Year 8 Humanities

Over the Year 8 course, students will study a range of topics across the areas of Geography and History. In doing so they will be exposed to concepts relating to Civics and Citizenship, and Economics and Business, as well as completing a specific unit on Government and Democracy.

Landscapes and Landform

Students will learn about:

Different types of landscapes and their distinctive landform features.
Geomorphic processes that produce landforms, including a case study of at least one landform.
The differences in at least one landform in Australia compared to other places and the geomorphic processes involved.
Human causes of landscape degradation, the effects on landscape quality, and the implications for places.
Spiritual, cultural and aesthetic value of landscapes and landforms for people, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander peoples, that influence the significance of places.
Ways of protecting significant landscapes.
Causes of a geomorphological hazard and its impacts on places.
Human responses to a geomorphological hazard to minimise harmful effects on places in the future.

Changing Nations

Students will learn:

The causes and consequences of urbanisation, drawing on a study from Asia.
The causes and consequences of urban concentration and urban settlement patterns between Australia and the United States of America and reasons for these similarities and differences.
The reasons for and effects of international migration to Australia.
The reasons for and effects of internal migration in Australia and China.
The challenges of managing and planning Australia’s urban future.

Geographical Concepts and Skills

Students will learn to:

Explain processes that influence the characteristics of places.
Identify, analyse and explain spatial distributions and patterns and identify and explain their implications.
Collect and record relevant geographical data and information from useful primary and secondary sources, using ethical protocols.
Select and represent data and information in different forms, including by constructing appropriate maps at different scales that conform to cartographic conventions.
Analyse maps and other geographical data and information, to develop identifications, descriptions, explanations and conclusions that use geographical terminology.
Use digital and spatial technologies as appropriate to represent and/or analyse data and information

Historical Knowledge

Medieval Europe (c.590 – c.1500)

Mongol Expansion (c.1150 – c.1400)

The Spanish Conquest of the Americas (c.1492 – c.1572)

Students will learn about:

The significant social, cultural, economic, environmental and political changes and continuities in the way of life and the roles and relationships of different groups in society.
Significant causes and effects of developments and/or cultural achievements that reflect the concentration and/or expansion of wealth and power.
Perspectives of subject peoples and their interactions with power and/or authority of others.
The role and achievements of a significant individual and/or group.
One significant challenge and one development faced by the society that caused progress or decline.

Historical Concepts and Skills

Students will learn about:

Chronology – Sequence significant events in chronological order to analyse the causes and effects and identify continuities and changes.
Historical sources as evidence. - Analyse the different perspectives of people in the past.
Continuity and change - Identify and explain patterns of continuity and change in society.
Cause and effect – Analyse the causes and effects of significant events that caused change and/or a decline over the period.
Historical significance – Evaluate the role and achievement of a significant individual, development and/or cultural achievement that led to progress.

Government and Democracy

Students will learn about:

Key features of government under the Australian Constitution.
How citizens can participate in Australia's democracy.

Law and Citizens

Students will learn about:

How Australia’s legal system aims to provide justice.
How laws are made in Australia, including through parliaments (statutory law) and courts (common law).