Victorian Curriculum
History F–6 Familiarisation
Gerry Martin
Acting Curriculum Manager
History and Civics and Citizenship
Key features
• Structured as a learning continuum that enable teachers to identify
the current levels of achievement and then plan for progression
• Includes 11 levels for English and Mathematics and bands (5 or 6)
for all other Learning Areas and Capabilities
• Levels A-D supporting students with disabilities
• Cross-curriculum priorities (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
histories and culture, Asia and Australia’s engagement with Asia,
and Sustainability) are embedded in the Learning Areas and
Capabilities, not represented as additional or separate curriculum
• 4 rather than 7 capabilities included in the curriculum.
Additional 3 general capabilities in the Australian Curriculum are
Literacy, Numeracy and ICT. Teachers will develop students’
learning of literacy, numeracy and ICT across the curriculum. These
capabilities are incorporated in the learning areas and do not
require separate treatment.
Overview
 The History curriculum is written for Levels F – 10.
 The Humanities include four disciplines
Economics
and
Business
Geography
Civics and
Citizenship
History
The
Humanities
Key changes
• Historical methods and procedures are strengthened
and explicit in both strands
• Two strands
o Historical Concepts and Skills
o Historical Knowledge
• Removal of duplication and pedagogy
o Historical questions and research (Australian
Curriculum) now sits in the Critical and Creative
Thinking Capability- Questions and Possibilities
o Explanation and communication- is the product of
student historical thinking
Key changes
• 11 levels changed to five bands
o 2 level bands e.g. Level 3-4
o Achievement Standard at each two level band
o Consistent with other learning areas
o Strengthen curriculum coherence
o Greater flexibility for schools in how to organise
the delivery of the history curriculum
History Structure
Key Changes
• F–2 consolidated from three contexts to two to remove
duplication and repetition. Renamed as Personal
Histories and Community Histories
• Levels 3-4 Community and Remembrance has been
renamed Community, Remembrance and Celebrations
• Richer material has been included to strengthen the
historical content. Level 3-4:
o One significant narrative, myths or celebration from
the past (VCHHK075)
Strand: Historical Concepts and Skills
Key Changes:
• Historical Skills strand has been renamed Historical
Concepts and Skills.
• Historical perspectives and historical interpretations
are sub-strand descriptors under the skill ‘Use
historical sources as evidence’
• Clear progression of concepts and skills F–10
• Concepts are explicitly emphasised in the strand
Historical Knowledge
• Located at the beginning of each level to emphasise
the discipline of history.
• These are explained in the Learning in History
Strand: Historical Concepts and Skills
determining
historical
significance
sequencing
chronology
using
historical
sources as
evidence
analysing
cause and
effect
identifying
continuity
and change
Progression of concepts and skills
Identify Continuity and Change
F-2: Identify
examples of
continuity and
change…
5-6: Identify
and describe
patterns of
continuity and
change…
3-4: Identify
and describe
continuity and
change over
time…
9-10: Identify and
evaluate patterns
of continuity and
change…
7-8: Identify and
describe patterns of
continuity and
change in society
and daily life…
Scope and Sequence
Progression of Historical Concepts and Skills
Achievement Standards at two level bands
Strand: Historical Knowledge Levels
Historical Concepts and skills are explicit. 3 and 4
First contacts
 The diversity and longevity of Australia’s first peoples and the significant ways
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are connected to Country and Place
(land, sea, waterways and skies) and the effects on their daily lives (VCHHK078)
 The journey(s) of a significant world navigator, explorer or trader up to the late
eighteenth century, including their contacts with and effects on other
societies(VCHHK079)
 Stories of the First Fleet, including causes and reasons for the journey, who
travelled to Australia, and their experiences and perspectives following
arrival(VCHHK080)
 The nature of contact between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and
others, for example, the Macassans and the Europeans, and the effects of these
interactions (VCHHK081)
Victorian Curriculum
Website
Lets explore
Capabilities
It is a whole-school decision on
how the capabilities are to be
taught. Learning Areas do not
have to integrate all the
capabilities into all of their
curriculum. Whole-school
planning is fundamental.
Example 1 Levels 3 and 4
Historical Concepts and Skills Strand
•
•
•
Identify the origin and content
features of primary sources when
describing the significance of
people, places and events
Describe perspectives of people
from the past
Identify and explain the causes
and effects of European
settlement and exploration
Historical
Knowledge
Historical
Concepts
and Skills
Critical and
Creative Thinking
Historical Knowledge Strand
•
The nature of contact between
Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander peoples and others, for
example, the Macassans and the
Europeans, and the effects of
these interactions
• Questions and
possibilities
• Reasoning
Example 1 Levels 3 and 4
•
•
Focus Question: What was
the effects of contact
between Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander
peoples and early traders,
explorers and settlers?
Activity: 3-2-1 Bridge
 3 thoughts/ideas
 2 questions you have
 1 example from the source
 Repeat for each
source
 Bridge: Explain how your
response to each source
connects and changes
from your initial response.
Harvard Project Zero. (2009). 3-2-1 Bridge. Available:
http://www.visiblethinkingpz.org
Liardet, W. F. E. (1875) A corroboree on Emerald
Hill in 1840, Available at:
http://digital.slv.vic.gov.au
Schramm, Alexander (1850) A scene in South
Australia Available at: Art Gallery of South Australia,
http://www.artgallery.sa.gov.au
Mundy, Godfrey (1852)
Mounted Police and Blacks' depicts the killing of Aboriginals
at Slaughterhouse Creek by British troop Available at the
Australian War Memorial
Locating information
Curriculum
Resources and Support
Support
 Phase 1: Professional
learning for
principals/curriculum
leaders
 Phase 2: School-based
planning
 Phase 3: Professional
learning in specialist
areas
Curriculum planning
• Is not the responsibility of the
individual teacher – it is a team effort
• Recognises that we are educating the whole
child across many years of schooling curriculum is designed as a continuum of
learning
• Without the “what” students should learn,
pedagogy is a process without purpose
• Deep familiarity with the curriculum is essential
Curriculum Planning
 Curriculum Mapping Templates
Timelines
Implementation of the new
Victorian Curriculum can
commence in individual schools
as soon as they choose, with all
schools required to implement
the new curriculum from the
start of 2017. In other words,
schools will have the remainder
of 2015 and all of 2016 to prepare
for full implementation in 2017.
2015-16
•
•
AusVELS curriculum
•
available
AusVELS website
•
archived December
2016
From 2015
Victorian Curriculum
available
Full implementation
from 2017
Assessment
“ .. the fundamental purpose of
assessment is to establish where
learners are in their learning at the
time of assessment.”
Reforming Educational Assessment: Imperatives, principles and challenges
Masters, G. ACER 2013
Supporting learning
• The most important single factor influencing learning
is what the learner already knows. Ascertain this and
teach him accordingly (Ausubel 1968)
• Vygotsky (1978) referred to the ‘zone of proximal
development’ the region of ‘just manageable
difficulties’ where students can succeed but often only
with the support of others for example through
scaffolding activities.
• … learning is enhanced when teachers pay attention
to the knowledge and beliefs that learners bring to the
learning task and use this knowledge as a starting
point for new instruction (Bransford et al 2000)
Summary
• Discipline of History is
strengthened
• Duplication and
repetition eliminated
• Greater clarity
• Consistent and explicit
use of historical
concepts
• Clear progression
Strand
• Historical Concepts and Skills
• Disciplinary concepts and skills
are explicit
• Progression of concepts and
skills
Strand
• Historical Knowledge contexts
• Historical concepts are explicit
within the knowledge content
descriptors
• Achievement Standards
• Progression of concepts and
Achievement skills
Standard
Contact
Gerry Martin
Acting Curriculum Manger
History and Civics and Citizenship
 Telephone: 61 3 9032 1694
 Mobile: 04 3911 3496
 e-mail:
martin.gerard.f@edumail.vic.gov.au
Additional contact details
VCAA websites
Victorian Curriculum
http://victoriancurriculum.vcaa.vic.edu.au/
Curriculum Planning Resources:
http://curriculumplanning.vcaa.vic.edu.au/home
Contacts
Sharon Foster
Manager
Victorian Curriculum
Phone: (03) 9032 1680
Email: foster.sharon.a@edumail.vic.gov.au