History

Topic 3 - Depth study (core): Australia at war – WWII (1939 – c. 1945)

Rationale: Students continue to develop their knowledge and understanding of The making of the modern world in relation to Australia and experiences of the Second World War. They learn about and explain the short-term and long-term causes of WWII as well as the reasons for Australia’s involvement in the war. They develop an understanding of the reasons for enlistment and the experiences of war, the places where Australians fought and the threats to the Australian mainland. They consider the effects of the war on the home front and contributions to the war effort. Students learn about the experiences of prisoners of war and the experiences of Jewish people and other victims of the Holocaust. Students explain the impact and legacies of WWII including the Nuremberg trials and the creation of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (Genocide Convention) 1948.

Students develop literacy skills by creating written texts and timelines. They engage with the process of historical inquiry through the formulation of historical questions about this period and integrating information from sources as evidence.