Early Years Units of Work

Celebrating Community Exercise Early Years Unit of Work Magill Junior Primary By Patricia Lutz This Unit is relevant for Reception to Year 2 (Can be adapted for Preschool and Year 3)

Quick Links PART ONE: What is Community? PART TWO: What jobs do people do? PART THREE: Who Rules? PART FOUR: Decision Making and Active Citizenship Resources Download in PDF (39 kb)

Aims
Students will:

1. Develop an understanding of what is meant by a community
2. Gain a deeper understanding of what a community needs
3. Investigate and gain knowledge of how social systems work
4. Develop a sense of identity and interdependence within a community
5. Participate in active citizenship and develop skills in life long learning
6. Have a clearer understanding of the role of local government

Overview of the Content
This Society and Environment unit aims to develop a sense of identity and community, the what, who, where, why of who we are, exploring the needs, behaviours, rights and responsibilities of working together and celebrating diversity.

Through following a process that incorporates topics that are meaningful for them, students will develop a deeper understanding of their own identity and their need to live together with others.

The topics are integrated with other areas of the curriculum such as English, The Arts, Design and Technology, Mathematics, and Health.

The unit of work can extend over 4 terms with 2 weeks spent on each topic and a week for reflection at the end of each term or it can be broken up into smaller parts. The connectedness of the topics and themes make learning meaningful and enable young students to explore their world, learn from each other and develop an awareness of the wider community as well as appreciating diversity.

Students will be engaged in real and meaningful learning activities enabling them to develop skills in life long learning.

They will participate as active citizens within the classroom, school and local community engaged in real and important things as well as developing an understanding of local government and democracy.

The possibilities are endless and the extension of this unit is to further develop an awareness of State and Federal Government in Australia.

Relationship with SACSA (South Australian Curriculum Standards and Accountability)

Incorporating Essential Learnings and Key Competencies
1. Essential Learnings

• Futures
• Identity
• Interdependence
• Thinking
• Communication

2. Key Competencies

• Collecting, analysing and organising information
• Communicating ideas and information
• Planning and organizing activities
• Working with others in teams
• Using mathematical ideas and techniques
• Solving problems
• Using technology

Curriculum Areas

• Society and Environment- with strong links to Health, English, The Arts, Mathematics, Design and Technology

Strands

• Time, Continuity and Change
• Place, Space and Environment
• Society and Cultures
• Social Systems

Learning Outcomes
Students will

• Develop s strong sense of positive self and group identity
• Express ideas and opinions
• Make connections with others and their world
• Understand what is meant by community
• Make links between different groups within a community
• Identify the elements of a community
• Understand what is meant by local government
• Practice active citizenship

CELEBRATING COMMUNITY

Early Years Unit of Work
Magill Primary School
By Patricia Lutz

The Exercise is separated into 4 parts.
Click on each of the 4 Components or download a PDF of the complete Unit of Work

PART ONE: What is Community? Topics: Me My family My school The area where I live	PART TWO: What Jobs people do? Topics: Workers at home Workers at school Workers in my suburb Working together
PART THREE: Who Rules? Topics: Who rules in the Family? Who rules in the School? Who rules in the Community? An excursion to the local Council office	PART FOUR: Decision Making and Active Citizenship Resources

Download the Full Unit of Work in one PDF document (including Aims and Overview) (39 kb)