Prep Unit of Inquiry

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

We are excited to introduce the Programme of Inquiry (POI) for 2025 at Saltwater College, which is the foundation of our Primary Years Programme (PYP). This year, our Prep/Foundation students are exploring the central idea: "Similarities and differences build relationships."

This unit of inquiry will focus on helping students understand their individual likes and dislikes, how they are similar and different from others, and how these differences shape the relationships they form. The unit will also delve into emotions, helping students identify and manage their feelings while building positive connections with their peers.

How You Can Support Your Child’s Learning at Home:

Discuss Individual Interests:
At home, engage in conversations with your child about their likes and dislikes. Ask them about their favorite activities, food, colors, and things they enjoy doing with their friends. This will help them reflect on their personal preferences and begin to understand how they are different from their peers.
Model Positive Relationships:
Children learn a great deal from watching adults. Demonstrate respectful interactions with friends and family. Show them how differences can be celebrated, and model how to handle disagreements or misunderstandings in a positive and calm manner.
Explore Emotions:
Help your child develop an emotional vocabulary by talking about different emotions—how they feel when they are happy, sad, frustrated, or excited. Use books, songs, or daily situations to talk about emotions, helping them understand and name what they feel.
Incorporate Cultural Celebrations: This term, we will celebrate Harmony Day and ANZAC Day, which provide excellent opportunities to explore the value of diversity and the importance of respecting others. You can support your child’s learning by discussing different cultures, traditions, and the significance of these events. Sharing stories from your own cultural background will help build a deeper understanding of relationships formed through shared values and respect.
Encourage Responsibility: Teach your child simple ways to take responsibility for their actions and emotions. Use activities such as chores or group play to highlight the importance of responsibility in maintaining healthy relationships. Reinforce positive behavior by acknowledging when they act responsibly or manage their emotions well.

How the Unit is Structured:

LOI 1: Inquiry into personal likes and dislikes (Opinion)
Encourage your child to share their thoughts on what they like or don’t like. Ask them to explain their opinions and discuss why they feel that way.
LOI 2: Inquiry into different relationships (Connection)
Help your child identify people in their lives (family, friends, teachers) and talk about how relationships are built. Discuss what makes a good friend or a positive relationship.
LOI 3: Inquiry into identifying and managing emotions (Responsibility)
Work with your child on strategies for managing emotions, such as taking deep breaths, using words to express feelings, or seeking support from a trusted adult when upset.

By actively participating in these discussions and activities at home, you will help your child make strong connections between their learning at school and their everyday experiences. We appreciate your ongoing support as we work together to create a nurturing and engaging learning environment for our Prep/Foundation students.

Year One Unit of Inquiry

We are excited to introduce the 2025 Programme of Inquiry (POI) to you! This term, Year 1 students will explore the central idea that "Emotions influence our thoughts, actions and interactions with others." Through the unit titled Emotions, students will focus on identifying, managing, and expressing emotions in a positive way.

To support your child's learning at home, we encourage you to engage in conversations about emotions and their impact. Here are a few ways you can assist:

Discuss emotions: Ask your child to describe different emotions they might feel throughout the day. Talk about how emotions influence actions and decisions.
Emotional regulation: Work together to identify strategies to manage emotions. You can explore techniques like deep breathing or counting to ten when feeling upset.
Behavioural connections: Relate emotions to everyday situations. For example, explain how emotions can influence choices and behaviour, such as being patient when waiting for something.

Your involvement and reinforcement of these discussions at home will help your child build emotional awareness and better understand how emotions affect their interactions with others.

Year Two Unit of Inquiry

We are thrilled to share the Year 2 Programme of Inquiry (POI) for Term 1! This term, the students will explore the central idea: "People express important events through celebrations and traditions." The unit will look at the significance of various cultural events, celebrations, and the traditions that accompany them.

Throughout this inquiry, students will investigate:

What celebrations, commemorations, and traditions exist around the world?
How do people celebrate and commemorate across different cultures?
Why do people follow specific traditions and cultural practices to recognize specific events?

To support your child’s learning at home, here are some ways you can get involved:

Discuss Cultural Celebrations: Ask your child about different celebrations they know of, both from their own culture and others. You can look up videos or books about different global celebrations like Diwali, Christmas, Lunar New Year, or Easter to explore how they are celebrated in various cultures.
Create Traditions at Home: Engage your child in family traditions and explain why they are meaningful. Share stories about your own traditions, or introduce new ones that hold significance for your family, helping your child understand the concept of celebrating meaningful events.
Explore Art and Music: Since this unit incorporates the Arts and Spanish, explore art and music from various cultures. You can listen to music from different countries and create simple arts and crafts that reflect the traditions of these cultures.
Attend Local Celebrations: If there are any local festivals or cultural celebrations happening in your community, consider attending them with your child. Use these experiences as a learning opportunity to reinforce what they have been studying.

Your involvement will help deepen your child's understanding of the diverse ways people celebrate and honour important events, fostering a global perspective.

Year Three Unit of Inquiry

We are excited to share the Year 3 Programme of Inquiry (POI) for Term 1! This term, students will explore the central idea: "Our beliefs influence our identity." The unit will focus on how personal and cultural beliefs shape our identity and values, leading us to become more internationally minded.

The unit will cover:

An inquiry into beliefs and values
An inquiry into how beliefs shape our identity
An inquiry into how our beliefs are connected to our cultural identity

Here are some ways you can support your child’s learning at home:

Discuss Beliefs and Values:
Have conversations with your child about the beliefs and values that are important to your family. Encourage them to explore their own beliefs and understand how these shape who they are. Sharing stories or experiences that highlight personal or cultural values can be enlightening for your child.
Explore Cultural Identity:
Ask your child about their understanding of their cultural identity. How do they connect to their family’s background? You can make this conversation fun by looking at family history, photographs, and traditions, helping them link their personal beliefs to their cultural roots.
Introduce Different Cultures:
As part of this inquiry, students will explore how beliefs are connected to cultural identity. You can expose your child to different cultures through books, documentaries, and even trying out cultural recipes or celebrating global festivals. This can help your child appreciate the diversity of beliefs and traditions in the world.
Reflect on Personal Identity: Help your child reflect on their identity by asking them to write or draw about what they believe in and how these beliefs make them unique. This can also be extended to schoolwork by encouraging your child to think about how their beliefs shape their actions and relationships at school.

By engaging with your child at home about these topics, you will help them make meaningful connections between their learning in school and the world around them, fostering an understanding of themselves and others.

Year Four Unit of Inquiry

We are excited to introduce the Year 4 Programme of Inquiry (POI) for Term 1! This term, students will delve into the central idea: "Who we choose to admire reflects our beliefs and values." This inquiry will help students explore decision-making and understand how personal beliefs and values shape who they look up to and admire. They will also reflect on how their choices, and the people they surround themselves with, impact their lives.

The unit will cover the following lines of inquiry:

An inquiry into the qualities of individuals we admire
An inquiry into how our beliefs and values influence our choices

Here are some ways you can support your child’s learning at home:

Discuss Role Models: Engage your child in conversations about the qualities they admire in others. Ask them to think about why they admire these individuals and how they can identify with these qualities. This can include discussing public figures, family members, or friends who have made a positive impact on their lives.
Explore Beliefs and Values: Encourage your child to reflect on their own beliefs and values. Help them identify how these beliefs have shaped the people they admire and the choices they make. Discuss how different beliefs might lead people to admire different qualities in others, fostering an appreciation of diverse perspectives.
Reflect on Decision-Making: Help your child think about the decisions they make on a daily basis and how these decisions are influenced by their values. This could be in the context of school, friendships, or personal goals. You might want to ask them about a recent decision and discuss the reasoning behind it.
Promote Positive Role Models: Encourage your child to surround themselves with positive influences. Help them identify the qualities of the people they spend time with and how those relationships influence their own beliefs, actions, and personal development.

By engaging with your child on these topics at home, you’ll help them gain deeper insights into their own beliefs, choices, and the people they admire. This will foster an understanding of how our personal values shape the world around us.

Year Five Unit of Inquiry

We are pleased to introduce the Year 5 Programme of Inquiry (POI) for Term 1. This term, students will explore the central idea: "Characteristics of a leader may determine their legacy." Through this inquiry, students will develop an understanding of leadership and how the attributes of leaders shape their legacies. They will investigate the leadership qualities of local, national, and global leaders, considering how they are similar, how they differ, and the characteristics that have defined their legacies.

The unit will cover the following lines of inquiry:

The attributes of a leader.
How a legacy is formed.
The roles and responsibilities of a leader.

Here are some ways you can support your child’s learning at home:

Discuss Leadership Qualities: Encourage your child to reflect on the qualities they admire in leaders. Discuss the attributes that they believe make someone a strong leader, such as empathy, resilience, communication, and vision. You could use examples from history, current events, or even local community leaders to bring these qualities to life.
Explore Different Leadership Styles: Have conversations about various leadership styles, from collaborative leadership to authoritative leadership. You can ask your child to identify different leaders in their own life, such as teachers, coaches, or community leaders, and explore how these leaders lead and inspire others.
Investigate Legacy: Help your child understand the concept of legacy by discussing how leaders are remembered for their contributions. You can ask them to think about leaders they admire and how those leaders' actions have shaped the world. Encourage them to research and discuss the lasting impacts of figures such as Nelson Mandela, Greta Thunberg, or their favorite community leaders.
Identify Leadership in Everyday Life: Encourage your child to recognize leadership opportunities in their own life, whether in the classroom, in sports teams, or in group projects. Help them understand that leadership can be demonstrated through actions as well as words, and it doesn’t always require a formal title.
Model Leadership at Home: Demonstrate the importance of leadership by involving your child in decision-making at home, assigning responsibilities, and encouraging them to take initiative in small tasks. This will allow them to apply their understanding of leadership in a real-world context.

By engaging in these discussions and activities at home, you’ll help your child gain a deeper understanding of leadership and the qualities that define effective leaders. This will also support their growth in recognizing how leadership can influence their own actions and decisions.

Year Six Unit of Inquiry

We are excited to introduce the Year 6 Programme of Inquiry (POI) for Term 1. This term, students will be exploring the central idea: "Transitions in life shape who we are." Through this inquiry, students will delve into the physical, social, and emotional changes that occur as they grow up. They will explore how these changes shape their identities and influence their relationships with others.

The unit will cover the following lines of inquiry:

An inquiry into the changes to our brains and bodies during puberty.
An inquiry into the influence of our emotions on our behavior.
An inquiry into healthy relationships.

Here are some ways you can support your child’s learning at home:

Discuss Changes During Puberty: Engage in age-appropriate discussions about the physical and emotional changes that come with puberty. Share your own experiences, as well as resources such as books or videos designed for children, to make the topic more relatable. This can help normalize the changes they are experiencing and foster a sense of comfort and openness.
Support Emotional Understanding: Encourage your child to talk about their feelings and the emotions they are experiencing as they go through various changes. Help them identify emotions and discuss how they can manage them in healthy ways. You can introduce them to simple techniques like journaling or mindfulness to help them process their emotions.
Promote Healthy Relationships: Discuss the characteristics of healthy relationships with your child. This includes respect, kindness, and good communication. Encourage them to talk about their friendships and relationships, and provide guidance on how to handle conflicts constructively. Modeling positive relationship behaviors at home will further reinforce these lessons.
Identify Physical and Emotional Changes Together: Talk about the changes happening in both your child’s body and mind. Ask them to reflect on what they have learned at school about these transitions and offer your perspective. This can foster deeper understanding and alleviate any concerns they may have.
Encourage Self-Reflection: Help your child understand how their experiences and the changes they are undergoing influence their behavior. Ask them to reflect on their emotions and how they can control their reactions in different situations. This can promote self-awareness and emotional regulation, which are essential for personal growth.

By engaging in these discussions and activities at home, you will provide valuable support for your child’s understanding of their transitions and help them apply their learning to real-life experiences.

Thank you

Michael Nicolaides

Michael.Nicolaides@education.vic.gov.au