Society and History

Strand

Standard 1

Standard 2

Standard 3

Identity, relationships and culture

What shared needs do we need to consider before making a decision?

How have Australians valued Asian culture and past societies?

How have different ethnic and cultural groups contributed to society now and in the past?

Democratic values and processes

Why do we have that rule?

What are the consequences when this rule is not followed?

What is fair?

What responsibilities go with having these rights?

In what ways are rights and responsibilities upheld or infringed in society?

How do the democratic values of fairness and equality influence our society?

What are the effects and benefits of democratic decision making?

Interactions with the environment

What places are important to me?

What is my connection to this place?

How can I show care for this place?

What resources in the classroom can I take care of?

How is land used in the local area near my home and school?

What does the community value about this place?

What factors influence choices people make about the use of places?

How is land use connected to people’s values? E.g. Indigenous Australians

What impact do humans have on the environment?

What differences are there between physical features of different places?

Interconnections between systems

What are some essential needs for living?

What resources there at school, home and in the community?

Which resources will I use for this?

What routines do I follow each day?

What are some helpful routines and rules?

What are some local places where goods and services are available?

What choices might need to be made about using particular resources?

What are some local examples that demonstrate how choices are made?

Why do groups have routines, rules and guidelines?

How are different needs and wants met?

What goods and services are provided by particular industries?

How can we conserve scarce resources?

Why do we need laws?

Responsible citizenship

How do my own personal choices and actions sometimes affect others?

What are my rights and responsibilities?

How can group activities benefit the members and the environment?

What goals need to be set in this plan?

What specific roles could we each play to achieve these goals?

What democratic processes could we use to solve problems in this group?

What are some situations where people in the community need help?

How are the needs of groups met?

How do democratic processes consider different views?

Why do people contribute to the community?

Strand

Standard 1

Standard 2

Standard 3

Historical inquiry

How are everyday events in the past and present and those planned for the future connected?

Why might current decisions be based on experiences from the past?

What caused that to happen?

What effect might this action have?

How can I use simple documents and artefacts to find out about the past?

What is the cause and effect relationship in this story about the past?

What past actions of others might help me plan for the future?

What are some different types of evidence and sources of information about the past?

What are primary and secondary sources and how are they used?

How can the reliability of information about the past be checked?

Philosophical inquiry

What questions can I ask to identify problems and solutions?

What questions can I ask to find out why things are as they are and why people act the way they do? E.g. Why did that happen? Why do you think that? Why did you do that?

What do I think about that?

What do I feel or believe about this issue?

What questions can I ask to find out more about this issue?

What reasons do I have to support my personal opinion on this issue?

What other different points of view could I consider?

What conclusions might be drawn from this view about an issue?

What challenging questions could be asked to assess usefulness of information?

How can logic and supporting evidence in arguments be assessed?

How can other perspectives and reasons behind them be assessed before drawing conclusions?

Communication

What do I think this (e.g. story) is about?

How could I represent (e.g. draw) this?

What ideas and issues are expressed in this information?

What are two possible different interpretations of this information?

What personal knowledge and experiences do I have that connect with the ideas and events in this information?

How can I combine information to create a meaningful product to communicate about these concepts and issues?

What are some different ways of representing information?

How can information be checked for relevance and accuracy?

What differences and similarities are there in information about the same topic?

How can information in a communication product be organised and structured?

Strand

Standard 3

Standard 4

Standard 5

Identity, relationships and culture

How have Australians valued Asian culture and past societies?

How have different ethnic and cultural groups contributed to society now and in the past?

What are the values and beliefs of cultural groups and how have attitudes changed?

How do governments influence and address issues of equity and inequity in society?

How is conflict addressed in a democracy to promote social cohesion?

What are some key events in the development of values, identity and social harmony in Australia over time?

How have social attitudes to cultural diversity and immigration changed over time?

How do media and government influence society attitudes?

How is conflict managed at a national and global level?

What international strategic alignments and agreements is Australia involved in?

How can political intervention resolve or intensify national of global conflict?

Democratic values and processes

In what ways are rights and responsibilities upheld or infringed in society?

How do the democratic values of fairness and equality influence our society?

What are the effects and benefits of democratic decision making?

How are rights and responsibilities protected by law in Australia?

How are laws developed and changed in Australia?

What shared group values do different groups have in Australia?

How is Australia’s legal and parliamentary process connected to global law and agreements?

How do different groups participate in political processes?

How do individual and group beliefs contribute to democracy?

How do different political philosophies contribute to our democracy?

What role does Australia’s play in international legal and political issues?

Interactions with the environment

How is land use connected to people’s values? E.g. Indigenous Australians

What impact do humans have on the environment?

What differences are there between physical features of different places?

What land use and human habitation and activity occurs in particular regional environments?

How can conflicts about land use be resolved in a democracy?

How can environmental sustainability issues be addressed?

What is the impact of humans on changing land use and environments over time?

How can global geographical patterns and trends be interpreted and predicted?

What are the implications of land use decisions on people and industry?

What is government policy in relation to land use and how has this changed and developed?

How is global responsibility for environmental futures, global issues and sustainability shared by groups and governments?

Interconnections between systems

How are different needs and wants met?

What goods and services are provided by particular industries?

How can we conserve scarce resources?

Why do we need laws?

How can disadvantage be addressed in society?

How can access to goods and services be provided equitably?

How can resource provision and use be regulated?

How does social change influence changes in laws?

How can global needs be met by governments and non-government agencies?

How can quality of life be assessed and enhanced globally?

What are Australia’s global economic and political connections?

What global implications of law need to be considered by Australian governments?

Strand

Standard 3

Standard 4

Standard 5

Responsible citizenship

How are the needs of groups met?

How do democratic processes consider different views?

Why do people contribute to the community?

What are the benefits to society of groups participating in communities?

How can the merits of different democratic processes be assessed?

How can citizen action and particular community involvement be evaluated?

How can young people contribute to quality of life as active citizens?

How can the use of particular strategies by groups and governments in effecting global change be evaluated?

How can the effectiveness of citizen action and participation in democracy be evaluated?

Historical inquiry

What are some different types of evidence and sources of information about the past?

What are primary and secondary sources and how are they used?

How can the reliability of information about the past be checked?

How can historical fact and opinion be distinguished?

How can different perspectives and versions of these events be compared?

How can conflicting information be assessed for credibility and authenticity?

How can history be viewed from multiple perspectives and what are the implications of this for the future?

How are multiple evidences used to reach considered views?

How can historical interpretations be evaluated?

What motivations are behind presenting particular viewpoints about the past?

How can information be tested for veracity?

What are the multiple effects of, and reasons for, actions of groups and individuals in history?

Philosophical inquiry

What challenging questions could be asked to assess usefulness of information?

How can logic and supporting evidence in arguments be assessed?

How can other perspectives and reasons behind them be assessed before drawing conclusions?

How can information be assessed for validity, authenticity and credibility?

What different ethical positions can be held?

How can judgements be assessed as being fair or unfair?

What is the basis for forming and modifying conclusions?

What assertions, bias and assumptions need to be considered?

How can complex and controversial issues and choices be analysed?

Valid, justifiable and tentative conclusions

How can fair-mindedness be maintained in personal values and beliefs?

How can diverse ethical viewpoints and dilemmas be analysed and evaluated?

How can personal positions be reached fairly as well as be evaluated and revised?

Communication

What are some different ways of representing information?

How can information be checked for relevance and accuracy?

What differences and similarities are there in information about the same topic?

How can information in a communication product be organised and structured?

What different viewpoints and bias are contained in this information?

How can information be authenticated?

How can information be interpreted and synthesised?

How can arguments in communication products be logically sequenced?

How is information designed to be persuasive?

How are value positions and prejudice advanced in information?

How can communication products be created to be persuasive yet free from prejudice?

How can communication products be created to be compelling and convincing?