Geography

Geography is about people and how they interact with the natural and cultural environment. Geography looks at issues about how people live in a place, treat its environment and the consequences of that interaction - both positive and negative.

Have a look at the links to articles and videos and see how humans are treating the natural and cultural environment. Also look at Ngai Tahu's Ka Huru Manu website - it is a really cool look at Te Wai Pounamu (South Island). 

​​​​​​​

Tourism

Tourism is a subject that looks at where people travel, how they travel and what they do when they arrive at a destination. Tourism in New Zealand is our biggest export industry. The total annual tourism expenditure is $39.1 billion or $107 million per day. Annual international tourism expenditure is $16.2 billion or $44 million per day and annual domestic tourism expenditure is $23.0 billion or $63 million per day.

At Cashmere High School, a big focus is on linking students to employment in the tourism industry and the career that students can make from studying Tourism. Click on the images as to what you can study after Tourism at Cashmere High School and also An Idiot Abroad - it is a very satirical look at Tourism! ​​​​​​

​​​​​​​

History

The study of History endows its students with empathy, tolerance, critical thinking and cultural awareness; arguably some of the most desirable qualities for a 21st Century thinker. As the world becomes saturated with information, the need to filter for quality and accurate information increases. History students have the skills to weigh up validity, consider bias, know where to find accurate information, and to question the world they live in.

Historians at Cashmere will cover a range of topics from the Reformation of the Catholic Church in the 16th Century, to Captain Cook’s Arrival in NZ, to the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict and the Cambodian Genocide in the 20th Century. From Year 11, students gain a range of skills such as examining historical events from different perspectives, writing with concision and clarity regarding the causes and consequences of events and interpreting historical sources to form sound arguments and evidence-based opinions. On the 12th of September 2019, the Government announced that the teaching of New Zealand History will be compulsory at all schools in NZ.

At Cashmere, we see this as a vital skill of any New Zealand historian, and indeed any New Zealander. We know that NZ is unique in this regard, and recognise that this will become a real asset to New Zealand learners in their own country and around the world in the coming years.​​​​​​​

Classical Studies

Classical Studies at Cashmere brings to life Ancient Greece, Rome and Macedonia. We examine their paintings, busts, columns, stadiums, theatres, letters, speeches, epic stories, coins, war strategy, poetry, philosophy and more, to try to create a picture of how the ancients lived, thought, worshipped and encountered the world around them. From Alexander the Great and Odysseus, to Julius Caesar and Augustus, we examine events from the Trojan War in 1250 BCE to the downfall of the Roman Empire in 476 CE.

We examine themes and ideas, such as divine ideology of ancient leaders, the role of the hero across 2000 years and how public entertainment was used by ancient Roman leaders to influence the masses aka ‘Bread and Circuses,’ Juvenal. As classicists, we must ask not “what happened”, but “who said so?”.

The discipline requires students to practice their critical thinking skills on a daily basis, and always consider where the information comes from, with a greater emphasis than what the text says. In a world dominated by social media and fake news, these skills are becoming increasingly desirable. Classical Studies teaches students how to persuade, form evidence-based arguments, see things from different perspectives, analyse, critique, and bonus - makes them very useful travel companions!

​​​​​​​