The Humanities and Social Sciences Learning Area develops students’ understandings of how and why individuals and groups live together, interact, manage resources, and create institutions and systems. Students are encouraged to apply their understandings and skills in their own lives and actively explore, make sense of and contribute to improving the world around them.

Course Description
In Year 7 Western Australian Curriculum, Humanities and Social Sciences consists of Economics and Business, Geography, History and Politics and Law (Civics and Citizenship).

Students develop increasing independence in critical thinking and skill application, which includes questioning, researching, analysing, evaluating, communicating and reflecting. They apply these skills to investigate events, developments, issues, and phenomena, both historical and contemporary. Students build on their understanding of the concepts of the Westminster system and democracy by examining the key features of Australia's democracy, and how it is shaped through the Australian Constitution and constitutional change. The concepts of justice, rights and responsibilities are further developed through a focus on Australia's legal system.

An understanding of the concepts making choices and allocation is further developed through a focus on the interdependence of consumers and producers in the market, the characteristics of successful businesses, including how specialisation and entrepreneurial behaviour contributes to business success. Work and work futures are introduced, as students consider why people work. Students focus on national issues, with opportunities for the concepts to also be considered in relation to local community or global issues where appropriate.

The concepts of place, space, environment, interconnection, sustainability and change continue to be developed as a way of thinking providing students with the opportunity to inquire into the nature of water as a natural resource. The concept of place is expanded through students' investigation of the liveability of their own place. They apply this understanding to a wide range of places and environments at the full range of scales, from local to global, and in a range of locations. Students develop their historical understanding through key concepts, including evidence, continuity and change, cause and effect, perspectives, empathy, significance and contestability. These concepts are investigated within the historical context of how we know about the ancient past, and why and where the earliest societies developed.

Assessment
Assessment is gradually phased into Year 7 Humanities and Social Sciences Curriculum to enable students to transition first to Sacred Heart College. A range of formative and summative assessment types will be used across the discrete units of Economics and Business, Geography, History and Politics and Law (Civics and Citizenship).

Humanities Inquiry – Additional Semester Period
Year 7 students will have an additional period of Humanities and Social Sciences in Semester Two to consolidate Humanities and Social Sciences skills, key concepts and knowledge and understandings.