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Summary of the proposed National Curriculum for History
(Australia) May 2009
Summarised from Shape of the Australian Curriculum: History
[National Curriculum Board, May 2009]
Annabel Astbury
History Teachers’ Association of Victoria
The Shape of the Australian Curriculum: History
Prep – Year 3
Stage 1: 5 – 8 Years of Age
Year 4 – Year 6
Stage 2: 8 – 12 Years of Age
Year 7 – Year 10
Stage 3: 12 - 15 Years of Age
Year 4 – Year 6
Year 11 – Year 12
Stage 4: 15 – 18 Years of Age
Years K - 2: Key Topics
(5- 8 years of age)
Personal Pasts: family, other students.
Chronology and measurements of time
Features of everyday life and present societies
prepared by Annabel Astbury, HTAV, May
2009
Key Historical Skills for Years K – 2
•use common historical terms for describing time and sequencing
events and developments in chronological order
• recognise that people have different stories
• may use fictional stories to provide a deeper understanding of
changes over time
• examine artefacts (photos and objects)
Years 3 - 6: Key Topics
(8 – 12 Years of Age)
There are four focus questions:
What do we know about the past?
How did Australians live in the past?
How did people live in other places?
How has the past influenced the present?
These four questions will enable students to consider
local, state or territory, national and global contexts.
prepared by Annabel Astbury, HTAV, May
2009
Years 3 - 6: Focus Question 1
• Developing curiosity about historical
discoveries.
• Family history
Photograph by Boo Belle via Flickr, under Creative Commons License
What do we know
about the past?
• Peoples of the local area and Australia.
• ‘The Dreaming’ stories
• Myths and legends
Years 3 - 6: Focus Question 2
Escape of Fenian convicts from Fremantle, West Australia.
picture 1876. Reproduction rights owned by the State Library
of Victoria
How did Australians
live in the past?
•Social
•Cultural
•Technological
•Political
•Work related
changes that have occurred
• Daily life in pre contact and post-contact times
through various individuals and groups.
Years 3 - 6: Focus Question 3
An examination of:
Photograph by ChrarlesFred via Flickr, under Creative Commons License
How did people live
in other places?
• Cultural Practices
• Social organisation
• Technology
• Human use of the environment
in other places
The curriculum will allow teachers to choose from a
variety of European and Asia Pacific historical contexts
and periods to develop these understandings.
Years 3 - 6: Focus Question 4
• Past Events
• People in history
• Developments
Photograph by ccdoh1 via Flickr, under Creative Commons License
How has the past
influenced the
present?
• Pioneers
• Inventors
• National Identity
• Heritage
• Democratic traditions
• Early exploration
• Development of government
• Commemoration of Key events
How these influence
our way of life today
Key Historical Skills for Years 3 - 6
•using common historical terms for describing time and
sequencing events and developments in chronological order
• asking questions, finding relevant answers, and constructing
informed responses
• developing a basic understanding of how evidence can be used
to provide historical explanations
• developing appropriate techniques of organisation and
communication.
Stage 3: 12 – 15 Years of Age
Key points to note:
There are four units that make up Stage 3
The units outlined should be taught as ‘World History’, covering 5 continents, and
sequentially.
It is hoped that this study of world history enriches the study of Australia and its place in
the world.
Each unit will include a:
•Overview
•Study in depth.
Stage 3: 12 – 15 Years of Age
What is an overview?
• Summary to show how events are connected.
• Introduces key historical concepts.
• Teaches expansive chronology to help understand broad change.
• Can occur anywhere in the teaching of a unit.
• Brief: only a few lessons.
prepared by Annabel Astbury, HTAV, May
2009
Stage 3: 12 – 15 Years of Age
What is an depth study?
• Close investigation of a topic.
• Allows students time to develop key historical skills and
understandings.
• Close readings of texts / close investigation / detailed activities
Including site and museum visits
• Sustained, concentrated and resource rich
• Should incorporate interconnections and comparisons within a
historical period where appropriate.
Stage 3: 12 – 15 Years of Age
Depth Studies
Some depth studies will provide options including:
•Comparative options.
•School developed options where appropriate.
Time Allocated
The amount of depth studies and time allocated to each study will be
determined according to considerations of:
•feasibility
•conceptual ability and
•student engagement.
Years 7 – 10 Key Topics
(12 - 15Years of Age)
There are four units:
Unit 1: History from the time of the earliest human communities to the end of the
Ancient period (c. 60 000 BC – c 500 AD)
Unit 2: History from the end of the Ancient period to the beginning of the modern
period (circa. 500 – 1750)
Unit 3: The Modern World and Australia (1750 – 1901)
*Australian History will occupy approximately 40% of this unit.
Unit 4: Australia and the Modern World (1901 – present day)
*Australian History will occupy approximately 60% of this unit.
prepared by Annabel Astbury, HTAV, May
2009
Stage 3 / Unit 1: History from the time of the earliest human
communities to the end of the Ancient period (c. 60 000 BC – c
500 AD)
Themes to be explored in the development of depth
studies include:
• Movement of people
• Human transformation of the environment
• Characteristics of civilisations: early forms of
government, religion society and culture
• Rise and fall of large empires
• Heritage
• Nature of history, role and methodologies of the
historian.
prepared by Annabel Astbury, HTAV, May
2009
Stage 3 / Unit 2: History from the end of the Ancient period to
the beginning of the modern period (circa. 500 – 1750)
Themes to be explored in the development of depth
studies include:
• relationships between religion, rulers and people
• social structure
• health and disease
• scientific and technological change
•Impact of belief and values
• Cultural contact and conflict
• Exploration and imperialism
prepared by Annabel Astbury, HTAV, May
2009
Stage 3 / Unit 3: The Modern World and Australia
[1750 – 1901]
Themes to be explored in the development of depth
studies include:
• forced and voluntary movement of people
• Indigenous-settler relations
• early impact of industrialisation
• social, economic, political and cultural development
• revolution and reform
• nationalism and federation.
prepared by Annabel Astbury, HTAV, May
2009
Stage 3 / Unit 4: Australia and the Modern World
[1901 - present]
Themes to be explored in the development of depth
studies include:
• global conflict and collective peace
• migration and nation building
• mass communication and popular culture
• dictatorship and democracy
• rights and freedoms
• decolonisation and globalisation
• active citizenship.
prepared by Annabel Astbury, HTAV, May
2009
Key Historical Skills for Years 7-10
• learning how to use, with facility, common historical terms for dealing
with chronology and time-related historical concepts and continuing to
acquire a sound grasp of the sequence of events
• asking and exploring inquiry questions in detail, finding relevant and
comprehensive answers and providing sound explanations and
conclusions for historical events
• using a wide range of different forms of evidence in providing historical
explanations, recognising how these forms of evidence may vary in their
value
• developing a range of appropriate techniques of organisation and
communication.
prepared by Annabel Astbury, HTAV, May
2009
Years 11 – 12: Key Topics
(15 – 18 Years of Age)
In the post-compulsory years of schooling,
it is recognized that not all
students will study history.
In the first phase of the national
history curriculum it is proposed to
develop two courses.
Ancient History
Modern History
Key points:
•States might continue to offer existing or new courses
•Topics will be studied in more depth.
prepared by Annabel Astbury, HTAV, May
2009
prepared by Annabel Astbury, HTAV, May
2009
Features of historical knowledge and understanding
•Historical Significance
•Evidence
•Continuity and change
•Cause and consequence
•Historical perspectives
•Historical empathy and moral judgement
•Contestation and contestability
•Problem solving