Key Learning Areas

Key Learning Areas and their Strands

Learning outcomes specific to each key learning area (KLA) are divided into strands. Some of the strands outlined in this report may contain terms that you may not be familiar with. The terms used are taken directly from the syllabus documents, and the following has been provided to help explain some of these strands. Throughout the year, children are given many opportunities to demonstrate what they know and can do with what they know, in terms of identified learning outcomes for each of the key learning areas. Only KLA’s that need further explanation of their strands have been included. If you require further explanation please feel free to approach the teachers or Principal.

Religious Education

Scripture: Making meaning of scriptural texts, understanding scripture contextually and interpreting it critically.
Celebration & Prayer: Sacraments, prayer, ritual and spirituality and how these are expressed in Church and other contexts.
Beliefs: Christian beliefs, Church teachings and how these are related to understandings of God, Jesus and Church practise.
Morality: Foundations of Christian morality, the factors that shape moral living and the expression of morality through action for justice.

Maths

Number: Number concepts, addition; substraction; multiplication; division.
Patterns & Algebra: Patterns and functions; equivalence and equations.
Measurements: Length, mass; area; volume and time.
Chance & Data: Predictions; probability; collect, organise and present data.
Space: Shape; line; location; direction and movement.

Health & PE
Enhancing Personal Development: Personal and interpersonal skill; positive relationships; growth and development knowledge.
Developing Concepts & Skills for Physical Activity: Games; sport; physical activity; strategic awareness.
Promoting Health of Individuals & Communities: Health and safety; health products and services; interaction between people and their social, cultural and physical environment.

Technology
Technology Practise: Ideas; investigations and evaluations for designing and developing products.
Information: Organisation and communication of data.
Materials: The resources used to create products.
Systems: Combinations of components that work together to achieve a specific purpose or goal.

SOSE – Studies of Society and Environment
Time, Continuity & Change: Evidence over time; changes and continuity; people & contributions; causes & effects; heritages.
Place & Space: Human-environmental relationships; processes & environments; stewardship; spatial patterns; significance of place.
Culture & Identity: Cultural diversity and perception; belonging; cultural change; constructions of identity.
Systems, Resources & Power: Interactions between ecological and other systems; economy and business; participation in decision-making; citizenship and government; access to power.

The Arts
Dance: Choreographing, performing and appreciating.
Drama: Forming, presenting and responding.
Media: Constructing media, producing meaning and responding to meanings.
Music: Aurally and visually identifying and responding to, singing and playing, reading and writing music.
Visual Arts: Making, displaying and appraising images and objects.

Science
Science & Society: Historical and cultural factors influence the nature and direction of science, which, in turn, affects the development of society. Science as a ‘way of knowing’ is shaped by the ways that humans construct their understandings. Decisions about the ways that science is applied have short and long-term implications for the environment, communities and individuals.
Earth & Beyond: The Earth, solar system and universe are dynamic systems. Events on Earth, in the solar system and in the universe occur on different scales of time and space. Living things use the resources of the Earth, solar system and universe to meet their needs.
Energy & Change: The forces acting on objects influence their motion, shape, behaviour and energy. In interactions and changes, energy is transferred and transformed but is not created or destroyed. There are different ways of obtaining and utilising energy and these have different consequences.
Life & Living: The characteristics of an organism and its functioning are interrelated. Evolutionary processes have given rise to a diversity of living things, which can be grouped according to their characteristics. Environments are dynamic and have living and non-living components which interact.
Natural & Processed Materials: The properties and structure of materials are interrelated. Patterns of interactions between materials can be identified and used to predict and control further interactions. The uses of materials are determined by their properties, some of which can be changed.

Cultural Literacy & Languages
Cultural Literacy is developed in all Key Learning Areas (KLAs) as well as in whole school and cross-curricular activities. Cultural Literacy is developed through an understanding of five key concepts – culture, diversity, interdependence, identity and reconciliation.

Languages other than English (LOTE) at St Joseph’s Primary School is studied formally in Years 4-7 with the focus on Italian. The children are given access to a deeper understanding of another culture through the development of some ability to communicate with the people who use that language.