Curriculum

Primary Years Program at GGLPS

GGLPS teaches the Australian curriculum using the Primary Years Program (PYP) of the International Baccalaureate as a framework to impart this. There are many different aspects to the Teaching and Learning program of the school and these are some of the rich learning experiences in which the students are involved.

Programme Of Inquiry

As a Primary Years Programme (PYP) School, we have planned a programme of learning framework that sees:

• The Foundations completing 4 units of inquiry in a year within 4 themes
• The 1/2, 3/4 and 5/6 clusters completing 6 units of inquiry a year within 6 themes

The teachers have looked closely at the Australian Curriculum and the achievement standards for each year level. They have sorted each sentence or phrase of the achievement standard among these 4 or 6 units. Each inquiry has a variety of subjects (disciplines) within it and we use the term ‘transdisciplinary’ to describe how subjects are connected and worked through to help create an understanding of the central idea. A central idea is a sentence that gives an overall view of a unit and provides an understanding that endures and continues far beyond the time of the unit.

An example of how this works is seen in the Year 3/4 Unit of Inquiry which is within the transdisciplinary (across subjects) theme of: 

Who We Are: An inquiry into the nature of the self; beliefs and values; personal, physical, mental, social and spiritual health; human relationships including families, friends, communities, and cultures; rights and responsibilities; what it means to be human.

Central Idea: Culture influences how people think and act.

Within this central idea, the cluster used the following subjects to learn about and through, while also developing their skills in learning. The subjects covered in this unit were:

English: The students read, spoke and wrote to bring about, consolidate and show their learning.

Maths: The students developed their knowledge of the world map and location as they identify the home of different cultures.

Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS): The students covered a wide variety of learning which included using the skills of inquiry along with understanding places, communities, change and the nature of people. HASS includes specific learning of Aboriginal and Torres Strait cultures.

Health and PE: Each student explored their culture, similarities and differences to others along with their strengths and weaknesses.

The Arts (including visual arts): students collaborated to produce artworks around the central idea.

Christian Studies: students investigated the Jewish people and culture, drawing links between Judaism, Christianity and other beliefs.

This drawing together of subjects goes beyond these sections of the Australian Curriculum as students ask their own questions as they seek to understand the central idea. This rich fabric of learning allows an exploration that children can take in many directions. It provides exciting opportunities for children to develop their learning. 

Please make a time to see me or chat if you have questions or wish to know more.

Jayne Zadow                                                                                                                                               PYP Coordinator