The Social Sciences cover multiple areas with Economics and Commerce, History and Geography at its core. There are additional areas including cultural studies. citizenship and government, social systems and more. There are also a range of perspectives, such as Indigenous and multicultural, as with other core areas. At some levels, topics such as Driver Education may be considered a component of this area.

This page looks at the Social Sciences - core and other areas, resources, general information, activities and more.

Special pages linked to this area include The Arctic, The Antarctic and Social Science Resources. Information on several Tertiary Subject Pages may also be of value.

This page requires further development which will be completed as time permits.

Core Areas

Civics & Citizenship

• Australian Citizenship
  If interested in Australian citizenship this is where to find the process, rights, obligations it brings.
• Citizenship in a Democracy
  Civic & Citizenship for Years 9 & 10. Collection of sound and film pieces from the National Film and Sound Archive. Wide range of examples collected.
• Citizenship Links
  Covers general information, lessons, software, videos, teacher resources. Primarily Australian.
• Citizenship - Primary School Teaching Resources
  Australian Government. ‘The following resources are available in PDF for download or print’.
• Civics and Citizenship Education
  ‘Australia’s pre-eminent civics and citizenship education web portal. This website contains resources, information, activities and links for teachers, students and parents involved in civics and citizenship education’. Australian Government. Discovering Democracy Units related to this can be found here, while Teaching & Learning Activities are found in another section, with Upper Primary activities one example of the sort of material provided. Reading Our Rights, a case study from Claremont College in Tasmania is found here. Full details of the unit are included.
• Discovering Democracy
  ‘Welcome to the NSW Discovering Democracy professional development website which promotes civics and citizenship education in government and non-government schools across Years 4-10’.
• Personal Stories of Australian Citizenship
  ‘Becoming an Australian citizen is a personal choice. Some new Australian citizens share their stories and tell us what led to their decision to become an Australian citizen’.
• The Common Good
  ‘This site brings together a wide range of resources for learning about civics and citizenship. You will find materials for schools, for formal post secondary study and for anyone interested in the field’. Australian ABC.
• The Good Citizen
  Australian democracy and Citizenship. ABC Australia. ‘This site is based upon the thirteen Radio National programs, covering historical, political and cultural aspects of the Australian version of liberal democracy’ Their Links and Resources pages provide good support for the concept.
• The Government Machine
  ‘Bruce Petty takes a satirical look at the “contraptions” that shape our lives. Beginning with a simple concept, he takes us on an anarchic journey through history as each apparatus builds to its complex contemporary form’. Video clip, activities, other resources from the National Film and Sound Archive.

Economics & Commerce

• In addition to any links below, you are directed to the Economics page, which contains further information about Economics.
• Economic Education Web [EcEdWeb]
  ‘Provides support for education in all forms and at all levels. Select from the menu to find exciting material for teaching economics’.
• High School Financial Planning Program Web Portal
  US program. ‘For over twenty-five years, this award-winning, free, non-commercial financial education program has been provided to millions of students in thousands of schools throughout the country’. Sponsored by the National Endowment for Financial Education^®.
• Teacher Resources
  Includes a range of topics related to financial literacy. Previously done by FIDO [ASIC], now covered by Money Smart.
• Teaching Financial Literacy
  ‘Teaching Financial Literacy was created to support schools that want to include consumer and financial literacy programs in their curriculum. This website provides up-to-date information and resources, including a professional learning package to help you teach students about money matters. This website includes resources to support Phase 1 of the new Australian Curriculum.’.
• Welcome to Biz/ed
  ‘For students and educators in business studies, economics, accounting, leisure, sport & recreation, travel & tourism’. What’s New ?, Learning materials, Virtual Worlds, Reference, Educators [lesson plans].

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Geography

• In addition to any links below, you are directed to the Social Science Resources page, which has further Geographical information.
• Discover Information Geographically
  Search engine that allows you to search areas of the world, also to search by content types, content themes. Also search by title, text, abstract.
• Geo-Globe : Interactive Geography
  Thinkquest. Find a better way to study geography. Do a quiz, work in other areas, resources including geo puzzles.
• Geography
  About.com. Geography from maps and mapping to cultural geography, climate, weather.
• Geography Action
  National Geographic. ‘Annual conservation and awareness program to educate and excite people about our natural, cultural, historic treasures. Each year we celebrate a topic related to conservation and the environment’.
• Geography4Kids
  ‘If you are looking for physical geography or earth science basics, stay on this site. It’s not geography for kids, it’s for everyone. An introduction to the earth sciences with topics on the Earth’s structure, atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere’.
• Factmonster
  World Geography links. Multiple directories from Geography Hall of Fame to Geography Bee. 24 directories altogether.
• Latitude and Longitude
  What each is, how they are used.

History

• In addition to any links below, you are directed to the History pages.This is the portal for finding all History pages, World and Australian, on this site.
• Historic Connections
  ‘History you can feel, touch, experience !’ Multiple sections, products, links, interactive materials, etc..
• Modern History
  One teacher’s personal site for senior secondary level history.
• My Place in History
  ‘Students will explore their own personal family history, creating family trees online, whilst learning about the key drivers of change within society during the lives of their ancestors - wherever they came from - and how these changes impacted their own identity, as well as that of their family and society more generally. Over the course of the programme students will look back over two generations of their own family and how society changed during the lives of their older family members and ancestors’. Multiple units for Upper Primary level. Note that this a free online teaching resource.
  Well presented !
• Teaching History Online
  ‘The weekly newsletter has news, websites reviews, articles on using ICT in the history classroom. Members are invited to submit information for inclusion in future editions of Teaching History Online’. 150 copies presently listed. Links to other lesson sources, etc..
• Themes 4-7
  Extensive llistig of appropriate themes in Social Science. There are also sections for P-3. Compiled by an Australian teacher. Each link takes you to another source of information on that topic.
• The National Archives Education Service
  UK site, National Archives. Free online teaching and learning resource’. Of most use may be the History skills, though several major topics covered will also be relevant.

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Other Information

Ask A …

• Ask an Earth Scientist
  Geographical help.
• Ask the Experts
  From the Smithsonian.

Countries & Regions of The World

• In addition, check the World Information page, which has on, links to, individual country information.
• Countries of the World
  Information about every country you wish.
• Geographia Homepage
  Targets single countries. Content areas, links to major regional areas, feature articles on topics of interest. Featured books from Amazon.
• Go Places
  Links take you to countries in all regions of the world.
• People of the Pacific
  ‘This project is a place for students to develop knowledge and understanding of the Pacific people and their cultures’.
• The Living Africa
  Thinkquest. The land, the people, information, areas relating to wildlife. Send e-postcards.
• Where is That ?
  Educational game that provides maps from different world regions and has you work on one of five levels with the country/state/capital city.

General Australian Sites

• Asia Education Resource Search
  ‘Search all resources on the Asia Education Foundation. website, using the filters on the left side of the page. Refine your search with more specific criteria’. The purpose of the Foundation is to promote teaching and learning about Asia in Australian schools.
• Behind The News
  Provides younger students with an appropriate view of world events and news.
• Bureau of Rural Sciences
  ‘Provides nationally focused scientific advice to support evidence-based policy development and decision making by government’. Huge Australian information base.
• Civics and Citizenship Education
  Department of Education & Early Childhood Development, Victoria.
• Interesting Facts About Australia
  A series of interesting facts presented through short descriptions.
• Resources and Links
  Department of Education & Early Childhood Development, Victoria. A selection of sites covering Economics, Geography and History.
• Teaching Human Rights
  Australian Government. Information, resources for teachers about all forms of discrimination, harassment, how to combat this. Human Rights information.
• Why Should I ?
  ‘A fun way to learn about the law’. The NSW Bar Association.

General Sites

• Biomes [Living Worlds]
  Thinkquest. Covers all land biomes [check various inclusions]. Visual, interactive methodology. Each biome has sub-sections on important aspects. Glossary of terms. Look at what might happen if we are not careful in preserving the biomes.
• Global Social Change Research Project
  ‘Looks at long term, large scale changes in social, political, economic systems at national, international levels. Links to sites with theories, approaches, data, research’.
• Museum Box
  ‘This site provides the tools for you to build up an argument or description of an event, person or historical period by placing items in a virtual box’.

Heritage & Australian Culture

Symbols, government, history, etc..

• Check information included on the Australian Identity & Culture page.
• Australian Heritage Commission
  Keeper of the National Estate Register. Photographs, listings of places, news, bibliography, books, articles. more.
• Australian Studies
  Directory of links for Australian information, culture, life.
• Convict Creations
  Suggests we have ‘turned culture upside down’ and shows through history, culture, traditions why they believe this. A lot of material provided.
• Culture and Recreation
  Australian Government Portal. Access information about culture, recreation in the Australian context. One section of particular interest [now on a different site] is on Australian Folklore, which forms an integral part of the cultural background of Australia.
• Teaching Heritage
  Photographs, drawings, timelines, news reports, maps, articles. New South Wales Department of Education. Teaches heritage and culture.

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Motoring

Driver education, road skills, … .

• Driving Tips [NRMA]
  Programs to help people improve road skills. Free2go.
• Road Safety
  South Australian Police. Provides Road Safety School access for students at Primary level and In-school lectures and displays on a range of areas including road safety and driver education plus more for secondary as well.
• Road Safety Education [SDERA]
  Western Australia. Caters for multiple age groupings.
• Road Safety Programs
  Traffic safety education saves lives. RACV has school programs for children of all ages.
• Safety & Rules
  Vicroads. Strategies, Road Safety Education for various school levels, statistics, research.
• Traffic Safety Education
  Resources, Student Driving Guidelines [PDF], Bicycle Education, professional Development for staff, Pre-licence Education, more. This is the main link page.

Personal Finance

Consumer understanding, e-commerce, investment knowledge, financial planning.

• ASX Sharemarket Games
  ‘A Free lesson in share investment as you trade online with a hypothetical $50 000 to invest in the sharemarket over a ten week period. The challenge is to achieve the highest valued share portfolio in the nation’. Australian. You need to join MyASX [Free] to access this.
• Dollars & Sense
  Commonwealth Bank. Done for teenagers. Designed to help them handle money and monetary matters better. Sections for teachers, parents .
• Know Your Money
  Everyday money guide from the Commonwealth Bank. In Flash and a HTML version.
• Money Smart
  Australian Government. Designed to help people understand budgets, set financial goals, get into the savings habit. The Under 25s section has specific advice on buying expensive items, controlling your cash, debt and trouble-shooting and other areas relating to the time period at the end of schooling.
• Virtual Stock Exchange
  US based. How to invest online, run a portfolio, all with no actual money !

Tools, Tutorials, Research, …

• AGI GIS Dictionary
  Want to know anything geographical ? Search alphabetically, by category, by particular Acronyms, from other terminology.
• GeographyIQ
  ‘Online world atlas packed with geographic, economic, political, historical, cultural information. GeographyIQ brings together other resources including maps, flags, currency conversion, climate, time zone information’.
• Helping Your Child Learn Geography
  US Department of Education. It covers essential elements and fundamentals in geography.
• Methods in Evaluation & Research [Resources]
  Free resources. Focus is on ‘how to do evaluation research’, the methods used, surveys, focus groups, sampling, interviews, other methods.
• Online Tools and Definitions
  Links to sites for map history, cartography, survey systems, latitude & longitude, projection, more.
• World Atlas and Maps

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