Geography
Geography is a life-long interest, stimulating a natural curiosity about how and why the world's people and their environments are so varied. Topics taught include:
Year 7
- the nature of geography, our world, geographical research, world heritage sites, global environments, communities within global environments
Year 8
- two global geographic issues: tourism and threatened habitats, the changing nature of the world, global inequalities, global organisations
Year 9
- the Australian continent, physical characteristics that make Australia unique, natural hazards, human characteristics that make Australia unique, types of communites, factors causing change in Australian communities, case study of the Cabramatta community
Year 10
- geographical issues, air quality, urban growth and decline including a Barangaroo case study, the place of Australia in the world, Australia's regional and global links, future challenges for Australia (population), human rights and reconciliation
Years 11 and 12
- the senior geography course consists of traditional assessment and classroom teaching, a large independent research program and regular fieldwork
- the preliminary course culminates in the completion of the senior geography project (SGP). Students will carry out an investigation into a geographical issue of their choice, such as cultural integration, political geography, development geography or natural resource use. This issue will be examined as students formulate primary data in the form of surveys, photographs, interviews and field measurements and support this with a range of secondary data. The skills and techniques learned while completing the SGP become essential as students' progress through the course towards the HSC (Higher School Certificate)
- in the HSC Course, senior students continue their enquiry based approach as they study the spatial and ecological dimensions of biophysical and human phenomena in a changing world. Specific topics studied include ecosystems at risk, urban places and people and economic activity
History
History is a process of historical inquiry into the past that allows students to explain how people, events and forces from the past have shaped our world. It allows students to locate and understand themselves and others in the broad continuum of human experience up to the present.
Topics taught include:
Year 7
- investigating the ancient past, the Mediterranean world (Greece) andvthe Asian world (China)
Year 8
- the western and Islamic world (medieval Europe), the Asia pacific world (Japan under the Shoguns), the Spanish conquest of the Americas
Year 9
- movement of peoples (1750-1901), Australia and Asia: making a nation, Australians at war: World Wars 1 and 2 (1914-1918, 1939-1945)
Year 10
- rights and freedoms (1945-present), globalising world: migration experiences, Australia in the Vietnam War era
History elective in Years 9 and 10
This course is offered as an elective over two years, in Year 9 and Year 10. The aim of the course is to stimulate students' interest in and enjoyment of exploring the past, to develop a critical understanding of the past, and to enable them to participate as active, informed and responsible citizens.
History elective is for students who particularly enjoy History, giving them opportunities to explore a range of thematic and historical studies, and to extend their historical skills of historical inquiry (research), analysis of historical perspectives and interpretations, empathetic understanding, source analysis and evaluation skills, and wide ranging skills in historical communication.
Topics include:
- constructing history, ancient, medieval and early modern societies, thematic studies
Years 11 and 12
- In Years 11 to 12, the HSIE (human society and its environment) faculty offers ancient history, modern history, history extension and society and culture.