Planning a Unit of Work Based on the Victorian Curriculum

Effective unit planning is essential for delivering high-quality education that meets the requirements of the Victorian Curriculum. A well-structured unit provides a roadmap for teaching and learning, ensuring that all students have the opportunity to achieve the intended learning outcomes. This guide outlines the key considerations and steps for planning a unit of work based on the Victorian Curriculum.

Understanding the Victorian Curriculum

Before planning a unit, educators should familiarise themselves with the structure and content of the Victorian Curriculum. The curriculum is organised into learning areas and capabilities, each with achievement standards, content descriptions, and elaborations. These elements provide the foundation for unit planning and assessment.

Steps in Unit Planning

1. Identify the Context and Purpose

Begin by considering the context in which the unit will be delivered. This includes the year level, student needs and interests, resources available, and any school or community priorities. Determine the purpose of the unit and how it connects to broader learning goals and real-world applications.

2. Select Relevant Curriculum Content

Based on the context and purpose, select appropriate content descriptions from the Victorian Curriculum. Consider both learning area content and relevant capabilities. Ensure that the selected content provides a coherent and meaningful learning experience. Align the unit with the appropriate achievement standards to establish clear expectations for student learning.

3. Establish Learning Intentions and Success Criteria

Clearly communicate what students will learn (learning intentions) and how they will demonstrate their learning (success criteria). Learning intentions should be aligned with the selected content descriptions and achievement standards. Success criteria should be specific, measurable, and help students understand what successful learning looks like.

4. Plan Teaching and Learning Activities

Design a sequence of teaching and learning activities that will enable students to achieve the learning intentions. Activities should be engaging, differentiated to meet the needs of diverse learners, and provide opportunities for students to develop and demonstrate their understanding.

5. Plan Assessment

Assessment should be aligned with the learning intentions and success criteria. Include a mix of formative assessment (to monitor progress and provide feedback) and summative assessment (to evaluate learning at the end of the unit). Assessment tasks should allow students to demonstrate their understanding in authentic and meaningful ways.

6. Incorporate Cross-Curriculum Priorities and Capabilities

Identify opportunities to integrate cross-curriculum priorities and general capabilities into the unit. These elements can be explicitly taught or embedded within teaching and learning activities. For example, a science unit on climate change might include the Sustainability priority and the Critical and Creative Thinking capability.

7. Plan for Differentiation

Consider how you will cater for the diverse learning needs of your students. This includes students with disabilities, students with additional learning needs, and students who require extension. Differentiation can be achieved through modifying content, process, product, or learning environment.

Unit Structure and Duration

A typical unit of work covers 5-10 weeks of learning. The structure should be logical and sequential, building knowledge and skills progressively. Consider using a framework such as Understanding by Design (Wiggins & McTighe) or the Victorian Department of Education's Teaching and Learning Model to structure your unit.

Aligning with Victorian Curriculum Achievement Standards

To ensure alignment with the Victorian Curriculum achievement standards, map your unit content and assessment against the relevant standards. This process helps verify that your unit addresses the expected depth and breadth of learning. Consider creating a curriculum map or alignment table to document these connections.

Documenting the Unit Plan

A well-documented unit plan serves as a valuable resource for teaching and future planning. Include the following elements:

• Unit title and overview
• Target year level
• Duration and structure
• Victorian Curriculum content descriptions and achievement standards
• Learning intentions and success criteria
• Teaching and learning activities
• Assessment plan and tasks
• Resources and materials
• Differentiation strategies
• Reflection and evaluation methods

Example Unit Concept: Sustainability in Mathematics

This example demonstrates how a unit might integrate the Sustainability cross-curriculum priority with Mathematics content.

Curriculum Connections

Victorian Curriculum - Mathematics (Level 5)

• Measurement and Geometry: Calculate perimeter and area of rectangles using familiar metric units (VCMMG195)
• Statistics and Probability: Construct displays, including column graphs, dot plots and tables, appropriate for data type, with and without the use of digital technologies (VCMSP205)
• Critical and Creative Thinking: Investigate and explain why patterns occur (VCCCTM010)

Cross-curriculum Priority: Sustainability

Learning Intentions

• To understand concepts of sustainability in the context of school resources
• To apply mathematical skills to measure, calculate, and analyse data related to paper and energy usage
• To develop proposals for improving sustainability practices

Unit Overview

This 5-week unit engages students in exploring sustainability issues within their school context through a mathematics lens. Students will investigate paper usage and energy consumption, collect and analyse data, and develop proposals for improving sustainability practices. The unit integrates measurement, data representation, and critical thinking skills.

Week-by-Week Outline

Week 1: Introduction to Sustainability and Mathematical Connections

• Engage students with sustainability concepts through videos and discussions
• Introduce the unit project and assessment requirements
• Review mathematical concepts of area and measurement
• Begin collecting baseline data on classroom paper usage

Week 2: Measurement and Data Collection

• Develop a method to measure paper usage across multiple classrooms
• Conduct measurements and collect data
• Introduce energy usage concepts and methods for measurement
• Begin collecting energy consumption data

Week 3: Data Analysis and Representation

• Organise and analyse collected data
• Calculate areas and volumes of school spaces
• Create data displays (graphs, tables) to represent findings
• Identify patterns and trends in resource usage

Week 4: Problem-Solving and Proposal Development

• Identify areas for improvement in sustainability practices
• Calculate potential impact of proposed changes using mathematical reasoning
• Develop evidence-based proposals for reducing paper usage and energy consumption
• Begin preparing final presentations

Week 5: Presentation and Evaluation

• Present proposals to the class or school community
• Provide and receive peer feedback
• Reflect on learning and the mathematical processes used
• Complete final assessment tasks

Assessment

• Formative: Observation of data collection processes, questioning during activities, peer feedback during proposal development
• Summative: Data portfolio including measurements, calculations, and data displays; Sustainability proposal with mathematical justification; Unit reflection

Conclusion

Planning a unit of work based on the Victorian Curriculum requires thoughtful consideration of curriculum requirements, student needs, and effective pedagogical approaches. By following a systematic approach that aligns with achievement standards, incorporates cross-curriculum priorities and capabilities, and ensures appropriate differentiation, educators can create engaging and impactful learning experiences that promote student achievement and growth.