Learning & Teaching
Welcome to the 2023 school year!
My name is Rebecca Chan and I am the Learning and Teaching Leader. Over the last 2 days all students from Year 1- 6 completed Literacy and Numeracy testing. This information helps teachers to plan lessons and activities to specifically target the needs of each student in addition to monitoring their growth and achievement. Throughout the year I will be providing information and updates on the different types of learning that is happening within the classroom. In this issue I have provided information regarding our Inquiry Learning Program. Should you have any questions about teaching and learning at St. John Vianney’s Primary School please contact me via email: rchan@sjvmulgrave.catholic.edu.au
Inquiry Learning
At St. John Vianney’s Primary School we use the Inquiry Approach to teach the curriculum areas of Science and Humanities. The inquiry approach allows students to form and investigate their own questions about a topic or concept. During inquiry learning, teachers support students to actively engage in investigating, organising and extending their knowledge about a concept. The inquiry approach to learning helps students develop the skills to become lifelong learners and assists in the development of skills and knowledge that can be transferred across different learning areas.
The inquiry process develops the essential inquiry skills of questioning, identifying, describing, sorting, comparing, analysing, evaluating and communicating.
This Semester our whole school inquiry concept is Change. The inquiry concept will focus on the curriculum areas of Geography using the inquiry question: Why do places change?
Throughout this inquiry unit, students will develop an understanding of our ever-changing world. Teachers will support and guide students to explore and investigate how our environment changes as our place in the world changes.
Each year level will focus on a different area of the Geography curriculum, this focus will allow students to build on their prior learning and extend their thinking.
Foundation: Our Place on the Map
The foundation students will focus on the geographical area of the school and will investigate and explore different places within the school community.
Year 1 & 2: Where am I?
The Year 1 & 2 students will extend their prior knowledge of the school community and will investigate the geographical area of Mulgrave. The students will also look at their place within Australia. Throughout this unit the students will begin to read and create simple maps.
Year 3 & 4: Our Place in the World
The Year 3 & 4 students will consolidate their knowledge about Australia and will investigate and compare the environment, landscape and natural features of Australia with our neighboring countries. Students will create and interpret a range of graphs, maps and tables.
Year 5 & 6: Our World
The Year 5 & 6 students will extend their thinking by investing the continents and hemispheres within our world. They will investigate, compare and contrast different biomes within our world. Students will create, interpret and analyse maps using specific geographic information.