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History / Year 8 / Historical Knowledge and Understanding

Curriculum content descriptions

Theories of the decline of Angkor, such as the overuse of water resources, neglect of public works as a result of ongoing war, and the effects of climate change (ACDSEH062)

Elaborations
  • exploring theories about the decline of the Khmer civilisation (for example, the development of an unstable climate such as drought and monsoons; the rise of Theravada Buddhism; the breakdown of Angkor’s water management system)
General capabilities
  • Critical and creative thinking Critical and creative thinking
  • Intercultural understanding Intercultural understanding
Cross-curriculum priorities
ScOT terms

Cambodian history,  Capital cities,  Water use,  Sustainable development,  Climate change

Video

Foreign Correspondent: Mysteries of Angkor

Did you know that around 800 years ago the world's biggest city was in Cambodia? From the 10th century, Angkor was the capital of the Khmer Empire, which ruled a huge part of South-East Asia for around three centuries. But Angkor was abandoned in the 15th century. Discover how modern archaeological techniques are now helping ...

Video

Pocket Compass, Ep 5: An immigration nation

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull once described Australia as an 'immigration nation'. What do you think he meant by that? Do you agree? |Watch four very different people speak about their experiences as first- and second-generation migrants. What were some reasons they or their parents migrated to Australia?

Video

The Traditional Owners of Perth: Whadjuk country

Ever wondered what life was like for the traditional owners of Perth before the British arrived in 1829? Whadjuk [pronounced wod-JUK] Noongar Elder and ambassador Dr Noel Nannup talks about traditional Whadjuk ways of life and key cultural places in Perth, and he teaches us the Noongar words for some Perth suburbs (such ...

Video

Meet the Fremantle Port Hostesses

In the 1960s, Marie Novak and Pauline Noble worked for the Fremantle Port Authority as hostesses, welcoming new migrants who arrived by ship. Why were hostesses needed? How do Marie and Pauline describe their time as hostesses? Compare the migration experiences of Marie's and Pauline's families. How did their backgrounds ...

Video

Catalyst: Would you eat insects?

A lot of resources go into the production of beef. For example, 20 litres of water is needed to produce just 1 gram of beef. In order to produce food more sustainably to feed an ever-growing population, some alternatives to protein have been suggested. What are some of these alternatives? Do you think they will ever replace meat?

Video

Batavia shipwreck leads to mass murder

In 1629, the Dutch merchant ship Batavia was wrecked off the Western Australian coast near present-day Geraldton. What followed was a tale of mutiny and mass murder on the surrounding islands. Hear from two members of the 1963 expedition that first uncovered the ship's remains, as they visit one of the islands in 2013.

Image

The mighty Aztecs

Who were the Mexihcah? Discover the rich and brutal history of the Aztec culture and the birth of Modern Mexico.

Video

Welcome to Bonegilla Migrant Camp

Following World War II, the Australian government was eager to increase the country’s population. The war reminded Australians that their small population would not withstand an enemy invasion. Further, a larger workforce was needed to develop the postwar economy. European people, many displaced by the war and the spread ...

Video

Measuring gravity

Did you know you can measure gravity? The more mass an object has, the more gravity it has, so by measuring the mass of something, you can figure out its gravity. Why do you think climate scientists may want these measurements? Watch this NASA animation to find out.

Video

Catalyst: How high will sea levels rise?

Much of the world’s population will eventually have to deal with the consequences of sea-level rise, but the question is: how high will the water get? Dr Graham Phillips investigates how scientists are turning to the distant past to predict the impact of rising sea levels. Watch scientists explore 120,000-year-old coastlines, ...

Text

The Mongols in China

This is an illustrated four-part historical account of Mongol rule in China. It includes sections on: the Mongol influence on China; Khubilai Khan in China; life in China under Mongol rule; and the beginnings of the Mongol collapse. The life in China section describes the effects of Mongol rule on peasants, artisans, merchants, ...

Text

Loot and land

This resource is about Viking conquests in the British Isles. It includes text and some images. The resource is organised under seven topic headings: Terror from the sea; Lindisfarne sacked; Who were the Vikings?; Ships and navigation; A fair wind for raiding; The need for more land; and Find out more. The images are interposed ...

Interactive

The chariot of Wetwang

The interactive resource is about the discovery of an Iron Age chariot in a grave in the Yorkshire village of Wetwang in 2001. It has three parts: an account of the discovery of the burial site and the contents of the grave; a detailed explanation of the reconstruction of the chariot; and a quiz to test the knowledge gained ...

Text

Mummification in Bronze Age Britain

This resource is about the discovery of two Bronze Age mummies in Britain. It describes the discovery by a team of archaeologists of the bodies of a male and a female under the floor of a prehistoric house on the Hebridean Island of South Uist. It presents the evidence for mummification following investigations using archaeological ...

Audio

Genghis Khan

This resource is a BBC audio recording about Genghis Khan. It consists of an interview by Melvyn Bragg with three historians of the period, discussing Genghis Khan and the Mongol Empire. The discussion includes details of Genghis Khan's birth in the 12th century, his early life, his leadership of a great empire and his ...

Text

Viking women

This resource is about the role of women in the Viking world. It includes text and some images. The resource is organised under six topic headings: Female Vikings?; Viking women in England; Scandinavian immigration; Daily life; Women of influence; and Find out more. The images are interposed in the text.

Interactive

Battle of Hastings - game

This interactive game is about the Battle of Hastings in 1066 AD. Students are presented with a battlefield with two armies facing one other. They must decide whether to take the part of William of Normandy or of the Saxon king Harold Godwinson and choose from a range of tactics. Text and sound effects accompany the game. ...

Video

How did the world become interconnected?

This 10 minute video in 3 parts offers an overview of the growth of information networks through developments in the technologies of communication and transportation. Part 1 discusses how writing, inventions of paper and printing improved communication between societies and the development of transport and courier systems ...

Text

The Mongols' pastoral-nomadic life

This resource, a component of the online resource The Mongols in world history, details the nomadic lifestyle of the Mongols and the rise of Temujin (Genghis Khan). It includes a list of the animals upon which the precarious pastoral-nomadic life of the Mongols depended. It describes the various uses of the animals by the ...

Online

Australia's Trade through Time

Using an interactive timeline created by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, this Teacher guide provides 12 series of learning experiences that engage students in the analysis and interpretation of data about Australian trade from 1900 to the present day. Students study videos, tables, images and texts in order ...