Curriculum

Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting

Amaroo School – Year 2 2016

At Amaroo School, we encourage our students to be successful learners, confident and creative individuals as well as active and informed citizens. We believe that by offering a diverse, differentiated and rigorous academic curriculum it helps our students achieve this.

The Australian Curriculum sets the expectations for what all students should learn in every year level of schooling. It defines a solid foundation in knowledge, understanding, skills and values for all children as they move through our school. It also recognises that children are different: they develop at different rates, have different learning preferences and areas of interest, and have different aspirations.

Our students will have their learning achievements assessed against consistent national standards. Assessment of student learning takes place at different levels and for different purposes, including:
- ongoing formative assessment within classrooms for the purposes of monitoring learning and providing feedback, for teachers to inform their teaching, and for students to inform their learning
- summative assessment for the purposes of twice-yearly reporting by schools to parents and carers on the progress and achievement of students
- annual testing of Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 students’ levels of achievement in aspects of literacy and numeracy, conducted as a part of the National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN).

Below are the Australian achievement standards which your child will engage with during their learning. Please take some time to familiarise yourself with them as this will form the basis of the Semester 1 and Semester 2 reports. 

Australian Curriculum Achievement Standard for English, Year 2

Receptive modes (listening, reading and viewing) By the end of Year 2, students understand how similar texts share characteristics by identifying text structures and language features used to describe characters and events, or to communicate factual information. They read texts that contain varied sentence structures, some unfamiliar vocabulary, a significant number of high-frequency sight words and images that provide extra information. They monitor meaning and self-correct using knowledge of phonics, syntax, punctuation, semantics and context. They use knowledge of a wide variety of letter-sound relationships to read words of one or more syllables with fluency. They identify literal and implied meaning, main ideas and supporting detail. Students make connections between texts by comparing content. They listen for particular purposes. They listen for and manipulate sound combinations and rhythmic sound patterns. Productive modes (speaking, writing and creating) When discussing their ideas and experiences, students use everyday language features and topic-specific vocabulary. They explain their preferences for aspects of texts using other texts as comparisons. They create texts that show how images support the meaning of the text. Students create texts, drawing on their own experiences, their imagination and information they have learnt. They use a variety of strategies to engage in group and class discussions and make presentations. They accurately spell words with regular spelling patterns and spell words with less common long vowel patterns. They use punctuation accurately, and write words and sentences legibly using unjoined upper- and lower-case letters.

Australian Curriculum Achievement Standard for Mathematics, Year 2

By the end of Year 2, students recognise increasing and decreasing number sequences involving 2s, 3s and 5s. They represent multiplication and division by grouping into sets. They associate collections of Australian coins with their value. Students identify the missing element in a number sequence. Students recognise the features of three-dimensional objects. They interpret simple maps of familiar locations. They explain the effects of one-step transformations. Students make sense of collected information. Students count to and from 1000. They perform simple addition and subtraction calculations using a range of strategies. They divide collections and shapes into halves, quarters and eighths. Students order shapes and objects using informal units. They tell time to the quarter-hour and use a calendar to identify the date and the months included in seasons. They draw two-dimensional shapes. They describe outcomes for everyday events. Students collect, organise and represent data to make simple inferences.

Australian Curriculum Achievement Standard for Science, Year 2

By the end of Year 2, students describe changes to objects, materials and living things. They identify that certain materials and resources have different uses and describe examples of where science is used in people’s daily lives. Students pose and respond to questions about their experiences and predict outcomes of investigations. They use informal measurements to make and compare observations. They record and represent observations and communicate ideas in a variety of ways.

Australian Curriculum Achievement Standard for History, Year 2

By the end of Year 2, students describe a person, site and/or event of significance in the local community. They identify how and why the lives of people have changed over time while others have remained the same. Students sequence events in order, using a range of terms related to time. They pose questions about the past and use sources provided to answer these questions and to identify a point of view. They compare objects from the past and present. Students develop a narrative about the past using a range of texts.

Australian Curriculum Achievement Standard for Geography, Year 2

By the end of Year 2, students identify the features that define places and recognise that places can be described at different scales. Students recognise that the world can be divided into major geographical divisions. They describe how people in different places are connected to each other and identify factors that influence these connections. They explain why places are important to people, recognising that places have meaning. Students pose questions about familiar and unfamiliar places and answer them by locating information from observations and from sources provided. They represent data and the location of places and their features in tables, plans and on labelled maps. They interpret geographical information to draw conclusions. Students present findings in a range of texts and use simple geographical terms to describe the direction and location of places. They suggest action in response to the findings of their inquiry.

Australian Curriculum Achievement Standards for the Arts, Kindergarten to Year 2

Dance By the end of Year 2, students describe the effect of the elements in dance they make, perform and view and where and why people dance. Students use the elements of dance to make and perform dance sequences that demonstrate fundamental movement skills to represent ideas. Students demonstrate safe practice. Drama By the end of Year 2, students describe what happens in drama they make, perform and view. They identify some elements in drama and describe where and why there is drama. Students make and present drama using the elements of role, situation and focus in dramatic play and improvisation. Media Arts By the end of Year 2, students communicate about media artworks they make and view, and where and why media artworks are made. Students make and share media artworks using story principles, composition, sound and technologies. Music By the end of Year 2, students communicate about the music they listen to, make and perform and where and why people make music. Students improvise, compose, arrange and perform music. They demonstrate aural skills by staying in tune and keeping in time when they sing and play. Visual Arts By the end of Year 2, students describe artworks they make and view and where and why artworks are made and presented. Students make artworks in different forms to express their ideas, observations and imagination, using different techniques and processes.

Australian Curriculum General Capability – Personal and Social Capability

Students develop personal and social capability as they learn to understand themselves and others, and manage their relationships, lives, work and learning more effectively. The capability involves students in a range of practices including recognising and regulating emotions, developing empathy for others and understanding relationships, establishing and building positive relationships, making responsible decisions, working effectively in teams, handling challenging situations constructively and developing leadership skills.