Callaghan College Wallsend Campus

Collaborating to Empower Learners

Telephone02 4951 1811

Emailwallsend-h.school@det.nsw.edu.au

Human society and its environment

In human society and its environment (HSIE), both subjects of history and geography are mandatory from Kindergarten to Year 10.

Students learn specific historical and geographical concepts and skills in history and geography. They also have an opportunity to learn more about people and the societies and environments in which they live through elective subjects in Years 7 to 10 (Stages 4 to 5).

A large number of individual subjects make up the key learning area of HSIE in which students:

  • research, gather and analyse information
  • question and make judgements
  • write for a variety of purposes. 

In Year 11 and 12, students can choose from a range of HSIE courses. These include:

  • Aboriginal Studies
  • Ancient History
  • Business Studies
  • Economics
  • Geography
  • History Extension
  • Legal Studies
  • Modern History
  • Society and Culture
  • Studies of Religion.

HSIE@CCWC

The 2019 academic year promises to be an exciting one for the HSIE faculty. The HSIE faculty will be utilising a large range of technological applications for all students. Canvas, One Drive, OneNote classrooms as well as Web Page design will all be part of the HSIE focus.

The HSIE faculty will continue to utilise a range of assessment activities including a strong focus on ICT.

A range of excursions and fieldwork will be organised for students through the HSIE faculty which include a visit to Glenrock Lagoon for Year 7, History performances for year 8, Fort Scratchley for Year 9 and the Jewish Museum and fieldwork excursion encompassing Coastal Management and Urban Growth and Renewal for Year 10.

The HSIE faculty is committed to ensuring all students are exposed to a large range of specific Literacy  and Numeracy activities. Years 7 and 9 will again be sitting for the National Assessment Program Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) exam in term 2 and the HSIE faculty have developed and delivered specific numeracy lessons that mirror the NAPLAN questions in an effort to improve student outcomes not only in the National Assessment Program Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) examination but throughout the course of the year.

Assessment tasks

Students can access all assessment notifications and assessment requirements through Canvas.

HSIE Programs

The faculty promotes the development of learning skills by promoting interesting and stimulating learning activities within the curriculum framework. A range of GATS activities is provided to develop stimulating programs that enhance and enrich student learning.

Year 7 history

History in year 7 focuses on developing students understanding of historical skills and concepts and on the Ancient World. The topics studied are as follows; Investigating the Ancient Past (including Ancient Australia), The Mediterranean World (Greece or Rome) and The Asian World (India).

Year 8 history

The Ancient to the Modern World – The Western and Islamic World (Medieval Europe), The Asia-Pacific World (Polynesian Expansion) and Expanding Contacts (The Spanish Conquest of the Americas).

  • Geography – Natural disasters, landforms and landscapes,
  • Elective Subjects: Murder, Mystery and Madness, Law and Entrepreneurship, Aboriginal Studies

Year 9

  • Mandatory history – The Making of the Modern World  – Making a Better World? (Movement of peoples), Australia and Asia (Making a Nation) and Core Study Australians at War (WWI and WWII).
  • Mandatory Australian geography – Investigating Australia’s Physical Environments (The Australian Continent, Unique Australia and Natural Hazards) and Changing Australian Communities (Unique Australia and at least one Australian Community).
  • Electives subjects: Commerce, Elective History and Aboriginal Studies.

Year 10

  • Mandatory Australian history – The Modern World and Australia Core Study Rights and Freedoms (1945-present),The Globalising World (Popular culture) and School-developed topic, The Holocaust.
  • Mandatory Australian geography – Issues in Australian Environments (Coastal management, urban growth and decline and spatial inequality), Australia in it’s Regional and Global Context (Migration, culture and defence) and Future challenges for Australia: Population and Human Rights and Reconciliation.
  • Elective subjects: Aboriginal Studies and Commerce – Project Based Learning.
  • Extra curricular activities – Joint Schools ANZAC Service, The Share Game, National History Challenge, CCWC Historical Society.

HSIE Links