Our school Curriculum is based on the Australian Curriculum (F-10).
Philosophy
At CHSS every child has regular philosophy lessons. Teachers facilitate lessons with the goal of developing complex and reasoned thinking in every child.
Philosophy promotes students to:
- think critically
- be focussed and complex questioners
- be critical and respectful listeners
- be thoughtful and reasoned speakers and thinkers
- be intellectually co-operative
- explore disagreement constructively
- challenge ideas
- be open to possibilities and alternatives
- recognise and articulate reasoned judgements.
Our Philosophical approach is grounded in the understanding that Philosophical thinking has practical, useful application to every day life and learning.
Carers are invited to attend regular parent workshops to improve their own Philosophy skills and understand the approach used with their children.
Literacy
Acquiring literacy is a top priority at Cannon Hill. Our school has invested in the best resources to ensure that our students have access to interesting materials at their own level.
The school subscribes to three web-based Literacy programs: Lexia, Reading Plus, and Literacy Pro. Depending on their year level, students work through these programs during their years at Cannon Hill State School.
Home reading is an integral part of the Early Childhood Program and continues throughout the school as appropriate. The school library has an excellent collection of fiction and non-fiction books and students are encouraged to borrow as often as they wish. The Internet and computer-based materials are readily accessed by the children. Progress in literacy is monitored regularly and students are included in special programs as soon as any concerns arise.
Numeracy
Our students become numerate as they develop the knowledge and skills to use Mathematics confidently both in the mathematics classroom and across other learning areas at school. Investigations provide opportunities for students to apply these general skills in a wide range of familiar and unfamiliar situations.
Language Studies
Italian is our Languages Other Than English (LOTE) subject. Lessons commence in Prep and continue through to the end of Year 6 with increasing amounts of lesson time in each year level.
Our enthusiastic Italian teacher provides a rich language and cultural experience including Italian Day Celebrations (UnaGionartaFantastica!) and cooking. Through these experiences we are committed to ensuring that every child is developing their potential in language and learning to understand another culture.
Classroom Music
Students in all year levels engage in weekly music lessons with a specialist Music teacher. Lessons are sequenced and over the course of their music education students develop knowledge and skills in music notation, beat and rhythm, harmony, singing and playing, listening, analysis, form and structure, and melody.
Every child in the school comes to music with their class for an hour (or two half hours) per week. The P-2 children learn songs and chants and music games, and learn to play percussion instruments (such as finger cymbals, hand drums, rain shakers, etc). They also begin to learn about reading and writing rhythms and melodies using traditional music notation, as well as making music visible in non-traditional ways.
The year 3-6 children learn to play xylophones and drums. They play songs composed for these instruments and they also learn to improvise and create their own melodies and ostinato patterns.
The school offers the students an opportunity to participate in choirs and music ensembles.
There are five specialized music ensembles that rehearse weekly and perform regularly at assembly. They work all year to prepare for our school's annual big music concert, 'La Serata Musicale', and our annual big end of year celebration, 'Best of'.
Our music ensembles are:
Bimbi Voices (Year 1 choir)
Piccoli Voices (Year 2 choir)
Show Choir (Years 3-6 auditioned choir)
CHSS Band (Year 4-6 instrumental students0
Music Extension Percussion Ensemble (Years 5 and 6 auditioned ensemble).
We also run a co-Curricular Instrumental Music Program, and have several piano teachers as well as a guitar teacher who offer lessons during school time on a user-pays basis. More information on these options is available via the School Office.
Physical Education
Our Physical Education (PE) Specialist conducts lessons with each class every week.
In terms 1 and 4 (the Summer months), all children in years Prep to 6 participate in weekly swimming lessons supported by an additional qualified teacher. The swimming program is an important part of the Health and Physical Education Curriculum, and all students are obliged to attend. Students are required to bring a note from their parents to explain the circumstances if they are, for some reason, not able to swim during their PE lesson.
In terms 2 and 3 the PE specialist provides weekly lessons for all children. Lessons cover a range of areas to suit age and ability. This program focusses on the development of a range of physical skills including: athletics, ball games, motor development, team work, co-operation in a variety of sports. Often specialists are invited to come into the school to work with our students.