🌍 Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS)
At Torbanlea State School
At Torbanlea State School, Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS) is a core part of student learning. Through HASS, students explore people, places, events and systems across past and present contexts, developing critical thinking, empathy and a deeper understanding of their communities and the wider world.
Our HASS program is aligned with the Australian Curriculum: Humanities and Social Sciences, ensuring students build strong knowledge, inquiry skills and active citizenship capabilities.
👩🏫 Specialist HASS Teaching
HASS is taught by our specialist HASS teacher, Mrs Megan Clague, who works with students every Thursday.
Through her expertise, students engage in:
- 🔍 Inquiry‑based learning
- 📚 Research and evidence‑based investigation
- 🧠 Critical thinking and informed decision‑making
Learning experiences are carefully designed to support students to question, investigate, analyse and communicate their understanding effectively.
📘 Curriculum Focus
HASS learning at Torbanlea State School is structured around the two Australian Curriculum strands:
Knowledge and Understanding and Inquiry and Skills.
Students learn across four key HASS disciplines:
🕰️ Historical Understanding
- Investigating past events, people and communities
- Exploring continuity and change, cause and effect and differing perspectives
🗺️ Geographical Understanding
- Examining the characteristics of places and environments
- Understanding how people interact with environments
- Exploring connections between local, regional and global contexts
🏛️ Civics and Citizenship
- Exploring the roles, rights and responsibilities of individuals and groups
- Understanding democratic values and active participation in communities
💼 Economics and Business
- Considering how resources are used and decisions are made
- Exploring how economic factors influence communities and daily life
Across all areas, students develop inquiry skills including:
- Asking questions
- Researching and analysing sources
- Making informed decisions
- Communicating findings clearly and confidently
These skills prepare students to be knowledgeable, active and responsible citizens.
🚌 Excursions and Community Connections
Learning in HASS is enriched through hands‑on experiences and local excursions, allowing students to connect classroom learning with the real world.
Examples include:
⛏️ Gympie Gold Mining and Historical Museum
Students explore Queensland’s mining history and examine its social, cultural and economic impacts on local communities.
🌺 Remembrance Day Excursion – Howard Cemetery and Cenotaph
Students research and reflect on the contributions and sacrifices of service personnel through meaningful acts of remembrance.
🇦🇺 ANZAC Day School Service and Local March
Students participate in commemorative events, developing understanding of national history, civic values and the significance of sacrifice and service.
🤝 Local Partnerships and Community Voices
Torbanlea State School values strong community partnerships that bring HASS learning to life.
Students engage with:
- 🎖️ Howard RSL Sub Branch, supported by Steve Grainger (President)
- 🌿 Community leaders such as Aunty Therese, who share firsthand perspectives on local history, service and heritage
These partnerships ensure students experience history and civics as living, community‑based disciplines, rather than abstract concepts.
🌺 Significance of Commemorative Programs
Through active participation in ANZAC Day and Remembrance Day programs, students learn to:
- Honour those who served
- Understand the personal and societal impacts of conflict
- Develop empathy, respect and historical understanding
These programs are carefully linked to curriculum learning outcomes and include preparatory learning such as:
- Researching local service personnel
- Writing reflective pieces
- Presenting findings to authentic audiences
This ensures learning is deep, meaningful and authentic.
🌟 Why HASS Matters
Through HASS, students:
- ✅ Gain insight into historical and contemporary issues
- ✅ Develop analytical, research and communication skills
- ✅ Cultivate empathy, respect and active citizenship
- ✅ Connect classroom learning to local and global contexts
Lessons integrate:
- Inquiry‑based projects
- Discussion and debate
- Mapping and spatial thinking
- Analysis of primary sources
- Role‑play and reflective activities
Together, these experiences provide students with rich opportunities to explore history, geography, civics and economics in engaging and meaningful ways.
🌱 Our Commitment to HASS Learning
At Torbanlea State School, we are committed to providing a HASS program that:
- Encourages curiosity and critical thinking
- Builds strong community connections
- Supports active and informed citizenship
- Values diverse perspectives and experiences
Through Humanities and Social Sciences, students develop the knowledge and skills they need to understand their world — and their place within it.