Integrated Studies

Year Level Description

Integrated curriculum and inquiry develop the Year 4 student's skills across a number of subject areas – Geography, Health Education, History and Science – and are closely linked to the Year 4 Learning Journey.

By the end of the year the students are expected to:

• use several strategies for selecting resources and locate and record key information;
• observe, organise and present data collected from investigations;
• prepare and carry out a presentation;
• apply a variety of thinking strategies.

Geography

In Year 4 students describe and compare the characteristics of places in different locations at the national scale. They identify and describe the interconnections between people and the environment. They describe the location of selected countries in relative terms and identify simple patterns in the distribution of features of places. Students recognise the importance of the environment and identify different views on how to respond to a geographical challenge.

Students develop geographical and environmental questions to investigate, collect and record information and data from different sources to answer these questions. They represent data and the location of places and their characteristics in simple graphic forms, including large-scale maps that use the cartographic conventions of scale, legend, title and north point. They describe the location of places and their features using simple grid references, compass direction and distance. Students interpret data to identify spatial distributions and simple patterns and draw conclusions. They propose individual action in response to a local geographical or environmental challenge and identify the expected effects of their proposed action.

By the end of the year students are expected to:

• use geographical tools, for example a globe, a wall map or digital application such as Google Earth, to identify some major countries and their relative locations;
• explore how vegetation produces the oxygen all land animals (including people) breathe; protects land from erosion by water or wind; retains rainfall; provides habitat for animals; shelters crops and livestock;
• collect and record relevant geographical data and information;
• represent the location of places and their features.

Health Education

This strand is designed to equip students for the challenging world of the 21st century to ensure that students develop as people who take increasing responsibility for their own physical wellbeing, learning, relationships with others and their role within the local, national and global community. Students participate in positive education activities which aim to empower them to make informed choices about their wellbeing.

By the end of the year the students are expected to:

• contribute to the development of class protocols to create a positive learning environment in the classroom;
• identify their learning styles, strengths and weaknesses, and use this to improve learning outcomes;
• seek and respond to feedback to enhance their learning;
• set short-term, achievable goals and reflect upon and evaluate their own progress;
• demonstrate respect for others and be able to maintain friendships;
• co-operate with others in teams to achieve goals, undertaking a variety of roles and evaluate their contribution;
• develop skills to interact with members of other communities;
• identify ways to build positive relationships with friends;
• show responsible and respectful behaviour when using communication technology;
• keep personal information safe online;
• develop strategies to deal with bullying and cyber-bullying;
• understand the role of bystanders.

History

The Year 4 curriculum introduces world history and the movement of peoples. Beginning with the history of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, students examine European exploration and colonisation in Australia and throughout the world up to the early 1800s.

By the end of the year the students are expected to:

• discuss stories of the First Fleet, including reasons for the journey, who travelled to Australia and their experiences following arrival;
• research and discuss the journey of a world navigator/explorer from the late eighteenth century e.g. Captain James Cook, William Buckley
• discuss early Indigenous life and Indigenous inhabitants and the impact of European settlement in Australia on them;
• explain the contribution of different cultures to the growth of Australia's diverse society;
• describe and sequence some key events in Australian history, e.g. Australia Day, Anzac Day.

Science

Students are introduced to every day phenomena for which science provides explanations. They explore the ways science is used in many contexts and the significance of science for the long-term future of our society. They further develop the skills for scientific procedures and processes, such as designing, measuring, data collection and interpretation and implications for action.

Students consider, in practical terms, the ways that they can be proactive in the sustainability of the environment, both locally and beyond. This includes the maintaining of the compost and recycling program and the consideration of how best to manage various material types.

By the end of the year the students are expected to:

• discuss how the Earth’s surface changes over time as a result of natural processes and human activity;
• explore a local area that has changed as a result of natural processes, such as an eroded gully, sand dunes or river banks;
• investigate the characteristics of soils;
• consider how different human activities cause erosion of the Earth’s surface;
• discuss how natural and processed materials have a range of physical properties which influence their use;
• describe a range of common materials, such as metals or plastics, and their uses;
• investigate a particular property across a range of materials;
• select materials for uses based on their properties;
• consider how the properties of materials affect the management of waste or can lead to pollution.