IPSWICH GRAMMAR SCHOOL
Year 8 Overview
 History Descriptions |  Geography Descriptions |  Unit Plans |
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 Assessment Tasks |  Task Limits |  Pedagogies |
Level Descriptions
History
The Year 8 curriculum provides a study of history from the end of the ancient period to the beginning of the modern period, c.650– 1750 AD (CE). This was when major civilisations around the world came into contact with each other. Social, economic, religious and political beliefs were often challenged and significantly changed. It was the period when the modern world began to take shape.
The content provides opportunities to develop historical understanding through key concepts, including evidence, continuity and change, cause and effect, perspectives, empathy, significance and contestability. These concepts may be investigated within a particular historical context to facilitate an understanding of the past and to provide a focus for historical inquiries.
The history content at this year level involves two strands: historical knowledge and understanding, and historical skills. These strands are interrelated and have been developed to be taught in an integrated way, and in ways that are appropriate to specific local contexts. The order and detail in which they are taught are programming decisions.
Key inquiry questions
A framework for developing students’ historical knowledge, understanding and skills is provided by inquiry questions through the use and interpretation of sources.
The key inquiry questions for Year 8 are:
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How did societies change from the end of the ancient period to the beginning of the modern age?
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What key beliefs and values emerged and how did they influence societies?
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What were the causes and effects of contact between societies in this period?
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Which significant people, groups and ideas from this period have influenced the world today?
Geography
There are two units of study in the Year 8 curriculum for Geography: ‘Landforms and landscapes’ and ‘Changing nations’. ‘Landforms and landscapes’ focuses on investigating geomorphology through a study of landscapes and their landforms. This unit examines the processes that shape individual landforms, the values and meanings placed on landforms and landscapes by diverse cultures, hazards associated with landscapes, and management of landscapes. ‘Landforms and landscapes’ develops students’ understanding of the concept of environment and enables them to explore the significance of landscapes to people, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. These distinctive aspects of landforms and landscapes are investigated using studies drawn from Australia and throughout the world.
‘Changing nations’ investigates the changing human geography of countries, as revealed by shifts in population distribution. The spatial distribution of population is a sensitive indicator of economic and social change, and has significant environmental, economic and social effects, both negative and positive. The unit explores the process of urbanisation and draws on a study of a country of the Asia region to show how urbanisation changes the economies and societies of low- and middle-income countries. It investigates the reasons for the high level of urban concentration in Australia, one of the distinctive features of Australia’s human geography, and compares Australia with the United States of America. The redistribution of population resulting from internal migration is examined through case studies of Australia and China, and is contrasted with the way international migration reinforces urban concentration in Australia. The unit then examines issues related to the management and future of Australia’s urban areas.
The content of this year level is organised into two strands: geographical knowledge and understanding, and geographical inquiry and skills. These strands are interrelated and have been developed to be taught in an integrated manner, and in ways that are appropriate to specific local contexts. The order and detail in which they are taught are programming decisions.
Key inquiry questions
A framework for developing students’ geographical knowledge, understanding and skills is provided through the inclusion of inquiry questions and specific inquiry skills, including the use and interpretation of maps, photographs and other representations of geographical data.
The key inquiry questions for Year 8 are:
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How do environmental and human processes affect the characteristics of places and environments?
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How do the interconnections between places, people and environments affect the lives of people?
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What are the consequences of changes to places and environments and how can these changes be managed?
Unit Plans
Unit 1: Boys, Bears & Biomes
Term 1, 4 Weeks
Assessment Task: Short Response Exam / Response to Stimulus Exam
‘Landforms and landscapes’ focuses on investigating geomorphology through a study of landscapes and their landforms. This unit examines the processes that shape individual landforms, the values and meanings placed on landforms and landscapes by diverse cultures, hazards associated with landscapes, and management of landscapes.
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Different types of landscapes and their distinctive landform features (ACHGK048)
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Spiritual, aesthetic and cultural value of landscapes and landforms for people, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples (ACHGK049)
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Geomorphic processes that produce landforms, including a case study of at least one landform (ACHGK050)
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Human causes and effects of landscapedegradation (ACHGK051)
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Ways of protecting significant landscapes(ACHGK052)
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Causes, impacts and responses to a geomorphological hazard (ACHGK053)
Unit 2: Only Gold Can Cure
Term 2, 9 Weeks
Assessment Task: Written Research Task
Spain owed its mighty Empire to the wealth that flowed in from the New World, and it owed its New World colonies to the conquistadors, ruthless soldiers of fortune who brought the powerful Aztec and Inca Empires to their knees. You can despise these men for their barbarity, greed and cruelty, but you must respect their courage and audacity.
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Pre-Columbian life in the Americas, including social organisation, city life and beliefs(ACDSEH016)
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When, how and why the Spanish arrived in the Americas, and where they went, including the various societies and geographical features they encountered (ACDSEH073)
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The nature of the interaction between the Spanish and the indigenous populations, with a particular focus on either the Aztecs OR Incas (ACDSEH074)
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The immediate and long-term effects of the conquest on the Aztecs OR Incas as well as on the wider world (ACDSEH075)
Unit 3: An Extraordinary Leap
Term 3, 10 Weeks
Assessment Task: Response to Stimulus Exam
The following content is taught as part of an overview for the historical period. It is not intended to be taught in depth. Overview content identifies important features of the period (1750 – 1918) as part of an expansive chronology that helps students understand broad patterns of historical change. As such, the overview provides the broader context for the teaching of depth study content and can be built into various parts of a teaching and learning program. This means that overview content can be used to give students an introduction to the historical period; to make the links to and between the depth studies, and to consolidate understanding through a review of the period.
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The technological innovations that led to the Industrial Revolution, and other conditions that influenced the industrialisation of Britain(ACDSEH017)
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The population movements and changing settlement patterns during this period(ACDSEH080)
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The experiences of men, women and children during the Industrial Revolution, and their changing way of life (ACDSEH081)
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The short and long-term impacts of the Industrial Revolution, including global changes in landscapes, transport and communication(ACDSEH082)
Unit 4: Waltzing Matilda
Term 4, 8 Weeks
Assessment Task: Extended Written Response Exam
The following content is taught as part of an overview for the historical period. It is not intended to be taught in depth. Overview content identifies important features of the period (1750 – 1918) as part of an expansive chronology that helps students understand broad patterns of historical change. As such, the overview provides the broader context for the teaching of depth study content and can be built into various parts of a teaching and learning program. This means that overview content can be used to give students an introduction to the historical period; to make the links to and between the depth studies, and to consolidate understanding through a review of the period.
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The extension of settlement, including the effects of contact (intended and unintended) between European settlers in Australia and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples (ACDSEH020)
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Experiences of non-Europeans in Australia prior to the 1900s (such as the Japanese, Chinese, South Sea Islanders, Afghans) (ACDSEH089)
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Living and working conditions in Australia around the turn of the twentieth century (that is 1900) (ACDSEH090)
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Key people, events and ideas in the development of Australian self-government and democracy, including, the role of founders, key features of constitutional development, the importance of British and Western influences in the formation of Australia’s system of government and women's voting rights (ACDSEH091)
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Laws made by federal Parliament between 1901-1914 including the Harvester Judgment, pensions, and the Immigration Restriction Act(ACDSEH092)
Assessment Tasks
Unit 1: Boys, Bears & Biomes
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Unit 2: Only Gold Can Cure
Unit 3: Creating a New World
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Unit 4: Waltzing Matilda
Response to Stimulus Exam
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Written Research Task
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Response to Stimulus Exam
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Extended Written Response
TBA