Contemporary Learning Experience (CLE)
Year Level 'Big Ideas'Each cohort of students is provided with a curriculum that meets their individual needs. Our Contemporary Learning Experience provides this opportunity through a strong connection to Victorian Curriculum, meaningful and enriching inquiry and contextually relevant experiences. The Learning Explorations are explored through a variety of ‘Big Ideas’ that grow in complexity over the Year Levels.
Prep
In Term 1 Preps explore the Big Idea “People Make Choices that Affect Themselves and Others”. During this unit, learners find out about themselves and how their actions can impact on themselves and others. We discuss how important it is to take responsibility for our choices and explore the different outcomes.
In English we begin the year by sharing oral stories. This builds an important foundation for understanding illustrated stories and is the basis of our writing process. We establish a culture of reading in our class, identifying why reading is important. Learners are exposed to a variety of different picture stories as we begin to explore the features of texts. We begin to explore the different phonemes (sounds) and basic punctuation and use these as we start to write independently.
In Mathematics we are exploring 2D shapes and their attributes. We begin Numeration by sorting and ordering objects and move onto exploring, creating and explaining patterns. This is followed by the introduction of one to one matching of objects and recognising and recording single digit numbers.
Year 1
In Term 1 children in Year 1 investigated the big idea that ‘People’s lifestyles and the places we live change over time’. The student’s have looked at our local community, discussing the change over time and worked together with families to explain differences in lifestyles. Comparing the past, present and making predictions for the future was a focus in Year 1 classrooms. The students explored Indigenous lifestyles at the Cranbourne Botanical Gardens and shared their learning on ‘Grandparents Day’ about their differing experiences in school and home life.
English
This semester students have investigated the features of different text types and have used comprehension strategies to build literal and inferred meaning about key events, ideas and information in texts. Students have explored a variety of writing genres, including recounts, procedures and information reports. They have developed an understanding of the features of each text type and have had opportunities to apply this understanding during independent writing. There is regular opportunity for students to share their writing with others. Students have developed their speaking and listening skills and have been actively encouraged to participate in small and whole group discussions.
Maths
This semester students have continued to build on their understanding of Mathematics. They have been exposed to a range of activities, both written and hands on, that reinforce mathematical content and problem solving skills. Students have learnt to read, model, count, rename, compare and order numbers to 100. They have started to explore skip counting by 2 and 10. Students have investigated length and capacity and the ways they it can be measured. They have also looked at the different units that can be used to measure time. Students have explored the concept of chance and can discuss the outcomes of familiar events.resolution, and understanding our indigenous past and our modern place in Asia.
Year 2
In Term 1 Year 2 students will be developing their questioning and exploration skills to investigate the Big Idea ‘People make decisions each day that affect others’. The essential questions we will focus on are: ‘What is a decision?’, ‘How do decisions affect myself and others?’ and ‘What are my responsibilities?’ Through the focus on decision making, the children will develop an understanding of what decisions are, who they impact and that there are many ways to solve problems.
English
In Year 2, students will read a variety of fiction texts and be focusing on developing the key comprehension skills of making predications, sequencing and making connections. Students will participate in small reading groups with students of similar reading levels. All reading material is chosen to extend comprehension, fluency and further develop students’ reading strategies. Students will also be exploring decision making within texts and consider alternative choices to problems and how that can affect the direction of a text. Children will specifically focus on the writing genres of recount and procedure. Each week the children will have a different phoneme focus and will continue build on their ability to spell high frequency words.
Mathematics
In Term 1, children will be learning about the following mathematical concepts:
Measurement and Geometry:
- Naming and ordering months and seasons
- Using a calendar to identify the date and determine the number of days in each month
- Describe and draw 2 dimensional shapes
Number
- Recognise and interpret common uses of halves, quarters and eighths of shapes and collections
- Recognise, model, represent and order numbers to at least 1000
Year 3
The Year 3 Curriculum at Red Hill Consolidated school is based on Level 3 as set down by the Department of Education of Victoria. It is then modified by our teachers to meet a local context, and to challenge our students wherever possible. This semester students will work on the following areas.
Learning Explorations
Each Term will have a focus “Big Idea”. For Term 1 we are starting off with “Sustainability Matters – Industries are becoming more sustainable”. This topic provides opportunities for children to learn about how people require needs and wants in our community, who are producers and consumers and how industries are using sustainable practices to meet these needs. The other Big Ideas for terms 2, 3 and 4 will be “World Views”, “Human Endeavour, Discovery, Exploration and Innovation” and “Understanding Ourselves”.
English
In Year 3, students will become more independent in selecting and reading a variety of texts that will promote comprehension, understanding and enjoyment. Students will participate in a combination of whole class activities, independent and small reading groups to develop their skills, utilising a range of resources including texts and programs such as Lexile and Reading Eggs. Students are guided to borrow books from the library for home and classroom silent reading within their Lexile reading score. Students will develop their written expression in a range of genres, with a particular focus on narrative, recount and persuasive styles. Success Criteria are used to help guide children to the features and requirements of particular genres. Teachers conduct a phonemic survey or pre-test on Monday to find out which words students need to learn. On Friday, they are tested on their own individual list which reflects a progress score. Lessons on grammar and punctuation are incorporated into our spelling and writing programs, along with learning essential skills such as using a dictionary and thesaurus. Students will be introduced to cursive handwriting with particular attention to correct style and pencil grip. This will enable them to write more efficiently as they progress through school. Speaking in front of the class is encouraged on a regular basis through sharing of their class work, discussions and answering questions.
Maths
In Mathematics, our program has been planned as part of a whole school approach to learning concepts in context and incorporating mental computation skills. Through implementing pre-testing of number concepts using Learning Links, we are able to form groups based on their needs. This allows for teachers to focus their teaching on the needs of children into specific groups based on the results of the testing. After participating in a series of teaching sessions, workshops and learning activities, students will be post-tested and assessment tasks are used to ascertain their progress in skill development. Students are involved in the process of recording and reflecting on their progress through their own tracking sheets for number concepts. We utilise a range of resources such as Mathletics, open-ended tasks and problem solving along with learning multiplication and number facts using a variety of strategies. In weekly class lessons, children will be given opportunities to extend their skills with challenges when appropriate, whilst students are also supported with activities to build their confidence and skills.
Year 4
In Year 4 students will continue their Learning Explorations through the Big Idea ‘Effective learners collaborate, respect differences and cooperate.’. The essential questions we will focus on are: ‘What are the qualities of an effective learner? What are the features of an effective collaborative group? Why is diversity important in collaborative groups? In Term 2 we will change the focus to the Big Idea, ‘Ocean diversity requires conservation and community action.’ This includes exploring and researching how individuals and organizations effect ocean biodiversity and what steps can be taken to conserve these vital environments.
Mathematics
In 2019, the teaching and learning of Mathematics will continue to be implemented through the school’s Learning Links program. This will include the process of pre testing and post testing, as well as student’s tracking their Mathematics progress through individual student tracking sheets. This enables teachers to focus their teaching on the needs of children based on the results of the testing and provide greater differentiation to students of all capability levels. In Term 1, we will be working our way through the Numeration Learning Links, which includes the topics of place value, fractions, and decimals. Term 2 will see students continue to work through Numeration concepts, and begin exploring the processes of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division in the Operations unit. Teachers will utilize a range of teaching strategies and resources including open ended tasks, problem solving and the Mathletics program.
English
In Year 4, students will continue to extend their comprehension, accuracy and fluency of fiction and non-fiction texts through Lexile appropriate texts. Children will write across and revisit the language conventions of various genres including narratives, reports, persuasive, procedure and poetry. Lessons on grammar and punctuation are incorporated into our spelling and writing programs and there will be a strong focus on children developing independent proofreading and editing skills. Students will work towards attaining their ‘pen license’ by consistently modelling neat, legible joined handwriting and the presentation of neat bookwork. Additionally, students will develop their speaking and listening skills by listening and responding appropriately to others and actively participating in small and whole group discussions. Children will participate in weekly spelling pre-tests covering high frequency, phoneme specific and challenge words which will determine their personal spelling words for each week. Students will then have the rest of the week to learn their spelling words before they are tested at the end of the week.
Year 5
During Term 1, Grade 5 students will explore the Big Idea ‘Responsible Digital Citizens Understand That Their Actions Have Consequences’. Throughout the term students investigate the characteristics of a digital citizen, the impact of a digital footprint and the consequences of our positive and negative behaviours online.
The idea of Cybersafety and the effects that advancements in communication technologies have had upon the world also form a large part of the investigation. ICT is used to enrich their learning exploration and as a means to record their learning.
During Term 2, students investigate the Big Idea ‘Understanding Environmental Impact Encourages People to Manage Resources’. This term is designed to investigate how our current consumer driven human lifestyle and resource usage impact our natural environment. Students then deepen their understanding of how to minimise our impact by seeking alternate choices and actions.
As all our classes are developed to be contextually relevant, the English and Mathematics curriculum incorporate the Learning Explorations concept.
English
In Year 5, students read a variety of texts that challenge them to research factual material, validate the truth of the text, enjoy the language used in writing and use the skills of inferential reading. Students participate in large group reading of class texts, as well as small reading groups with students of similar reading levels. They also read their own choice of fictional text based upon their current Lexile level. All reading material is chosen to extend and develop their understanding.
Student’s written work focus in semester 1, include the genres of persuasive and narrative text types. In exploring the success criteria, students are given guidance to develop their writing, with detail to planning, developing sentence structure, editing, word choice, spelling and punctuation.
Students are encouraged to develop their public speaking skills, and present to their peers, both with formal and informal opportunities, in class groups and to wider audiences. Students will also be expected to demonstrate a stamina for listening for information and note taking.
Spelling capabilities will be challenged with targeted spelling instruction and revision, and activities that support an understanding of the English language.
Mathematics
Students build upon and further develop their numeracy skills and challenge themselves to explore a number of enrichment tasks designed to extend their thinking in mathematics.
During Semester 1, students will participate in Learning Links numeracy classes, allowing the students to engage in targeted mathematics sessions that will provide both the support and extension to allow students to excel in the areas being covered. Semester one has a focus on Numeration and Operation skills.
Mathletics tasks will be designed to provide individual support to our learners. Each week students will extend their instant recall of the times tables, striving for fluency and accuracy.
In Semester 1 students will:
- Understand place value including decimals.
- Understand the relationship between decimals and fractions and percentages.
- Use number skills accurately and fluently.
- Measure length, volume, mass, time, area and perimeter.
- Understand the composition of a range of 3D shapes
- Collect, record and represent data sets in a variety of ways. build their confidence and skills.
Year 6
The Year 6 Curriculum at Red Hill Consolidated school is based on Level 6 as set down by the Department of Education of Victoria, it is then modified by our teachers to meet a local context, and to challenge our students wherever possible.
In Term 1, students begin the Learning Exploration by investigating the Big Idea ‘Throughout history, the decisions of Australian Governments have had consequences for Indigenous People’. Through this Learning Exploration, students will explore the significant traditional owners within Australia’s Indigenous people and role that a significant individual or group played in shaping and changing a colony. Students will research and explore a variety of decisions that the Australian Government have made in relation to Indigenous Australians, and will develop the ability to analyse points of view and determine possible consequences. In concluding this unit, they will present a speech as Prime Minister, outlining a governmental decision.
Throughout Term 2, we will delve into the Big Idea ‘When People Take Action Change Occurs’. Students will identify and research what it means to be a ‘Change Agent’, and the qualities and skills associated with this. The knowledge gained from this will contribute to their wider research upon opportunities for change surrounding them. Students will explore the areas in whereby there exists an opportunity to make change, including socially, environmentally, humanitarian and incorporating a local and global outlook. The Learning Explorations journey findings will be presented as a Festival of the Arts during Term 2.
English
In Semester 1, Year 6 students will read a variety of texts that will challenge them to research factual material, validate the truth of the text and use the skills of inferential reading. Students will participate in independent reading as well as reading our class focus book, ‘Kensuke’s Kingdom’. All reading material is chosen to extend knowledge, and further develop the use of the 10 Reading Strategies which enhance their comprehension skills and understanding of text. Students will assess their own writing and set themselves goals. They will develop their editing skills and focus on enhancing their language through more effective use of adjectives. They will include technology into their skill base whilst publishing their work. Students will be regularly encouraged to speak in front of the class, be active listeners and present research to their peers.
Mathematics
This semester, students will be challenged to explore a number of mathematics tasks designed to expand their thinking. Each week students will extend their instant recall of simple mathematical problems, striving to better their own times in the completion of automatic response equations. Students will also participate in their first rounds of Learning Links numeracy classes, whereby the targeted mathematics teaching allows students to track their own progress. This will allow students to receive support and extension in the areas being covered. Students will study place value, decimal numbers, percentages, components of fractions and multiplication as part of our Learning Links. They will also cover the concepts of collecting and recording data, graphing data, the construction of 3D shapes and prisms, as well as the concepts of location and transformation of regular and irregular shapes.
Armed with a variety of numeracy skills, students will be challenged to explore a number of enrichment tasks, designed to extend their thinking in mathematics. Utilising this model, we will aim to cater to each child’s needs and extend their knowledge to promote progress across all mathematical topics.
Mathletics will also provide individual support to our learners as both an in-class and at-home tool.
Some important components of Mathematics for the last two terms:
- Knowledge of the times tables.
- Use number skills accurately.
- Knowledge of the properties of 3D shapes and prisms.
- Knowledge and understanding of location and transformation on simple and composite shapes; including symmetry, translation, and rotation, as well as knowledge of the Cartesian plane.
- Solve mathematical problems which involve using more than one calculation.
If you have expertise or anything to contribute to any of curriculum focuses, we would be delighted to work with you.