This Week in HASS | OpenSTEM Pty Ltd

This Week in HASS – term 4, week 3

This week our youngest students are looking at special places locally and around Australia, slightly older students are considering plants and animals around the world, while our older students are studying aspects of diversity in Australia.

Foundation/Prep/Kindy to Year 3

Students in standalone Foundation/Prep/Kindy (Unit F.4) and combined classes with Year 1 (F-1.4) are thinking about special places this week – what places are special to them and their families? What places are special in Australia? This focus gives the teacher a chance to guide the students through the process of considering natural beauty and how we and other agencies, such as the government, can look after special places and places of natural beauty. Students in Years 1 (Unit 1.4), 2 (Unit 2.4) and 3 (Unit 3.4) are continuing their focus on the stories of families from around the world from week 1. This week Year 1 and 2 students are focusing on plants and animals from the places described in the stories in week 1. Students in Year 3 also consider the role of climate in the diversity of plants and animals.

Years 3 to 6

Students in Years 3 (Unit 3.8), 4 (Unit 4.4), 5 (Unit 5.4) and 6 (Unit 6.4) are studying different aspects of diversity this week. Students in year 3 are looking at Aboriginal people and the environment, in the context of climate. Students in Year 4 consider both Aboriginal people and technology with respect to the Australian environment. Students in year 5 are starting to consider how Aboriginal people’s interactions with the environment over millennia have set the stage for the recognition of Native Title in Australia; while students in year 6 examine the history of Aboriginal suffrage and Native Title in Australia. These studies of diversity in Australia provide information for the students to start planning a celebration of identity and diversity in the last week. Students in Years 3 to 6 also continue with their scientific experiment of growing a plant.

This Week in HASS – term 4, week 2

This week our youngest students are looking at transport in the past, slightly older students consider places that are special to people around the world and our oldest students are considering reasons why people might leave their homes to become migrants.

Foundation/Prep/Kindy to Year 3

Students in standalone Foundation/Prep/Kindy classes (Unit F.4), as well as those in combined Foundation/Prep/Kindy and Year 1 classes (Unit F-1.4), are considering how people used to get around in the past. How did students get to school 100 years ago? Students also think about how these modes of transport moved. Students in Years 1 (Unit 1.4), 2 (Unit 2.4) and 3 (Unit 3.4) are continuing their study of families around the world by looking at places that are special to these families. Students will also find these places on the OpenSTEM® “Our World” Blackline World Map, practising their Geography skills. Different year levels will consider different aspects of these places, for example, year 3 students will consider the distance, both geographic and cultural, between these places and Australia; year 2 students will consider which places are natural and which are built and their significance for the people who live there, while year 1 students will compare these places to places that their own families find special.

Years 3 to 6

Students in Year 3 doing Unit 3.8, Celebrating Diversity, will choose a migrant group to study and consider what it is like for people to leave their home country and move to another place. They will also examine the contributions which their group has made to Australian society and look at celebrations special to that group. Students in Year 4 (Unit 4.4) will consider what factors influence people to leave a place and choose somewhere else to live. Students will also examine contact between different groups in Australia and the influence migrants have had on Australian society. Students in year 5 (Unit 5.4) choose a group of migrants to study and consider the changing factors that have influenced migration to Australia over time. Students in year 6 (Unit 6.4) choose a migrant group to study and consider the conditions in the country of origin of the migrant group, how those conditions influenced the migration of those people and how those factors have changed through the course of Australian history. These examinations prepare students to consider the nature of diversity in Australian society in the next lesson.

This Week in HASS – term 4, week 1

The last term of the school year – traditionally far too short and crowded with many events, both at and outside of school. OpenSTEM’s® Understanding Our World® program for HASS + Science ensures that not only are the students kept engaged with interesting material, but that teachers can relax, knowing that all curriculum-relevant material is covered by the middle of the term, ensuring enough time for marking and preparation of reports. Furthermore, following the OpenSTEM® Understanding Our World® program across an entire year guarantees that your students have met the curriculum requirements for all of History, Geography, Civics and Citizenship, Economics and Business (HASS) and Science for the whole year, matched to their year-level, even in multi-year level classes. This term our youngest students are reviewing some of the material covered earlier in the year and then preparing for a Play (with props and dress-ups) matched to this material. Students in Years 1 to 3 examine modern families around the world and then prepare a short presentation or dramatisation based on what they have learned. Older students are studying migrants and cultural identity and using the information to plan an end-of-year celebration of cultural diversity. These students also hold a class election, with preferential voting.

Foundation/Prep/Kindy to Year 3

Our youngest students – those in Foundation/Prep/Kindy (Unit F.4) and combined classes with Year 1 (Unit F-1.4) are start the term by reviewing Celebrations (this is a great time to grab that Class Calendar and look ahead to Christmas!). They then examine how people celebrated these occasions in the past. Students in Years 1 (Unit 1.4), 2 (Unit 2.4) and 3 (Unit 3.4) start looking at Modern Families Around the World. This resource includes stories about families in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Japan, Saudi Arabia and Somalia. Teachers can choose from these stories to tailor the unit to the class’s needs and interests. Students are encouraged to consider family and community structures around the world and compare them to their own.

Years 3 to 6

Students in Years 3 (Unit 3.8), 4 (Unit 4.4), 5 (Unit 5.4) and 6 (Unit 6.4) start the year by examining their own Ancestry, prior to looking at Migration and Diversity. Students interact with the OpenSTEM® “Our World” map, in order to gain an understanding of the wide range of places around the world in which Australians have their ancestry. Students in Year 3 will be focusing on diversity in Australian society over the next few weeks and will choose a group of migrants to study in more detail. Resources on several migrant groups are available to complement this unit. Students in Year 4 will focus on Australia’s connections to other parts of the world through time and will study either a group of Aboriginal people, or members of other groups with whom Aboriginal people had early contact, such as Macassan traders, or Europeans. Students in Year 5 will focus on migrants from European countries, such as the Irish, Greek or Italian communities. Students in Year 6 will focus on migrants from Asian countries, such as the Chinese or Vietnamese communities.

Students in Years 3 to 6 will also grow a plant from a seed, as a Science experiment, linked to their HASS studies. Students have the option to choose a plant brought to Australia by the migrant group or other community which they are studying. They will investigate when this plant arrived in Australia, from where it came, what conditions it needs to thrive and what cultural importance it has for the group. The linking of these areas of focus helps add additional relevance and immediacy to the curriculum material for students.

This Week in HASS – term 3, week 9

OpenSTEM’s ® Understanding Our World® Units are designed to cover 9 weeks of the term, because we understand that life happens. Sports carnivals, excursions and other special events are also necessary parts of the school year and even if the calendar runs according to plan, having a little bit of breathing space at the end of term can be essential for teachers and students alike. We have many suggestions for activities that can keep the students engaged and learning if there is extra time at the end of term.

So this week is the last week of scheduled lessons in our term 3 units. This week our younger students are ending the term on a high note with a class party! Older students are completing their Reflections on the term’s Scientific Report and engaging in a discussion on the role of Science in our society – always topical.

Foundation/Prep/Kindy to Year 3

The second half of the year can be tough for younger students – they are often starting to get tired and attention may be flagging at this stage. In order to liven things up, the units for Foundation/Prep/Kindy (Unit F.3), Year 1 (Unit 1.3), Year 2 (Unit 2.3), Year 3 (Unit 3.3) and combined Foundation/Prep/Kindy and Year 1 (Unit F-1.3) have a class party scheduled for this week. A range of options are discussed in the Teacher Handbooks – building on year level appropriate material covered during the term. Our Food In the Past resource is always popular and even contains recipes tailored to match the stories covered by students earlier in the term. However, sometimes food is not practical in the classroom, in which case dress-ups, decorations and games can promote the party atmosphere! Our Games From the Past resource has a range of activities both new and familiar, which students love. These games are also matched to the places from the stories covered in the beginning of the term, allowing the teacher to provide a coherent theme for the term.

Years 3 to 6

The older students have finished or are finishing off their Scientific Reports. This week there is an opportunity for them to reflect on what they have learnt during the term. The Student Workbook guides the students through the task of looking back at their work for the term, naming the enjoyable aspects of their projects, as well as any challenges encountered. Students are encouraged to think about alternate ways they could have approached their work, as well as recapping what they have learnt (an important step in integrating their knowledge). These skills of re-evaluating their own work and the processes they used are critical in the development of independent thinking and in teaching them how to manage their work, not only as they go on towards high school, but also for work habits in later life. In addition, we suggest a class discussion on the perspectives Science provides on issues in the world. How do modern perspectives differ from historical ones and what role has Science played in changing our understanding of these issues. The discussion of these points also addresses key parts of the curriculum. Students in Year 3 (Unit 3.7) will consider how their capital city or local community has changed over time. Those in Year 4 (Unit 4.3) can discuss our understanding of Australia before Europeans arrived and around the time of the First Fleet – how has our understanding of Aboriginal Australia changed over time? Year 5 (Unit 5.3) classes can compare colonial Australia to modern Australia and Year 6 (Unit 6.3) students will consider how Australia has changed since Federation.

This Week in HASS – term 3, week 8

This week our younger students are putting together a Class Museum, while older students are completing their Scientific Report.

Foundation/Prep/Kindy to Year 3

Students in Foundation/Prep/Kindy (Units F.3 and F-1.3), as well as those in Years 1 (Unit 1.3). 2 (Unit 2.3) and 3 (Unit 3.3) are all putting together Class Museums of items of historical interest, either found at school or brought from home. Since the activity is similar (although explored to different depths by different year levels), there is the option for teachers to combine efforts across classes, and even across year level to make a more substantial Museum display. The Class Museum is an activity designed to assist students to consider how life has changed and what aspects are similar and different. Students should consider which items are easily recognisable and which are harder to identify. They can practise different points of view by imagining themselves using these objects and living in the past. Teachers can link this back to the stories read in the first weeks of term and allow students to compare their own lives with different types of past experiences of daily and family life. Museum Labels and a resource on Museums are provided to gain an understanding of how and why objects are displayed in museums.

Years 3 to 6

Older students are completing their main term research projects by finishing their Scientific Reports. This week students are concentrating on finishing their reports, drawing their Conclusions, making sure that their Bibliography is correct and formatting their report, including images, graphs and tables. For Year 3 students (Unit 3.7), the report will cover an aspect of the history of their capital city or local community. Year 4 students (Unit 4.3) are reporting on an investigation into Australia at the time of European contact and the start of European settlement. Students in Year 5 (Unit 5.3) are examining topics from Australian colonial history, and students in Year 6 (Unit 6.3) are researching topics from Federation and early 20th century Australian history. There is plenty of scope for incorporating digital technologies into the final version of the scientific report, especially for students in the upper year levels. Formatting a document correctly is an essential skill and addresses many aspects of the digital technologies curriculum, adding the possibility of another curriculum section for the teacher to mark as done for the term.

OpenStem’s Understanding Our World program ensures that student’s work for assessment is completed well before the end of term, decreasing the rush to get everything assessed in the final weeks of term. It is our aim to support teachers and facilitate the processes involved in both teaching and assessment.

This Week in HASS – term 3, week 7

This week students are starting the final sections of their research projects and Scientific Reports. Our younger students are also preparing to set up a Class Museum.

Foundation/Prep/Kindy to Year 3

Our youngest students (Unit F.3) also complete a Scientific Report. By becoming familiar with the overall layout and skills associated with the scientific process at a young age, by the time students reach high school the process will be second-nature and their skills fine-tuned. This week teachers discuss how Science helps us find out things about the world. Teachers and students are also collecting material to form a Class Museum. Students in integrated, multi-age classes (Unit F-1.3) and Years 1 (Unit 1.3), 2 (Unit 2.3) and 3 (Unit 3.3) are undertaking a similar set of activities this week, however, in increasing depth as appropriate for each year level, and with different subject matter, according to the class focus. By Year 3 (Unit 3.3), students are writing full sentences and even short paragraphs, focusing on a topic in the local history of their community or capital city, in their Scientific Report.

Years 3 to 6

Students in integrated Year 3/4 classes (Unit 3.7) and those in Year 4 (Unit 4.3), 5 (Unit 5.3) and 6 (Unit 6.3) are concentrating on analysis of data this week, for the final stages of their Scientific Report. It is expected that students have gathered information on their chosen research topic on an aspect of Australian history for the term by now and are analysing this information in order to answer their research questions and start to draw conclusions about their topic. This week’s lessons focus on pulling everything together towards a a full, final report. Teachers are able to quickly identify which students need extra guidance by referring to the Student Workbook, which tracks each student’s progress on a weekly basis. Thus feedback, intervention and additional support can be offered timeously and before the term marks are collated, allowing each student the chance to achieve their best.

Each year level focuses on a different aspect of Australian history and enough topics are supplied to ensure that each student is working on new information, even in multi-age classes. Instead of finding a continual stream of new, novel HASS units, or repeating material some students have covered before, OpenSTEM’s Understanding Our World® program allows teachers to tailor the same units to look different for each year level, thus ensuring that students are practising their skills on new material, as well as covering year-level appropriate skills and content. By the time students are in Year 6, they will have covered the full suite of Australian History up to the 20th century, as well as having studied each continent in turn. Civics and Citizenship and Economics and Business for part of this integrated whole and do not have to be taught separately. They will be ready to enter high school with a full suite of honed research and problem-solving skills, as well as having covered the core material necessary.