Flexible Arrangement of Curriculum Time

12-15% of lesson time should be allocated for GS (285 - 356 hours over three years).

There should be at least five 35-minute lessons per week for each year level.

In each key stage, schools should allocate 80% (228 - 285 hours) of GS lesson time to the core learning elements and 20% (57 - 71 hours) to diversified learning experiences.

Relevant examples could be found in the extended learning activities of each strand and exemplars on project learning.

Arrangement of Lesson time

• Diversified learning experiences, such as community talks, scientific inquiry activities, project learning and presentations can be scheduled to the double-lessons or extended double-lessons arranged in different modes (e.g. by week, month or semester).

• Schools can arrange a common period for all classes of the same year level for collaborative learning tasks and seminars.

The flexible curriculum framework of GS allows teachers to design different learning themes to foster integrative application of learning elements across different learning strands of GS, as well as the learning of other KLAs. Thus, the time allocated for each topic, theme or unit may vary due to the differences in the level of difficulty and content coverage. Yet, all the core learning elements of GS should be included in the school-based curriculum.

Teachers, when devising their schemes of work, should allocate sufficient time for projects learning, scientific investigations and STEM activities.

• the content is neutral so that students can differentiate between facts and opinions

• the content is commensurate with the cognitive abilities of the students

• the content enables students to understand the issue from multiple perspectives and its impact on society.

GS teachers guide students to differentiate between facts and opinions. They adopt open and neutral views and avoid dominating discussion. Meanwhile, teachers assist students to understand the background and associate the news with their prior knowledge and related concepts. Also, they guide students to formulate suggestions through a multiple-perspective thinking process.

Curriculum Planning, Management and Leadership Arrangement of Specific Learning Periods

When allocating lesson time to the KLAs/ subjects, including GS, school should attach importance to students’ needs and the vertical continuity of the curriculum. The flexible learning time (19%, that is, 451 hours in three years) can be used to enhance students’

learning experience. For example,

• To promote STEM education, school can organise activity days, such as ‘STEM Day’ and ‘Science and Technology Day’. Community resources could be tapped to provide life-wide learning activities for students.

• External resources could be tapped to support school-based moral and civic education activities and Basic Law education so as to strengthen students’

national identity.

Example 1

Theme: New Year customs of different ethnic groups

In view of students’ diverse ethnic backgrounds, the school assigns “New Year” as one of the learning themes to Primary One students. Besides the traditional customs of Chinese New Year, students are encouraged to gather relevant information of their home countries as an extended activity. The school arranges a New Year celebration event for students. Students dress in national costumes and send each other blessings.

They bring their family pictures and traditional food along to share with their schoolmates. Through discussions and organising information, students know more about each other and appreciate their culture. Students’ learning outcomes, such as assignments, information and comments, are categorised into a set of display work.

This activity can increase students’ understanding of customs of different ethnic groups.

Remarks: Students are reminded not to bring excessive food and bring along their own utensils to avoid wastage.

Example 2: GS Science Day – Arrangement for different learning levels

Example 3: Understanding the Basic Law through Games: A Learning Day

Every year, the school organises a Science Day when all classes participate in inquiry-based activities with particular themes.

Themes for science inquiry:

Primary 1: Telephone – Transmission of sound Primary 2: Toy gyroscope – Actions of forces

Primary 3: Skyscraper – Characteristics of common materials and their uses Primary 4: Kaleidoscope - Reflection of light

Primary 5: Helicopter – Action and reaction Primary 6: Forts – Uses of levers

Students are provided with worksheets and hands-on experiments of which they formulate hypotheses, record test results and suggest how to improve the effectiveness of their designs. Students also demonstrate their learning outcomes to their peers.

Teachers select stories, games and role-play activities from the “Let’s Learn the Basic Law: Basic Law Learning Package” and design game booths. All teachers and students enjoy learning under a relaxing atmosphere. Such cross-subject learning is not bound by formal lesson time. It helps develop positive values.

Curriculum Planning, Management and Leadership 1. When developing learning and teaching materials for GS, no matter in the form

of subject-based learning modules or cross-curricular learning themes, the content should be interesting and closely related to students’ everyday life, in order to cultivate students’ interest in natural environment and social issues.

2. GS adopts an integrative learning approach to devise thematic learning activities across six learning strands, which cover PSHE, SE, and TE KLAs.

3. When planning the GS curriculum, teachers can adopt different modes of curriculum organisation. They can integrate the core learning elements of different learning strands under particular themes and further integrate the core elements of other KLAs.

4. When implementing the curriculum plans in modules, teachers can adopt an integrative mode to help students construct knowledge. The learning content can be selected from more than one learning strand so that students can deepen their learning in a progressive manner and understand that knowledge from different stands is interrelated.

Reflection: Should GS be split into two subjects or more?

Points to note: