Humanities and social sciences / Year 3 / Inquiry and skills / Questioning

View on Australian Curriculum website Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority
Curriculum content descriptions

Pose questions to investigate people, events, places and issues (ACHASSI052)

Elaborations
  • posing relevant questions when investigating the contribution individuals and groups have made to the development of the local community (Who?, What?, When?, Where?, Why?)
  • developing inquiring questions as they investigate (for example, ‘Why there?’ questions about location; ‘What might happen?’ questions about future consequences of natural processes or people’s actions in places; and ‘What ought to happen?’ questions or other questions about ethical behaviour, sustainability and preferred futures)
  • asking key questions when investigating a topic (for example, questions such as How did people settle?, Who were they?, Why did they come to the area? when researching the establishment of a local community) and probing questions during an investigation (for example, ‘Why is that so?’, ‘What else do we need to know?’)
  • posing evaluation questions (for example, ‘Is the process fair?’, ‘Could the process have been managed better?’)
General capabilities
  • Literacy Literacy
  • Critical and creative thinking Critical and creative thinking
ScOT terms

Historical inquiry,  Research questions

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Citizenship: Let's talk recognition

This resource (an ‘education pack’) is a 28-page pdf about citizenship learning, how citizenship is shaped by social and cultural forces, and how it relates to Reconciliation between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Beginning with a historical summary and ...

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Biodiversity – sustainability action process (Years 3–6)

This biodiversity learning resource guides students through an extended school based investigation. Students develop and implement a chosen sustainability action and then evaluate and reflect on their success and their learning.

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Celebrations and Commemorations

This teaching and learning sequence has a focus on Australian celebrations and commemorations to coincide with the actual dates of the various significant celebrations and commemorations in Australia, culminating in a student-led inquiry on global celebrations.

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Defining moments in Australian History

This extensive web-based resource examines events, people and places of profound significance to the Australian people and their personal, community and national histories. The resource includes a list of 100 'defining moments' identified by historians supported by background information, images, video and links to the ...

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ABC Rosh Hashanah: What does it mean?

Is New Year's Day, 1 January, special to you, or do you celebrate the new year at a different time? For Jewish people all around the world the new year is celebrated for two days that fall between early September and early October. Explore why the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, is so important for people of the Jewish faith.

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Old Government House Parramatta virtual tour

This resource is about exploring Governor Macquarie’s preferred residence while learning more about the early colony through this virtual tour of Old Government House at Parramatta.

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Indigenous Science: shell middens and fish traps

This is an article about Aboriginal shell middens along the Queensland coast and the information they provide about Aboriginal food collection practices. Written by Kudjala/Kalkadoon Elder from Queensland Letitia Murgha and intended mainly for teachers, it describes how shell middens were created over thousands of years ...

Online

Archives ACT: find of the month

This topic-based collection of primary source material provides a rich and varied source of official documents, guides and background information on the civic history of Canberra and the Australian Capital Territory. Produced monthly, this eclectic collection covers topics including the history of monuments, architecture, ...

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Untold Stories, Ep 12: The submarine that ran amok at Gallipoli

Alec Nichols was a farm boy from the Sunshine Coast who joined the navy at the age of 18. During World War I, he was one of 35 men on the AE2 submarine that broke through enemy lines in the Dardanelles strait. After five days of sustained attacks from the Turkish navy, the submarine had to surface. The men were captured ...

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Untold Stories, Ep 14: Who was the first Anzac to step ashore the beaches of Gallipoli?

Since 1915, there has been debate over who was the first Australian soldier to step ashore at Gallipoli. The people of Maryborough, Queensland, claim it was Lieutenant Duncan Chapman. What evidence is there that Lieutenant Duncan Chapman was the first Anzac ashore? How has the community of Maryborough commemorated his life?

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Teaching history

This resource provides comprehensive information on good teaching practice in History education. It is suitable for pre-service teachers or experienced educators new to the discipline of History. It introduces the structure and requirements of the Australian History curriculum and includes film clip interviews with leaders ...

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The Stolen Generations

This resource (an ‘education pack’) is a 26-page pdf about the removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families, the consequent effects on individuals, their families and communities, and the actions to promote Reconciliation that have been taken and should be taken in response. The education ...

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ABC Open: Difficult memories, reflecting on war

Six people share their thoughts about war. This clip shows that people who have been to war usually find it difficult to talk about the experience. Hear how the experience of war can affect those who serve, their families and friends.

Interactive

Lest we forget

This resource will lead students in commemorating the centenary of the First World War. Students will develop historical research skills through the investigation of the use of symbols, memorials and the Anzac spirit and their significance in Australia and across the world. The resource will support the introduction of ...

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For the Juniors: Candles, cards and carols: Christmas in 1983

How do people celebrate Christmas now? This clip shows some of the ways Christmas was celebrated in 1983. People sent cards, gave presents and sang carols. Have things changed?

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Billy Blue

In this learning activity, students examine images of Billy Blue, a convict who was transported to New South Wales, and use the template provided to write his life story focusing on historical perspective and empathy.

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55 000 years and counting: celebrating our shared history

This resource is a sequenced series of teaching/learning activities about the Aboriginal history of Australia before British colonisation and the shared Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal history after colonisation. Intended for teachers, the 21-page pdf focuses mainly on South Australia, is introduced by background notes, and ...

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Australian Disaster Resilience Knowledge Hub: Australian disasters

This is a curated collection of articles, photographs and internet links related to natural, technological and human-caused events including bushfires, cyclones, tsunamis, earthquakes, shipwrecks, urban fires, chemical and industrial events in Australia. Events included have posed a serious threat to a community or property ...

Online

Forgotten heroes

This resource (an ‘education pack’) is a 29-page PDF about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men and women who joined the Australian Armed Services during times of war. The education pack is introduced by background notes, and is organised in three main sections: Early Years; Primary Years; and Middle Years. Each section ...