Primary NSW Board of Studies

Human Society and Its Environment

The following strands from the NSW HSIE syllabus have been linked with studying Mary MacKillop for students in Years 4 to 6 (Stages 2 and 3): Change and Continuity, Cultures, Social Systems and Structures.

Significant Events and People (Change and Continuity)

Students in Stage 2 will have opportunities to:

  • Ask questions and extract required details when searching a variety of information sources for details about the lives of people in the Sydney region, e.g. Mary MacKillop and the Sisters of Saint Joseph.

Students in Stage 3 will have opportunities to:

  • Critically investigate the contributions of events and people of significance to Australian heritage using a variety of primary and secondary sources, e.g. Mary MacKillop, Fr Julian Tenison Woods and the Sisters of Saint Joseph.

Time and Change (Change and Continuity)

Students in Stage 2 will have opportunities to:

  • Investigate aspects and versions of local history and the effects of change in the area, e.g. the arrival of Mary MacKillop and the Sisters of Saint Joseph in NSW.

Students in Stage 3 will have opportunities to:

  • Explore changes in the roles of men, women and children over time, e.g. the changing roles of the Sisters of Saint Joseph.
  • Construct sequences of events and periods using timelines, e.g. the life of Mary MacKillop and the history of the Sisters of Saint Joseph.

Teachers of Stage 2 students will:

  • Provide various sources to investigate local history, e.g. Mary MacKillop Place Museum, interviews, maps, photographs, oral recounts, Mary MacKillop’s letters and other historical documents.
  • Point out signs and places named after significant people in the community and provide opportunities to find out who they were and why they are valued, e.g. Mary MacKillop Place, North Sydney.
  • Provide opportunities for students to investigate work traditionally done by men and women and changes in theses traditions, e.g. Mary MacKillop’s challenges in being a leader and decision-maker.

Teachers of Stage 3 students will:

  • Provide opportunities to discuss important issues that affect all Australians, including the journey to reconciliation between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people, e.g. the Sisters of Saint Joseph’s ministries in Aboriginal communities.

Identities (Cultures)

Students in Stage 2 will have opportunities to:

  • Observe life in the community, looking for shared and diverse characteristics such as languages, spiritual beliefs, religions, traditions, customs and symbols, e.g. the spiritual beliefs, traditions, customs and symbols of the Catholic Church and the Sisters of Saint Joseph.

Students in Stage 3 will have opportunities to:

  • Investigate Australian characteristics, features and symbols that have been recognised both nationally and internationally, e.g. characteristics, features and symbols of the Sisters of Saint Joseph, the first Australian Order of Sisters.
  • Examine life in Australia for particular groups, e.g. refugees, Aboriginal people, religious groups (Sisters of Saint Joseph), ethnic groups.
  • Make connections between Aboriginal peoples today, the importance of the land and the impact of changes brought about in the last 200 years.

Cultural Diversity (Cultures)

Students in Stage 2 will have opportunities to:

  • Consider examples where individuals and groups are treated unfairly, e.g. Mary MacKillop’s challenges with being a leader and decision-maker and the work the Sisters of Saint Joseph do today helping the marginalised, refugees and asylum seekers.

Teachers of Stage 2 students will:

  • Provide opportunities for students to acquire information about significant people and entities of major world religions (Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism), e.g. Mary MacKillop and the Sisters of Saint Joseph in relation to the Australian Catholic Church.
  • Ensure that students acknowledge the value of heritage sites and understand why this area is valued, e.g. the significance of Mary MacKillop Place.
  • Provide opportunities for students to identify situations and policies where individuals and groups are/have been treated unfairly, e.g. Mary MacKillop’s challenges with being a leader and decision-maker and recognising current social justice issues.

Teachers of Stage 3 students will:

  • Provide opportunities for students to talk about ‘Australian icons’ and what this term means.

Roles, Rights and Responsibilities (Social Systems and Structures)

Students in Stage 2 will have the opportunities to:

  • Explore avenues, both formal and informal, for improving community life, including through local government agencies and procedures, e.g. raising awareness and responding to helping those in need.

Students in Stage 3 will have the opportunities to:

  • Identify, through a variety of media, situations where civic action has led to the improvement of community living, e.g. Mary MacKillop said, ‘Never see a need without doing something about it.’
  • Accept responsibility for being involved in their community.

Teachers of Stage 2 students will:

  • Provide students with opportunities to obtain information about different kinds of community organisations and systems that provide for needs and wants, pointing out the importance of both paid and unpaid workers in the community, e.g. the Sisters of Saint Joseph’s work in the community, volunteers at Mary MacKillop Place Museum and Josephite organisations, such as, Josephite Community Aid.
  • Encourage responsible attitudes towards civic action, stressing the responsibility of all citizens to contribute to their community.

Teachers of Stage 3 students will:

  • Draw attention to the meanings of terms such as ‘discrimination’, ‘equality’ and ‘fairness’, and provide opportunities to consider these terms in relation to possible conflicts and solutions.
  • Draw attention to global and Australian human rights issues, how they are addressed and when there are abuses of human rights.
  • Provide opportunities for students to show concern for the welfare, rights and dignity of all people by contributing to school-based activities and the work of community organisations, e.g. visiting nursing homes, raising funds for those in need.

English

Students will enhance their learning about Mary MacKillop through a wide variety of talking, listening, reading and writing experiences.

The following literary and factual text types can be used in the classroom while studying Mary MacKillop, the Sisters of Saint Joseph or a current theme, e.g. human rights, social justice etc.

  • Literary Recount
  • Observation
  • Literary Description
  • Personal Response
  • Review
  • Factual Description
  • Information Report
  • Factual Recount
  • Exposition
  • Discussion

Personal Development

The NSW PDHPE K-6 syllabus may also be linked with students’ learning about Mary MacKillop and the Sisters of Saint Joseph.

The following stage statements from the Personal Development area are connected with many aspects of Mary’s life and her motto, ‘Never see a need without doing something about it.’

Stage 2 Students

Explain how positive relationships are developed and participate in group situations, showing consideration for the needs, rights and feelings of others.

Stage 3 Students

Identify their roles and responsibilities within groups and are increasingly able to resolve conflict and communicate effectively with others. Students are developing more advanced skills for establishing and maintaining positive and caring relationships. They increasingly value the qualities of empathy and respect in relationships.

Creative Arts

Educators may provide students with a variety of creative learning environments and experiences from the NSW Creative Arts K-6 syllabus.

Students can reflect on their experiences, interpret and represent their ideas through visual arts, music, dance and drama.

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