Teaching Resources - Middle Childhood

What are the topics covered in the Middle Childhood Curriculum materials?

Why talk about graffiti in middle childhood?

The Middle Childhood Curriculum Materials are part of the Goodbye Graffiti Education Curriculum Package. They are designed to support teachers in middle childhood classrooms (typically Year Three to Year Seven) to enable students to develop literacy, thinking and social skills as they learn about the impact of graffiti on individuals, businesses, schools and communities. A topic about graffiti in a middle childhood classroom may arise from a number of sources, for example:

• Noticing graffiti vandalism on school property
• Noticing graffiti vandalism on a family’s property
• Noticing graffiti vandalism on community property
• A student reporting graffiti vandalism or reporting knowing someone doing graffiti
• A visit from the graffiti team of the local police, the local shire, or Constable Care.

The materials in this unit support teachers in developing curriculum to respond to these situations.

 How do I use the materials?

The materials are written using an inquiry approach that involves finding out, sorting out, going further and applying what has been learned. The materials are written to be flexible. You might choose:

• A one-week survey of graffiti using a tuning in, finding out, sorting out, going further and applying activity from different topics
• An exploration of one concept using one sequence of experiences e.g. What is graffiti?
• A five to eight week exploration of several topics
• A one or two term project with all the activities in all the topics and some more of your own!

These materials are predicated on the belief that deep learning occurs when sensitive teachers listen closely to students’ discussions and conversations, taking note of their theories, ideas and thinking and maximise the learning opportunities from the provocations that the students provide. Experiences should be chosen in order to meet students’ learning needs and interests. In some situations, learning experiences from the Early Childhood or the Early Adolescence Curriculum Materials may be appropriate. In developing a teaching and learning program, teachers might expand an activity or series of activities to include:

• An introduction to a graffiti related topic
• Skills development related to the investigation, participation and communication process
• Development of literacy and numeracy skills appropriate to the levels of achievement of the students
• Knowledge development related to background concepts
• Collaborative learning skills development
• Conduct of the learning experiences
• Reflection on group work skills and processes
• Reflection on learning
• Identification of further areas for investigation.

What outcomes might the students demonstrate?

The materials are aligned to the Western Australian Curriculum and Assessment Outline. Experiences facilitate learning as described in the Western Australian Curriculum and Achievement Standards Through engaging with the Middle Childhood Curriculum Materials, students have the opportunity to further their achievement of The Values Outcome The General Capabilities The Learning Areas, in particular:

• The Arts
  • Exploring ideas and improvising with ways to represent ideas
  • Responding to and interpreting artworks
• English (all)
• Health and Physical Education
  • Personal, social and community health
    • Being healthy, safe and active
    • Communicating and interacting for health and well being
    • Contributing to healthy and active communities
• • Mathematics
    • Proficiency strands
    • Number and algebra
    • Measurement and geometry
    • Statistics and probability
  • Science
    • Science understanding
    • Chemical sciences
    • Science as human endeavour
    • Science inquiry skills
  • History
    • Historical knowledge and understanding
    • Historical skills
  • Geography
    • Geographical knowledge and understanding
    • Geographical inquiry and skills
  • Civics and citizenship
    • Civics and citizenship knowledge and understanding
    • Civics and citizenship skills
  • Design and Technology
    • Knowledge and understanding
    • Processes and skills

What resources do I need?

The Middle Childhood Curriculum Materials draw on other resources that are available through Internet sources. Wherever possible, government and educational web sites have been sourced. Inevitably, web sites change over time. All are accurate at the point of production. Some of the links to video clips or the writings of people who do graffiti contain coarse language which might lead to them being blocked by school servers. While these have been kept to a minimum, students conducting internet searches from these links are likely to encounter more. It is important that you check any sites that are recommended in these materials or that you recommend, to assess whether you think they are appropriate for your students in your school.

What if students disclose that they, or someone they know, are doing graffiti?

Teachers need to find ways to encourage students to be aware of the impact of their words and behaviours on others. Some of the activities in these units encourage students to volunteer information about their own or their family’s experiences. Teachers need to talk about and develop a welcoming community in which all responses are accepted respectfully so that students contribute from their real experience. However, students need to be clear that graffiti vandalism is a crime and must be reported. You might have a conversation with your school principal to determine how you will handle a disclosure should one arise.

How might families be involved?

Activities are designed to help students make connections between home and school. There may be questions to ask at home, ways for families to be involved in the daily teaching and learning program or invitations to attend celebrations. A climate of trust and acceptance will support the participation of all families.

What are the topics covered in the Middle Childhood Curriculum Materials?

	Tuning in	Finding out	Sorting out	Going further	Applying
Graffiti	What is graffiti vandalism?	What is graffiti vandalism or urban art?	What are the differences between graffiti vandalism and urban art?	Why is an image perceived as urban art or graffiti vandalism?	Who needs to know what we have learned?
Getting the Facts	What are the ‘facts’?	Who engages in graffiti vandalism?	Is there graffiti vandalism in our school?	Where is there graffiti vandalism in our community?	Who needs to know what we have learned?
Removing Graffiti	Where does graffiti appear?	How is graffiti removed?	What do we need to consider in removing graffiti?	What could be done with the money spent in removing graffiti?	Who needs to know what we have learned?
Cooling Down Hot Spots	What is a ‘hotspot’	How are ‘hotspots’ cooled down?	What else could be done?	Which hotspot in our school could be cooled down?	Which hotspot in our community could be cooled down?
The impact of Graffiti	How do we feel about graffiti vandalism?	Who is affected by graffiti vandalism?	What is the impact of graffiti vandalism on people?	What are the ‘costs’ of graffiti vandalism?	Who needs to know what we have learned?
Alternatives to Graffiti	Why do graffiti?	Investigations	Achievement stations	Community possibilities?	Who needs to know what we have learned?
Consequences of Graffiti Vandalism	What is a ‘consequence’?	What are the penalties for engaging in graffiti vandalism?	What are the consequences of the penalties of engaging in graffiti vandalism?	What are the consequences of doing graffiti?	Thinking again about graffiti