledtriangles(ACMMG223)
Applytrigonometrytosolverightangledtriangle
problems(ACMMG224)

StatisticsandProbability
Chance

Elaborations

Listalloutcomesfortwostepchanceexperiments,

conductingtwostepchanceexperiments

bothwithandwithoutreplacementusingtreediagrams

usingsystematicmethodstolistoutcomesof
experimentsandtolistoutcomesfavourabletoan
event

comparingexperimentswhichdifferonlybybeing
undertakenwithreplacementorwithoutreplacement

orarrays.Assignprobabilitiestooutcomesand
determineprobabilitiesforevents(ACMSP225)

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Mathematics
Calculaterelativefrequenciesfromgivenorcollected

usingVenndiagramsortwowaytablestocalculate
relativefrequenciesofeventsinvolvingand,or
questions

usingrelativefrequenciestofindanestimateof
probabilitiesofand,orevents

investigatingarangeofdataanditssources,for

datatoestimateprobabilitiesofeventsinvolving'and'or
'or'(ACMSP226)

Investigatereportsofsurveysindigitalmediaand
elsewhereforinformationonhowdatawereobtainedto

exampletheageofresidentsinAustralia,Cambodia

estimatepopulationmeansandmedians(ACMSP227)

andTongathenumberofsubjectsstudiedatschoolin
alevelby14yearoldstudentsinAustralia,Japanand

TimorLeste

Datarepresentationandinterpretation
Identifyeverydayquestionsandissuesinvolvingatleast

Elaborations
l

comparingtheannualrainfallinvariouspartsof
Australia,Pakistan,NewGuineaandMalaysia

usingstemandleafplotstocomparetwolikesetsof
datasuchastheheightsofgirlsandtheheightsof
boysinaclass

describingtheshapeofthedistributionofdatausing
termssuchaspositiveskew,negativeskewand
'symmetric'and'bimodal'

comparingmeans,mediansandrangesoftwosetsof
numericaldatawhichhavebeendisplayedusing
histograms,dotplots,orstemandleafplots

onenumericalandatleastonecategoricalvariable,
andcollectdatadirectlyfromsecondarysources
(ACMSP228)

Constructbacktobackstemandleafplotsand
histogramsanddescribedata,usingtermsincluding
skewed,symmetricandbimodal(ACMSP282)

Comparedatadisplaysusingmean,medianandrange
todescribeandinterpretnumericaldatasetsinterms
oflocation(centre)andspread(ACMSP283)

Level9achievementstandard
NumberandAlgebra
Studentsapplytheindexlawsusingintegerindicestovariablesandnumbers,expressnumbersinscientificnotation,solve
problemsinvolvingverysmallandverylargenumbers,andchecktheorderofmagnitudeofcalculations.Theysolve
problemsinvolvingsimpleinterest.Studentsusethedistributivelawtoexpandalgebraicexpressions,includingbinomial
expressions,andsimplifyarangeofalgebraicexpressions.TheyfindthedistancebetweentwopointsontheCartesian
planeandthegradientandmidpointofalinesegmentusingarangeofstrategiesincludingtheuseofdigitaltechnology.
Studentssketchanddrawlinearandnonlinearrelations,solvesimplerelatedequationsandexplaintherelationship
betweenthegraphicalandsymbolicforms,withandwithouttheuseofdigitaltechnology.
MeasurementandGeometry

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Mathematics
Studentssolvemeasurementproblemsinvolvingperimeterandareaofcompositeshapes,surfaceareaandvolumeof
rectangularprismsandcylinders,withandwithouttheuseofdigitaltechnology.Theyrelatethreedimensionalobjectstotwo
dimensionalrepresentations.Studentsexplainsimilarityoftriangles,interpretratiosandscalefactorsinsimilarfigures,and
applyPythagoras'stheoremandtrigonometrytosolveproblemsinvolvinganglesandlengthsinrightangledtriangles.
StatisticsandProbability
Studentscomparetechniquesforcollectingdatafromprimaryandsecondarysources,andidentifyquestionsandissues
involvingdifferentdatatypes.Theyconstructhistogramsandbacktobackstemandleafplotswithandwithouttheuseof
digitaltechnology.Studentsidentifymeanandmedianinskewed,symmetricandbimodaldisplaysandusetheseto
describeandinterpretthedistributionofthedata.Theycalculaterelativefrequenciestoestimateprobabilities.Studentslist
outcomesfortwostepexperimentsandassignprobabilitiesforthoseoutcomesandrelatedevents.

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Mathematics
Level10
TheproficiencystrandsUnderstanding,Fluency,ProblemSolvingandReasoningareanintegralpartofmathematics
contentacrossthethreecontentstrands:NumberandAlgebra,MeasurementandGeometry,andStatisticsand
Probability.Theproficienciesreinforcethesignificanceofworkingmathematicallywithinthecontentanddescribehow
thecontentisexploredordeveloped.Theyprovidethelanguagetobuildinthedevelopmentalaspectsofthelearningof
mathematics.
Atthislevel:
Understandingincludesapplyingthefouroperationstoalgebraicfractions,findingunknownsinformulasafter
substitution,makingtheconnectionbetweenequationsofrelationsandtheirgraphs,comparingsimpleandcompound
interestinfinancialcontextsanddeterminingprobabilitiesoftwoandthreestepexperiments
Fluencyincludesfactorisingandexpandingalgebraicexpressions,usingarangeofstrategiestosolveequationsand
usingcalculationstoinvestigateingtheshapeofdatasets
ProblemSolvingincludescalculatingthesurfaceareaandvolumeofadiverserangeofprismstosolvepractical
problems,findingunknownlengthsandanglesusingapplicationsoftrigonometry,usingalgebraicandgraphical
techniquestofindsolutionstosimultaneousequationsandinequalities,andinvestigatingindependenceofevents
Reasoningincludesformulatinggeometricproofsinvolvingcongruenceandsimilarity,interpretingandevaluatingmedia
statementsandinterpretingandcomparingdatasets
NumberandAlgebra
Moneyandfinancialmathematics
Connectthecompoundinterestformulatorepeated

Elaborations
l

applicationsofsimpleinterestusingappropriate
digitaltechnologies(ACMNA229)
Patternsandalgebra
Factorisealgebraicexpressionsbytakingouta

Elaborations
l

usingthedistributivelawandtheindexlawstofactorise
algebraicexpressions

understandingtherelationshipbetweenfactorisationand
expansion

applyingknowledgeofindexlawstoalgebraicterms,and
simplifyingalgebraicexpressionsusingbothpositive
andnegativeintegralindices

expressingthesumanddifferenceofalgebraicfractions
withacommondenominator

usingtheindexlawstosimplifyproductsandquotientsof
algebraicfractions

commonalgebraicfactor(ACMNA230)

Simplifyalgebraicproductsandquotientsusingindex
laws(ACMNA231)

Applythefouroperationstosimplealgebraicfractions

workingwithauthenticinformation,dataandinterest
ratestocalculatecompoundinterestandsolverelated
problems

withnumericaldenominators(ACMNA232)

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Mathematics
Expandbinomialproductsandfactorisemonic

exploringthemethodofcompletingthesquareto
factorisequadraticexpressionsandsolvequadratic
equations

identifyingandusingcommonfactors,includingbinomial
expressions,tofactorisealgebraicexpressionsusing
thetechniqueofgroupinginpairs

usingtheidentitiesforperfectsquaresandthedifference
ofsquarestofactorisequadraticexpressions

solvingsimpleequationsarisingfromformulas

quadraticexpressionsusingavarietyofstrategies
(ACMNA233)

Substitutevaluesintoformulastodeterminean
unknown(ACMNA234)
Linearandnonlinearrelationships

Elaborations
l

representingwordproblemswithsimplelinear
equationsandsolvingthemtoanswerquestions

representingwordproblemswithsimplelinear
inequalitiesandsolvingthemtoanswerquestions

associatingthesolutionofsimultaneousequationswith
thecoordinatesoftheintersectionoftheircorresponding
graphs

solvingproblemsusingthefactthatparallellineshave
thesamegradientandconverselythatiftwolineshave
thesamegradientthentheyareparallel

solvingproblemsusingthefactthattheproductofthe
gradientsofperpendicularlinesis1andconverselythat
iftheproductofthegradientsoftwolinesis1thenthey
areperpendicular

Exploretheconnectionbetweenalgebraicand

sketchinggraphsofparabolas,andcircles

graphicalrepresentationsofrelationssuchassimple

applyingtranslations,reflectionsandstretchesto
parabolasandcircles

technologyasappropriate(ACMNA239)

sketchingthegraphsofexponentialfunctionsusing
transformations

Solvelinearequationsinvolvingsimplealgebraic

solvingawiderangeoflinearequations,includingthose
involvingoneortwosimplealgebraicfractions,and
checkingsolutionsbysubstitution

representingwordproblems,includingthoseinvolving
fractions,asequationsandsolvingthemtoanswerthe
question

usingavarietyoftechniquestosolvequadratic
equations,includinggrouping,completingthesquare,
thequadraticformulaandchoosingtwointegerswiththe
requiredproductandsum

Solveproblemsinvolvinglinearequations,including
thosederivedfromformulas(ACMNA235)
Solvelinearinequalitiesandgraphtheirsolutionson
anumberline(ACMNA236)
Solvelinearsimultaneousequations,usingalgebraic
andgraphicaltechniquesincludingusingdigital
technology(ACMNA237)
Solveproblemsinvolvingparallelandperpendicular
lines(ACMNA238)

quadratics,circlesandexponentialsusingdigital

fractions(ACMNA240)

Solvesimplequadraticequationsusingarangeof
strategies(ACMNA241)

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Mathematics
MeasurementandGeometry
Usingunitsofmeasurement
Solveproblemsinvolvingsurfaceareaandvolumefor

Elaborations
l

arangeofprisms,cylindersandcompositesolids
(ACMMG242)
Geometricreasoning
Formulateproofsinvolvingcongruenttrianglesand

Elaborations
l

applyinganunderstandingofrelationshipstodeduce
propertiesofgeometricfigures(forexamplethebase
anglesofanisoscelestriangleareequal)

distinguishingbetweenapracticaldemonstrationanda
proof(forexampledemonstratingtrianglesarecongruent
byplacingthemontopofeachother,ascomparedto
usingcongruenceteststoestablishthattrianglesare
congruent)

performingasequenceofstepstodeterminean
unknownanglegivingajustificationinmovingfromone
steptothenext.

communicatingaproofusingasequenceoflogically
connectedstatements

angleproperties(ACMMG243)

Applylogicalreasoning,includingtheuseof
congruenceandsimilarity,toproofsandnumerical
exercisesinvolvingplaneshapes(ACMMG244)

Pythagorasandtrigonometry
Solverightangledtriangleproblemsincludingthose

Investigatinganddeterminingthevolumesandsurface
areasofcompositesolidsbyconsideringtheindividual
solidsfromwhichtheyareconstructed

Elaborations
l

involvingdirectionandanglesofelevationand

applyingPythagoras'sTheoremandtrigonometryto
problemsinsurveyinganddesign

depression(ACMMG245)
StatisticsandProbability
Chance
Describetheresultsoftwoandthreestepchance

Elaborations
l

recognisingthataneventcanbedependentonanother
eventandthatthiswillaffectthewayitsprobabilityis
calculated

usingtwowaytablesandVenndiagramstounderstand
conditionalstatements

usingarraysandtreediagramstodetermine
probabilities

experiments,bothwithandwithoutreplacements,
assignprobabilitiestooutcomesanddetermine
probabilitiesofevents.Investigatetheconceptof
independence(ACMSP246)
Usethelanguageofif....then,given,of,knowing
thattoinvestigateconditionalstatementsandidentify
commonmistakesininterpretingsuchlanguage
(ACMSP247)
Datarepresentationandinterpretation

Elaborations

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Mathematics
Determinequartilesandinterquartilerange

findingthefivenumbersummary(minimumand
maximumvalues,medianandupperandlower
quartiles)andusingitsgraphicalrepresentation,thebox
plot,astoolsforbothnumericallyandvisuallycomparing
thecentreandspreadofdatasets

understandingthatboxplotsareanefficientand
commonwayofrepresentingandsummarisingdataand
canfacilitatecomparisonsbetweendatasets

usingparallelboxplotstocomparedataabouttheage
distributionofAboriginalandTorresStraitIslander
peoplewiththatoftheAustralianpopulationasawhole

Investigatingdataindifferentwaystomakecomparisons
anddrawconclusions

usingauthenticdatatoconstructscatterplots,make
comparisonsanddrawconclusions

investigatingbiodiversitychangesinAustraliasince
Europeanoccupation

constructingandinterpretingdatadisplaysrepresenting
bivariatedataovertime

investigatingtheuseofstatisticsinreportsregardingthe
growthofAustralia'stradewithothercountriesoftheAsia
region

evaluatingstatisticalreportscomparingthelife
expectancyofAboriginalandTorresStraitIslander
peoplewiththatoftheAustralianpopulationasawhole

(ACMSP248)

Constructandinterpretboxplotsandusethemto
comparedatasets(ACMSP249)

Compareshapesofboxplotstocorresponding
histogramsanddotplots(ACMSP250)
Usescatterplotstoinvestigateandcommenton
relationshipsbetweentwonumericalvariables
(ACMSP251)
Investigateanddescribebivariatenumericaldata
wheretheindependentvariableistime(ACMSP252)

Evaluatestatisticalreportsinthemediaandother
placesbylinkingclaimstodisplays,statisticsand
representativedata(ACMSP253)

Level10achievementstandard
NumberandAlgebra
Studentsrecognisetheconnectionbetweensimpleandcompoundinterest.Theysolveproblemsinvolvinglinearequations
andinequalities,quadraticequationsandpairsofsimultaneouslinearequationsandrelatedgraphs,withandwithoutthe
useofdigitaltechnology.Studentssubstituteintoformulas,findunknownvalues,manipulatelinearalgebraicexpressions,
expandbinomialexpressionsandfactorisemonicandsimplenonmonicquadraticexpressions,withandwithouttheuseof
digitaltechnology.Theyrepresentlinear,quadraticandexponentialfunctionsnumerically,graphicallyandalgebraically,and
usethemtomodelsituationsandsolvepracticalproblems.
MeasurementandGeometry
Studentssolveandexplainsurfaceareaandvolumeproblemsrelatingtocompositesolids.Theyuseparalleland
perpendicularlines,angleandtriangleproperties,similarity,trigonometryandcongruencetosolvepracticalproblemsand
developproofsinvolvinglengths,anglesandareasinplaneshapes.Theyusedigitaltechnologytoconstructandmanipulate
geometricshapesandobjects,andexploresymmetryandpatternintwodimensions.

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Mathematics
StatisticsandProbability
Studentscompareunivariatedatasetsbyreferringtosummarystatisticsandtheshapeoftheirdisplays.Theydescribe
bivariatedatawheretheindependentvariableistimeandusescatterplotsgeneratedbydigitaltechnologytoinvestigate
relationshipsbetweentwocontinuousvariables.Studentsevaluatetheuseofstatisticsinthemedia.Theylistoutcomesfor
multistepchanceexperimentsinvolvingindependentanddependentevents,andassignprobabilitiesforthese
experiments.

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Mathematics
Level10A
NumberandAlgebra
Realnumbers
Definerationalandirrationalnumbersandperform

Elaborations
l

understandingthattherealnumbersystemincludes
irrationalnumbers

extendingtheindexlawstorationalnumberindices

performingthefouroperationswithsurds

investigatingtherelationshipbetweenexponentialand
logarithmicexpressions

simplifyingexpressionsusingthelogarithmlaws

operationswithsurdsandfractionalindices
(ACMNA264)

Usethedefinitionofalogarithmtoestablishandapply
thelawsoflogarithms(ACMNA265)

Patternsandalgebra
Investigatetheconceptofapolynomialandapplythe

Elaborations
l

factorandremaindertheoremstosolveproblems

investigatingtherelationshipbetweenalgebraiclong
divisionandthefactorandremaindertheorems

(ACMNA266)
Linearandnonlinearrelationships

Elaborations

Solvesimpleexponentialequations(ACMNA270)

investigatingexponentialequationsderivedfrom
authenticmathematicalmodelsbasedonpopulation
growth

Describe,interpretandsketchparabolas,hyperbolas,

applyingtransformations,includingtranslations,
reflectionsintheaxesandstretchestohelpgraph
parabolas,rectangularhyperbolas,circlesand
exponentialfunctions

investigatingthefeaturesofgraphsofpolynomials
includingaxesinterceptsandtheeffectofrepeated
factors

writingquadraticequationsthatrepresentpractical
problems

circlesandexponentialfunctionsandtheir
transformations(ACMNA267)

Applyunderstandingofpolynomialstosketcharange
ofcurvesanddescribethefeaturesofthesecurves
fromtheirequation(ACMNA268)
Factorisemonicandnonmonicquadraticexpressions
andsolveawiderangeofquadraticequationsderived
fromavarietyofcontexts(ACMNA269)
MeasurementandGeometry
Usingunitsofmeasurement

Elaborations

Solveproblemsinvolvingsurfaceareaandvolumeof

usingformulastosolveproblems

rightpyramids,rightcones,spheresandrelated

usingauthenticsituationstoapplyknowledgeand
understandingofsurfaceareaandvolume

compositesolids(ACMMG271)
Geometricreasoning

Elaborations

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33

Mathematics
Proveandapplyangleandchordpropertiesofcircles

performingasequenceofstepstodeterminean
unknownangleorlengthinadiagraminvolvingacircle,
orcircles,givingajustificationinmovingfromonestep
tothenext

communicatingaproofusingalogicalsequenceof
statements

provingresultsinvolvingchordsofcircles

(ACMMG272)

Pythagorasandtrigonometry

Elaborations
l

applyingknowledgeofsine,cosineandarearulesto
authenticproblemssuchasthoseinvolvingsurveying
anddesign

establishingthesymmetricalpropertiesof
trigonometricfunctions

investigatinganglesofanymagnitude

understandingthattrigonometricfunctionsareperiodic
andthatthiscanbeusedtodescribemotion

Solvesimpletrigonometricequations(ACMMG275)

usingperiodicityandsymmetrytosolveequations

ApplyPythagorastheoremandtrigonometrytosolving

investigatingtheapplicationsofPythagoras'stheorem
inauthenticproblems

Establishthesine,cosineandarearulesforany
triangleandsolverelatedproblems(ACMMG273)

Usetheunitcircletodefinetrigonometricfunctions,and
graphthemwithandwithouttheuseofdigital
technologies(ACMMG274)

threedimensionalproblemsinrightangledtriangles
(ACMMG276)
StatisticsandProbability
Chance
Investigatereportsofstudiesindigitalmediaand

Elaborations
l

evaluatingtheappropriatenessofsamplingmethods
inreportswherestatementsaboutapopulationare
basedonasample

evaluatingwhethergraphsinareportcouldmislead,
andwhethergraphsandnumericalinformationsupport
theclaims

elsewhereforinformationontheirplanningand
implementation(ACMSP277)

Datarepresentationandinterpretation
Calculateandinterpretthemeanandstandard

Elaborations
l

usingthestandarddeviationtodescribethespreadof
asetofdata

usingthemeanandstandarddeviationtocompare
numericaldatasets

investigatingdifferenttechniquesforfindingalineof
bestfit

deviationofdataandusethesetocomparedatasets
(ACMSP278)

Useinformationtechnologiestoinvestigatebivariate
numericaldatasets.Whereappropriateuseastraight
linetodescribetherelationshipallowingforvariation
(ACMSP279)

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