Year 10 Social Studies

This course draws from aspects of the refreshed te ao tangata | social sciences curriculum which incorporates aspects of Aotearoa New Zealand Histories. This means students examine important local histories, as well as globally significant social and environmental issues, with a focus on rights and justice in different contexts. Throughout this course students focus on constructing and communicating compelling evidence-based arguments.

Through building knowledge about people, society, and their environments and drawing on the practices of te ao tangata | social sciences, students will deepen their understanding of the following big ideas: 

• Māori history is the foundational and continuous history of Aotearoa New Zealand. 
• Colonisation and settlement have been central to Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories for the past 200 years.
• People’s lived experiences have been shaped by the use and misuse of power. 
• People hold different perspectives on the world depending on their values, traditions, and experiences.
• People participate in communities by acting on their beliefs and through the roles they hold. 
• Interactions change societies and environments.

At Year 10 this includes the study of:

Migration Stories - explored through the context of 20th Century migration of people from Pacific nations to Aotearoa NZ, including the consequences of this movement and subsequent Dawn Raids in Ponsonby and Tāmaki Makaurau.

Mana Motuhake - this topic explores themes of Māori asserting their right to self determination in the the Kingitanga movement and Ngā Pākanga o Aotearoa - the New Zealand Wars.

Beginning in the Small Places - Taking its name from Eleanor Roosevelt’s view; “Where, after all, do human rights begin? In small places, close to home…”, this topic provides an opportunity for students explore historical and contemporary human rights issues and consider the relevance of our Mercy values.

There is further curriculum development underway to explore themes of resource use and environmental justice.