11–12Ancient History Life Skills 11–12 Syllabus
The new Ancient History Life Skills 11–12 Syllabus (2024) is to be implemented from 2027.
2025 and 2026
- Plan and prepare to teach the new syllabus
2027, Term 1
- Start teaching new syllabuses for Year 11
- Continue to teach the Ancient History Life Skills Stage 6 Syllabus (2017) for Year 12
2027, Term 4
- Start teaching new syllabuses for Year 12
Content
Life Skills
Through collaborative curriculum planning, it may be decided that Life Skills outcomes and content are the most appropriate option for some students with intellectual disability.
The following key features and societies are suggestions only. Teachers may develop studies of a different society to meet student interest or ability. This society should focus on key feature(s) such as the ones listed below. Students may explore one feature and society, part of a feature and society, or a different combination of the content as appropriate.
The ancient societies and key features could be drawn from the following:
Ancient societies
- Egypt
- Phoenicia
- Assyria
- Persia
- Israel
- Mycenae
- Greece
- Etruria
- Carthage
- Rome
- Celtic Europe
- India
- China
Key features
- Women
- Slavery
- Art and architecture
- Weapons and warfare
- Death and funerary customs
- Power and image
- Trade and cultural contact
Teachers can consider teaching this as a comparative unit, allowing students to investigate the similarities and differences between ancient societies and the modern society in which they live.
Roles of people in their family, familiar groups or the community
Examples of art and architecture in their home, school or community
Religious beliefs or practices they are familiar with
Why communities have religious beliefs or practices
Familiar leaders and their roles within the community
Ways that people obtain goods and services today
Location and geographical features of the selected ancient society
Sources and what they tell us about the selected ancient society
The everyday life of women in the society
The role of women within the family in the society
The place of women in the social structure
The role of women in a workplace
The role of women in religion
Reasons for the status and role of women
The representation and impact of influential women
The impact of a significant woman in the society
Continuity and/or change in the role and impact of women
The role and impact of women in ancient times compared to their role and impact in the present day in the local and wider community
The reasons for the enslavement of people
Aspects of the daily lives of enslaved people, including men, women and children
The relationship between slavery and the economy of the time
Key events that occurred in relation to slavery
Development that led to a significant revolt or resistance
Continuity and/or change in the use of unpaid or underpaid labour from ancient times to today
Issues related to slavery in the modern global community
The types of art and architecture that characterised the ancient society
Different styles of art and materials used
The main features and purposes of significant building(s)
The role of art in the ancient society
How different art styles spread throughout ancient societies
The impact of a significant individual in the society in relation to art or architecture
Continuity and/or change in the nature and significance of art and architecture
How art and architecture from the ancient society are reflected in art and architecture in the present day
The types of warfare in ancient times
Different types of weapons and means of defence
Battles in the ancient society
The role of armies in the society
The role of the military in the society
The life of soldiers, including their living conditions and training
A key military encounter
Social and economic outcomes of warfare
Continuity and/or change in the development of weaponry and methods of warfare
Weaponry and warfare used in ancient times compared to the use of technology in weaponry and warfare of the modern world
The predominant religion(s) of the ancient society
Key beliefs and rituals of the ancient religion related to death
The impact of beliefs and rituals on individuals and society
Beliefs about death and the concept of an afterlife
Funerary practices
Continuity and/or change in different beliefs, rituals and funerary practices
Beliefs, rituals and funerary practices of an ancient society compared to personal present-day beliefs and practices
Key authority figures in the society
Roles of people in leadership positions
Images and portrayal of the leader(s)
The social hierarchy of the leader(s) of the ancient society
How a leader contributed to a society at the time
The way leaders are represented in ancient sources
The impact of a significant leader on the society
Continuity and/or change in different leaders and how they are portrayed and remembered in society
The role of leaders in ancient societies compared to the roles of leaders in the present day at local, national and global levels
The nature and range of sources that brought trade and cultural contact between ancient societies
The motivations for trade
Evidence of maritime trade routes
The types of goods that were traded
The impact of trade on the society
A key site relating to trade
The nature and impact of cultural contact between ancient societies
Continuity and/or change in trade and cultural contact
Trade and cultural contact in the ancient society compared to the present day at a local and/or global level