As students work towards the achievement of Level 4 standards in the Arts, they apply and develop their arts knowledge by exploring arts processes and ways to communicate concepts arising from their personal experiences and from the world around them. Through the arts disciplines of Dance, Drama, Media, Music and Visual Arts – Art (two-dimensional and three-dimensional), both individually and in combination, they communicate ideas, observations and feelings using a range of media, materials, equipment and technologies to make arts works; for example, a class presentation could feature the performance of a song from another culture in combination with a traditional dance and/or accompanied by a slide-show presentation featuring paintings and carvings which explore the theme of the song.
At Level 4, students create and present works in a range of arts forms that communicate experiences, ideas, concepts, observations and feelings. They select and combine a range of arts elements, principles and/or conventions, and use a range of skills, techniques and processes, media, materials, equipment and technologies. They show evidence of arts knowledge when planning arts works for different purposes and audiences and identify techniques and features of other people’s works that inform their own arts making. They refine their work in response to feedback and self-evaluation.
At Level 4, students comment on the exploration, development and presentation of their arts works, including the use of specific arts elements, principles and/or conventions, skills, techniques and processes. They identify and describe key features of arts works from their own and other cultures, and use arts language to describe and discuss the communication of ideas, feelings and purpose in their own and other people’s arts works.
As students work towards the achievement of Level 4 standards in Civics and Citizenship, they build on their understanding of Australian society and investigate some of the different cultural groups, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) communities, that make up the Australian community. They learn about the contributions that people from diverse groups have made to many aspects of the Australian way of life. This includes contributions to the arts, industry, medicine and science, as well as to other aspects of their life including food, festivals and sporting events. They explore the ways that Australians are connected to other regional and global communities.
Students learn about some key events which contributed to the development of the Australian nation....
At Level 4, students demonstrate understanding of the contribution of people from the many culturally diverse groups that make up the Australian community. They sequence and describe some key events in Australia’s democratic history. They describe symbols and emblems of national life in Australia and identify values related to symbols and national celebrations and commemorations. They describe the purpose of government, some familiar government services and the roles of some leaders and representatives. They explain the difference between rules and laws and describe the qualities of a good law. They explain why protection and care for the natural and built environment is important.
At Level 4, students contribute to the development...
As students work towards the achievement of Level 6 standards in Communication, they listen attentively when required and learn to respond and interject appropriately. They learn about appropriate body language when reacting to a speaker and use feedback from peers and the teacher on their own body language to improve their reactions. They practise paraphrasing what a speaker has said to check meaning and ask clarifying questions where meaning is unclear.
Students explore a range of aural, written and visual communication forms such as the Internet, film, texts and music which illustrate a variety of perspectives on a range of topics and ideas. They learn how to identify the main message, develop their own interpretation, and provide evidence to support it. They explore reasons for other...
In Communication, standards for assessing and reporting on student achievement are introduced at Level 5. The learning focus statements for Foundation to Level 4 provide advice about learning experiences that will assist students to work towards the achievement of the standards at Level 6.
As students work towards the achievement of Level 4 standards in Design, Creativity and Technology, they begin to provide input into the development of design briefs. They generate ideas from a variety of sources, and recognise that their designs have to meet a range of different requirements. They learn to make realistic plans for achieving their aims and recognise that they are constrained by the availability of resources. They clarify ideas when asked, and use words, labelled sketches and models to communicate the details of their designs.
Students learn to describe ideas and concepts about design, materials/ingredients and technological systems in simple terms. For example, how and why a drawing is annotated; how materials/ingredients are classified; the systems components that are...
At Level 4 students, individually and in teams, generate ideas based on a design brief, demonstrating understanding that designs may need to meet a range of different requirements. They use words, labelled sketches and models to communicate the details of their designs, and clarify ideas when asked. They identify simple systems components and common materials/ingredients and explain the characteristics and properties that make them suitable for use in products. Students think ahead about the order of their work and list basic steps to make the product or system they have designed.
At Level 4, students use their list of steps and are able to choose appropriate tools, equipment and techniques to alter and combine materials/ingredients and assemble...
The English curriculum is built around the three interrelated strands of Language, Literature and Literacy. Teaching and learning programs should balance and integrate all three strands. Together the strands focus on developing students’ knowledge, understanding and skills in listening, reading, viewing, speaking, writing and creating. Learning in English builds on concepts, skills and processes...
By the end of Level 4, students understand that texts have different structures depending on the purpose and audience. They explain how language features, images and vocabulary are used to engage the interest of audiences. They describe literal and implied meaning connecting ideas in different texts. They express preferences for particular texts, and respond to others’ viewpoints.
Students use language features to create coherence and add detail to their texts. They understand how to express an opinion based on information in a text. They create texts that show understanding of how images and detail can be used to extend key ideas. Students create structured texts to explain ideas for different audiences. They demonstrate understanding of grammar, select vocabulary from a range of resources and use accurate spelling and punctuation, editing their work to improve meaning.
Students listen for key points in discussions. They use language features to create coherence and add detail to their texts. They understand how to express an opinion based on information in a text. They create texts that show understanding of how images and detail...
As students work towards the achievement of Level 4 standards in Health and Physical Education, they practise and use complex manipulative and locomotor skills in a range of movement environments (indoor, outdoor and aquatic). They practise and develop competency in a range of complex motor skills such as leaping, dodging, the over-arm throw, dribbling and striking balls, cart wheeling and handstanding. In aquatic environments they practise a range of movements such as: propelling the body on the front and back using freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke and survival backstroke for 10 to 20 metres; and a land-based rescue. They discuss the performance criteria of motor skills and practise observing a partner’s performance. Through modified major games (for example, games with modified...
At Level 4, students perform a broad range of complex motor skills. They demonstrate a wide variety of motor skills and apply them to basic, sport-specific situations. They create and perform coordinated movement sequences that contain a variety of motor skills and movement patterns. They participate regularly in physical activities for the purpose of improving skill and health, and identify and describe the components of health-related fitness. They begin to use basic games’ tactics. They work with others to achieve goals in both cooperative and competitive sporting and games’ situations, explain the concept of fair play, and respect the roles of officials. Students follow safety principles in games and activities.
First Contacts
The Level 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...
By the end of Level 4, students explain how and why life changed in the past, and identify aspects of the past that remained the same. They describe the experiences of an individual or group over time. They recognise the significance of events in bringing about change.
Students sequence events and people (their lifetime) in chronological order to identify key dates. They pose a range of questions about the past. They identify sources (written, physical, visual, oral), and locate information to answer these questions. They recognise different points of view. Students develop and present texts, including narratives, using historical terms.
As students work towards the achievement of Level 4 standards in the Humanities, they consider the features and characteristics of their local area and Victoria.
Students investigate the human and physical characteristics of their local area and other parts of Victoria and consider features of their local community that have changed over time. They learn about settlement patterns, major land uses, communication networks, and the location and variety of national parks in Victoria. They begin to make some simple comparisons between local and other Victorian environments: natural features, climate, land use and types of human activities. Students develop awareness and understanding of the effects of people's interactions with their environment and the ways in which these affect their lives...
At Level 4, students describe from direct observation or observation of a variety of media, the human and physical characteristics of their local area and other parts of Victoria. They describe how people use and affect different environments in Victoria.
At Level 4, students draw simple maps and plans of familiar environments observing basic mapping conventions. They identify the location of places on a simple map using an alphanumeric grid and describe direction using the four cardinal compass points. Using atlas maps and a globe, they locate and name the states and territories of Australia.
In the Humanities, achievement standards for History are introduced from Foundation level. Standards for the other Humanities domains are introduced from level 4.
The curriculum (content descriptions and achievement standards) for HistoryAC Foundation to Level 4 is located here.
As students work towards the achievement of Level 4 standards in Information and Communications Technology (ICT), they develop skills in using ICT for problem solving, expressing ideas, and presenting information to different audiences. Working in all areas of the curriculum, students explore a range of ICT tools (for example, basic editing tools such as word processing) and simple techniques for visualising thinking. They also use simple graphic organisers such as concept maps and sequence charts to provide a framework for visualising thinking. In particular they use tools that assist in sequencing, and in identifying relationships between, ideas, facts and concepts. Students save their visualising thinking files to folders and when new but similar learning situations arise, they retrieve...
At Level 4, students use ICT tools to list ideas, order them into logical sequences, and identify relationships between them. Students retrieve their saved visualising thinking strategies and edit them for use in new, but similar situations. They explain how these strategies can be used for different problems or situations.
At Level 4, students organise their files into folders classified in a way that is meaningful to them. Students explain the purpose of passwords for accessing files stored on networks. They follow simple plans and use tools and a range of data types to create information products designed to inform, persuade, entertain or educate particular audiences. They create information products to assist in problem solving in all...
As students work towards the achievement of Level 4 standards in Interpersonal Development, they interact with their peers, older and younger students, and adults in both informal and formal contexts. They develop their skills and strategies for getting to know and understand others within increasingly complex situations. With teacher support, they identify different types of friendships and relationships. They discuss the expectations they have of friendship and relationship groups and acknowledge the expectations that others have of them. They recognise that relationships change and that positive relationships do not depend on always agreeing with one another.
Students are encouraged to think about their values and how these affect their feelings and behaviour. They are supported to...
At Level 4, students demonstrate respect for others and exhibit appropriate behaviour for maintaining friendships with other people. They support each other by sharing ideas and materials, offering assistance, giving appropriate feedback and acknowledging individual differences. They work with others to reduce, avoid and resolve conflict.
At Level 4, students cooperate with others in teams for agreed purposes, taking roles and following guidelines established within the task. They describe and evaluate their own contribution and the team’s progress towards the achievement of agreed goals.
As students work towards the achievement of standards in Languages at Pathway 1 Level 6, they begin to understand and use the language other than English in relation to their personal world, countries where the language is spoken (for example, its geography, history, aspects of shopping) and the world of the imagination. They begin to collect information in the language (for example, from the Internet or from modified texts). They start to explore the beliefs and lifestyles of people from other countries who now live in Australia. In preparation for Level 6 standards, students need to develop the knowledge and skills described in the progression measures.
Students consolidate previously learnt language and extend their personal vocabulary and knowledge of language structures. They read...
In Languages Pathway 1, standards for assessing and reporting achievement are introduced at Level 5. Schools that provide language programs prior to Level 5 should refer to the Languages phases of learning (formerly progression measures) which provide a typical sequence of second language development. The Foundation to Level 4 learning focus statements provide advice for teachers about learning experiences that will assist students to work towards the achievement of the standards at Level 6.
The proficiency strands Understanding, Fluency, Problem Solving and Reasoning are an integral part of mathematics content across the three content strands: Number and Algebra, Measurement and Geometry, and Statistics and Probability. The proficiencies reinforce the significance of working mathematically within the content and describe how the content is explored or developed. They provide the...
Number and Algebra
Students recall multiplication facts to 10 x 10 and related division facts. They choose appropriate strategies for calculations involving multiplication and division, with and without the use of digital technology, and estimate answers accurately enough for the context. Students solve simple purchasing problems with and without the use of digital technology. They locate familiar fractions on a number line, recognise common equivalent fractions in familiar contexts and make connections between fractions and decimal notations up to two decimal places. Students identify unknown quantities in number sentences. They use the properties of odd and even numbers and describe number patterns resulting from multiplication. Students continue number sequences involving multiples of single-digit numbers and unit fractions, and locate them on a number line.
Measurement and Geometry
Students compare areas of regular and irregular shapes, using informal units. They solve problems involving time duration. Students use scaled instruments to measure length, angle, area, mass, capacity and temperature of shapes and objects. They convert between units of time. Students create symmetrical simple and composite shapes and patterns, with and without the use of digital technology. They classify angles in relation to a right angle. Students interpret information contained in maps.
Statistics and Probability
Students describe different methods for data collection and representation, and evaluate their effectiveness. They construct data displays from given or collected data, with and without the use of digital technology. Students list the probabilities of everyday events. They identify dependent and independent events.
As students work towards the achievement of Level 4 standards in Personal Learning, they begin to build on personal strengths by recognising strategies for learning which help them learn most effectively. With support, they use their past learning to inform their future learning, and begin to set learning improvement goals.
Students participate in a diverse range of learning activities that allow them to acknowledge their development as learners. They monitor their learning through strategies such as share time and seeking feedback from the teacher and, where appropriate, their peers.
Students learn to recognise the various positive and negative emotions that may be associated with their learning, and that feelings of uncertainty do not equate with an inability to complete a task. They...
At Level 4, students describe the factors that affect learning and identify strategies that will enhance their own learning. With support, they identify their learning strengths and weaknesses and learning habits that improve learning outcomes. They seek teacher feedback to develop their content knowledge and understanding. They make and justify some decisions about their learning and, with support, set learning improvement goals. They contribute to the development of protocols that create a positive learning environment in the classroom.
At Level 4, students set short-term, achievable goals in relation to specific tasks. They complete short tasks by planning and allocating appropriate time and resources. They undertake some multi-step, extended tasks independently. They comment on task progress and achievements. They manage their feelings in pursuit of goals and demonstrate a positive attitude towards their learning.
The Science Inquiry Skills and Science as a Human Endeavour strands are described across a two-level band. In their planning, schools and teachers refer to the expectations outlined in the Achievement Standard and also to the content of the Science Understanding strand for the relevant level to ensure that these two strands are addressed over the two-level period. The three strands of the curriculum...
By the end of Level 4, students explain the effects of Earth’s rotation on its axis. They distinguish between temperature and heat and use examples to illustrate how heat is produced and transferred. They explain how heat is involved in changes of state between solid and liquid. They link the observable properties of materials to their use. They discuss how natural and human processes cause changes to Earth’s surface. They use contact and non-contact forces to describe interactions between objects. They describe structural features common to living things and describe relationships that assist the survival of living things. They explain how the key stages in the life cycle of a plant or animal relate to growth and species survival. They describe how they use science investigations to identify patterns and respond to questions. They describe situations where science understanding can influence their own and others’ actions.
Students follow instructions to identify questions that they can investigate about familiar contexts and predict likely outcomes from these investigations. They discuss ways to conduct investigations and suggest why their methods were fair or not. They safely use equipment to make and record formal measurements and observations. They use provided tables and simple column graphs to organise and identify patterns in data. Students suggest explanations for observations and compare their findings with their predictions. They use diagrams and complete simple reports to communicate their methods and findings.
As students work towards the achievement of Level 4 standards in Thinking Processes, they explore aspects of their natural, constructed and social world, wondering and developing questions about it. They use a range of sources of information including observations and findings from their own investigations to answer these questions. Students develop strategies for organising and summarising information and reflecting on their thinking. They begin to categorise knowledge and ideas, identify patterns, and form generalisations. They learn to make connections between both new and established ideas and their own knowledge.
With thinking tools to assist them, students begin to ask more focused and clarifying questions. They develop skills in collecting and organising ideas from a range of...
At Level 4, students collect information from a range of sources to answer their own and others’ questions. They question the validity of sources when appropriate. They apply thinking strategies to organise information and concepts in a variety of contexts, including problem solving activities. They provide reasons for their conclusions.
At Level 4, students apply creative ideas in practical ways and test the possibilities of ideas they generate. They use open-ended questioning and integrate available information to explore ideas.
At Level 4, students identify strategies they use to organise their ideas, and use appropriate language to explain their thinking. They identify and provide reasons for their point of view, and justify changes in their thinking.
