The following resources have been developed to support teachers to implement the F–10 Health and Physical Education curriculum.
This
series of learning modules has been produced to support schools and teachers in their understanding of the Victorian Curriculum F–10 and to assist in the planning, implementation and assessment of F–6 Health and Physical Education.
Teachers can work through the four modules at their own pace. Each module begins with an introduction to the topic, followed by two or more video presentations and a resources page with links to readings and other third-party resources. Some modules have a non-compulsory quiz to test your knowledge and understanding.
We encourage primary schools and HPE teachers to explore these targeted resources, either completing each module sequentially or selecting those that are most appropriate to their professional learning needs.
Development of knowledge and skills relating to survival swimming and basic water safety can significantly reduce a child’s drowning risk and enhance community safety. By Level 6, it is anticipated that students should be able to demonstrate the knowledge and skills identified in the Victorian Water Safety Certificate. The
Victorian Water Safety Certificate is a Victorian Government initiative describes the knowledge and skills to enable students to safely enjoy water based activities in calm and shallow aquatic environments. The Victorian Water Safety Certificate focuses on water safety knowledge, rescue skills, survival sequences and the ability to swim a continuous distance of 50 meters.
The Health and Physical Education Curriculum contains knowledge and skills related the development of swimming skills and water safety knowledge described in the Victorian Water Safety Certificate. In conjunction with Life Saving Victoria, the
progression of swimming and water safety in the Victorian Curriculum has been aligned to the National Swimming and Water Safety Framework to provide schools and teachers with a clear picture of the skills and knowledge students should develop across Levels F–10. A range of sample activities for F–10 has been provided to assist schools to incorporate swimming and water safety into their teaching and learning program.
Sample swimming and water safety activities
The sample swimming and water safety activities have been developed to support teachers to identify the content descriptors, focus areas and achievement standards where swimming and water safety could be included within a health and physical education teaching and learning program. These sample activities aim to provide teachers with ideas for teaching and learning and assessment strategies, they are not intended to be prescriptive. The sample activities have been colour coded to identify activities that can be conducted in a classroom and to identify those that are water-based.
Swimming and water safety Foundation Level
Swimming and water safety Level 2
Swimming and water safety Level 4
Swimming and water safety Level 6
Swimming and water safety Level 8
Swimming and water safety Level 10
Cross-curriculum resources
This resource will help teachers and schools identify strong links between Health and Physical Education and the capabilities. It will also help teachers design learning activities.
The resource assumes familiarity with the Health and Physical Education curriculum. It links aspects of this curriculum with Ethical Capability, Critical and Creative Thinking, Intercultural Capability and Personal and Social Capability.
Note: It is a school decision as to which capabilities are linked to which learning area(s). To help support these decisions, this resource provides general advice on teaching and assessment, as well as specific illustrative advice related to Health and Physical Education.
Why link learning in Health and Physical Education to a capability?
The knowledge and skills learnt through the capabilities are highly transferable across learning areas and are applicable throughout schooling and in later life.
The capabilities support Health and Physical Education in:
- the development of health literacy and critical inquiry
- helping students become resilient and make decisions and take actions to promote their health, safety and physical activity participation.
Identifying a strong link between a capability and Health and Physical Education supports learning in both curriculum areas. There is strong justification to link a learning area and a capability in instances where:
- knowledge and skills taught in a capability would deepen students’ understanding of particular knowledge and skills in the learning area
- the learning area would provide context, background knowledge and other skills for the development of the capability.
How do we find strong links between Health and Physical Education and the capabilities?
Looking over each capabilities curriculum, we can see broad links between the strands in different capabilities and in aspects of various strands and sub-strands of the Health and Physical Education curriculum.
Linking the Personal and Social Capability strands to Health and Physical Education
Personal and Social Capability consists of two interrelated strands. The table below provides an overview of each strand and how it links to Health and Physical Education.
Self-Awareness and Management
Develop the knowledge and skills to regulate, manage and monitor their emotions and interpret and assess their personal characteristics in the context of development of resilience
Health and Physical Education and Personal and Social Capability mutually support students to …
develop knowledge and skills that support resilience, recognition and expression of emotions, working independently and showing initiative
Social Awareness and Management
Learn to participate in positive, safe and respectful relationships; critique societal constructs and discrimination; and negotiate with others and work collaboratively
Health and Physical Education and Personal and Social Capability mutually support students to …
develop skills for collaborative problem-solving and positive, safe and respectful relationships; and plan, implement and evaluate strategies used to develop positive interactions with the built and natural environment within a community
Linking the Critical and Creative Thinking strands to Health and Physical Education
Critical and Creative Thinking consists of three interrelated strands. The table below provides an overview of each strand and how it links to Health and Physical Education.
Questions and Possibilities
Explore the nature of questioning and a range of processes and techniques to develop ideas
Health and Physical Education and Critical and Creative Thinking mutually support students to …
construct effective questions to support decision-making and learn and apply techniques to generate solutions to movement challenges
Reasoning
Explore how to compose, analyse and evaluate arguments and reasoning
Health and Physical Education and Critical and Creative Thinking mutually support students to …
research, analyse and evaluate health information and responses to health-related questions; and develop, analyse and evaluate decisions and actions in health, physical activity, safety and wellbeing situations
Meta-Cognition
Explore the use of strategies to understand, manage and reflect on thinking, problem-solving and learning processes
Health and Physical Education and Critical and Creative Thinking mutually support students to …
manage their learning, thinking and problem-solving to devise strategies and solutions and make informed contributions
Linking the Ethical Capability strands to Health and Physical Education
Ethical Capability consists of two interrelated strands. The table below provides an overview of each strand and how it links to Health and Physical Education.
Understanding Concepts
Understanding and applying key concepts and ideas concerned with ethical issues, outcomes, principles and values
Health and Physical Education and Ethical Capability mutually support students to …
identify and analyse how ethical concepts such as respect and fair play can be applied through the rules and scoring systems associated with a range of physical activities; analyse the influence that values can have on behaviours, identities, relationships, and perspectives associated with focus areas; apply ethical concepts to discuss the outcomes of behaviour, such as for movement activities; and discuss the ethical significance of matters related to health and physical education
Decision Making and Actions
Understanding ways to respond to ethical problems and factors and challenges that influence ethical decision-making and action, and applying this understanding to different contexts
Health and Physical Education and Ethical Capability mutually support students to …
identify and analyse factors that influence decision-making and action in response to ethical problems in health, safety, well-being and physical activity situations; develop responses to ethical problems associated with these situations and evaluate their ethical implications; and plan, implement and evaluate strategies for positive interactions with the built and natural environment within a community
Linking the Intercultural Capability strands to Health and Physical Education
Intercultural Capability consists of two interrelated strands. The table below provides an overview of each strand and how it links to Health and Physical Education.
Cultural Practices
Describing, observing and analysing characteristics of their own cultural identities and those of others; and using critical reflection to better understand the perspectives and actions of individuals and groups in specific situations and how these can be shaped by culture
Health and Physical Education and Intercultural Capability mutually support students to …
understand that culture is a contextual factor influencing health and physical activity but it is also being influenced by health- and movement-based experiences; and to recognise and engage in intercultural experiences
Cultural Diversity
Understanding the nature of cultural diversity and critically examining the concept of respect, challenges and opportunities created by cultural diversity and the way in which cultural diversity shapes and contributes to social cohesion
Health and Physical Education and Intercultural Capability mutually support students to …
respect and value cultural diversity, and to critically examine challenges and opportunities created by cultural diversity in the areas of health and physical movement and the role of culturally diverse health practices and movement activities in shaping and contributing to social cohesion
Asking the following questions can be a first step in identifying strong links:
- Which of the learning area content descriptions reflect concepts or other knowledge and skills in a capability?
- Would explicit teaching and learning related to the identified link support progress towards the achievement standards for the learning area and/or capability?
The example below identifies a link between a Levels 7 and 8 Health and Physical Education content description and a Levels 7 and 8 Intercultural Capability content description. The identified link is between the experience of different physical activities (Health and Physical Education) and the concept of cultural significance (Intercultural Capability).
Once a strong link is identified, a learning activity can be designed that enables progression towards the appropriate Health and Physical Education achievement standard as well as the appropriate capability achievement standard (again, see the example below). This may involve incorporating other relevant content descriptions to create a sequence of learning.
Example: Linking a Levels 7 and 8 Health and Physical Education content description and a Levels 7 and 8 Intercultural Capability content description
This table includes a selected content description and achievement standard extract for both Health and Physical Education, Levels 7 and 8, and Intercultural Capability, Levels 7 and 8, plus linking notes and an activity idea.
| | Health and Physical Education, Levels 7 and 8 | Linking notes and activity idea | Intercultural Capability, Levels 7 and 8 |
|---|
Content description | Participate in and investigate the cultural and historical significance of a range of physical activities
(VCHPEM138) | Can both Intercultural Capability and Health and Physical Education help us to understand the cultural significance of physical activities? Yes. Intercultural Capability can help us understand the concept of cultural significance, and Health and Physical Education can help us understand how physical activity is a part of culture and can help foster the valuing of cultural diversity through experience of different activities. As part of a practical unit, students participate in a range of physical activities from around the world and investigate their cultural and historical significance. They evaluate the ways in which communities value cultural diversity in sport, physical activity and outdoor recreation, and why cultural diversity in these areas is important to each community. | Evaluate the ways in which the community demonstrates the value it places on cultural diversity, and why this valuing of cultural diversity is important to the community
(VCICCD016) |
Achievement
standard extract | By the end of Level 8, students … examine the cultural and historical significance of physical activities | By the end of Level 8, students … understand the challenges and benefits of living and working in culturally diverse communities. |
How do we assess the capabilities?
Student understanding of a capability’s knowledge and skills is assessed against its achievement standards. The key to formative and summative assessment is explicit teaching of the discrete knowledge and skills underpinning the capability’s content descriptions in such a way that students are supported to progress towards the targeted achievement standard. Explicit teaching builds shared understanding of knowledge and skills, which provides a foundation for feedback and for setting transparent expectations of what should be shown in student work.
For general advice on teaching and assessment and transfer of learning, see
General resources for the capabilities.
Examples of learning activities that link Health and Physical Education and the capabilities
All examples are illustrative only and assume familiarity with the Health and Physical Education curriculum.
Learning activity idea: Students participate in a range of physical activities, focusing on active play and minor games. They respond to movement challenges and use their knowledge of similar games to help generate alternative solutions and test the effectiveness of each.
This activity would strengthen learning in both Health and Physical Education and Critical and Creative Thinking through introducing the strategy of comparing a current situation to a known similar one and then using knowledge of the known situation to suggest modifications that might help to resolve the current challenge (see the Critical and Creative Thinking content description
VCCCTQ003).
Learning activity idea: As part of a sequence of lessons, students are presented with challenging scenarios by which they learn that outcomes can sometimes be difficult to predict and different from what was intended. Students use the knowledge acquired from these scenarios to reflect on how this could positively affect personal wellbeing and relationships with others.
This activity would strengthen learning in both Health and Physical Education and Ethical Capability through:
- introducing knowledge and skills that develop the understanding that intentions and outcomes can sometimes differ and that some consequences are difficult to predict (see Ethical Capability content description
VCECD007)
- examining how knowing about these kind of challenges can help to manage their own thoughts and feelings and help them know how to support others.
Learning activity idea: As part of a sequence of Physical Education lessons, students generate and assess solutions to movement challenges. To support generation and assessment of solutions, they learn to break down a challenge into smaller elements and visualise their ideas through movement, and they reflect on how this could be done for other movement challenges.
This activity would strengthen learning in both Health and Physical Education and Critical and Creative Thinking through:
- introducing visualising ideas and breaking down problems as strategies that can be used to assess and respond to movement challenges (see Critical and Creative Thinking content descriptions
VCCCTM030 and
VCCCTM031)
- consolidating these strategies as ways to help manage their own learning (see Critical and Creative thinking content description
VCCCTM030).
Learning activity idea: As part of a sequence of lessons developing strategies to demonstrate empathy and sensitivity, students examine the influences on their own and others’ behaviour, decisions and actions. Students analyse how behaviours, actions and responses to situations can change depending on the context and past experiences of those involved. Students consider how actions may have consequences that impact on relationships with others, and who should hold responsibility for these impacts.
This activity would strengthen learning in both Health and Physical Education and Ethical Capability through:
- introducing knowledge and skills that develop an understanding of how context and past experience may lead to different judgments of what is right, wrong, better or worse as a strategy to demonstrate empathy and sensitivity in ethical matters (see Ethical Capability content description
VCECD017)
- introducing knowledge and skills that develop an understanding of how views on the benefits and harms associated with actions and behaviour and views on the extent of our obligations to others can differ, and linking this to demonstrating empathy and sensitivity (see Ethical Capability content description
VCECD017).
Learning activity idea: Students participate in a range of activities from different cultures to explore the roles that physical activity, outdoor recreation and sport have played in the lives of Australians over time. As part of their exploration, they investigate the representation of cultural diversity in sports historically and currently, and they predict how this may change in the future and consider the resulting implications for social cohesion. Students examine examples of intolerance or prejudice in sport presented in the media, as well as positive media coverage, to explore the impact of these messages on social cohesion in Australia.
This activity would strengthen learning in both Health and Physical Education and Intercultural Capability through:
- introducing knowledge and skills that assist in linking physical activity, cultural identity and inclusion and belonging (see Intercultural Capability content description
VCICCD019)
- introducing the components of a cohesive society and using these to analyse the association between social cohesion and sport (see Intercultural Capability content description
VCCCTM051).
For more resources to support the teaching of all four capabilities, see the individual capability resources webpages and
General resources for the capabilities.
See
Cross-curriculum resources: Home Economics for sample units of work that provide examples of how Home Economics teaching and learning programs can draw on both Design and Technologies and Health and Physical Education.
In the Victorian Curriculum, dance features in both The Arts and Health and Physical Education curriculum areas. When teaching dance, these two curriculum areas complement each other.
The Arts: Dance curriculum focuses on choreographing, performing and appreciating dance. Students use the elements of dance to explore choreography and performance and to practise choreographic, technical and expressive skills. Through this curriculum, students develop a movement vocabulary they can use to explore and refine imaginative ways of moving.
In the Health and Physical Education curriculum area the emphasis is on dance as a lifelong physical activity and the development of movement skills, concepts and patterns. In Health and Physical Education, dance can be taught through the focus area of Rhythmic and expressive movement activities.
Together these curricula provide ways for students to develop personal and social skills and critically appraise cultural and social factors that shape their own identities, body and communities.
The following units provide examples of how dance teaching and learning programs can draw on both The Arts: Dance and Health and Physical Education.
Foundation sample unit of work: The Very Hungry Caterpillar
Level 1-2 sample unit of work: A Day At The Beach
Level 3-4 sample unit of work: Crazy Boot Scootin
Level 5-6 sample unit of work: Sport Mob Dance
External resources
The following external links are for teacher reference purposes. They do not constitute VCAA endorsement of the views or materials contained on these sites.
Department of Education and Training
The Department of Education and Training have a range of resources available to support the teaching of many topics relevant to Health and Physical Education. These include:
Bully Stoppers
Drug Education
Respectful Relationships
Sexuality Education
School Swimming and Water Safety Toolkit
Note: These Department of Education and Training Resources provide evidence-based support for teaching in the Health and Physical Education curriculum area and are progressively being mapped to the Victorian Curriculum F–10.
Transform Us: Promoting learning through movement, inside and outside of the classroom
This world-first program developed by the Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition (IPAN) at Deakin University, is designed to re-frame the way children learn by moving more and sitting less.
TransformUs can help primary schools improve student; mental health and wellbeing, engagement, academic outcomes and physical literacy, while helping to meet Government physical activity policy targets. The program has been developed with the Victorian primary school curriculum in mind and provides free online professional development, full lesson plans, short videos and other supporting resources to all Victorian teachers and school leaders who register.