1. Introduction
St. Philip Neri Catholic School, Northbridge is part of the Diocese of Broken Bay and caters for boys and girls from Kindergarten to Year 6. Our school is mandated to follow the Human Society and Its Environment Syllabus of the NSW Board of Studies. The syllabus is organised in four strands:
• Change and Continuity
• Cultures
• Environments
• Social Systems and Structures

The syllabus content incorporates gender, Aboriginal citizenship, multicultural, environmental, work and global perspectives. At St. Philip Neri School we employ a teacher of Japanese language and a teacher of Italian language to support classroom teachers. Information technology is recognized as a means of accessing information and is an integral component of the syllabus.

2. PURPOSE/ RATIONALE
The purpose of this policy is to ensure that teachers develop, document, implement and evaluate the Human Society and Its Environment curriculum so as to develop students’ understanding about change and continuity, cultures, environments, and social systems and structures.

3. AIM
The aim of this policy is to develop in students the values and attitudes, skills, and knowledge and understandings that: enhance their sense of personal, community, national and global identity and enable them to participate effectively in maintaining and improving the quality of their society and environment.

4. BELIEFS ABOUT TEACHING AND LEARNING IN HSIE

Belief 1
We believe all students have the capacity and the right to learn and the need to experience successful learning.

Therefore

Whole school programs need to be continually monitored and evaluated to ensure that the children have experience of quality programs and successful learning.

Belief 2
We believe students are individuals who learn at different rates, with different strengths and with a variety of preferred learning styles.

Therefore

Class programs need to be based upon authentic assessment and knowledge of individual learning needs.

Belief 3
Learning is life long, continuous, developmental and holistic; students need to learn how to learn and to actively evaluate their learning.

Therefore

Proficiency in Human Society and its Environment is best developed when skills and content are taught in a systematic, developmental, enquiry based, problem solving and holistic way.

Belief 4
Teaching and learning need to take place in a context of high expectations and in a positive,
supportive environment.

Therefore

The teacher needs to provide structures, scaffolds and challenging learning contexts where adequate and appropriate resources are provided and sufficient, dedicated time is allocated to the teaching and learning of Human Society and its Environment.

Belief 5
Effective learning occurs when students are engaged in learning contexts that are collaborative and draw upon prior experiences, knowledge, understandings and skills.

Therefore

Learning in Human Society and its Environment is best when it occurs within a collaborative environment that structures group work and allows for the supportive and critical mutual sharing of experiences, skills and ideas.

Belief 6
Teaching and learning is informed by explicit assessment and feedback, which in turn will inform future learning pathways.

Therefore

Teaching programs are based on authentic assessment and evaluation.

5. RELIGIOUS DIMENSION
Our Catholic tradition is embedded within our culture and is in dialogue with cultures other than our own. As Catholic disciples we are called to evangelise and build the kingdom of God. Discipleship is inclusive of all who accept the call. This HSIE policy acknowledges the importance of children developing positive values and attitudes, knowledge and understanding and skills in regard to cultural diversity, the care of the environment, a sense of our history and shared identity and the structures and institutions our nation. To do this is to be able to make informed decisions and become active participants in society who are also able to draw upon the tradition and beliefs of our faith. This is truly human as God intended us to be.

6. OUTCOMES
Outcomes are statements of the specific learning and are explicitly stated by the syllabus. All Human Society and Its Environment teaching programs at St. Philip Neri Catholic Primary School use outcomes from the NW Board of Studies syllabus.

Outcomes for Students:
6.1 Develop values and attitudes, skills and knowledge as articulated in the NSW Board of Studies Human Society and Its Environment syllabus. In doing, so they will

6.2 Individually progress through the stages as defined in the NSW Board of Studies syllabus through participation in class programs.

Outcomes for Teachers:

Outcomes for Parents:

REFERENCES
• NSW Board of Studies syllabus and support documents
• School based scope and sequence
• School based yearly overviews
• Individual programs of specialist teachers

EVALUATION OF THE POLICY
This policy will be evaluated by the Key Reference Teacher, Principal and Staff every two (2) years. This policy is due for review in 2004.

Research Process

The skill to identify information needs, locate information, interact with that information, organize and present it is crucial to the Human Society and its Environment curriculum.
At St Philip Neri Catholic School, we use the following research process K- 6.

Define

Locate

Select

Organize

Present

Assess

This process can be simplified for Stage 1 as:-

Select

Organize

Present

This process is expanded in Stage 2 as:-

Locate

Select

Organize

Present

Stage 3 uses the full process.

Teachers are expected to scaffold these processes and display them in their classrooms. Typically this will be adjacent to the HSIE display area in the classroom. These scaffolds are to be used as spring boards for specific teaching.

Collaborative Planning and Use of ICLT
The school librarian actively supports the HSIE curriculum at St Philip Neri Catholic School.
All classes attend a 45-minute Library lesson once a week. An additional 30-minute library lesson is provided every second week. At this time, Internet research skills are taught by the school librarian.
Cooperative planning time is provided at the end of each term with the librarian. This time may be used to:-
• determine resource needs for the classroom.
• plan the content of library lessons to support the HSIE unit.
• plan internet lesson tasks to support the HSIE unit.

The use of ICLT is encouraged in HSIE. The children’s usage of the internet as an information source must be in accordance with the school ICLT internet usage policy.

ICLT is used to organise (Kidspiration and Inspiration), to locate and select information (search engines, web browsers, CD-ROM resources) and to organize and present information and work (word processing, PowerPoint presentations, web pages).

The following Stage Statements are indicative of the information needs of children in each stage as described by the NSE Board of Studies Syllabus. These statements are suggestive of how ICLT ought to be integrated into the HSIE classroom.

Early Stage 1
Students who have achieved Early Stage 1 identify some of their basic needs and ways of satisfying these needs. They acquire information by direct observation, talking to others, and by viewing, reading and listening to texts. They communicate their understandings orally and through writing and drawing, and by constructing models.

Stage 1
Students who have achieved Stage 1 demonstrate their understandings, using strategies such as flow charts and descriptions. Students acquire information about by direct and indirect experience. In doing so, they examine photographs, read literary and factual texts, communicate with others and use various forms of electronic media.

Stage 2
Students who have achieved Stage 2 have investigated the environment and history of their local community and can make comparisons with other areas. They have acquired information about the flow of goods and services. Students are proficient in the use of maps to identify key features of natural and built environments in areas of Australia. Students have developed skills in the location and evaluation of information from a variety of sources, including encyclopaedias and electronic databases. They use information reports, family trees, timelines, models, matrices and diagrams to communicate information and data.

Stage 3
Students who have achieved Stage 3 have investigated the discovery of gold and colonial exploration and expansion, and its implications for different groups in society and for Australian identity and heritage. Students have explored some Australian environments and are aware of Australian, regional and global environmental issues, problems and possible courses of action aimed at solving these. Students competently locate information from a variety of primary and secondary sources and present this information in a variety of ways, including through detailed timelines, computer databases, tables and information reports.