S&E Year 8 Semester 1 2014
Medieval Europe, Polynesian Expansion, the
Maori and Spanish Conquest of the Americas.
The Year 8 curriculum provides the study of history from the end of the ancient period to the
beginning of the modern period, c.650 AD – 1750 AD. This was when major civilizations around the
world came into contact with each other. Social, economic, religious, and political beliefs were
often challenged and significantly changed. It was the period when the modern world began to
take shape.
The content in Year 8 provides opportunities to develop historical understanding through key
concepts including evidence, continuity and change, cause and effect, perspectives (particular
attitude or way of regarding something), empathy (the ability to understand and share the feelings
of another), significance and contestability (where people compete for supremacy).
This semester, students will have the opportunity to study historical understandings and concepts
in terms of three ‘depth studies’ regarding medieval Europe, Polynesian Expansion (the New
Zealand Maori) and the Spanish Conquest of the Americas.
This Semester you will study:
Middle Ages
Medieval society –
feudalism
 Law, order, crime
and punishment
 Castles and knights
 Crusades and the
Black Death

Polynesian Expansion/ The Maoris
 Polynesian expansion
 Discovery of Aotearoa (New
Zealand)
 Maori society
 Maori culture and customs
Spanish Conquest of the
Americas
 Life of the Aztecs
 Spanish conquest of
the Aztecs
 Slavery
 Legacies of
colonization
Text Books
Anderson, M, et al. (2007) Humanities 2. Jacaranda: Victoria
Darlington, R, et al. (2012) History Alive 8: For the Australian Curriculum. John Wiley & Sons Australia:
Milton, QLD.
Saldias, M. & Chapman, S. (2005) Society and Environment for Western Australia 2 (Jacaranda), John Wiley:
Queensland
Tulloh, E. (2012) History Alive 8: Student Workbook. John Wiley & Sons: Milton, Qld.
Assessments
Students will be completing six Common Assessment Tasks (CATs) this term. They will consist of two
tests, an essay, a report an oral assessment of their planning and a formal presentation.
Skills
This term students will be working towards further improving:
- Internet research skills, referencing skills, recall and comprehension, writing sentences, writing
paragraphs, planning and writing essays.
Weekly Schedule
Week
Topics
Term 1
Medieval
Europe
1-2
Feudalism and
medieval lifestyle
3-4
Crime and
Punishment
Focus




Knights and
Castles






‘barbarian’ invasions
The feudal system
Life on the manor for men,
women and children
Today’s laws, yesterday’s
ideas
Law, Order and Crime
Control
Making the Punishment fit
the Crime
Criminal and Civil Law
You’re Under Arrest
How do you plead?
The Knight and Chivalry
Medieval Warfare
Castles
Resources






 Introduction
 The impact of the

5-6
Assessments
CAT 1
In Class
Essay
(Week 4)
 Hum 2: p.30 – 35, 46-47
 S&E WA 2: p.172-173, 176-177, 180-183
 Tony Robinson’s Crime & Punishment – Ep2
(DVD)
CAT 2
Test
(Week 6)





7
The Age of Faith
and the Crusades




8-9
The Black Death
 The Black Death
 The heritage of medieval
10
Polynesian
expansion and
exploration





Early Middle Ages
Early medieval Christianity
Medieval church and Power
The Crusades
Europe



Differing perspectives
Artefacts and oral
history
Polynesian explorers
HA8 p2-3, 82-83
HA8 p86-87, p8-11 (WS 1.2, 4.1)
HA8 p92-93, p16-17 (WS 1.4)
HA8 p94-95, 14-15 (WS 1.3)
Europe In the Middle Ages – Episode 3 (DVD)
Robin Hood (2010) (DVD) (selected scenes)
CAT 3
Report
(Week 9)



HA8 p98-99 (WS 4.2)
HA8 p100-101 (WS 4.2)
HA8 p102-103 (WS 4.3)
Tristan & Isolde (2006) (DVD) – Selected
Scene
A Knights Tale (2001) (DVD) – (selected
scene)
HA8 p88-91
HA8 p104-105 (WS 4.4)
HA8 p136-137 (WS 5.2), p12-13
HA8 p108-111
Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991)
(DVD)
HA8 p114-117
SBS Documentary ‘The Back Death’
(Clickview Exchange)
HA8 p124-125
 HA8 258-263
 Jacaranda World History Atlas
pages 110-111
 Polynesian Seafaring (YT 10.51 min)
 Page 105 - WS 9.1

Glossary of Maori Words from Chapter 9
Week
Topics
Focus
Term 2
1
Discovery of New
Zealand/Aotearoa
How? Why? Who? and
When?
Polynesian Expansion
2
Maori society,
customs and
culture

3-4
People and the
Environment



5
The Spanish
Conquest of the
Americas
6
Aztec life, beliefs
and practices
Spanish conquest
of the Americas

Structure of Maori
society.
The Community,
village, warfare, trade
and tapu.
The Geography of NZ
Flora and fauna
Rahui and the
extinction of the moa
HA8 264-267
Glosssary of Maori
Words
100% Pure New Zealand (YT)
 Page 106 WS 9.2
 HA8 268-271
 HA8 280-283 WS 9.3 Pg 107
 Maori Culture(YT)4.57 min
 Maori Cultrue (YT) 2.57 Ben
Fogle on NZ
CAT 4 Test
Expansion
Exploration &
the Maori
Arrival
7
Slavery


8
Research

9
The impact of
colonization
 Impact of colonization on
 HA8 p272-275
 HA8 278-279 WS 9.4 Pg 108
NZ Home of Middle Earth (YT) 6.38 min
Discov/Channel-Ultimate Journeys (YT)
NZ Journeys People Paradise (YT)
 HA8 p350-351
 HA8 p352-355 (WS 12.1)
 Doco – (YouTube) ‘In Search of
History – The Aztec Empire’
(42mins)
 HA8 p356-359 (WS 12.2)
 HA8 p360-363 (WS 12.3)
 Doco – (YouTube) ‘The Conquerors
– Cortez’ (45mins)
 Columbus and the New
World
Cortes, the
conquistadores and the
Aztecs
New Spain
Slavery in the New World
Research topics in groups
Resources


 How do we know about…
 The Aztecs before Spanish

10
Assessments
 HA8 p364-365 (WS 12.4)
 HA8 p366-369 (WS 12.5)
CAT 5 Oral
Assessment
 Laptops, library
 Recognising different
CAT 6
Individual
Presentations
perspectives
 Legacies of colonization
 Group Presentations





CAT 6 Continued
victims and victors
HA8 p370-371 (WS 12.6)
HA8 p372-373 (WS 12.7)
HA8 p374-375 (WS 12.8)
(WS 12.9, 12.10)
Laptops , library
Assessment
Due Date
Weight Your Mark
Medieval Europe
CAT 1
CAT 2
CAT 3
Test
In Class Essay
Report
Week 3
Week 6
Week 8
10%
20%
15%
Test
T2 Week 4/5
25%
Oral Assessment (Planning/Research)
Presentation (Individual)
T2 Week 6/7
T2 Week 9/10
5%
25%
100%
Polynesian
Expansion & the
Maori
CAT 4
Spanish Conquest
of the Americas
CAT 5
CAT 6
Total
Robin Hood
Maori Warrior
Knights Jousting
Polynesian Arrival in NZ
Conquistadors and Aztec Warrior Spanish arrival in Americas
Medieval Castles
Waka – Maori Canoe
Spanish Solider & Aztec Warrior
Dear Parents / Guardians
VIDEO INFORMATION
As part of the Year 8 Society & Environment course we are studying life in the Middle Ages. In this
unit we will be exploring the topics of government, community life, historical people, events and
myths and legends. This period of history is strongly associated with the conflicts between the
Norman conquerors of England and the determined Anglo Saxons and the resultant development
of the feudal life in England.
A useful resource in the learning program is the film, ‘Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves’. This film is
rated 'M' requiring us to inform you to seek your consent. With these concerns in mind, we have
made the decision to selectively utilise this resource on the basis that although largely fictional, it
provides an excellent platform to discuss the Crusades, Medieval social structures, feudalism,
law enforcement and the influences of other cultures on Medieval England.
This film will be shown in a responsible educational context (inappropriate scenes deleted) and
will be fully debriefed by the classroom teacher. As with all films staff and students will critically
analyze the film for bias, motive, point of view, and historical accuracy.
Further useful films in this unit also include A Knights Tale, Tristan & Isolde and the 2010 edition of
Robin Hood. These films have PG or M ratings. Selected 5 – 10 minute scenes have been chosen
on the basis of their educational merit. All films will be shown in a responsible educational
context and analyzed by the classroom teacher. These films will not be shown in full.
Please notify your child’s S&E teacher (93949111) if you have any concerns or would like to discuss
any part of this course.
Carey Baptist College
P: 08 9394 9111 | F: 08 9394 9112 |
PO Box 1409 Canning Vale WA 6970
www.carey.wa.edu.au
EXPECT GREAT THINGS FROM GOD
ATTEMPT GREAT THINGS FOR GOD
Please return the signed acknowledgment form by the Wednesday 12th February 2014
------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------CAREY Baptist College
VIDEO PERMISSION ADVICE
I give permission for __________________________________________ to watch the
video Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves and segments from A Knights Tale, Tristan
& Isolde and the 2010 edition of Robin Hood.
____________________________________
Parent Signature
________________