@Home - Primary Ethics

@Home bulletin for families Term 4 2024

Welcome to @Home for Term 4 2024, where we let families know what your children, from kindergarten into secondary school, could be exploring in their ethics lessons this term.

Subscribe here to receive our @Home email bulletin once a term.

The topics we show 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: Does telling the truth matter?
Our youngest students will begin to consider when – and if – it’s important to tell the truth. What if the truth might hurt someone’s feelings, like when choosing to go to one friend’s birthday party over another’s? They’ll also reflect on what it feels like when friends lie and how repeated dishonesty can impact friendships.

Stage 1 – Years 1 & 2: Ownership
Our Stage 1 students will dive into questions about what it means to own something. Can we claim to own a shell found on the beach or a sandcastle we’ve made? What about animals, like pets or creatures in the wild? Can we own a picture of someone else or even the smell of food we make? These questions will help them explore different perspectives on ownership.

Stage 2 – Years 3 & 4: Breaking a promise
Our Stage 2 students will discuss the meaning of a promise and how it differs from simply agreeing to do something. Is it ever acceptable to break a promise? They’ll consider how trust plays a role in friendships and reflect on the importance of keeping their word.

Stage 3 – Years 5 & 6: Should we take circumstances into account?
In Term 4, our Stage 3 students will wrestle with whether it’s always wrong to do certain things – like lying or breaking a promise – or if circumstances should be considered. For example, they’ll discuss whether cultural traditions, like eating whales in some cultures, influence what we think of as right or wrong.

Stage 4 – Years 7 & 8: Being yourself
Stage 4 students will reflect on what it means to be yourself. Can we be different people in different contexts and is that necessarily a bad thing? They’ll explore the importance of self-expression and how being labelled can impact a person’s sense of self.
Each term brings new ideas and questions and we hope these topics spark thoughtful conversations at home as well!

@Home bulletin for parents Term 3 2024

Welcome to @Home for Term 3 2024, where we let families know what your children, from kindergarten into secondary school, could be exploring in their ethics lessons this term.

Subscribe here to receive our @Home email bulletin once a term.

We hope the students talk about ethics with you at home – ask them questions about it!

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: Disagreeing
Disagreements happen all the time, both big and small. In Term 3, our Kindergarten students will dive into the ethics of disagreeing with others. Is it okay to tell someone they’re wrong? Are there good and bad ways to voice disagreement? Our curriculum aims to help children think about their ideas and those of others. By listening to different viewpoints, especially ideas that challenge their own, students learn that respectful disagreement is an important part of learning together.
Later in the year, they’ll tackle topics like owning up and being truthful.

Stage 1 – Years 1 & 2: Being brave
In Term 3, our Stage 1 students will explore what it means to be brave. Can you be brave if you aren’t afraid or does being brave mean overcoming fear? They’ll also think about a special kind of courage – moral courage. When is it important to stand up for what we believe is right?
Later in the year, students will think about saying sorry and forgiving people.

Stage 2 – Years 3 & 4: Understanding diversity
In Term 3, our Stage 2 students will reflect on some big questions about cultural diversity. Why do different groups of people have different laws? Is it because they have different moral values or is something else going on? And is it fair that the punishments for crimes sometimes differ? For example, in Australia, we might fine someone for stealing, while in traditional Inuit culture, they might banish the person from the tribe.
Later in the year, students will reflect on whether we should always strive to avoid harming living things.

Stage 3 – Years 5 & 6: Getting ahead in sport
In Term 3, our Stage 3 students will discuss the ethics of sports and unfair advantages. Athletes use various methods to gain an edge, but what exactly counts as an unfair advantage? Is loading up on carbohydrates before a race fair? Drinking coffee? Training at special high-altitude camps? Wearing a special swimsuit? Or taking performance-enhancing drugs?
Later in the year, students will consider whether we can blame people for their actions when they have no other options.

Stage 4 – Years 7 & 8: Lizard people and fake news
The internet is full of all kinds of information, some of it quite strange. How important is it, therefore, to think carefully about what we believe? Why do so many people fall for conspiracy theories? Why might politicians spread fake news and does fake news harm democracy? Do media organisations have a duty to combat fake news? In Term 3, our Stage 4 students will dive into these questions, learning how to navigate the complex world of online information responsibly.
Later in the year, students will discuss the ethics of being ignored and whether it’s important to be true to oneself.