Stage 2

• English
• Mathematics
• Science and Technology
• Human Society and Its Environment (HSIE)
• Creative Arts
• Personal Development, Health and Physical Education (PDHPE)

English

In English, students learn to read, write, speak , view and represent language. They learn about the English language and literature through working with a wide range of spoken, visual, multimedia and digital texts. Students learn how language varies according to context, and how to communicate with a range of audiences for different purposes. They learn to read for information and pleasure. Students gain a sound grasp of language structures, punctuation, spelling and grammar and learn to think in ways that are imaginative, creative and critical.

Some Year 3 examples

Students:

• communicate for a range of purposes and audiences, eg conduct brief interviews to obtain information, give
  instructions for visual arts projects.
• use a wider range of reading strategies to confirm predictions and locate information, eg skim read using
  headings and subheadings
• enrich writing through the use of adjectives, adverbs, phrases, conjunctions, pronouns, direct and indirect speech and action verbs using the correct tense for the story, eg present tense, past tense
• use a range of digital technologies to construct, edit and publish written text, and select, edit and place visual, print and audio elements
• understand how to use strategies for spelling words including spelling rules, knowledge of word families,
  spelling generalisations, and letter combinations including double letters.

Some Year 4 examples

Students:

• employ various speaking skills to give confident presentations, eg gesture, facial expression, pause, emphasis, volume, humour, rhetorical questions, clarity
• read and engage with a wide variety of stories, poems and visual texts
• use comprehension strategies to build meaning to expand content knowledge, identify the writer’s point of view, describe and compare different interpretations, and identify stereotypes
• produce more complex pieces of writing, eg a persuasive text to develop a position on a new school rule
• use a variety of spelling strategies to spell high-frequency words correctly when composing imaginative and other texts
• respond to a range of texts, eg through role-play or drama, for pleasure and enjoyment, and express thoughtful conclusions about those texts.

Mathematics

Mathematics in K–6 focuses on developing students’ mathematical understanding, fluency, communication, reasoning and problem-solving through their study of Number and Algebra, Measurement and Geometry, and Statistics and Probability. These capabilities enable students to respond to familiar and unfamiliar situations, using strategies to make decisions and solve problems relevant to their further education and everyday lives.

Some Year 3 examples

Students:

• use mental strategies to multiply a one-digit number by a multiple of 10, eg 3 × 20: 20 + 20 + 20 = 60
• identify, represent and compare fractions involving halves, quarters and thirds
• record area in square centimetres using words and the abbreviation for square centimetres (cm²), eg 55 square centimetres, 55 cm²
• recall multiplication facts (‘times tables’) of 2, 3, 5 and 10, eg 10 × 10 = 100
• organise data to create and interpret tables and graphs
• count forwards and backwards by tens and hundreds, eg 1220, 1230, 1240, or 423, 323, 223
• add three or more single-digit numbers, eg 2 + 3 + 4 = 9
• measure lengths and distances using metres and centimetres
• identify and name 3D objects, eg pyramids, cylinders, cones, spheres.

Some Year 4 examples

Students:

• round numbers to the nearest ten, hundred, thousand or ten thousand, eg 67 rounds to 70
• investigate equivalences using various methods, eg use a number line or a calculator to show that 1/2 is the same as 0.5 and 5/10
• use a tape measure or ruler to measure lengths and distances
• use mental strategies to divide two-digit numbers by one-digit numbers, eg 63 ÷ 9 = 7 because I know that
  7 × 9 = 63
• determine factors for a given number, eg factors of 12 are 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 12
• record volume and capacity using the abbreviation for millilitres, eg 6 mL
• use a compass to find north, south, east and west
• recognise and describe angles, eg acute angles, obtuse angles
• recognise that there are 1000 grams in one kilogram
• convert between units of time, eg 60 seconds = 1 minute, 60 minutes = 1 hour
• identify and sketch 3D objects, including prisms, pyramids, cylinders and cones, and investigate their use in commercial packaging.

Science and Technology

Science and Technology develops students’ skills in thinking, investigating and problem-solving. It gives them knowledge and skills in scientific investigation and inquiry, design and applying technologies. Children pose questions, test ideas, and develop and evaluate arguments based on evidence.

Some Year 3 and Year 4 examples

Students:

• identify some different ways in which heat is produced in the environment, eg by electricity, burning and friction
• carry out tests to investigate the forces of attraction and repulsion between magnets
• demonstrate that the rotation of the Earth on its axis is the cause of night and day, eg by using models of the Earth and sun
• investigate the role of living things in a habitat, eg plants as producers and microbes (microorganisms) as decomposers
• observe and record changes in the length and direction of shadows during the day to show how the movement of the Earth around the sun can be used to measure time, eg by using a shadow clock or sundial
• examine some built environments, eg a playground or shopping centre, and study the design considerations such as purpose, access, environmental considerations and movement within the space
• demonstrate appropriate safety and etiquette in relation to computer usage, eg general computer care, file security, maintaining confidentiality of passwords, printing and sharing resources.

Human Society and Its Environment (HSIE)

Human Society and Its Environment (HSIE) provides opportunities for students to explore the past and present to develop an understanding of their personal and community identity. They investigate the interactions between people, places and environments that shape their nation and world. They learn to participate in society as informed, responsible and active citizens.

Some Year 3 and Year 4 examples

Students:

• learn about the stories of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and their relationship with Country/Place
• investigate the cultural diversity or background of the local area
• learn about celebrations and commemorations in Australia and the world, eg Anzac Day
• investigate British colonisation of Australia and its impact
• discuss why people value environments differently
• investigate the various ways to care for their local environment and what they can do at home and school to help protect the environment
• describe similarities and differences between communities in Australia and other places in the world, including religions, languages and cultures.

Creative Arts

Creative Arts gives students experiences in the visual arts, music, drama and dance. They have opportunities to explore their creativity in each of these areas.

Students learn to appreciate the meanings and values that each artform offers. They perform and express themselves through the visual arts, music, drama and dance.

Some Year 3 and Year 4 examples

Students:

• focus more on the detail of artwork subject matter such as facial expressions, body angles
• sing and move to the beat of music, identify structure and changes in pitch, tempo and beat
• develop dance performances using known dance movements and improvised moves to create a sequence
• play music using percussion instruments such as drums, triangles or maracas, as well as clapping, tapping of hands and feet
• follow percussion charts to create a group musical performance
• role-play characters from plays, working in groups as well as individual roles.

Personal Development, Health and Physical Education (PDHPE)

Personal Development, Health and Physical Education (PDHPE) develops the knowledge, skills and attitudes students need to lead healthy, active and fulfilling lives. Students learn about the importance of good food and regular exercise and develop positive attitudes towards a healthy lifestyle.

Students learn how bodies grow and change over time. They learn skills to play individual and team sports, and the values of sportsmanship and teamwork.

Some Year 3 and Year 4 examples

Students:

• become aware of the influences on healthy choices, eg television advertising and unhealthy eating
• practise fundamental movement skills in different physical activities, eg playing with a racquet or bat
• learn the rules and play a range of team sports in class and school teams
• realise the harm that can be caused by drugs, tobacco and alcohol
• identify the body changes that occur throughout life
• participate in a range of physical activities and learn how they contribute to a healthy and active lifestyle
• identify safe behaviours in a variety of contexts, eg in the water, on the road.