100 Hour Electives 

BIG HISTORY (100 hour)

AIMS & OBJECTIVES

What comes to mind when you think of the word history? If you have thought of battles, kings, queens, temples and great explorations then you have a homocentric view of history! Which is natural because you are a human! The Big History course examines our shared history as humans (Homo Sapiens) but also tries to understand that our history is only one small part of the story (about 250,000 years in 13.7 Billion years according to current theories- so that is a really small part of it). The course connects the disciplines of history and science to consider some interesting and complicated ideas like: the Big Bang theory, the origins of life on earth, the great extinctions of the dinosaurs and the flourishing of humans and our beliefs and activities. If you have questions relating to human history and the epochs before humans, then you might consider Big History as an elective (be warned though, sometimes the questions just lead to more questions! And that is what the course is all about!).

SKILLS YOU WILL DEVELOP

The Big History Course will also allow you to build and develop your ability to communicate effectively in written and creative formats and to make judgements about theories and ideas using evidence. 

ASSESSMENT

Class work and assessment tasks will involve group work, written responses, research tasks and presentations. There will also be opportunities for students to ‘branch off’ and focus their interests into one historical civilisation of their choice.

The Big History Course will attempt to cram 13.7 billion years of history into a one year course so be ready for some mental challenges, a lot of interesting facts and to make connections between the past and the future. 

• This course will not be listed on the Record of School Achievement (RoSA) 

HSIE Head Teacher: Jillian Jones

FILM AND HISTORY (100 hours)

AIMS & OBJECTIVES:

This subject allows students to engage with a wide variety of historical events through the viewing of relevant films and documentaries.

In a world of ‘fake news’ and Photoshop, students will explore the way history is constructed in film and will interrogate the role of historical films as ‘truth-telling devices’. Can we believe everything we see in a historical film to be truth? Can film change the way people perceive a historical event?

Students will watch a range of films and documentaries that depict historical events and will seek to answer some of these questions as they complete activities after each film. There may also be opportunities to view films at the cinema or relevant theatre productions.

Examples of films that could be studied: JFK directed by Oliver Stone, Death of a President directed by Gabriel Range, Mabo directed by Rachel Perkins, Titanic directed by James Cameron. There will be an element of student choice in some sections of the course.

SKILLS:

• Critical thinking

• Literacy

• Considered Discussion

• Research (fact-checking)

CONTENT:

• Hollywood v. History (assessing the reliability/authenticity/historical accuracy of films)

• Film as propaganda

• Skewed history. Who is telling the story?

• Representation of sport as a facilitator of change (eg. Invictus, Remember the Titans)

ASSESSMENT:

• Fact-checking research task

• Case Study

• Short film/documentary Composition Task

• This course will not be listed on the Record of School Achievement (RoSA) 

HSIE Head Teacher: Jillian Jones

FORENSIC ARCHAEOLOGY (100 hours) 

AIMS & OBJECTIVES: 

This course combines the skills of research with historical and scientific evidence to determine the ‘truth’ in many significant historical incidents. ‘Forensic Archaeology’ emphasises the use of archaeological and primary sources and is suited to those who have an inquisitive mind and a broad interest in history. Students are taken on a journey through time, examining crime scenes and police investigations, criminal courts, ancient societies and famous battles. During the course students will investigate:

CONTENT:

Students will study from this selection of topics:

• Crime and punishment through the ages: crucifixion, medieval punishments, outlaws (Robin Hood and William Wallace), the death penalty

• Jack the Ripper and the Yorkshire Ripper: profiling serial killers with psycho-pathology and crime scene evidence

• Historical mysteries: The Mary Rose, Loch Ness Monster and the collapse of the Maya

• Famous assassinations and assassination groups: Lincoln, Kennedy, the Romanov family, the Shinobi, Viking Berserkers and Hawaiian Koa Warriors

• Terrorism: What makes a terrorist? What are some of the world’s most deadly terror attacks and were they preventable?

• Villains and outlaws: The true story of Ned Kelly, Bonnie and Clyde, John Dillinger and the creation of the FBI

• KV55 and the Valley of the Kings: who is buried in KV55? What famous pharaohs are still missing?

• Film as history: the use of film as a historical resource – Braveheart, Troy, Munich, JFK

• Forensic analysis: graphology, fingerprint analysis, osteology and CSI observations

• Uncovering the past: archaeological skills and ground-breaking discoveries

ASSESSMENT:

• Jack the Ripper case study

• Lindy Chamberlain feature article

• Historical villains investigation

• Examination

Students Participate in:

• Discussions, group activities, source analysis, research assignments, written responses, film analysis, artefact creation, archaeological excavation and design a board game,

• Excursions to Sydney to museums, exhibitions and IMAX theatre

• Online site studies of ancient civilisations

‘Forensic Archaeology’ provides an excellent basis for senior Ancient and Modern History and will help students broaden their understanding of the world.

• This course will not be listed on the Record of School Achievement (RoSA) 

HSIE Head Teacher: Jillian Jones