1. Patterns of
study in history
years 7-10: a
discussion

2. NSW Curriculum and Learning Innovation Centre
Patterns of study for teachers
Developing a pattern of study is an process to support
quality teaching by supporting teacher / faculty discussion
of the possibilities presented by the new syllabus. Patterns
of study can:
• identify the topics which support students to make
connections with own culture and heritage
• utilise teacher expertise and interests
• support a deep understanding of history
• support teachers to engage their students with current
school priorities through choice
• support teachers and their students to work together on
meaningful learning
• may enhance the integrity of history as a discipline.

3. NSW Curriculum and Learning Innovation Centre
Benefits of patterns of study for students
A pattern of study supports enhanced student achievement
through the possibilities presented by the new syllabus. Patterns
of study can:
• support students to make connections with own culture and
heritage
• provide opportunities to identify and follow personal interests
• support students to follow a consistent pattern of learning or
an aspect of history for deep understanding
• support student engagement with current school priorities
through choice
• engage teachers and their students to work together on
meaningful learning
• may enhance the integrity of history as a discipline.

4. NSW Curriculum and Learning Innovation Centre
Your school context
• What do your students need
to learn about history?
• What do your students want to
learn about history?
and
• Why does this learning
matter?

5. NSW Curriculum and Learning Innovation Centre
History years 7-10 organisation
7 Overview
Depth study 1:
Investigating the
ancient past
Depth study 2 Depth study 3
8 Overview Depth study 4 Depth study 5 Depth study 6
9 Overview Depth study 1 Depth study 2
Core Depth Study
3: Australians at
war
10 Overview
Core Depth Study
4: Rights and
freedoms
Depth study 5 Depth study 6

6. NSW Curriculum and Learning Innovation Centre
Some ideas for a pattern of study
Consider:
• The role and influence of women through the ages (for a
girls school?)
• Living cultures / cultures over time
• War and Peace
• Living with and on the land through the ages
• From the ship to the shore
• Social justice, and injustice
• Technology evolution
• Different cultures, different places
• ………….

7. Evaluate some
examples of school
based patterns of
learning

8. NSW Curriculum and Learning Innovation Centre
Examples
These examples are developed for your analysis in
the following slides.
• The spread of ideas
• East Asia
• Development and modernisation
• Meeting student needs in a culturally diverse
large school.

9. NSW Curriculum and Learning Innovation Centre
Theme: The spread of ideas
7 Overview
Depth study 1:
Investigating the
ancient past
Depth study 2:
Rome
Depth study 3:
China
8 Overview
Depth study 4:
Renaissance
Italy
Depth study 5:
Polynesian
expansion
Depth study 6:
Spanish
conquest
9 Overview
Depth study 1:
Industrial
revolution
Depth study 2:
Making a nation
Core Depth Study
3: Australians at
war
10 Overview
Core Depth Study
4: Rights and
freedoms
Depth study 5:
Migration
experiences
Depth study 6:
Developments in
C20th and C21st
technology: Web 1
to Web 3

10. NSW Curriculum and Learning Innovation Centre
Theme: East Asia
7 Overview
Depth study 1:
Investigating the
ancient past
Depth study 2:
Rome
Depth study 3:
China
8 Overview
Depth study 4:
Ottoman Empire
Depth study 5:
Japan under the
Shoguns
Depth study 6:
Mongol expansion
9 Overview
Depth study 1:
Progressive ideas
Depth study 2: Asia
and the world –
C19th China
Core Depth Study
3: Australians at war
10 Overview
Core Depth Study
4: Rights and
freedoms
Depth study 5:
Popular culture
Depth study 6:
Awakening giant
– China’s
transformation since
1976

11. NSW Curriculum and Learning Innovation Centre
Theme: Modernisation
7 Overview
Depth study 1:
Investigating the
ancient past
Depth study 2:
Classes for each of
Rome, Egypt and
Greece (new social
structures)
Depth study 3:
Classes for each of
China and India (new
knowledge)
8 Overview
Depth study 4:
Renaissance Italy
(new knowledge)
Depth study 5:
Japan under the
Shoguns (new
technology)
Depth study 6:
Spanish Conquest
(new territory)
9 Overview
Depth study 1:
Industrial revolution
together with
Progressive ideas
(social transformation)
Depth study 2:
Making a nation
(national transformation)
Core Depth Study
3: Australians at war
10 Overview
Core Depth Study
4: Rights and
freedoms
Depth study 5:
Popular culture
(social transformation)
Depth study 6:
Classes for each of
Women’s history
and The history of
workers rights.
(democracy and social
transformation)

12. NSW Curriculum and Learning Innovation Centre
Pattern of study for a large and/or diverse
school community
7 Overview
Investigating the
ancient past
Depth study 2:
Classes for each
of Rome, Egypt
and Greece
Depth study 3:
Classes for each
of China and
India
8 Overview
Depth study 4:
Classes for the
Vikings and
Medieval Europe
Depth study 5:
Angkor/Khmer
Empire
Depth study 6:
Spanish
Conquest
9 Overview
Depth study 1:
Progressive ideas
Depth study 2:
Making a nation
Core Depth Study
3: Australians at
war
10 Overview
Depth study 6:
The Holocaust
(moved to be
chronologically in
order)
Core Depth Study
4: Rights and
freedoms
Depth study 5:
Popular culture

13. NSW Curriculum and Learning Innovation Centre
Evaluate the examples provided
Identify and discuss:
1. student needs
2. school identified priorities
3. pedagogical considerations
4. teacher and student interests
5. teacher expertise
6. community history or local
context.

14. Creating a
pattern of
study

15. NSW Curriculum and Learning Innovation Centre
Identify and discuss:
1. student needs
2. school identified priorities
3. pedagogical considerations
4. teacher and student
interests
5. teacher expertise
6. community history or local
context

16. NSW Curriculum and Learning Innovation Centre
1. Student needs
Such as:
• language background
• cultural heritage and background, the impact of
diversity or the need to understand diversity
• connecting students to their heritage, including
Aboriginal students
• academic achievement
• differentiation needs
• gender mix
• group / class dynamics
• ………

17. NSW Curriculum and Learning Innovation Centre
2. School identified priorities
Such as:
• the potential for specific topic choices in history to
support the school strategic plan to meet student
achievement targets
• the role of specific history topics to support enhanced
literacy, numeracy and ICT improvement for students
• school based spending on resource priorities and the
impact on history, and could include the development of
resource acquisitions over time
• school ‘policy’ on text books.

18. NSW Curriculum and Learning Innovation Centre
3. Pedagogical considerations
Such as:
• the role of ICT in classroom practise
• the availability of IWB’s and use of personal computers
in the history classroom
• teacher experience
School based practises including:
• project based learning
• cross curricula initiatives / integrated learning plans
• individual student learning plans
• availability of specific site studies
• excursions.

19. NSW Curriculum and Learning Innovation Centre
4. Teacher and student interests
Triggered by influences such as:
• current world events
• anniversaries of specific historical events
• current affairs, particularly those that have a
historical, cultural or political basis
• media campaigns
• teacher/student visits to places of historical
significance
• …………

20. NSW Curriculum and Learning Innovation Centre
5. Teacher expertise
Such as:
• Teaching experience
• Training in history
• Personal knowledge of specific areas of ancient or
modern history
• Teachers with no training teaching history 7-10
• Role and school policy in the use of textbooks
• Capacity to use ICT effectively to enhance classroom
practise
• …………

21. NSW Curriculum and Learning Innovation Centre
6. Community history or local context
Such as:
• The significance of the location of the school in relation
to historical events e.g. Macquarie towns
• The role and significance of members of the local
community in events of historical significance e.g. WWI
and WWII
• The cultural background of members of the local
community e.g. residents from a particular ethnic
background or region e.g. Aboriginal, Chinese or
Polynesian heritage
With consideration given to selecting topics that reflect this
specific community context.

22. NSW Curriculum and Learning Innovation Centre
Creating a Stage 4 pattern of learning
Year 7: Overview Topic Considerations
Depth Study 1 Investigating the
ancient past
Depth Study 2
Depth Study 3
Year 8: Overview Topic Considerations
Depth Study 4
Depth Study 5
Depth Study 6

23. NSW Curriculum and Learning Innovation Centre
Creating a Stage 5 pattern of learning
Year 9: Overview Topic Considerations
Depth Study 1
Depth Study 2
Depth Study 3 Australians at war
Year 10: Overview Topic Considerations
Depth Study 4 Rights and freedoms
Depth Study 5
Depth Study 6

24. NSW Curriculum and Learning Innovation Centre
Your task:
Identify and consider the depth study options
Devise a pattern of learning that takes into account:
1. student needs
2. school identified priorities
3. pedagogical considerations
4. teacher and student interests
5. teacher expertise
6. community history or local context.
This scope and sequence will form the basis of your
‘program’ in the BOS program builder.