History at Queen’s High School focuses on developing and honing Historical Thinking Skills. Throughout the three levels students will learn how to think critically and analytically about significant events that have resulted in great change for New Zealand and the world. History is an academic subject with heavy focus on research, reading, and writing, as well as debating different perspectives. It is our aim to teach our students to question what they learn, and formulate historical arguments.

At Year 11 we focus on Civil Rights. This introductory level gets students thinking historically about empathy, cause and consequence, evidence, and significance. At Year 12 we focus in Human Rights and Politics. This level requires students to grapple with difficult subjects in order to understand and engage with the many different perspectives that exist about a historical event. At Year 13 we focus on the analysis of historians, learning to challenge and critically engage with writers of the past. In Year 13 we go on a joint Economics/History trip to Wellington to learn about the significance of our government.

Year 11: History

Topics:
Year 11 History consists of a broad course of study with:

  • In-depth studies being undertaken throughout the year.
  • Students will also complete a research assignment, presentation assignment and perspectives assignment written as a blog.
  • These are all internally assessed.

Four of the courses listed in this section will be studied in depth:

  • The Outbreak of World War II
  • The Cold War
  • Influenza Epidemic in NZ 1918-1919
  • Civil Rights in America and New Zealand
  • Who Do You Think You Are: Family History

Skills:

  • Source Analysis
  • Reading
  • Essay planning and writing
  • Research
  • Communicating Ideas
  • Debate
  • Develop understanding of Cause & Consequence
  • Historical Significance
  • Continuity and Change
  • Historical Patterns
  • Developing empathy, understanding, and critical thinking surrounding evidence and perspectives.

This level requires the ability to describe historical events using evidence.

 

Year 12: History

Topics:

  • Ngai Tahu Settlement and Contact
  • Genocide: Rwanda, Armenia
  • Cambodia
  • The Plains Indians: Trail of Tears
  • The Conflict of Palestine/Israel

Students will also undertake research, presentation assignments and a perspectives assessment which are all internally assessed. There is one externally assessed essay.

Skills:

  • Source Analysis
  • Reading
  • Essay planning and writing
  • Research
  • Communicating Ideas
  • Debate
  • Develop understanding of Cause & Consequence
  • Historical Significance
  • Continuity and Change
  • Historical Patterns
  • Developing empathy, understanding, and critical thinking surrounding evidence and perspectives.

This level requires the ability to examine and explain historical events using evidence.

Year 13: History

Topics:

  • Early Contact in New Zealand: The Musket Wars
  • British Empire and Colonialism
  • The Holocaust
  • Indian Mutiny
  • The Atlantic Slave Trade
  • The Treaty of Waitangi

Skills:

  • Source Analysis
  • Historiographical Reading
  • Essay planning and writing
  • Research
  • Communicating Ideas
  • Debate
  • Develop understanding of Cause & Consequence
  • Historical Significance
  • Continuity and Change
  • Historical Patterns
  • Using empathy, understanding, and critical thinking surrounding evidence and perspectives to make sound historical judgements of past events or individuals.
  • Learning to critically discuss historical contexts that are complex and controversial.

This level requires the ability to explain and analyse historical events using significant historical evidence.

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