Education

Welcome to term 2 @Home bulletin for parents  – and a special welcome to those of you whose children have only recently commenced ethics classes.

Our @Home bulletin lets you know what your children will be discussing in their ethics lessons this term. We hope the students talk about ethics with you at home – ask them questions about it! These topics are relevant to us as adults too. We’d love to hear of any good discussions you have.

Subscribe here to our @Home email bulletin.

Here’s a brief look at what your children, from kindergarten into secondary school, could be exploring in their ethics lessons this term. 

The topics we show you below are based on classes which began at the beginning of the year. Schools start at different times of the year, some lessons go faster or slower than others, some schools skip ethics for the first and last weeks of the term while others teach every single week – and so on. 

If your child tells you they are discussing a topic you don’t see in this bulletin, you can also look at the Curriculum section of our website.

Kindergarten: Doing harm without meaning to 

Accidents often happen and sometimes things are broken or someone is hurt. In Term 2, students in Kindergarten talk about accidents and responsibility. They’ll talk about the difference between doing something wrong on purpose and by accident – and whether it’s okay to punish someone who does something bad by accident.

Later in the year, students will consider whether it’s okay to hide a mistake by making up a story. 

Stage 1 – Years 1 & 2: Laziness 

We can all be a little lazy from time to time. In Term 2, our Stage 1 students explore the ethics of laziness. They’ll think about what counts as being lazy (for example, is there a difference between relaxing and being lazy?) They’ll also consider what, if anything, is wrong with being lazy.

Later in the year, students will talk about when it’s important to share with others. 

Stage 2 – Years 3 & 4: Should we keep animals in captivity? 

In Term 2, our Stage 2 students ponder the ethics of keeping animals in captivity. They consider whether it matters whether the animal is kept in a zoo or a circus and whether it’s okay to treat animals and people differently.

Later in the year, students will think about bragging and taking the time to imagine how others are feeling. 

Stage 3 – Years 5 & 6: Beliefs, opinions, tolerance and respect 

People have all sorts of beliefs and opinions – about things like smoking, politicians, the moon landing, aliens, ethics and so on. In Term 2, our Stage 3 students reflect on how tolerant and respectful we should be of other people’s beliefs and whether people are always entitled to their beliefs.

Later in the year, students will consider the ethics of how they can now use artificial intelligence, like ChatBots. 

Stage 4 – Years 7 & 8: From moon trash to migrant horses 

In Term 2, our Stage 4 students discuss some big questions to do with environmental ethics and what caring for our land can mean. As part of this, students consider custodianship, land ownership, littering and introduced species.

Later in the year, students will discuss the ethics of being ignored and how to navigate fake news. 

Welcome to 2024 ethics – and a special welcome to those of you whose children start ethics this year. This @Home bulletin lets you know what your children will be discussing in their ethics lessons this term.

Subscribe here to our @Home email bulletin.

We hope the students talk about ethics with you at home – ask them questions about it! These topics are relevant to us as adults too. We’d love to hear of any good discussions you have. Schools commence their ethics programs at different points of the term – some are quick to start, others take awhile to get organised and begin in late February or early March. If you haven’t yet heard, give it a week or two then ask your child.

We always – no exaggeration- need more volunteers to teach ethics. You don’t need any previous teaching experience and it only takes an hour or so a week, at the same time every week so there’s no spillover into the rest of your life. Check out what a volunteer does and how you can apply (or suggest it to friends or grandparents.)

Here’s a brief look at what your children are exploring in their ethics lessons in Term 1 2024. 

The topics we show you below are based on classes which begin at the beginning of the year. Schools start at different times (and depend on there being enough volunteers), some lessons go faster or slower than others, some schools skip ethics for the first and last weeks of the term while others teach every single week – and so on. If your child tells you they are discussing a topic you don’t see in this bulletin, you can also look at the Curriculum section of our website.

Kindergarten: Being curious and asking questions 

Young children are curious about countless things and a goal of our curriculum is to nurture this curiosity (as well as their thinking and questioning abilities) so that they’re motivated and confident enough to think critically and for themselves about issues that matter to them. Our first topic of the year encourages students to start thinking about why we ask questions. Students will also consider why it can sometimes be hard to ask questions out loud when we’re worried about looking silly. 

Later in the year, students will consider questions about sharing, fairness and doing harm without meaning to. 

Stage 1 – Years 1 & 2: Pride 

In the first Stage 1 topic of the year students explore some big questions to do with pride. What does it mean to be proud of something? Is it okay to be proud of our accomplishments? What about being proud of the things we’re given, like gifts and rewards – is that okay? And why are we sometimes proud of other people? 

Later in the year, students will reflect on the importance of having good reasons and discuss the ethics of laziness. 

Stage 2 – Years 3 & 4: Being selfish 

In the first Stage 2 topic of the year, students delve into the ethics of being selfish. Is it okay to act selfishly, or is it always wrong? If you’ve put lots of time or effort into something or you’re worried it could get broken, is it okay not to share it? What does it mean if you help someone but for selfish reasons – is that misleading or deceitful? 

Later in the year, students will think about how to disagree respectfully and whether it’s okay to keep animals in captivity. 

Stage 3 – Years 5 & 6: A fair society 

In the first Stage 3 topic of the year, students ponder what it means to have a fair society. Do we have a responsibility to make sure everyone can go to school and receive medical treatment? What are some of the challenges involved in providing such opportunities? And do governments have a responsibility to address inequalities that are the result of good or bad luck? 

Later in the year, students will consider whether it’s ever okay to challenge a rule or piece of advice given by an authority. 

Stage 4 – Years 7 & 8: Role models 

The first topic of the year invites students to consider the place of role models in our lives. What makes someone a good role model? Must someone to be a good person to be a good role model? Is it fair to have higher expectations of someone just because others consider them a role model? Can having a role model, even if it’s someone you’ve never met, help you navigate life’s moral challenges?  

Later in the year, students will discuss whether the voting age should be lowered and some ethical dilemmas to do with friendships. 

Our @Home bulletin lets you know what your children are discussing in ethics. These topics are certainly relevant to us as adults too. We hope the students talk about ethics with you at home – ask them about it! We’d love to hear of any good discussions you have.

The topics we show you below are based on classes which began at the beginning of the year. Please bear in mind that the further we advance into the year, the less likely these topics will be accurate for your child’s class. Classes started at different times (depending on when there were enough volunteers), some lessons go much slower than others, some schools skip ethics for the first and last weeks of the term and so on.

If your child tells you they are discussing a topic you don’t see in this bulletin, you can also look at the Curriculum section of our website to find it.

Here’s a brief look at what your children could be exploring in their ethics lessons this term. 

Kindergarten: Owning up
In Term 4, kindy students will explore the ethics of owning up and telling the truth. They’ll talk about whether it’s okay to not speak up and admit when we’ve made a mistake and whether we miss opportunities to learn when we don’t own up.
Later in the term, they’ll reflect on two different ways we can work out if something’s true – by using our senses and by thinking.

Stage 1 – Years 1 & 2: Being kind
Our Stage 1 students will explore some big questions about kindness. They’ll consider whether helping someone because you hope to be rewarded or because you’ve been told to counts as being kind.

Stage 2 – Years 3 & 4: Cheating 
In Term 4, our Stage 2 students will delve into the ethics of cheating. They’ll discuss what counts as cheating and whether cheating is always wrong. As part of this, they’ll consider whether it’s possible to cheat in a one-player game and whether it’s okay to cheat if the other team is cheating.
Later in the term, they’ll explore questions about friendships.

Stage 3 – Years 5 & 6: Why should we trust science? 
Our Stage 3 students will explore some big questions about trust in science. They’ll talk about whether our beliefs matter and whether we have a responsibility to stay well-informed of the science when making big decisions.
Later in the term, students will consider what it means to treat someone fairly.

Stage 4 – Years 7 & 8: Yuck! The ethics of disgust 
In Term 4, our Stage 4 students will ponder how emotions can influence decision-making and whether disgust is a reliable indicator of something being morally bad. They’ll also talk about whether emotions get in the way of making good decisions – or whether they help us make good decisions.
Later in the term, they’ll discuss whether it’s ever okay to put a monetary value on human life.