The Australian Curriculum for the Humanities and Social Sciences plays an important role in harnessing students' curiosity and imagination about the world they live in and empowers them to actively shape their lives; make reflective, informed decisions; value their belonging in a diverse and dynamic society; and positively contribute locally, nationally, regionally and globally.
Thinking about and responding to issues requires an understanding of different perspectives; the key historical, geographical, political, economic and societal factors involved; and how these different factors interrelate. The Humanities and Social Sciences in F–6/7, which encompasses the knowledge and understandings of history, geography, civics and citizenship, and economics and business, gives students a deep understanding of the world they live in from a range of perspectives, past and present, and encourages them to develop an appreciation and respect for social, cultural and religious diversity.
The Australian Curriculum for Humanities and Social Sciences aims to ensure that students develop:
- a sense of wonder, curiosity and respect about places, people, cultures and systems throughout the world, past and present, and an interest in and enjoyment of the study of these phenomena
- key historical, geographical, civic and economic knowledge of people, places, values and systems, past and present, in local to global contexts
- an understanding and appreciation of historical developments, geographic phenomena, civic values and economic factors that shape society, influence sustainability and create a sense of belonging
- the capacity to use inquiry methods and skills, including questioning, researching using reliable sources, analysing, evaluating and communicating
- dispositions required for effective participation in everyday life, now and in the future, including critical and creative problem-solving, informed decision making, responsible and active citizenship, enterprising financial behaviour and ethical reflection.
Knowledge and understanding strand
The F–6/7 Humanities and Social Sciences curriculum encompasses knowledge and understanding from the four sub-strands of history, geography, civics and citizenship, and economics and business. The curriculum includes the sub-strands of history and geography in Foundation Year to Year 2, and introduces the sub-strand of civics and citizenship in Year 3, and the sub-strand of economics and business in Year 5.
The concepts of disciplinary thinking for each of the sub-strands are outlined below:
- History: sources, continuity and change, cause and effect, significance, perspectives, empathy and contestability.
- Geography: place, space, environment, interconnection, sustainability and change, applying this understanding to a wide range of places and environments at the full range of scales, from local to global, and in a range of locations.
- Civics and citizenship: government and democracy, laws and citizens, and citizenship, diversity and identity.
- Economics and business: Resource allocation and making choices, the business environment, and consumer and financial literacy.
The Australian Curriculum identifies seven concepts that underpin Humanities and Social Sciences understanding:
Significance -The importance of something such as an issue, event, development, person, place, process, interaction or system over time and place
Continuity and change - Aspects of society, such as institutions, ideas, values and problems, that have stayed the same and changed over time (some point in the past and the present) or in the past (two points in the past)
Cause and effect -The long- and short-term causes and the intended and unintended consequences of an event, decision, process, interaction or development.
Place and space - The characteristics of places (spatial, social, economic, physical, environmental) and how these characteristics are organised spatially. (location, distribution, pattern)
Interconnections - The components of various systems such as social systems, resource systems and natural systems, and the connections within and between them, including how they impact on each other.
Roles, rights and responsibilities - The roles, rights and responsibilities of social, economic, civic and environmental participation, including those of individuals, communities and institutions.
Perspectives and action - The ways in which different individuals and/or groups view something such as a past or present issue, idea, event, development, person, place, process or interaction and how these views influence their actions
The inquiry skills in the Humanities and Social Sciences curriculum require explicit teaching.
Questioning - Students develop questions about events, people, places, ideas, developments, issues and/or phenomena – before, during and after stages of inquiry – to guide their investigations, satisfy curiosity and revisit findings.
Researching - Students identify and collect information, evidence and/or data from primary and secondary sources, including observations. They organise, sequence, sort and categorise them in a range of discipline-appropriate formats.
Analysing - Students explore information, evidence and data to identify and interpret features, distributions, patterns, trends and relationships, key points, fact and opinion, points of view, perceptions and interpretations. Students also identify the purpose and intent of sources and determine their accuracy and reliability.
Evaluating and reflecting - Students propose explanations for events, developments, issues and/or phenomena, draw evidence-based conclusions and use criteria and democratic processes to make informed decisions and judgements. They work with others with respect and reflect on learning to suggest courses of action in response to an issue or problem and predict possible and preferred effects of actions.
Communicating - Students present ideas, findings, viewpoints, explanations, predictions, decisions, judgements and/or conclusions in appropriate digital and non-digital forms for different audiences and purposes, using discipline-specific terminology.
Two sets of inquiry questions are provided for each year level and teachers can choose to use the inquiry questions that are appropriate for their students, or they may adapt these or develop their own to suit their local context.