Integrated Studies

Prep to Six

Units of integrated work enable us to bring the world into the classroom. They provide opportunities for our students to develop and apply understandings about their world. An integrated approach to curriculum allows our students to explore, gather, process, refine and present information about topics they want to investigate without the constraints imposed by traditional subject barriers. In developing their ideas about the way the world works our students use a variety of means (visual, mathematical, linguistic, performance) to explore, organise and represent their understandings and relate their knowledge and enquiry skills to real life contexts.

Aims

Integrated units of work aim to teach students to:

• Think critically
  
• Foster the desire to find out and enthusiasm for learning
  
• Be independent
  
• Take pride in own work
  
• Take risks
  
• Develop mutual respect
  
• Co-operative work skills
  
• Understand how they best learn as individuals
  

Each term, we investigate a different rich concept that guides discussions and activities. In support of the School Charter focus of Independent Learning our planning model uses the theory of Multiple Intelligence and Blooms Taxonomy of thinking to develop and implement planned activities which we call learning centre tasks. A number of planning models are adopted.  These may include:

• Multiple Intelligences - word, maths, music, body, art, people, self and naturalist activities are utilised.
  
• Blooms Taxonomy of Thinking - knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation thinking skills are developed.
  

These activities support an integrated approach that recognises different learning styles. Careful selection of appropriate activities is designed to gradually build understanding, confidence and positive self-concepts which children can relate to their own experiences and encourage transfer of knowledge. Most of these tasks are open ended allowing for different levels of ability and interest.

These units allow children to explore and clarify values and attitudes and develop skills to investigate, discuss issues, solve problems, make decisions and work co-operatively with others. Children learn to plan, implement and present, organise information, practise active listening, effective communication and use technology.

Knowledge and information is growing at an ever increasing rate. We need to know how to find out and learn independently.