Scotch College

AUSTRALIAN HISTORY Year 9 — 2012

Rationale 

The core Unit explores key ideas and issues of the 20th century in Australia.  The main aim is to promote understanding of the foundations of Australian society. This should give students a better understanding of themselves and the world they inhabit. It should promote tolerance and a sense of perspective and make them better prepared to be informed and active citizens in a changing world. 

Student Outcomes 

• develop their sense of time, chronology and periodisation 
• consider changing relationships between Australia and the rest of the world in modern history 
• explore significant developments in Australia’s political, social and cultural history
• analyse the changing nature of indigenous and non-indigenous relations 
• develop the following enquiry skills: hypothesis formation, relevant and appropriate question-asking, identification of relevance, adjustment of hypotheses, synthesis of ‘evidence’, effective preparation of findings, improved oral communication 
• develop the following analytical skills: identification of (recognising the difference between) fact and opinion; understanding cause and effect, distinguishing between long and short term causes, recognizing different 
• perspectives and interpretations, identifying and using appropriate historical terminology, such as ‘social’, ‘economic’, ‘political’ and being able to recognise different social groupings 
• develop their writing skills, particularly in constructing an analytical or argumentative essay using historical understandings as well as further developing their note-taking skills 
• develop the following research skills: working independently, defining the purpose of investigation, locating, collecting and organising information from a variety of sources, evaluating the usefulness of sources for the purpose of an investigation and using appropriate annotation

Course Content

• Introducing Australian:   A snapshot view of Australia over time, significant places, events and people, Federation, The Constitution, White Australia Policy, early legislation.

• The First World War:   Causes, Gallipoli and the Western Front, the ANZAC legend.

• Between the Wars:   Legacy of World War I, Boom and Bust, Social Effects of the Depression, Aborigines.

• The Second World War:   Causes, Australians in Europe and the Pacific, the home front, the war and foreign relations.

• Modern Australia:   Australia in the post-war world, Cold War, immigration, women, Aboriginal Australia, society and culture.

Assessment 

Examination

Interpreting Evidence

Research 

Essay