By the end of the Foundation year, students use predicting and questioning strategies to make meaning from texts. They recall one or two events from texts with familiar topics. They understand that there are different types of texts and that these can have similar characteristics. They identify connections between texts and their personal experience. They read short predictable texts with familiar vocabulary and supportive images, drawing on their developing knowledge of concepts about print and sound and letters. They identify the letters of the English alphabet and use the sounds represented by most letters.

When writing, students use familiar words and phrases and images to convey ideas. Their writing shows evidence of sound and letter knowledge, beginning writing behaviors and experimentation with capital letters and full stops. They correctly form known upper- and lower-case letters.

They listen to and use appropriate language features to respond to others in a familiar environment. They listen for rhyme, letter patterns and sounds in words. Students understand that their texts can reflect their own experiences. They identify and describe likes and dislikes about familiar texts, objects, characters and events. In informal group and whole class settings, students communicate clearly. They share their experiences with teachers and peers. They identify and use rhyme, letter patterns, and sounds in words.

• Symbol system used within their world and how it contributes to language for interaction
• Text structures and organization.
• Developing sound and letter knowledge.
• Literacy for interacting with others.
• Creating texts.

By the end of the Foundation year, students make connections between number names, numerals and quantities up to 10. They compare objects using mass, length and capacity. Students connect events and the days of the week. They explain the order and duration of events. They use appropriate language to describe location. Students count to and from 20 and order small collections. They group objects based on common characteristics and sort shapes and objects. Students answer simple questions to collect information. Establish understanding of the language and processes of counting by naming numbers in sequences, initially to and from 20, moving from any starting point.

1. Connect number names, numerals and quantities, including zero, initially up to 10 and then beyond
2. Subitise small collections of objects
3. Represent practical situations to model addition and sharing
4. Compare, order and make correspondences between collections, initially to 20, and explain reasoning.

Understanding includes connecting names, numerals and quantities

Fluency includes readily counting numbers in sequences, continuing patterns, and comparing the lengths of objects

Problem Solving includes using materials to model authentic problems, sorting objects, using familiar counting sequences to solve unfamiliar problems, and discussing the reasonableness of the answer

Reasoning includes explaining comparisons of quantities, creating patterns, and explaining processes for indirect comparison of length.

By the end Foundation Year, students describe the features of familiar places and recognise why some places are special to people. They recognise that places can be represented on maps and a globe and why places are important to people. Students observe the familiar features of places and represent these features and their location on pictorial maps and models. They share observations in a range of texts and use everyday language to describe direction and location. Students reflect on their learning to suggest ways they can care for a familiar place.

• Term 1 Topic: Representing Places and their Features
• Term 2 Topic: Aboriginal and Torres strait Islander Countries/ Places
• Term 3 Topic: Places their Features and importance
• Term 4 Topic: Special Places and Looking after Places

By the end of the Foundation year, students identify similarities and differences between families. They recognise how important family events are commemorated. Students sequence familiar events in order. They pose questions about their past. Students relate a story about their past using a range of texts. The Foundation curriculum provides a study of personal and family histories. Students learn about their own history and that of their family; this may include stories from different cultures and other parts of the world. As participants in their own history, students build on their knowledge and understanding of how the past is different from the present. The content provides opportunities to develop historical understanding through key concepts including continuity and change, cause and effect, perspectives, empathy and significance. These concepts may be investigated within a particular historical context to facilitate an understanding of the past and to provide a focus for historical inquiries.

• Term 1 Topic: My Family Term
• Term 2 Topic: Family Structures
• Term 3 Topic: Stories from the past
• Term 4 Topic: Remembering the past/Stories from the past

By the end of the Foundation year, students describe the properties and behaviour of familiar objects. They suggest how the environment affects them and other living things. Students share observations of familiar objects and events.

• Term 1 Topic: Biological Science (Staying Alive)
• Term 2 Topic: Physical Science (On the Move)
• Term 3 Topic: Chemical Science (What’s it made of?)
• Term 4 Topic: Earth and Space Science (Weather in my World)