our online homeschool curriculum

Equivalent school years:

Australian years 1 / New Zealand years 1-2

Module Names:

Foundation modules 1-10 (first full uninterrupted year at school)

Demo videos

Maths

This level begins at the very foundation with the understanding of numbers up to 100. What they look like, how to write them and a concept of size. Practical resources such as counters and beads are used to introduce counting forwards and backwards in sequential order. Once able to recognise and read two-digit numbers then basic addition and subtraction are introduced with the use of tens frames. The introduction of pattern comes through musical poems with drum beats to emphasise counting in 2’s, 3’s and 5’s. This is then followed by grouping numbers into sets and sharing counters equally between friends. Basic shape recognition and measuring are also covered

English

This level introduces numerals and the letters of the alphabet written in both upper and lower case. These are learned through story, song, poem and movement and practiced in sand trays and on chalk boards prior to being written in books. There is emphasis on the phonetic sounds of each letter and how those sounds combine into simple blend combinations. Once the sounds have been learned, they are then combined into diagraph blends (sh, th, ch etc) and simple rhyming consonant – vowel – consonant (CVC) words are introduced (cat, mat, fat). Pencil grip, letter sizing and correct spacing are also covered. Early reading is learned through this writing method as the child reads back the words they are learning.

The Arts

All subjects are delivered with an artistic approach to learning. Stories are told and pictures, paintings and models are created to retell the story by the children. Daily movement activities balance the body and awaken the brain and poems are learned by heart to build memory capacity and clear drama speech. There are daily music lessons, beginning with rhythm and beat patterns before the introduction of the recorder instrument.

Science

In the early years the focus for science is around observation of the natural world. This includes things such as the weather, seasons, insects, animals and plants. There is no formal science instruction at this age, more a growing awareness of phenomena around the children and the ability to ask questions and draw conclusions.

Language

The majority of the course is delivered in English, however basic greetings, instructions, directions, simple words and praise are also delivered in Te Reo Maori and New Zealand Sign Language. In the early years, this is done primarily through song.

Equivalent school years:

Australian years 2 / New Zealand year 3

Module Names:

Foundation modules 11-20 (second year at school)

Demo videos

Maths

Numbers now increase a place value to include up to 1000. The four processes of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division become more formed and reflect these larger numbers. Doubling and halving numbers in 10’s are introduced along with skip counting and using tidy tens strategies. The measurement and geometry strands are more formally introduced with comparisons of sizes, weights, lengths and shapes. These are also used for pattern identification. Tactile resources are still used for all maths concepts.

English

Continuing on from the previous year, the class now have an understanding of how to form all the numerals up to 100, and how to write the upper and lower case alphabet letters independently. They can hear a sound and form a letter to match and use that phonetic method to spell out unfamiliar words. These words (CVC, CCVC, CVCC and CCVCC) can then be formed into simple sentences with capital letters and full stops. The child can now generate some of their own writing from stories told in class, and understands the use of capital letters for familiar proper nouns. Sentences now contain correct noun and verb relationships. Reading is becoming more prevalent as the child read’s back the stories they are writing.

The Arts

All subjects are delivered with an artistic approach to learning. Stories are told and pictures, paintings and models are created to retell the story by the children. Daily movement activities balance the body and awaken the brain and poems are learned by heart to build memory capacity and clear drama speech. There are daily music lessons, beginning with rhythm and beat patterns before the introduction of the recorder instrument.

Science

Phenomena of the natural world is still the focus of science at this level. Developing powers of observation for the world surrounding the child and for them to begin to question why, how, who and where. This then leads to the formation of conclusions as to how things have come to be and how they interact and connect with one another. There is a focus on kaitiakatanga and a respect for the natural environment and all who inhabit it.

Equivalent school years:

Australian years 3 / New Zealand year 4

Module Names:

Foundation modules 21-30

Demo videos

Maths

Introducing the next place value to include up to 10,000. Times tables 2,3,4,5 and 10 are learned through song, poem and movement to form random recall abilities. There are a number of horizontal strategies taught to consolidate addition, subtraction, multiplication and early division comprehension. An emphasis on measurement occurs this year particularly around cooking and building. Tactile resources are used in combination with more written work. A considerable amount of time is spent during the first three years with becoming comfortable with numbers and working with them in a multitude of ways so many concepts are repetitive to allow for memory to develop.

English

By this stage the child is now confident in writing legibly and fluently with well-formed, even letters that are spaced appropriately. There is now a focus on combining and grouping thoughts into paragraphs and sequencing of stories with appropriate beginning, middle and ending to the writing and the inclusion on connective words. There is an increasing knowledge of the spelling of common high frequency words and a clear pattern in phonetically spelling out unfamiliar words using spelling rules. An introduction to simple, compound and complex sentences is now formally introduced as is the inclusion of pronouns, adjectives and adverbs to include more content and precise vocabulary. Reading has expanded to include simple books that contain many phonetically sounding words to encourage comprehension without frustration. Story books are used to supplement the lesson in class and provide further information.

The Arts

Drama, art and music are becoming more refined now. The poems being learned and recited by memory are longer and contain more complex vocabulary and they are often paired with complicated movement patterns. Music has introduced more notes on the recorder and the child now has a large repertoire of songs which they can play by ear. The drawings, paintings and models have become more delicate and contain more detail. There is more emphasis on shading, colour combining and size and scale of pictures.

Science

At this early stage, the main focus is in formation of the powers of observation in the natural world. Now this extends to the physical world and to other phenomena. There is a focus on cooking and on the transformation of substances. Experimentation is introduced along with the concept of how altering inputs, the output is changed (if I do this.. then what will happen to that..)

Equivalent school years:

Australian years 4 / New Zealand year 5

Module Names:

Modules 1-10

Demo videos

Maths

This year begins with a recap of the base foundations before it introduces vertical strategies for each of the four processes. Division is explored in depth and multi-step word equations are introduced that require a combination of the process in order to solve. The topics of money, time and fractions are all learned this year and there is focus on being able to apply the addition and subtraction strategies to both whole and part numbers checking work with reverse operations. Geometry is introduced along with further work on measurement and patterns. Multiplication works to extend the basic recall of the twelve times tables.

English

By now the student is confident is writing independently and the majority of their stories are spelled correctly. There is the introduction of dictionary and thesaurus resources to assist with more complex spelling. The writing is formed in paragraphs and contains a variety of sentence formations, and sentence beginnings. The writing now becomes more focused and targeted on containing content completely relevant to the topic and parts of speech and complex punctuation are introduced. There is a focus on writing from varying points of view in first and third person speech and in past, present and future tenses. There is awareness now to engage the reader. Daily spelling lessons teach the formal spelling rules in depth and lessons on linked handwriting are provided.

The Arts

All subjects continue to be delivered in an artistic way. Stories are told and poems, songs and movements are learned to accompany them. The curriculum is connected so if the topic being studied is Geography for example, then the arts will reflect that topic. The songs and poems will be about Geography and the stories, paintings and models will also reflect the subject being experienced. The students are now more independent in their learning and the arts reflect this. There are finer details added to enhance the realism of the pictures and the use of layers and shading to bring in more colour and texture. Small drama plays are written and performed and the vocabulary is extended through complex drama pieces. Music theory is now introduced along with the terminology that accompanies that (quavers, semi quavers, sharp and flat notes, timing)

Science

The focus this year is on the Living World strand of the curriculum. It delves deeply into the animal, insect and bird kingdoms and begins to use the more formal science vocabulary of habitats, adaptations and life cycles. There is a connected link through to local geography and some in-depth studies of the environment and the impacts upon it. Previous knowledge of observation skills and an understanding of kaitiakitanga sets the children up to be able to conduct detailed investigative studies independently and begin to draw conclusions.

Equivalent school years:

Australian years 5 / New Zealand year 6

Module Names:

Modules 10-20

Demo videos

Maths

Fractions are revisited this year and then extended into decimals and early percentages. The four processes are again consolidated, but this time with larger numbers up to 1,000,000. By now the students are confident and comfortable solving varied multi-step equations and can apply the necessary steps and techniques to find the answer. They move between multiple strategies using the one that best suits the problem. The beginning of statistics introducing data collection, tables and diagrams occurs as does the next level of geometry and mapping. There is considerable work in switching between whole and part numbers and inverse operations to check answers.

English

There is a focus now to utilise research based books to provide detailed content and information to support the learning in class. The student is now confident in forming independent writing that is grammatically correct, is formed into a variety of sentences structures and paragraphs and is spelled correctly the majority of the time. Planning is now a major part of the writing prior to beginning the task and ideas are grouped and researched according to relevance. They are comfortable using direct, indirect and reported speech and can write with an increasing breadth and content on a wider range of topics.

The Arts

As with previous years, there is a continuation of all the arts in every subject. The students continue to draw, paint and sculpt images from the stories told. This year has a large ancient history component and there are ample opportunities to explore the forms and structures from the different epochs (India, Egypt, Persia, Greece and Rome). Music continues to progress, with the students beginning to add harmonies to the songs to overlay the melodies. Written music theory continues with the emphasis on songs becoming more complex. Drama and the recitation of long poems committed to memory and containing unfamiliar vocabulary is continued.

Science

Botany is the main focus this year. The last of the natural phenomena to be studied deeply before the physical phenomena of physics and chemistry are introduced next year. The plant world and its connection to humans and the life force of the earth are themes running through this year. The water cycles, and cycles of photosynthesis along with an introduction to astronomy will lead into geology. The connections between the plant and animal worlds and the similarities in life cycles and habitat requirements are also a part of this years science. The continuation of observation skills along with questioning and investigating is a key focus.

Equivalent school years:

Australian years 6 / New Zealand year 7

Module Names:

Modules 20-30 (first year at Intermediate school)

Demo videos

Maths

With a good grasp of the four processes and the ability to move seamlessly between them, along with familiarity in working with both whole and part numbers, it’s now time to apply all the knowledge to real-life situations. Statistics is now reflected through a Commercial Maths project and used to track expenses, profits and loss, GST and investment. The percentages learning is extended to incorporate banking and debt cycles and applied to real-world situations. Tax is investigated along with compound interest and the role of money in modern society. Alongside this is a brief foray into alternative money systems and their role in society. Geometry continues to build upon previous knowledge and alongside a proficient use of a compass comes the protractor and understanding angles and movement out of two dimensional and into three-dimensional shapes. The foundations for Algebra are uncovered, ready to be explored more in-depth in the coming year.

English

The focus this year is to bring about awareness of persuasive writing and emotive language. The point is to understand the author's intention and for the author to sway the audience toward a particular outcome. The writing has moved beyond the retelling of stories, from earlier years and further still beyond instructional writing. The ability to persuade leads also into explanatory writing. Being able to explain one’s position clearly and project it out to the audience using a valid argument takes writing to a new level. The student now owns their opinions and wishes to express them in a concise manner. Having already learned how to construct writing using a variety of sentences, paragraphs, descriptive writing and correct punctuation and grammar, this is the next level to aspire to. These history topics include; Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire, Rise of Christianity and Islam and the Middle Ages, provide plenty of story fodder for the students to take sides and express their opinions in ink.

The Arts

Art is still an important aspect of the learning, only now, it is developing into the student’s individual expression of creativity. Previous years have exposed the students to a variety of techniques and methods and now with that practice and confidence, the students can begin to explore their own art and allow it to form as they see it. There is a movement towards black and white shading to add depth to the art and the opportunity to develop Geometry into a sacred art form. Handwork continues to play a role, and the ability to visualise a formed end product, create a 2D pattern from that image and then hand sew that pattern into a finished 3D object utilising maths skills, visual arts and fine motor skills are quite the challenge.

Science

Class 6 is heavily weighted toward the sciences. From Geology, Mineralogy and Astronomy to Physics, it’s all covered. There is a natural stepping away now from the largely historical content of the curriculum and into the science laden world of facts and discovery as we follow the natural progression of human evolution through the past 10,000 years since modern civilisation began. Physics includes; light, sound, electricity, magnetism and heat. Students are not taught existing theories, and are instead encouraged to observe the phenomena taking place and draw their own conclusions based on their findings.

Equivalent school years:

Australian years 7 / New Zealand year 8

Module Names:

Modules 30-40

Demo videos

Maths

With a good grasp of the four processes and the ability to move seamlessly between them, along with familiarity in working with both whole and part numbers, it’s now time to discover cause and effect. The students have the opportunity to explore ‘Algebra’ and the secret codes that unlock its mystery. There is also the exploration into how numbers multiply themselves and, conversely, to find what lies beyond zero. This is the time to understand some of the universal laws that govern the world of mathematical formulae. Geometry evolves now into 3D perspective drawing and measurement refines down to more intricate sizes. Statistics remains and time is spent consolidating earlier knowledge of graphs and how to select meaningful data sets that will provide actual solutions to world relevant problems. More attention is paid to the interpretation of data and of how to draw multiple conclusions to meet varying viewpoints.

English

The history topics including; The Age of Discovery, The Renaissance and the beginnings of The Reformation provide plenty of story fodder for the students to take sides and express their opinions in ink, solidifying the work undertaken last year on persuasive writing. Students have now had a great deal of exposure to the wide range of writing styles (recount, descriptive, explanatory, informative, predictive, persuasive and narrative) and can now choose the most appropriate style to present their work in. Time is spent editing these pieces of work well and reinforcing the principles of structure, form, grammar and punctuation. This is deepened by the study of Wish, Wonder and Surprise which emphasises how to express one’s thoughts and feelings, both spoken and written, in an articulate way. Time is spent on the seven types of figurative language including; metaphor, hyperbole, alliteration, simile, onomatopoeia, personification and oxymoron. This lends itself nicely to a wonderful creative writing module. Reports and essay styled writing feature more this year in preparation for a deeper delve next year.

The Arts

An artistic component is inherent in the majority of lessons and activities. The students have been guided for many years now on techniques and are ready to become masters of their own creations, more from their own viewpoints than from following teacher modelling. There is further opportunity to develop their use of colour and perspective, along with shadowing and playing with light. The Arts includes paint, charcoal and pencil along with expression through speech, drama, music and dance. While dance and drama aren’t easily participated in through online programs, there is opportunity for poetry and the chance to learn large pieces of recitation. Students are encouraged to present their work in unique ways and encouraged to try song, dance, movies and drama as a way to report back their findings to their peers as an alternative to a written composition.

Science

Class 7 continues to place emphasis on the sciences and builds further upon the exposure to scientific concepts presented in previous years. Physics is taken deeper with the next stage of Optics, Acoustics, Heat, Magnetism and Electricity and now added to this is the introduction of Chemistry, with particular focus on combustion, acids, bases and the generation of oxygen from plant life. Again, as with previous years, the students are encouraged to draw their own conclusions based on their individual observations in order to form an opinion. The second part of Astronomy features this year and delves deeper into the astronomers responsible for a large proportion of our thinking today alongside newer theories being presented in modern science. The study of Mechanics (levers and pulleys) has its first appearance during this class and will be built upon in subsequent years. Human Physiology is an important topic studied that encompasses more than just the systems of the human body, but also the health and nutritional aspects of maintaining an optimally functioning body. This is combined with a Biology section on herbs and plants that ties in with the Renaissance studies and the use of plant medicine by early physicians.

Equivalent school years:

Australian years 8 & 9 / New Zealand year 9 & 10

Module Names:

Teens Modules 1-20

Demo videos

Overview

This Junior Secondary program is designed to cater for students in their first two years of Secondary schooling. At the completion of Classes 8 & 9 the students will be academically prepared to enter a variety of educational options including; enrolling in a regular school to complete their NCEA qualifications, enrolling in an online correspondence school (such as Te Kura, which is free for 16-year-olds upwards) for NCEA, bridging courses at Polytechnics, apprenticeships and other such options. This course is also aligned with the Australian education system at the same level. Classes 8 & 9 differ slightly from the earlier years in Functional Education that have followed a purposefully designed sequence of learning providing a strong rhythm and routine. These classes, aimed at the teenagers, still contain rhythm and routine, but in a way designed to more accurately meet the needs of this age group. The Functional Education program has been designed to begin the early educational years (ages 5-8) with a strong parent/teacher led presence to develop a firm foundation upon which to grow independent learners. Over time the control and responsibility gradually handed from the parent over towards the student. Now we have arrived at the tail end of the program (ages 13-15) where the learning is largely student led with a strong emphasis on flexibility, independence and the ability to direct the course of learning into areas of interest for the student for maximum engagement and enjoyment. Teenagers often crave the ability to work in groups and in an environment with live interaction to have robust discussions with peers. Our Junior Secondary program has been designed specifically with this in mind. There are three live online classroom sessions per week to allow for explicit teaching, discussion, shared ideas, cooperation and collaboration, feedback and group projects. If students prefer to learn independently at home without this component, that is also an option. We have spent two years trialling, moulding and shaping this program with a group of pioneering teenagers before bringing it to you. We know they loved the topics and helped form it into something other teenagers would engage with.

Project Based Learning

The world is a rapidly changing and ever developing environment. The jobs our children are being educated to move into may not have even been created yet. The speed of technological and AI advancements by far outpace the speed at which we can train teachers, write and deliver curriculum in classrooms to keep up with the skills that will be required in the workforce. But this is a good thing. It frees us up from having to rote learn, remember and regurgitate vast amounts of content. The focus can now be on developing the Executive Function skills that can be universally applied to the vast array of new work opportunities heading the way of our learners. Projects will cover subject areas including: Geography, History, Science, Technology, Media Studies, Arts, Maths, Economics and Health.

English and Maths

Alongside the Project Based Learning we are offering an optional program in English and Maths. These classes are designed to provide a steady rhythm and routine to the daily lessons and build up the required skills for the Junior Secondary age group who are preparing to head into further academic learning in the future that requires NCEA (or Australian equivalent) levels. We have chosen to use Sigma Publications as our work book provider for both the English and Maths component of our program. This is a New Zealand based company producing Ministry of Education approved resources for this age group. Their workbooks can be purchased as a hard copy or as a digital, write upon version. https://sigmapublications.co.nz/ Maths instruction will be delivered using both their ‘On Track’ and ‘Fast Track’ Level 1 & 2 maths workbooks (in separate videos). Students who are achieving AT their expected age level will follow the ‘On Track’ books and students who are achieving ABOVE their age level will follow the ‘Fast Track’ books. English instruction will be delivered using the ‘Action English’ levels 7 & 8. Daily instructional videos will be available that have been pre-recorded and explain how to complete the days exercises. The students will use the videos to understand the concept and then complete the worksheet in the book in their own time. The workbooks are designed, that after completion, the students are prepared enter a NCEA class at the correct skill level.

Grammar, Logic, Rhetoric, Music Appreciation

From January 2024, we are including 4 new subjects in the Teens course: Grammar, Logic, Rhetoric, and Music Appreciation. These subjects are an essential part of developing a well-rounded education, and we're excited to offer these new subjects as part of our class 8 & 9 program.