Year 7 Humanities

Curriculum Outline 2012-2013

Topics at a Glance
Term Theme Key Skills Key Topic 1 Fragile World Spatial awareness Fantastic Places 2a Shrinking World Opinions & Bias The Renaissance 2b My World Civics & Structure My Place 3a Diverse World Using evidence Native Americans 3b Dangerous World Researching Wild Weather

The aim of the Year 7 program of study is to introduce learners to the subject of Humanities. The course is designed to develop learners sense of awe and wonder at the world around them and investigate the past, the present and the future. The curriculum is an amalgamation of the best elements of the British and New Zealand curriculums (for links please see the web addresses at the end of the curriculum outline). Learners will work individually, in pairs and groups to develop their humanities knowledge and understanding. Each topic will last approximately one half, to one full term and is linked to a key theme, which learners will follow throughout years 7, 8 & 9. The themes are designed to give learners continuity and focus for their learning and develop a range of key skills. Each topic is linked back to the three key learning outcomes, humanities knowledge, enquiry & investigation & skills. The topics are continually assessed through formative assessment, supplemented by a more formal assessment at some point during each topic. This assessment will take on a variety of forms, the outline of which can be found below. Homework will be set in the form of Extended Learning Projects (ELPs) individual and group based extension tasks that overarch the curriculum, providing a richer, deeper learning experience. These ELPs will take many forms and include research, preparatory work, specific tasks/questions or an enquiry-based project.

Y7 Humanities 2012-2013

Key Topic

Significant Concepts Where are the worlds fantastic places? Why are they here? What are their key characteristics? How do plants and animals adapt? What impacts do/could humans have on these fragile environments? The purpose of this topic is to stimulate an interest in and a sense of wonder about places. Learners will explore some of the most extreme and fragile environments on earth. Learners will follow a journey of discovery that travels from the dense tropical rainforests, to the searing heat of some of the remotest places on earth; the mysterious hot deserts and ethereal frozen wastelands of the cold deserts and finally to the undiscovered chasms of the worlds coral reefs! ELP

Key Learning Outcomes Humanities Knowledge: developing learners geographical imagination of places at a variety of scales. Understanding their physical and human characteristics. Knowing where places are located and why they are there (physical & human processes that have created, changed and sustained them) Enquiry & Investigation: Research and analyse information about a variety of locations. Using evidence to support ideas and opinions. Skills: Analytical skills; identifying questions, issues and problems. Using a range of sources. Communicating ideas.

Assessment Opportunities Stranded! Learners imagine they have been stranded in an extreme environment! They must survive for 5 days and produce a diary account of their survival. Save Our Planet Learners will produce an advertising campaign explaining why it is important to protect our fantastic places.

Fantastic Places

Ecosystem in a shoebox? Learners will apply their knowledge of a chosen ecosystem to produce a living ecosystem. They will need to consider the main characteristics, and adaptations of this fragile ecosystem. Humanities Knowledge: To understand the concept of change, individuals and ideas, and the effects this has had over time. Ability to order events chronologically and make links between past and contemporary cultures. Enquiry & Investigation: Ask relevant questions to gain clarification and further understanding. Research techniques; how to produce a coherent and useful search. Skills: Analyse and interpret information from a wide range of sources. Demonstrate an understanding of motivation and causation. Observe, select and record information. Using a range of sources. Communicating ideas. Recognising bias and assessing the usefulness of sources of information. Renaissance Idol Learners will produce an extended piece of writing based on the who was the most important figure of The Renaissance? For a change maker of their choice they will consider why this person was significant and the impacts they had? The Future: Survey to find out the views on the opportunities and threats presented by rapid change in telecommunications, today and in the future.

Why was the renaissance a rebirth? How did people respond to theses new ideas? How have the ideas of others in the past had a lasting impact on the world? How do new ideas change the world we live in? The Renaissance The key focus of this topic is for learners to explore how many ideas are inspired by things that have come before and that some new ideas have a lasing impact on the world. We will be using the Renaissance period, Italy in the 15th century, to start our journey and then compare to opportunities and threats raised by new ideas in the telecommunications world today.

My Place A new unit to be planned

ELP Inspirational idea to come Why does where matter? Where is my place? Humanities Knowledge: Recognise and describe basic How are places interconnected? How is my place My Place Enquiry: patterns and s. Identify basic issues relating to place on a governed? Learners will use a range of thinking local scale. Learners will be exploring my place. Investigating their skills to organise and produce a Enquiry & Investigation: Decision making skills, posing environment: the area they live in and the area around the newspaper article or news report and defining problems, giving reasons for opinions and school, virtually and through a field visit. How is Malaysia (iMovie) about the government of actions. governed? Learners will use enquiry skills to research Malaysia. Compare with other Skills: Technical skills: Using sources such as maps, Malaysias government system and how it compares with governing bodies. atlases and Google Earth. other governmental bodies. My Place: Learners will be apply their knowledge of where they live by producing a Vlog for the Malaysian Government outlining what their place is like ELP and improvements they would like to see. They will justify their opinions through research and interviews.

Y7 Humanities 2012-2013

Key Topic

Native Americans

Significant Concepts How did humans come to live in North America? How did native Americans live? What can we learn from the Native Americans way of life? Conflicts on the plains; causes and consequences. Learners will be investigating how the earth has changed, particularly in the context of North America. They will investigate two very different approaches to living and exploiting the natural environment. Particularly exploring the relationship between indigenous peoples and European settlers. Learners will be encouraged to reflect on the parallels facing modern society. ELP Inspirational idea to come

Key Learning Outcomes Humanities Knowledge: To understand the concepts of chronology, bias and opinion. Enquiry & Investigation: Ask relevant questions. Learning how to organize ideas into a logically sequenced manner using description and explanation. Skills: to be able to work independently and as part of a group. To research issues and present ideas using a range of media. Using creativity and imagination to develop their ideas.

Assessment Opportunities

The Wild Wild West: Learners will work collaboratively to produce a script and play about the changing life on the plains.

What is the difference between weather & climate? Why does it rain? What causes the extremes of weather? How does climate affect human activity? Wild Weather Learners will explore the climates of today and investigate why climate change occurs and the impact this has on the various locations through the world. The focus of the module is the causes of extreme weather conditions and how humans have adapted their lives to minimise the impacts of these events. ELP

Humanities Knowledge: To understand the patterns & processes associated with weather & climate. Why climate change occurs and the impact this has on various locations and people. Enquiry & Investigation: Ask key questions, experience decision-making and use extended vocabulary. Skills: Research and information processing. Using a range of sources such as atlases and Google Earth, drawing maps, plans and graphs.

Wild Weather Learners investigate a wild weather type of their choice. Describing their experiences from the perspective of an eyewitness, a survivor or a news presenter. They must describe what the weather experience is, how it forms and the impacts on humans.

What have we learnt? Learners work together to research and produce a revision guide reflecting on their learning experiences throughout the year.

Y7 Humanities 2012-2013