CURRICULUM

English

History

Geography

Arithmetic

Science

Grades	IA		IB	ii
Subjects			Periods
ENGLISH
Reading ............................	10		8	8
Verse speaking and poetry	11		1ft	1ft
Dramatization ....................	i		1	1
Speech training ....................	i		1	1
Stories, including History and Geo-
graphy	2		2	2
Morning talks ....................	1		1	1
Scripture ......................	ft		l	i
Composition ........................			2	3
Spelling ............................	5		5	5
	—	22	_ 22	—	23
ARITHMETIC ....		G	6		7
SCIENCE ..............................		1	1		1
ART ....................................		1ft	1 ft		1
MUSIC ..............................		3	3		2
HANDWORK
Handwriting ....................	3		3	3
Craft ..........................	3		3	2
	—	6	— 6	—	5
HEALTH AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION
Physical Education (including
rhythm) .... ....................	2		2	2
Health talks ........................	i		i	i
	—	2ft	2ft	—	2
ASSEMBLIES AND GOODBYES		5	5		5
Totals ....................		47	47		47

Revised History and Geography Courses

The final draft of the History and Geography Syllabuses was approved by the Primary School Curriculum Standing Committee at its meeting held on 27th November, 1951. At this meeting it was decided that in future the work of Social Studies in the Primary School will be carried out through separate courses in History and Geography. The syllabuses which follow replace the course of Social Studies published in the 1948 Primary School Manual.

The syllabus details of each subject are set in bold face type to distinguish them clearly from explanatory notes and suggestions on methods of treatment.

The definitions of Courses A and B are given on page 8 of the 1948 Primary School Manual.

Curriculum Revision

As stated above, the Primary School Curriculum Standing Committee is charged with the duty of keeping the primary school curriculum under continuous revision. Its immediate objective is the complete revision of the 1948 curriculum. As each subject is reviewed the new syllabus will be printed in pamphlet form. When this work is completed a manual will be published to replace the 1948 manual.

Needlework, Arithmetic, English, History and Geography are the only subjects of the 1948 curriculum which have been revised by the date of publication of this pamphlet.

The following extract from the by-laws of the Primary School Curriculum Standing Committee will serve to explain the procedure adopted in the revision of courses:— ¹

HISTORY

Course A

METHOD AND CONTENT

Young children are interested most in stories of great men and women and exciting happenings. Therefore, throughout the primary school, history will consist largely of stories, and cannot wholly be separated from literature; and wherever it is possible subjects should also be linked with geography. It is important that the child should know something not only of the history of his own nation, but also of the story of mankind as a whole. Throughout the grades he should be led to realize that the people of other lands are much the same as the people he knows, that their needs and problems are similar, and finally that the progress of mankind has depended on the efforts of many nations. Nevertheless, appreciation of the greatness of his own nation and the significance of its great contribution to man’s welfare should not be relegated to the background of his learning of history.

Since teachers are free to develop their own methods of presentation, no text book is prescribed. But, whatever methods are adopted the children should actively contribute to the lessons. Dramatization, suitable passages from literature, the school library, and visual aids of all kinds will materially assist the teacher in making the subject live. Dramatization should be freely used from the beginning, and in the senior grades children can practise imagining themselves eyewitnesses of historical events and describing what they see. Time lines, maps, charts, pencil sketches, diagrams and models are valuable aids.

The aims and principles of teaching history in the primary school have been summarized by the Primary School Curriculum Standing Committee as follows:

★ Through stories of great men and women of the world, the children

should be led to appreciate the development of mankind, and the part played by their own and other peoples; and to realize that all nations are members of one family.

★    Where suitable, the teaching approach should be biographical, but due

regard should be paid to the great anonymous contribution of the people to the ordinary amenities of life. ²

★    Wherever possible history and geography should be correlated; but

the correlation should not be artificial.

★    The history course should lead pupils:

to realize the advantages existing for members of our Commonwealth,

to admire the sacrifices made in their accomplishment, to recognize the need there is for further sacrifices for their retention and improvement.

Syllabus GRADE I I

General Note

In this grade, history is not treated as a separate subject, but is part of the story period. In including stories with a history bias, it has been thought wise to draw only from Bible stories at this stage. Even so, these stories have been chosen mainly for their appeal: their historical significance not being as important as their interest to the child.

BIBLE STORIES—

Stories from the Bible, such as:

Old Testament

Moses in the Bulrushes, David and Goliath, Samuel in the Temple

New Testament

The birth of Christ, the entry of Christ into Jerusalem, the storm on the lake, the story of Janus² daughter, the miracle of the loaves and fishes

GRADE I I I

General Note

In this grade the process of story-telling is continued, both for the interest of the stories, as in Grade II, and as an introduction to the mythological, religious, and historical traditions to which the child is heir as a member of the British Commonwealth of Nations.

It is recommended that stories from countries outside the British Commonwealth be also included, so that the child as he grows older may develop through a wider knowledge, a wider sympathy for peoples other than his own.

The stories listed have been chosen as suitable for the grade. But teachers are not expected to cover all the work in each section of the syllabus. It is suggested that about five lessons be devoted to Section 1, ten to Section 2, and fifteen to Section 3.

MYTHS AND LEGENDS—

Stories based on myths and legends, such as:

Teutonic and Celtic

Balder, St. Patrick, the coming of Arthur, legend of the Christmas Rose, St. George and the Dragon, Good King Wenceslaus, the Pied Piper of Hamelin

Classical

Arachne, Alexander and Bucephalus, Pandora, Persephone, King Midas and the Golden Touch

Australian

Goanna and the Black Snake

BIBLE STORIES—

Stories from the Bible, including miracles and parables, such as:

Old Testament

Abraham and Isaac, Rebecca at the Well, Jacob and Esau, Joseph, Daniel and the Lions

New Testament

The crucifixion and resurrection of Christ; the miracles of the fishes, the healing of the blind, and the raising of Lazarus; the parables of the wise and foolish virgins, and the house built on sand

FAMOUS MEN AND WOMEN OF HISTORY—

Stories about famous men and women, and of traditional historical events, selected mainly from European history, such as:

European

Horatius, the Wooden Horse of Troy, Leonidas, Hannibal and the elephants, Caractacus, Boadicea, St Augustine, Alfred and the cakes, Hereward the Wake, Robert and the spider, William Tell, Richard the Lionheart, Robin Hood, Queen Philippa, Prince Hal and the Judge, Dick Whittington, Francis Drake, James Watt, Florence Nightingale, Mozart, Captain Cook

Tasmanian and other sources

Truganini

It is recommended that for this grade the stories be the ones traditionally associated with the men and women selected.

GRADE ¡V

General Note

As for Grade III, Course A, together with the recommendation that the time available be allocated as follows:

approximately one-third to Myths and Legends (plus Bible Stories), approximately one-third to Famous Men and Women of History, approximately one-third to Discovery and Settlement of Tasmania.

MYTHS AND LEGENDS—

Stories based on myths and legends, such as:

British

St. Andrew, St. David and the leek, stories of the Round Table

Classical

One or two of the labours of Hercules, Jason and the Golden Fleece, the wanderings of Ulysses

BIBLE STORIES—

Stories from the Bible, including miracles and parables, such as:

Old Testament

Moses, David, Elijah, Elisha, Daniel

New Testament

The Life of Christ: in the Temple, John the Baptist, the Easter Story; the miracles of turning water into wine, and walking on the water; the parables of the Sower, the Prodigal Son, and the Good Samaritan

FAMOUS MEN AND WOMEN OF HISTORY—

Stories of famous men and women of the world, selected mainly from British history, such as:

British

King Arthur, King Canute, Harold, St. Aidan, the Black Prince, Sir Philip Sidney, Oliver Cromwell, Lawrence of Arabia, Sir Douglas Mawson, Simpson (the man with the donkey), Edith Cavell

European and other sources

Hannibal, Julius Caesar, Joan of Arc, Abraham Lincoln, Louis Braille Helen Keller. Handel

DISCOVERY AND SETTLEMENT OF TASMANIA—

Stories about the following people and events:

Tasman

D’Entrecasteaux

Robbins and Baudin

The Voyage of the “ Norfolk ”

Early Settlement on the Derwent Paterson at Port Dalrymple Governor Arthur

G. A. Robinson and the Aborigines

GRADE V

General Note

From the suggested lists, at least twenty-four topics must be chosen for the year. The selections should include about fifteen from the British history section, and about nine from the section on Australian exploration.

BRITISH HISTORY—

Stirring events and happenings in British history, such as:

.    • A

The Coming of the Romans to Britain Invasions by the Saxons and the Danes The Norman Conquest Magna Carta

The Story of Robert Bruce The invention of printing The discovery of America

The Sea Dogs

Drake’s voyage round the World The Spanish Armada

The story of the Pilgrim Fathers Cavaliers and Roundheads The story of the Union Jack Clive and India Wolfe and Canada Nelson and Trafalgar Wellington and Waterloo Livingstone and Stanley Scott, Amundsen, and the South Pole Peary and the North Pole The conquest of Mount Everest The story of Tobruk The Kokoda Trail The battle of the Coral Sea

AUSTRALIAN EXPLORATION—

Stories of great Australian explorers, such as: Dampier in the north-west of Australia Cook and the voyage in the “ Endeavour ” Hass and Flinders

Flinders³ voyage in the “ Investigator ”

Blaxland’s journey over the Blue Mountains

Oxley’s exploration of the western rivers

Sturt explores the Murray

Mitchell and Australia Felix

Grey in Western Australia

Eyre’s journeys

Leichhardt’s explorations

Burke and Wills

McDougall and Stuart cross the continent John Forrest explores the interior The journeys of Alan Cunningham

GRADE VI

General Note

The course for this grade comprises

(a)    stories and incidents of the settlement of Australian Colonies;

the coming of Federation; and a brief review of the part played by Australia in the first and second World Wars;

(b)    stories of famous men and women.

It is suggested that approximately one-third of the time available for the study of history should be devoted to (a), and two-thirds to (6).

SETTLEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT OF AUSTRALIA—

Highlights of the settlement of the States, such as:

★    difficulties of the early years in New South Wales, and life in the

penal settlement

★    difficulties of the early years in Van Diemen’s Land, the convicts

and the pioneers of land settlement in Tasmania

★    the early Tasmanian settlers in Victoria, and the discovery of gold

in Victoria

The treatment of the history of the Australian Colonies should deal with significant events and colourful incidents, and have in mind the biographical aim of the course; it should stress the social background of the people, their way of life, and the manner in which they overcame the hardships of the harsh environment in which they lived.

The study of the political events which led to the settlement of Australia belongs to the secondary school. That the early colonists lived in penal settlements and were under military governorship should be accepted as a fact; and the teacher should lead the child to understand the social significance and consequences of the penal system in relation to the aspirations and difficulties of the colonists.

The story of Federation simply told

The child should be led to realize that Federation was a natural outcome of the colonization of Australia. He should be taught to appreciate the practical reasons which brought it about, and the difficulties and prejudices which the sponsors of the Federation movement encountered. A detailed treatment of the constitution and powers of the Federal Parliament would defeat the purpose of this section of the syllabus. The child will have ample opportunities to study such matters during the course of his secondary education.

The part of Australia in the first and second World Wars

A broad treatment is needed. The scope of work to be covered in this grade does not allow for a detailed historical account of these great events. The child should realize the ideals for which our soldiers fought, the great sacrifices made, and the solidarity of the British Commonwealth of Nations.

This is an appropriate stage to explain simply the ideals and achievements of the two great movements towards establishing international peace: the League of Nations, and the United Nations.

The political background of the two World Wars finds no place in the course for this grade.

FAMOUS MEN AND WOMEN OF HISTORY—

Stories of famous men and women selected for the grea! contributions they

have made to the nation, and to humanity, such as:

Reformers

Elizabeth Fry, John Howard, William Wilberforce, John Wesley, Lord Shaftesbury, Florence Nightingale

Inventors and Scientists

James Watt, George Stephenson, Thomas Edison, Marconi, Singer, Madame Curie, William Harvey, Edward .Tenner, Louis Pasteur, Rowland Hill, Sir James Simpson, Sir Joseph Lister, Sir Frederick Banting, and Sir Howard Florey

Missionaries and Explorers

Marco Polo, \ asco da Gama, Magellan, Stanley and Livingstone, and Father Damien

Great Soldiers and Sailors

Wolfe, Clive, Nelson, Napoleon, Roberts, and Kitchener

Great Australians

Kingsford Smith, Sir Isaac Isaacs, William M. Hughes, Sir John Monash. Daisy Bates, Flynn of the Inland, Caroline Chisholm

Though this section of the course is framed around famous men and women, the teacher will find ample scope for background studies, which could lead the child to an appreciation of a great civilization, a world movement, or to some of the highlights in the pageant of British history.

Course B

METHOD AND CONTENT

As for Course A.

Syllabus

GRADES I & II (grouped)

General Note

As for Course A, Grade II

BIBLE STORIES—

As for Course A, Grade II.

GRADES III & IV (grouped)

For 1952 and Alternate Years Thereafter

General Note

As for Course A, Grade III.

MYTHS AND LEGENDS—

As for Course A, Grade III

BIBLE STORIES—

As for Course A, Grade III

FAMOUS MEN AND WOMEN OF HISTORY—

As for Course A, Grade III

For 1953 and Alternate Years Thereafter

General Note

As for Course A, Grade IV.

MYTHS AND LEGENDS—

As for Course A, Grade IV

BIBLE STORIES—

As for Course A, Grade IV

FAMOUS MEN AND WOMEN OF HISTORY—

As for Course A, Grade IV

DISCOVERY AND SETTLEMENT OF TASMANIA—

As for Course A, Grade IV

GRADES V & V I (grouped)

For 1952 and Alternate Years Thereafter

General Note

From the suggested lists, at least twenly-four topics must be chosen. The selections should include about twelve from the British History Section, and twelve from the section on Famous Men and Women of History.

Though the latter Section of the course is framed around famous men and women, the teacher will find ample scope for background studies, which could lead the child to an appreciation of a great civilization, a world movement, or to some of the highlights in the pageant of British history.

BRITISH HISTORY—

As for Course A, Grade V

FAMOUS MEN AND WOMEN OF HISTORY_

As for Course A, Grade VI

For 1953 and Alternate Years Thereafter

General Note

It is suggested that approximately one-third of the time available for the study of history be devoted to Australian Exploration, and two-thirds to the Settlement and Development of Australia.

AUSTRALIAN EXPLORATION—

As for Course A, Grade V

SETTLEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT OF AUSTRALIA—

As for Course A, Grade VI

GEOGRAPHY

Course A

METHOD AND CONTENT

The Primary School Curriculum Standing Committee has drafted the aims of geography in the primary school as follows:

Geography in the primary school should treat of man in relation to his environment, and show by study of selected areas:

★    how he has met the challenge of his environment,

★    how his environment has moulded his way of life,

★    his dependence on other men.

By the end of his primary school course, the child should have mastered

★    the vocabulary and concepts needed for the study of geography in the secondary school,

have gained

★    a broad knowledge of the world, have learned

★    the significant geographical features of Tasmania, and of the Commonwealth of Australia,

★    the main physical features, the climatic conditions, and the way of life of the peoples of at least three countries of the British Commonwealth of Nations,

and have developed some appreciation of

★    the vast range of cultural conditions in different parts of the world.

Geography is more than a study of things; it is a study of people. In the primary school, the study of people is even more important than the study of things. The teacher should bear this in mind throughout the course, and especially when he is planning work for the lower grades. No one will doubt that the study of peoples in other lands, their houses, clothes, customs, and way of life makes a strong appeal to young children.

In this work, the child’s powers of reasoning, observation, and imagination, should be stimulated. For example, by considering the position, aspect, and soil of an area, he should be able to infer some details about the climate and about the probable occupations of the people: that is, the teacher should not only explain natural phenomena, but should also lead the child to deduce their effects on human life. Thus geography in the primary school may be considered to some extent a science subject.

The technical vocabulary used should be as simple as possible. The child will become familiar with elementary geographical concepts (ocean, river, island . . .) in the course of the lessons on his own district and the study of life in other lands. His ability to recognize and illustrate these concepts is all that is required.

Full advantage should be taken of every available means to stimulate interest, to make the subject ‘ come alive \ and to ensure that the child has clear pictures of the geographical ideas taught.

Aids that suggest themselves are: sand-tray and other models, the globe, wall maps and charts, posters (if really good), and samples. Another useful avenue to explore is the help offered by films, film-strips, and schools broadcasts. Even dramatizing can be used effectively, especially in some of the “ Other Lands ” sections.

The interest value of current events should also be fully exploited in the geography lesson. The class could keep a record of some sort, e.g., a Current

Events Notice Board, with pictures, cuttings, diagrams, etc.; or significant news items could be used merely as a starting point for further study of the topics reported, while their news value is still high.

Maps in particular are an essential aid, and the child must have thorough training in understanding and using them. Much of the work in geography demands that he shall reason from the concrete to the abstract. Sometimes he will find this difficult. Naturally the teacher will try to make this part of the work easier by the use of maps, models, and pictures; but in spite of this help children are apt to draw false analogies. The teacher must realize this danger, and avoid it by making his explanations very clear and simple. For instance, to provide an effective introduction to work with maps, the teacher will need to give a series of lessons. As the children in the lower grades have already been made familiar with the idea of the world as a globe, these later lessons could begin with some preliminary freehand map-work of his surroundings, such as sketches of the classroom, his home, the streets near the school; one for example could show where the children of Grade V. live. Others will occur to the teacher, or be suggested by the children. These activities could be followed by an explanation of scale, and practice in drawing to scale. The child could then proceed, first to the modelling of a relief map of the play-ground, and finally to the making of a fiat map based on the scale relief map. If the child really understands this introductory work, the teacher will be able to make good use of standard outline and relief maps.

Progress maps are an important aid to revision. As the various features are taught they should be indicated on the progress map, not by name but by suitable symbols. The blank outline maps issued by the Department are recommended for this work.

In dealing with the life studies related to occupations, and any other sections of the course in which the teacher is free to exercise choice and develop his own treatment, care should be taken to insure that there is no overlap between grades. It is therefore advisable for each teacher to read the course as a whole.

Syllabus GRADE I I

General Note

Though a geography syllabus is given for Grade II, the treatment of the subject will be mainly through stories. A list of books and stories recommended for this purpose is given below; but this is not exhaustive.

The theme of animals of other lands, for example, could easily lead to a study of the occupations, food, clothes, shelter and transport of the people of these lands.

An extreme example of man’s dependence on animals is seen in the Far North, where life depends almost exclusively on the reindeer and the seal: their skins for clothes and shelter, their bone for needles and weapons, their sinew for thread, and their flesh and fat for food and fire.

A similar treatment could be given for Arabia and Turkestan, where the climatic conditions are in sharp contrast with those of the Far North.

The number of countries selected for a term’s geography course will be gauged by the interest shown by the children, but it is recommended that at least three countries should be discussed during the year, preferably during the last term.

Stories from poems and books can often be used advantageously in conjunction with the geography lesson. The following are suggested:

Hiawatha (North America)

The Secret Garden (India)

Blinking Bill (Barrier Reef)

Dot and the Kangaroo (Australia)

Children of the Dark People (Australia)

Shy the Platypus (Australia)

Dr. Dolittle (Africa)

Heidi (Switzerland).

Syllabus Details

PEOPLE OF OTHER LANDS—

Talks about peoples in other lands chosen for the contrast they make with

the child’s own environment

For suggestions regarding treatment the teacher should carefully read the general note.

The talks should deal with the way the environment affects such aspects of living as the food, clothing, shelter and occupations of the people in the various lands.

A list of suitable stories about animals and people, including the Australian aborigines, is given in the general note. These can easily be correlated with the geography lessons.

GRADE I I I

General Note

In Grade III there should be a gradual transition from the story type of lesson to the more formal treatment of geographical concepts leading to the work on maps in Grade V.

The syllabus includes stories of the production of some Tasmanian commodities chosen for their appeal to the pupils of this grade; and of some commodities needed in Tasmania but not produced in the State.

The treatment should highlight the way of life of the workers who produce these commodities. This is best done by following the “ life history ” of the products of their work. For example, the living conditions of a fisherman will be understood by talking about the type or types of fish he catches, and his methods of fishing and marketing his catch.

Formal treatment of definitions and of maps should not be attempted in this grade. The child will gradually learn some basic geographical concepts through the studies of people, their work, and the commodities they produce. By the end of the year he should be familiar with the directions: north, south, east, and west; the application of these to a map, first laid horizontally and then hung vertically; the terms continent and ocean; the cold, mild and hot regions of the world; the terms river, lake, mountain, and island; the meaning of capital city.

Syllabus Details.

TASMANIA—

Realization that Tasmania is an island, leading to knowledge of its shape, and of the position, on a flat outline map, of the child’s home town or district, of Hobart the capital, and of Launceston, Devonport, Bornie, and Queenstown

1 he lives and work in Tasmania of: sheep farmers, dairy farmers, orchardists, hop growers, timber workers, fishermen, and hunters

At least six of these topics should be studied during the year.

Teachers are referred to the general note for the suggested treatment.

The aerodromes and principal ports of Tasmania

The treatment of these should be brief and should highlight the activities associated with them.

OTHER LANDS—

The lives and work of people such as: the herring fishermen (British Isles), date growers (Arabia), workers engaged in the production of coco-nuts (Fiji), tea (Ceylon), coffee (Brazil), cacao (West Africa), cotton (U.S.A.), and rubber (Malay States)

At least six of these topics should be studied during the year.

Teachers are referred to the general note for the suggested treatment.

THE WORLD—

Realization that the world is a globe covered with land masses separated by spaces of water

These features should be taught from a globe.

The terms continent and ocean should be understood, but the names of the continents and oceans of the world are not required at this stage.

Recognition of the position, on the globe, of Australia, New Zealand and the British Isles, and of Tasmania relative to these three countries

The child should handle the globe and be able to point to the positions of the above countries on it.

GRADE IV

TASMANIA—

The chief physical features of the district in which the school is situated

The broad features of the build of Tasmania taught from a relief map; the main rivers and lakes; the climate simply explained with the aid of a relief map

The use of a suitably constructed relief map is considered essential.

The railways and main roads

These should be taught in relation to the build and the child shown that the courses they follow are mainly determined by basic physical features.

Tourist activities in Tasmania illustrated by some sight-seeing trips such as: Eaglehawk Neck and Port Arthur, the East Coast, the Great Lake, the Gordon River, Hobart to Queenstown, and Launceston to Burnie

Visual aids of all kinds are recommended for teaching this section of the syllabus. The children might be encouraged to collect materials for scrap books illustrating the main tourist attractions on any of the trips selected.

The lives and work in Tasmania of: miners, mutton birders, workers in hydro-electric plants

Secondary products of Tasmania such as: newsprint, ovaltine, processed fruits, flour, canned fish, dehydrated vegetables, and textiles

At least six of these secondary products should be studied during the year.

Occupations of the district in which the school is situated

Most of these will probably already have been dealt with in the work of Grade III, and in the above occupational studies.

OTHER LANDS—

The lives and work of people such as: fur hunters (Canada), silk growers (Japan), ship builders (Clyde), rice growers (China), kapok growers (Java), clock and watch makers (Switzerland), pottery workers (Britain)

At least six of these topics should be studied during the year.

THE WORLD—

I he names and positions of the continents and oceans

This work should be taught from the globe.

GRADE V

AUSTRALIA—

The size and position of Australia relative to the other continents and to the oceans

The child should be taught these notions from the globe.

An elementary treatment of the build of Australia by considering the natural physical regions (coastal, mountain, central); the chief physical features; the main climatic features taught in relation to the build

The names and relative positions, on a map, of the States and Territories, including dependencies of the Commonwealth, the Federal and State capitals, and the chief aerodromes and ports other than capital cities

It is recommended that some of this study be made in the guise of sightseeing tours, as suggested for Grade IV.

The lives and work in Australia of those engaged in producing the following commodities: wool, wheat, meat, butter, metals (gold, silver-lead, coal, iron), hides, fruit, pearls

The ‘ life history ⁷ of the products should form the basis of the treatment. Teachers are referred to the general note on the Grade III syllabus.

OTHER LANDS—

The lives and work of people, such as: oil workers (East Indies), tobacco workers (U.S.A.), workers in the petroleum industry (U.S.A.), glass workers (Czechoslovakia), makers of pianos (Germany), timber workers (Scandinavia), flax growers (Northern Ireland)

THE WORLD—

The shape of the earth

The shape of the earth can effectively be taught at this stage through the idea of circumnavigating the globe by aeroplane.

The eight principal points of the compass; finding north, south, east, and west by observation of the sun and the use of the shadow stick

The meaning of a map taught from the topographical features of the school

It is suggested that this be first modelled in relief to a suitable scale, and then transferred to a flat map on the same scale. Teachers should refer back to the suggestions on mapping under Method and Content.

GRADE VI

AUSTRALIA—

Names and positions, on the globe and on the map of the world, of the chief countries having trade relations with Australia

Australia’s chief imports from and exports to these countries

OTHER LANDS—

The main physical features, climatic conditions, and the way of life, of the peoples of at least three of the following countries: The British Isles, New Zealand, Canada, Union of South Africa, India and Pakistan

THE WORLD—

The five climatic zones of the earth, with their vegetation and animals; the characteristics of the people which inhabit them

Rotation of the earth; day and night

Simple treatment of measuring distances on a map by the use of the scale

Course B

METHOD AND CONTENT

As for Course A.

Syllabus

GRADES I & II (grouped)

General Note

As for Course A, Grade II.

PEOPLES OF OTHER LANDS—

As for Course A, Grade II.

GRADES III & IV (grouped)

General Note

As for Course A, Grade III.

For 1952 and Alternate Yea^s Thereafter

TASMANIA—

Realization that Tasmania is an island, leading to knowledge of its shape, and of the position, on a flat outline map, of the child’s home town or district, of Hobart the capital, and Launceston, Devonport, Burnie and Queenstown

The chief physical features of the district in which the school is situated

The broad features of the build of Tasmania taught from a relief map; the main rivers and lakes; the climate simply explained with the aid of a relief map

The use of a suitably constructed relief map is considered essential.

Tourist activities in Tasmania illustrated by at least two sight-seeing trips such as: Eaglehawk Neck and Port Arthur, the East Coast, the Great Lake, the Gordon River, Hobart to Queenstown, and Launceston to Burnie

Visual aids of all kinds are recommended for teaching this section of the syllabus. The children might be encouraged to collect materials for scrap books illustrating the main tourist attractions on any of the trips selected.

The lives and work in Tasmania of: sheep farmers, dairy farmers, orchardists, hop growers, timber workers, fishermen, and hunters

At least six of these topics should be studied during the year.

Teachers are referred to the general note for the suggested treatment.

The aerodromes and principal ports of Tasmania

The treatment of these should be brief and should highlight the activities associated with them.

OTHER LANDS—

The lives and work of people such as: the herring fishermen (British Isles), date growers (Arabia), workers engaged in the production of coco-nuts (Fiji), tea (Ceylon), coffee (Brazil), cacao (West Africa), cotton (U.S.A.), and rubber (Malay States)

At least six of these topics should be studied during the year.

Teachers are referred to the general note for the suggested treatment.

THE WORLD—

Realization that the world is a globe covered with land masses separated by spaces of water

The names and positions of the continents and oceans

Recognition of the position, on the globe, of Australia, New Zealand and the British Isles, and of Tasmania relative to these three countries

The child should handle the globe and be able to point to the positions of the above features on it.

For 1953 and Alternate Years Thereafter

TASMANIA—

As for 1952, omitting the Lives and Work section, and the aerodromes and principal ports; and adding

The lives and w^rork in Tasmania of: miners, mutton birders, workers in hydroelectric plants

Secondary products of Tasmania such as: newsprint, ovaltine, processed fruits, flour, canned fish, dehydrated vegetables, and textiles

At least six of these secondary products should be studied during the year.

The railways and main roads

These should be taught in relation to the build and the child shown that the courses they follow are mainly determined by basic physical features.

OTHER LANDS—

The lives and work of people such as: fur hunters (Canada), silk growers (Japan), ship builders (Clyde), rice growers (China), kapok growers (Java), clock and watch makers (Switzerland), pottery workers (Britain)

At least six of these topics should be studied during the year.

THE WORLD—

As for 1952 and alternate years thereafter

GRADES V & VI (grouped)

For 1952 and Alternate Years Thereafter

AUSTRALIA—

As for Course A, Grade V, together with

Names, and positions on the globe and on the map of the world, of the chief countries having trade relations with Australia

Australia’s chief imports and exports to these countries

OTHER LANDS—

As for Course A, Grade V

For 1953 and Alternate Years Thereafter

THE WORLD—

As for Course A, grades V and VI

OTHER LANDS—

As for Course A, grade VI    *

D. E. Wilkinson, Acting Government Printer, Tasmania.