Primary health and physical education, humanities and social sciences

This unit introduces you to the key aspects of the Health and Physical Education (HPE) and Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS) learning area within primary schools. The unit critically examines key aspects of the curriculum across the HPE and HASS learning areas and overviews pedagogical and planning approaches that underpin effective teaching in primary settings. The unit comprises two modules. Module 1, the HPE module, will focus on preparing you to plan, teach and assess HPE in the primary classroom. The module will support you to engage with key areas of the HPE curriculum, develop understanding of why HPE is important in primary schools and consider different pedagogical approaches that support student learning within HPE contexts. You will engage with the primary HPE curriculum to design a sequence of learning activities that are linked to a specific topic and learning outcomes. Module 2 will develop your understanding of the HASS learning area exploring how you as a primary teacher can best facilitate learning using single-disciplinary, multi-disciplinary or an integrated approach. You will explore how the HASS learning area is taught in the primary years and engage with pedagogical viewpoints and assessment strategies relevant to the HASS curriculum. You will also learn to implement the HASS curriculum using inquiry-based methodologies and via deliberate connections to real-world issues. Within the unit you will have opportunity to consider how both learning areas relate to themes within the Australian curriculum and related state curriculum frameworks, including cross curriculum priorities of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives, environmental sustainability, and engagement with Asia and the world.