Category: This Week in HASS

We thought it would be fun to track what’s happening in schools using our primary HASS program, on a weekly basis. Now we know that some of you are doing different units and some will start in different weeks, depending on what state you’re in, what term dates you have etc, but we will run these posts based off those schools which are implementing the units in numerical order and starting in the week beginning 30 January, 2017.

Week 1 is an introductory week for all units, and usually sets some foundations for the rest of the unit.

Foundation to Year 3

Our youngest students are still finding their feet in the new big world of school! We have 2 units for Term 1, depending on whether the class is standalone, or integrating with some Year 1 students. This week standalone classes will be starting a discussion about their families – geared towards making our newest students feel welcome and comfortable at school.

Those integrating with Year 1 or possibly Year 2, as well, will start working with their teachers on a Class Calendar, marking terms and holidays, as well as celebrations such as birthdays and public holidays. This helps younger students start to map out the coming year, as well as provide a platform for discussions about how they spent the holidays. Year 2 and 3 students may choose to focus more on discussing which season we are in now, and what the weather’s like at the moment (I’m sure most of you are in agreement that it’s too hot!). Students can track the weather on the calendar as well.

Years 3 to 6

Some Year 3 students may be in classes integrating with Year 4 students, rather than Year 2. Standalone Year 3 classes have a choice of doing either unit. These older students will be undertaking the Timeline Activity and getting a physical sense of history and spans of time. Students love an excuse to get outdoors, even when it’s hot, and this activity gives them a preview of material they will be covering later in the year, as well as giving them a hands-on understanding of how time has passed and how where we are compares to past events. This activity can even reinforce the concept of a number line from Maths, in a very kinaesthetic way.