Zac Rutledge

1. Junior Curriculum Learning at THS Zac Rutledge

2. Junior Curriculum Learning at THS What questions do you have? Write a question on a post-it and stick it to the board. Student work from an Art and Mathematics collaboration

3. THS graduate profile • Courageous • Curious • Critical • Connected • Communicative • Collaborative • Creative

4. What does life look like in the junior school at THS? • Jump into a students’ footsteps and re-live your choices as if you were Year 9 in 2019…

5. OMG! In Year 9 Mathematics, students are: Constructing and describing simple loci. Defining and using transformations such as rotation and reflection. Big Idea This kete is about finding out about different religions, what they have in common, and what the best bits are. The symbols of every religion are very well described by mathematics. You’ll be critically thinking about what would make an ideal religion and presenting your ideas to your peers In Year 9 Social Studies, students are:Undertaking enquiries in order to understand how the ideas and actions of people in the past have had a significant impact on people’s lives.

6. Inspire: Learn the research roadmap by investigating the Ratana Church as a class. As a part of this, you’ll investigate the geometry of the Ratana symbol and learn how to describe and construct it. We’ll also be spending some time discussing the importance of showing respect for other peoples beliefs and cultures. Research: Practice using the enquiry cycle by investing one religion from the list. You’ll report back to your group so you can pool information about a variety of religions. You’ll need to be able to describe the symbol and instruct others on how to draw it. Learning Journey Challenge: Find and investigate a religion that’s interesting to you. Investigate the geometry of it’s symbols. Interview a member of that religion. Create: Synthesise the results from your enquiries and create an ideal religion of your own. You’ll present your religion to our class and try to gain converts for your church.

7. Laser Cut Puzzle Making

8. Laser Cutting Kete Dream: Reflect on your final product and dream about what you could do with more time or resource. Create: Use the skills you’ve developed to design and create your best puzzle. Challenges: Participate in a series of challenges designed to deepen your thinking and use your mistakes to enhance your models. Inspire: Try doing a range of different puzzles. Cut something out on the laser cutter. Research: What kinds of laser cut products and puzzles are there? What can a laser cutter do?

9. How do we plan a year? • Flexibility at the whole program planning stage. • Identify where LO’s might be repeated. • Identify where there is the opportunity to have all students meet particular Los. • Identify what LO’s need to be met in the core classes.

10. Does it work? • Yes! • and no… • Some definite successes: • English – Most students showing ACCELERATED progress. • Statistics – Students much better prepared. • Engagement – students working right to the end of term and year.

11. What are we doing to improve? Taking and responding to feedback from students, community, and teachers. Working on liasing with primary schools around student transition • In the most recent student feedback last week: • 70 responses from around 160 students. • Favourite classes are the HIP classes. “Fun” came up a lot, mainly because students were saying they were working in an area of interest. • Kete classes can be hard to know where to be/what you’re supposed to be learning. • Core classes – single subjects is easy to know what you’re working on. But… this is also where the word “boring” crept in.

12. Key Takeouts • If it’s happening in your school, make sure you’re involved in the planning and implementation. • Know how it’s going to work before it happens. Have a clear plan and stick to it. • It can be really enjoyable – make the most of the opportunity.