January Newsletter
Well here we are again, another year has passed and we are looking at what is ahead for 2012.
If you’re like me the brain has started ticking over as to how you are going to make another year of homeschooling work. You probably want to fix up the time wasters of 2011 and inject enthusiasm and brilliance into your homeschool schedule for 2012. So, the research, planning and purchasing for the coming year begins.
Hopefully, some of these tidbits will be helpful as you prepare your children’s educational journey for 2012.
The Australian National Curriculum (ANC)
The Australian Curriculum to be phased in by 2013 is now available online and I have spent time reading through these documents trying to understand how this can work for Australian home educators. Only four subjects are currently available; English, Math, Science and History—the geography curriculum is only in a draft phase but is still helpful for planning.
For those of you who plan on following the new curriculum I believe it is very achievable is a homeschooling environment. Here are some of my observations.
English
“The English curriculum is built around the three interrelated strands of Language, Literature and Literacy...Together the three strands focus on developing students’ knowledge, understanding and skills in listening, reading, viewing, speaking, writing and creating.” ANC Website
Note: Viewing refers to watching visual modes of communication such as pictures, movies and documentaries.
Working within these strands is the basis of the English curriculum. Here is a basic plan for how you could divide your curriculum into these categories.
English Scope & Sequence Ideas
| Language | Literacy | Literature | |
| Foundation Year | Oral language expression: storytelling, singing, recitation; | Pre-reading/writing; | Reading aloud |
| Year One | Oral language expression: storytelling, singing, recitation, narration | Reading instructionPenmanship instruction
|
Reading aloudPoetry |
| Year Two | Oral language expression: storytelling, singing, recitation, narration, penmanship instruction, copy work | Practice reading | Reading aloudPoetry |
| Year Three | Oral language expression: storytelling, singing, recitation, narration, creative writing activities and narrations | Practice reading,penmanship instruction, copy work, grammar , dictation, spelling | Reading aloudPoetry
Shakespeare
|
|
Year Four to Year Six |
Written and oral narrations,oral language expression—storytelling, recitation.
Notebooking and journaling activities. |
Grammar—continued experiences in practice of good grammar through guides and written narrations.Copywork/dictation and spelling | Living Books Reading other subjectsPoetry
Shakespeare
|
Science
ANC teaches the science disciplines biology, chemistry, earth and space (geology & astronomy) and physical science (physics). Within each school year a portion of the each science is chosen for study. Science teaching is broken down into;
- science understanding,
- science skills
- human endeavour.
The ANC states that these topics are interrelated and that scheduling can be taught at the teacher’s discretion.
The table below shows a rough outline of the order science understanding topics are taught.
Science Scope and Sequence
| ANC Science Understanding | |
| Foundation Year | Living things, objects, seasons, weather, movement |
| Year One | Living things & change of things, light & sound, habitats, sorting/classification |
| Year Two | Living things change & grow, chemical mixing, Earth’s resources & water |
| Year Three | Heat, earth movement, living things |
| Year Four | Life cycles, materials have properties, change of earth over time, force. |
| Year Five | Solar System, solids, liquids, gas, features of living things & adaptations, light |
| Year Six | Chemical changes, Geological changes, electricity, survival of living things. |
Remember with the ANC flexibility is allowed when teaching topics. So for those who cover topics in a different order don’t be alarmed, I am sure if you demonstrate that you are teaching in all areas this will satisfy the assessors.
For those of us who practice nature study, science skills are easily encouraged with observation, record keeping and documentation in nature journals and field trips.
Science biographies illustrate the influence great men have had on science through human endeavour. They also demonstrate the development of science inquiry skills as observation, questioning, planning, processing and evaluating are used in real life examples.
History
The ANC history curriculum doesn’t have any world history in the primary years (this is left for highschool), although it does encourage family histories and looking at the past.
For those of us who want to teach world history there is nothing to stop us from including this subject into our children’s studies. We can also teach history from a Christian world view.
Here is a brief outline of the ANC history scope and sequence.
History Scope and Sequence
| Australian History | |
| Foundation | Personal & family histories |
| Year One | Present and past family Life |
| Year Two | The Past in the Present, local history |
| Year Three | Communities and Remembrance Emblems, Celebrations & Commemorations of Australia & the world |
| Year Four | First Contacts Before 1800, History of the early explores etc. |
| Year Five | The Australian Colonies 1800-1900 |
| Year Six | Australia as a Nation 1900-2000. |
Geography
The ANC Geography curriculum is still in its draft state but it teaches the traditional geography subjects. Sustainable geography study is the focus of Year 5 geography in the draft ANC curriculum.
The geography content of this subject is filled with political ideas and, in the environment of home education, parents can navigate these topics as desired.
| ANC Geography Big Ideas | |
| Foundation | Where We Live |
| Year One | Not Everyone is the Same |
| Year Two | Links to our world |
| Year Three | How we live |
| Year Four | |
| Year Five | Climate & Activities |
| Year Six | Going Global |
A New National Homeschool Curriculum
To help you with implementing the Australian National Curriculum into your school, Homeschooling Downunder has provided some curriculum guides for primary grades—Kindergarten (Foundation Year) to Year Six. Please see our new scope and sequence for more ideas on how to make the New National curriculum work for you.
I hope you have found this summary of the ANC helpful.
Enjoy planning for 2012!
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Thanks Michelle! I added a link to this page on my Homeschool Australia facebook page.
This is great for those planning topics for 2012 even and just to get a feel for what the ANC is. Look forward to the newsletter, very helpful. Blessings, Renelle
[...] If you want to see more of Michelle’s observations and plans (and believe me, you do!) then pop over to her site, specifically the page on the Australian National Curriculum. [...]
Thanks Michelle, this is so helpful, especially for HSIE. It has really settled my mind about what to teach this year. Blessings Mandy