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Education for Sustainability Learning Opportunities

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The Australian Curriculum and Assessment Reporting Authority refers to Sustainability as an “ongoing capacity of Earth to maintain all life” (Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority [ACARA], 2014). In conjunction with the Humanities and Social Sciences curriculum your child will be given opportunities to explore sustainable living through an inquiry-based approach (Reynolds, 2014). Within the sustainability unit, students will participate in authentic learning experiences through the exploration of waste management. This involves students applying their learning in the real world. Hands-on learning experiences have been proven to promote greater motivation and satisfaction as they enable students to put the theory into practice, provoking further discussions that perhaps would not have been explored in the classroom environment (Carr, 2015). Throughout term three your child will explore waste management by creating a worm farm that will help educate t

Citizenship learning in the context of an aspect of Australian history

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Acknowledgement to Country When integrating the study of Civics and Citizenship through History we are providing your child with opportunities to engage in a rich learning sequence that develops historical understanding and thinking skills. The Australian Curriculum and Assessment Reporting Authority (ACARA) (2016) emphasise the importance of all children acquiring knowledge, understanding and appreciation of the past as well as developing interest in, and enjoyment of, historical study for lifelong learning. Students in Year 4 will engage in Citizenship learning through researching what life was like for the Indigenous people in Tasmania prior to European settlement. Students are to explore the contributions that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People made in Tasmania as well as develop an awareness of the significant roles Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islander people made to society. In their inquiry your child will also be asked to research one area of tr

What is happening in Year 4 - Civics and citizenship – Identity and Cultural Diversity

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Through the integration of Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS) your child will gain knowledge and skills in focusing on  historical, geographical, political, economic and societal issues, and explore how these different factors impact each-other. The HASS curriculum aims to ensure that all students “develop the ability to question, think critically, solve problems, communicate effectively, make decisions and adapt to change” which helps them become active and informed citizens (Australian Curriculum, Assessment & Reporting Authority (ACARA), 2016, p. 5).  Figure 1 - Key ideas in the Humanities and Social Sciences curriculu Your child will be given opportunities to explore Civics and Citizenship (CC) topics further with a particular focus on identity and cultural diversity within the classroom. Students will assume the role of detectives where they will use prompting questions to investigate their peers to uncover aspects of their cultural background. The c