What is an Integrated Curriculum?

Before explaining what an integrated curriculum is, it is important to note that we teach core morning classes in Mathematics, Science, English, Social Studies and Technology. Our integrated curriculum applies those subjects and the projects students complete in a related manner.  We treat knowledge as being seamless and interrelated. An integrated curriculum is a means of breaking down the artificial barriers between subjects as they have been traditionally taught. It is also an effective way of broadening the possible topics that may be learned/investigated. Within the school’s written curriculum, the staff ensure that all of the Ministry of Education's Essential Learning Areas (ELA’s) are covered at the appropriate levels.

What is a Project-Based Curriculum?

A project-based curriculum treats the investigation of a topic as the basis for learning. The students complete eight projects each year. Within each topic, the staff identify the areas of the national curriculum that need to be overtly taught within the ELA’s. Each year, the topics will encompass the full ELA requirements for that level. Within each set project, all of the Learning Areas are included and the students have the opportunity to direct their own learning and work to a depth and breadth that is difficult to achieve within a traditional structure. Their learning skills (e.g. goal setting, planning, investigative research, presentation, computing, etc) are enhanced, as are their thinking skills (e.g. metacognition, evaluation, synthesising information, etc). Their basic academic skills (reading, writing, mathematics) are in no way ignored but are enhanced and used as a building block for in depth work.

 

 Project List:

Year 7	Year 8	Year 9	Year 10
Architecture	The Human Circus	Flight and Space	Statistics
Great Books	Narrative Poetry	New Zealand Writing	Shakespeare
A Language & Culture	Language of Music or Movement	Maori or Pacific Island Language and Culture	Advanced Language & Culture
Plants	Human Beings	War	Reactions
An Artist or An Era	An Ancient Culture	Archaeology	Film or Director or Genre
Production & Inventions of the Past	Change through Technology	Production of the Present and Future	Business in Action
New Zealand: Places and People	The Oceans	A People or Country or Time	Law and Culture
Animals	Great Scientists	Sport	Machines

 

What is an IBP?

An I.B.P. is an Individual Base Plan.  Traditionally, only students with “Special Needs” have received these. In recent years, the government has required schools to show that they cater for Gifted and Talented students also and IBPs have shifted to that end of the continuum.

At MHMS, we think every child needs an IBP as they all have strengths worth enhancing and weaknesses to overcome. In addition to working through the school’s curriculum, each child will have their own base document programme, which identifies interests, strengths, areas needing development, goals, and progress measurements. The creation and developing of the plan will be a negotiated process between staff, the child, and the parents/care givers.