The History Box 3 - An Inquiry Approach - Sample unit

COMMUNITY CHANGES 

5 

Leisure facilities 

How do you and your 

family spend your 

leisure time? Do you think 

leisure activities have 

changed much over the 

years? 

When a new community 

is established, one of the 

important jobs of the local 

council is to provide a community centre. 

This is where people of all ages can 

meet and take part in different activities, 

including sports. 

Even in early colonial times, people 

needed such a place. Known as 

Mechanics’ Institutes, they were among 

the first public buildings constructed in a 

town. 

Sport for leisure, with competition and 

spectators, has been a part of Australian 

life since 1788. But that does not mean 

Indigenous people knew nothing about 

the skills of sport. They practised them in 

all aspects of their daily lives. 

As well as community centres, local 

councils now also provide leisure centres 

which usually include a gym, a swimming 

pool and a timetable of fitness classes. 

Eating out is another popular pastime 

for Australians of all ages and cultures: 

from low-cost fast food to expensive 

fine dining. Our multicultural heritage 

guarantees a variety of cuisines to satisfy 

everyone. 

The earliest picture houses had just one 

movie projector, so only one movie 

could be seen at a time. Today, cinema 

complexes have several separate 

cinemas, allowing different movies to be 

shown at the same time. 

The first feature movie in 

the world was The story of 

the Kelly gang, made in 

Australia over 100 years 

ago. You might think it is 

not very good, but back 

then people thought it was 

amazing as they had never 

seen such a thing before. 

With all the technology we have, 

people still enjoy spending time in the 

great outdoors. Although the natural 

environment has suffered since 1788, it still 

provides pleasant places for us to enjoy. 

In many areas, facilities such as car 

parks, footpaths and toilets have been 

provided, adding to our enjoyment and 

helping to protect the environment. 

Scan the QR code to view some of the 

original movie, The story of the Kelly gang. 

Understand 

1. What name was given to early 

community centres in the Australian 

colonies? 

2. How have constructed facilities in 

natural areas helped our enjoyment 

of them? 

3. What sporting skills do you think 

early Indigenous Australians 

excelled in, and why? 

Write 

• Write an exchange of letters 

between you and a child from the 

past, describing how each of you 

spends your leisure time. Share your 

letters, reading as if you are the 

recipient of each. 

Investigate 

• Find out when either ice-skating 

or tenpin bowling first came to 

Australia. Present your information in 

an illustrated poster. 

(8)


Across the country in urban, suburban, rural and semirural areas, leisure facilities 

are constantly being established, renovated or demolished. It is likely that some of 

the facilities you and your family use today were not available in their current form 

when your parents or grandparents were your age; and there may be some facilities, 

enjoyed by earlier generations, that do not exist today. 

Before 

After 

Beatty Park Leisure Centre in Perth, WA, before it closed for renovations in 2011 and after it reopened in 2013 

Constructed fences and paths along the Victorian coastline, 

protecting the environment and those who want to enjoy it 

The Boomerang Cinema in Coogee, NSW, which was demolished 

in early 1959. Today an apartment block, Windsor Towers, 

stands in its place. 

Playing minigolf is a popular way to 

spend an hour or two in the open air. It 

is a pastime that has spread across the 

country in the past fi fty years, like this 

course in South Australia. It is unlikely 

something your grandparents played 

when they were your age. 

Write 

• Write a list of categories you would 

use to group the leisure facilities in 

your local area. 

Research 

• Use your list of categories to create 

a chart showing the number of each 

type of leisure facility in your local area. 

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Leisure facilities – 1 

Local council services 

INTRODUCTION 

Today’s council-run community and leisure centres and libraries are the modern version of the early Mechanics’ 

Institutes: places where people could gather for social activities, take part in courses to learn new skills and 

borrow books and other reading materials. 

ACTIVITY 

• In groups, discuss the purpose of local council community and leisure facilities. Why are they provided and for 

whom? 

• Create a list of council community and leisure facilities used by students and their families in the local area. 

• How important are these facilities to the students? What are their earliest memories of them? How would they 

feel if any one of them was to close? 

CONNECTION 

A community centre for the social wellbeing of local residents has always been a key feature of any new 

settlement or suburb. Over time, they have provided a greater variety of activities for local residents of all ages. 

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INTRODUCTION 



Dining out 

Dining out can mean anything from sitting down to a fast-food meal-in-a-box, relaxing at a fancy restaurant with 

tablecloths and different-sized cutlery for each course, or enjoying a meal at a friend’s or family member’s house. 

ACTIVITY 

• Discuss the different places where students and their families dine out. Agree on a suitable way to categorise 

them. 

• Discuss the different cuisines available and which are the most popular. 

• Consider which categories and cuisines may and may not have been available to their parents and 

grandparents when they were their age. 

CONNECTION 

The variety of categories and cuisines has increased for a number of reasons, including the end of the White 

Australia policy, the introduction of fast-food chains and changing social habits. 


INTRODUCTION 



Cinemas 

Since the early days of silent movies and ‘the talkies’, visiting the cinema has been a popular pastime all over the 

world. But the movie experience of today is quite different from the ones our parents and grandparents would 

have enjoyed. 

ACTIVITY 

• Discuss the many features of a cinema today, including the number of screens and movies, ratings, daily 

showings, food availability and buying tickets. 

• Discuss how frequently students visit the cinema and what they enjoy about the experience. 

• Discuss other technology used to show movies. What are the advantages and disadvantages of watching a 

movie by each method? 

CONNECTION 

Today, it is not necessary to visit the cinema to see a movie. Movies are shown on free-to-air and paid TV, and 

they can be watched through the internet and on DVD. With all this competition, cinemas have to provide more 

than a ‘watch the movie’ experience. 


INTRODUCTION 



The natural environment 

What exactly is the ‘natural environment’? In over two hundred years, much of the natural environment has 

been lost or changed due to development and the introduction of non-native plant and animal species. But people 

still enjoy spending time in the great outdoors: on a constructed golf course or park, at the beach or in the bush. 

ACTIVITY 

• Discuss the different activities students and their families do in the great outdoors and where they occur. 

• Decide on criteria for natural and constructed environments and categorise the activities conducted 

in each. 

• Discuss how and why local councils protect some natural environments. 

• Discuss ways in which we continue to damage natural environments even though we know the consequences. 

CONNECTION 

In recent years, we have become more aware of protecting the natural environment and repairing the damage 

done by generations of people who did not realise the effects of their actions. 


COMMUNITY CHANGES Leisure facilities – 1 

R A 1 

C 

E/R 


All local councils provide community facilities for the use and 

enjoyment of local residents. How have they changed over the years? 

(a) Brainstorm and record examples of leisure facilities local councils might 

provide for residents. 

(b) Download a street map of your local suburb or area and one established 

at a different time, either older or younger. Study the maps carefully and 

highlight the location of any facilities suggested in part (a). 

(c) Compare the two maps and complete a Similarities and differences chart. 

(d) Write a brief summary of the facilities in both areas. 

Q R 2 

E/R 

C 

(a) On a 5Ws and H chart, write research questions to learn more about a 

council leisure facility in your area including its use by residents, now and in 

the past. 

(b) Imagine the council announced plans to sell this site to developers who 

wanted to build a block of apartments. How would you feel about it? Write 

arguments in support of or against the plans. 

(c) As a class, role-play a council meeting in which you present your ideas and 

discuss the plans. 

32 

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Q R 1 

A E/R C 

Dining out 

Dining out is a popular way for families and friends to spend time 

together. Today, there are so many options of cuisines and dining 

styles for us to choose. But it has not always been like this. 

(a) On a 5Ws and H chart, pose multiple-choice questions for a survey to ask 

people of different generations about their dining out experiences when they 

were your age. 

(b) On a separate piece of paper, show the results of your survey in graphs or 

diagrams. 

(c) Write a brief summary of your results. 

R E/R 2 (a) Foods from different countries are available to us through chain restaurants 

and through independent restaurants. Give some examples of each type of 

restaurant in your local area. 

Chain restaurants 

Independent restaurants 

(b) Independent restaurants are often family-run businesses offering authentic 

food from the owners’ home country. What do you think independent 

restaurants in a place can tell us about the history of migration to that 

place? 

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Q R 1 

A 

E/R 

Cinemas 

There is no doubt that for people of your grandparents’ generation, 

a visit to the cinema today is very different from when they were 

younger. 

(a) On an interview script chart, pose questions to ask people of different 

generations about visits to the cinema when they were your age. 

(b) From the answers you receive, write what has changed and what has stayed 

the same. 

What has changed? 

What has stayed the same? 

(c) What reasons for visiting the cinema in the past and in the present do you 

think are the same and different? 

Reasons that are the same 

Reasons that are different 

C 

2 Present a role-play in which a person either from the present travelling back in 

time or from the past, travelling forward in time, tells friends about a visit to the 

cinema in his or her era. 

34 





The natural environment we know today is very different from the 

one of the 18th century but it is still important for us to treat it with 

care and do our best to preserve it for future generations. 

R E/R 1 (a) Where do you enjoy the great outdoors? Give examples of constructed and 

natural environments you enjoy. 

Constructed environments 

Natural environments 

(b) List any constructed features that exist in a natural environment you enjoy. 

(c) How do you think adding constructed features to a natural environment 

helps us to connect with and protect that environment? 

Q R 2 

A E/R C 

(a) On an interview script chart, pose questions to ask people of different 

generations about your chosen natural environment in Question 1 (b). 

(b) From the answers you receive, summarise what has changed and what has 

stayed the same. 


COMMUNITY CHANGES Assessment – 1 

Name: 

Date: 

1 Before the Swan River Colony was established, the land was covered with: 

a forests b desert c wetlands d mountains 

2 The colonists in all parts of Australia: 

a followed the Indigenous ways of using the land. 

b shared their ideas about the land with Indigenous Australians. 

c 

used European ways to develop the land. 

3 Erosion of sand is caused by: 

a human activity. 

b natural forces. 

4 Tick all that apply. The natural environment of Australia has been damaged by: 

a Indigenous Australians 

b non-Indigenous Australians 

c 

native species 

d introduced species 

5 There is no use for old buildings in modern cities. 

a Fact b Opinion 

6 High-rise towers are built because they: 

a make a place look modern. 

b provide great views. 

7 New suburbs are built because: 

a people want new homes. 

b the population is increasing. 

8 Tick all that apply. Shared footpaths are for: 

c 

c 

have a small footprint. 

older suburbs are demolished. 

a walkers only. 

b walkers with dogs and prams. 

c 

cyclists only. 

d skateboarders and cyclists. 

9 Tick all that apply. Roads are busier today than in the past because: 

a more households have more cars. 

b there are more roads. 

c 

there is less public transport 

d there are more people 

36 




Assessment – 2 

Name: 

Date: 

10 Tick all that apply. Public transport is important in cities because it can: 

a carry a lot of people. 

b reduce traffic accidents. 

c 

reduce pressure on city car parking. 

d reduce traffic chaos. 

11 All major cities should have a rail link between the CBD and the airport. 


12 Seasonal produce is available in many supermarkets all year round because: 

a it is imported from abroad or other 

parts of Australia. 

b it can now grow all year round. 

13 The presence of large department stores in a shopping centre means that 

independent shops will: 

a go out of business. 

b compete with the department stores. 

c 

be more successful. 

d have more potential customers. 

14 There is a place for both in-store and online shopping in today’s market. 


15 The bartering system was used in early colonial days because: 

a it helped colonists know what skills others had to offer. 

b money wasn’t needed because the convicts worked for nothing. 

c 

there was no money and no banking system in the colony. 

d gold wasn’t discovered until much later. 

16 All leisure services in Australia are owned by private companies. 

a True b False 

17 More people dine out more often today than in the past. 

a True b False 

18 Cinemas today have to work harder to get customers because: 

a there are more cinemas so more competition. 

b people are not as interested in movies as they used to be. 

c 

they have to compete with other ways people can watch movies. 




How has our community changed? What features 

have been lost and what features have been retained? 

CONTENT DESCRIPTION 

How the community has changed and remained the same over time and the role that people 

of diverse backgrounds have played in the development and character of the local community 

(ACHASSK063) 

KEY IDEAS 

• The impact of significant periods on societies (technological advances) 

• Global influences on Australian culture 

INQUIRY AND SKILLS 

Questioning, Researching, Analysing, Evaluating and reflecting, Communicating 

HISTORICAL CONCEPTS 

Significance, Continuity and change, Cause and effect, Place and space, Interconnections, 

Perspectives and action, Sources, Empathy 

GENERAL CAPABILITIES 

Literacy, ICT capability, Critical and creative thinking, Ethical understanding, Intercultural 

understanding 

OBJECTIVE 

To identify the ways in which leisure facilities of the past and present have changed and 

remained the same 

62 

THE HISTORY BOX 3 – TEACHERS GUIDE ISBN 978-1-925698-29-9 




Topic introduction card 

FRONT 

Read through the text. Highlight and discuss topic words, 

using the glossary and/or a dictionary as necessary. 

Scan the QR code and watch a little of the world’s first ever 

feature film, The Kelly gang. 

Understand 

Read and discuss the comprehension questions. Encourage 

students to question any aspect of the text they don’t fully 

understand. 

Write 

As the child from each era will be unfamiliar with the leisure 

facility of the other era, encourage students to be detailed 

in their letters, assuming each child knows nothing of the 

other’s experiences. 

Investigate 

Discuss why, in the early days, ice-skating would not have 

been a common pastime in many parts of Australia. 

Answers 

Understand 

1. Mechanics Institutes 

2. They make it more convenient for us to visit and enjoy 

them, providing for our comfort as well as to protect the 

environment. 

3. Teacher check, may include: running, throwing, jumping 

because they would have used these skills in their 

everyday lives 

Write 

Teacher check 

Investigate 

Teacher check. 

Ice-skating 

1904–1908 Adelaide Glaciarium 

1906–1923 Melbourne Glaciarium 

1907–1955 Sydney Glaciarium 

1949–1955 Perth Ice Palais 

Tenpin bowling 

Australian tenpin bowling began at the Washington Bowling 

Saloon in Ballarat, Victoria, in 1885. 

BACK 

Encourage students to discuss changes to leisure facilities 

they know of and to ask their parents and grandparents how 

they remember different facilities. 

Write 

Depending on the facilities available, students will suggest 

different categories. 

Research 

Suggest students present a promotional poster or video to 

advertise the range of facilities available in the local area. 


Write 

Teacher check 

Research 

Teacher check 

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ACTIVITY STARTER CARD 


• Most students will have memories of playgroups, swimming lessons, favourite playgrounds and other council-operated 

facilities in the local area. Discuss the use family members of different generations make of these facilities. As a class, 

summarise the positive role local council facilities play in the health and well-being of its residents of all ages. 

ACTIVITY WORKSHEET 

Students will most likely never have considered who oversees 

the care of local amenities so encourage them to look 

out for local council signage in areas they visit. Suggest 

students colour-code different amenities on the maps so a 

comparison can be more easily drawn. Students can find 

information about a specific facility from the facility itself, 

council offices, libraries and/or talking with (known) local 

residents of different generations. Depending on the use of a 

facility, students may or may not agree with proposed plans 

for development. 


1. (a) Teacher check. Answers may include: parks, libraries, 

walking trails, leisure centres, cycle paths, skateboard 

parks 

(b)–(d) Teacher check 

2. Teacher check 

Additional activities 

• Survey the most popular local council amenities joined by your peers, their parents and grandparents. Present your 

results in a Venn diagram with three interconnecting circles—one for each generation. Use the diagram to explain the 

results of the survey. 

• On a 5Ws and H chart, pose research questions to investigate the rise and fall of a local amenity from your parents’ or 

grandparents’ day that no longer exists. 

64 





Dining out 

• The broadest dining-out categories are fast food, casual and formal. Dining out is far more common today compared with 

the past, with many family-friendly options available and restaurants to suit all budgets. The range of cuisines reflects the 

multicultural nature of the country. Fast-food companies with chains and franchises may provide international cuisines but 

their presence in a community does not reflect the migrant population. 


Young people today dine out more regularly and frequently 

than their parents did. Students choose familiar, appropriate 

graphical representations of their results. Discuss the 

difference between fast food chains where the food served 

in different parts of the country will be the same, and 

independent, family-run restaurants offering authentic 

cuisine. 



2. (a) Teacher check. Answers may include: 

Chain restaurants – McDonalds, KFC, Nandos, 

Guzman y Gomez, Pizza Hut, Zambreros, Red Rooster, 

Hungry Jack’s, Oporto, Dominos 

Independent restaurants – Teacher check 

(b) When new migrants settle in an area, they establish 

restaurants for themselves and these soon become 

popular with people of different cultures. The 

restaurants can provide a narrative of where people in 

the area came from. 


• Find a map of your local area online and zoom in to locate independent restaurants of different cuisines. Print the map 

and highlight the location of the restaurants. Colour-code them and add a legend for identification. Present information 

as a food guide to your local area with images of the restaurants and maybe even their menus. Is there a predominance 

of one cuisine in your area? 

• Interview people of different generations in your local area to find out what cuisines were available when they were your 

age. Present the information as a poster to show how the availability of different cuisines has changed over time. 




Cinemas 

• In the past, the cinema was the only place a movie could be seen. With the arrival of TV sets in most homes by the 1960s, 

some movies were eventually brought to the small screen. The advent of video tapes and DVDs and, later, cable channels 

and the internet meant people had a choice of when to watch chosen movies. Even with this technology, the lure of the 

cinema is still strong and many people enjoy the experience. 


Brainstorm the types of questions students might ask; e.g. 

how many movie screens did the cinema have? How often 

were the movies changed? How much was a ticket? Did 

the cinema serve snacks? Why do people want to go to the 

cinemas? For all the advances in technology, students may 

find that motivation to visit the movies has not changed 

all that much over the years. To present an interesting, 

entertaining role-play, students will need to be detailed in 

their descriptions, using all the information they glean from 

interviewees or their own personal experiences. 


1. (a) Teacher check 

(b) Teacher check. Answers may include: 

What has changed? – the number of screens, the 

number of times in a day a movie is shown, no usher/ 

usherettes today 

What has stayed the same? – tiered seating, popcorn 

(c) Teacher check. Answers may include: 

Same – to see movie as soon as it is available, as a 

social outing with friends 

Different – present: to enjoy the big screen rather than 

smaller TV screen 



• Create a time line with images to show the results of research into the history of an independent cinema in your area. 

• Create a time line with images to show the results of research into the history of a drive-in cinema in your area or state/ 

territory. 

66 






• The natural environment will never return to its pristine condition of pre-1788 but what we have now in the 21st century is still 

worthy of protection and conservation. Constructed features like parks and golf courses provide some connection with nature 

in built-up areas. Enjoyment of the natural environment is encouraged but, even knowing its fragility, care is not always taken; 

littering and damaging flora are just two ways we can easily destroy it. 


Revise the meaning of natural and constructed. Students 

think carefully about outdoor places they enjoy, and 

which category each falls into. Discuss the purpose of all 

constructed features in natural environments, including car 

parks and toilets as well as footpaths and fences. Students 

may find that more constructed features have been added 

over time to provide greater protection to environments. 


1.–2. Teacher check 


• Create a visitors brochure for a natural environment you enjoy. Include information about conservation plans in place to 

protect and preserve it. 

• Create an advertising poster for a constructed outdoor environment you enjoy to encourage greater use by the whole 

community. 



Scope and sequence charts 

HASS INQUIRY AND SKILLS 

How has our community changed? What features have been lost and what features have been retained? 

Q R A E & R C 

Pose questions to investigate people, events, 

places and issues (ACHASSI052) 

Locate and collect information and data from 

different sources, including observations 

(ACHASSI053) 

Record, sort and represent data and the location of 

places and their characteristics in different formats, 

including simple graphs, tables and maps, using 

discipline-appropriate conventions 

(ACHASSI054) 

Sequence information about people’s lives and 

events (ACHASSI055) 

Examine information to identify different points 

of view and distinguish facts from opinions 

(ACHASSI056) 

Interpret data and information displayed in different 

formats, to identify and describe distributions and 

simple patterns (ACHASSI057) 

Draw simple conclusions based on analysis of 

information and data (ACHASSI058) 

Interact with others with respect to share points of 

view (ACHASSI059) 

Reflect on learning to propose actions in response 

to an issue or challenge and consider possible 

effects of proposed actions (ACHASSI060) 

Present ideas, findings and conclusions in texts 

and modes that incorporate digital and non-digital 

representations and discipline-specific terms 

(ACHASSI061) 

The natural environment ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 

The skyline ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 

Transport networks ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 

The shopping 

experience 

✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 

Leisure facilities ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 

HISTORY ACHIEVEMENT STANDARDS 


KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING 

INQUIRY AND SKILLS 

Identify individuals, events and aspects of the past 

that have significance in the present 

Identify and describe aspects of their community 

that have changed and remained the same over 

time 

Identify the importance of different celebrations 

and commemorations for different groups 

Sequence information about events and the lives of 

individuals in chronological order 

Pose questions about the past and locate and 

collect information from sources to answer these 

questions 

Analyse information to identify a point of view 

Develop texts, including narrative accounts, using 

terms denoting time 

The natural environment ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 

The skyline ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 

Transport networks ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 


experience 

✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 

Leisure facilities ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 




HISTORICAL INQUIRY AND SKILLS 


QUESTIONING RESEARCHING ANALYSING EVALUATING & REFLECTING COMMUNICATING 

Pose questions before, during and after an inquiry about the past and how the past relates to the 

present 

Develop questions that help identify the concepts of historical thinking (for example, sources) 

Develop questions to guide the stages of a historical inquiry, using organisers (for example, five 

W’s + H – who, what, when, where, how and why; KWL chart – what they know, what they want 

to know and what they have learned) 

Create questions appropriate to their purpose (for example, open-ended questions for 

interviews, critical questions about source reliability, questions that follow cultural protocols) 

Identify and locate primary sources (from the time) and secondary sources to support a 

historical inquiry 

Collect information, evidence and/or data using methods most suited to a historical inquiry (for 

example, interview, observation, digital search tools) 

Record, arrange and sort information about the past and how it relates to the present in a range 

of forms (for example, concept map, object display, table) 

Order information about lives, events, developments and phenomena over time using 

sequences, time lines and oral recounting 

Apply relevant concepts of historical thinking (for example, cause and effect) when interpreting 

information, evidence and/or data about people, events and phenomena over time 

Identify and compare aspects of the past and present as represented in a range of sources, 

including facts and opinions, and different historical interpretations, points of view and 

perspectives 

Critique sources for their origin, purpose, reliability and usefulness to support a historical inquiry 

Identify patterns and trends and infer cause–effect and temporal relationships about people, 

events and phenomena of the past and present 

Apply relevant concepts of historical thinking (for example, significance) when proposing 

explanations, evaluations and conclusions about the past and how it relates to the present 

Evaluate the usefulness of sources in a historical inquiry and support conclusions with data and/ 

or evidence 

Listen to, share with and engage with others to generate responses to issues and challenges 

about historical phenomena, people and events 

Reflect on learning about the past to predict possible changes and continuities, consider effects 

of proposed actions, and imagine preferred futures 

Compose appropriate text types (for example, narrative, recount and account, report, argument, 

biography) to convey findings, conclusions and understandings of a historical inquiry 

Select appropriate representations to suit and enhance their communication (for example, time 

line, photograph, picture) in digital and non-digital modes 

Use accurate historical terms and concepts 

The natural 

environment 

✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 

The skyline ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 

Transport networks ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 


experience 

✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 

Leisure facilities ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 

70 





CONCEPTS OF HISTORICAL INQUIRY 


Significance Continuity and change Cause and effect Place and space Interconnections 

Roles, 

rights and 

responsibilities 

Perspectives and action Sources Empathy 

The significance to society, particularly to Australian society, of places, events, ideas, phenomena 

and the contributions and achievements of people 

The legacy of past societies in present social, political, intellectual and economic life; the historical, 

cultural and spiritual value of the remains of the past; and what should be preserved and why 

How diverse groups celebrate and commemorate events and the significance of Country/Place to 

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples 

How human experiences, for example, family life, technology, colonisation, settlement, migration 

and citizenship, have differed and/or stayed the same over time 

How social, political, environmental and economic ideas, values and challenges have changed or 

remained the same over time, and the different ways people and institutions have responded to them 

Possible social and technological changes and continuities in the future 

Reasons for social, political, environmental and economic events and developments over short and 

long time frames, and the effects on individuals, groups and societies 

How events, developments and ideas (for example, technology, exploration, citizenship, natural 

disasters) have shaped the daily lives of diverse people 

How the past and present might influence the future and how knowledge of the past and present can 

influence plans for possible and preferred futures 

How places and the social and economic activities within them have changed and remained the 

same over time, including Australia’s colonial and modern era 

Remains of the past and places of cultural or spiritual significance, such as buildings and 

commemoration sites, and what they reveal about the past 

The places and cultures of the world from where Australians of the past and present have 

immigrated, and how they influenced the places where they settled 

Connections between significant and ordinary people, events, developments, phenomena and 

places through time 

How chains of events and developments over short and long time frames are related through multiple 

causes and effects 

How places and peoples have been connected through human endeavour and cultural exchange 

over time, and what tangible and intangible remains of the past are evident in the present 

The role and contribution of a range of individuals, groups and government to the development of 

society, economy and democracy in Australia and other places 

The experiences of citizenship and democratic rights in Australia and the struggle for these by some 

groups, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples 

Different values, attitudes, actions and practices of individuals and societies in the past, and how 

they are viewed in the present 

How representations of people from a range of groups in the past show social, cultural and 

emotional factors of the time and place 

Different and sometimes opposing perspectives about a person, event, development or phenomena 

of the past, and how these could create debate or conflict then or now 

Anything from the past providing information which adds to our knowledge of that period. A primary 

source is ‘from that time’. A secondary source is an account by someone not directly involved with 

the event 

Empathy is engagement with the past; taking oneself back in time and viewing events as they would 

have appeared then without present-day influences 

The natural environment ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 

The skyline ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 

Transport networks ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 

The shopping experience ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 

Leisure facilities ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

The History Box 3 - An Inquiry Approach - Sample unit

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