Does this subject contribute to an ATAR? Yes (General Subject)
How many credits does this subject contribute towards QCE? 4
What is Ancient History?
Ancient History provides opportunities for students to study people, societies and civilisations of the past, from the development of the earliest human communities to the end of the Middle Ages. Students explore the interaction of societies, and the impact of individuals and groups on ancient events and ways of life, and study the development of some features of modern society, such as social organisation, systems of law, governance and religion.
Students analyse and interpret archaeological and written evidence. They develop increasingly sophisticated skills and understandings of historical issues and problems by interrogating the surviving evidence of ancient sites, societies, individuals and significant historical periods. They investigate the problematic nature of evidence, pose increasingly complex questions about the past and formulate reasoned responses.
Students gain multi-disciplinary skills in analysing textual and visual sources, constructing arguments, challenging assumptions, and thinking both creatively and critically.
What makes a student suited to Ancient History?
Students who achieve success in Ancient History are those who:
have an inquiring mind, an interest in the human story and are considering university study are critical and analytical thinkers have demonstrated a solid ability to comprehend written and visual text are able to work both independently and in a team environment
What prerequisites must students meet in order to take this subject?
- Year 9 - Minimum B Standard for Core English
- Year 10 - Minimum B Standard for Core English and B Standard for History
What is the cost of this subject?
Excursions – each year there are a minimum of two excursions (approximately $50 for the year)
What materials or equipment do I need for this subject?
- A4 Notebook for record keeping of class notes and practice of skills
- Year 10 - BYOD preferred, as this subject includes extensive research tasks
- Year 11 - compulsory BYOD as this subject includes extensive research tasks
What do students study in this subject and how are they assessed?
| | | Unit Overviews | Assessment |
| Year 10 | Semester 1 | World War Two
Causes, leaders, conflicts, the Homefront
Rights and Freedoms
· US civil rights movement
· Impact on Australian civil rights | Summative internal assessment 1:
• Examination: Short Response to Historical Sources
Summative internal assessment 2:
• Investigation: Source Investigation (Multimodal) |
| | Semester 2 | Ancient Egypt
· Religion
Ancient Rome
· Entertainment | Summative internal assessment 3:
• Investigation: Historical Essay
Summative internal assessment 4:
• Examination: Essay Response |
| Year 11 | Unit 1 | Investigating the ancient world
Digging up the past and one of the following Ancient societies
· Slavery
· Technology and engineering
· The family
· Beliefs, rituals and funerary practices. | Formative internal assessment 1:
• Examination: Short Response to Historical Sources
Formative internal assessment 2:
• Investigation: Source Investigation |
| | Unit 2 | Personalities in their time
· Hatshepsut - Pharaoh of Egypt
· Nero - Emperor of Rome | Formative internal assessment 3:
• Investigation: Historical Essay
Formative
internal
assessment 4:
• Examination: Essay Response |
| Year 12 | Unit 3 | Reconstructing the ancient world
· Fifth Century Athens (BCE) - Greece
· Pompeii and Herculaneum - Rome | Summative internal assessment 1 (IA1): 25%
• Examination — essay in response to historical sources
Summative internal assessment 2 (IA2): 25%
• Independent source investigation |
| | Unit 4 | People, power and authority
• Ancient Rome — Civil War and the breakdown of the Republic
QCAA will nominate one topic that will be the basis for an external examination from:
• Thutmose III
• Rameses II
• Themistocles
• Alcibiades
• Scipio Africanus
• Caesar
• Augustus | Summative internal assessment 3 (IA3): 25%
• Investigation — historical essay based on research
Summative external assessment (EA): 25%
• Examination — short responses to historical sources
|