Key Learning Areas
St Mary MacKillop School teaches the Australian Curriculum alongside this is the Religious Education Curriculum designed by Brisbane Catholic Education with the Imprimatur of Archbishop Mark Coleridge.Both Curriculums are designed to develop successful learners, confident and creative individuals, and active and informed citizens. Key learning areas include:
RELIGION
The classroom teaching of religion is one element in a complex web of experiences that have the potential to nurture the faith life of young people. In the schools of the Archdiocese of Brisbane the classroom learning and teaching of religion aims to develop the religious literacy of students to enable them to participate critically and effectively in the life of their faith communities and the wider society.
The Religion Curriculum has four inter-related strands:
- Sacred Texts
- Beliefs
- Church and
- Christian Life
These strands are taught in an integrated way that is appropriate to specific local contexts.
Our commitment to responding to the Christian call defines our school – the framework for our responses to what happens in the wider community and the way we go about being members of St Mary MacKillop Catholic Primary School.
ENGLISH
The study of English helps create confident communicators, imaginative thinkers and informed citizens. It is though the study of English that individuals learn to analyse, understand, communicate with and build relationships with others and with the world around them. The study of English helps young people develop the knowledge and skills needed for education, training and the workplace.
Australian Curriculum: English has the three inter-related strands:
Language: knowing about the English language
Literature: understanding, appreciating, responding to,
Literacy: analysing and creating literature expanding the repertoire of English usage.
MATHS
The study of maths develops the numeracy capabilities that all students need in their personal, work and civic life, and provides the fundamentals on which mathematical specialties and professional applications of mathematics are built.
The curriculum focuses on developing increasingly sophisticated and refined mathematical understanding, fluency, logical reasoning, analytical thought and problem-solving skills. It encourages teachers to help students become self-motivated, confident learners through inquiry and active participation in challenging and engaging experiences.
The Australian Curriculum: Mathematics provides students with essential mathematical skills and knowledge in:
Number and Algebra
Measurement and
Geometry Statistics and Probability
HISTORY
History is a disciplined process of inquiry into the past that develops students' curiosity and imagination. Awareness of history is an essential characteristic of any society, and historical knowledge is fundamental to understanding ourselves and others. It promotes the understanding of societies, events, movements and developments that have shaped humanity from earliest times. It helps students appreciate how the world and its people have changed, as well as the significant continuities that exist to the present day.
The Australian Curriculum: History has three inter-related strands:
Historical Knowledge
Understanding and
Historical Skills
SCIENCE
Science provides an empirical way of answering interesting and important questions about the biological, physical and technological world. Science is a dynamic, collaborative and creative human endeavour arising from our desire to make sense of our world through exploring the unknown, investigating universal mysteries, making predictions and solving problems. The curriculum supports students to develop the scientific knowledge, understandings and skills to make informed decisions about local, national and global issues and to participate, if they so wish, in science-related careers.
The Australian Curriculum: Science has three interrelated strands:
Science Understanding,
Science as a Human Endeavour and
Science Inquiry Skills.
THE ARTS
In the Australian Curriculum, The Arts is a learning area that draws together related but distinct art forms. While art forms have close relationships and are often used in interrelated ways, each has its own knowledge, symbols, language, processes and skills.
The Australian Curriculum: The Arts comprises five subjects:
Dance
Drama
Media Arts
Music
Visual Arts
CULTURAL LITERACY & LANGUAGES
Cultural Literacy is developed in all Key Learning Areas (KLAs) as well as in whole school and cross-curricular activities. Cultural Literacy is developed through an understanding of five key concepts – culture, diversity, interdependence, identity and reconciliation. Languages other than English (LOTE) at St Mary MacKillop School is studied formally in Years 4-6 with the focus on Japanese. The children are given access to a deeper understanding of another culture through the development of some ability to communicate with the people who use that language.
HEALTH & PE:
Enhancing Personal Development: Personal and interpersonal skill; positive relationships; growth and development knowledge.
Developing Concepts & Skills for Physical Activity: Games; sport; physical activity; strategic awareness.
Promoting Health of Individuals & Communities: Health and safety; health products and services; interaction between people and their social, cultural and physical environment.