Year 9 HASS – Term 1 (WA Curriculum): Australian Colonisation and World War I - Perspectives and Experiences

What this unit covers

In Term 1, Year 9 HASS in the WA Curriculum centres on the unit “Australian Colonisation and World War I - Perspectives and Experiences”.

Students explore the effects of British colonisation on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, significant individuals and events in early Australian society, different cultural experiences, and the causes and impact of World War I through critical analysis of primary and secondary sources.

Lesson sequence (30 lessons)

The unit breaks down into the following lesson-by-lesson sequence — each title below is a teachable lesson, in order:

1. Understanding Terra Nullius and its Legal Justification for British Colonisation
2. Examining Primary Sources: Captain Arthur Phillip and the Establishment of the Penal Colony 1788
3. Analysing the Doctrine of Terra Nullius Through Aboriginal Perspectives
4. Investigating the 1834 Pinjarra Massacre: Causes and Consequences
5. Exploring Aboriginal Resistance: Yagan's Fight Against Colonisation
6. Comparing Different Interpretations of the Frontier Wars
7. Analysing the Aborigines Act 1905: Denial of Aboriginal Rights Through Legislation
8. Investigating Pemulwuy's Resistance Against Early Colonial Settlement
9. Examining John and Elizabeth Macarthur's Role in Early Australian Agriculture
10. Analysing the 1894 Battle of Windjana Gorge and Jandamarra's Leadership
11. Evaluating Catherine Helen Spence's Contributions to Australian Society
12. Investigating Truganini's Experience During Tasmanian Colonisation
13. Analysing the Gold Rush of 1851: Economic and Social Impact
14. Examining Chinese Miners' Experiences: The Lambing Flats Riots
15. Investigating the Rum Rebellion: Challenging Colonial Authority
16. Analysing the Eureka Stockade: Democratic Ideals and Miners' Rights
17. Comparing Free Settlers and Squatters: Different Colonial Experiences
18. Evaluating Multiple Perspectives on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Resistance
19. Investigating the Causes of World War I: Militarism and Alliance Systems
20. Analysing Imperialism and Nationalism as Causes of World War I
21. Examining Why Australians Enlisted: Patriotism and Sense of Duty
22. Investigating Social Pressures and Employment Motivations for Enlistment
23. Analysing Primary Sources: Recruitment Posters and Propaganda
24. Comparing Different Experiences of War: Soldiers, Families, and Communities
25. Evaluating the Impact of World War I on Australian Society
26. Synthesising Evidence: Colonisation's Long-term Effects on Indigenous Peoples
27. Creating Historical Arguments Using Primary and Secondary Sources
28. Critically Evaluating Historical Interpretations and Bias
29. Reflecting on Missing Voices in Australian Colonial History
30. Assessing the Reliability and Context of Historical Sources

Curriculum codes in this unit

Content codes:

Skills codes:

Reading the codes: WA codes (the ones starting with WA) pack the year level, learning area, strand and content number into one string, while the national Australian Curriculum v9 uses a different anatomy that starts with AC9 — same content family, different labels. Our complete WA Curriculum guide decodes both, character by character.

Planning notes for Term 1

WA terms run roughly 9–11 weeks, and in 2026 Term 1 runs from Monday 2 February to Thursday 2 April — 9 weeks for WA public schools. With 30 lessons in this unit, that leaves breathing room for assessment, moderation and the weeks that disappear to carnivals, camps and public holidays — plan the assessable work to land two to three weeks before the end of term rather than in the final week.