Level 1 (Prep)

Learning focus

As students work towards the achievement of Level 1 standards in the Arts, they make performing and visual arts works that express and communicate experiences, observations, ideas and feelings about themselves and their world. With guidance, they make arts works in traditional and contemporary (including digital) arts forms in response to stimuli drawn from sources such as play, problem solving, imagination, observation, incursions and excursions. Students’ natural tendency to discovering possibilities and limitations is encouraged through exploring different ways of using performing and visual arts elements, principles and/or conventions, skills, techniques and processes, media, materials and technologies.

For example, students could:

• in Art, use a range of mark making tools to explore as many ways as possible to apply wet and dry media
• in Dance (after the safe dance practice of a warm up for the body), communicate the idea of a leaf in the wind by using movements to shift body weight in different ways
• in Drama, communicate a character’s feelings at different points in a story through facial expression, gesture and other non-vocal language
• in Media, make and record sound effects to accompany a story book they have created
• in Music, use body percussion, found and made percussion instruments and their voices to create a soundscape about changes in the weather.

As part of their arts making, students talk about ways in which the Arts are part of their personal experience, as well as cultural and social events in their community. They discuss and express opinions about arts ideas they are exploring and works they are creating and, with guidance, begin to use arts language to describe features of their own and others’ arts works. They learn about ways of making personal responses to arts works based on sensory perception, and consider ways that they and others can be both makers and audience.

Further examples of arts discipline-specific learning approaches for Level 1 will be published soon.

Standards

Creating and making

At Level 1, students make and share performing and visual arts works that communicate observations, personal ideas, feelings and experiences. They explore and, with guidance, use a variety of arts elements (on their own or in combination), skills, techniques and processes, media, materials, equipment and technologies in a range of arts forms. They talk about aspects of their own arts works, and arts works and events in their community.

In the Arts, standards for the Exploring and responding dimension are introduced at Level 3.

Learning focus

As students work towards the achievement of Level 3 standards in Civics and Citizenship, they begin to develop a sense of belonging to the school community. They are introduced to the idea of the classroom being a community and they learn about respect and concern for others and being fair. They learn about classroom rules and why they are needed. They begin to compare classroom and family rules and other rules that they know about such as those for games and sport. Students explore their responsibilities and rights and those of others in familiar contexts such as the family, the classroom, the school playground and local recreation areas.

Students learn about and celebrate special cultural, local, community and national days; for example, school sporting events and Clean Up Australia Day. They engage in school and cultural events in a responsible and active way.

Standards

In Civics and Citizenship, standards for assessing and reporting on student achievement are introduced at Level 3. The learning focus statements for Levels 1 and 2 provide advice about learning experiences that will assist students to work towards the achievement of the standards at Level 3.

Learning focus

As students work towards the achievement of Level 4 standards in Communication, they begin to identify basic communication conventions in the classroom and playground such as being attentive listeners, facing the speaker, and taking turns. They learn to focus their attention and to listen without interrupting. Students practise retelling what a speaker has said to them and learn to ask questions when appropriate, exploring the interactive nature of communication.

Students respond, in both formal and informal settings, to a variety of stimuli; for example, aural, written and visual texts. They share the meaning they make of these texts with their peers.

Students make regular short oral presentations to groups or the whole class, communicating their ideas on a single topic or a personal experience, the focus being on making themselves understood. They begin to use visual aids such as photographs, objects and drawings to assist them to communicate more effectively.

Standards

In Communication, standards for assessing and reporting on student achievement are introduced at Level 4. The learning focus statements for Levels 1 to 3 provide advice about learning experiences that will assist students to work towards the achievement of the standards at Level 4.

Learning focus

As students work towards the achievement of Level 3 standards in Design, Creativity and Technology, they investigate everyday, familiar products and recognise the basic characteristics and materials/ingredients from which they are made and how they are used. They explore the differences between natural products and artefacts, and learn that materials can be recycled and reused to produce new products. They play with and manipulate materials/ingredients in both a free and focused manner to foster development of their design and technical skills. They learn appropriate terminology, including the names of materials/ingredients and their characteristics and properties (for example, rough, smooth, shiny, soft, flexible), and processes such as measure, mix, cut, join.

Students think and talk about why and how products are made. They respond to simple design briefs as a context for designing (for example, ‘There is to be a teddy bears’ picnic, and your teddy will have to be protected from the sun’). Students use their imagination and curiosity to generate ideas, engage in technological processes and develop imaginative design solutions for simple problems. They learn to use simple pictures and models to represent design ideas to develop simple and authentic products, such as a healthy after-school snack. While designing usually precedes producing and evaluating, students may draw their design after the product is made. Their products may be developed as a result of exploring materials rather than from a drawing.

Students independently, or in collaboration with peers or adults, explore the use of common materials such as paper, cardboard, glue, fabric, wood, soil and plants, plastic containers, string, paddle-pop sticks and food ingredients. They develop skills in the safe use of basic tools and equipment, such as safety scissors, mixing bowls, cups and rulers, to cut, join, shape, mix and follow instructions to construct simple products or models based on their design ideas.

Students think and talk about how their designs will solve a problem or meet a need, and reflect on the steps they took to design and make their product. They discuss how they could make a product better.

Standards

In Design, Creativity and Technology, standards for assessing and reporting on student achievement are introduced at Level 3. The learning focus statements for Levels 1 and 2 provide advice about learning experiences that will assist students to work towards the achievement of the standards at Level 3.

Learning focus

As students work towards the achievement of Level 1 standards in English, they draw on a range of experiences and skills with texts and language used at home and in the community when speaking, listening, reading and writing to establish a foundation for English learning in the school context.

Students learn to read simple, predictable texts that have familiar content. Texts at this level have simple sentences and predominantly oral language patterns, and include repetition of phrases and illustrations that represent the main ideas such as picture books. Students learn that print text maintains a constant message, and they use title, illustrations and knowledge of a text topic to predict meaning in texts.

They explore the purpose, formation and conventions of print and develop a working understanding of how sounds are represented alphabetically. To make meaning they use context and information about words, letters, combinations of letters and the sounds associated with them. They expand their vocabulary and use illustrations to extend meaning. With support they select their own reading material from a small range of familiar texts.

Students begin to compose simple texts about personally significant topics for their own purposes and audiences. When writing words and simple sentences they draw on their knowledge of the alphabet and its relationship with the sound system, conventional letters, groups of letters and some simple punctuation such as full stops and capital letters to communicate meaning. They begin to recognise that writing is used to convey ideas, feelings and information, and they discuss the purposes of their writing and the sources of their ideas. They learn to form letters correctly and to use a range of writing implements.

Students regularly make brief presentations on a specified topic to small groups or the whole class, learning to speak at an appropriate volume and pace for listeners’ needs. They practise sequencing main events and ideas coherently and self-correct by rephrasing when meaning is not clear. They contribute ideas during class and group discussion, and follow simple instructions. They learn to retell what they have heard and ask and answer simple questions for information and clarification.

Students learn and practise the skills of being attentive listeners in formal and informal classroom situations. They listen and respond to a range of simple texts, including books read aloud, audio tapes and films, and to brief spoken texts that deal with familiar ideas and information. Students begin to adjust their speaking and listening to suit context, purpose and audience in order to communicate meaning and to understand others. When sharing and responding to ideas and information in print, visual and electronic texts, students make connections with their own experiences and ideas.

Standards

Reading

At Level 1, students match print and spoken text in their immediate environment. They recognise how sounds are represented alphabetically and identify some sound-letter relationships. They read aloud simple print and electronic texts that include some frequently used words and predominantly oral language structures. They read from left to right with return sweep, and from top to bottom. They use title, illustrations and knowledge of a text topic to predict meaning. They use context and information about words, letters, combinations of letters and the sounds associated with them to make meaning, and use illustrations to extend meaning.

Writing

At Level 1, students write personal recounts and simple texts about familiar topics to convey ideas or messages. In their writing, they use conventional letters, groups of letters, and simple punctuation such as full stops and capital letters. Students are aware of the sound system and the relationships between letters and sounds in words when spelling. They form letters correctly, and use a range of writing implements and software.

Speaking and listening

At Level 1, students use spoken language appropriately in a variety of classroom contexts. They ask and answer simple questions for information and clarification, contribute relevant ideas during class or group discussion, and follow simple instructions.

They listen to and produce brief spoken texts that deal with familiar ideas and information. They sequence main events and ideas coherently in speech, and speak at an appropriate volume and pace for listeners’ needs. They self-correct by rephrasing a statement or question when meaning is not clear.

Learning focus

As students work towards the achievement of Level 1 standards in the Movement and physical activity dimension, they engage in a variety of physical activities on their own and with their peers, with and without equipment, and in a range of environments (indoor, outdoor and aquatic). They begin to develop basic motor skills such as running, hopping, jumping, skipping, catching, throwing, kicking, rolling, balancing, twisting and turning. Through a range of activities, such as dance, gymnastics and games, students progressively gain control of their movements in personal and general space, while stationary and moving. They practise a range of movement patterns in aquatic environments such as: wade-in entry to and exit from shallow water; float with a buoyancy aid; perform a basic leg kicking action with a buoyancy aid; recovery from an unaided face down float; glide to a standing position; and be rescued with a rope or stick. They explore ways of moving and developing control when stopping, starting, springing, landing, and changing direction and speed. They respond to movement stimuli such as rhythm, beat, music and words.

They regularly engage in activities described as moderate to vigorous, such as brisk walking or running, active play, swimming, dance, sports and games, which increase student breathing and sweating.

Students begin to develop a movement vocabulary, including movement words, ways of describing the physical responses of their bodies to movement and the feelings associated with participation in physical activity; for example, hot, tired, sweaty, puffed, excited, scared and happy.

They learn simple rules and procedures for safe movement, and how to follow instructions. They begin to combine movement with the use of equipment. While participating in movement and physical activities, they learn to consider, support and encourage others to share equipment, and to adhere to rules that aid participation and cooperation.

As students work towards the achievement of Level 3 standards in the Health knowledge and promotion dimension, they explore basic health needs that must be met to maintain or promote their health and to help them grow and develop. They discuss physical changes as people grow and develop, and describe how their own bodies have changed over time. Students explore their emotions and identify the different ways in which people express and respond to emotions. Students start identifying new things they can do and the responsibilities associated with these. They begin to learn about the development of personal identity.

Students learn to identify those environments where they feel confident and those where they may be afraid or concerned for their safety. They practise how to respond to situations that make them feel unsafe, and learn about who can help them. They learn about local signs and symbols related to safety (for example, traffic signs or symbols on medicines) and explore possible actions to take when they feel threatened or unsafe.

Students are introduced to the basic principles of living an active and healthy life and begin to learn about the importance of eating a variety of foods. They learn about how foods differ in look, taste, feel and smell, and begin to understand how good food choices contribute to an active and healthy life.

Standards

At Level 1, students perform basic motor skills and movement patterns, with or without equipment, in a range of environments. They regularly engage in periods of moderate to vigorous physical activity. They use simple vocabulary to describe movement, the physical responses of their bodies to activity and their feelings about participation in physical activity. When participating in movement and physical activities, they follow rules and procedures and share equipment and space safely.

In Health and Physical Education, standards for the Health knowledge and promotion dimension are introduced at Level 3.

Learning focus

As students work towards the achievement of Level 3 standards in the Humanities, they draw on their own experience to help them understand the world around them. Through activities such as developing personal and family timelines, examining photographs and buildings, and visits from community members, they learn about the concepts of time - chronology and sequencing, and change and continuity.

Through reading and listening to narratives, including personal stories, and participating in celebrations students begin to learn about the cultures and histories that have contributed to Australian society and by seeing and hearing about other places outside their experience they begin to consider how and why other times and places are different from their own.

Students develop an awareness of spatial concepts through structured experiences within their immediate environment. They investigate the relative location, direction and distance of their home, school, classroom, local parks, shops and other significant features of their environment and begin to understand the geography of their local area. They learn to give and follow simple directions, and describe location relative to other people and places using everyday spatial terms such as front/back, up/down, right/left, near/far, above/below. They draw simple pictorial maps from their developing mental maps of familiar environments.

Students explore how and why natural factors (for example, changes in the weather) and human activities (for example, the closing of a park) affect their lives. They develop basic narratives that link events in their own experience. Participating in activities such as wearing protection from the sun, saving energy, saving water, and recycling, they develop their awareness of environmental issues.

Standards

In the Humanities, standards for assessing and reporting on student achievement are introduced at Level 3. Specific standards for Economics, Geography and History are introduced at Level 4. The learning focus statements for Levels 1 and 2 provide advice about learning experiences that will assist students to work towards the achievement of the Humanities standards at Level 3 (which focus on historical and geographical knowledge and skills) and the Economics standards at Level 4.

Learning focus

As students work towards the achievement of Level 2 standards in Information and Communications Technology (ICT), they learn the safe use of ICT tools, including leaving electrical connections alone, sitting upright in front of a computer, and handling storage devices such as disks and memory sticks carefully. They learn the correct terms to name ICT equipment and, through use, become familiar with common icons on the computer desktop. They develop hand–eye coordination through using a mouse to control the pointer on the screen.

With assistance, students work with different types of data, such as text, numbers and images, to create simple information products and share their ideas. They develop their navigation skills by responding to stimulus in multimedia resources that develop literacy and numeracy skills. They find and compare examples of ICT equipment at home and investigate the purpose of ICT symbols and icons.

Standards

In the Information and Communications Technology domain, standards for assessing and reporting on student achievement are introduced at Level 2. The learning focus statement for Level 1 provides advice about learning experiences that will assist students to work towards the achievement of the standards at Level 2.

Learning focus

As students work towards the achievement of Level 1 standards in Interpersonal Development, they interact with their peers, teachers and other adults in a range of contexts. They learn to play constructively together and are encouraged to develop friendships with peers.

Students learn to manage their impulses by developing habits and routines that help them to be a cooperative class member. They develop a vocabulary to describe the emotions they experience when interacting with others.

With teacher support, students begin to identify and develop the skills required to work together in a group, including taking turns, and sharing and caring for equipment and resources. Through supported reflection on their own experiences of working with a partner, in small-group and whole-class situations, students share their thoughts on group collaboration and learn to describe and practise skills that contribute to the formation of positive relationships, and explain why these skills are desirable.

While playing games and participating in classroom activities, students practise listening to others and recording or retelling what others have said. With teacher support, they practise using these skills with their peers in a variety of contexts and begin to identify when it would be useful to apply these skills in other situations.

Students are supported to develop appropriate language to explain what happens and how they feel when experiencing conflict and/or bullying. They begin to understand how their actions affect others. Students learn that some people have special needs and to respect the rights, feelings and efforts of others.

Standards

At this level standards are not organised by dimensions.

Interpersonal Development

At Level 1, students identify the qualities of a friend and demonstrate care for other students. They contribute to the development of positive social relationships in a range of contexts. They use appropriate language and actions when dealing with conflict. Students describe basic skills required to work cooperatively in groups.

Learning focus

As students work towards the achievement of standards at Pathway 1 Level 4, they develop an understanding of the speakers of the language other than English and the countries, regions and communities where the language is spoken. In preparation for Level 4 standards, students need to develop the knowledge and skills described in the progression measures.

Students are given opportunities to learn about the speakers of the language through the introduction of culturally relevant and age-appropriate stimulus materials, such as CD-ROMs and various digital media, videos, stories and guest speakers.

They understand that the language is used for communication, and that people outside their classroom also speak the language. They begin to understand that there are differences between the language and English. They become aware that there are various ways of doing things and that things are important for different reasons; for example, there are various special festivals at different times of the year, and that these are affected by geography and climate.

Students begin to use and respond to the language in the classroom, relating the language to what they see, hear and touch, and to topics related to self, home, family and to other classroom activities.

Through greetings, introductions, songs and other simple routines, students become familiar with the sounds of the language and clusters of words, and practise using the language. From the beginning, they hear words, phrases and basic sentences in use. Students are introduced to concrete language with repetitive patterns, and develop strategies for memorisation and comprehension. They start to interpret gesture and facial expressions, and use some of the non-verbal behaviour that is part of the language. As far as possible, students are immersed in hearing the language, whose meaning is made clear by:

• gestures (for example, indicating, touching)
• dramatisation (for example, role-playing, costume wearing, puppets, scenarios, imitating characters)
• singing (for example, acted parts, participation rhymes, choral practice)
• activities (for example, painting, Internet or multimedia games, digital learning objects, intercultural awareness games)
• conversing (for example, repeating teacher models, asking and answering scaffolded questions, identifying objects and their characteristics, using ‘here and now’ cues, labelling classroom and home objects)
• viewing (for example, video, graphic, visual and other stimulus material)
• dance.

Students participate in cooking, physical education, role games, painting, drawing, finger painting, puppet making and similar activities which locate the language in real communication contexts, hearing extended but simple stretches of the language and gradually using it themselves.

Students undertake the development of writing skills appropriate to the language being studied and communicate using explicit models with ongoing teacher support and scaffolding.

Standards

In LOTE Pathway 1, standards for assessing and reporting achievement are introduced at Level 4. Schools that provide language programs prior to Level 4 should refer to the LOTE progression measures which provide a typical sequence of second language development. The Levels 1, 2 and 3 learning focus statements provide advice for teachers about learning experiences that will assist students to work towards the achievement of the standards at Level 4.

Learning focus

As students work towards the achievement of Level 1 standards in Mathematics, they manipulate and play with objects to develop links between their immediate environment, everyday language and mathematical activity.

In Number, students manipulate and group physical objects and drawings to develop basic understanding of the concepts of number and numerals. They group objects into sets (collections) and form simple correspondences (relations) between two sets; for example, in sharing pencils among students. They learn to count the number of objects up to 20 and relate the number counted to the use of a numeral. They describe and place objects in order such as first, second and third. They model addition by putting groups of objects together and counting the combined set and they model subtraction by moving apart groups of objects.

In Space, students manipulate and investigate the properties of basic two- and three-dimensional shapes. They use everyday objects and drawings to identify and describe points, lines, edges and surfaces. They recognise inside and outside. They participate in activities in which they create and follow simple verbal instructions to locate items in the classroom and immediate environment.

In Measurement, chance and data, students learn to compare common objects using terms such as longer, heavier, fuller and hotter. They begin to make estimates and simple measurements using informal units such as a number of paper clips in a length. In playing games of chance, students begin to recognise the unpredictability and uncertainty of events such as the roll of a die. They investigate situations requiring data collection and presentation in simple displays such as a pictogram of family pets.

When Working mathematically, students undertake activities and play to develop skills in making correspondences (for example, games such as Memory and activities such as matching students with their birth months). They create and explore number patterns using counters or other objects. They take risks by making and exploring conjectures relating to numbers, patterns, shapes and measurements (for example, ‘the bigger the object the heavier it is’ or ‘the next shape in a sequence will be …’). Students work with calculators to check the results of simple addition and subtraction. They draw and copy simple shapes and patterns by hand and also by using a computer drawing package.

Standards

Number

At Level 1, students form small sets of objects from simple descriptions and make simple correspondences between those sets. They count the size of small sets using the numbers 0 to 20. They use one-to-one correspondence to identify when two sets are equal in size and when one set is larger than another. They form collections of sets of equal size. They use ordinal numbers to describe the position of elements in a set from first to tenth. They use materials to model addition and subtraction by the aggregation (grouping together) and disaggregation (moving apart) of objects. They add and subtract by counting forward and backward using the numbers from 0 to 20.

Space

At Level 1, students recognise, copy and draw points, lines and simple free-hand curves. They identify basic two-dimensional shapes such as triangles, circles and squares and three-dimensional solids and objects such as boxes and balls. They recognise the interior and exterior of shapes and objects. They sort geometric objects according to simple descriptions. They place and orientate shapes according to simple descriptions such as next to, beside, in front of, behind, over and under.

They develop and follow simple instructions to move and place shapes and objects in familiar situations in relation to what they can see, and to move themselves from one place to another.

Measurement, chance and data

At Level 1, students compare length, area, capacity and mass of familiar objects using descriptive terms such as longer, taller, larger, holds more and heavier. They make measurements using informal units such as paces for length, handprints for area, glasses for capacity, and bricks for weight.

They recognise the continuity of time and the natural cycles such as day/night and the seasons. They correctly sequence days of the week. They use informal units such as heartbeats and hand claps at regular intervals to measure and describe the passage of time.

They recognise and respond to unpredictability and variability in events, such as getting or not getting a certain number on the roll of a die in a game or the outcome of a coin toss. They collect and display data related to their own activities using simple pictographs.

Working mathematically

At Level 1, students use diagrams and materials to investigate mathematical and real life situations. They explore patterns in number and space by manipulating objects according to simple rules (for example, turning letters to make patterns like bqbqbq, or flipping to make bdbdbdbd).

They test simple conjectures such as ‘nine is four more than five’. They make rough estimates and check their work with respect to computations and constructions in Number, Space, and Measurement, chance and data. They devise and follow ways of recording computations using the digit keys and +, − and = keys on a four function calculator.

They use drawing tools such as simple shape templates and geometry software to draw points, lines, shapes and simple patterns. They copy a picture of a simple composite shape such as a child’s sketch of a house.

Structure

In Mathematics, standards for the Structure dimension are introduced at Level 3.

Learning focus

As students work towards the achievement of Level 3 standards in Personal Learning, they experience diverse approaches and responses to learning. With teacher support, they make links with their existing experiences and develop the view that learning is exploratory, fun and rewarding.

Students begin to reflect on themselves as learners, in particular on their feelings about learning, by responding to open-ended statements such as ‘I’m proud of this because …’, and using visual aids that illustrate their responses to learning, such as happy and unhappy faces. They also reflect on their own learning by responding to prompts such as, ‘What do you know now that you didn’t know before?’

Students are provided with opportunities to learn with peers and to share their feelings and thoughts about learning with others. They begin to understand that listening to the responses of others can assist them to make sense of new experiences and provide useful cues for their own learning. Students are encouraged to take risks with their learning and begin to understand that mistakes can be a vehicle for further learning.

Students begin to take initiative as learners by asking questions when needed and attempting small projects. They begin to solve problems and complete work using their initiative as a first step and asking for teacher assistance as required. With support, students learn to manage their time and resources to complete short tasks.

Standards

In Personal Learning, standards for assessing and reporting on student achievement are introduced at Level 3. The learning focus statements for Levels 1 and 2 provide advice about learning experiences that will assist students to work towards the achievement of the standards at Level 3.

Learning focus

As students work towards the achievement of Level 3 standards in Science, they use their senses to explore the world around them; for example, day and night, the seasons, and living and non-living things. They describe their activities and observations using both general and science-specific language; for example, hard, soft, long, short, big, small, strong and weak.

Through sorting objects according to basic criteria such as size, shape, colour and weight, they identify and describe the similarities and differences between them. By participating in very simple investigations involving observation and measurement (for example, making and flying kites, saving water and measuring plant growth) they learn about basic procedures and processes, including collecting and recording data. They display, and make generalisations from their data. They become aware of using safe procedures in their activities.

Care and Use of Animals in Victorian Schools

If your school uses animals for teaching then the following site will assist your school fulfil the requirements of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and the Australian Code of Practice for the Care and Use of Animals for Scientific Purposes.
www.education.vic.gov.au/management/schooloperations/animalcare/

Standards

In Science, standards for assessing and reporting on student achievement are introduced at Level 3. The learning focus statements for Levels 1 and 2 provide advice about learning experiences that will assist students to work towards the achievement of the standards at Level 3.

Learning focus

As students work towards the achievement of Level 3 standards in Thinking Processes, they explore a wide variety of familiar contexts. With encouragement and support, they wonder, question and become adventurous in their thinking about these contexts. Students practise using all of their senses to develop skills in making observations which they share and record.

Students begin to look for simple patterns in their observations by classifying familiar items and by looking for similarities and differences. In integrating information from their own observations, information from peers, teachers and other adults, and information from print and non-print texts, they begin to develop simple explanations for the phenomena they observe. These explanations – not necessarily complete – are the starting point for further questions and exploration. When students consider the explanations of others, they begin to ask, ‘How do you know?’ and ‘What makes you think that?’ and consider a range of possible responses.

Students use a range of simple thinking tools to gather and process information. They reflect on their thinking (for example, why they think what they think about a text) and take time to consider before responding.

Standards

In Thinking Processes, standards for assessing and reporting on student achievement are introduced at Level 3. The learning focus statements for Levels 1 and 2 provide advice about learning experiences that will assist students to work towards the achievement of the standards at Level 3.