Implementing HSIE K6 Using the syllabus for consistency

Implementing HSIE K-6 Using the syllabus for consistency of teacher judgement © 2006 Curriculum K-12 Directorate, NSW Department of Education and Training

Revisiting the HSIE K-6 syllabus

Aim The aim of Human Society and its Environment is to develop in students the values and attitudes, skills, and knowledge and understanding that: § enhance their sense of personal, community, national and global identity § enable them to participate effectively in maintaining and improving the quality of their society and environment. P 8

Rationale The future wellbeing of human society and its environment depends on the quality of people’s interactions with each other and with their cultural, social and physical environments as they strive to meet each other’s needs. P 7

Skills § Acquire information § Using an inquiry process § Social and civic participation PP 11 -12

Values and attitudes § § § Social Justice Intercultural understanding Ecological sustainability Democratic processes Beliefs and moral codes Lifelong learning PP 13 -14

Controversial issues Teachers are guided by the procedures outlined in Controversial issues in schools policy available at: https: //detwww. det. nsw. edu. au/policies/ Article: Teaching controversial issues also provides additional information specific to HSIE, available at: http: //www. curriculumsupport. education. nsw. gov. au/primary/hsie/prolearn/reading/csarticles. htm

4 syllabus strands § Change and Continuity § Cultures § Environments § Social Systems and Structures

Content overview The content is the knowledge and understandings, skills, and values and attitudes that students from Early Stage 1 to Stage 3 will be engaged with when learning in Human Society and its Environment. P 41

Syllabus reference pages § ES 1 pages 42 and 43 § S 1 pages 48 and 49 § S 2 pages 54 and 55 § S 3 pages 60 and 61

Content strands Each content strand has 2 substrands in each stage (except Early stage 1 where the 2 substrands are combined). The syllabus subject matter clarifies and defines the content for each stage.

Implications for teaching and learning The pages following the outcomes and subject matter provide ideas on the type of learning opportunities suitable for students and some learning activities teachers might undertake with their students. They do not have the same status as the previous pages.

Change and continuity § Significant events and people § Time and change Change and continuity is inclusive of a shared history with Aboriginal people and people of a multicultural background. Article: History in primary school available at: http: //www. curriculumsupport. education. nsw. gov. au/primary/hsie/prolearn/reading/csarticles. htm

Cultures § Identities § Cultural diversity Cultures is inclusive of Aboriginal history and culture and its diversity. Article: Teaching the Cultures strand of the HSIE K-6 syllabus. Part 1 and 2 available at: http: //www. curriculumsupport. education. nsw. gov. au/primary/hsie/prolearn/reading/csarticles. htm

Environments § Patterns of place and location § Relationship with places Environments is inclusive of Aboriginal peoples environmental understandings and land management. Article: Enhancing understanding of the HSIE Environment strand available at: http: //www. curriculumsupport. education. nsw. gov. au /primary/hsie/assets/pdf/csarticles/historyps. pdf

Social Systems and Structures § Resource systems § Roles, rights and responsibilities Social systems and structures is inclusive of a range of social justice issues. Article: Enhancing understanding of the HSIE Environment strand available at: http: //www. curriculumsupport. education. nsw. gov. au/pri mary/hsie/assets/pdf/csarticles/historyps. pdf

Literacy § Literacy underpins much of the learning in HSIE § Relevant stories and factual text provide background learning for students § The learning in HSIE can provide the context for some types of student writing.

Numeracy § HSIE provides a context for developing and practicing numeracy understandings § A range of numeracy skills can be taught in a HSIE context § Mapping, developing different graphs and unpacking their meaning, analysing and using different sorts of data, timelines are just some of the numeracy skills used in this KLA.

Support for teachers The HSIE K-6 section of the Curriculum K-12 Directorate web site provides significant support for teachers. http: //www. curriculumsupport. education. nsw. gov. au/ primary/hsie/index. htm