Social Studies Achievement Report

ST MICHAELS SCHOOL
ACHIEVEMENT REPORT - JULY 2004
SOCIAL STUDIES

"Social studies helps students to understand their world and gives them the skills and knowledge to play their part in society" Social Studies in the New Zealand Curriulum

Background
When an integrated unit is planned teachers look at what they want the children to learn and include appropriate achievement objectives from the New Zealand Curriculum Statements. If it is apparent that some of the learning ties into Social Studies then the achievement objectives that met that learning outcome are included in the unit.
Term two's unit, Inspiring People, looked at what attributes help make a leader, the role of a leader and the concept that we are all leaders. Achievement objectives from the Social Organisation strand were used:

L1 Students will demonstrate knowledge and understandings of the different roles people fulfil within groups
L2 Students will demonstrate knowledge and understandings of how participation within groups involves both responsibilities and rights.
L3 Students will demonstrate knowledge and understandings of how leadership of groups is acquired and exercised.
L4 Students will demonstrate knowledge and understandings of how people organise themselves in response to challenge and crisis

Method
During the ten week unit children explored models of leadership, talked to leaders in the school and local community and identified leaders through time and place. At the end of the unit children were assessed according to the assessment criteria set down for each level.

Results
Due to the composite classes teachers teach at more than one curriculum level. The results therefore have been graphed in three bands - Level1/2, Level 2/3 and Level 3/4. The children in room eight work only on level one. Their results are included in the level 1/2 graph.

Findings
Children working at level one and two have a greater number in the achieved and achieved with excellence area. One of the reasons for the higher success was that the assessment task focused on people that they knew from within the school and local community - they had meet them and had first hand experience about who they were and what they did. Practical experiences tend to enhance the learning process.
The senior students (level 3/4) assessment task focused on global leaders, both past and present, who, through their actions, attitudes, inventions or creations have made a difference to the lives of others. This higher order thinking task, making the link from what an individual had achieved to the impact that it had globally was a challenge for many students. The assessment for the senior students also incorporated self management skills. which some children found difficult.

Conclusions and Recommendations
" Practical experiences help consolidate learning and should continue to be included as often as possible in planning and teaching.
" In the senior school the reading programme has a focus on processing and interpreting information and ideas. Over time it is hoped that the continuation of this will help children develop more sophisticated thinking process
" Explore ways to develop a thinking skills focus school wide. As it is an identified need look at it as a starting point for an integrated unit.
" Self management of tasks needs to continually be reinforced and practiced by students. Opportunities to do this need to be planned for.

St Michael's Catholic Primary School
3 Cooper St, Taita, Lower Hutt City, New Zealand.
Ph (04) 567 1514