Work samples

Humanities and Social Sciences

Year 4

Above satisfactory

Cook’s logbook

Summary of task

Students, under teacher guidance, collaboratively traced the journey made by James Cook in the Endeavour between 1768 and 1771 to create a class map of the voyage. This map is included as part of the work sample. Students then chose four locations along the route for further investigation. Supported by the teacher and the teacher-librarian – through the provision of a range of written, visual and digital sources, including selected extracts from Cook’s journal – students adopted the persona of James Cook to write their own journal entries to describe the events and importance of each of their chosen locations. The journal entries were drafted, edited, word-processed, printed and displayed in the classroom. The entire sequence of activities, from the co-creation of the map through to the publication of the final journal entries, took place during class time over a four-week period.

Achievement standard

By the end of Year 4, students recognise the significance of events in bringing about change and the importance of the environment. They explain how and why life changed in the past and identify aspects of the past that have remained the same. They describe the experiences of an individual or group in the past. They describe and compare the diverse characteristics of different places at local to national scales. Students identify the interconnections between components of the environment and between people and the environment. They identify structures that support their local community and recognise the importance of laws in society. They describe factors that shape a person’s identity and sense of belonging. They identify different views on how to respond to an issue or challenge. 

Students develop questions to investigate. They locate and collect information and data from different sources, including observations to answer these questions. When examining information, they distinguish between facts and opinions and detect points of view. They interpret data and information to identify and describe distributions and simple patterns and draw conclusions. They share their points of view, respecting the views of others. Students sequence information about events and the lives of individuals in chronological order with reference to key dates. They sort, record and represent data in different formats, including large-scale maps using basic cartographic conventions. They reflect on their learning to propose action in response to an issue or challenge, and identify the possible effects of their proposed action. Students present ideas, findings and conclusions using discipline-specific terms in a range of communication forms. 

By the end of Year 4, students recognise the significance of events in bringing about change. They explain how and why life changed in the past and identify aspects of the past that have remained the same. They describe the experiences of an individual or group in the past. 

Students sequence information about events and the lives of individuals in chronological order with reference to key dates. They develop questions about the past and locate, collect and sort information from different sources to answer these questions. They analyse sources to detect points of view. Students develop and present texts, including narrative recounts, using historical terms. 

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