Humanities

Humanities

Finding inspiration
in the human world

An Inquiry Learning led course, involving interdisciplinary teaching, to give students an understanding of the world around them, and how they can engage and actively participate in society.

Philosophy


Humanities provides students with an understanding of the world around them and how they can participate as active and informed citizens. Through studying Humanities, students are given the ability to handle crucial issues, the capacity to solve complex problems, think critically and communicate clearly. In Humanities, we inspire students to engage with the world around them.

Innovations


Humanities students have the ability and skills to understand the past, present and future due to the key learning areas associated with these learning areas. Understanding the past gives students the opportunity to reflect, develop and understand experience, through subjects such as history.

Subjects such as civics and business prepare students for the present and future, by informing them about their role in the Australian democracy, ways they can participate and how to be active citizens. Furthermore, geography prepares them for the present and the future, as it helps create change for a socially just and sustainable future. It prepares students for the ever-changing world and to reflect on their responsibility to the world.

In Humanities, we have an ongoing priority to provide a comprehensive, progressive and engaging education to help our students understand the world they live in, their role within the world as global citizens and ways to prepare them for the future.

EXPLORE OUR HUMANITIES
CURRICULUM

Junior Years


We teach humanities through Inquiry Learning that allows for interdisciplinary teaching and learning.

Students are immersed into an idea, topic or issue that provides them with opportunities to wonder and question the world around them. This approach drives their interest and connections to their learning. Throughout their learning students are continuing questioning, reflecting and making connections to construct their own meaning. Inquiry learning enables students to direct their own learning whilst being guided by their teacher. This learning style aims to develop a high level of engagement and interest. Within units of inquiry students have opportunities to take action, whereby students reflect on their learning to think of ways to make a difference. Each inquiry unit has cross curriculum connections to ensure a deeper understanding for students.

Middle Years


In Year 5, our students focus on bushfires and floods and their impact on communities. Students study colonial Australia in the 1800s, the gold rush and the development of Australia as a nation, particularly after 1900. Students experience life during the gold rush by going on a Study Tour to Ballarat.

In Year 6, our focus is on Australia’s democratic government at the federal level with students going on a Study Tour to Canberra. Students also have the opportunity to develop a small business where they design, create, market and eventually sell a product at our annual Market Day. Students research and nominate local Mornington Peninsula charities and learn the importance of giving back to create positive change.

In Year 7, our students focus on the early migration of humans and the legacy of ancient civilisations. In Geography, they develop an understanding of place and liveability at a local and global level and engage with fieldwork around their local area. Students also learn about their role in democracy and ways in which they can participate to be active citizens.

In Year 8, our students study Medieval Europe, visiting Kryal Castle, and the clash of cultures in the expanding world. They also examine the economics of chocolate, exploring economic concepts, consumer behaviour and the issues of child slavery in the chocolate industry. In Geography, they investigate landscapes and landforms, engage with fieldwork and the changing human geography of countries.

Pre Senior


BIG PICTURE LEARNING

Our Year 9 curriculum has evolved in 2018 to include six-themed ‘Big Picture Learning’ activities. Students have focused on ‘How did we get here?’ and ‘Where are we going?’ projects; they have completed work based on the Bill Gates Foundation’s ‘Big History Project’, including a targeted investigation involving Science and Technology to consider both local and global futures. The disciplines of Science, History, Geography, Religion and Technology work together to enable deep learning and student choice will be encouraged. Their inquiry is presented in an ‘own choice’ exhibition to showcase their year’s work. Students also have the option of selecting Mysteries of the Past as an elective.

Senior


AUSTRALIAN & GLOBAL POLITICS

Australian and Global Politics is a dynamic and exciting subject in which students consider contemporary power at both national and global levels. Students explore, explain, analyse and evaluate key national and global issues and events to form a critical understanding of the world in which they live. Students explore the ways in which the world has become increasingly connected and the way global actors utilise power. Students also have the opportunity to study one Asia-Pacific state that uses power within the region to achieve its objectives. We also examine contemporary case studies in ethical issues and global crises, with students explore the responses and challenges to these various issues.

GEOGRAPHY

Geography prepares them for the present and the future, as it helps create change for a socially just and sustainable future. It prepares students for the ever-changing world and to reflect on their responsibility to the world. Our students learn complete fieldwork and study hazards and disasters, tourism, the changing land and explain significant human population trends and issues that have contributed to geographical changes.

HISTORY

History provides students with the ability and skills to understand the past, present and future due to the key learning areas associated with these learning areas. Understanding the past gives students the opportunity to reflect, develop and understand experience. In History, our students learn about rise of Hitler, social and cultural change in Nazi Germany and the Cold War. In Year 12, students will learn about the factors, events, people and groups that contributed to the outbreak of the revolution, as well as the consequences of the revolution and the development of government and society.