IPSWICH GRAMMAR SCHOOL
Year 9 Overview
 History Descriptions |  Geography Descriptions |  Unit Plans |
|---|---|---|
 Assessment Tasks |  Task Limits |  Pedagogies |
Level Descriptions
History
The Year 9 curriculum provides a study of the history of the making of the modern world from 1750 to 1918. It was a period of industrialisation and rapid change in the ways people lived, worked and thought. It was an era of nationalism and imperialism, and the colonisation of Australia was part of the expansion of European power. The period culminated in World War I, 1914–1918, the ‘war to end all wars’.
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 9 are:
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What were the changing features of the movements of people from 1750 to 1918?
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How did new ideas and technological developments contribute to change in this period?
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What was the origin, development, significance and long-term impact of imperialism in this period?
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What was the significance of World War I?
Geography
Geography
There are two units of study in the Year 9 curriculum for Geography: ‘Biomes and food security’ and ‘Geographies of interconnections’.
‘Biomes and food security’ focuses on investigating the role of the biotic environment and its role in food and fibre production. This unit examines the biomes of the world, their alteration and significance as a source of food and fibre, and the environmental challenges of and constraints on expanding food production in the future. These distinctive aspects of biomes, food production and food security are investigated using studies drawn from Australia and across the world.
‘Geographies of interconnections’ focuses on investigating how people, through their choices and actions, are connected to places throughout the world in a wide variety of ways, and how these connections help to make and change places and their environments. This unit examines the interconnections between people and places through the products people buy and the effects of their production on the places that make them. Students examine the ways that transport and information and communication technologies have made it possible for an increasing range of services to be provided internationally, and for people in isolated rural areas to connect to information, services and people in other places. These distinctive aspects of interconnection are investigated using studies drawn from Australia and across the world.
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 9 are:
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What are the causes and consequences of change in places and environments and how can this change be managed?
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What are the future implications of changes to places and environments?
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Why are interconnections and interdependencies important for the future of places and environments?
Unit Plans
Unit 4: Lest We Forget
Term 3, 9 Weeks
Assessment Task: Multi-modal Presentation
Wars have many different causes, so it is important to look at both long-term and short-term factors. The long-term causes of World War I can be traced back to at least the mid 19th century. These included tensions between the European powers, the creation of the alliance system, the arms race, the Balkan wars,and the rise of nationalism. Long-term factors such as these often form the real basis for going to war, but in many instances it takes a catalyst to trigger outright conflict. In the case of World War I, this catalyst was the assassination of the heir to the throne of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Less than two months later, all of the great powers of Europe were engaged in a bitter war that was to last more than four years. A war that involved so, so many Old Boys.
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An overview of the causes of World War I and the reasons why men enlisted to fight in the war (ACDSEH021)
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The places where Australians fought and the nature of warfare during World War I, including the Gallipoli campaign (ACDSEH095)
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The impact of World War I, with a particular emphasis on Australia including the changing role of women (ACDSEH096)
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The commemoration of World War I, including debates about the nature and significance of the Anzac legend (ACDSEH097
Unit 5: Biomes & Food Security
Term 4, 9 Weeks
Assessment Task: Geography Report
The word "shogun" is a title that was granted by the Emperor to the country's top military commander. During the Heian period (794-1192) the members of the military gradually became more powerful than the court officials, and eventually they took control of the whole government.
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The way of life in shogunate Japan, including social, cultural, economic and political features (including the feudal system and the increasing power of the shogun) (ACDSEH012)
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The role of the Tokugawa Shogunate in reimposing a feudal system (based on daimyo and samurai) and the increasing control of the Shogun over foreign trade (ACDSEH063)
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The use of environmental resources in Shogunate Japan and the forestry and land use policies of the Tokugawa Shogunate(ACDSEH064)
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Theories about the decline of the Shogunate, including modernisation and westernisation, through the adoption of Western arms and technology (ACDSEH065)
Assessment Tasks
Unit 1: The Jewel in the Crown
Unit 2: Tourism
Unit 3: An Extraordinary Leap
Unit 4: Lest We Forget
Unit 5: Biomes & Food Security
Geography Report
3 Lessons, week of 14th March 2016
16th May 2016
14th June 2016
Draft: 29th August 2016
Final Copy: 5th September 2016
14th November 2016