Year 8 History Achievement Standard – Australian Curriculum v9
This Achievement Standard describes what students are expected to know and do in Year 8 Humanities and Social Sciences by the end of the year. Teachers can use it to guide assessment design, collect evidence of learning, and ensure planning stays aligned with the Australian Curriculum v9.
What Students Should Know
By the end of Year 8, students describe the historical significance of the periods between the ancient and modern past. They explain the causes and effects of events, developments, turning points or challenges in Medieval, Renaissance or pre-modern Europe, or in the societies connected to the empires or expansions, or the societies of the Asia-Pacific world during these periods. They describe the social, religious, cultural, economic, environmental and/or political aspects related to the changes and continuities in a society or a historical period. Students describe the role of significant individuals, groups and institutions connected to the societies of these periods and their influences on historical events.
Students develop questions about the past to inform historical inquiry. They locate and identify a range of primary and secondary sources as evidence in historical inquiry. They describe the origin, content and context of sources and explain the purpose of primary and secondary sources. Students compare sources to explain the accuracy, usefulness and reliability of sources as evidence. They sequence events and developments to explain causes and effects, and patterns of continuity and change across societies and time periods. They describe perspectives, attitudes and values of the past, and suggest reasons for different points of view. They explain historical interpretations about significant events and people. Students use historical knowledge, concepts, terms and references to evidence from sources to create descriptions, explanations and historical arguments.
Content Descriptors by Strand
This standard is supported by 24 Content Descriptors:
Knowledge and understanding
Medieval Europe and the early modern world
AC9HH8K01 the transformation of the ancient world to the early modern world, from the decline of the Roman Empire in western Europe through Medieval, Renaissance or pre-modern Europe AC9HH8K02 the roles and relationships of different groups in Medieval, Renaissance or pre-modern Europe AC9HH8K03 a significant event, development, turning point or challenge that contributed to continuity and change in Medieval, Renaissance or pre-modern Europe AC9HH8K04 the experiences and perspectives of rulers and of subject peoples, and the interaction between power and/or authority in Medieval, Renaissance or pre-modern Europe AC9HH8K05 the role and achievements of a significant individual and/or group in Medieval, Renaissance or pre-modern Europe AC9HH8K06 interpretations about an event, individual, group, institution or movement in Medieval, Renaissance or pre-modern EuropeEmpires and expansions
AC9HH8K07 the significant social, religious, cultural, economic, environmental and/or political features of different groups related to the empire and/or expansion AC9HH8K08 a significant event, development, turning point or challenge that contributed to continuity and change related to the empire and/or expansion AC9HH8K09 the experiences and perspectives of rulers and of subject peoples, and how the interaction between power and/or authority relates to the empire and/or expansion AC9HH8K10 the role and achievements of a significant individual and/or group connected to the empire and/or expansion AC9HH8K11 interpretations about the society and events, and/or individuals and/or groups connected to the empire and/or expansionAsia-Pacific world
AC9HH8K12 the significant social, religious, cultural, economic, environmental and/or political features of different groups in the Asian-Pacific society AC9HH8K13 a significant development, event, turning point or challenge that contributed to continuity and change in the Asian-Pacific society AC9HH8K14 the experiences and perspectives of rulers and of subject peoples, and the interaction between power and/or authority in the Asian-Pacific society AC9HH8K15 the role and achievements of a significant individual and/or group in the Asian-Pacific society AC9HH8K16 interpretations about the Asian-Pacific society and events, and/or individuals and/or groups connected to the societySkills
Questioning and researching
AC9HH8S01 develop historical questions about the past to inform historical inquiry AC9HH8S02 locate and identify primary and secondary sources to use in historical inquiryUsing historical sources
AC9HH8S03 identify the origin, content, context and purpose of primary and secondary sources AC9HH8S04 identify and describe the accuracy and usefulness of primary and secondary sources as evidenceHistorical perspectives and interpretations
AC9HH8S05 describe causes and effects, and explain continuities and changes AC9HH8S06 identify perspectives, attitudes and values of the past in sources AC9HH8S07 explain historical interpretations about significant events, individuals and groupsCommunicating
AC9HH8S08 create descriptions, explanations and historical arguments, using historical knowledge, concepts and terms that reference evidence from sourcesAt a Glance
| Strand | Substrand | CDs | Elaborations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Knowledge and understanding | Medieval Europe and the early modern world | 6 | 47 |
| Knowledge and understanding | Empires and expansions | 5 | 41 |
| Knowledge and understanding | Asia-Pacific world | 5 | 27 |
| Skills | Questioning and researching | 2 | 5 |
| Skills | Using historical sources | 2 | 6 |
| Skills | Historical perspectives and interpretations | 3 | 7 |
| Skills | Communicating | 1 | 3 |
| Total | 24 | 136 | |