Framework Education Programme for Elementary Education FEP EE (with amendments as of 1st September 2007) Prague 2007 The Framework Education Programme for Elementary Education (FEP EE) was developed by: Overall responsibility: Jaroslav Jeřábek, Jan Tupý The overall conception of the document and co-ordination of its development: Jaroslav Jeřábek, Romana Lisnerová, Adriena Smejkalová, Jan Tupý Authors and consultants of individual parts of the document (Research Institute of Education in Prague – VÚP): Jan Balada, Jiří Brant, Eva Brychnáčová, Alexandros Charalambidis, Josef Herink, Taťána Holasová, Viola Horská, Dagmar Hudecová, Zdeněk Jonák, Stanislava Krčková, Alena Kůlová, Romana Lisnerová, Jan Maršák, Jiřina Masaříková, Jindřiška Nováková, Markéta Pastorová, Hana Pernicová, Václav Pumpr, Marie Rokosová, Lucie Slejšková, Adriena Smejkalová, Kateřina Smolíková, Jitka Tůmová, Jan Tupý, Jana Zahradníková, Marcela Zahradníková External authors and compilers of background materials: Zdeněk Beneš, Jan Jirák, Věra Jirásková, Marie Kubínová, Danuše Kvasničková, Sylva Macková, Jaroslav Provazník, Josef Valenta, Eliška Walterová, Jana Zapletalová, Department 24 of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic (MŠMT) External co-workers and consultants: Teachers and principals of the pilot schools which verified the creation of School Education Programmes Boards for individual educational areas and fields whose members were teachers at elementary schools and six- or eight-year secondary schools and at faculties of education, specialised faculties of universities and other institutions and associations Department 22 of MŠMT under the guidance of Karel Tomek Representatives of the Healthy School project Participants in the public debate on the third version of the FEP EE Translated by: Hana Čechová Edited by: Kateřina Millerová, Sean Mark Miller 2 FEP EE Research Institute of Education (VÚP) in Prague 2007 Table of Contents ¨ PART A.................................................................................................................................................................. 5 1 DEFINITION OF THE FRAMEWORK EDUCATION PROGRAMME FOR ELEMENTARY EDUCATION WITHIN THE SYSTEM OF CURRICULAR DOCUMENTS ........................................ 5 1.1 SYSTEM OF CURRICULAR DOCUMENTS ..................................................................................................... 5 1.2 PRINCIPLES OF THE FRAMEWORK EDUCATION PROGRAMME FOR ELEMENTARY EDUCATION ................... 6 1.3 EDUCATIONAL TRENDS ENCOURAGED AND SUPPORTED BY THE FRAMEWORK EDUCATION PROGRAMME FOR ELEMENTARY EDUCATION ................................................................................................................. 6 PART B.................................................................................................................................................................. 8 2 CHARACTERISTICS OF ELEMENTARY EDUCATION ..................................................................... 8 2.1 COMPULSORY SCHOOL ATTENDANCE ....................................................................................................... 8 2.2 ORGANISATION OF ELEMENTARY EDUCATION .......................................................................................... 8 2.3 EVALUATION OF EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES ............................................................................................. 8 2.4 ATTAINMENT OF A LEVEL OF EDUCATION AND COMPLETION OF ELEMENTARY EDUCATION.................... 8 PART C.................................................................................................................................................................. 9 3 THE CONCEPTION AND OBJECTIVES OF ELEMENTARY EDUCATION.................................... 9 3.1 THE CONCEPTION OF ELEMENTARY EDUCATION....................................................................................... 9 3.2 OBJECTIVES OF ELEMENTARY EDUCATION ............................................................................................... 9 4 KEY COMPETENCIES ............................................................................................................................. 11 5 EDUCATIONAL AREAS........................................................................................................................... 15 5.1 LANGUAGE AND LANGUAGE COMMUNICATION ...................................................................................... 17 5.1.1 CZECH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE ................................................................................... 19 5.1.2 FOREIGN LANGUAGE................................................................................................................ 23 5.2 MATHEMATICS AND ITS APPLICATION .................................................................................................... 26 5.2.1 MATHEMATICS AND ITS APPLICATION .................................................................................. 27 5.3 INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES ........................................................................... 32 5.3.1 INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES.................................................. 33 5.4 MAN AND HIS WORLD............................................................................................................................. 35 5.4.1 MAN AND HIS WORLD ............................................................................................................... 37 5.5 MAN AND SOCIETY.................................................................................................................................. 41 5.5.1 HISTORY....................................................................................................................................... 42 5.5.2 CIVICS .......................................................................................................................................... 46 5.6 MAN AND NATURE .................................................................................................................................. 50 5.6.1 PHYSICS ....................................................................................................................................... 51 5.6.2 CHEMISTRY ................................................................................................................................. 54 5.6.3 NATURAL SCIENCES .................................................................................................................. 56 5.6.4 GEOGRAPHY ............................................................................................................................... 60 5.7 ARTS AND CULTURE................................................................................................................................ 64 5.7.1 MUSIC .......................................................................................................................................... 66 5.7.2 FINE ARTS.................................................................................................................................... 69 5.8 MAN AND HEALTH .................................................................................................................................. 72 5.8.1 HEALTH EDUCATION ................................................................................................................ 74 5.8.2 PHYSICAL EDUCATION ............................................................................................................. 76 5.9 MAN AND THE WORLD OF WORK ............................................................................................................ 81 5.9.1 MAN AND THE WORLD OF WORK............................................................................................ 82 5.10 COMPLEMENTARY EDUCATIONAL FIELDS .............................................................................................. 88 5.10.1 SECOND FOREIGN LANGUAGE .............................................................................................. 88 5.10.2 DRAMA ........................................................................................................................................ 89 6 CROSS-CURRICULAR SUBJECTS......................................................................................................... 91 6.1 MORAL, CHARACTER AND SOCIAL EDUCATION ...................................................................................... 92 6.2 CIVIC EDUCATION FOR DEMOCRACY....................................................................................................... 94 3 FEP EE Research Institute of Education (VÚP) in Prague 2007 6.3 EDUCATION TOWARDS THINKING IN EUROPEAN AND GLOBAL CONTEXTS.............................................. 96 6.4 MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION................................................................................................................. 98 6.5 ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION .............................................................................................................. 100 6.6 MEDIA EDUCATION ............................................................................................................................... 103 7 FRAMEWORK CURRICULUM TIMETABLE.................................................................................... 106 7.1 NOTES ON THE FRAMEWORK CURRICULUM TIMETABLE ....................................................................... 107 7.2 NOTES ON EDUCATIONAL AREAS .......................................................................................................... 108 PART D.............................................................................................................................................................. 111 8 EDUCATION OF PUPILS WITH SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS............................................ 111 8.1 EDUCATION OF PUPILS WITH A CHRONIC HEALTH CONDITION AND/OR PHYSICAL HANDICAP.............. 111 8.2 EDUCATION OF SOCIALLY DISADVANTAGED PUPILS............................................................................. 113 8.3 DEVELOPMENT OF A SCHOOL EDUCATION PROGRAMME AT ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS WHICH ARE A PART OF HEALTHCARE FACILITIES, AT SCHOOLS WHICH ARE A PART OF CHILDREN’S DIAGNOSTIC INSTITUTIONS AND AT SCHOOLS WHICH ARE A PART OF EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS PROVIDING INSTITUTIONAL CARE AND CARE IN JUVENILE CORRECTION INSTITUTIONS.......................................... 114 9 EDUCATION OF EXCEPTIONALLY GIFTED PUPILS.................................................................... 115 10 MATERIAL, PERSONAL, SANITARY, ORGANISATIONAL AND OTHER CONDITIONS FOR IMPLEMENTING THE FEP EE............................................................................................................. 117 11 PRINCIPLES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SCHOOL EDUCATION PROGRAMME......... 121 GLOSSARY....................................................................................................................................................... 126 Notes: Unless otherwise specified, all that is prescribed in the FEP EE for Stage 2 of elementary education (or more precisely for the 6th to 9th forms) applies also for the corresponding forms of six- or eightyear grammar schools. ‘Man’ is used in this document to refer to mankind as a whole and is not to be understood as marked for gender as such. The English version of the Framework Education Programme for Elementary Education utilises the English abbreviations for the phrases in question. The original, Czech abbreviations have been left only in the case of the names of Czech institutions due to their familiarity, i.e. the Research Institute of Education in Prague (VÚP) and the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic (MŠMT). 4 FEP EE Research Institute of Education (VÚP) in Prague 2007 PART A 1 Definition of the Framework Education Programme for Elementary Education within the System of Curricular Documents 1.1 System of Curricular Documents In accordance with the new principles of curricular policy, formulated in the National Programme for the Development of Education in the Czech Republic (the so-called White Paper) and embodied in Act No. 561/2004 Coll., On Preschool, Elementary, Secondary, Higher Vocational and Other Education (hereinafter only as the ‘Education Act’), a new system of curricular documents for the education of pupils between 3 and 19 years of age is being introduced into the education system. Curricular documents are developed at two levels – state and school (see Diagram 1). In the system of curricular documents, the state level is represented by the National Education Programme (NEP) and Framework Education Programmes (FEPs). Whereas the NEP formulates the requirements for the education which are applicable in initial education as a whole, the FEPs define the binding scope of education for its individual stages (for preschool, elementary and secondary education). The school level is represented by School Education Programmes (SEPs), on the basis of which education is implemented in individual schools. The School Education Programme is created by each school according to the principles prescribed in the respective FEP.1 The NEP, the FEPs and the SEPs are public documents, available to the teaching as well as lay public. Diagram 1 – The system of curricular documents Legend: FEP PE – Framework Education Programme for Preschool Education; FEP EE – Framework Education Programme for Elementary Education and Appendix to the Framework Education Programme for Elementary Education Regulating the Education of Pupils with Mild 1 For the development of the SEP, schools can use the so-called Manual for Developing School Education Programmes (hereinafter only as the ‘Manual’), which is created for the individual FEPs. The Manual provides information on the process of preparing a SEP and shows possible ways of elaborating the individual parts of the SEP with specific examples. OTHER FEPs* SCHOOL LEVEL STATE LEVEL SCHOOL EDUCATION PROGRAMMES (SEPs) FRAMEWORK EDUCATION PROGRAMMES (FEPs) NATIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAMME (NEP) FEP SGE FEP EE FEP PE Appendix FEP STVTFEP PE – MMR 5 FEP EE Research Institute of Education (VÚP) in Prague 2007 Mental Retardation (FEP – EE MMR); FEP SGE – Education Framework for Secondary General Education (Grammar Schools); FEP STVT – Framework Education (Programme) Programmes for Secondary Technical and Vocational Training. * The other FEPs – other framework education programmes which are also delimited by the Education Act – Framework Education Programme for Elementary Art Education, Framework Education Programme for Language Education, or others. Framework Education Programmes: are based on a new education strategy, which emphasises key competencies, their interconnectedness with the educational content and application of the acquired knowledge and skills in real life; build on the concept of lifelong learning; formulate the expected level of education stipulated for all graduates of the individual stages of education; support the educational autonomy of schools and professional responsibility of the teachers for the outcomes of the educational process. 1.2 Principles of the Framework Education Programme for Elementary Education The FEP EE: builds on the FEP PE and forms the basis for the framework education programmes for secondary education; delimits all that is shared and necessary within the compulsory elementary education of pupils, including education in corresponding forms of six- or eight-year secondary schools; specifies the level of key competencies which should be attained by the pupils at the end of elementary education; defines the educational content − the expected outcomes and subject matter;2 integrates cross-curricular subjects with distinctly formative functions as a binding part of elementary education; supports a complex approach to the implementation of educational content, including the possibility of interconnecting it appropriately, and expects that various educational approaches, different teaching forms and methods will be selected and all supportive measures utilised in accordance with the pupils’ individual needs; makes it possible to modify the educational content for the education of pupils with special educational needs; is binding for all secondary schools when determining their requirements for the entrance procedure for study at secondary schools. The FEP EE is an open document, which will be innovated at certain intervals based on the changing needs of society, the teachers’ experience with the SEP as well as the changing needs and interests of the pupils. 1.3 Educational Trends Encouraged and Supported by the Framework Education Programme for Elementary Education3 to take the pupils’ needs and potential when attempting to achieve the educational objectives at elementary schools into consideration; 2 Pupils with mild mental retardation are educated according to the appendix to the Framework Education Programme for Elementary Education, whereas pupils with severe mental retardation, pupils handicapped with multiple disabilities and pupils with autism who attend a special elementary school are educated according to an individual Framework Education Programme. 3 For further details, see the National Programme for the Development of Education in the Czech Republic (the so-called White Paper) pp. 47−51 (in Czech). 6 FEP EE Research Institute of Education (VÚP) in Prague 2007 to apply more variable organisation and individualisation of education in accordance with the pupils’ needs and potential and to utilise internal differentiation of instruction; to create a wider offer of obligatory optional subjects for the development of the pupils’ interests and individual capabilities; to create a positive social, emotional and working atmosphere founded on effective motivation, cooperation and engaging instructional methods; to implement changes in the assessment of the pupils towards continuous diagnostics, individual assessment of their achievements and a wider use of verbal assessment; to maintain, as long as possible, natural, heterogeneous groups of pupils and weaken the reasons for segregating pupils into specialised classrooms and schools; to emphasise efficient cooperation with the pupils’ parents. 7 FEP EE Research Institute of Education (VÚP) in Prague 2007 PART B 2 Characteristics of Elementary Education Elementary education, which leads to the completion of the stage of elementary education, is implemented in the field of education elementary school. In accordance with the Education Act, the Framework Education Programme for Elementary Education for the implementation of elementary education has been issued. 2.1 Compulsory School Attendance Elementary education is linked with compulsory school attendance, the fulfilment of which is governed by Sections 36–43 of the Education Act. 2.2 Organisation of Elementary Education The organisation of elementary education, including the possibility of establishing preparatory classes at an elementary school, is governed by Sections 46 and 47 of the Education Act; the course of elementary education is regulated by Sections 49 and § 50 of the Education Act. Details on the organisation and course of elementary education are stipulated by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (hereinafter only as the ‘Ministry’) in Decree No. 48/2005 Coll., On Elementary Education and Some Requisites of Compulsory School Attendance, and in Decree No. 73/2005 Coll., On the Education of Children, Pupils and Students with Special Educational Needs and Children, Pupils and Students Who Are Exceptionally Gifted. 2.3 Evaluation of Educational Outcomes The evaluation of the pupils’ educational outcomes is governed by Sections 51–53 of the Education Act. Details on the evaluation of the pupils’ outcomes and its requisites are specified by the Ministry through the Ministry’s legal regulation. 2.4 Attainment of a Level of Education and Completion of Elementary Education Attainment of a level of education is governed by Section 45 and completion of elementary education by Sections 54 and 55 of the Education Act. 8 FEP EE Research Institute of Education (VÚP) in Prague 2007 PART C 3 The Conception and Objectives of Elementary Education 3.1 The Conception of Elementary Education Elementary education builds on preschool education and education in the family. Elementary education is the only stage of education whose completion is compulsory for the whole population of pupils, namely in two stages, the second of which continues the first in terms of content and organisation as well as didactically. With its conception, elementary education at Stage 1 is to facilitate the pupils’ transition from preschool education and family care to compulsory, regular and systematic education. It is based on acquiring new knowledge, respecting and developing each pupil’s individual needs, potential and interests (including pupils with special educational needs). With its activity-based and practical nature as well as its the application of suitable methods, the education motivates pupils to further learning, guides them to active learning and to the realisation that a suitable way of solving problems may be sought, discovered, created and found. Elementary education at Stage 2 helps pupils acquire knowledge, skills and habits which will enable them to study independently and create such values and attitudes that lead to prudent and cultivated conduct, to responsible decision making and to respecting the rights and obligations of a citizen of both our state and the European Union. The conception of Stage 2 of elementary education builds on broad development of the pupils’ interests, on the pupils’ higher learning potential and on the interconnectedness between education and the school’s activities on the one hand and life outside of school on the other hand. This makes it possible to use more demanding working methods along with new sources and methods of learning, to assign more complex and long-term tasks or projects and delegate greater responsibility for education as well as in organising the school’s activities to the pupils. Elementary education at both Stages 1 and 2 requires a challenging and creative environment which stimulates the most gifted and talented pupils, encourages the less gifted ones and protects and supports the weakest pupils and which ensures that each child, through instruction adapted to his/her individual needs, develops optimally in accordance with his/her own learning capabilities. To this end, corresponding conditions are also created for the instruction of pupils with special educational needs. A friendly and accommodating atmosphere encourages the pupils to study, work and perform activities of interest to them, and provides them with space and time for active learning and for the full development of their personality. The evaluation of the pupils’ performance and achievements results shall be based on the fulfilment of specific and practicable tasks, on the assessment of the pupils’ individual development and on positive evaluative judgements. The pupils must be given the opportunity to experience success, not to be afraid of mistakes and to learn through them. In the course of their elementary education, the pupils gradually acquire such personal qualities that will enable them to continue their studies, improve themselves in the profession which they have selected, continue their lifelong learning, and within their potential abilities participate actively in society. 3.2 Objectives of Elementary Education Elementary education should help pupils form and gradually develop their key competencies and provide them with the firm foundations of general education focusing mainly on situations close to real life and on practical conduct. Elementary education therefore aims at fulfilling the following objectives: • to make it possible for the pupils to acquire learning strategies and to motivate them to lifelong learning; 9 FEP EE Research Institute of Education (VÚP) in Prague 2007 10 • to stimulate creative thinking, logical reasoning and problem solving in pupils; • to guide pupils towards engaging in effective and open communication on all possible issues; • to develop the pupils’ ability to cooperate and to respect their own as well as others’ work and achievements; • to prepare the pupils to manifest themselves as independent, free and responsible individuals who exercise their rights and meet their obligations; • to create in pupils the need to express positive feelings in their behaviour and conduct when undergoing various situations in life; to develop in them perceptiveness and sensitive relations towards other people, the environment and nature; • to teach the pupils to develop their physical, mental and social health actively, protect it and be responsible for it; • to guide the pupils towards tolerance of and consideration for other people, their cultures and spiritual values, to teach them to live together with others; • to help the pupils to become familiar with and develop their own abilities according to their realistic possibilities and to utilise them along with their acquired knowledge and skills when making decisions on the their own life and profession orientations. FEP EE Research Institute of Education (VÚP) in Prague 2007 4 Key Competencies Key competencies are a set of knowledge, skills, abilities, attitudes and values which are important for the personal development of an individual and for the individual’s participation in society. Their selection and conception are based on values generally accepted in society as well as commonly held ideas on which competencies of the individual contribute to his/her education, contented and successful life and to strengthening the functions of civil society. The purpose and aim of education are to equip all pupils with a set of key competencies on the level which is attainable for them and thus to prepare them for their further education and their participation in society. The acquisition of key competencies is a long-term and complicated process, which begins with preschool education, continues during elementary and secondary education and is gradually refined in subsequent life. While the level of key competencies acquired by the pupils by the end of their elementary education cannot yet be regarded as final, the key competencies acquired form a nonnegligible basis for the pupils’ lifelong learning and their start in life and in the work process. Key competencies are not isolated phenomena; they are variously interconnected, multifunctional, have an interdisciplinary nature and can always be acquired as a result of the overall educational process. The entire educational content and all of the activities taking place at school must therefore be aimed at and contribute to forming and developing these competencies. The educational content of the FEP EE conceives the subject matter as a means of mastering the expected activity-based outcomes, which gradually link and create preconditions for an effective and complex utilisation of the acquired abilities and skills on the level of key competencies. At the elementary stage of education, the following are considered as key competencies: learning competency, problem-solving competency, communication competency, social and personal competency, civic competency, professional competency. The following are descriptions of what a pupil should be able to do in terms of the competency in question by the end of his/her elementary education. Learning Competency An elementary-school graduate: selects and employs suitable procedures, methods and strategies for effective learning; plans, organises and manages his/her learning; demonstrates willingness to carry out further studies and lifelong learning; seeks and classifies information, and having understood, interlinked and systematised it, he/she uses it effectively within the learning process, in creative activities and real life; utilises commonly used terms, signs and symbols; makes connections between things; interconnects knowledge from various educational areas into larger wholes and based on this forms a more complex view of mathematical, scientific, social and cultural phenomena; makes observations and experiments independently; compares the results obtained, assesses them critically and draws conclusions from them for future application; recognises the purpose and objectives of learning; has a positive attitude towards learning; assesses his/her progress and identifies obstacles or problems hindering his/her learning progress; plans ways to improve his/her learning; assesses critically the results of his/her learning process and is able to discuss them. 11 FEP EE Research Institute of Education (VÚP) in Prague 2007 Problem-Solving Competency An elementary-school graduate: notices the most various problem situations at school and outside of school; recognises and understands a problem; reflects on discrepancies and their causes; considers and plans ways to address problems while employing his/her judgement and experience; is able to find information useful for solving the problem; identifies its identical, similar and different features; applies the knowledge acquired to discover various solutions; is not discouraged by a failure should there be one and persistently seeks the conclusive solution to the problem; solves problems independently; selects suitable ways to solve problems; uses logical, mathematical and empirical methods when solving the problems; tests in practice the correctness of problem-solving methods and applies sound practices when addressing similar or new problem situations; monitors his/her progress when overcoming problems; thinks critically; makes prudent decisions and is able to defend them; realises the responsibility for his/her decisions; is able to evaluate the results of his/her decisions. Communication Competency An elementary-school graduate: formulates and expresses his/her ideas and opinions in a logical sequence; expresses himself/herself pertinently, coherently and in a cultivated manner in both oral expression and writing; listens to other people’s utterances, understands them and responds to them adequately; participates effectively in discussions; defends his/her opinion and argues appropriately; understands various types of texts and records, graphic materials, commonly used gestures, sounds and other information and communication means, reflects on them, reacts to them and uses them creatively for his/her development and active engagement in social events; uses information and communication means and technologies for quality, effective communication with the surrounding world; uses his/her acquired communication skills to form relations necessary for full-fledged coexistence and quality cooperation with others. 12 FEP EE Research Institute of Education (VÚP) in Prague 2007 Social and Personal Competency An elementary-school graduate: cooperates effectively in a group; participates − along with the teachers − in establishing the rules of teamwork; affects positively the quality of collaborative work by recognising or accepting a new role in work activities; participates in creating a friendly atmosphere in the team; contributes to reinforcing good interpersonal relations by considering and respecting others when dealing with them; offers help or requests it should the need arise; contributes to a discussion within a small group as well as to an open debate of the entire class; understands the need to cooperate effectively with others when addressing an assigned task; appreciates the experience of others; respects different viewpoints and draws lessons from what other people think, say and do; creates a positive image of himself or herself, which supports his/her self-confidence and independent development; controls and governs his/her behaviour so as to achieve a feeling of self-satisfaction and self-respect. Civic Competency An elementary-school graduate: respects the others’ beliefs and intrinsic values; is able to empathise with the situations of others; rejects oppression and abusive treatment; realises his/her duty to oppose any physical as well as psychological violence; understands the underlying principles of laws and societal norms; realises his/her rights and obligations at school and outside of school; decides responsibly as the given situation requires; offers effective assistance within his abilities; acts responsibly in crisis situations, and situations when human life and health are in danger; respects, protects and appreciates our traditions as well as cultural and historical heritage; demonstrates a positive attitude towards works of art, a sense of culture and creativity, participates actively in cultural events and sporting activities; understands basic ecological connections and environmental problems; respects the requirements for a quality environment; makes such decisions that support and protect health and are favourable for the long-term sustainable development of society. 13 FEP EE Research Institute of Education (VÚP) in Prague 2007 14 Professional Competency An elementary-school graduate: uses materials, tools and equipment safely and effectively; adheres to set rules; fulfils his/her duties and obligations; adapts to changed or new working conditions; approaches the results of a work activity not only in terms of quality, functionality, economy, and societal importance, but also in terms of protection of his/her own health as well as the health of others, environmental protection and preservation of cultural and social values; uses his/her knowledge and experience acquired in individual educational areas for his/her own development and preparation for the future; makes well-founded decisions regarding his/her further studies and future professional specialisation; is familiar with the basic activities necessary for implementing a business plan; understands the essence, goals and risks of entrepreneurship; develops his/her entrepreneurial thinking. 15 5 Educational Areas Educational content of elementary education has been divided into nine, roughly defined educational areas in the FEP EE. Individual educational areas consist of one or more educational fields of similar educational content: Language and Language Communication (Czech Language and Literature, Foreign Language) Mathematics and Its Application (Mathematics and Its Application) Information and Communication Technologies (Information and Communication Technologies) Man and His World (Man and His World) Man and Society (History, Civics) Man and Nature (Physics, Chemistry, Natural Sciences, Geography) Arts and Culture (Music, Fine Arts) Man and Health (Health Education, Physical Education) Man and the World of Work (Man and the World of Work) Each educational area contains the characteristics of the educational area, the objectives of the educational area and its educational content. The characteristics of the educational area express the position and significance of the educational area for elementary education and characterise the educational content of individual educational fields in the educational area concerned. This part further indicates the interconnectedness between the educational content of elementary education at Stages 1 and 2. The objectives of the educational area specify towards what the pupil is guided by means of the educational content so as to acquire gradually the key competencies. Practical interconnectedness of the educational content with the key competencies arises from the fact that on the basis of the objectives of the educational area, a school defines in its SEP its educational strategies for the subjects of instruction (see Diagram 2). The educational content of the educational fields (including the complementary educational fields4 ) comprises the expected outcomes and the subject matter.5 Within Stage 1, the educational content is subdivided into Cycle 1 (the 1st–3rd forms) and Cycle 2 (the 4th and 5th forms). This division is supposed to help schools distribute the educational content among the individual forms. Expected outcomes are activity-based, practically focused, applicable in everyday life and verifiable. They specify the expected capability of utilising the acquired subject matter in practical situations and everyday life. The FEP EE sets the expected outcomes at the end of the 3rd form (Cycle 1) as orientational (tentative) and at the end of the 5th form 5 (Cycle 2) and of the 9th form as binding.6 The subject matter in the FEP EE is structured into individual thematic areas (topics, activities) and is understood as a means for achieving the expected outcomes. Because of its informative and formative functions, it forms an integral part of the educational content. The subject matter specified in the FEP EE is recommended to schools for distribution and further elaboration into the individual forms or longer time periods. On the level of the SEP, the subject matter is binding. The educational content of the individual educational fields will be divided by the school into subjects of instruction and elaborated, or also complemented, in syllabi on the basis of the needs, interests, specialisation and talents of the pupils in order to ensure the targeted development of the key competencies. 4 Complementary educational fields are fields which complement and augment the educational content of elementary education. 5 The educational content for pupils with mild mental retardation is prescribed by the appendix to this document. 6 Should the character of chronic health conditions objectively prevent some expected outcomes in the FEP EE from being accomplished, it is possible to substitute the respective expected outcomes with such that correspond better to the educational potential of the pupils with chronic health conditions. It is possible to create one or more subjects of instruction from one educational field, or a subject of instruction may be created by integrating the educational content of several educational fields (integrated subject of instruction). The FEP EE makes the interconnectedness (integration) of the educational content possible on the level of themes, thematic areas, or educational fields. The integration of the educational content must respect the logic of the structure of the individual educational fields; functional integration requires a qualified teacher. The intention is that the teachers cooperate when creating the SEPs, interconnect suitable themes which are shared by the individual educational fields and reinforce the interdisciplinary approach to education. The level of the FEP The level of the SEP Key Competencies Educational Objectives at Elementary Schools Educational Strategies of the School Objectives of the Educational Areas Educational Strategies of the Subjects of Instruction Educational Content Syllabi Expected Outcomes Elaborated Outcomes Subject Matter Elaborated Subject Matter Diagram 2 – The path to the targeted formation and development of the pupils’ key competencies 16 17 5.1 Language and Language Communication Characteristics of the Educational Area The educational area Language and Language Communication occupies a pivotal position in the edification process. A good level of language culture is one of the major indicators of the general maturity of the elementary-school graduate. Language instruction provides the pupil with such knowledge and skills that make it possible for him/her to perceive various kinds of messages, understand them, express himself/herself appropriately as well as utilise the results of his/her learning effectively. The educational area Language and Language Communication contains the following educational fields: Czech Language and Literature, Foreign Language and Second Foreign Language.7 The skills acquired in the educational field Czech Language and Literature are necessary not only for quality language education but also for the successful acquisition of knowledge in other areas of education. The use of Czech as a mother tongue in oral as well as written forms makes it possible for the pupil to learn about and understand the socio-cultural development of human society. During the implementation of this educational field, the prerequisites for effective interpersonal communication are created as the pupil learns to interpret his/her reactions and feelings so as to be able to understand his/her roles in various communication situations and to be able to orient himself/herself when perceiving the surrounding world as well as himself/herself. The educational content of the educational field Czech Language and Literature is complex but for the sake of clarity has been separated into three parts: Communication and Composition, Language and Literature. Nevertheless, the educational content of the individual parts is interconnected in the instruction. In Communication and Composition, the pupil learns to perceive and understand various language messages, to read with comprehension, to write in a cultivated manner, to speak and to make decisions on the basis of various texts related to diverse situations which he/she has read or listened to, to analyse the texts and to evaluate their content critically. At higher forms, the pupil learns to assess the formal aspect of the text and its structure. In Language, the pupil acquires the knowledge and skills necessary to master standard Czech and learns to distinguish between its other forms. Language guides the pupil towards precise and logical thought, which is the fundamental prerequisite for expressing oneself clearly, comprehensibly and in a well-structured manner. In developing the necessary knowledge and skills, also the pupil’s general intellectual skills are applied and augmented, including the skill of comparing various phenomena, identifying similarities and differences, classifying them according to certain aspects and arriving at a generalisation. From the beginning of instruction, Czech thus becomes not only an instrument for obtaining most information but also a subject of learning. In Literature, the pupil familiarises himself/herself by means of reading with the basic types of literature and learns to perceive their specific features, express the artistic intention of the author and formulate his/her own opinions on the work which he/she has read. The pupil also learns to distinguish fiction from reality. He/She gradually acquires and develops basic reading habits as well as the capacity for creative reception, interpretation and production of a literary text. The pupil arrives at such knowledge and experience that may positively influence his/her attitudes and value orientations and enrich his/her spiritual life. Verbal as well as non-verbal communication can also be developed by means of Drama, which is included in the FEP EE as a complementary educational field. 7 Until the school year 2011/2012, Second Foreign Language is defined as a complementary educational field with an available time allotment of 6 class hours at Stage 2, which means that all pupils must be offered a Second Foreign Language as an optional subject by the school. The educational content of the complementary educational field Second Foreign Language is specified in Chapter 5.10. 18 Foreign Language and Second Foreign Language contribute to understanding and discovering facts transcending the experience mediated by the mother tongue. These fields provide an active language basis and the prerequisites for the pupil’s communication within an integrated Europe and the world. The mastery of foreign languages helps reduce language barriers and thus increase the individual’s mobility both in his/her personal life and in his/her further study and future career path. It makes it possible for the pupil to learn about the differences in the lifestyles of people in other countries and their different cultural traditions. Moreover, it promotes an awareness of the importance of mutual international understanding and tolerance and creates the conditions for the cooperation of schools on international projects. The requirements for foreign-language education specified in the FEP EE are based on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, which describes the various levels of language proficiency. Education in the field Foreign Language is aimed at attaining the Level A2, whereas education in the field Second Foreign Language is aimed at attaining the Level A1 (as described in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages).8 The success of language education as a whole depends not only on educational achievements in the mother tongue and foreign languages but also on the extent to which the pupils’ language culture becomes the subject of interest of all other areas of elementary education as well. Objectives of the Educational Area The instruction in this educational area is aimed at forming and developing key competencies by guiding the pupil towards: understanding language as an original historical phenomenon reflecting the historical and cultural development of a nation and thus as an important unifying agent of the national community and as a vital and indispensable instrument for lifelong learning; developing a positive attitude towards his/her mother tongue and understanding it as a potential resource for the development of personal as well as cultural wealth; perceiving and gradually mastering language as a rich and multiform means of obtaining and conveying information, of expressing his/her needs, experiences and presenting his/her opinions; mastering the basic rules of interpersonal communication in a given cultural environment and developing a positive attitude towards language within intercultural communication; obtaining information independently from various sources and mastering work with language and literary sources and with the texts of various specialisations; gaining the self-confidence for public performance and for cultivated expression as a means of self-assertion; experiencing literary works of art on his/her own, sharing reading experiences, developing a positive attitude towards literature and other text-based artistic disciplines, and developing emotional and aesthetic perception. 8 The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages defines the communication competencies (linguistic, sociolinguistic and pragmatic) and general competencies (presupposing the knowledge of the socio-cultural environment and realia of the countries where the language studied is spoken) as the target competencies of language instruction. Level A2: Can understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of most immediate relevance (e.g. very basic personal and family information, shopping, local geography, employment). Can communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a simple and direct exchange of information on familiar and routine matters. Can describe in simple terms aspects of his/her background, immediate environment and matters in areas of immediate need. Level A1: Can understand and use familiar everyday expressions and very basic phrases aimed at the satisfaction of needs of a concrete type. Can introduce himself/herself and others and can ask and answer questions about personal details such as where he/she lives, people he/she knows and things he/she has. Can interact in a simple way provided the other person talks slowly and clearly and is prepared to help. 19 5.1.1 Czech Language and Literature Educational Content Stage 1 COMMUNICATION AND COMPOSITION Expected Outcomes – Cycle 1 The pupil shall: read texts of adequate length and difficulty fluently with comprehension understand written and oral instructions of reasonable difficulty adhere to basic communication rules in a conversation pronounce precisely and correct his/her incorrect or careless pronunciation breathe properly and select an appropriate pace of speech in short oral expressions select suitable verbal as well as non-verbal means of expression in everyday situations both at school and outside of school create a short oral expression based on his/her own experiences master basic health habits related to writing write the correct shapes of letters and numerals, connect letters and syllables correctly; check his/her own written expressions write texts correct both in terms of content and form order pictures according to a sequence of events and narrate a simple story on their basis Expected Outcomes – Cycle 2 The pupil shall: read texts of adequate difficulty with comprehension, and that both silently and aloud recognise the main ideas and details in a text suitable to the given age, take notes on the main ideas assess the completeness or incompleteness of a simple text reproduce the content of a text of adequate difficulty and remember the main ideas correctly conduct a dialogue, a telephone conversation, leave a message on an answering machine (on voicemail) recognise manipulative communication in an advertisement or commercial select proper intonation, stress, pauses and pace depending on the focus of his/her communicative intent distinguish between standard and non-standard pronunciation and use it properly depending on the situation write simple types of communication correctly both in terms of content and form create an outline of a narration and prepare a short oral or written expression based on it while preserving chronological sequence Subject Matter reading – practical reading (reading technique, attentive and fluent reading, knowledge of the orientation elements in a text); factual reading (reading for information, scanning, key words) listening – practical listening (polite, expressing contact with the partner); factual listening (attentive, focused, active – taking notes on what one has listened to, reacting with questions) speaking – the basics of oral-expression techniques (breathing, voice formation, pronunciation), expressions depending on the communication situation; discourse functions: greetings, forms of address, apologies, requests, messages, notices, narrations, dialogues based on graphic material; basic rules of communication (forms of address, initiating and concluding a dialogue, the alternating roles of a speaker and listener, polite conduct), non-linguistic means of expression (facial expressions, gestures) writing – basic health habits (proper sitting posture, holding of writing instruments properly, proper eye care, handling graphic materials); writing technique (neat, legible and clearlyarranged written expression, formal text layout); types of written expression: addresses, 20 congratulations, holiday greetings, written apologies; messages, notices, invitations, notes, advertisements, letters, descriptions; simple forms (application forms, questionnaires), narrations LANGUAGE Expected Outcomes – Cycle 1 The pupil shall: recognise a word’s phonetic and graphic forms, segment words into speech sounds, distinguish between long and short vowels compare word meanings, particularly antonyms, coordinates, hypernyms and hyponyms; find related words in a text compare and classify words according to their generalised meaning – action, thing, circumstance, quality distinguish between word classes in their basic form use the correct grammatical forms of nouns, adjectives and verbs in oral expression connect clauses into simpler sentences using proper conjunctions and other connectives distinguish communicative sentence types in a text and form them using proper linguistic and phonetic means justify correct spelling and spell correctly: i/y after hard and soft consonants, and after ambiguous consonants (b, f, l, m, p, s, v, z) in enumerated words; dě, tě, ně, ú/ů, bě, pě, vě, mě – not in the positions of morphological boundaries; capital letters at the beginning of a sentence and in typical examples of the proper names of persons, animals and places Expected Outcomes – Cycle 2 The pupil shall: compare word meanings, particularly synonyms or partial synonyms, and homonyms and polysemes identify the root, suffix, prefix and ending in a word distinguish between word classes of lexical words and use them in their grammatically correct forms in his/her oral expression distinguish standard words and their non-standard forms find the subject and verb and identify the base of a clause if either the subject or the verb is missing distinguish a clause (simple sentence) from a compound or complex sentence, change a simple sentence into a compound or complex sentence correctly use appropriate connectives and vary them as required by the utterance write i/y correctly in words after ambiguous consonants master basic examples of morpho-syntactic agreement Subject Matter phonetics – speech-sound distinction, vowel, consonant and consonant-group pronunciation, modulation of coherent speech (pace, intonation, stress) vocabulary and word formation – words and concepts, word meaning, monosemous and polysemous words, antonyms, synonyms, homonyms; word structure (root, prefix and suffix, ending) morphology – word classes, word forms syntax – clauses and sentences, subject and verb orthography – lexical orthography, the basics of morphological (endings of nouns and hard and soft adjectives) and morpho-syntactic agreement (the agreement of the verb with the simple subject) 21 LITERATURE Expected Outcomes – Cycle 1 The pupil shall: read literary texts suitable to the given age and recite them by heart with proper phrasing and pace express his/her feelings from a text which he/she has read recognise prose from verse when seeing it and distinguish fairy tales from other types of narratives work creatively with a literary text following the teacher’s instructions and according to his/her abilities Expected Outcomes – Cycle 2 The pupil shall: express and record his/her impressions from reading reproduce a text freely according to his/her abilities, create his/her own literary text on a given topic distinguish between various types of artistic and non-artistic texts use elementary literary terms when performing a simple analysis of literary texts Subject Matter listening to literary texts experiential reading and listening creative activities with a literary text – recitation of adequate literary texts, creative reproduction of a text which the pupil has read or listened to, dramatisation, his/her own accompanying illustrations basic literary terms – literary styles and genres: counting rhyme, riddle, nursery rhyme, poem, fairy tale, fable, short story; the writer, poet, book, reader; theatre performance, actor, director; verse, rhyme, simile Stage 2 COMMUNICATION AND COMPOSITION Expected Outcomes The pupil shall: distinguish facts from opinions and evaluations in a text which he/she has read or listened to; verify facts by asking or comparing with the information sources available differentiate between subjective and objective messages and recognise the communicative intent of the conversation partner recognise manipulative communication in mass media and adopt a critical stance towards it communicate in a cultivated manner, concisely, using language means adequate for the given communication situation distinguish between standard and non-standard expressions and use standard language means fittingly depending on the communicative intent employ suitable verbal, non-verbal and paralinguistic features of speech in both prepared and improvised oral expressions participate in a discussion, run a discussion, and apply the principles of communication and rules of a dialogue apply the basics of study reading – scan for key words, express the main ideas in a text, form questions and take brief notes and excerpts from a text read or create summaries; prepare a presentation independently and deliver it using the text as a support arrange information in a text with respect to its purpose; form a coherent text while adhering to the rules of inter-sentential linking 22 utilise his/her knowledge of language and style for a grammatically and factually correct written expression, for his/her creative work with a text or for his/her creative writing on the basis of his/her potential and personal preferences Subject Matter reading – practical (attentive, at an adequate pace, knowledge of the deictic elements in a text), factual (study reading, reading for information, scanning), critical (analytical, evaluative), experiential listening – practical (education towards empathy, impetus for action), factual (focused, active), critical (objective and subjective messages, the speaker’s communicative intent, manipulative effects of an oral expression, phonetic means of coherent speech and paralinguistic means), experiential speaking – principles of communication (communication norms, basic spoken types depending on the communication situation), principles of cultivated expression (oralexpression techniques, non-verbal and paralinguistic means); communication types: prepared and unprepared speech with or without notes, presentations, discussions writing – based on the knowledge of language and style, of basic approaches to composition and the main types; expressing an attitude towards the content being communicated; his/her own creative writing (communication types: excerpts, requests, personal and official letters, orders, theses, structured résumés, invitations, characteristics, subjective description, exposition, reflection) LANGUAGE Expected Outcomes The pupil shall: use Czech and commonly used foreign words with standard pronunciation differentiate between and exemplify in a text the most important Czech word-formation processes; identify tropes, particularly in phrasemes work independently with the Rules of Czech Orthography, the Dictionary of the Standard Czech Language and further dictionaries and handbooks classify word classes correctly, create standard word forms and use them consciously in a suitable communication situation apply his/her knowledge of the language norm when creating language expression adequate to the communication situation distinguish the semantic relations between clause elements in a clause and a sentence master the rules of lexical, word-formation and morphological orthography as well as morphosyntactic agreement in a clause and in a sentence in his/her written expression distinguish between standard Czech, dialects and common Czech and justify their usage Subject Matter phonetics – principles of standard pronunciation, modulation in continuous speech (word and sentential stress), intonation, segmentation of coherent speech (pauses, phrasing) vocabulary and word formation – vocabulary and its units, registers, semantics, homonyms, synonyms, processes of word formation morphology – word classes, grammatical meanings of words and their forms syntax – utterance and sentence, sentence structure, word order in a sentence, modifiers, sentences, direct and indirect speech, text structure orthography – lexical and morphological orthography, and morpho-syntactic agreement general instruction on the language – Czech (national language, mother tongue), language groups (Slavic – particularly Slovak – and other languages, minority languages), stratification of the national language (standard and non-standard varieties and language means), language and communication (language norm, codification; language and speech culture, the origin and fundamentals of the development of the Czech language, language handbooks) 23 LITERATURE Expected Outcomes The pupil shall: retell coherently a text which he/she has read; describe in simple words the structure and language of a literary work and interpret its meaning in his/her own words identify the basic features of a significant individual style formulate, both orally and in writing, his/her impressions from reading and from having attended a theatre or film performance and his/her opinions on a work of art create his/her own literary text based on his/her abilities and acquired knowledge of the basics of literary theory differentiate between literature and pulp fiction, support his/her opinions with arguments recognise the basic literary styles and genres, compare them and their function, list their major representatives list the basic literary styles and their significant representatives in Czech and world literature compare various literary, dramatic and film treatments of the same idea search for information in various types of catalogues, in a library and other information resources Subject Matter creative activities with a literary text – recitation of adequate literary texts, creative reproduction of a text which he/she has read or listened to, notes on the main ideas and their subsequent reproduction, interpretation of a literary text, dramatisation, creation of his/her own texts, his/her own illustrations accompanying a literary text methods of interpreting literary and other works basics of literary theory and history – structure of a literary work (topic and theme of a literary work, literary character, composition of a plot), language of a literary work (tropes and figures; the onomatopoeic means of poetry: rhyme, rhythm; free verse), fiction and non-fiction (popular-science literature, reference books, journalistic genres) literary styles and genres – poetry, prose, drama; lyric, epic and dramatic genres throughout history – the main developmental stages of national and world literatures, typical genres and their representatives 5.1.2 Foreign Language Educational Content Stage 1 RECEPTIVE, PRODUCTIVE AND INTERACTIVE LANGUAGE SKILLS Expected Outcomes – Cycle 1 The pupil shall: pronounce and read with correct pronunciation in an appropriate vocabulary range understand simple directions and sentences and react to them adequately distinguish between the written and spoken forms of a word understand the content and meaning of a simple, slow and carefully pronounced conversation between two people with sufficient time for understanding use an alphabetical glossary in a textbook RECEPTIVE LANGUAGE SKILLS Expected Outcomes – Cycle 2 The pupil shall: understand familiar words and simple sentences related to the topics being studied 24 understand the content and meaning of simple authentic materials (magazines, graphic and audio materials) and use them in his/her work read simple texts containing familiar vocabulary aloud fluently and respecting the rules of pronunciation find necessary information in a simple text and create an answer to a question use a bilingual dictionary PRODUCTIVE LANGUAGE SKILLS Expected Outcomes – Cycle 2 The pupil shall: create a simple written message, short text and response to a message using correct grammar and form; fill his/her basic personal data in forms reproduce, both orally and in writing, the content of a text of appropriate difficulty and a simple conversation modify short texts while preserving their meaning INTERACTIVE LANGUAGE SKILLS Expected Outcomes – Cycle 2 The pupil shall: participate actively in a simple conversation, greet and say good-bye to both an adult and a friend; provide the information required Subject Matter rules of communication in common everyday situations – greetings, expressing thanks, introductions simple messages – addresses, congratulations, holiday greetings and letters, apologies, requests thematic areas – home, family, school, leisure time and hobbies, clothing, shopping, nature and weather, traditions and customs, holidays, important geographical data vocabulary and word formation – synonyms, antonyms, word meanings in context basic grammatical structures and sentence types, the basics of the lexical principles of orthography – simple sentences, formation of questions and negation, word order in a sentence Stage 2 RECEPTIVE LANGUAGE SKILLS Expected Outcomes The pupil shall: read texts of appropriate length aloud fluently and respecting the rules of pronunciation understand the content of simple texts in textbooks and of authentic materials using visual aids; find familiar expressions, phrases and answers to questions in texts understand simple and clearly articulated utterance and conversation infer a likely meaning of new words from the context use a bilingual dictionary, find information or the meaning of a word in a suitable explanatory monolingual dictionary PRODUCTIVE LANGUAGE SKILLS Expected Outcomes The pupil shall: create a simple (both oral and written) expression concerned with a situation related to family and school life and other thematic areas being studied create simple sentences and short texts and modify them in writing using correct grammar retell briefly the content of a text, utterance as well as conversation of suitable difficulty 25 request simple information INTERACTIVE LANGUAGE SKILLS Expected Outcomes The pupil shall: make himself/herself understood in a simple manner in common everyday situations Subject Matter simple messages – addressing someone and reacting to being addressed, welcoming greetings, saying good-bye, introductions, apologies, reacting to apologies, expressing thanks and reacting to being thanked, requests, wishes, congratulations, requests for help, for a service, for information, agreement/disagreement, meetings, social programme basic relations – existential (Who?…), spatial (Where?…), temporal (When?…), qualitative (What? Which? How?…), quantitative (How many/much?…) thematic areas – home, family, housing, school, leisure time and hobbies, personal letters, forms, questionnaires, sport, healthcare, eating, town, clothing, shopping, nature, weather, man and society, travelling, the socio-cultural environment of respective language areas and of the Czech Republic vocabulary and word formation grammatical structures and sentence types, lexical principles of orthography Second Foreign Language is included in Chapter 5.10 Complementary Educational Fields (namely as 5.10.1). 26 5.2 Mathematics and Its Application Characteristics of the Educational Area The educational area Mathematics and Its Application at elementary schools is based primarily on practical activities which are typical for work with mathematical objects and for the application of mathematics in real-life situations. It provides the knowledge and skills necessary for real life and hereby makes it possible to acquire mathematical literacy. Because of this indispensable role, it penetrates all of elementary education and creates the preconditions for further successful studies. Education in this area places an emphasis on a thorough understanding of the basic mathematical thought processes and concepts and their mutual relations. Pupils gradually master various mathematical concepts, algorithms, terminology and notation, as well as methods for applying them. The educational content of the educational field Mathematics and Its Application is divided into four thematic areas. In the thematic area Numbers and Arithmetic Operations at Stage 1, which is built on and augmented by the thematic area Numbers and Variables at Stage 2, the pupil studies arithmetic operations in their three parts: the skill to perform an operation, algorithmic understanding (why an operation is performed in the manner presented), and the understanding of the meaning (the ability to connect an operation with a real situation). The pupil learns to collect numerical data through measurements, estimations, calculations and rounding. He/She becomes familiar with the concept of a variable and its role in the mathematisation of real-life situations. In the next thematic area, Dependencies, Relations and Working with Data, the pupil learns to recognise certain types of changes and dependencies which are manifestations of common phenomena from the real world and becomes familiar with their mathematical representations. He/She becomes aware of the changes and dependencies of familiar phenomena and comes to the conclusion that a change can be not only an increase and decrease but that it can have a zero value as well. These changes and dependencies are analysed by the pupil by means of tables, diagrams and graphs, in simple cases constructed and expressed by means of mathematical formulas, or, if circumstances allow, modelled using suitable software or graphic calculators. An examination of these dependencies leads to an understanding of the concept of a function. In the thematic area Planar and Spatial Geometry, the pupil identifies and draws geometric figures and models real-life situations, seeks similarities and differences between figures found everywhere around us, realises the mutual positions of objects on a plane (or in space), learns to compare, estimate and measure length, angle size, perimeter and/or circumference and area (or surface area and volume), and to improve his/her graphic expression. The examination of shape and space guides the pupil towards solving positional and metric exercises and problems based on common everyday situations. An important part of mathematical education are Non-Standard Application Exercises and Problems, whose solution may to a large degree be independent of the pupil’s knowledge and skills of the mathematics taught at school, but during which it is necessary to apply logical thinking. These tasks should permeate all thematic areas throughout elementary education. The pupil learns to solve complex situations and exercises from everyday life, understand and analyse a problem, classify data and conditions, draw sketches of situations, and solve optimisation tasks. Solving logical tasks, the difficulty of which depends on the level of the pupil’s intellectual development, reinforces the pupil’s confidence in his/her logical-thinking ability and may even reveal pupils who are weaker at mathematics. The pupil learns to use the tools of computational technology (especially calculators, suitable computer software, certain types of educational software) and other aids, which makes mathematics accessible also to a pupil who has problems with numerical calculations and drafting techniques. The pupil also becomes better at independent and critical work with information sources. 27 Objectives of the Educational Area The instruction in this educational area is aimed at forming and developing key competencies by guiding the pupil towards: being able to apply mathematical knowledge and skills in practical activities – estimation, measurement and comparison of sizes and distances, orientation; developing his/her memory by performing numerical calculations and learning necessary mathematical formulas and algorithms; developing combinatorial and logical thinking, towards judging critically and argumenting comprehensively and factually by solving mathematical problems; developing abstract and exact thinking by mastering and using basic mathematical concepts and relations, towards learning their characteristic properties and identifying and classifying concepts on the basis of these properties; creating a repository of mathematical tools (arithmetic operations, algorithms, problem-solving methods) and using the acquired mathematical skills effectively; perceiving the complexity of the real world and understanding it; towards developing experience in using mathematical modelling (mathematising real-life situations), towards evaluating a mathematical model and the limitations of its application; towards realising that reality is more complex than any mathematical model, that a certain model may be applied to various situations and that one situation may be demonstrated by means of various models; analysing a problem and the plan to solve it, estimating the results, selecting the correct method for resolving the problem, and evaluating the correctness of the result with respect to the conditions of the exercise or problem; expressing himself/herself accurately and concisely by using the language of mathematics, including mathematical notation, and by performing analyses and keeping records during problem solving, and towards improving his/her graphic expression; developing his/her cooperation skills while solving complex and applied tasks which reflect situations form everyday life, and subsequently towards utilising the acquired solution in practice; towards discovering the possibilities of mathematics in real life and the fact that results may be attained in several different ways; developing the confidence in his/her own abilities and potential when solving problems, towards systematic self-control at each step of the solution procedure, towards developing a methodicalness, persistence and preciseness, towards forming the ability to express hypotheses on the basis of experience or experiment and towards verifying them or repudiating them using counterexamples. 5.2.1 Mathematics and Its Application Educational Content Stage 1 NUMBERS AND ARITHMETIC OPERATIONS Expected Outcomes – Cycle 1 The pupil shall: use natural numbers to model real-life situations, count objects in a given set, create sets with a given number of elements read, record and compare natural numbers up to 1,000; use and record the relations of equality and inequality use linear arrangement; represent numbers on a number axis perform simple mental arithmetic operations using natural numbers solve and create exercises in which he/she applies and models the arithmetic operations acquired 28 Expected Outcomes – Cycle 2 The pupil shall: use commutability and associativity of addition and multiplication when performing both mental and written calculations perform written arithmetic operations in the range of natural numbers round natural numbers, perform estimates and verify the results of arithmetic operations in the range of natural numbers solve and create exercises in which he/she applies the mastered arithmetic operations in the entire range of natural numbers Subject Matter the range of natural numbers writing numbers in the decimal system, number axis multiplication table properties of arithmetic operations with natural numbers written algorithms for arithmetic operations DEPENDENCIES, RELATIONS AND WORKING WITH DATA Expected Outcomes – Cycle 1 The pupil shall: orientate himself/herself in time, perform simple time-unit conversions describe simple dependencies from real life complete tables, charts and sequences of numbers Expected Outcomes – Cycle 2 The pupil shall: seek, collect and classify data read and construct simple tables and diagrams Subject Matter dependencies and their properties diagrams, graphs, tables, timetables PLANAR AND SPATIAL GEOMETRY Expected Outcomes – Cycle 1 The pupil shall: identify, label, model and describe basic planar figures and simple bodies; find their representations in real life compare the dimensions of figures, measure and estimate the length of line segments identify and model simple symmetrical planar figures Expected Outcomes – Cycle 2 The pupil shall: draw and depict basic planar figures (square, rectangle, triangle and circle); use simple constructions add and subtract graphic line segments; determine the length of a broken line, or the perimeter of a polygon by adding the lengths of its sides construct parallel and perpendicular lines determine the area of a geometric figure by means of a quadratic grid; use basic units of area identify and depict simple axisymmetric figures on a quadratic grid and determine the axis of symmetry by folding the paper 29 Subject Matter basic planar figures – broken line, line, ray, line segment, square, circle, rectangle, triangle, disc, quadrangle, polygon basic spatial figures – parallelepiped, cube, pyramid, sphere, cone, cylinder line-segment length; units of length and their conversions circumference and area of a geometric figure relative position of two lines on a plane axisymmetric figures NON-STANDARD APPLICATION EXERCISES AND PROBLEMS Expected Outcomes – Cycle 2 The pupil shall: solve simple practical word problems and problems whose solution is to a large degree independent of the usual approaches and algorithms of the mathematics taught at school Subject Matter word problems sequences of numbers and pictures magic squares spatial imagination Stage 2 NUMBERS AND VARIABLES Expected Outcomes The pupil shall: perform arithmetic operations in the range of whole and rational numbers; use second powers and square roots round numbers and make estimates to a given level of precision, use calculators effectively model and solve situations while applying the divisibility in the range of natural numbers use various methods of a quantitative expression of the whole-part relationship (by means of a natural number, ratio, fraction, decimal, percent) solve situations expressed in ratios using modelling and calculations; work with the graphic scales of maps and plans solve application exercises for percentage (also for the case when the percent part is greater than the whole) mathematise simple real-life situations while using variables; determine the value of an expression, add and multiply polynomials, decompose polynomials into their products by employing formulas and factoring formulate and solve real-life situations using equations and simultaneous equations analyse and solve simple problems; model specific situations in which he/she employs the mathematical skills in the range of whole and rational numbers Subject Matter divisibility of natural numbers – prime number, composite number, multiple, divisor, least common multiple, greatest common divisor, criteria of divisibility whole numbers – opposites, number axis decimals, fractions – extended notation, i.e. decomposition of complex numbers in the decimal system; inverse numbers, mixed numbers, complex fractions ratio – scale, proportion, rule of three percents – percent, per mille; base, resulting amount, percentage points; simple interest powers and square roots – second power and square root 30 expressions – numerical expression and its values; variable, expressions with variables, polynomials equations – linear equations, two simultaneous linear equations with two unknowns DEPENDENCIES, RELATIONS AND WORKING WITH DATA Expected Outcomes The pupil shall: seek, evaluate and process data compare data sets determine direct or inverse proportionality express functional relations through tables, equations and graphs mathematise simple real-life situations by means of functional relations Subject Matter dependencies and data – examples of dependencies from everyday life and their properties, charts, diagrams, graphs, tables; frequency of a phenomenon, arithmetic mean functions – Cartesian coordinate system, direct proportion, inverse proportion, linear functions PLANAR AND SPATIAL GEOMETRY Expected Outcomes The pupil shall: explain and apply the positional and metric properties of basic planar figures when solving exercises and simple real-life problems; use the necessary mathematical notation characterise and classify basic planar figures determine the size of an angle by measuring and calculating it estimate and calculate the area and perimeter of basic planar figures use the concept of the set of all points of a given property to characterise a figure and solve positional and non-positional construction exercises sketch and construct planar figures apply theorems on congruent and similar triangles for argumentation and when calculating sketch and construct a planar figure in axial and central symmetry, identify centrallysymmetric and axisymmetric figures identify and describe basic spatial figures (bodies) and analyse their properties estimate and calculate the volume and surface area of bodies sketch and construct basic bodies sketch and construct simple bodies on a plane analyse and solve application geometric exercises using the newly acquired mathematical skills Subject Matter planar figures – line, ray, line segment, disc, circle, angle, triangle, quadrangle (trapezoid, parallelogram), regular polygon, relative position of two lines on a plane (types of angles), congruence and similarity (theorems on congruent and similar triangles) metric properties on a plane – types of angles, distance of a point from a line, triangle inequality, Pythagoras’ Theorem spatial figures – parallelepiped, cube, right circular cylinder, pyramid, right circular cone, sphere, right prism construction exercises – sets of all points of a given property (line segment bisectors, angle bisectors, Thales’ Circle), axial symmetry, central symmetry 31 NON-STANDARD APPLICATION EXERCISES AND PROBLEMS Expected Outcomes The pupil shall: use logical consideration and combinatory logic when solving exercises and problems and find various solutions to situations with which he/she is presented or which he/she examines solve exercises of spatial imagination, apply and combine the knowledge and skills from various thematic and educational areas Subject Matter sequences of numbers and logical sequences analogies of numbers and pictures logical and non-traditional geometric exercises 32 5.3 Information and Communication Technologies Characteristics of the Educational Area The educational area Information and Communication Technologies (hereinafter referred to as ICTs) makes it possible for all pupils to achieve the basic level of information literacy – to attain the elementary skills of operating computational and information technologies, to be familiar with the world of information, to work creatively with information and use it in their further studies and everyday life. Considering the growing need for the acquisition of basic skills of work with computational technologies, the educational area ICTs has been included as a compulsory part of elementary education at Stages 1 and 2. The skills acquired are a prerequisite for success on the labour market as well as a condition for the effective development of professional and leisure activities in an information society. The mastery of computational technology, particularly the ability to find and process the necessary information quickly by means of the internet and other digital media, allows the pupil to implement the method of ‘learning anywhere and at any time’, leads to the desired relief of stress on the memory while simultaneously making it possible to use a much greater amount of data and information than before, accelerates the updating of knowledge and suitably complements standard teaching materials and aids. The skills acquired in the educational area ICTs make it possible for the pupil to apply computational technology with a wide range of educational software and information sources in all areas of elementary education. This application level transcends the framework of the educational area ICTs and becomes a part of all educational areas of elementary education. Objectives of the Educational Area The instruction in this educational area is aimed at forming and developing key competencies by guiding the pupil towards: recognising the role of information and information activities as well as using modern ICTs; understanding the information flow from its generation, through its storage on a medium, transmission, processing and retrieval to application; acquiring the ability to formulate his/her request and use algorithmic thinking when interacting with a computer; comparing information and knowledge from a greater number of alternative information sources, and thus achieving higher credibility of the information found; using computational technology and application and educational software to increase the effectiveness of his/her learning activities and to organise his/her work better; using software and hardware tools creatively when presenting the results of his/her work; understanding the role of computational technology as a tool for simulating and modelling natural and social phenomena and processes; respecting intellectual property rights when using software; assuming a responsible and ethical attitude to inappropriate content on the internet or in other media; working with computational technology considerately. 5.3.1 Information and Communication Technologies Educational Content Stage 1 THE BASICS OF WORKING WITH A COMPUTER Expected Outcomes – Cycles 1 and 2 The pupil shall: use the basic, standard functions of a computer and its most common peripheries observe safety rules when working with hardware and software, and proceed in an informed manner in the case of their being faulty protect data from damage, loss or abuse Subject Matter basic concepts of working with information – information, information sources, information institutions structure, functions and description of a computer and auxiliary equipment operating systems and their basic functions introduction to file formats (doc, gif) multimedia use of computers simple computer maintenance, procedures to solve common hardware and software problems principles of occupational safety and prevention of health risks related to the long-term use of computational technology INFORMATION SEARCHING AND COMMUNICATION Expected Outcomes – Cycles 1 and 2 The pupil shall: utilise simple and suitable ways when searching for information on the internet search for information on web portals, in libraries and in databases communicate by means of the internet and other common communication devices Subject Matter the social information flow (generation, transmission, transfer, processing, dissemination) basic means of communication (email, chat, telephone) methods and tools for information retrieval formulating search requests on the internet, search attributes INFORMATION PROCESSING AND APPLICATION Expected Outcomes – Cycles 1 and 2 The pupil shall: work with text and pictures in text and graphics editors Subject Matter basic functions of text and graphics editors 33 34 Stage 2 INFORMATION SEARCHING AND COMMUNICATION Expected Outcomes The pupil shall: verify the credibility of information and information sources and assess their importance and interconnectedness Subject Matter development trends in information technologies the value and relevance of information and information sources, tools for their verification the internet INFORMATION PROCESSING AND APPLICATION Expected Outcomes The pupil shall: be able to work with text and graphics and table editors, and use suitable applications apply basic aesthetic and typographic rules for the work with text and pictures work with information in accordance with legislation on intellectual property rights use information from various information sources and evaluate simple relationships between data prepare and present information in text, graphic and multimedia forms at user level Subject Matter computer graphics, raster and vector programs table editor, table creation, data comparison, simple formulae information presentation (websites, presentation programs, multimedia) protection of intellectual property rights, copyright, information ethics 35 5.4 Man and His World Characteristics of the Educational Area The educational area Man and His World is the only educational area in the FEP EE which is designed only for Stage 1 of elementary education. This complex area delimits the educational content concerning Man, family, society, home country, nature, culture, technology, health, etc. It works with the view of the past as well as the present and leads towards the acquisition of skills for real life. Through its broadly-conceived, synthetic (integrated) content, this educational area helps form compulsory elementary education at Stage 1. Education in the area Man and His World develops the knowledge, skills and initial experience which the pupil has acquired in his/her education within the family and at preschool. The pupil learns to observe and name things and phenomena, their mutual relations and connections, and thus forms his/her first coherent picture of the world. He/She becomes acquainted with himself/herself and his/her immediate surroundings and gradually learns about persons as well as phenomena remote both in time and space and about more complex events. He/She learns to understand people and their mutual relationships, and to notice substantial factual and aesthetic aspects of human creations and natural phenomena, observe them attentively and contemplate them. Based on the knowledge of himself/herself, his/her needs and understanding the world around him/her, the pupil learns to perceive principal relations in society, to understand the current way of life, its advantages and drawbacks, and to see the present as the result of the past and a starting point for the future. When acquiring the knowledge and skills in the educational area Man and His World, the pupil learns to express his/her thoughts, knowledge and impressions and to react to the ideas, opinions and suggestions of others. The condition for successful education in this area is the pupil’s own experience based on specific or model situations when acquiring the necessary skills, course of action and decision making, to which also the teacher’s personal example contributes significantly. The interconnectedness of this educational area with real life and practical experience greatly helps the pupil cope with new life situations as well as the new role as a pupil and helps him/her find his/her position among his/her peers and reinforce his/her work and regimen habits. The educational area thus provides the foundations for more specialised instruction in the educational areas Man and Society and Man and Nature and in the educational field Health Education. The educational content of the educational area Man and His World is divided into five thematic areas. Through a combination of the thematic areas, it is possible to create diverse variations of the individual subjects of instruction and their educational content within the SEP.9 In the thematic area Place Where We Live, the pupil learns, by becoming acquainted with his/her immediate surroundings, with the relations and connections therein, to understand the organisation of family life, school life, life in the municipality and in society. He/She learns to participate in this everyday life with his/her own activities and ideas, to seek new and interesting things and to be able to exist safely in this world. Emphasis is placed on traffic education, practical learning about local and regional information and on developing the pupil’s personal experience. Various activities and tasks should naturally encourage the pupil to form a positive relationship with the place where he/she lives, and gradually develop his/her national consciousness and relation to our country. In the thematic area People Around Us, the pupil gradually masters and reinforces the basics of proper conduct and behaviour towards others, gradually realises the importance and nature of tolerance, help and solidarity between people, mutual respect, tolerance and equality between men and women. He/She discovers how people meet, entertain themselves and create culture. He/She becomes acquainted with basic rights and responsibilities, but also with problems accompanying the 9 It is possible to create, as is traditional, one subject in the 1st–3rd forms (i.e. to assign appropriate subject matter selected from individual thematic areas to the expected outcomes for Cycle 1) and two subjects in the 4th and 5th forms (i.e. to use the thematic areas 1, 2 and 3 as a foundation for National Geography and History and areas 4 and 5 for Natural Sciences), but it is also possible to create only one subject of instruction also in the 4th and 5th forms or one continuous subject of instruction in the 1st–5th forms. It is not always necessary to adhere to the thematic areas strictly; the thematic areas can be variously structured, and the subject matter interconnected and assigned to the expected outcomes as needed. 36 coexistence of people, the whole society, or even the world (global problems). The entire thematic area is thus aimed at providing the initial knowledge and skills to be acquired by a future citizen of a democratic state. In the thematic area Man and Time, the pupil acquires the basic knowledge of history and time. He/She discovers how and why time is measured, how events proceed in time and create the history of things and events. He/She learns to see how life and things develop and to what changes they are subjected over time. This thematic area proceeds from the most common events in the family, municipality and region and moves towards the most important moments in the history of our country. The essence of the thematic area is to arouse the interest of the pupil in history and the cultural wealth of the region as well as the entire country. It is therefore important that the pupil can independently seek, obtain and examine information from available sources, particularly from the members of his/her family and people in his/her immediate vicinity, that they can jointly visit sights, the collections of regional as well as specialised museums, a public library, etc. In the thematic area Diversity of Nature, the pupil learns about the Earth as a planet in the solar system whereon life was created and has been developing. He/She discovers the great diversity and variability of both animate and inanimate nature in our country. He/She is guided towards realising that the Earth and life on it constitute one integral whole, where all major actions are in mutual harmony and balance, which can be easily disturbed by Man and restored only with difficulties. On the basis of practical exploration of the surrounding area and further information, the pupil learns to seek evidence of changes in nature, to make use of and evaluate his/her observations and records, to monitor the impact of human activities on nature and to identify ways to contribute, at his/her age, to protecting nature, improving the environment and to creating long-term sustainable development. In the thematic area Man and His Health, the pupil is provided with information mainly about himself/herself as a living human being with biological and physiological functions and needs. He/She learns how Man develops and changes from birth to adulthood, and what is suitable and unsuitable for him/her in terms of daily regimen, hygiene, diet, interpersonal relations, etc. He/She acquires basic information on health and diseases, on wellness and first aid, as well as safe conduct in various reallife situations, including emergency situations endangering the health of individuals as well as entire groups of people. The pupil gradually realises how responsible each person is for his/her health and safety, as well as the health of others. He/She learns that health is the most precious value of his/her life. He/She acquires the necessary knowledge and skills by observing visual aids and specific situations, and through role playing and solving model situations. Objectives of the Educational Area The instruction in this educational area is aimed at forming and developing key competencies by guiding the pupil towards: developing work habits both through simple independent work and teamwork; becoming familiar with the world of information and interconnecting historical, geographical and cultural information in terms of place and time; expanding his/her vocabulary in the topics being studied, describing observed facts and capturing them in his/her own forms of expressions, opinions and creations; discovering and understanding differences between people, towards adopting cultivated and tolerant conduct and behaviour on the basis of jointly created and accepted or generally applied rules of coexistence, towards fulfilling duties and common tasks; acting independently and self-confidently, communicating effectively and in such a way as to avoid problems and conflicts even in less common situations, becoming acquainted with his/her uniqueness (potential and limits) and influencing it; developing a considerate attitude to nature as well as cultural products, and towards seeking ways of actively participating in their protection; expressing positive feelings towards himself/herself and his/her surroundings naturally; discovering and becoming acquainted with everything in which he/she has an interest, that he/she likes and that could be an area of future success; 37 learning about the essence of health and the causes of diseases, towards reinforcing preventative behaviour, effective decision making and useful conduct in various situations where his/her health and safety as well as those of others are endangered. 5.4.1 Man and His World Educational Content Stage 1 PLACE WHERE WE LIVE Expected Outcomes – Cycle 1 The pupil shall: mark on a simple map his/her place of residence and the location of his/her school, how to reach a destination, and recognise possible dangers in his/her immediate surroundings place his/her municipality (town) in the relevant region and service centre of the Czech Republic, monitor and describe changes in his/her immediate surroundings, municipality (town) distinguish natural and man-made elements in the surrounding area and express its aesthetic values and diversity in various ways Expected Outcomes – Cycle 2 The pupil shall: identify and explain the position of his/her residence with respect to the region and the country identify the cardinal points in nature as well as using a map, be able to orient himself/herself using them and observe the rules for safety of activity and sleeping in the open distinguish between sketches, plans and basic types of maps; find simple data on natural conditions and human settlements on maps of the Czech Republic, Europe and the hemispheres find the typical regional characteristics of nature, settlement, economy and culture; make a simple assessment of their importance in terms of nature, history, politics, administration and ownership mediate to others his/her experience, experiences and interesting things from his/her travels, and compare the way of life and nature in the Czech Republic and abroad define the main organs of state authority and some of their representatives, our state symbols and their meaning Subject Matter home – the home environment, orientation in the place of residence school – the school environment, school activities, the school’s surroundings, safe routes to school municipality (town), local landscape – its parts, location in the region, the past and the present of the municipality (town), important buildings, transport network surrounding landscape (local area, region) – the Earth’s surface and its formations, continental waters, distribution of soils, flora and fauna, the impact of the landscape on people’s lives, the impact of Man on the landscape and the environment, orientation points and lines, cardinal points regions of the Czech Republic – Prague and selected areas of the CR, raw-material sources, production, services and trade our country – home, landscape, nation, the foundations of the system of government and political system of the Czech Republic, state administration and local authorities, state symbols Europe and the world – continents, European countries, the EU, travelling general geographic and thematic maps – content, graphics, legend 38 PEOPLE AROUND US Expected Outcomes – Cycle 1 The pupil shall: identify close kinship relations in a family, the roles of family members and the relations between them infer the importance of various occupations and work activities and the need for them express tolerance for his/her classmates’ natural differences, their strengths and weaknesses Expected Outcomes – Cycle 2 The pupil shall: express, based on his/her experience, principal relationships between people, deduce and observe the rules of coexistence at school, among boys and girls, in the family, municipality (town) identify the basic differences between individuals, defend his/her opinions during specific activities, or admit a mistake that he/she has made, agree with classmates on a joint procedure and solution identify conduct and behaviour in his/her surroundings that are beyond the limits of what is tolerable and that violate fundamental human rights or democratic principles be able to identify the basic forms of ownership; use money in everyday situations indicate changes and some problems in his/her immediate social and natural environment and suggest possible ways to improve the environment in his/her municipality (town) Subject Matter family – the position of an individual in a family, the roles of family members, kinship and intergenerational relations, the life and functions of the family, physical and mental work, employment coexistence of people – interpersonal relations, communication, business, companies, specialinterest societies, political parties, Churches, helping the ill and socially disadvantaged, the common ‘European home’ human behaviour – people’s qualities, rules of proper conduct, democratic principles law and justice – fundamental human rights and children’s rights, rights and obligations of school pupils, illegal conduct, legal protection of citizens and their property, of private property, of intellectual property ownership – private, public, personal, joint; corporeal and incorporeal property; money culture – cultural forms and expressions, cultural institutions, mass culture and subculture principal global problems – significant social problems, problems related to consumer society, intolerance among people, global environmental problems MAN AND TIME Expected Outcomes – Cycle 1 The pupil shall: use time data when solving various situations in daily life, and distinguish past, present and future events recognise some regional figures, cultural or historical monuments and major events in the region; interpret fables or legends associated with the place where he/she lives apply elementary knowledge of himself/herself, of his/her family and of human activities, of human society, human coexistence, customs and work; compare the past and the present on specific examples Expected Outcomes – Cycle 2 The pupil shall: work with time data and use the ascertained data to understand the relations between events and between phenomena use archives, libraries, museum and gallery collections as information resources to understand 39 the past; explain the essential importance of protected natural areas, cultural monuments and movable cultural heritage distinguish between the present and the past and orient himself/herself in the main realia of the past and present of the Czech Republic on the basis of regional specifics compare and evaluate on selected examples the way of life and work of our forefathers on our territory in the past and present using regional specifics provide historical reasons for the inclusion of the national holidays and significant days Subject Matter orientation in time, chronological order – telling the time, time as a physical quantity, history as a temporal sequence of events, calendars, era, generations, daily regimen, seasons of the year the present and past in our lives – changes in the way of life, in housing, objects of daily use, the course of human life, national holidays and significant days regional monuments – monument conservation, Man and disciplines investigating the past fables, myths and legends – the past of the region and forefathers, home, home country, home region DIVERSITY OF NATURE Expected Outcomes – Cycle 1 The pupil shall: observe, describe and compare visible changes in nature in the individual seasons of the year classify the products of nature on the basis of prominent determining features, provide examples of the occurrence of organisms in a familiar locality conduct simple experiments on a group of familiar substances, determine their shared and different characteristics and measure basic quantities using simple tools and devices Expected Outcomes – Cycle 2 The pupil shall: discover and ascertain the interconnectedness between the elements of animate and inanimate nature, discover the principle of natural balance; find connections between the final appearance of nature and human activities explain, building on his/her basic knowledge of the Earth as a part of the universe, the connection with time division and the changing of the seasons study basic communities in selected localities of regions, explain principal mutual relations between organisms, and identify shared and different features in the adaptation of organisms to the environment compare major manifestations of life on specific organisms on the basis of observations, classify organisms practically into familiar categories using simple identification keys and atlases evaluate some specific human activities in nature and distinguish between those that may either support or harm the environment and human health prepare a simple experiment, plan and justify the procedure, evaluate and explain the results of the experiment Subject Matter substances and their properties – classification of substances, changes of substances and in states of matter, properties of substances, comparing substances and measuring quantities while using basic units practically water and air – the occurrence, properties and forms of water, water cycle in nature; the characteristics and composition of air, air circulation; their importance for life minerals and rocks, soil – some economically important rocks and minerals, weathering, the origin of soil and its importance Earth and the universe – the solar system, day and night, seasons of the year 40 plants, fungi and animals – their signs of life, requirements for life and its manifestations, the course and way of life, nutrition, body structure in some of the most familiar species, their importance in nature and for Man living conditions – diversity of the conditions for life on Earth; importance of the atmosphere, waters, soils, fauna and flora on Earth; climate and weather natural balance – importance, mutual relations between organisms, basic natural communities considerate conduct towards nature and its protection – human responsibility, protection and creation of the environment, protection of flora and fauna, waste disposal, natural and ecological disasters MAN AND HIS HEALTH Expected Outcomes – Cycle 1 The pupil shall: observe basic hygiene, regimen and other preventative health habits while applying a basic knowledge of the human body; manifest his/her relation to health through appropriate behaviour and activities observe the principles of safe behaviour so as not to endanger his/her health or the health of others behave cautiously when meeting unknown individuals, refuse communication that is unpleasant for him; request help for himself/herself or another child if need be observe the basic traffic rules respond adequately to adults’ instructions during emergencies Expected Outcomes – Cycle 2 The pupil shall: apply his/her knowledge of the human body to explain the basic functions of the individual organ systems and to support his/her healthy lifestyle distinguish between the individual stages of human life and understand the development of the child before and after birth efficiently plan his/her time for learning, work, entertainment and rest according to his/her needs and with respect to the justified needs of others apply expedient ways of behaviour in life-threatening situations and in model situations that simulate emergencies demonstrate, in model situations, simple ways of refusing addictive substances apply basic skills and habits related to health promotion and preventative protection dress minor injuries and ensure medical assistance behave considerately towards the opposite sex and be familiar with safe methods of sexual behaviour between boys and girls of the given age Subject Matter human body – requirements for life and its manifestations, basic structure and functions, sex differences between men and women, the basics of human reproduction, individual human development partnership, parenthood, basic sexual education – family and partnership, biological and mental changes in adolescence, ethical aspects of sexuality, HIV/AIDS (ways of transmission) care for one’s health, healthy diet – daily regimen, drinking regimen, movement regimen, healthy diet; illness, minor injuries and wounds, first aid, injury prevention; personal, intimate and mental hygiene – stress and its risks; influence of advertising addictive substances and health – refusing addictive substances, gambling slot machines and computers personal safety – safe behaviour in a high-risk environment, safe traffic behaviour as a pedestrian and a cyclist, emergency situations (bullying, maltreatment, sexual abuse, etc.), brutality and other forms of violence in the media; professional assistance services public emergency situations 41 5.5 Man and Society Characteristics of the Educational Area The educational area Man and Society at elementary schools provides the pupil with the knowledge and skills necessary for his/her active engagement in the life of a democratic society. The instruction is aimed at the pupil’s acquisition of the knowledge of the historical, social and cultural-historical aspects of human life in all its diversity, changeability and in mutual connections. It acquaints the pupil with the development of society and the important social phenomena and processes which are reflected in everyday life and influence the formation of the social climate. The area focuses on the formation of positive civic attitudes, develops a consciousness of belonging to the European area of civilisation and culture and encourages the adoption of the values on which contemporary democratic Europe builds. An important part of the education in this educational area is the prevention of racist, xenophobic and extremist attitudes, education towards tolerance and respect for human rights, towards equality between men and women, and education towards respect for the natural and cultural environments as well as towards the preservation of artistic and cultural values. In the educational area Man and Society, the pupil develops skills and attitudes important for the active application of his/her knowledge of society and interpersonal relations in civic life. The pupil learns to recognise and express social issues of the past and present, to gather and process information necessary for their solution, to find solutions and draw conclusions, and to reflect on them and apply them in real-life situations. The educational area Man and Society includes the educational fields History and Civics. With its educational content, it builds directly on the educational area Man and His World. The overlaps of the given educational area are reflected also in other educational areas and in the entire life of the school and are directly connected with the social-science part of the educational field Geography, which has been included in the educational area Man and Nature so as to preserve the educational field in its entirety. The educational field History provides basic information on past human acts. Its main objective is to cultivate the individual’s historical awareness and to maintain the continuity of historical memory, primarily in the sense of passing on historical experience. Learning about the events, deeds and phenomena which have fundamentally influenced the development of society and have left a lasting mark on our society is of particular importance. Emphasis is placed primarily on the history of the 19th and 20th centuries, where the roots of most contemporary social phenomena lie. Significant attention is paid to the basic values of European civilisation. It is also imperative to develop such spatio-temporal images as well as empathy that make it possible for the pupil to understand historical phenomena and events better. The pupil is guided towards a realisation that history is not a closed chapter or an accumulation of facts and definitive conclusions but also involves asking the questions about the past, which allows the present to seek its contemporary character and possible future. General historical issues are given a tangible form through the incorporation of regional and local history. The educational field Civics focuses on forming the qualities connected with orientation of the pupil in social reality and with his/her inclusion into various social relations and ties. It opens the pupil’s path towards becoming realistically self-aware, aware of the personality of others and understanding his/her behaviour as well as that of others in the context of various real-life situations. It introduces the pupil to relations within the family and wider communities, to economic life, the activities of important political institutions and organs, and to possible ways for the individual to be engaged in civic life. It teaches the pupil to respect and apply moral principles and the rules of social coexistence and to assume responsibility for his/her opinions, behaviour and conduct as well as their consequences. It develops the pupil’s civic and legal awareness, reinforces the individual’s sense of personal and civic responsibility and motivates the pupil to participate actively in the life of a democratic society. 42 Objectives of the Educational Area The instruction in this educational area is aimed at forming and developing key competencies by guiding the pupil towards: developing an interest in the present and past of his/her nation and other cultural communities, forming and reinforcing his/her sense of belonging to European culture; uncovering the roots of social phenomena, events and changes, considering their connections and mutual conditionality in real and historical time; finding parallels between past and present events and comparing them with similar or different phenomena and processes on the European and global scale; forming a positive value system which builds on historical experience; separating myth from reality, recognising manifestations and causes of the subjective selection and assessment of facts as well as towards the attempt to evaluate social phenomena of the past and present objectively; creating the ability to use diverse verbal as well as non-verbal texts of a social and social-science character as sources of information; developing an orientation in the diversity of historical, socio-cultural, ethical, political, legal and economic facts which form the framework of everyday life; towards understanding and assessing everyday situations and events in their mutual ties and broader connections, including the international and global connections; respecting his/her nation as well as other nations and ethnic groups; developing a respect for cultural and other differences (particularities) of people, groups and various communities; becoming oriented in the current events of the Czech Republic, the EU and the world, developing an interest in public matters; becoming aware of his/her own identity and the identity of others, towards developing a realistic self-awareness and self-evaluation, accepting one’s personality as well as the personality of others; forming positive relationships with the opposite sex at school as well as outside of school, towards recognising stereotypes of the roles of men and women in the family, at work and in political life, being aware of prejudice concerning the role of women in society; recognising opinions and attitudes which threaten human dignity or contradict the fundamental principles of democratic coexistence; towards increasing his/her resistance towards ideological manipulation; employing appropriate means of communication to express his/her ideas, feelings, opinions and attitudes, towards taking and defending his/her viewpoints and defending his/her rights appropriately. 5.5.1 History Educational Content Stage 2 HUMAN HISTORY Expected Outcomes The pupil shall: provide specific examples of the importance and need for historical knowledge give examples of sources of information on the past; name institutions where these sources are accumulated be able to read timelines and historical maps, order the main historical periods chronologically 43 Subject Matter importance of studying history, obtaining information on history; historical sources historical time and space BEGINNINGS OF HUMAN SOCIETY Expected Outcomes The pupil shall: characterise the life of prehistoric hunters and gatherers as well as their material and spiritual culture explain the significance of agriculture, animal husbandry and metal working for human society give examples of archaeological cultures on the territory of the Czech Republic Subject Matter Man and human society in prehistory ANCIENT CIVILISATIONS. THE ROOTS OF EUROPEAN CULTURE Expected Outcomes The pupil shall: recognise the connection between natural conditions and the rise of the first great agricultural civilisations name the most important types of monuments which have become part of world cultural heritage demonstrate on specific examples the contribution of Antique culture and name personalities of Antiquity important for European civilisation; the birth of Christianity and its connection with Judaism compare various forms of government and the position of social groups in the individual states and explain the principles of Antique democracy Subject Matter the earliest ancient civilisations and their cultural legacy Antique Greece and Rome Central Europe and its contacts with the Mediterranean World during Antiquity CHRISTIANITY AND MEDIAEVAL EUROPE Expected Outcomes The pupil shall: describe the fundamental change in the situation in Europe which occurred as a result of the arrival of new ethnic groups, Christianisation and the rise of states compare the basic features of the West-European, Byzantine-Slavonic and Islamic cultural areas explain the situation in the Great Moravian Empire, the internal development of the Czech state and positions of these state formations in European contexts define the role of Christianity and faith in mediaeval people’s lives, conflicts between the secular and ecclesiastical powers, the relation of Christianity to heresy and other theological doctrines explain the position of the individual classes of mediaeval society, give examples of Romanesque and Gothic culture Subject Matter new ethnic map of Europe 44 formation of states in the East- and West-European cultural areas and their specific development Islam and the Islamic empires influencing Europe (Arabs, Turks) Great Moravia and the Czech state, their internal development and position in Europe Christianity, Catholicism and Imperialism, the Crusades structure of mediaeval society, the roles of the individual classes culture of mediaeval society – Romanesque and Gothic arts and learning DISCOVERIES AND CONQUESTS. THE BEGINNINGS OF THE MODERN ERA Expected Outcomes The pupil shall: explain the rediscovery of the ideal of man from Antiquity, new ideas demanding Church reform, including the reaction of the Church to these demands define the significance of the Hussite tradition for Czech political and cultural life describe and demonstrate the course of overseas discoveries, their causes and consequences describe the position of the Czech state under the conditions of Europe divided into numerous power and religious centres, and its position within the Habsburg Monarchy explain the causes and consequences of the beginning of the Thirty Years’ War and assess its consequences particularise on specific examples from European history absolutism, constitutional monarchies and parliamentarism recognise the basic features of the individual cultural styles, name their representatives and give examples of important cultural monuments Subject Matter Renaissance, Humanism, Hussitism, the Reformation and its spreading across Europe overseas discoveries and the beginnings of global conquest the Czech state and the Great Powers between the 15th and 18th centuries Baroque culture and the Enlightenment MODERNISATION OF SOCIETY Expected Outcomes The pupil shall: explain the substantial economic, social, political and cultural changes in selected countries and in our lands which characterise the modernisation of society explain the connection between the events of the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars on the one hand and the dissolution of the old European social order on the other compare the individual stages in the formation of the modern Czech nation with respect to national movements of selected European nations characterise the emancipation efforts of important social groups; name the demands expressed in selected European revolutions demonstrate on selected examples the basic political currents explain the different rate of modernisation and the increase in inequality in the development of the individual parts of Europe and the world, including the consequences which this inequality had; characterise the rivalry between the Great Powers and describe the significance of colonies Subject Matter the French Revolution and the Napoleonic era, their impact on Europe and the world; foundation of the USA industrialisation and its consequences for society; social issues national movements of large as well as small nations; formation of the modern Czech nation 45 the revolutions of the 19th century as a means for solving political, social and national problems political currents (conservatism, liberalism, democracy, socialism), a constitution, political parties, civil rights cultural diversity of the time conflicts between the Great Powers, colonialism MODERN PERIOD Expected Outcomes The pupil shall: demonstrate on specific examples the abuse of technology during the World Wars and its consequences identify the advantages and limitations of democratic systems characterise the individual totalitarian systems, the reasons for their introduction in the broader economic and political contexts and the consequences of their existence for the world; recognise the destructive powers of totalitarianism and extreme nationalism explain on specific examples anti-Semitism, racism and their unacceptability in terms of human rights assess the position of Czechoslovakia within European contexts as well as its internal social, political, economic and cultural environments Subject Matter World War I and its political, social and cultural consequences the new political order in Europe and the role of the USA in the world; the establishment of Czechoslovakia, its economic and political development, social and nationality problems the international political and economic situation in the 1920s and 1930s; totalitarian systems – Communism, Fascism, Nazism – their consequences for Czechoslovakia and the world World War II, the Holocaust; the situation in our lands, domestic and foreign resistance; political, geopolitical valency and economic consequences of the war A DIVIDED AND INTEGRATING WORLD Expected Outcomes The pupil shall: explain the causes and consequences of the creation of a bipolar world; give examples of conflict between the two blocs explain and substantiate on specific examples the geopolitical valency and political reasons for transatlantic economic and military cooperation assess the position of the developing countries show basic familiarity with current global issues Subject Matter the Cold War, division of the world into military blocs represented by the superpowers; political, economic, social and ideological rivalry the internal situation in the countries of the Eastern bloc (a comparison with the characteristics of Western countries on selected examples) Czechoslovakia from the February coup to 1989, the establishment of the Czech Republic the disintegration of the colonial system, the world outside Europe contemporary issues science, technology and education as factors of development; sports and entertainment 46 5.5.2 Civics Educational Content Stage 2 MAN IN SOCIETY Expected Outcomes The pupil shall: explain the purpose of important symbols of our state and how they are used distinguish between the manifestations of patriotism and nationalism justify the unacceptability of vandalistic behaviour and actively oppose it assess the offer of cultural institutions and select the targeted events that interest him/her approach media information critically, express his/her attitude towards the effects of propaganda and advertising on public opinion and people’s behaviour assess and substantiate on specific examples the importance of mutual solidarity among people, express the possible ways in which he/she can help people in need and in emergency situations apply adequate forms of behaviour and communication in various real-life situations, resolve possible disputes or conflicts with others without violence explain the need for tolerance in society, respect cultural particularities as well as different opinions, interests, ways of behaviour and thinking, adopt tolerant attitudes towards minorities recognise intolerant, racist, xenophobic and extremist manifestations in the behaviour of people and take an active stance against all forms of human intolerance assess and substantiate on specific examples the benefits of cooperation between people when solving specific tasks and reaching some goals in the family, at school and in the municipality Subject Matter our school – school life, the rights and responsibilities of the pupils, the importance and activities of student government, common rules and norms; education as an investment for life our municipality, region, area – important institutions, interesting and commemorative sights, important natives, local traditions; the protection of cultural monuments, natural sites and property our country – the concepts of home country and patriotism; interesting and commemorative sights, what has made us famous, significant personalities; state symbols, national holidays, significant days cultural life – diversity of cultural expressions, cultural values, cultural traditions; cultural institutions; mass culture, means of mass communication, mass media human encounters – natural and social differences between people, equality and inequality, equality between men and women; human solidarity, helping people in need, the needy in society interpersonal relations – personal and impersonal relationships, interpersonal communication; conflicts in interpersonal relations, the problems of intolerance principles of human coexistence – ethics and morality, freedom and mutual dependence, rules of conduct; division of labour and activities, advantages of human cooperation MAN AS AN INDIVIDUAL Expected Outcomes The pupil shall: explain how his/her more realistic knowledge and evaluation of his/her own personality and potential can positively influence decision making, relations with others and quality of life assess the influence of personal qualities on achieving individual and common goals, 47 explain the importance of willpower in attaining objectives and overcoming obstacles recognise manifestations of negative qualities in himself/herself and in others, assess critically his/her behaviour and conduct and correct them accordingly describe how character and volitional qualities can be regulated and cultivated, how personal strengths can be developed, weaknesses overcome and healthy self-confidence nurtured Subject Matter similarities and differences between people – manifestations of behaviour, differences in experiencing, thought and conduct; personal qualities, skills and abilities, character; inborn disposition, individual potential the inner world of Man – perception, experiencing, awareness and assessment of reality, himself/herself as well as others, personal value system, self-evaluation; stereotypes in assessing others personal development – life goals and plans, life prospects, adaptation to life changes, selfchange; the importance of motivation, activities, willpower and personal discipline in self- development STATE AND ECONOMY Expected Outcomes The pupil shall: distinguish between various forms of ownership, compare them and provide examples explain the need for observing rules for the protection of intellectual property rights and apply this knowledge in his/her conduct observe the principles of frugality, describe and explain his/her own methods of handling money and property (both his/her own and that entrusted to him/her), avoid risks in financial management explain what function banks fulfil and what services they offer citizens differentiate between the individual sources of state revenues and individual areas of state expenditures, provide examples of allowances and benefits received by citizens from the state budget distinguish between and compare the roles of production, trade and services, provide examples of their synergies explain the fundamental workings of the market on specific examples of the behaviour of buyers and sellers Subject Matter property, ownership – forms of ownership; material and intellectual property and their protection; financial management, and managing property and various forms of ownership money – functions and forms of money, methods of payment; family budget, state budget; the importance of taxes production, trade, services – their functions and interconnectedness principles of the market economy – supply, demand, market; the fundamental workings of the market; the most frequent legal forms of business organisation STATE AND LAW Expected Outcomes The pupil shall: distinguish between the most common types and forms of states, compare their features on specific examples distinguish between and compare the tasks of individual components of state power in the Czech Republic and their organs and institutions, provide examples of institutions and organs participating in municipal, regional and state administration explain the advantages of the democratic system of state governance for the everyday lives of 48 citizens explicate the sense of elections to local and general assemblies in democratic countries and provide examples of how election results can influence the everyday lives of citizens exercise his/her rights duly and respect the rights and justified interests of others, assess the importance of protecting human rights and freedoms explain the importance of the legal regulation of important relations – ownership, employment, marriage perform simple legal acts and understand their consequences, provide examples of some contracts regulating civil-law relations – personal transport; purchase, repair or hire of things comply with legal regulations applicable to him/her and be aware of the risks of violating them distinguish between and compare the tasks of the organs for the legal protection of citizens, provide examples of their activities and cooperation in penalising criminal offences recognise illegal conduct, distinguish a petty offence from a criminal offence and provide their examples Subject Matter the state’s legal foundations – state attributes, types and forms of states; Czech citizenship; Constitution of the Czech Republic; branches of state power, their organs and institutions state administration and local authorities – organs and institutions of state administration and of local authorities, their tasks principles of democracy – attributes of democratic decision making and state governance; political pluralism, social dialogue and their importance; the importance and forms of elections to representative assemblies human rights – fundamental human rights, children’s rights, protection of rights; provisions on human rights and children’s rights in documents; human rights violation, bullying, discrimination legal system of the Czech Republic – the importance and functions of the system of law, organs for legal protection of the citizens, the court system; legal norm, regulation, publication of legal regulations illegal conduct – types of illegal conduct and sanctions for it, criminal liability; violation of traffic rules, violation of intellectual property rights law in everyday life – the importance of legal relations; important legal relations and responsibilities resulting from them; contact with state authorities INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS, THE GLOBAL WORLD Expected Outcomes The pupil shall: describe the impact of the Czech Republic’s accession to the EU on the everyday lives of its citizens, provide examples of the rights of citizens of the CR within the EU and possible ways of exercising these rights name several important international organisations and associations with which the Czech Republic has a relation, assess their importance in world events and describe the advantages of cooperation between countries provide examples of some manifestations of globalisation, compare their positive and negative features list some contemporary global problems, express his/her own opinion on them and describe their main causes and possible consequences for human life explain the links between global and local problems, provide examples of possible manifestations of global problems and their solutions on the local level – in the municipality, region provide examples of international terrorism and adopt a personal stance on ways of combating terrorism 49 Subject Matter European integration – nature, significance, advantages; the European Union and the Czech Republic international cooperation – economic, political and security cooperation between countries and its advantages; important international organisations (CE, NATO, UN, etc.) globalisation – manifestations, benefits and drawbacks; significant global problems and ways of addressing them 50 5.6 Man and Nature Characteristics of the Educational Area The educational area Man and Nature includes a range of topics associated with the investigation of nature. It provides the pupil with the tools and methods for a deeper understanding of natural facts and their inherent laws, thus giving him/her the necessary foundation for a better grasp and utilisation of modern technologies and helping the pupil better orient himself/herself in everyday life. In this educational area, the pupil is given an opportunity to become acquainted with nature as a system whose constituents are interconnected, interact with and affect one another. Such knowledge is moreover the basis for the understanding of the importance of maintaining the natural balance of the extant living systems, including humans. Furthermore, the educational area significantly supports the creation of open thinking (willing to consider alternative viewpoints), critical thought and logical thinking. The educational fields of the educational area Man and Nature, namely Physics, Chemistry, Natural Sciences and Geography, allow the pupil through their activity- and research-based character of instruction to develop a deeper understanding of the laws governing natural processes and thus to become aware also of the usefulness of natural-science knowledge and its application in everyday life. What is especially significant is that the pupil in studying nature through specific learning methods masters important skills as well, specifically mainly to observe, experiment and measure systematically, objectively and reliably, to form and verify hypotheses regarding the nature of observed natural phenomena, to analyse the results of this verification and to draw conclusions from them. The pupil thus learns to investigate the causes of natural processes and the connections or relations between them, to ask questions (How? Why? What would happen if?) and to seek the answers to them, to explain the observed phenomena, to seek and solve cognitive or practical problems, and to use his/her knowledge of the laws governing natural processes to be able to predict or influence them. In the aforementioned educational fields, the pupil gradually becomes acquainted with the complexity and diversity of reality, with the fundamental interconnections between the state of nature and human activity, and above all with Man’s dependence on natural resources and with the impact of human activities on the state of the environment and human health. He/She learns to investigate changes occurring in nature, discover the causes and consequences influencing important local as well as global ecosystems and use his/her natural-science knowledge consciously in favour of the environmental protection and the principles of sustainable development. A complex view of the relationship between Man and nature, an important part of which is a realisation of the positive influence of nature on the emotional life of Man, is provided – along with the education in physics, chemistry and natural sciences – also by the education in geography, which additionally allows the pupil gradually to reveal the connections between natural conditions and the lives of people as well as their communities in the pupil’s immediate surroundings, in regions, in the entire Czech Republic, in Europe and in the world. In the case of the educational field Geography, its educational content not only of a natural-science but also of a social-science character have been included in this educational area so as to preserve the educational field in its entirety. The educational area Man and Nature builds on the educational area Man and His World, which outlines on an elementary level natural-science cognition for the pupil at Stage 1 of elementary education. It cooperates primarily with the educational areas Mathematics and Its Applications, Man and Society, Man and Health, Man and the World of Work, and naturally also with other educational areas. 51 Objectives of the Educational Area The instruction in this educational area is aimed at forming and developing key competencies by guiding the pupil towards: investigating natural facts and their interconnections while employing various empirical methods of cognition (observation, measurement, experiment) as well as various rational methods; needing to ask questions regarding the course and causes of various natural processes, to formulate these questions properly and to seek adequate answers to them; such thinking that requires verifying expressed hypotheses on natural facts through several independent methods; assessing the importance, reliability and correctness of collected natural-science data in order to confirm or refute previously articulated hypotheses or conclusions; becoming engaged in activities aimed at considerate behaviour towards natural systems, his/her health and the health of others; understanding the connections between human activities and the state of the natural and living environments; thinking and behaving in a way that prefers as efficient a use of energy resources in practice as possible, including the widest use of renewable energy resources possible, in particular solar radiation, wind, water and biomass; forming the skills to act appropriately when coming into contact with substances or situations which represent a potential or real threat to the life, health, property or environment of Man. 5.6.1 Physics Educational Content Stage 2 SUBSTANCES AND BODIES Expected Outcomes The pupil shall: measure certain important physical quantities characterising substances and bodies using suitably selected measuring instruments provide specific examples of phenomena proving that substance particles constantly move and interact predict how a given change in a body’s temperature will change its length or volume apply the relation between density, mass and volume with comprehension when solving practical problems Subject Matter measured quantities – length, volume, mass, temperature and its change, time states of substances – the connection between the state of a substance and its particulate structure; diffusion MOTION OF BODIES FORCES Expected Outcomes The pupil shall: determine which type of motion a body makes relative to another body apply the relation between velocity, displacement and time in the case of the uniform motion of bodies with comprehension when solving problems and exercises 52 measure the magnitude of an applied force determine the types of forces acting on an object in a specific simple situation, as well as their magnitudes, directions and resultant employ Newton’s laws to explain or predict changes in the motion of bodies under a constant resultant force in simple situations apply knowledge of rotational effects of force when solving practical problems Subject Matter motion of bodies – uniform and non-uniform motion; rectilinear and curvilinear motion gravitational field and force of gravity – direct proportion between the force of gravity and a body’s mass compressive force and pressure – relationship between compressive force, pressure and the area on which the force acts force of friction – sliding friction, influencing the magnitude of friction force in practice resultant of two forces of the same and opposite directions Newton’s Laws – First, Second (qualitatively), Third Laws of Motion equilibrium on a lever and fixed pulley MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF FLUIDS Expected Outcomes The pupil shall: apply his/her knowledge of the laws of hydrostatic pressure in fluids at rest when solving specific practical problems predict a body’s behaviour in a fluid at rest from an analysis of the forces acting on it Subject Matter Pascal’s Law – hydraulic equipment hydrostatic and atmospheric pressure – the connection between hydrostatic pressure, depth and the density of a liquid; the connection between atmospheric pressure and certain processes in the atmosphere Archimedes’ Principle – buoyant force; immersion, suspension and flotation of bodies in fluids at rest ENERGY Expected Outcomes The pupil shall: determine in simple cases the work done by a force and derive from it the change in the body’s energy apply with comprehension the relation between power, work done and time taken apply his/her knowledge of mutual conversions of various forms of energy and energy transfer when solving specific problems and exercises determine in simple cases the heat absorbed or emitted by a body evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of the use of various sources of energy in terms of their environmental impact Subject Matter forms of energy – kinetic and potential energy; internal energy; electrical energy and power; production and transfer of electrical energy; nuclear energy, nuclear fission, nuclear reactor, nuclear power plant; protection of Man against radioactive radiation state changes – melting and solidification, latent heat of melting; evaporation and liquefaction; the main factors influencing evaporation and the boiling temperature of liquids renewable and non-renewable sources of energy 53 SOUND-RELATED PROCESSES Expected Outcomes The pupil shall: identify sources of sound in his/her surroundings and analyse a given environment’s suitability for sound propagation qualitatively evaluate the possibility of reducing the environmental impact of excessive noise Subject Matter properties of sound – a material medium as a condition for sound propagation, the speed of sound propagation in various media; reflection of sound from a barrier, echo; sound absorption; pitch of a tone ELECTROMAGNETIC AND OPTICAL PROCESSES Expected Outcomes The pupil shall: construct an electric circuit according to a diagram and analyse a diagram of an actual circuit correctly differentiate between direct and alternating current and measure electric current and voltage differentiate between conductors, insulators and semiconductors on the basis of an analysis of their characteristics use Ohm’s Law for part of a circuit when solving practical problems apply in practice his/her knowledge of the effects of a magnetic field on a magnet and a coil with a current, as well as of the influence of a change in the magnetic field around a coil on the generation of induced voltage in it properly connect a semiconductor diode apply the law of the rectilinear propagation of light in a homogeneous optical medium and the law of light reflection when solving problems and exercises decide, based on his/her knowledge of the speed of light in two different media, whether the refraction of light will bend towards the normal or away from it, and apply this knowledge in analysing light transmission through lenses Subject Matter electric circuit – voltage source, electric appliance, switch electric and magnetic fields – electric and magnetic force; electric charge; thermal effects of electric current; electric resistance; direct current electromotor; transformer; safe conduct when working with electrical devices and equipment properties of light – light sources; speed of light in a vacuum and in various mediums; shadow, solar and lunar eclipses; reflection imaging on a plane, concave and convex mirror (qualitatively); imaging by refraction through thin converging (positive) and diverging (negative) lenses (qualitatively); dispersion of white light by a prism THE UNIVERSE Expected Outcomes The pupil shall: clarify (qualitatively) the motion of the planets around the Sun and of their moons around them using his/her knowledge of gravitational forces distinguish stars from planets based on their characteristics Subject Matter the solar system – main components; phases of the Moon stars – their composition 54 5.6.2 Chemistry Educational Content Stage 2 OBSERVATION, EXPERIMENT AND CHEMICAL SAFETY Expected Outcomes The pupil shall: determine similar and dissimilar properties of substances work safely with selected available and commonly used substances and assess their level of riskiness; consider the danger of selected available substances with which he/she is not yet allowed to work explicate in model situations the most effective response to an accident with the release of hazardous substances Subject Matter properties of substances – density, solubility, thermal and electrical conductivity, effect of the atmosphere on the properties and state of substances principles of safe work – in the school workroom (laboratory) and in everyday life hazardous substances and preparations – R-phrases, S-phrases, warning symbols and their meaning emergency situations – accidents at chemical plants, release of hazardous substances MIXTURES Expected Outcomes The pupil shall: differentiate between mixtures and chemical substances calculate the composition of solutions, prepare a solution of a given composition in practice explain the basic factors influencing the dissolution of solid substances suggest and perform the steps for the separation of the components of mixtures of a known composition in practice; provide examples of the separation of components in practice recognise different types of water and give examples of their occurrence and application give examples of water and air pollution in the work environment and in the household, propose the most appropriate preventive measures and ways to eliminate pollution Subject Matter mixtures – heterogeneous, homogeneous solutions; weight percentage and concentration of a solution; more concentrated, more diluted, saturated and unsaturated solutions; influence of temperature, stirring and area of the solid component on the rate of its dissolution in a solution; separation of components of mixtures (precipitation, filtration, distillation, crystallisation, sublimation) water – distilled, potable, waste water; drinking water production; water purity air – composition, air purity, ozone layer THE PARTICULATE COMPOSITION OF SUBSTANCES AND CHEMICAL ELEMENTS Expected Outcomes The pupil shall: use the terms atom and molecule in the proper context distinguish between chemical elements and chemical compounds and use the terms in the proper context know the periodic table of elements, recognise selected metals and non-metals and estimate their possible properties 55 Subject Matter particulate composition of substances – molecules, atoms, atomic nucleus, protons, neutrons, electron shell and its changes during chemical reactions, electrons elements – names, symbols, properties and use of selected elements, groups and periods in the periodic table of elements; proton (atomic) number chemical compounds – chemical bonds, nomenclature of simple inorganic and organic compounds CHEMICAL REACTIONS Expected Outcomes The pupil shall: distinguish between the reactants and products of chemical reactions, provide examples of chemical reactions important in practice, classify them and assess their application read chemical equations and, employing the Law of Conservation of Mass, calculate the mass of the reactants or product apply his/her knowledge of the factors influencing the course of chemical reactions in practice and when preventing the reaction course from being dangerous Subject Matter chemical reactions – Law of Conservation of Mass, chemical equations, amount of substance, molar mass classification of chemical reactions – combination, neutralisation, exothermic and endothermic reactions factors influencing the rate of chemical reactions – temperature, area of reactants, catalysis chemistry and electricity – production of electric current by chemical means INORGANIC COMPOUNDS Expected Outcomes The pupil shall: compare the properties and uses of selected oxides, acids, hydroxides and salts important in practice, evaluate the environmental impact of important examples of these substances explain the origin of acid rain, list its impact on the environment as well as preventative measures understand the pH scale, measure the reaction of a solution using universal indicator paper and provide examples of the application of neutralisation in practice Subject Matter oxides – nomenclature, properties and uses of selected oxides important in practice acids and hydroxides – acidity and basicity of solutions; properties, formulae, names and applications of selected acids and hydroxides important in practice oxygen and halide salts – properties, application of selected salts, oxidation state, nomenclature, properties and uses of selected halides important in practice ORGANIC COMPOUNDS Expected Outcomes The pupil shall: recognise the simplest hydrocarbons and name their sources, properties and applications evaluate the use of fossil fuels and synthetic fuels as sources of energy and provide examples of industrially-produced petroleum products distinguish between selected hydrocarbon derivatives and list their sources, properties and applications 56 orient himself/herself in the reactants and products of photosynthesis and in the final products of biochemical processing, in particular proteins, fats and saccharides determine the conditions sufficient for active photosynthesis name examples of sources of proteins, fats, saccharides and vitamins Subject Matter hydrocarbons – examples of alkanes, hydrocarbons with multiple bonds and aromatic hydrocarbons important in practice fuels – petroleum, coal, natural gas, synthetic fuels hydrocarbon derivatives – examples of alcohols and carboxylic acids important in practice natural substances – sources, properties and examples of the functions of proteins, fats, saccharides and vitamins in the human body CHEMISTRY AND SOCIETY Expected Outcomes The pupil shall: evaluate the exploitation of primary and secondary raw materials in terms of long-term sustainable development on the Earth apply his/her knowledge of the principles of fire extinguishing when solving model situations from practice orient himself/herself in the preparation and application of various substances in practice and their impact on the environment and human health Subject Matter chemical industry in the Czech Republic – production, environmentally-related risks, recycling of raw materials, corrosion industrial fertilisers heat-treated materials – cement, lime, plaster, ceramics plastics and synthetic fibres – properties, use, disposal detergents and pesticides, insecticides combustible compounds – meaning of the classification of hazards drugs and addictive substances 5.6.3 Natural Sciences Educational Content Stage 2 GENERAL BIOLOGY AND GENETICS Expected Outcomes The pupil shall: recognise the basic manifestations of life and its conditions and become familiar with the outline of the evolution of organisms describe the basic differences between plant, animal and bacterial cells and explain the functions of basic organelles recognise, compare and explain the functions of basic plant and animal organs (organ systems) classify organisms and place selected organisms into kingdoms and lower taxonomic units explain the basic principles of sexual and asexual reproduction and their importance in terms of heredity provide examples of heredity from everyday life, as well as examples of environmental 57 influence on the formation of organisms explain the significance of viruses and bacteria in nature and for Man on examples from everyday life Subject Matter emergence, development, diversity, manifestations of life and its significance – nutrition, respiration, growth, reproduction, development, reactions to stimuli; views on the emergence of life fundamental structures of life – cells, tissues, organs, organ systems, unicellular and multicellular organisms meaning and principles of classifying organisms heredity and mutability of organisms – essence of heredity and transfer of hereditary information, gene, crossbreeding viruses and bacteria – occurrence, significance and practical application FUNGAL BIOLOGY Expected Outcomes The pupil shall: recognise the best-known edible and poisonous fungi with fruiting bodies in the Czech Republic, and compare them based on their characteristic features explain various forms of fungal nutrition, their importance in ecosystems and their place in food chains explain the function of the two organisms in the thalli of lichens Subject Matter fungi without fruiting bodies – basic characteristics, positive and negative impact on Man and living organisms fungi with fruiting bodies – structure, occurrence, importance, fundamentals of their gathering, consumption and first aid for mushroom poisoning lichens – structure, symbiosis, occurrence and importance PLANT BIOLOGY Expected Outcomes The pupil shall: infer, on the basis of observation, a plant body structure from cell through tissue to individual organs compare the external and internal structure of the individual organs and provide practical examples of their functions and relations within the plant as a whole explain the principle of basic physiological processes in plants and how they are applied in plant cultivation distinguish between the basic systematic groups of plants and identify their important examples using identification keys and atlases infer, on the basis of observations of nature, the dependence of some plants on environmental conditions and their adaptation to them Subject Matter plant anatomy and morphology – structure and significance of the individual parts of the body of higher plants (root, stem, leaf, flower, seed, fruit) plant physiology – fundamental principles of photosynthesis, respiration, growth, reproduction plant categories – cognition and classification of certain examples of common species of algae, bryophytes, pteridophytes (club mosses, horsetails, ferns), gymnospermae and 58 angiospermae (monocotyledons and dinocotyledons); their development and the use of economically important examples plant importance and protection ANIMAL BIOLOGY Expected Outcomes The pupil shall: compare the basic internal and external structures of selected animals and explain the functions of individual organs recognise and compare the individual groups of animals, identify selected animals and place them into the main taxonomic groups infer the basic manifestations of the behaviour of animals in nature on the basis of observation; explain on specific examples their way of life and adaptation to the given environment assess the importance of animals in nature as well as for Man, observe the principles of safe behaviour around animals Subject Matter structure of the body, structure and function of the individual parts of the body – animal cells, tissues, organs, organ systems, unicellular and multicellular organisms, reproduction animal evolution, development and categories – important examples of individual groups of animals – protozoa, invertebrates (cnidaria, platyhelminthes, nemathelminthes, mollusca, annelida, arthropoda), chordata (chondrichthyes, osteichthyes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals) distribution, significance and protection of animals – economically and epidemiologically important species, care for selected domestic animals, raising domesticated animals, animal communities manifestations of animal behaviour HUMAN BIOLOGY Expected Outcomes The pupil shall: locate organs and organ systems of the human body, describe their structure and function and explain the relations between them understand the basic developmental stages of human phylogeny explain the origin and development of a new individual from conception to old age identify the causes, or also symptoms, of common illnesses and apply the principles of their prevention and treatment apply first aid before a doctor arrives in the case of injury and other bodily harm Subject Matter human phylogeny and ontogeny – human reproduction anatomy and physiology – structure and functions of the individual parts of the human body, organs, organ systems (support, movement, circulatory, respiratory, digestive, excretory, reproductive and nervous systems), higher nervous activity, mental hygiene illnesses, injuries and their prevention – causes, symptoms, essential knowledge and methods in treating common illnesses; serious injuries and life-threatening conditions lifestyle – positive and negative impact on human health 59 INANIMATE NATURE Expected Outcomes The pupil shall: explain the influence of the individual spheres of the Earth on the emergence and continuation of life recognise selected minerals and rocks by their characteristic properties using identification tools distinguish between the consequences of endogenic and exogenic geological processes, including the geological rock and water cycles compare the significance of soil-forming factors for soil formation and distinguish between the main soil types and classes found in the nature of the Czech Republic identify individual geological periods by their characteristic features describe, on the basis of observation, the importance of climatic and weather influences on the development and continuation of life on Earth Subject Matter Earth – the origin and structure of the Earth minerals and rocks – formation, properties, qualitative classification, practical importance and use of certain examples, identification of their samples; principles of crystallography endogenic and exogenic geological processes – causes and consequences soils – composition, properties and importance of soil for plant nutrition, its economic importance for society, the dangers and examples of its devastation, the possibilities and examples of recultivation evolution of the Earth’s crust and organisms on the Earth – geological changes, emergence of life, occurrence of typical organisms and their adaptation to the environment geological development and structure of the territory of the Czech Republic – Bohemian Massif, the Carpathians climate and weather in relation to life ESSENTIALS OF ECOLOGY Expected Outcomes The pupil shall: give examples of the occurrence of organisms in a specific environment and the relations between them distinguish between and give examples of systems of organisms – populations, communities, ecosystems – and explain on specific examples the basic principle of the existence of biotic and abiotic components of an ecosystem explain the nature of simple food chains in various ecosystems and evaluate their importance give examples of positive and negative impacts of Man on the environment, as well as examples of disturbance of ecosystem balance Subject Matter organisms and their environment – interrelations between organisms, between organisms and their environment; populations, communities, natural and artificial ecosystems, food chains, balance within an ecosystem natural and environmental protection – global problems and their solution, protected natural areas 60 EMPIRICAL EXPLORATION OF NATURE Expected Outcomes The pupil shall: apply empirical methods of exploring nature observe the basic safety rules of work and conduct when becoming acquainted with animate and inanimate nature Subject Matter empirical methods of exploring nature – observation with a magnifying glass and microscope (or telescope), simplified identification keys and atlases, creation of a herbal and collections, demonstrations of trapping certain animals, simple classification of plants and animals important biologists and their discoveries 5.6.4 Geography Educational Content Stage 2 GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION, DATA SOURCES, CARTOGRAPHY AND TOPOGRAPHY Expected Outcomes The pupil shall: organise and evaluate geographic information and data sources adequately from available cartographic products and studies, from graphs, diagrams, statistical and other information sources use basic geographic, topographic and cartographic terminology with comprehension assess geographic objects, phenomena and processes in the landscape area, their certain regularities, inherent laws and differences, their interconnectedness and conditionality adequately, and distinguish borders (barriers) between fundamental spatial components in the landscape create and utilise his/her own mental schemes and mental maps to orient himself/herself in specific regions, to perceive and assess places, objects, phenomena and processes in them spatially, and to form attitudes towards the world around Subject Matter geographic and cartographic terminology – selected widely-used geographic, topographic and cartographic terms; basic topographical formations: important points, significant linear formations, surface formations and their combinations: networks, surfaces, foci – plexi; main cartographic products: plan, map; map terminology: symbols, conventional markings, legends; statistical data and their graphic expression, tables; basic information geographic media and data sources geographic cartography and topography – globe, globe scale, geographic grid, meridians and parallels, geographic coordinates, determining geographic position in the geographic grid; scale and content of plans and maps, orienting plans and maps with respect to the cardinal points; practical exercises and applications using cartographic products available in printed and electronic forms A NATURAL IMAGE OF THE EARTH Expected Outcomes The pupil shall: assess the position of the Earth in the universe and compare its significant properties with 61 those of other bodies of the solar system demonstrate on specific examples the shape of the planet Earth, evaluate the impact of the Earth’s motions on the life of Man and organisms distinguish between and compare the components and elements of the natural (physiographic) sphere , their interconnectedness and conditionality, recognise, name and classify formations on the Earth’s surface compare the impact of endogenic and exogenic processes in the natural sphere and their influence on nature and human society Subject Matter the Earth as a celestial body – the shape, size and motions of the Earth, alternation of day and night, change of seasons, Universal Time, time zones, local time, International Date Line, conventional time landscape area – natural (physiographic) sphere, social and economic spheres, components and elements of the natural sphere the natural sphere on the planetary level – geographical belts, latitudinal zones, altitudinal zones the system of the natural sphere on the regional level – natural regions REGIONS OF THE WORLD Expected Outcomes The pupil shall: distinguish between the crucial natural and social attributes as criteria for defining, delimiting and localising the regions of the world localise continents, oceans and macro-regions of the world on maps according to selected criteria, compare their locations, the development centres and peripheral areas in terms of development compare and assess the location, surface area, natural, cultural, social, political and economic conditions, particularities and similarities, the potential and boundaries of the individual continents, oceans, selected macroregions of the world and selected (model) states adequately weigh what changes have occurred, are occurring and may occur in selected regions of the world as well as what the cause of the fundamental changes in them is Subject Matter continents, oceans, world macro-regions – determining and comparative criteria; their appropriate characteristics in terms of natural and socio-economic conditions, with an emphasis on their links and connections (natural zones, climate zones, settlement areas, language areas, religious areas, cultural zones) model regions of the world – selected model natural, social, political, industrial and environmental problems and the possibilities of their solution THE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT Expected Outcomes The pupil shall: assess the spatial organisation of the world population, its distribution, structure, growth, migrations as well as growth and migration dynamics on an appropriate level, evaluate on selected examples the mosaic of the multicultural world analyse how natural conditions are related to the function of a human settlement, name the basic general geographical features of settlements assess the structure, constituents and functions of the global economy adequately and localise the main raw-material and energy resources on maps compare the prerequisites and main factors for the territorial distribution of economic 62 activities compare the countries of the world and interest associations of the countries of the world (thus their integration) on the basis of similar and different features localise the main current geopolitical changes and political problems in specific regions of the world on maps of the individual continents Subject Matter world population – basic quantitative and qualitative geographic, demographic economic and cultural characteristics globalising social, political and economic processes – current social, settlement, political and economic conditions of the contemporary world, settlement systems, urbanisation, suburbanisation, exurbanisation the global economy – sector and branch structure, territorial division of labour, indicators of economic development and standard of living regional social, political and economic units – comparative criteria: national and multinational states, parts of countries, administrative areas, regions, towns, agglomerations; main and peripheral economic regions of the world; political, security and economic associations (integrations) of states; geopolitical processes, the main global flashpoints ENVIRONMENT Expected Outcomes The pupil shall: compare various landscapes as a component of the continental part of the landscape area and distinguish between specific features and functions of landscapes on concrete examples provide specific examples of natural and cultural landscape components and elements as well as the spatial distribution of the main ecosystems (biomes) list on selected examples serious consequences and risks of natural and social impacts on environments Subject Matter landscape – natural and social environment, types of landscape the relationship between nature and society – long-term sustainable life and development, the principles and fundamentals of natural and environmental protection, protected nature areas, global ecological and environmental problems of mankind CZECH REPUBLIC Expected Outcomes The pupil shall: delimit and localise the local area (region) based on the place of residence or school assess at an adequate level the natural, economic and cultural conditions in the local region, the possibilities for further development and analyse the connections of the local region to higher territorial units adequately assess and compare at an appropriate level the position, natural conditions and resources, and the human and economic potential of the Czech Republic in the European and global contexts locate the individual regions of the Czech Republic along with the core and peripheral areas in terms of settlement as well economic activities on maps give examples of the Czech Republic’s participation and activities in international and supranational institutions, organisations and associations of states of the world 63 Subject Matter local region – geographical location, criteria used for defining the local region, relations with the surrounding regions, basic natural and socio-economic characteristics focusing on the region’s specifics important for its further development (potential vs. barriers) Czech Republic – geographical location, area, terrain segmentation, natural conditions and resources; population: basic geographic, demographic and economic characteristics, settlement patterns; distribution of economic activities, sector and branch structure of the economy; social, political and economic transformational processes and their territorial manifestations and impacts; economic and political position of the Czech Republic in Europe and the world, its participation in international division of labour and trade regions of the Czech Republic – territorial units of the state administration and local authorities, regional divisions, local region, cross-border cooperation with neighbouring states in the Euroregions FIELD GEOGRAPHIC EDUCATION, PRACTICE AND APPLICATION Expected Outcomes The pupil shall: master the basics of practical topography and orientation in the field apply practical methods in the field when observing, depicting and assessing the landscape observe fundamental rules for the safety of activity and sleeping in the open Subject Matter field exercises in and observations of the local landscape, geographical excursions – orientation points, phenomena, aids and devices; standpoint, determining cardinal and intercardinal points, navigation using a map and an azimuth, estimating the distances and heights of objects in the field; simple panoramic sketches of the landscape, layout plans, schematic sketches of a route axis, evaluation of natural phenomena and indicators preservation of life when life and health are endangered – natural disasters; measures, conduct and behaviour when a dangerous situation occurs, namely natural disasters in model situations 64 5.7 Arts and Culture Characteristics of the Educational Area The educational area Arts and Culture makes it possible for the pupil to learn about the world in a way other than merely rational and reflects an indispensable part of human existence – arts and culture: culture as the processes and outcomes of intellectual activity making it possible to understand the continuity of the changes in historical experience, in which the individual becomes socialised and is projected into social existence, but also as an inseparable part of everyday life (the culture of conduct, clothing, travel, work); art as a process of specific cognition and communication in which information is created on the internal as well as external world and their interconnectedness, which cannot be formulated or communicated through any other than artistic means. The instruction in this area provides the pupil with the knowledge of the world though artistic means, i.e. an acquisition with an aesthetic effect. During this process, the individual develops his/her specific feeling, creativity and perceptiveness towards works of art and by means of it towards himself/herself and the world around him/her. This process includes seeking and finding connections between various types of art on the basis of common themes, the ability to empathise with the cultural needs of others and the values created by them as well as to approach them with a sense of personal involvement. Creative activities develop the pupil’s abilities to express himself/herself non-verbally through tone and sound, line, point, shape, colour, gesture, facial expression, etc. In elementary education, the educational area Arts and Culture is represented by the educational fields Music and Fine Arts. The educational area may be expanded by the complementary educational field Drama, which may on the level of the School Education Programme be implemented in the form of a separate subject, project, course, etc. (see Chapter 5.10, namely 5.10.2). At Stage 1 of elementary education, the pupil becomes familiar through activities with the means of expression and the language of music and fine arts but also of dramatic and literary arts. He/She learns to work with them creatively and use them as a means of self-expression. He/She learns the inherent principles of artistic production, become acquainted with selected works of art and, with respect to his/her experience, learns to understand them and recognise and interpret the messages communicated by them. With the transition to Stage 2 of elementary education, the way opens for a broader view of culture and art. The historical and cultural contexts which have influenced art and culture are recalled. The activities are frequently inspired also by works of literature and drama (theatre, film), multimedia production and symbol systems themselves. It is made possible to discover the connections between individual types of art and apply diverse means of expression when seeking variants of solutions to jointly selected themes through projects, which open a shared area for gaining skills and knowledge transcending the framework of individual fields, thus contributing to a more individual and original self-expression as well as a deeper understanding of a work of art. The field Music through vocal, instrumental, musical movement and listening activities guides the pupil towards understanding the art of music, perceiving music and singing actively, and using them as a peculiar means of communication. In elementary education, these musical activities become on the level of production, reception and reflection the content of the educational field Music. As interconnected activities which influence and complement each other, musical activities in their complexity develop the pupil’s overall personality, leading in particular to the development of his/her musicality – his/her musical abilities, which subsequently manifest themselves through individual musical skills – aural, rhythmic, singing, intonation, instrumental, musical movement, musical creative and listening skills. Through these activities, the pupil can apply his/her individual vocal potential in solo, group and choral singing, his/her individual instrumental skills when playing in an ensemble and accompanying vocal expression, his/her movement skills when dancing and accompanying music with his/her movement, and, last but not least, he/she is given the opportunity to ‘interpret’ music according to his/her own individual interest and specialisation. 65 Vocal activities include working with voice, during which singing and spoken expressions are cultivated by means of the application and reinforcement of proper singing habits. Instrumental activities include playing musical instruments and using them during reproduction as well as production of music. Musical movement activities include performing music and reacting to it by movement, dance and gestures. Listening activities include perceiving actively the music played, during which the pupil becomes acquainted with music in all its genre, style and functional forms and learns to analyse and interpret it. The field Fine Arts utilises the visual-representation and symbol systems, which are an irreplaceable tool when learning about human existence and experiencing it. A creative approach to working with them in the process of production, reception and interpretation relies primarily on comparing the pupil’s existing and current experience and enables him/her to apply his/her unique personal feelings and experiences. The field Fine Arts approaches visual-representation expression (namely both individually created and adapted) not as a mere reality transfer but also as a means partaking in the way in which reality is received and integrated in the process of communication. In elementary education, the field Fine Arts builds on creative activities, production, reception and interpretation. These activities allow the pupil to develop and apply his/her own perception, sentiment, thinking, experience, imagination, fantasy, intuition and inventiveness, for the implementation of which Fine Arts offers visual-representation means that are not only traditional and time-tested but also newly emerging in contemporary fine arts and graphic media. Through creative activities (developing the perceptiveness of the pupil’s senses, engaging his/her subjectivity and verifying the communicative effect of visual-representation expression) based on experimentation, the pupil is guided towards acquiring the courage and appetite to apply his/her unique personal feelings and experiences and to become engaged, on an adequate level, in the process of production and communication. Developing the perceptiveness of the pupil’s senses involves activities which make it possible for the pupil to develop his/her ability to recognise the share of the individual senses in the perception of reality and to realise the influence of this experience on the selection and application of suitable means for expressing reality. Engaging subjectivity involves activities which guide the pupil towards realising and engaging his/her own experience in the processes of the production, reception and interpretation of visualrepresentation expressions. Verifying the communicative effect involves activities which make it possible for the pupil to create the content of visual-representation expressions in the process of communicating and seeking new and unusual possibilities for the application of the outcomes of his/her own production, the works of fine arts as well as works of further graphic media. Objectives of the Educational Area The instruction in this educational area is aimed at forming and developing key competencies by guiding the pupil towards: understanding art as a specific method of cognition and towards using the language of art as an original means of communication; understanding art and culture in their interconnectedness as indispensable parts of human existence; towards learning by means of his/her own production relying on his/her subjectively unique perception, sentiment, experience and imagination; towards developing his/her creative potential, cultivating his/her own expressions and needs; and towards forming a hierarchy of values; participating actively in the formation of an accommodating and stimulating atmosphere for creating, understanding and recognising artistic values in the wider social and cultural connections; towards having a tolerant approach towards heterogeneous cultural values of the 66 past and present as well as the cultural expressions and needs of diverse groups, nations and nationalities; becoming aware of himself/herself as an independent individual; developing a creative approach towards the world, towards being able to overcome stereotypes actively and enriching his/her emotional life; participating in the creative process personally and understanding this process as a method of discovering and expressing his/her personal experiences and attitudes in the multifaceted world. 5.7.1 Music Educational Content Stage 1 Expected Outcomes – Cycle 1 The pupil shall: sing according to his/her abilities with clear intonation and rhythmically precisely in unison perform simple texts with rhythm and create melodies for them, improvise within the simplest musical forms play simple musical instruments as accompaniments respond to played music through movement and express the metre, tempo, dynamics and direction of a melody through the movement identify the individual qualities of tones and recognise distinct changes in tempo and dynamics in the stream of played music recognise certain musical instruments in the stream of played music; differentiate between vocal, instrumental and vocal-instrumental music Expected Outcomes – Cycle 2 The pupil shall: sing according to his/her abilities with clear intonation and rhythmically in unison or twovoice harmony (i.e. monophony or homophony) in major and minor keys, and make use of his/her acquired singing skills when singing perform a simple melody or song written in musical notation according to his/her individual skills and abilities (by singing, playing a musical instrument, dancing, playing instruments as accompaniment) play simple or more complicated musical instruments as accompaniment and reproduce simple motifs of compositions and songs based on his/her musical skills and abilities recognise the musical form of a simple song or composition create, within his/her individual abilities, simple overtures, interludes and codas and perform elementary musical improvisations recognise certain forms of musical expressions in the stream of played music and recognise changes in the metre and rhythm, tempo, dynamics as well as distinct changes in harmony perform music through movement using dance steps, and create movement improvisations according to his/her individual skills and abilities Subject Matter VOCAL ACTIVITIES singing and vocal expression – singing skills (breath control, articulation, pitching and creating a tone, dynamically differentiated singing), vocal hygiene, expanding one’s vocal range musical rhythm – performing songs in 2/4, 3/4 and 4/4 time homophony – fermata, canon (round), folk two-voice harmony (homophony), etc. 67 intonation, vocal improvisation – diatonic sequences in major and minor keys (fifth, third and first scale degrees /dominant, mediant and tonic/, free progressions of the eighth scale degree /tonic/ and the subdominant, etc.), musical games (echo, question – response, etc.) recording vocal music – recording the melody of a song using simple graphic methods (e.g. a line), note as a graphic symbol for tone, recording the rhythm of a simple song, musical notation as an aid when performing a song INSTRUMENTAL ACTIVITIES playing a musical instrument – reproduction of motifs, themes, short, simple compositions with the help of simple, Orff percussion instruments, recorders, keyboards, etc. playing with rhythm, melody and style, musical improvisation – creation of overtures, interludes and codas using the tones of a song, musical accompaniment (accenting the downbeat in rhythmic accompaniment, ostinato, fermata), music games (echo, question – response), binary song form (a – b) recording instrumental music – reading and recording the rhythmic scheme of a short, simple motif or theme of instrumental composition, using notation programs MUSICAL MOVEMENT ACTIVITIES keeping time, movement accompaniment to music – double, triple and quadruple time, dance games with singing, simple folk dances expressing music through movement, responding to changes in the stream of played music – pantomime and movement improvisation using dance steps orientation in space – creation of movement memory, reproducing movements performed during dance or movement games LISTENING ACTIVITIES tone quality – length, intensity, timbre, pitch tonal relations – harmony, chord musical means of expression and musical elements with significant semantic charge – rhythm, melody, harmony, timbre, contrast and gradation, melody progression (ascending and descending melody), musical onomatopoeia, changes in the metre, rhythm, dynamics as well as harmony in the musical accompaniment vocal, instrumental, vocal-instrumental music, the human voice and the musical instrument musical styles and genres – dance music, marching music, lullabies, etc. musical forms – single-movement form, multi-movement form, rondo, variation music interpretation – verbal expression (what kind of music it is and why) Stage 2 Expected Outcomes The pupil shall: utilise his/her individual musical skills and abilities in musical activities apply newly acquired singing skills and habits when singing and in verbal expression in normal life; sing according to his/her abilities with clear intonation and rhythmically precisely both in unison or two-voice harmony (i.e. monophony and polyphony), be able to appreciate another’s quality vocal performance reproduce various motifs, themes and parts of compositions according to his/her individual musical skills and abilities, create and select simple accompaniments, and perform simple musical improvisations perform songs and compositions of various styles and genres according to his/her individual skills and abilities identify some of the dances of different style periods, select a suitable type of musical movement elements to match the music listened to, and perform simple movement arrangement to music according to his/her individual musical skills and movement maturity orient himself/herself in the stream of played music, identify the musical means of expression 68 and characteristic semantic elements used, understand their significance in the music and, based on this, approach the work of music as a logically formed whole place the music heard into its style period and compare it with other compositions in terms of period and style on the basis of his/her individual abilities and previously learnt knowledge seek the connections between music and other types of art Subject Matter VOCAL ACTIVITIES singing and vocal expression – expanding vocal range, vocal hygiene, vocal deficiency and some methods for correcting them, voice mutation, polyphony/homophony and monophony, declamation, techniques of vocal expression (scat, falsetto, etc.) and their individual use when singing as well as in joint vocal and instrumental activities intonation and vocal improvisation – diatonic sequences in major and minor keys, improvisation of simple musical forms musical rhythm – discovery of the interconnections between the rhythm of speech and music, applying rhythmic patterns in vocal expression orientation in the musical notation of a vocal composition – notation as an aid for performing songs or more complicated vocal or vocal-instrumental compositions development of a musical ear and imagination – reproducing tones, transferring a melody from singing to non-singing pitch, recording rhythm or also the melody of a song being sung (played) through graphic (musical) notation reflection on vocal expression – one’s own and others’ vocal expression, seeking possibilities for correcting vocal deficiency (transposition of the melody, utilising another musical activity) INSTRUMENTAL ACTIVITIES playing a musical instrument – instrumental reproduction of melodies (small motifs, themes, songs, simple compositions), playing and creating accompaniments using simple, Orff percussion instruments, keyboards and computer, instrumental improvisation (simple musical forms) recording music – notes, notation programs (e.g. Capella, Finale, Sibelius) and other ways of recording music expressing musical and non-musical concepts and ideas through a musical instrument – rhythmic, melodic, tempo, dynamic, formal concepts creating accompaniments to musical dramatic expressions MUSICAL MOVEMENT ACTIVITIES movement accompaniment to music – keeping time, dance steps, one’s own movement interpretation movement expression of music in response to the semantics of the musical work – pantomime, improvisation movement reactions to changes in the stream of played music – reactions to changes in the tempo, dynamics, rhythm and metre, harmony orientation in space – development of movement memory, reproduction of movements performed during dance or movement games LISTENING ACTIVITIES orientation in musical space and analysis of a musical composition – identification of musical means of expression; important semantic elements used in the composition (musical onomatopoeia, ‘mental painting’, melody progression, regularity and irregularity of a musical form) and their importance for understanding a musical work a work of music and its author – a musical composition in the context of other musical and non-musical works, the period of its creation, the life of the composer and personal 69 experiences (inspiration, epigonism, kitsch, trendiness and modernity, style interconnectedness) musical styles and genres – understanding their functions with respect to the life of the individual and society as well as the cultural traditions and customs interpretation of the music being played – verbal characterisation of a musical work (period and style classification, etc.), forming personal judgements and preferences 5.7.2 Fine Arts Educational Content Stage 1 Expected Outcomes – Cycle 1 The pupil shall: recognise and name the elements of visual-representation expression (lines, shapes, volumes, colours, objects); compare and classify them on the basis of differences arising from his/her personal experience, perceptions, experiences and ideas express his/her own life experience in his/her production while using lines, shapes, volumes, colours, objects and other elements or their combinations in a planar or spatial arrangement express the differences between the perception of an event through different senses and select appropriate means for their visual-representation expression interpret various visual-representation expressions depending on his/her own abilities; compare different interpretations with his/her prior experience find and incorporate into communication on the basis of his/her own experience the content of visual-representation expressions which he/she himself/herself has created, selected or modified. Expected Outcomes – Cycle 2 The pupil shall: list the elements of visual-representation expression during his/her own creative activities and compare them on the basis of relations (brightness, colour contrasts, proportional relations, etc.) use and combine elements of visual-representation expression with respect to the whole: lines and colour areas in planar expression; modelling and sculptural methods in voluminal expression; the arrangement of elements with respect to his/her own body and as an independent model in spatial expression focus deliberately on expressing his/her own life experience and on creating visual representation expressions with communicative effects on his/her closest social relations when creating visualrepresentation expressions find appropriate means for visual-representation expressions made on the basis of the relation between visual perception and the perception through the other senses, and apply them in planar, voluminal and spatial production apply the individuality of his/her perception when approaching reality, production and interpretation of visual-representation expression; freely select and combine various means (including the means and methods of contemporary fine arts) express new as well as unusual feelings and experiences compare various interpretations of visual-representation expression and approach them as a source of inspiration find and incorporate into communication in social relations the content of visual-representation expressions which he/she has independently created, selected or modified 70 Subject Matter DEVELOPMENT OF SENSUAL PERCEPTIVENESS elements of visual-representation expression – lines, shapes, volumes, light and colour qualities, textures – their simple relations (similarity, contrast, rhythm), their combinations and transformations in a plane, volume and space arrangement of objects into wholes – arrangement based on their distinctiveness, size and mutual positions in static and dynamic expressions reflection and the relations between visual perception and the perception through the other senses – visual-representation expressions of touch, sound, movement, smell and taste stimuli, and expressions of visual stimuli through means perceptible by the other senses sensory effects of visual-representation expressions – fine-art production, photography, film, printed materials, television, electronic media, advertising APPLICATION OF SUBJECTIVITY means for expressing feelings, emotions, moods, fantasy, ideas and personal experience – manipulation with objects, movement of the body and its position in a space, action shape of a painting and drawing types of visual-representation expressions – how to distinguish between them, select them and apply them – toys, objects, text illustrations, creative painting, sculpture, statue, animated film, comics, photography, electronic image, advertising approaches towards visual-representation expressions – the aspect of perceiving them (visual, haptic, static, dynamic), the aspect of their motivation (fantasy-based, sensory- perception-based) VERIFICATION OF COMMUNICATIVE EFFECTS personal attitude in communication – how it is formed and justified; different interpretations of visual-representation expressions (both independently created and adapted) within the groups of which the child is a member; their comparison with the child’s own interpretation communication content of visual-representation expressions – in communication with classmates, family members and within the groups of which the child is a member (at school as well as outside of it); explanation of the outcomes of artistic production depending on his/her abilities and interests changes in the communication content – the intentions of the artistic production and transformations in the content of one’s own visual-representation expressions and works of fine arts Stage 2 Expected Outcomes The pupil shall: select, create and name the broadest possible range of elements of visual-representation expressions and their relations; apply them in order to express his/her experience, perceptions, ideas and knowledge; combine different properties of these elements and their relations in order to obtain unique results utilise visual-representation expressions to record visual experience, experience gained through the other senses, and stimuli from his/her imagination and fantasy make use of means to capture phenomena and processes in transformations and relations; utilise some techniques applied in contemporary fine arts and digital media (computer graphics, photography, video, animation) for his/her own production select, combine and create means for his/her own unique expression, and compare and evaluate its effects with the effects of already existing and commonly used visual-representation expressions distinguish between the impact of visual-representation expression on the level of the effect on the senses, on the level of subjective effect and on the level of socially formed as well as symbolic content 71 interpret artistic visual-representation expressions of both the present and past while building on his/her knowledge of historical connections as well as his/her personal knowledge and experiences compare on specific examples different interpretations of a visual-representation expression and explain his/her attitudes towards them while bearing in mind the personal, social and cultural conditionality of his/her value judgements verify the communicative effects of selected, modified and independently created works of visualrepresentation expression in social relations, and find suitable forms for presenting them Subject Matter DEVELOPMENT OF SENSUAL PERCEPTIVENESS elements of visual-representation expression – lines, shapes, volumes, light and colour qualities, textures; relations and arrangements of elements in a plane, volume, space and in the course of time (similarity, contrast, rhythm, dynamic changes, structure), in static as well as dynamic visual-representation expression arrangement of objects into wholes in a plane, volume, space and in the course of time – expressions of relations, movement and transformations within and between objects (linear, light, colour, plastic and spatial means and means expressing the course of time) in static as well as dynamic expression reflection and the relations between visual perception and the perception through the other senses – deliberate perception and application of non-visual stimuli in one’s artistic production; reflection on the other types of art (musical, dramatic) sensory effects of visual-representation expressions – fine-art production, photography, film, printed materials, television, electronic media, advertising; selection, combination and variation in one’s artistic production APPLICATION OF SUBJECTIVITY means for expressing feelings, emotions, moods, fantasy, ideas and personal experience – manipulation with objects, movement of the body and its position in a space, action shape of a painting and drawing, arrangement of space, of the whole of visual-representation expressions and transformation expressions; selection, application and interpretation types of visual-representation expressions – toys, objects, text illustrations, creative painting, sculpture, statue, animated film, comics, photography, electronic image, advertising, visualised dramatic events, communication graphics; how to distinguish between them, select them and apply them for one’s own creative intents approaches towards visual-representation expressions – the aspect of perceiving them (visual, haptic, static, dynamic), the aspect of their motivation (fantasy-based, symbolic, sensory-perception-based, rational-constructive, expressive); reflection and deliberate application during one’s own creative activities VERIFICATION OF COMMUNICATIVE EFFECTS personal attitude in communication – how it is formed and justified; reasons for the emergence of different interpretations of visual-representation expressions (both independently created and adapted), criteria for their comparison, their justification communicative content of visual-representation expressions – formation and application of communication content; explanation and justification of the outcomes of artistic production while respecting the artist’s intent; public presentation, media presentation changes in the communication content – the intentions of the artistic production and transformations of the content of the visual-representation expressions of one’s own works and works of fine art; historical, social and cultural connections 72 5.8 Man and Health Characteristics of the Educational Area Human health is understood as a balanced state of physical, mental and social well-being. It is formed and influenced by many aspects, such as lifestyle, preventive conduct, the quality of interpersonal relations as well as of the environment, Man’s safety, etc. Since health is a fundamental prerequisite for an active and satisfying life as well as for optimal work productivity, it has become one of the priorities of elementary education to provide knowledge of and practical influence on the development and protection of health. The educational area Man and Health offers the fundamental stimuli for health promotion (knowledge, activities, ways of behaviour), with which the pupil becomes familiar, learns to use and apply them in everyday life. The instruction in this educational area is aimed at the pupil’s learning about himself/herself as a living being, understanding the value of health, the sense of prevention as well as the gravity of the problems associated with illnesses or other health impairments. The pupil familiarises himself/herself with the various dangers threatening health in common as well as emergency situations, masters the skills and ways of behaviour (decision making) which lead to preserving or strengthening his/her health, and acquires the required degree of responsibility for his/her own health and the health of others. To a great extent, this is thus about learning the fundamental life values, gradually forming attitudes towards them and acting in accord with these attitudes. In elementary education, these objectives must be founded on effective motivation and on activities and situations increasing the pupil’s interest in health issues. When implementing this educational area, it is necessary to emphasise chiefly practical skills and their application in model situations and in the everyday life of the school. It is hence extremely important that the entire life of the school be in accord with whatever the pupil is taught in relation to health and whatever he/she needs in terms of health. At its beginning, the instruction must be strongly influenced by the teacher’s positive personal example, his/her multifaceted assistance and an overall positive atmosphere at the school. This should be later joined by an emphasis on the pupil’s greater independence and responsibility for his/her health-related behaviour, decision making and activities. Education understood in this way is the basis for forming the pupil’s active approach to developing and protecting his/her health. The educational area Man and Health is defined and implemented in accordance with the age of the pupil in the educational fields Health Education and Physical Education, which also includes remedial physical education. The educational content of the educational area Man and Health overlaps into the other educational areas, which augment or use (apply) this area, and into the life of the school. The educational field Health Education provides fundamental knowledge on Man in terms of preventative measures. It teaches the pupil to promote health actively, to protect it in all its forms (social, mental and physical) and be responsible for his/her health. In its educational content, this field is directly related to the content of the educational area Man and His World. The pupil reinforces his/her hygienic, dietary, work and other preventative habits, develops his/her skills to refuse noxious substances, prevent injuries and confront his/her being endangered in everyday and emergency situations. The pupil broadens and deepens his/her knowledge of family, school, the community of his/her peers, of nature, Man and interpersonal relations, and thus learns to see his/her activities in the perspective of the health-related needs and prospects of an adolescent and to make decisions beneficial to his/her health. Because of the individual and social dimension of health, the educational field Health Education is very closely linked with the cross-curricular subject Moral, Character and Social Education. The educational field Physical Education, as a component of the pupil’s more complex education in health issues, is aimed at the pupil’s becoming acquainted with his/her personal movement abilities and interests on the one hand and with the effects of specific movement activities on physical fitness and mental and social well-being on the other. Physical Education proceeds from the pupil’s spontaneous movement activity to guided and selective activity whose aim it is for the pupil to acquire the ability to judge his/her level of physical fitness independently and to include movement into his/her daily routine for the satisfaction of his/her personal movement needs and interests, for optimal 73 development of his/her fitness and performance, for the recuperation of strength and compensation for various forms of stress, and for the promotion of health and the protection of life. In elementary education, a prerequisite for mastering good movement skills is for the pupil to experience movement and communication during movement; retrospectively, a properly mastered skill reinforces the quality of his/her experience. Physical education is characterised by the recognition and development of movement talents, which requires the differentiation of the pupils’ activities as well as of the evaluations of their performances. It is no less important to discover the pupil’s health impairments and to correct them by means of common as well as specific forms of movement education – in compulsory physical education, or, if necessary, in remedial physical education. For this reason, an indispensable part of physical education are corrective and special balancing exercises, used preventively as needed during physical education for all pupils or assigned to a pupil with a physical impairment instead of activities which are counterindicative of his/her impairment. At the same time, schools are recommended to offset the movement deficits of pupils in health category III (or also category II) and their need for corrective exercises by incorporating a compulsory or optional subject whose content builds on the thematic area Remedial Physical Education (as an adequate substitution for compulsory physical education or as an expansion of the offer of movement activities). This offer arises from the state of modern society, which has facilitated our life in many ways but paradoxically has triggered numerous health impairments because of it already at a young age, which must be rectified and corrected (caused by a lack of intensive and properly aimed movement, long time spent in static positions, excessive food intake in unsuitable composition, air pollution, numerous stressful situations, negative social relations, etc.). Elementary education thus responds to the findings of doctors that the number of health impairments in the entire population has increased and that a child with a physical disability requires a greater amount of spontaneous and targeted movement activities than a healthy child. Participation in remedial physical education helps the pupil recognise the character of his/her health impairments as well as the degree and extent to which he/she is limited in certain activities. At the same time, it offers specific ways of influencing the pupil’s impairment (special exercises, general movement activities, relaxation techniques, swimming, etc.) and of including them into the pupils’ daily schedule. Objectives of the Educational Area The instruction in this educational area is aimed at forming and developing key competencies by guiding the pupil towards: recognising health as the most important life value; understanding health as a balanced state of physical, mental and social well-being and towards feeling a sense of joy from activities supported by movement, a pleasant environment and an atmosphere of positive relations; learning about Man as a biological individual dependent in the individual stages of his/her life on his/her own behaviour and decision making, on the quality of interpersonal relations and on the quality of the environment; gaining a basic orientation in opinions on what is healthy and can benefit health, as well as what endangers and harms health; applying the mastered preventative methods to influence his/her health in a daily regimen, strengthening ways of decision making and behaving in accordance with the active promotion of health in every life situation as well as familiarising himself/herself with and utilising places related to preventative healthcare; combining behaviour and activities related to health and healthy interpersonal relations with basic ethical and moral attitudes, willpower, etc.; understanding fitness, good physical appearance and mental well-being as important preconditions for choosing a professional path, partners, social activities, etc.; engaging actively in activities supporting health and in promoting activities beneficial for health at school and in the municipality. 74 5.8.1 Health Education Educational Content Stage 2 Expected Outcomes The pupil shall: respect the accepted rules for coexistence among peers and partners; contribute, through positive communication and cooperation, to the formation of good interpersonal relations in the wider society in general (in the family, community) explicate the roles of the members of the community (family, class, association) and give examples of positive and negative influences on the quality of the social atmosphere (peer group, family environment) in terms of being beneficial for health explain on examples the direct connections between physical, mental and social health; explain the connection between satisfying basic human needs and the value of health assess various ways of human behaviour in terms of responsibility for one’s own health and the health of others and deduce personal responsibility in favour of actively promoting health from them endeavour within his/her abilities and experience to support health actively express his/her own opinions on the issues of health and discuss them with his/her peers, family and immediate surroundings put the composition of one’s diet and eating habits in connection with the development of lifestyle diseases, and apply healthy eating habits within his/her possibilities apply the mastered preventative methods of decision making, behaviour and conduct in relation to common, transmitted, lifestyle and other diseases; confide his/her health problems to someone and, if necessary, seek professional help demonstrate a responsible approach to himself/herself, to the process of his/her adolescence and to the rules of healthy lifestyle; participate voluntarily in programmes promoting health within school and the municipality use the mastered compensation and relaxation techniques and social skills independently to regenerate the body, overcome tiredness and prevent stressful situations react optimally to physiological changes in adolescence and behave towards the opposite sex in a cultivated manner assume responsibility for safe sexual behaviour in connection with health, ethics, morals and the life goals of young people put into context the health and psychosocial risks associated with the abuse of addictive substances and a young person’s life prospects; apply the mastered social skills and models of behaviour when faced with sociopathic phenomena at school and outside of it; seek professional help for himself/herself or others if necessary evaluate on the basis of his/her knowledge and experience the potential manipulative influence of his/her peers, the media, sects; apply the mastered defensive communication skills against manipulation and aggression manifest responsible behaviour in situations when health and personal safety are endangered, in emergency situations; provide adequate first aid if necessary Subject Matter INTERPERSONAL RELATIONS AND FORMS OF COEXISTENCE two-person relationships – companionship, friendship, love, partnership, marriage and parenthood relations and rules of coexistence within the community – family, school, peer group, municipality, association 75 LIFE CHANGES AND WHAT THEY INVOLVE childhood, puberty, adolescence – physical, mental and social changes sexual maturation and reproductive health – premature sexual experience; teenage pregnancy and parenthood; sexual identity disorders HEALTHY LIFESTYLE AND SELF CARE FOR HEALTH diet and health – fundamentals of a healthy diet, the influence of living conditions and eating habits on health; eating disorders physical and mental hygiene – fundamental habits for personal, intimate and mental hygiene; building stamina, the importance of movement for health daily regimen protection from infectious and non-infectious diseases, chronic illness and injury – safe types of conduct (sexually transmitted diseases, HIV/AIDS, hepatitides); preventive and medical care; behaving responsibly in case of injury and life-threatening situations (household, sports, workplace, traffic injuries) HEALTH RISKS AND THEIR AVOIDANCE stress and its relation to health – compensation, relaxation and regenerative techniques for overcoming tiredness, reactions to stress and strengthening mental resistance lifestyle diseases – health risks, preventive and medical care self-destructive addictions – health and social risks of abusing addictive substances, gambling, computer addiction; addictive substances (traffic safety, criminal activity, doping in sport) hidden forms and levels of individual violence and abuse, sexual criminality – bullying and other expressions of violence; forms of sexual abuse of children; communication with professional aid services safe conduct – communication with peers and strangers, movement in high-risk environments and presence in conflict and crisis situations observation of the rules of safety and health protection – safe school environment, health protection during various activities, traffic safety, knowledge of traffic rules manipulative advertising and information – influences of advertising; activity of sects personal safety in emergency situations – natural disasters, terrorism VALUE AND PROMOTION OF HEALTH holistic concept of the individual in health and illness – components of health and their interactions, basic human needs and their hierarchy (Maslow’s theory) health promotion and its forms – prevention and intervention, acting on a change in the quality of the environment and human behaviour, individual responsibility for health health promotion in the community – programmes for health promotion PERSONALITY AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT self-awareness and self-conception – relation to oneself, to others; healthy and balanced self- conception self-regulation and self-organisation of activities and behaviour – practising self-reflection, self-control and self-restraint and managing difficult situations; setting personal goals and the steps to achieve them mental hygiene – social skills for preventing and managing stress, seeking assistance when in need interpersonal relations, communication and cooperation – respecting oneself and others, accepting the opinions of others, empathy; behaviour nurturing good relationships, active listening, dialogue, effective and assertive communication and cooperation in various situations moral development – practising adopting value-based stances and decision-making skills; skills for solving problems in interpersonal relations; supportive and prosocial behaviour 76 5.8.2 Physical Education Educational Content Stage 1 Expected Outcomes – Cycle 1 The pupil shall: associate regular everyday movement activity with health and utilise the opportunities offered manage on the basis of his/her individual abilities simple movement activities as an individual and in a group; strive to improve them cooperate in simple team movement activities and competitions apply the fundamentals of hygiene and safety during movement activities in familiar areas of the school respond to basic commands and directions related to the activity being acquired and its organisation Expected Outcomes – Cycle 2 The pupil shall: participate in implementing a regular movement regimen; make use of conditioning activities; demonstrate an adequate level of independence and will to improve his/her level of fitness include corrective exercises in his/her movement regimen, especially in connection with unilateral load or muscular imbalance manage the movement skills being acquired as allowed by his/her individual abilities; create variants of the mastered movement games apply the rules of hygiene and safe conduct in a common sporting environment; respond adequately to a classmate’s injury assess simply the quality of a classmate’s movement activity and respond to directions for performing his/her own movement activities act in the spirit of fair play: observe the rules of games and competitions, recognise and indicate obvious violations of the rules and react accordingly; respect the opposite sex during movement activities utilise basic learnt physical-education terminology during movement activities; exercise according to simple drawings or exercise descriptions organise non-demanding movement activities and competitions on the class level measure basic movement performance and compare it with previous results orient himself/herself in information sources on movement activities and sports events at school and in his/her place of residence; obtain the required information independently Subject Matter ACTIVITIES AFFECTING HEALTH the importance of movement for health – the pupil’s exercise regimen, movement length and intensity preparation of the organism – pre-movement preparation, cool down after exertion, tensing and stretching exercises health-oriented activities – proper body posture, proper load lifting; training, compensation, relaxation and other health-oriented activities and their practical application development of various forms of movement speed, endurance, strength, flexibility, coordination hygiene during physical education – hygiene concerning exercise activities and the exercise environment, suitable clothing and footwear for movement activities 77 safety during movement activities – organisation and safety of the exercise space, safety in changing rooms and washrooms, safe preparation and storage of gym apparatus, equipment and aids, first aid under physical-education conditions ACTIVITIES AFFECTING THE LEVEL OF PHYSICAL SKILLS movement games – with diverse orientation; non-traditional movement games and activities; utilisation of toys and non-traditional equipment during exercise; movement creativity basics of gymnastics – preparation exercises, acrobatics, exercises with gym apparatus and on equipment of appropriate size and weight rhythmic and conditioning forms of exercise for children – conditioning exercises with music or rhythmic accompaniment, fundamentals of aesthetic movement, expressing melody and rhythm through movement, simple dances basic grappling techniques – pulling, pushing basics of athletics – sprints, motivated long-distance running, long jump or high jump, ball throwing fundamentals of sports games – manipulation with a ball, bat or another game equipment of appropriate size and weight, game activities of an individual, cooperation during a game, grounding games, matches following simplified minisport rules hiking and sleeping in nature – movement to the field and proper conduct in transport vehicles, walking in the field, camping, nature preservation swimming – (basic swimming instruction) hygiene concerning swimming, acclimation to the water environment, basic swimming skills, one swimming style (technique), elements of selfpreservation and helping a drowning person skiing, ice skating (depending on the conditions of the school) – games on snow and ice, fundamental techniques of movement on skis and ice skates other movement activities (depending on the conditions of the school and the pupils’ interest) ACTIVITIES ENCOURAGING MOVEMENT LEARNING communication in physical education – basic physical-education terminology of the activities being mastered, conventional commands, signals organisation during physical education – basic organisation of space and activities in a familiar (normal) environment rules of conduct and behaviour – fair play, Olympic ideals and symbols rules of the simplified movement activities being mastered – games, races, competitions measurement and evaluation of movement skills – performance measurement, basic physical tests sources of information on movement activities Stage 2 ACTIVITIES AFFECTING HEALTH Expected Outcomes The pupil shall: participate actively in organising his/her personal movement regimen and include certain movement activities regularly and with a specific goal strive to improve his/her physical fitness; select a suitable development programme from what is offered prepare himself/herself before a movement activity and complete it independently in harmony with the main activity – used muscles refuse drugs and other noxious substances as incompatible with sports ethics and health; adjust his/her movement activities according to data on air pollution behave adequately and safely even in less familiar environments of sports grounds, nature, traffic; anticipate possible sources of injury and adapt his/her activities accordingly 78 Subject Matter the importance of movement for health – fitness and wellness and performance sports, boys’ and girls’ sports health-oriented fitness – development of health-oriented fitness, conditioning programmes, working with load prevention and correction of unilateral load and muscular imbalance – preparatory, compensation, balancing, relaxation and other health-oriented exercises hygiene and safety during movement activities – in non-standard environments, first aid during physical education and sports in various environments and under diverse weather conditions, improvised treatment of injuries and transport of the injured ACTIVITIES AFFECTING THE LEVEL OF PHYSICAL SKILLS Expected Outcomes The pupil shall: manage the movement skills being mastered and apply them creatively during games, competitions and recreational activities according to his/her individual abilities assess his/her implementation of the movement skills being mastered, identify obvious imperfections and their possible causes Subject Matter movement games – with diverse orientation; non-traditional movement games and activities gymnastics – acrobatics, vaults, exercises with gym apparatus and on equipment aesthetic and conditioning forms of exercise with music and rhythmic accompaniment – fundamentals of rhythmic gymnastics, exercises with gym apparatus; age-appropriate conditioning forms of exercise; dances grappling techniques – the basics of self-defence, the basics of aikido, judo, karatedo athletics – sprints, long-distance track and cross-country running, fundamentals of hurdles, long jump or high jump, ball or grenade throwing, shot-put sports games (at least two sports according to the selection of the school) – game activities of an individual, game combinations, game systems, matches according to the rules of the category of pupils hiking and sleeping in nature – planning a hiking event, movement to the field and observing road safety regulations as a pedestrian and a cyclist, walking with a load even in slightly challenging terrain, camping, nature preservation, fundamentals of orienteering, documentation of a hiking event swimming (depending on the conditions of the school – perfecting swimming instruction; if basic swimming instruction has not been provided, this must be preceded by acclimation to the water environment and basic swimming skills) – further swimming skills, another swimming style (technique), the skills of life-saving and rescue swimming, elements of swimming for fitness and swimming sports, development of swimming endurance skiing, snowboarding, ice skating (depending on the conditions of the school) – crosscountry skiing, ski hiking, downhill skiing or snowboarding, safety of movement in a mountainous winter landscape, riding a skilift; (other winter sports depending on the conditions of the school) other (including non-traditional) movement activities (depending on the conditions of the school and the pupils’ interest) ACTIVITIES ENCOURAGING THE LEARNING OF EXERCISE ACTIVITIES Expected Outcomes The pupil shall: utilise learnt terminology at the level of a participant, referee, spectator, newspaper and magazine reader, internet user 79 fulfil basic Olympic ideals in the school environment – fair competition, assistance to the handicapped, respecting the opposite sex, nature preservation during sports agree on cooperation and simple tactics leading towards his/her team’s success and observe them distinguish between and implement the rights and obligations arising from his/her role as player, referee, spectator and organiser monitor specified elements of movement activity and performance, record and evaluate them organise simple tournaments, contests and hiking events on the school level on his/her own and as part of a team; co-referee the games and competitions being learnt process the measured data and information on movement activities and participate in presenting them Subject Matter communication in physical education – physical-education terminology of the activities being learnt; conventional commands, signals, gestures, signs, the basics of graphic recording of movement, mutual communication and cooperation during the movement activities being learnt organisation of space and of movement activities – under non-standard conditions; athletic equipment and kit – selection, care history and current state of sport – important competitions and athletes, Olympism – the Olympic Charter rules of the movement activities being learnt – of games, contests, competitions principles of conduct and behaviour in various environments and during diverse activities measurement of performance and evaluation of movement skills – measurement, recordkeeping, evaluation REMEDIAL PHYSICAL EDUCATION (certain elements of RPE are applied during compulsory physical education; RPE as an integrated system is available to pupils in health category III (II) during independent lessons – see the characteristics of the educational area ‘Man and Health’ and notes on the Framework Curriculum Timetable). Stage 1 Expected Outcomes – Cycle 1 The pupil shall: use proper body posture in various positions and working activities; adopt the proper basic exercise positions manage simple special exercises targeted at his/her impairment Expected Outcomes – Cycle 2 The pupil shall: include special balancing exercises connected to his/her impairment into his/her regular exercise regimen with the optimal number of repetitions manage the basic special-exercise technique; adjust his/her exercise technique by observing himself/herself in the mirror and on the basis of his/her teacher’s directions recognise activities (environments) which are incompatible with his/her impairment independently Subject Matter ACTIVITIES AND INFORMATION ENCOURAGING THE CORRECTION OF HEALTH IMPAIRMENT health impairments – the pupil’s specific health impairment, prevention, movement regimen, appropriate clothing and footwear for RPE, principles of proper body posture, breathing 80 exercises, being able to perceive sensations during exercise, inappropriate exercises and activities (counterindicative of the health impairments) SPECIAL EXERCISES the basics of special exercises – basic exercise positions, basic exercise technique, set of special exercises for independent exercise In view of the integrated system of special exercises, which is identical for Stages 1 and 2, the subject matter of this subject is formulated only for Stage 2 under the assumption that it will be applied throughout elementary education. GENERAL-DEVELOPMENT MOVEMENT ACTIVITIES movement activities building on the content of physical education – taking the specific type and level of impairment into consideration Stage 2 Expected Outcomes The pupil shall: apply adequate persistence and self-discipline when correcting his/her health impairments include special compensation exercises for his/her impairments in his/her regular exercise regimen independently, strive for their optimum performance avoid activities which are counterindicative of his/her health impairments actively Subject Matter ACTIVITIES AND INFORMATION ENCOURAGING THE CORRECTION OF HEALTH IMPAIRMENT basic types of impairments; their causes and possible consequences – basic terminology of the activities being learnt, prevention and correction of the impairments, daily regimen in terms of the health impairment, focus on exercise, conscious control of the exercise, inappropriate exercises and activities (counterindicative of the health impairments) SPECIAL EXERCISES skeletomuscular-system impairments (A) – disorders in the function of muscle groups (A1); spinal disorders – lordosis and kyphosis (A2) and scoliosis (A3); anatomical disorders of the lower limbs (A4): local and overall relaxation; proper posture of the head, pectoral girdle, pelvis, knees; stretching of the pectoral and lumbar muscles, hamstrings and hip flexors; strengthening the musculature of the neck, upper-back (rhomboids), abdominal, gluteal, thigh and calf muscles, spinal extensors; increasing joint flexibility and range of motion; relaxing the spine; rotational exercises; proper breathing technique internal-organ impairments (B) – circulatory and respiratory system impairment (B1); endocrine-system impairment (B2); obesity (B3); other internal-organ impairments (B4): (besides exercises from group A) development of the main and auxiliary respiratory muscles; diaphragmatic and chest breathing during increased load; adaptation to increased strain; exercising coordination and balance sensory and nerve function impairment (C) – visual impairments (C1); hearing impairments (C2); neurological impairments (C3): (besides exercises from group A) adaptation of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems; coordination of movement; balanced positions; development of auditory, visual and tactile perception of rhythm; exercising to musical accompaniment; spatial orientation; visual localisation, speed of visual perception GENERAL-DEVELOPMENT MOVEMENT ACTIVITIES movement activities building on the content of physical education – taking the specific type and level of impairment into consideration 81 5.9 Man and the World of Work Characteristics of the Educational Area The educational area Man and the World of Work covers a broad spectrum of occupational activities and technologies, guides the pupil towards acquiring basic user skills in various areas of human activity and contributes to the shaping of the pupil’s life and professional orientation. The conception of the educational area Man and the World of Work builds on the specific life situations in which the pupil comes into direct contact with human activity and technology in all their diverse forms and broader connections. The educational area Man and the World of Work is actively targeted on practical occupational skills and habits and complements all of elementary education with an important component necessary for the pupil’s success in further life and society, in which it differs from the other educational areas and forms a certain counterbalance to them as it is founded on the pupil’s creative intellectual participation. At Stage 1, the educational content of the educational field Man and the World of Work is divided into four compulsory thematic areas: Work with Fine Materials, Construction Activities, Plant Cultivation and Food Preparation. At Stage 2, it is divided into eight thematic areas: Work with Technical Materials, Design and Construction, Plant Cultivation and Animal Husbandry, Home Economics, Food Preparation, Work with Laboratory Technology, Use of Digital Technologies and The World of Work. The thematic areas at Stage 2 are an offer from which The World of Work is compulsory while from the others schools select at least one further area according to their conditions and education plans. The selected thematic areas must be implemented to their full extent. The thematic area The World of Work is compulsory for all pupils in its entirety, and with respect to its focus on the selection of future profession, it is advisable that it be included in the highest forms of Stage 2. The educational content is implemented at Stages 1 and 2 and is intended for all the pupils (i.e. boys and girls with no differences). The pupil learns to work with various materials and acquires basic working skills and habits. He/She learns to plan, organise and evaluate occupational activities both independently and in a team. In all thematic areas, the pupil is systematically guided towards observing the principles of occupational safety and hygiene. Depending on the pupil’s age, a system is gradually developed which provides the pupil with important information from the area of work performance and helps him/her to make responsible decisions on his/her further professional specialisation. It is thus desirable that as many thematic areas as possible be included in the pupil’s instruction. Objectives of the Educational Area The instruction in this educational is aimed at forming and developing key competencies by guiding the pupil towards: a positive relation towards work and responsibility for the quality and joint outcomes of work; acquiring fundamental occupational skills and habits in various fields of work, organising and planning work and using the proper tools, instruments, tools and aids in work as well as in everyday life; perseverance and a systematic approach when performing assigned tasks, towards applying his/her inventiveness and own ideas during work activities and towards exerting effort to achieve a quality outcome; realising that technology, as an important part of human culture, is always closely associated with the work activities of Man; authentic and objective learning about the world around him/her, towards acquiring the necessary self-confidence, new attitude and values in relation to human work, technology and the environment; 82 understanding work and occupational activities as an opportunity for self-fulfilment, selfactualisation and the development of entrepreneurial thinking; becoming oriented in various areas of human activity and forms of physical and intellectual work, as well as towards acquiring important skills and knowledge necessary for success, for the selection of his/her professional path and for future life and professional orientation. 5.9.1 Man and the World of Work Educational Content Stage 1 WORK WITH FINE MATERIALS Expected Outcomes – Cycle 1 The pupil shall: create various objects from both traditional and non-traditional materials using simple methods work following verbal instructions and models Expected Outcomes – Cycle 2 The pupil shall: create various products from a given material using appropriate work operations and procedures based on his/her imagination apply elements of folk traditions when working creatively with various materials select proper work aids, instruments and equipment with respect to the material used maintain an orderly work place and observe the principles of occupational hygiene and safety; provide first aid in case of injury Subject Matter properties of a material (products of nature, modelling clay, paper and cardboard, textiles, wires, foils, etc.) work instruments and aids – functions and application simple work operations and methods, organisation of work folk customs, traditions, crafts CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES Expected Outcomes – Cycle 1 The pupil shall: master elementary skills and activities while working with construction sets Expected Outcomes – Cycle 2 The pupil shall: perform simple assembly and disassembly while working with erector sets work according to verbal instructions, models and simple sketches observe the principles of hygiene and safety, provide first aid in case of injury Subject Matter erector sets (two-dimensional, three-dimensional, construction), assembly of models work with instructions, models, simple sketches 83 PLANT CULTIVATION Expected Outcomes – Cycle 1 The pupil shall: conduct observations of nature; record and evaluate the results of his/her observations care for easy-to-grow plants Expected Outcomes – Cycle 2 The pupil shall: perform simple horticultural activities, conduct horticultural experiments and observations independently treat and cultivate house and other plants according to the principles given select the proper aids, instruments and equipment depending on the type of horticultural activity observe the principles of occupational hygiene and safety, provide first aid in case of injury Subject Matter basic conditions for plant cultivation; soil and working the soil; plant nutrition; seed for sowing cultivation of plants from seeds indoors, in the garden (ornamental plants, medicinal plants, herbs, vegetables, etc.) cultivation of house plants poisonous plants, plants as drugs, allergies FOOD PREPARATION Expected Outcomes – Cycle 1 The pupil shall: set the table for a simple meal use proper table manners and dinner etiquette Expected Outcomes – Cycle 2 The pupil shall: be familiar with basic kitchen equipment prepare a simple meal independently observe the rules of proper table manners and etiquette maintain working surfaces in a clean and orderly state; observe the principles of occupational hygiene and safety; provide first aid in case of injury in the kitchen Subject Matter basic kitchen equipment food selection, purchase and storage simple table setting, proper table manners and dinner etiquette technology in the kitchen – history and significance Stage 2 WORK WITH TECHNICAL MATERIALS Expected Outcomes The pupil shall: perform simple work with technical materials and observe technological discipline solve simple technological tasks when selecting appropriate materials, instruments and equipment organise and plan his/her work activity 84 make use of technical documentation, create his/her own simple product sketch observe the principles of occupational hygiene and safety as well as the principles of health and safety when working with instruments and equipment; provide first aid in case of injury Subject Matter properties of materials, their practical application (wood, metal, plastics, composites) work aids, instruments and equipment for manual treatment simple work operations and procedures organisation of work, important technical procedures technical sketches and drawings, technical information, instructions the role of technology in human life, the abuse of technology, technology and the environment, technology and leisure time, traditions and crafts DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION Expected Outcomes The pupil shall: assemble a given model according to instructions, sketches, plans or simple programs design and assemble simple constructional elements and inspect and compare their functionality, load-bearing ability, stability, etc. perform the assembly, disassembly and maintenance of simple objects and devices observe the principles of occupational hygiene and safety as well as safety regulations; provide first aid in case of injury Subject Matter erector sets (construction, electrotechnical, electronic), assembly of models, creation of construction elements, assembly and disassembly instructions, models, sketches, plans, schemes, simple programs PLANT CULTIVATION AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY Expected Outcomes The pupil shall: choose appropriate work approaches when cultivating selected plants grow flowers and use them for decoration use appropriate work aids and maintain them show basic knowledge of caring for small animals and the principles of safe conduct around animals observe technological discipline and the principles of occupational hygiene and safety; provide first aid in case of injury, including injuries caused by animals Subject Matter basic conditions for plant cultivation – soil and working the soil, plant nutrition, plant and soil preservation vegetables – seed for sowing, seedlings, crop strain, conditions and principles of cultivation; cultivation of selected types of vegetables ornamental plants – fundamentals of caring for house plants, cultivation of selected ornamental trees, woody plants and plants; house and garden plants (hydroponics, bonsais), pruning, simple arrangements, arranging flowers fruit plants – types of fruit plants, cultivation methods, storage and processing medicinal plants, herbs – cultivation of selected plants; plants and human health; medicinal effects of plants, poisonous plants; plants as drugs and their abuse; allergies animal husbandry – care for animals at home, breeding conditions, hygiene and safety; conduct around familiar and unfamiliar animals 85 HOME ECONOMICS Expected Outcomes The pupil shall: perform simple payment and household accounting operations master simple work procedures during basic household activities and become oriented in instruction manuals for common household appliances handle properly aids, instruments, equipment and devices including their maintenance; perform minor household maintenance observe the fundamental hygiene and safety rules and regulations and provide first aid in case of injury, including electric shock Subject Matter finances, household management and maintenance – budget, income, expenses, payments, savings; cash and cashless transactions, household economics; maintenance of clothes and textiles, household cleaning, its procedures, detergents and their environmental impact, waste and its ecological disposal; household appliances electrotechnics in the household – electrical wiring, electrical appliances, electronics, communication technology, its functions, operation and use, protection, maintenance, safety and economics of operation, danger of electric shock FOOD PREPARATION Expected Outcomes The pupil shall: use basic kitchen equipment and operate basic appliances safely prepare simple meals in compliance with the principles of healthy nutrition observe the basic principles of proper table manners, etiquette and serving at the table in company observe the principles of occupational hygiene and safety; provide first aid in case of injuries in the kitchen Subject Matter kitchen – basic equipment, maintenance of order and cleanliness, safety and operational hygiene food – selection, purchase, storage, food groups, preparation of a menu food preparation – cold foods, basic methods for preparing warm foods, basic approaches for preparing foods and drinks setting the table, table manners – simple table setting, serving, dinner etiquette, festive family meals, decorative elements and flowers on the table 86 Subject Matter basic laboratory methods and procedures basic laboratory devices, equipment and aids USE OF DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES Expected Outcomes The pupil shall: master the basic functions of digital technology; diagnose and resolve basic problems while operating digital technology interconnect individual components of digital equipment have basic user knowledge of mobile technologies – travel, business, education, entertainment care for digital equipment properly and protect it from damage observe fundamental hygiene and safety rules and regulations when working with digital technology and provide first aid in case of injury Subject Matter digital equipment – computer and peripheral equipment, digital camera, video camera, PDAs, CD and DVD players, eBook, mobile phones digital technologies – wireless technologies (USB, Bluetooth, WiFi, GPRS, GMS, IEEE 802.11b standard), navigational technology, convergence of technologies, multiplexing computer programs for processing voice and graphical information – modifications, archiving, editing; operating systems, intercommunication of different communication devices (synchronising a PDA with a PC) mobile services – operators, tariffs THE WORLD OF WORK (compulsory for the 8th and 9th forms, may be implemented in the 7th form) Expected Outcomes The pupil shall: become oriented in the work activities of selected professions evaluate his/her potential when selecting a suitable profession and professional training make use of professional information and advisory services for the selection of appropriate education show in model situations the ability to present himself/herself when entering the labour market WORKING WITH LABORATORY TECHNOLOGY Expected Outcomes The pupil shall: select and apply appropriate work procedures, devices, equipment and aids in practice for conducting specific observations, measurements and experiments write a report on the objectives, course and results of his/her experimental work and formulate the conclusions reached search the available information resources for all the bases that will help him/her to perform the given experimental work as well as possible observe the rules for occupational safety and environmental protection during his/her experimental work provide first aid in case of injury in the laboratory 87 Subject Matter labour market – professions, types of work places, tools, buildings; the character and types of occupational activities; qualification, health and personality requirements; equal opportunities on the labour market selection of a professional orientation – basic principles; coming to know oneself: personal interests and objectives, physical condition and health, personal qualities and abilities, selfevaluation, influences on the selection of a professional orientation; information base for selecting a profession, work with professional information and utilisation of advisory services educational opportunities – curriculum of educational and vocational fields, entrance procedures, information and advisory services employment – municipal (regional) employment opportunities, ways of seeking employment, writing a curriculum vitae, job interview, the problems of unemployment, employment bureaus; rights and responsibilities of employers and employees entrepreneurship – types and structure of organisations, most frequent forms of entrepreneurship, small business and private enterprise 88 5.10 Complementary Educational Fields The FEP EE includes Complementary Educational Fields, which are not a compulsory part of elementary education but merely complement and augment its educational content. Complementary educational fields may be used for all or only certain pupils, as a compulsory or obligatory optional educational content. 5.10.1 Second Foreign Language Educational Content Stage 2 RECEPTIVE LANGUAGE SKILLS Expected Outcomes The pupil shall: pronounce and read simple texts written with familiar vocabulary aloud fluently and respecting the rules of pronunciation understand familiar everyday expressions, the very basic phrases and simple sentences understand simple directions and react understand the content and meaning of a simple text; find the needed information and the answer to a question in a text use an alphabetical glossary in a textbook and a bilingual dictionary PRODUCTIVE LANGUAGE SKILLS Expected Outcomes The pupil shall: communicate basic information on himself/herself, his/her family and common everyday situations both orally and in writing, fill his/her basic data in forms reproduce, both orally and in writing, the content of a text and utterance of appropriate difficulty and a simple conversation write a simple message and response to a message using basic grammatical structures and sentences correctly INTERACTIVE LANGUAGE SKILLS Expected Outcomes The pupil shall: participate in other people’s simple, carefully articulated conversation using common expressions; provide the information required Subject Matter basic rules of communication in common everyday situations – greetings, expressing thanks, introductions simple messages – addresses, congratulations, holiday greetings and letters, apologies, requests thematic areas – home, family, school, leisure time and hobbies, clothing, shopping, nature and weather, traditions and customs, holidays, important geographical data vocabulary and word formation – synonyms, antonyms, word meanings in context basic grammatical structures and sentence types – simple sentences, formation of questions and negation, word order in a sentence 89 5.10.2 Drama Educational Content Stage 1 Expected Outcomes – Cycle 1 The pupil shall: master the basics of proper breath and voice formation, articulation and body posture; express basic emotions using voice and movement, and recognise them in the conduct of others differentiate acted situations from real ones; adopt the rules of the play; assume simple roles and act naturally in them explore themes and conflicts on the basis of his/her own acting work together in a group to create a stage situation and present it to his/her classmates; watch the others’ presentations reflect upon his/her experience from a work of drama (theatre, film, television, radio) with the teacher’s help Expected Outcomes – Cycle 2 The pupil shall: interconnect physical skills and combine them for the purpose of expressing his/her personal inner states and emotions as well as those of a certain character work with rules of the play and their variations; be able to assume a role and act naturally and convincingly in an acted situation identify themes and conflicts in situations and stories; consider them from the viewpoints of different characters; deal with the impacts of the characters’ actions work together in a group to create a short staged performance while using various means of expression present his/her staged performance in front of his/her classmates and continue to work on it on the basis of self-reflection and his/her classmates’ response; watch and evaluate his/her classmates’ presentations reflect upon his/her experience from a work of drama; differentiate the basic forms of theatre on the basis of personal experience Subject Matter FUNDAMENTAL PREREQUISITES OF DRAMATIC ACTING mind-body skills – work with breath, proper formation of the voice, body posture, verbal and nonverbal communication acting skills – assumption of a role, stage persona social and communication skills – cooperation, communication in common life situations, in acted situations and in group stage work, presentation, reflection and evaluation THE PROCESS OF DRAMATIC AND STAGING PRODUCTION topics and themes in dramatic situations – how to find and express them character types – work towards characterising them deeper; means of drama and puppet theatre dramatic situation, plot – chronological ordering of situations staging means and approaches – stage form based on an improvised situation and ministory; performance communication with the audience – presentation, self-reflection RECEPTION OF AND REFLECTION ON DRAMATIC ARTS basic building blocks of drama – situation, character, conflict contemporary dramatic arts and media – theatrical, film, television, radio and multimedia production 90 basic types of theatrical production – drama, musical, puppet theatre, movement and dance theatre Stage 2 Expected Outcomes The pupil shall: make use of cultivated verbal and movement expressions, observe the basics of vocal hygiene and proper body posture combine physical skills during both verbal and non-verbal expression; show on specific examples the connection between experiencing and acting in his/her case and in the case of others develop, vary and repeat acted situations (independently, with a partner, in a group), adopt the rules of the play and creatively develop them further explore themes from various aspects and identify the main theme and conflict; realise the analogies between a fictional situation and reality approach dramatic and stage work as a joint creative process in which he/she assumes and performs his/her tasks, accepts responsibility for joint work and the final presentation of its outcome identify the basic dramatic elements in his/her own dramatic work and in the production; recognise the basic types of theatrical production and dramatic genres, including their main features; assess works of drama as well as contemporary media production critically Subject Matter FUNDAMENTAL PREREQUISITES OF DRAMATIC ACTING mind-body skills – work with breath, proper formation of the voice, body posture, verbal and nonverbal communication acting skills – assumption of a role, stage persona; structurisation of acted and stage situations social and communication skills – communication in common life situations, in acted situations and in group stage work, presentation, reflection and evaluation, cooperation, organisation of creative group work THE PROCESS OF DRAMATIC AND STAGING PRODUCTION topics and themes in dramatic situations – how to find and express them work on a character – character, motivation, relations conflict as the basis of a dramatic situation – resolution of the conflict through the characters’ acts dramatic situation, plot – chronological and causal ordering of situations, dramatisations of literary models stage work – dramaturgy, directing, acting, scenography, stage music and sound communication with the audience – presentation, self-reflection RECEPTION OF AND REFLECTION ON DRAMATIC ARTS basic building blocks of drama – situation, character, conflict, theme, climax, rising action basic dramatic genres – comedy, tragedy, drama basic types of theatrical production – drama, puppet theatre, opera, operetta, musical, ballet, pantomime contemporary dramatic arts and media – theatrical, film, television, radio and multimedia production selected stages and types of world and Czech theatre significant personalities from Czech and world dramatic production 91 6 Cross-Curricular Subjects Cross-curricular subjects in the FEP EE are the thematic areas of current problems of the contemporary world and have become a significant and indispensable part of elementary education. They represent an important formative element of elementary education, create the opportunities for individual engagement of the pupil as well as mutual cooperation and contribute to the development of the pupil’s character, primarily in the area of attitudes and values. The descriptions of all the cross-curricular subjects have a similar structure. They contain the Characteristics of the Cross-Curricular Subject, where the significance and position of the crosscurricular subject in elementary education are emphasised, followed by a specification of the relation of the cross-curricular subject to the educational areas and the Contribution of the Cross-Curricular Subject to the Development of the Pupil’s Character both in the area of knowledge, skills and abilities and in the area of attitudes and values. The content of the cross-curricular subjects recommended for elementary education is elaborated into thematic areas (marked in bold), each containing a selection of themes (activities, topics). The selection of themes and the manner in which they are included in syllabi are within the competence of the individual schools. The thematic areas of the cross-curricular subjects traverse various educational areas and allow for the interconnection of the educational content of more educational fields, hence contributing to the comprehensiveness of the pupil’s education and positively influencing the formation and development of his/her key competencies. The pupil is thus given the opportunity to form an integrated view on a given issue and to apply a broad spectrum of skills. Cross-curricular subjects comprise a compulsory part of elementary education. All cross-curricular subjects included in the FEP EE10 must be incorporated by the school in the education at both Stages 1 and 2. Not all cross-curricular subjects, however, need to be represented at each form. It is the school’s responsibility to offer the pupils all the thematic areas contained in the individual cross-curricular subjects in the course of elementary education, with the extent and manner of their implementation being determined by the SEP. Cross-curricular subjects may be used as an integrative part of the educational content of a subject of instruction or in the form of independent subjects of instruction, projects, seminars, courses, etc. A prerequisite for the effectiveness of the cross-curricular subjects is their interconnectedness with the educational content of specific subjects of instruction and with the content of the pupil’s further activities implemented at school and outside of school. The following cross-curricular subjects have been defined for elementary education: Moral, Character and Social Education; Civic Education for Democracy; Education towards Thinking in European and Global Contexts; Multicultural Education; Environmental Education; Media Education. 10 Six-year grammar schools must include in the educational content the entire cross-curricular subject Civic Education for Democracy from the FEP EE, which is not contained in the FEP SGE, as well as all cross-curricular subjects from the FEP SGE. They may include the other cross-curricular subjects from the FEP EE should they consider it to be effective with respect to the school’s educational objectives. Eight-year grammar schools must include in the educational content at their lower stage all cross-curricular subjects from the FEP EE, of which they must include the entire cross-curricular subject Civic Education for Democracy while from the other cross-curricular subjects of the FEP EE they must include at least some thematic areas in order to prepare the pupils for the implementation of the thematic areas of the cross-curricular subjects contained in the FEP SGE. 92 6.1 Moral, Character and Social Education Characteristics of the Cross-Curricular Subject On the level of elementary education, the cross-curricular subject Moral, Character and Social Education emphasises the formative elements, focuses on subject and object, is practically oriented and finds everyday application in normal life. It reflects the pupil’s character and his/her individual needs and particularities. Its purpose is to help all the pupils form practical life skills. A specific feature of the Moral, Character and Social Education is the fact that the pupil himself/herself, the particular group of pupils as well as more or less common situations of everyday life become the subject of instruction. Its purpose is to help all the pupils find their own path towards satisfaction in life, a path founded on a good relationship with themselves, with others and the world. The relation between Moral, Character and Social Education and the educational area Language and Language Communication is founded on the very fact of the communicative essence of language, with its focus on everyday verbal communication as a key instrument for acting in various life situations. It deepens the relationship between verbal and non-verbal communication and expands the specific use of language to include social skills. The educational area Man and His World can be implemented by means of themes aimed at self-awareness, healthy self-conception, self-regulation and maintenance of mental health – mental hygiene, communication, interpersonal relations. Moral, Character and Social Education also has a close connection with the educational area Man and Society, namely Civics and its components Man in Society, Man as an Individual, in specifically the themes ‘human encounters, interpersonal relations, principles of human coexistence’ (Man in Society) and ‘similarities and differences between people, the inner world of Man, personal development’ (Man as an Individual). In Moral, Character and Social Education, all these themese are considered as independent. Moral, Character and Social Education places an emphasis on the acquisition of the practical skills connected with the mentioned topics. Its connection with the educational area Man and Nature concerns the evolution of human behaviour, animal and human communication and selfregulatory behaviour as a fundamental ecological principle. It also offers the possibilities to develop emotional relations, personal attitudes and practical skills in relation to the natural environment. The link to the educational area Arts and Culture primarily concerns the shared focus on the development of sensory perception, creativity, and the perception and formation of a non-artistic aesthetics – e.g. the aesthetics of behaviour and interpersonal relations and an understanding of art as a means of communication and exploring the world. In Moral, Character and Social Education, various approaches of Drama may be effectively applied. The complementary educational field Drama uses as its basic methods the means of drama and stage work, in addition to which Moral, Character and Social Education utilises non-theatre-based social-psychological training methods. The interconnection of Moral, Character and Social Education with the educational area Man and Health is advisable in topics reflecting an individual’s physical aspects, social relations, communication and decision making in both common and anxious situations. Moral, Character and Social Education can thus help the pupil acquire skills related to a healthy mental and social life. It also contributes to the implementation of the educational area Man and the World of Work, in particular by honing the skills related to cooperation and communication in a team and various work situations. Contribution of the Cross-Curricular Subject to the Development of the Pupil’s Character In the area of knowledge, skills and abilities, the cross-curricular subject: • guides the pupil towards an understanding of himself/herself and others • helps him/her control his/her own behaviour • contributes to the creation of good interpersonal relations in the classroom and outside of it • develops the basic skills for good communication, as well as the respective knowledge • shapes and develops the basic skills for cooperation • helps the pupil acquire the basic social skills necessary for solving complex situations (such as conflicts) • shapes study skills 93 • develops skills and provides knowledge concerning mental hygiene In the area of attitudes and values, the cross-curricular subject: • helps the pupil create a positive (non-harmful) attitude towards oneself and others • guides the pupil towards realising the value of cooperation and assistance • guides the pupil towards realising the value of human diversity, differences in opinions and approaches to solving problems • contributes to realising the moral dimensions of various types of human behaviour • contributes to the primary prevention of sociopathic phenomena and harmful forms of behaviour Thematic Areas of the Cross-Curricular Subject The thematic areas of Moral, Character and Social Education are divided into three parts focused on moral, character and social development. For their implementation, it is advisable to include those topics in the instruction which reflect the pupils’ current needs or which are based on mutual agreement with them. All the topics described here are accomplished practically, using appropriate games, exercises, model situations and relevant discussions. Since these are lively encounters which affect personal existence, it needs to be anticipated that pupils will have diverse opinions on different things, that they may reject a topic or technique, that they may feel embarrassed or that certain games will not ‘work’. Precisely such moments tend to be of high value in Moral, Character and Social Education, however, because they offer the opportunity to think about what is happening. Character Development • Developing perception skills – exercising sensory perception, attention and concentration; exercising memorisation, problem-solving skills; study skills and learning techniques • Self-awareness and self-conception – I as a source of information on myself; others as a source of information about me; my body, my psyche (temperament, attitudes, values); what I do and do not know about myself; how my ‘I’ projects itself in my behaviour; my relation to myself; my learning; my relations to others; healthy and balanced self-conception • Self-regulation and self-organisation – exercising self-control and self-restraint – regulating one’s behaviour and experiences, will; time management, planning learning and studying; setting personal goals and the steps to achieve them • Mental hygiene – skills for a positive mindset and a good relationship with oneself; social skills for avoiding stress in interpersonal relations; good time management; skills for managing stressful situations (rational problem solving, relaxation, effective communication, etc.); seeking help in case of difficulty • Creativity – exercises for developing the basic features of creativity (flexibility of ideas, originality, the ability to see things differently, sensitivity, the ability to implement ideas), creativity in interpersonal relations Social Development • Becoming acquainted with people – getting to know one another within the group/class; developing sensitivity to differences and finding advantages in differences; mistakes when meeting people • Interpersonal relations – nurturing good relations; behaviour promoting good relations, empathy and seeing other people’s viewpoints, respect, support, assistance; human rights as a regulator of relations; relations and our group/class (work with the natural dynamics in the given classroom as a social group) • Communication – body language, the language of sounds and words, the language of man-made objects and environments, the language of human deeds; exercising observation and empathetic and active listening; verbal and non-verbal communication skills (speaking techniques, verbal 94 expression, exercises in non-verbal communication); specific communication skills (forms of monologues – introduction to rhetoric); dialogue (conducting a dialogue, rules and conduct, types of dialogues); communication in various situations (providing information, refusing, apologising, greeting, asking for a favour, persuading, solving conflicts, negotiating, explaining, requesting, etc.); effective strategies: assertive communication, skills of communicative defence against aggression and manipulation, open and positive communication; telling the truth, lying and pretence in communication • Cooperation and competition – developing individual cooperation skills (self-regulation in situations involving disagreement, resistance, etc., ability to relinquish one’s own proposal, ability to develop others’ ideas, positive thinking, etc.); developing social skills for cooperation (clear and respectful communication, solving conflicts, acquiescence, leading and organising teamwork); developing individual and social skills for dealing with competitive situations ethically Moral Development • Problem-solving and decision-making skills – problem-solving and decision-making skills in terms of various types of problems and social roles, problems in interpersonal relations, coping with learning difficulties related to the subject matter of a subject, problems with self-regulation • Values, attitudes, practical ethics – analysing one’s own as well as others’ attitudes and values and their manifestations in people’s behaviour; creating an awareness of qualities such as responsibility, reliability, justice, respect, etc.; supportive and prosocial behaviour (not expecting anything in return); decision-making skills in ethically problematic everyday situations 6.2 Civic Education for Democracy Characteristics of the Cross-Curricular Subject The cross-curricular subject Civic Education for Democracy is of an interdisciplinary and multicultural character. On its general level, it comprises a synthesis of values, namely of justice, tolerance and responsibility, whereas on its specific level the development of critical thinking, an awareness of one’s rights and obligations and an understanding of the democratic social order and democratic methods of resolving problems and conflicts. Civic Education for Democracy should provide the pupil with a basic level of citizenship literacy, i.e. the ability to orient himself/herself in the intricacies, problems and conflicts of an open, democratic and pluralistic society. The provision of such education should make it possible for the pupil to solve problems constructively concerning the preservation of human dignity and respect for others, the interests of the whole, while being aware of his/her rights and obligations, freedoms and responsibilities and applying the fundamental principles of polite communication and democratic methods of resolving problems. On the level of elementary education, this cross-curricular subject utilises for its implementation not only thematic areas but also the experience and experiences of the pupil himself/herself, where the overall school atmosphere (the relationships between all the entities involved in the educational process founded on cooperation, partnership, dialogue and respect) creates a democratic atmosphere in the classroom, functioning as a ‘laboratory of democracy’, in which the pupil is more motivated to share his/her opinions in discussions and to participate democratically in the decisions made by the whole, the community and the society. At the same time, he/she personally can not only test on himself/herself the importance of observing rules, or participate in the creation of new rules in the interest of justice, but also test the importance of striving to maintain democracy against the continued threat of falling into anarchy or despotism. This experience then helps develop critical-thinking skills. The cross-curricular subject Civic Education for Democracy is closely linked mainly to the educational area Man and Society, with its topics covering the principles of democracy, democratic decision making and governance and human and civil rights, with an emphasis on the participation of an individual – citizen in the social and political life of a democratic society. In the educational area 95 Man and His World, the cross-curricular subject is applied in the themes focusing on home and homeland. The cross-curricular subject is also linked to the other educational areas, in particular those whose themes include one’s relation to oneself, others, one’s surroundings, and norms and values. Contribution of the Cross-Curricular Subject to the Development of the Pupil’s Character In the area of knowledge, skills and abilities, the cross-curricular subject: • guides the pupil towards adopting an active approach to defending and respecting human rights and freedoms • guides the pupil towards understanding the importance of order, rules and laws for the functioning of society • makes it possible for the pupil to participate in decisions made by the whole while being aware of his/her personal responsibility for such decisions and being aware of their consequences • develops and supports the abilities and skills for communication, formulation, argumentation, dialogue and presentation • deepens the pupil’s empathy, ability to listen actively and judge fairly • guides the pupil towards considering issues in the broader context and towards employing critical thinking In the area of attitudes and values, the cross-curricular subject: • guides the pupil towards adopting an open, active and involved approach to life • teaches respect for the law • develops discipline and self-criticism • teaches self-esteem and self-confidence, independence and engagement • contributes to the formation of values like justice, freedom, solidarity, tolerance and responsibility • develops and supports the pupil’s ability to take his/her own stance in a plurality of opinions • motivates the pupil to be considerate and willing to help others, particularly those weaker than he/she is • makes it possible to judge and evaluate social phenomena, processes, events and issues from various aspects (the local, national, European and global dimensions) • guides the pupil towards respecting cultural, ethnic and other differences • guides the pupil towards being assertive and able to compromise Thematic Areas of the Cross-Curricular Subject The thematic areas of the cross-curricular subject are focused on the formation and development of the democratic knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary for the active participation of the pupil (as a future adult citizen) in the life of a democratic society. When implementing them, it is useful to build on real-life situations and to relate the recommended content of the thematic areas as much as possible to the pupil’s life experience. • Civil society and school – the school as a model of an open partnership and democratic society, democratic atmosphere and democratic relations at school; ways of applying democratic principles and values in the everyday life of the school (the importance of the pupil’s active involvement in student administration – student councils or academic senates); forms of the pupil’s participation in the life of the local community; cooperation between the school and administrative bodies and institutions in the municipality • The citizen, civil society and the state – the citizen as a responsible member of society (his/her rights and obligations, the ability to exercise them actively, to take responsibility for one’s stances and actions, to be engaged and interested in the common interest); the Charter of Fundamental Human Rights and Freedoms, the citizen’s rights and obligations; the role of 96 a citizen in a democratic society; the fundamental principles and values of a democratic political system (right, justice, differentiation, diversity); the basic principles of coexistence with minorities (relations to others, respect for identities, mutual communication and cooperation, causes of misunderstanding and sources of conflicts) • Forms of citizen participation in political life – electoral systems and democratic elections and politics (parliamentary, regional and communal elections); the municipality as the basic unit of state administration; social organisations and movements • Democratic principles as forms of government and ways of decision making – democracy as a counterbalance to dictatorship and anarchy; principles of democracy; basic categories of the functioning of democracy (justice, order, norm, law, right, public morals); the importance of the Constitution as the country’s fundamental law; democratic methods of resolving conflicts in both personal life and society 6.3 Education towards Thinking in European and Global Contexts Characteristics of the Cross-Curricular Subject The cross-curricular subject Education towards Thinking in European and Global Contexts emphasises the European dimension in education, which promotes global thinking and international understanding and penetrates as a principle all of elementary education. A fundamental component of the European dimension is to educate future European citizens as responsible and creative personalities, in adulthood capable of mobility and flexibility in the civil and occupational spheres as well as in personal life. The cross-curricular subject develops the pupil’s awareness of European identity while respecting the national identity. It opens up for the pupil horizons for exploration and the prospect of living in the European and international area and acquaints him/her on all the possibilities offered by this area. Education towards Thinking in European and Global Contexts penetrates all the educational areas, integrates and deepens the pupil’s knowledge and allows him/her to apply the skills learnt in the individual educational fields. It promotes in the pupil’s consciousness and conduct traditional European values such as humanism, free human will, public morals, application of law and personal responsibility along with rational thought, critical thinking and creativity. At Stage 1 of elementary education, the educational field Man and His World provides opportunities to implement this subject utilising the pupil’s knowledge and experience from everyday life and from exceptional events in the family, the municipality and the immediate surroundings. At Stage 2, the cross-curricular subject is related in particular to the educational area Man and Society, while using, updating and interconnecting knowledge from the fields of history and political geography. It deepens the pupil’s understanding of key historical and political events which have influenced European and global development and have been of substantial importance in European integration and the Czech Republic’s inclusion in this integration process. An important area for the implementation of this cross-curricular subject is the field Civics, whose educational content emphasises social, economic, legal and cultural connections in their European and global dimensions. It also clarifies the ties between local, national, European and global levels of thinking, decision making and acting. In the educational area Man and Nature, the cross-curricular subject is applied mainly when accounting for global influences on the environment, with an emphasis on the pressing need and seriousness of protecting the environment in particular in the given locality. Another important area for the implementation of this subject is the educational area Language and Language Communication. The Czech language is not only an indispensable tool of learning, processing information and presenting one’s attitudes and opinions, but also plays an important propaedeutic role in learning other languages, whose knowledge is key for mutual communication and in understanding learning about the cultures of other nations. Foreign languages are of practical importance for citizen, education and labour mobility. They are a means for employing original sources when learning about life as well as European and world cultures. The skills acquired by the pupil in the educational area Information 97 and Communication Technologies, in particular when working with the internet, are utilised for the independent gathering of information on the countries of Europe and the world and on their life and events. This information subsequently becomes a means for the pupil’s gaining an overview of the offer of education, labour, culture and leisure-time opportunities as well as in making contacts. In the educational area Arts and Culture, the cross-curricular subject develops the pupil’s relation to European and world culture. It deepens his/her understanding of European cultural roots and connections while respecting the uniqueness of national and regional cultures and their contribution to world culture. It clarifies the importance of cultural and historical heritage as a source of knowledge and contributes to the pupil’s becoming emotionally interested in its protection and preservation. The complementary educational field Drama enables the pupil to express and present his/her attitudes, to adopt roles and explore themes and situations through his/her own actions. The educational area Man and Health provides the pupil with an orientation in global issues related to health. In the field Physical Education, this cross-curricular subject makes use of the pupil’s interest in sports to provide deeper insight into the connections of the European roots of Olympic ideals and into the significance of sports for mutual understanding and friendship among people of various nations and nationalities. Contribution of the Cross-Curricular Subject to the Development of the Pupil’s Character In the area of knowledge, skills and abilities, the cross-curricular subject: • develops and integrates the basic knowledge necessary for understanding the social and cultural differences between nations • deepens the understanding of the influence of cultural, ideological and socio-political disparities on the formation and resolution of global issues in their mutual connections • deepens the basic knowledge necessary for understanding the structure and functions of international and non-governmental organisations and their influence on addressing global as well as local humanitarian, political, social, economic, cultural and human rights issues • develops the pupil’s ability to compare cultural expressions in the European and global contexts, to find common features and differences, and to evaluate them in their broader connections • expands and deepens the skills necessary for the pupil’s orientation in the European environment, for his/her self-fulfilment and solving real situations within the open European area • deepens the knowledge necessary for understanding the connections of European roots, the continuity of European development and the essence of the European integration process • guides the pupil towards understanding the significance of the European Union’s common policies and institutions; familiarises the pupil with the impact of his/her actions on the personal and civic life of an individual as well as the possibilities for influencing and utilising them in return • guides the pupil towards recognising and understanding the life and work of important Europeans and stimulates the pupil’s interest in them as role models • develops the ability to think rationally, express and adjust emotional engagement in situations which encourage meeting, comparing and seeking common European perspectives In the area of attitudes and values, the cross-curricular subject: • helps the pupil overcome stereotypes and prejudices • enriches the pupil’s views of himself/herself in terms of his/her open life prospects expanded by the possibilities of choosing in European and international dimensions • cultivates attitudes towards Europe as his/her broader homeland and towards the world as the global environment • forms positive attitudes towards otherness and cultural diversity • encourages positive attitudes towards traditional European values • supports the acquisition of behavioural patterns for the proper conduct of a European citizen and a sense of responsibility 98 Thematic Areas of the Cross-Curricular Subject The thematic areas of the cross-curricular subject stimulate the pupil’s interest in Europe and the world and mediate for him/her the information on Europe and the world as an organised environment which changes over time and in which people meet, solve problems together and shape their lives. Through the thematic areas, the pupil gains a clearer image of Europe, realises the connections between solving the everyday situations of a citizen on the one hand and global issues on the other and the possibilities of shaping his/her own life prospects in the European and global areas. • We are interested in Europe and the world – family stories, experiences and experience from Europe and the world; places, events and artefacts in the vicinity related to Europe and the world; our neighbours in Europe; the life of children in other countries; folk literature, customs and traditions of nations in Europe • We explore Europe and the world – our country and Europe; European landscapes; Europe and the world; international encounters; state and European symbols; Europe Day; the lives of Europeans and lifestyles in European families; lifestyles and education of young Europeans • We as Europeans – the roots and origins of European civilisation; key milestones in European history; European integration; institutions of the European Union and their functioning; the four freedoms and their impact on the life of an individual; what unites Europe and what divides it; international organisations and their contribution to addressing the issues of children and youth 6.4 Multicultural Education Characteristics of the Cross-Curricular Subject On the level of elementary education, the cross-curricular subject Multicultural Education allows the pupil to become acquainted with the diversity of various cultures, their traditions and values, on the basis of which he/she can become more aware of his/her own cultural identity, traditions and values. Multicultural Education mediates to the pupil a knowledge of his/her own cultural anchoring and an understanding of different cultures. It develops a sense of justice, solidarity and tolerance, guides the pupil towards understanding and respecting the ever increasing level of socio-cultural diversity. In a minority ethnic group, it develops its specific cultural identity and its knowledge of the culture of the entire society, whereas the member of the majority ethnic group becomes acquainted with the basic specifics of the other nations living in the same country. In both groups, the cross-curricular subject helps find common points of reference for mutual respect, joint activities and cooperation. Multicultural Education deeply affects also interpersonal relations at school, including teacher-pupil relations and relations between pupils, between the school and the family and between the school and the local community. As an environment which brings together pupils from diverse social and cultural backgrounds, the school should ensure such an atmosphere where all feel equal, where even the minority pupil is successful in a majority environment and where the majority pupil learns about his/her minority classmate’s culture. In this way, the school contributes to both groups learning about each other, to mutual tolerance, and the elimination of hostility and prejudices against the ‘unknown’. Multicultural Education penetrates all educational areas. It is particularly closely tied to the educational areas Language and Language Communication, Man and Society, Information and Communication Technologies, Arts and Culture and Man and Health; in Man and Nature, it concerns primarily the educational field Geography. Its ties to all these areas result mainly from themes focused on the mutual relation between the members of other nations and ethnic groups. Contribution of the Cross-Curricular Subject the Development of the Pupil’s Character In the area of knowledge, skills and abilities, the cross-curricular subject: • offers the pupil basic information on various ethnic and cultural groups living in Czech and European societies 99 • develops the pupil’s ability to orient himself/herself in a pluralistic society and to use intercultural contacts to enrich himself/herself as well as others • teaches the pupil to communicate and live in a group with members of other socio-cultural groups, to exercise his/her rights and respect those of others, to understand and tolerate others’ different interests, opinions and abilities • teaches the pupil to accept others as individuals with the same rights, realise that all ethnic groups and cultures are equal and none is superior to any other • develops the pupil’s ability to recognise and tolerate the differences of other national, ethnic, religious and social groups and to cooperate with members of different socio-cultural groups • develops the pupil’s ability to recognise manifestations of racial intolerance and helps prevent the emergence of xenophobia • teaches the pupil to realise the possible impact of his/her verbal and non-verbal expressions and to be prepared to bear responsibility for his/her actions • provides the pupil with the knowledge of some of the basic multicultural terminology: culture, ethnic group, identity, discrimination, xenophobia, racism, nationality, intolerance, etc. In the area of attitudes and values, the cross-curricular subject: • helps the pupil by means of information form attitudes of tolerance and respect towards different socio-cultural groups, reflect on the cultural background of members of other socio-cultural groups and recognise them • helps the pupil become aware of his/her own identity, be himself/herself, reflect on his/her own socio-cultural background • stimulates, influences and corrects the pupil’s behaviour and value system, and teaches him/her to perceive diversity as an opportunity for personal enrichment and not as a source of conflict • helps the pupil realise the incompatibility of racial (religious or other) intolerance with the principles of living in a democratic society • guides the pupil towards engagement in fighting manifestations of intolerance, xenophobia, discrimination and racism • teaches the pupil to perceive himself/herself as a citizen who participates actively in forming the society’s relation to minority groups Thematic Areas of the Cross-Curricular Subject The thematic areas of Multicultural Education arise from the current situation at the school and reflect the current events in the local community and the contemporary state of society. The selection and implementation of a certain thematic area or topic may be significantly influenced by an agreement among teachers, between teachers and pupils, or between teachers and parents, etc. • Cultural differences – each individual’s uniqueness and individuality; Man as an indivisible union of body and mind as well as a member of an ethnic group; recognising one’s personal cultural anchoring; respecting the peculiarities of various ethnic groups (in particular foreigners or members of ethnic groups living in the locality of the school); fundamental issues related to socio-cultural differences in the Czech Republic and in Europe • Interpersonal relations – the right of all people to live together and participate in cooperation; maintaining tolerant relations and developing cooperation with other people regardless of their membership in any cultural, social, religious, leisure or generational group; intercultural relations (mutual enrichment of diverse cultures as well as conflicts resulting from their diversity); prejudices and ingrained stereotypes (causes and consequences of discrimination); the importance of an individual’s integration in family, peer and professional relations; implementing the principles of polite behaviour (basic moral standards); the importance of quality interpersonal relations for harmonic character development; tolerance, empathy, the ability to see things from the perspective of others; human solidarity, personal contributions to involving pupils from different cultural backgrounds into the classroom collective 100 • Ethnic origin – equality of all ethnic groups and cultures; diversity of people as well as their mutual equality; the status of national minorities; basic information on various ethnic and cultural groups living in Czech and European societies; different lifestyles, different modes of thinking and ways of perceiving the world; manifestations of racial intolerance – identifying them and the reasons for their emergence • Multiculturalism – multiculturalism in the contemporary world and its expected development in the future; multiculturalism as a means of mutual enrichment; specific features and equality of languages; listening to others, communicating with members of different socio-cultural groups, a forthright attitude towards differences; the importance of using a foreign language as a means for communication and lifelong learning • Principles of social conciliation and solidarity – each individual’s responsibility for and contribution to eliminating the discrimination of and prejudices against ethnic groups; conflictfree life in a multicultural society; active participation in reshaping society according to one’s abilities, taking the needs of minority groups into consideration; human rights – fundamental documents 6.5 Environmental Education Characteristics of the Cross-Curricular Subject Environmental Education guides the individual towards understanding the complexity and intricate nature of the relations between Man and the environment, i.e. towards realising the necessity of gradually moving towards sustainable development of society and recognising the importance of taking responsibility for the actions of society as well as of each individual. The cross-curricular subject allows the pupil to monitor and realise the dynamically changing relations between Man and the environment while directly learning the current ecological, economic, scientific-technical, political and civic aspects, temporal (our relation to the future) and spatial (connections between local, regional and global issues) aspects, as well as the various possibilities for solving environmental issues. It guides the individual towards participating in protecting and shaping the environment actively and changing his/her lifestyle and value orientation for the sake of the sustainability of the development of human civilisation. The implementation of the cross-curricular subject involves most educational fields. By gradually interconnecting, augmenting, reinforcing and systematising the knowledge and skills acquired in these areas, Environmental Education allows the formation of an integrated viewpoint. Each area has its specific importance in influencing the rational, emotional and conative aspects of personality. In the educational area Man and His World, the cross-curricular subject provides a comprehensive elementary view of nature and the environment. It teaches the pupil to observe, to perceive sensitively and to evaluate the consequences of human actions and contributes to the acquisition of the basic skills and habits required for an active, responsible stance to the environment in everyday life. It makes maximum use of the pupil’s direct contact with his/her surroundings and interconnects the development of thinking with the influence on the emotional side of the individual’s personality. In the educational area Man and Nature, the cross-curricular subject emphasises understanding the objective validity of elementary laws of nature, dynamic connections ranging from the simplest ecosystems to the biosphere as a whole, Man’s position in nature and the complex functions of ecosystems with respect to human society, i.e. for the preservation of the conditions necessary for life, for the acquisition of renewable sources of raw materials and energy and for non-productive values (inspiration, rest). It sets the basis for a systemic approach which emphasises the ties between the individual elements of systems, the systems’ hierarchic organisation and their relations to the surroundings. In the educational area Man and Society, it uncovers connections between ecological, technical-economic and social phenomena with an emphasis on the importance of preventative circumspection in actions, as well as other principles of the sustainability of development. In the educational area Man and Health, the subject touches on the issues of the environment’s influence on the pupil’s health and on the health of others. In connection with the problems facing the world today, it guides the pupil towards realising the importance of nature protection when organising mass 101 sporting events. In the educational area Information and Communication Technologies, this crosscurricular subject enables the active use of computer technology (the internet) to find the latest information on the state of the environment, to determine the seriousness of environmental issues and to realise their interconnectedness. Communication technologies stimulate interest in various methods of solving ecological problems through the possibility of making contacts in this area and exchanging information on the regional, national, EU and global levels. The educational area Arts and Culture provides Environmental Education with many opportunities for considering relations between Man and the environment, recognising the natural and social environment as a source of inspiration for the formation of cultural and artistic values, and contributes to perceiving the aesthetic qualities of the environment. The subject’s interconnection with the educational area Man and the World of Work is implemented through specific work activities in favour of the environment. It allows the pupil to realise the importance and roles of various professions in relation to the environment. Contribution of the Cross-Curricular Subject to the Development of the Pupil’s Character In the area of knowledge, skills and abilities, the cross-curricular subject: • develops the pupil’s understanding of connections within the biosphere, the relations between Man and the environment, and the consequences of human activity on the environment • guides the pupil towards realising the conditions necessary for life and the possibilities of their endangerment • contributes to the pupil’s recognition and understanding of the connections between the evolution of human population and the relations to the environment in different parts of the world • makes it possible for the pupil to understand the relations between local and global issues and personal responsibility in relations to the environment • provides the knowledge and skills and nurtures the habits necessary for citizens to adopt environmentally-friendly behaviour • shows model examples of desirable and undesirable behaviour in terms of the environment and sustainable development • helps develop cooperation in environmental protection on the local, regional, European and international levels • acquaints the pupil with the principles of the sustainability of the development of society • teaches the pupil to assess the objectivity and gravity of information concerning ecological issues • teaches the pupil to communicate on environmental issues, to express his opinions and standpoints and defend and justify them rationally In the area of attitudes and values, the cross-curricular subject: • contributes to the pupil’s perceiving life as the highest value • guides the pupil towards becoming responsible in his/her relation to the biosphere, nature preservation and conservation of natural resources • guides the pupil towards understanding the importance and necessity of sustainable development as a positive prospect for the further development of human society • stimulates activity, creativity, tolerance, being accommodating and considerate in his/her relation to the environment • contributes to the pupil’s shaping a healthy lifestyle and becoming aware of the aesthetic values of the environment • guides the pupil towards becoming engaged in solving issues associated with environmental protection • guides the pupil towards adopting a perceptive and sensitive approach to nature and the natural and cultural heritage 102 Thematic Areas of the Cross-Curricular Subject Environmental Education is divided into thematic areas which enable a holistic understanding of Man’s relation to the environment. It guides the pupil towards realising the basic conditions necessary for life and the responsibility of the present generation for life in the future. Thematic Areas • Ecosystems – forest (forests in the Czech Republic, productive and non-productive importance of forests); fields (importance, changes in the surrounding landscape resulting from human activity, methods of cultivation, fields and their surroundings); water resources (human activities associated with water management, importance for landscape ecology); sea (different kinds, importance for the biosphere, sea algae and oxygen, carbon dioxide cycle) and tropical rain forests (comparisons, species diversity, endangerment, global importance and importance for us); human settlement – town – village (artificial ecosystem, its functions and relations to the surroundings, application to local conditions); cultural landscape (understanding how deeply nature has been influenced by the rise of civilisation until today) • Basic conditions for life – water (relation between the water quality and life, importance of water for human activities, safeguarding water quality, drinking water in the world and the Czech Republic, ways of solving it); the atmosphere (importance for life on Earth, threats to the atmosphere and climate changes, global interconnectedness, air quality in the Czech Republic); soil (interconnectedness of environmental components, source of nutrition, threats to soil, recultivation and the situation in the vicinity, changes in the need for agricultural land, the new functions of agriculture in the landscape; protection of biological species (reason for the protection of individual species and methods of the protection); ecosystems – biodiversity (functions of ecosystems, importance of biodiversity, its levels, threats to it and its protection in the world and in the Czech Republic); energy (energy and life, impact of energy resources on the development of society, utilisation of energy, possibilities and forms of conservation, local conditions); natural resources (sources of raw materials and energy resources and their exhaustibility, environmental impact, principles of management of natural resources, importance and methods of obtaining and utilising natural resources in the area) • Human activities and environmental problems – agriculture and the environment, ecological agriculture; transport and the environment (importance and development, transport energy sources and their environmental impact, types of transport and environmental burden, transport and globalisation); industry and the environment (the Industrial Revolution and demographic changes, environmental impact of industry, processed materials and their impact, impact of legal and economic means on the relation of industry to environmental protection, industry and sustainable development of society); waste and waste management (waste and nature, principles and methods of waste management, secondary raw materials); nature protection and the preservation of cultural monuments (their importance; legal solutions in the Czech Republic, the EU and the world, examples from the surroundings, the precautionary principle; nature protection during mass sporting events – IOC principles), changes to the landscape (the landscape in the past and today, impact of human activities, their reflection and prospects); long-term programmes focused on increasing the public’s environmental awareness (the Environmental Education and Awareness government programme, the EU’s Agenda 21) and events (UN World Environment Day, Earth Day, etc.) • Man’s relation to the environment – our municipality (natural resources, their origin, forms of exploitation and waste management solutions, the municipality’s nature and culture and their protection, ensuring environmental protection in the municipality – institutions, nongovernmental organisations, people); our lifestyle (consumption of goods, energy, waste, ways of action and environmental impact); a current (local) ecological issue (an example, its cause, consequences, connections, possibilities and solutions, the pupil’s opinion, its justification and presentation); the environment and health (diversity of environmental influences on health, their complex and synergetic effects, possibilities and methods of health protection); the nonuniformity of life on Earth (different environmental conditions and different societal development, causes and consequences of increasing disparities in globalisation, principles of the sustainability of development, examples of their application from around the world and the Czech Republic) 103 6.6 Media Education Characteristics of the Cross-Curricular Subject On the level of elementary education, the cross-curricular subject Media Education provides the pupil with elementary knowledge and skills related to media communication and work with the media. Media and communication represent a highly important source of experience, experiences and knowledge for an increasing circle of recipients. An individual’s success in society greatly depends on the ability to process, evaluate and make use of stimuli coming from the surrounding world, which requires an ever greater ability to process, evaluate and make use of stimuli coming from the media. The media are becoming an important socialising factor with significant influence on the behaviour of both an individual and society and on shaping our lifestyle and on the quality of life in general. It should be kept in mind, however, that the messages offered by the media are inconsistent, characterised by a peculiar relation to natural as well as social reality and motivated by various (mostly unacknowledged and thus potentially manipulative) intentions. The correct evaluation of these messages in terms of the motivation for their creation (to inform, persuade, manipulate or entertain) and their relation to reality (factual accuracy, logical argument structure, validity) requires significant training. Media Education is to equip the pupil with a basic level of media literacy. This includes familiarisation with certain basic knowledge on the functioning and social role of contemporary media (its history, structure of function) on the one hand and acquisition of skills facilitating the individual’s informed, active and independent involvement in media communication on the other, primarily the ability to analyse the offered messages, consider their trustworthiness and evaluate their communication intent or associate them with other messages, but also orientation in media content and the ability to select the proper medium for the fulfilment of miscellaneous needs – from gaining information through education to leisure-time activities. Media Education is closely linked with the educational area Man and Society, in particular because the media as a social institution participate in shaping the forms and values of the modern era, and make it possible to seek parallels between past and present events and to compare phenomena and processes on a European and global scale. Media Education is focused on the systematic formation of a critical distance from media messages and development of the ability to interpret a media message in terms of its informative quality (newscast in terms of the importance and trustworthiness of the news and event, advertisement in terms of expedience of the information offered, etc.). The interconnection of Media Education and the educational area Language and Language Communication concerns primarily the perception of spoken and written expressions, their structure, various types of content and the application of a corresponding range of means of expression, as well as the mastery of the basic rules of public communication, dialogue and argumentation. Within the educational area Information and Communication Technologies, the link consists in the use of printed and digital documents as sources of information. Attention is turned to the message’s factual correctness and accuracy, both through the critical analysis of existing texts on the one hand and through own production, and to the formation of the habit to verify all data as thoroughly as possible on the other. The relation of the cross-curricular subject to the educational area Arts and Culture is based on the perception of the specific ‘language’ of symbolic codes used by the media and their combinations, specifically not only of natural language but also images and sounds. It contributes to the pupil’s ability to perceive, interpret and assess the artefacts of artistic as well as common media production critically. Contribution of the Cross-Curricular Subject to the Development of the Pupil’s Character In the area of knowledge, skills and abilities, the cross-curricular subject: • contributes to the pupil’s ability to engage in media communication successfully and independently • makes it possible to develop the ability of an analytic approach to media content and critical distance from it 104 • teaches the pupil to use the media’s potential as a source of information and quality entertainment as well as for leisure-time activities • makes it possible to understand the objectives and strategies of selected media content • guides the pupil towards adopting the basic principles of the creation of important media content (especially news reports) • enables the pupil to gain an idea of the role of the media in key social situations and in democratic society in general (including the legal context) • forms an idea of the role of the media in everyday life in the region (locality) • guides the pupil towards identifying the validity and importance of arguments in public discourse • develops the pupil’s ability to communicate, in particular during public appearances, as well as stylisation of written and spoken expressions • contributes to the pupil’s utilisation of his/her abilities in teamwork as well as within an editorial team • contributes to the pupil’s ability to adapt his/her activities to the needs and objectives of the team In the area of attitudes and values, the cross-curricular subject: • develops the pupil’s sensitivity to stereotypes found in the media content as well as to the manner in which a media message has been treated • guides the pupil towards realising the value of his/her life (in particular leisure time) and his/her responsibility for its fulfilment • develops sensitivity to prejudices and simplified judgments of society (in particular of minorities) as well as an individual • helps the pupil realise the possibility of freely expressing his/her personal attitudes and responsibility for how they are formulated and presented Thematic Areas of the Cross-Curricular Subject On the level of elementary education, Media Education comprises the basic knowledge and skills related to the media and media communication. Its thematic areas are divided into the Thematic Areas of Receptive Activities and the Thematic Areas of Productive Activities. Thematic Areas of Receptive Activities: • critical reading and perception of media messages – cultivating a critical approach to news reporting and advertisements); distinguishing the entertainment (‘tabloid’) elements in a message from informative and socially-significant elements; evaluative elements in a message (selection of words and scenes); seeking the difference between informative, entertainment and advertising messages; understanding the essence of a media message, clarifying its objectives and rules; identifying the basic deictic elements in a text • interpretation of the relation between media messages and reality – different types of messages, how to distinguish between them, their functions; the difference between advertisement and news and between ‘factual’ and ‘fictional’ content; the main features of representativeness (distinguishing reality from stereotypes depicted in the media as a representation of reality); the relation between the media message and social experience (distinguishing between messages which reinforce prejudices and ideas from messages building on a knowledge of the issue and an unbiased attitude); identifying socially important values in a text, elements signalising the value on which the message is based; identifying simplified medialised messages, repeated use of certain means of expression (in news reporting, advertisement and entertainment) • the structure of media messages – examples of regularities in the arrangement of media messages, in particular the newscast (news as storytelling, compiling contributions according to criteria); principles of compiling news, identifying these principles, positive principles (significance and usefulness), principles of adding entertainment to news (negativity, nearness, simplicity, immediacy); examples of structuring and organising the news (comparison of front 105 pages of various dailies) and other media messages (such as the composition and selection of messages in magazines for teenagers) • perception of the author of media messages – identifying the author’s attitudes and opinions in a medialised message; means of expression and their use for expressing or clouding opinions and attitudes as well as for conscious manipulation; elements signalising explicit or implicit expression of evaluation, selection and combination of words, images and sounds as part of intent and value significance • functioning and influence of the media in society – the media’s organisation and position in society; factors influencing the media, interpreting influences affecting the media’s behaviour; methods and consequences of media financing; the media’s impact on everyday life, society, political life and culture from contemporary and historical perspectives; the role of the media in the everyday life of an individual, the influence of the media on the organisation of our days, on our range of conversation topics, on attitudes and behaviour; the role of the media in political life (election campaigns and their significance); the influence of the media on culture (the role of film and television in the life of the individual, the family and society); the role of the media in political changes Thematic Areas of Productive Activities: • creation of a media message – application and selection of means of expression and their combinations for the creation of factually accurate messages and messages appropriate in terms of communication (socially and situationally); creating a media message for a school magazine, radio, television or an internet medium; technological possibilities and limitations • work on a production team – editorial board of a school magazine, radio, television or an internet-based medium; building the team, importance of enriching the team with various age and social groups, communication and cooperation in a team; setting objectives and timelines, delegating tasks and responsibility; factors influencing teamwork; periodicity of media production 106 7 Framework Curriculum Timetable Educational Areas Educational Fields Stage 1 Stage 2 1st–5th Forms 6th–9th Forms Minimum Time Allotment Language and Language Communication Czech Language and Literature 35 15 Foreign Language 9 12 Mathematics and Its Applications 20 15 Information and Communication Technologies 1 1 Man and His World 12 – Man and Society History – 11 Civics Man and Nature Physics – 21 Chemistry – Nature – Geography – Arts and Culture Music 12 10 Fine Arts Man and Health Health Education – 10 Physical Education 10 Man and the World of Work 5 3 Cross-Curricular Subjects C C Available Time Allotment 14 2411 Total Compulsory Time Allotment 118 122 C = must be included and implemented with all pupils in the course of education at the relevant stage; the time allotment may be drawn from the unallocated time allotment 11 The school is obliged to offer the pupil at Stage 2 (no later than by the 8th form) the educational content of the field Second Foreign Language in the extent of 6 teaching hours. The pupil who does not select Secondary Foreign Language must choose from the other optional content in the same time allotment. 7.1 Notes on the Framework Curriculum Timetable The Framework Curriculum Timetable (FCT) for elementary education prescribes the following as binding: • the inclusion of educational areas and educational fields in elementary education at Stage 1 (1st– 5th forms) and Stage 2 (6th–9th forms) • the minimum time allotment for the individual educational areas (educational fields) at each stage of elementary education • the obligation to include and implement cross-curricular subjects with all students at the respective level • available time allotment • total compulsory time allotment for Stages 1 and 2 of elementary education • notes on educational areas (educational fields) in the FCT The FCT establishes a total compulsory time allotment of 118 teaching hours12 for Stage 1 of elementary education and 122 teaching hours13,14 for Stage 2 of elementary education. The total compulsory time allotment specified in the FCT is the maximum compulsory weekly time allotment15 at the respective stage of elementary education.16 Two conditions must be met when preparing the Framework Curriculum Timetable in the SEP and implementing the instruction: • the total compulsory time allotment (118 or 122 hours) for the respective stage of elementary education must be observed • the maximum weekly time allotment established by the Education Act for the individual forms of elementary education must not be exceeded (22 teaching hours for the first and second forms; 26 teaching hours for the third–fifth forms; 30 hours for the sixth and seventh forms and the corresponding forms of six- or eight-year grammar schools; 32 teaching hours for the eighth and ninth forms and the corresponding forms of six- or eight-year grammar schools). • at the same time, the minimum weekly time allotment is established for the individual forms of elementary education as follows: 18 teaching hours for the first and second forms; 22 teaching hours for the third–fifth forms; 28 teaching hours for the sixth and seventh forms and the corresponding forms of six- or eight-year grammar schools; 30 teaching hours for the eighth and ninth forms and the corresponding forms of six- and eight-year grammar schools. The total compulsory time allotment consists of the minimum time allotment for the educational areas (educational fields) and of the available time allotment. The minimum time allotment for the individual educational areas (educational fields) is binding. This number specifies how many hours a week the school must devote to the given educational area (educational field) at the respective stage of elementary education. 12 Small schools which do not have all forms at Stage 1 set in their SEPs the time allotment for individual forms while bearing in mind the fact that the schools to which the pupils advance tend to set the number of teaching hours at subsequent forms at the upper limit of the range. 13 Six-year grammar schools set in their SEPs time allotment for subjects of instruction in the forms of the lower stage of the grammar school while bearing in mind the proportional time allotment for the individual educational areas defined in the Framework Curriculum Timetable of the FEP EE. The total compulsory time allotment for the forms of the lower stage of six-year grammar schools is set in the extent of 64 teaching hours. 14 For the education of pupils who suffer from a chronic health condition, it is possible to make use in all forms of the maximum weekly time allotment prescribed for the individual forms in the Education Act to increase the time allocation of the subjects requiring higher time allotment because of the pupils’ chronic health condition, or to include subjects of special educational care. 15 If the scheduling of the instruction is irregular, the maximum compulsory weekly time allotment is understood as average. 16 The total compulsory time allotment is linked to the pupil, i.e. each pupil must complete 118 teaching hours at Stage 1 and 122 teaching hours at Stage 2. 107 The available time allotment is defined in the extent of 14 teaching hours for Stage 1 of elementary education and 24 teaching hours for Stage 2 of elementary education (For more information on the use of the available time allotment, see Chapter 7.2 below.). The school utilises the available time allotment for the implementation of such educational content that supports the pupil’s specific talents and interests and positively motivates the pupil to learn. In the case of pupils with special educational needs, the available time allotment may be used to include subjects of special educational care. On the basis of the FCT, the school creates a curriculum timetable which respects the specifications in the FCT and the principles for preparing the School Education Programme as formulated in Chapter 11 of this document.17 7.2 Notes on Educational Areas Language and Language Communication - the educational content of the educational field Czech Language and Literature is implemented in all forms of elementary education - writing is included in Communication and Composition and is usually implemented in smaller time units than the teaching hour - education in a mother tongue other than Czech is implemented according to special regulations - the educational content of the educational field Foreign Language has a weekly time allotment of 3 teaching hours and is compulsory for the third–ninth forms; if the pupils are interested and the parents give their consent, the instruction of Foreign Language may begin at a lower form; the pupils must be offered the instruction of English before other languages; if the pupils (their legal guardians) select a language other than English, the school must demonstrably inform the pupils’ legal guardians of the fact that the educational system may not guarantee continuity in the education of the selected foreign language during the pupil’s transfer to another elementary or grammar school - until the 2011/2012 school year, the educational content of the educational field Second Foreign Language is included as optional; the school is obliged to offer it to all pupils no later than by the eighth form; the available time allotment for Second Foreign Language is at least 6 teaching hours; a pupil who does not select Second Foreign Language shall select another educational content from the offer which better reflects his/her interests - Second Foreign Language may be German, French, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Slovak, Polish, or another language; the school must offer English as Second Foreign Language to pupils who did not select English as their Foreign Language Mathematics and Its Applications - the educational content of the educational field Mathematics and Its Applications is implemented in all forms of elementary education Information and Communication Technologies - the educational content of the educational field Information and Communication Technologies is implemented at both Stages 1 and 2 of elementary Man and His World - the educational content of the educational field Man and His World is implemented in all forms of Stage 1 of elementary education Man and Society - the educational content of the educational area is implemented in all forms of Stage 2 of elementary education 17 See Chapter 8 for the specifics of educating pupils with chronic health conditions. 108 Man and Nature - the educational content of the educational area is implemented in all forms of Stage 2 of elementary education Arts and Culture - the educational content of the educational area is implemented in all forms of elementary education Man and Health - the educational content of the educational field Health Education is implemented only at Stage 2 of elementary education; at Stage 1, the educational content of Health Education is included in the educational area Man and His World - the educational content of the educational field Physical Education is implemented in all forms of elementary education; for health and hygienic reasons, the time allotment for Physical Education must not be fewer than 2 teaching hours per week - the educational content of the educational field Physical Education includes the thematic area Remedial Physical Education, the elements of which are applied preventively during Physical Education for all pupils or are assigned to pupils with physical impairment instead of activities which are counterindicative of their weakness; at the same time, it is recommended that schools compensate for the physical deficits of pupils in health category III and their need for corrective exercises by including a compulsory or optional subject arising from the thematic area Remedial Physical Education. Man and the World of Work - the educational content of the educational field Man and the World of Work is implemented at Stages 1 and 2 of elementary education - at Stage 1, the educational content is implemented in all forms, with all 4 thematic areas being compulsory for the school; at Stage 2, the only compulsory thematic area is The World of Work, and from the remaining seven thematic areas the school selects at least one, which must be implemented to its full extent - the thematic area The World of Work is compulsory to its full extent for all pupils; considering its focus on the selection of future career, it is advisable that it be included in the highest forms of Stage 2 Cross-Curricular Subjects - cross-curricular subjects are a compulsory part of elementary education - all cross-curricular subjects must be included at both Stages 1 and 2 but need not be contained in all forms (for the inclusion of the cross-curricular subjects at six- or eight-year grammar schools, see Note 10 on page 91) - cross-curricular subjects may be included in the SEP as an integrative part of the educational content being implemented; it is in the authority of the school to determine how the crosscurricular subjects will implemented and what time allotment they will be given in the individual forms Available Time Allotment - how the available time allotment is utilised is entirely within the authority and responsibility of the school’s principal - the entire available time allotment in the SEP curriculum timetable must be utilised Available time allotment is intended for: implementing optional educational content, which must be based on the objectives of elementary education and develop the key competencies of the pupils implementing the educational content of the field Second Foreign Language in the extent of at least 6 teaching hours (no later than by the 8th form) or implementing another optional educational content with the same time allotment 109 110 increasing the time allotment of individual educational areas and educational fields beyond the minimum time allotment creating time allotment for the implementation of further compulsory educational content completing the school’s orientation offering further optional educational content implementing cross-curricular subjects implementing complementary educational fields increasing the time allotment for PE at two consecutive forms at Stage 1 with compulsory swimming instruction implementing educational content which supports the education of pupils with special educational needs Part D 8 Education of Pupils with Special Educational Needs Such pupils are considered as pupils with special educational needs who suffer from chronic health conditions (physical disability, visual and/or hearing impairment, mental retardation, autism, speech impediments, simultaneously handicapped with multiple disabilities and learning or behavioural developmental disorders), physically handicapped pupils (physical debilitation, long-term illness and mild mental-health disorders leading to learning and behavioural problems) and socially disadvantaged pupils (coming from a family background with a low socio-cultural position, at risk of sociopathic phenomena, having court-ordered institutional care or education in a juvenile correction institution and pupils in refugee status and asylum-seekers). 8.1 Education of Pupils with a Chronic Health Condition and/or Physical Handicap The education of pupils with a chronic health condition and/or physical handicap is provided: • at schools specifically established for such pupils; • in separate classes, sections or study groups with specially adapted education programmes; • through individual integration into regular classes.18 In all forms of educational organisation, it is necessary to create such conditions for the pupils that would enable their successful education and satisfy their special educational needs. For the education of pupils with a chronic health condition and/or physical handicap, it is necessary to combine special educational approaches and alternative methods on the one hand with modified methods used for the education of the regular population on the other. These methods are applied in particular for the development of the pupils’ cognitive abilities and orientation skills and for the improvement of their social communication and certain further specific skills. Elementary education of pupils with a chronic health condition and/or physical handicap requires the professional preparedness of pedagogical employees, a stimulating and accommodating school environment which, with the contribution of all supportive measures,19 enables the development of the pupils’ inner potential, directs them towards lifelong learning and towards a corresponding level of professional career path, and thus facilitates their social integration. The FEP EE specifies the respective conditions for the education of pupils with a chronic health condition and/or physical handicap and is a basis for the preparation of a SEP. The SEP represents the foundation for the creation of individual education plans. On the SEP level, the educational content of elementary education may be modified and adapted for these pupils so that the educational requirements are brought into agreement with the pupils’ actual potential. For the same reason, it is also possible to adjust the length of the class hour. Special education subjects and subjects of special educational care corresponding to the pupils’ special educational needs according to the type of a chronic health condition and/or physical handicap are then included in the SEP, namely speech therapy, sign language, spatial orientation and independent movement for visually impaired pupils, visual stimulation, working with optical aids, reading and writing Braille, remedial physical education, communication and social skills, etc. At the same time, the SEP describes which compensation and educational aids, special textbooks and educational programmes are used in the instruction. When diagnosing special educational needs and considering the potential of the pupils with a chronic health condition and/or physical handicap during their education, assistance is provided, with the 18 See Section 16, Subsection 8 of Act No. 561/2004 Coll. 19 See Section 1, Subsection 2 of Decree No. 73/2005 Coll. 111 consent of the parents or legal guardians, by educational care centres, school counselling facilities included in the Directory of Schools and Educational Institutions (pedagogical-psychological counselling centres, special pedagogical centres, etc.) and professional staff of the school’s counselling section (mainly a special education teacher or psychologist). Conditions Concerning the Education of Pupils with a Chronic Health Condition and/or Physical Handicap The planning and implementation of the educational process need to proceed from a specific diagnosis and description of the pupil’s special educational needs and potential. Although it is possible to find in individual groups of pupils with chronic health conditions and/or physical handicaps shared characteristics of educational needs and the same type of special educational support, it needs to be kept in mind that pupils as individuals differ in their educational needs and potential. Therefore, also subjects of special educational care are taught in accordance with the principles of the individualisation and differentiation of education. For the education of pupils with a chronic health condition and/or physical handicap to be successful, it is necessary to fulfil the following conditions: - to take health aspects into account and respect the pupil’s individuality and needs; - to allow the use of all supportive measures20 during the pupils’ education; - to apply the principles of the differentiation and individualisation of the educational process when organising activities, determining the content, forms and methods of instruction; - to ensure specialised instruction of subjects of special educational care; - to take into account the type, degree and level of the condition or handicap when evaluating the outcomes of teaching; - to remove architectural barriers and make the necessary changes or adjustments to the school environment; - to cooperate with the pupil’s parents or legal guardians, school counselling facilities and professional staff of the school’s counselling section, and if need be cooperate with specialists from other areas (especially when preparing individual education plans); - to cooperate with other schools which educate pupils with a chronic health condition or physical handicap; - to support gifted and talented pupils by creating a suitable educational offer. Further Conditions Concerning the Education of Pupils with a Chronic Health Condition: - to make it possible to provide a higher time allotment (at all forms) for those subjects where the pupils’ chronic health conditions require it; - to make it possible to use the maximum weekly time allotment prescribed for the individual forms in the Education Act21 to include subjects of special educational care; - to adapt and formulate the expected outcomes of the educational fields in the individual periods22 in order to make them realistic and attainable for such pupils in light of their potential, and adjust also the selection of the subject matter to these outcomes; - to make it possible in the SEP, if the pupil’s (pupils’) chronic health condition objectively prevents the implementation of the educational content of an educational field of the FEP EE or its part, to replace the educational content in question or its part with a related or different educational content which better suits his/her (their) educational potential (see Notes on the Framework Curriculum Timetable); - to apply alternative forms of communication – sign language, Braille, etc.; 20 See Section 1, Subsection 2 of Decree No. 73/2005 Coll. 21 Section 26, Subsection 2 of Act No. 561/2004 Coll. 22 If the school attendance is stretched to ten years, the cycles at Stage 1 are divided as follows: Cycle 1 includes the 1st– 3rd forms, Cycle 2 includes the 4th–6th forms. 112 - to allow, in compliance with legal regulations, for the presence of an assistant teacher in the classroom or study group if need be. 8.2 Education of Socially Disadvantaged Pupils This group includes pupils23 from a background which is socially or culturally and linguistically different from the environment in which the pupils coming from the majority population grow up. These pupils either come from various minorities already living in the Czech Republic or come here within migration (primarily refugees and asylum-seekers). The number of such pupils in Czech schools keeps growing. Some such pupils integrate into common schools without serious problems while others may encounter various problems due to their linguistic difference or because of their being deeply influenced by their families and their cultural models, which are reflected in their behaviour, conduct, different ordering of values and lifestyle, concepts of child raising, attitude to education, etc. Pupils from families with low socio-cultural and economic standing are more frequently at risk of sociopathic phenomena. Consequently, it is necessary to provide all of these pupils with specific care to the extent which they need. In most cases, the main problem when educating pupils from a culturally different background is, already from the very beginning of their schooling, their insufficient knowledge of the language of instruction, which holds true for most minority and ethnic-group members for whom instruction does not take place in their mother tongue. With these pupils, it will be necessary not only to ensure that they master Czech but also that they become familiar with the Czech environment, its cultural customs and traditions. On the other hand, it is however necessary to provide these pupils, in accordance with the Education Act and under the conditions established therein, with education in the language of the respective national minority and with the opportunity to receive during their school attendance also such information that will make it possible for them to select elements for shaping their own identity. This requires complementing the educational content with specific materials on the history, culture and traditions of their nationality. The integration of pupils from a different cultural background and socially disadvantaging environment, protection of the pupils’ minority cultures and simultaneously support of their successfulness in the majority society must be a long-term objective of the school. It is thus vital that, when preparing its SEP, the school be aware of the difference in the nationality, ethnic group or value orientation of all its pupils and to react flexibly within its possibilities to their cultural differences, or to prepare individual education plans for these pupils, which would meet their needs to the maximum degree possible. Conditions for the Education of Socially Disadvantaged Pupils The most important agent for the successful education of pupils from culturally different and frequently also socially disadvantaging environments is the teacher, who knows his/her pupils as well as their family backgrounds, is able to select appropriate approaches and create a favourable social climate in the classroom as well as the entire school. A school must employ methods of instruction which are suitable for diverse learning styles of the pupils and various ways of organising the instruction, plan the instruction in such a way that it would be based on the interests, experience and needs of pupils of different cultures, ethnic groups and social environments. For the education of socially disadvantaged pupils to be successful, it is necessary to fulfil the following conditions: - individual or group care; - preparatory classes; - help of an assistant teacher; 23 Section 16, Subsection 4 of Act No. 561/2004 Coll. 113 - a smaller number of pupils in the class; - corresponding methods and forms of work; - specific textbooks and materials; - regular communication and feedback; - cooperation with a psychologist, special education teacher – child behaviour-disorder specialist, social worker or other specialists. 8.3 Development of a School Education Programme at Elementary Schools Which Are a Part of Healthcare Facilities, at Schools Which Are a Part of Children’s Diagnostic Institutions and at Schools Which Are a Part of Educational Institutions Providing Institutional Care and Care in Juvenile Correction Institutions When developing a school education programme at elementary schools which are a part of healthcare facilities, at schools which are a part of children’s diagnostic institutions and at schools which are a part of educational institutions providing institutional care and care in juvenile correction institutions which take care of children requiring medical treatment as a result of neurological damage or mental illness – see Sections 9–11 of Decree No. 438/2006 regulating some procedures relating to the execution of institutional and preventive care at educational institutions, the principal of the school or educational institution may modify the School Education Programme, or the organisation of education generally determined in the FEP EE, to suit the institution’s specific conditions and the pupils’ educational needs and potential. 114 9 Education of Exceptionally Gifted Pupils In elementary education, it is important to take into account the issues concerning the education of exceptionally gifted pupils, because exceptionally gifted pupils have their own specific educational needs which are necessary to address and require the creation of suitable conditions. A gift is most frequently defined as a collection of abilities which make it possible for an individual to attain performance beyond those of the average population. The number of exceptionally gifted pupils is estimated at 3–10 %.24 An exceptionally gifted pupil may have one but also several types of talents. Elementary education plays a fundamental role in identifying and developing pupils’ exceptional gifts. It is a stage of education through which all pupils pass and simultaneously long enough to observe the pupils systematically in order to identify their gifts, provide adequate motivation, develop their gifts and provide them with opportunities for utilising their gifts in specific activities. These pupils require specific care and assistance on the part of the school as well as family, particularly through stimulation and the creation of suitable conditions for developing their talent. Identification of Gifts Identification of exceptional gifts is a long-term process, where pedagogical, psychological, pedagogical-psychological and lay methods are applied, the most important of which include the observation of pupils during their schoolwork, an analysis of the pupil’s work results and the pupil’s portfolio, an evaluation of the tests and tasks, and interviews with the pupil and his/her parents. Especially for pupils below 9 years of age, it is difficult to determine for certain whether their exceptionality is a sign of a gift or of uneven development, which may gradually approach the norm for their age and in the end may be in the range of the upper average. When seeking exceptionally gifted pupils, it is important to remember that also pupils with learning and/or behavioural developmental disorders, a physical handicap and pupils from a different cultural background and socially disadvantaging environment can be exceptionally gifted. In the identification and subsequent care for an exceptionally gifted pupil, assistance to teachers may be provided, with the consent of the parents or legal guardians, by psychologists from the network of pedagogical-psychological counselling centres. Specifics of an exceptionally gifted pupil: • the pupil’s knowledge exceeding the set requirements; • problematic approach to the rules of school work; • tendency to create his/her own rules; • tendency towards perfectionism and a corresponding approach, sometimes contentious, to communication with the teacher; • own work pace; • creation of his/her own methods for solving tasks which allow for creativity; • little willingness to cooperate within a collective; • quick orientation in learning methods; • enjoyment of solving complex tasks, in particular in connection with a high potential in the field; in the case of a physically gifted pupil, overestimation of his/her abilities; • quality concentration, good memory, tendency to seek and find creative methods; • insight into his/her own learning; • higher motivation for a deeper study of the basic subject matter, especially in the subjects of instructions in which the pupil is gifted; • a need to demonstrate and apply his/her knowledge and skills in the school environment. 24 Although the question of a gift has been studied by specialists for more than a hundred years, no uniform definition of a gift or exceptional gift has been provided yet; also the estimated number of gifted pupils varies from author to author. 115 116 Formation of Relationship Networks with Exceptionally Gifted Pupils The formation of relationship networks in the case of exceptionally gifted pupils is influenced by their personality structure, in particular their dominant, strong tendency to introversion. Also certain personality traits of such pupils may make it more difficult to form conflict-free relationships, be they with their peers, teachers or themselves. In particular their tendency to perfectionism, heightened criticalness towards themselves and the surrounding world and specific sense of humour may be among the factors influencing the formation of relationships with their peers – classmates. Where the conditions have not been created for the child to learn how to deal with his/her specific abilities, his/her exceptional talent may paradoxically result in the formation of a negative self-image and rejection of his/her special abilities. Or it may happen that because of an unstimulating and little accommodating environment, such a pupil immures himself/herself in an inner world of his/her abilities and refuses to communicate with the environment of his/her peers. Such a situation is quite common as gifted pupils include many introverts with low social adaptability who prefer limited communication with their surroundings or tend to communicate more with someone who is older. It is also important to which degree the type of the pupils’ gifts matches the abilities and potential of their surroundings, i.e. their family, classmates, teachers and peers. When the pupils start attending school, it is important for them to become members of an age-based community even if they usually find it easier to communicate with adults or older schoolmates. Gifted pupils are frequently afraid that they will not be able to integrate into their age-based community. Their attempt to integrate into their natural peer groups thus triggers a tendency to deny their abilities. As they grow older, such pupils display an increased social awareness, when they realise well their strong and weak points as well as their position within their peer group, where their exceptional gifts may even become a reason for their peers’ admiration. The creation of a positive climate for exceptionally gifted pupils requires a sufficient perceptiveness of the pupils’ specific needs on the part of those around them. Possible Adjustments to the Methods of Instruction of Exceptionally Gifted Pupils When educating exceptionally gifted pupils, the method of instruction should be consistently based on the principles of individualisation and internal differentiation. Examples of modifications in the organisation of the education: individual education plans; complementation, augmentation and amplification of the educational content; assignment of specific tasks; inclusion of the pupil in independent and more extensive work and projects; internal differentiation of the pupils in some subjects; occasional (temporary) creation of groups for selected subjects with a possibility to choose on the part of the pupil; the pupil’s attendance of some subjects with older pupils. 10 Material, Personal, Sanitary, Organisational and Other Conditions for Implementing the FEP EE Education arising from the FEP EE should be supported by the corresponding conditions. In compliance with conceptual educational documents, generally accepted regulations and legislative norms, pupils’ educational needs and the requirements for the educational activities of the teachers, the FEP EE specifies the material, personal, sanitary, organisational and other conditions. The following conditions represent the optimum state against which the individual schools should measure themselves and which they should, supported by the founding entity, gradually approach and develop further. When creating the conditions at a particular school, it is advisable to bear in mind: • the pupils’ and teachers’ needs; • the quality, functionality and aesthetic character of the school environment; • optimisation of social relationships; • effectiveness of the pupils’ education; • implementation of extracurricular activities; • cooperation with all participants and partners in the educational process. Spatial and Material Conditions • the main (universal) classrooms of a class furnished with multipurpose and functional equipment; • special classrooms and areas (in accordance with the school’s educational content) - for the instruction of languages, ICTs, physics, chemistry, natural sciences, geography, music and fine arts, etc., furnished with special furniture, (laboratory) devices, tools, materials and aids, audiovisual technology - for the instruction of physical education (including outdoor and leased facilities), including a safe surface, gym apparatus and equipment - for the instruction of practical subjects (workshops, kitchens, plots for gardening) equipped with proper devices, equipment, etc.; • areas for the storage of aids and for the preparatory work of the teachers (staff rooms), equipped with corresponding storage furniture and tools for the instruction of the individual educational areas and a proper equipment for the teacher’s preparation and relaxation; • study zones for the active use of free time (for further study and self study of the pupils as well as teachers) – in the form of libraries and study rooms, ICT centres; • work as well as relaxation areas and rooms for physical activities not posing high demands in terms of space – for collective as well as individual creative activities and relaxation (for both pupils and teachers); • areas for the pupils of the whole school or several classes to meet (halls, assembly halls, exhibition areas or further areas modified to these purposes); • areas for extracurricular activities (child centres and clubs), furnished with work and relaxation furniture, as well as tools for both active and passive relaxation and for learning; • locker rooms or cloakrooms, including areas for the pupils to change their clothes before and after physical-education classes in the number corresponding to the number of training grounds, the consecutive changing of pupils and separated activities of boys and girls; • areas for the personal hygiene of both the pupils and the teachers – toilets and lavatories equipped with a sufficient number of sanitary facilities corresponding to the physiological needs of the age group and in compliance with the respective legislative norms; • areas for school meals, having all proper equipment and in compliance with hygienic norms and the pupils’ age specifics; 117 • areas intended for the treatment of injuries and for a temporary stay of the injured, or for the provision of other aid in the case of health problems; • areas (offices) for the school’s other pedagogical and non-pedagogical employees (principal, vice principal, bursar, network administrator, etc.), equipped with functional equipment and communication technology; • textbooks, didactic aids, ICTs and other aids and tools (including aids for physical education, manual training, music and fine arts) allowing for effective instruction and supporting the pupils’ activity and creativity; • other, auxiliary areas for ensuring the school’s proper operation (storage rooms, spaces for waste separation, etc.). Conditions of Safety and Hygiene in Education and the Life of School • appropriate work and relaxation schedule for the pupils and teachers, with sufficient rest and active movement; • suitable timetable taking healthy learning habits into account and adequate for the pupils’ age; • proper dietary and drinking regimen (based on the pupils’ age and individual needs); • healthy environment in the classrooms and other areas of the school, in compliance with the norms in effect (sufficient light, warmth, sound insulation, cleanliness, ventilation, size of sitting and working furniture, sanitary facilities); • observance of the ban on smoking, drinking alcohol and the consumption of other harmful substances at school or in its vicinity; • protecting the pupils against injury; • clear labelling of all dangerous objects or parts of the areas being used; regular inspection of the equipment in terms of its safety; • accessibility of the means of first aid and contacts to the doctor and other special services, the teachers’ practical skills to provide first aid. Psychosocial Conditions • creation of an environment of contentment, healthy learning and candour and partnership both between the pupils and the teachers and between the teachers and the school’s management; • education interconnected with real life – acquisition of those key competencies which have a practical sense for the pupils, which lead to practical experience; • age appropriateness and motivating evaluation – taking the pupils’ individuality, individual abilities and progress into consideration, sufficient feedback, tolerance for mistakes and errors; • accommodation of the pupils’ needs – general benefit of the pupil is the main driving factor in the preparation and implementation of education; • a favourable social climate – candour and partnership in communication, respect, tolerance, recognition, empathy, cooperation and mutual help, solidarity with one’s class and the school in general; • protection of the pupils from violence, bullying and other antisocial phenomena; • the pupils’ participation in the education and the activities of the school, which builds on the model of a democratic community – the building of a community on the principles of freedom, responsibility, stability of common rules, justice and cooperation; • timely provision of information on issues at school and outside the school; • accommodation of the needs of an individual and his/her personal problems. Personal Conditions • teachers fulfilling the conditions prescribed by Act No. 563/2004 Coll., capable of participating also in other activities at the school; • teachers with the necessary professional skills – capable of communicating with the pupils, their parents, the other teachers and specialists providing special services for the school, capable of 118 diagnosing the pupils and motivating them to further activities, maintaining informal discipline, continuously educating themselves, and evaluating and modifying their activities; • offer of professional assistance for the pupils and their parents – special education teacher, psychologist, assistant, etc.; • teaching staff capable of teamwork, mutually accommodating communication and cooperation; • managerial employees with significant managerial, organisational and pedagogical abilities, capable of creating a motivating and at the same time demanding professional atmosphere, of striving for the permanent specialised and professional development, endowed with conceptual thinking and style of work, able not only to advise but also to shield the teachers from negative outside factors. Organisational Conditions • participation of all teachers in the preparation and implementation of the SEP EE; • the basic rules of the school’s activities (for the pupils, teachers, other users of the school), ways of discussing problems with the pupils and their parents; • optimal schedule in harmony with the potential and needs arising from the age of the pupils, in compliance with the educational content and appropriate methods of learning, with interconnectedness between compulsory and facultative education; • optimal organisation of the school’s activities in agreement with the age specifics and needs of the pupils and their safety (the schedule of the relaxation, exercise, dietary and drinking regimen, observation of the rules of hygiene, extracurricular activities, special events). Conditions for the Cooperation between the School and the Pupils’ Parents • functional and constantly updated system of information for the pupils, teachers, the school’s management, parents, the school’s partners and between the individual agents of the educational process; • communication with the pupils’ parents and other public (e.g. school council) – provision of information on the school’s plans, objectives, teaching methods, pupil assessment, rules of the school’s activities, joint search for solutions to pupils’ problems; • open-door educational strategy towards parents; • scope for the establishment and operation of an autonomous organ of the parents; • an opportunity for the teachers to meet the parents; • counselling service for parents with educational questions; • information on individual pupils necessary for individual forms of education; • possibility of the parents’ participation in the instruction and in the educational activities organised by the school; • formation of social relations between the school and the public. The following need to be considered as the absolutely necessary material and spatial conditions: • the main classroom for each class furnished with functional equipment; • special classrooms and areas or the main classrooms adapted for special instruction: of foreign languages, ICTs, natural- and social-science subjects, music, fine arts, occupational activities, areas (own or leased) for providing obligatory PE; • areas for the storage of aids and for the preparatory work of the teachers; • areas for physical activities not posing high demands in terms of space during instruction and for extracurricular activities; • areas for the pupils of the whole school to meet (own or leased); • locker rooms or cloakrooms, including areas for the pupils to change their clothes before and after physical-education classes in the number corresponding to the number of pupils exercising and separated activities of boys and girls; 119 120 • areas for the personal hygiene of both the pupils and the teachers – toilets and washrooms equipped with a sufficient number of sanitary facilities in compliance with the respective legislative norms; • areas for school meals (at the school itself or at a school in the vicinity); • areas intended for the treatment of injuries and for a temporary stay of the injured, or for the provision of other aid in case of health problems; • textbooks, didactic aids, ICTs and other aids and tools allowing for effective instruction and supporting the pupils’ activity and creativity. For the most part, the other conditions (organisational, personal, safety) do not place specific demands on financing and the difference between their necessary and optimal degrees lies rather in the quality in which they are provided. 11 Principles for the Development of a School Education Programme The School Education Programme for Elementary Education (SEP) is an educational document which, in accordance with the Education Act, must be prepared on the basis of the FEP EE by every school providing elementary education.25 The SEP is based on specific education plans of the school and takes into account the needs and potential of the pupils, the real conditions and possibilities of the school and the lawful requirements on the part of the pupils’ parents or legal guardians, as well as the school’s position in the region, and the social environment in which the instruction will take place. The educational process at a specific school is then implemented according to the SEP prepared by the school.26 The school’s principal is responsible for preparing the SEP in accordance with the FEP EE. He/She coordinates the work on the creation of the SEP or may delegate the function of the coordinator to the vice principal or another member of the teaching staff. The actual preparation of the SEP is a manifestation of the school’s pedagogical autonomy as well as its responsibility for teaching methods and outcomes. For this reason, the individual parts of the SEP are prepared with the participation of all of the teachers of the school in question, who are also co-responsible for implementing the SEP in the conditions of their school. The SEP is set (published) by the school’s principal after it has been discussed with the school council, which expresses itself also on the implementation of education according to this programme. The SEP is a compulsory educational document and must be made accessible to the public, so everyone interested may become acquainted with its content, inspect it, make notes and excerpts, or request a copy.27 As part of its inspection activities, the Czech Schools Inspectorate examines and evaluates the implementation of the SEP and its compliance with legal regulations and FEP EE.28 Principles for the Development of the School Education Programme for Elementary Education A SEP: • is developed in compliance with the FEP EE for the entire period of elementary education or its part, i.e. for those forms in which the school implements elementary education; • ensures equal access to elementary education to all pupils who are to fulfil their compulsory school attendance and takes into account their educational needs and potential; • makes it possible to implement differentiated and individualised instruction for pupils with special educational needs (see Chapter 8) and for exceptionally gifted pupils if their education requires it; • creates the preconditions for the implementation of the educational content while considering the age specifics of the pupils and hereby for the gradual formation and development of their key competencies; 25 The obligation to prepare a SEP is based on Section 3, Subsection 2 and Section 5, Subsection 3 of Act No. 561/2004 Coll. 26 The SEP is an obligatory document for the implementation of education at complete elementary schools, at elementary schools with only Stage 1, and at one-teacher schools and other small elementary schools with only a few forms, taught by one or more teachers. Six- or eight-year grammar schools prepare their School Education Programmes for the forms corresponding to Stage 2 of elementary education according to the FEP EE. It does not necessarily have to be called SEP, but it must be clear and verifiable that it is based on the FEP EE. 27 The text draws on the wording of Section 5, Subsection 3 of Act No. 561/2004 Coll. 28 The evaluation of the SEP by the Czech Schools Inspectorate is covered by Section 174, Subsections 2b) and c) of Act No. 561/2004 Coll. 121 • leads to the implementation of the educational objectives at elementary schools by means of the specification of the educational strategies on the level of the school and to the implementation of the objectives of the educational areas by means of the specification of educational strategies on the level of subjects of instruction; • is elaborated so as to make it possible for the teachers to develop a creative working style and not to limit them in applying possible scheduling as well as methodological differences in their efforts to meet the specific needs of the pupils building on their own experience with effective methods of instruction; • is developed as relatively constant material, and any possible changes which it might make in the curriculum timetable and syllabi must not negatively affect the pupils’ education in a certain ‘cycle’ already in progress; • follows the prescribed structure. The Structure of the SEP EE This structure is followed by the SEPs for all schools implementing elementary education, except for the lower stage of six- or eight-year grammar schools. The structure of the SEPs for the lower stage of six- or eight-year grammar schools is described below in the FEP EE. 1. Identification data title of the SEP29 submitter - school name - school address - principal’s name - contacts founding entity - name - address - contacts document is in force as of - date - principal’s signature - stamp of the school Further recommended data: motivational title of the SEP, IČO (business identification number), IZO (identification code of an organisation – a school or its part), RED-IZO (IZO of the Principalship), the name of the coordinator for the creation of the SEP. 2. Characteristics of the school school size and forms represented school facilities (materials, spatial, technical, sanitary) characteristics of the teaching staff (staffing, qualification) long-term projects, international cooperation cooperation with parents and other entities (school council, educational counselling institutions, local and regional institutions, etc.) Further recommended data: school location, the pupils’ characteristics 3. Characteristics of the SEP school’s specialisation educational strategies: common approaches on the school level applied in the instruction as well as outside which are employed by the school to shape and develop the targeted key competencies of its pupils 29 It needs to be clear from the title of the SEP that it is a School Education Programme for elementary education or that it has been developed in compliance with the FEP EE. 122 provision of the instruction for pupils with special educational needs provision of the instruction for exceptionally gifted pupils incorporation of cross-curricular subjects: a list of all cross-curricular subjects and their thematic areas; a comprehensive description including in which forms, subjects of instruction and using which particular ways the thematic areas of cross-curricular subjects are implemented 4. Curriculum timetable arrangement of the curriculum timetable in a tabular form: a clear division between Stages 1 and 2; a listing of the compulsory subjects of instruction with their time allotment for individual forms; enumeration of the time allotment for optional subjects in individual forms; the total number of lessons in individual forms and the total number of lessons at Stages 1 and 2 notes on the curriculum timetable: content specification, organisational conditions and further specifics appertaining to the implementation of compulsory as well as optional subjects if the data are not clear from the arrangement of the curriculum timetable in a tabular form (based on which field/fields, or cross-curricular subjects, the subject of instruction was prepared unless its educational content and name are identical to those of the educational field in question in the FEP EE; usage of another organisational form than a class hour, etc.) 5. Syllabi name of the subject of instruction characteristics of the subject of instruction - content, time allotment and organisational specification of the subject of instruction (specific information on the subject important for its implementation; if it is integrated, indicate from which educational fields, their parts and cross-curricular subjects the educational content of the subject has been created) - educational strategies: common approaches applied on the level of the subject of instruction by the teachers to shape and develop the targeted key competencies of their pupils educational content of the subject of instruction - distribution and allocation of the expected outcomes from the FEP EE into forms, or into longer time periods - selection and allocation of the subject matter from the FEP EE into forms, or into longer time periods in connection to the expected outcomes - cross-curricular subjects – selection of thematic areas while specifying the topics and activities in individual forms Further recommended data: interrelations between subjects, further notes specifying the implementation of the educational content. 6. Assessment of pupils and the school’s self-evaluation rules for the assessment of pupils - assessment methods – through marks, verbally, through a combination of the two methods - assessment criteria school’s self-evaluation - areas of self-evaluation (in accordance with Decree No. 15/2005 Coll., specifying the requirements of the school’s long-term plans, annual reports and self-evaluation, as subsequently amended, or other areas of self-evaluation) - objectives and criteria for the self-evaluation - instruments for the self-evaluation - time allotment of the evaluation activities 123 The Structure of the SEP for Elementary Education at the Lower Stage of Six- or Eight-Year Grammar Schools This structure is followed by the SEPs for the lower stage of six- or eight-year grammar schools; the structure for four-year grammar schools and for the upper stage of six- or eight-year grammar schools is contained in the FEP SGE, with six- or eight-year grammar schools having the possibility of creating one School Education Programme for the entire six or eight years of education, or of creating two independent SEPs, one for the lower and one for the upper stage of education. In terms of content, the part of the SEP for the lower stages of six-or eight-year grammar schools (or the respective part of the SEP) is governed by the FEP EE and the SEP for four-year grammar schools and for the upper stage of six- or eight-year grammar schools (or the respective part of the SEP) is governed by the FEP SGE. 1. Identification data title of the SEP30 education programme31 form of education32 submitter - school name - school address - principal’s name - contacts founding entity - name - address - contacts document is in force as of - date - principal’s signature - stamp of the school Further recommended data: motivational title of the SEP, IČO (business identification number), IZO (identification code of an organisation – a school or its part), RED-IZO (IZO of the Principalship), the name of the coordinator for the creation of the SEP. 2. School characteristics school size school facilities (material, spatial, technical, sanitary) characteristics of the teaching staff (staffing, qualification) long-term projects, international cooperation cooperation with parents and other entities (school council, educational counselling institutions, local and regional institutions, etc.) Further recommended data: school location, the pupils’ characteristics. 3. Characteristics of the SEP school’s specialisation profile of its graduate organisation of the entrance procedure organisation of the school-leaving examination educational strategies: common approaches on the school level applied in the instruction as well as outside which are employed by the school to shape and develop the targeted key competencies of its pupils 30 It needs to be clear from the title of the School Education Programme on the basis of which Framework Education Programme (FEP EE, FEP SGE) it has been developed. 31 A four-, six- or eight-year education programme 32 A day, evening, distance, e-learning or blended form of education 124 125 provision of the instruction for pupils with special educational needs provision of the instruction for exceptionally gifted pupils incorporation of cross-curricular subjects: a list of all implemented cross-curricular subjects and selected thematic areas; a comprehensive description including in which forms, subjects of instruction and using which particular ways the thematic areas of crosscurricular subjects are implemented 4. Curriculum timetable arrangement of the curriculum timetable in a tabular form: a clear division between the upper and lower stages of six- or eight-year grammar schools; a listing of the compulsory subjects of instruction with their time allotment for individual forms; enumeration of the time allotment for optional subjects in individual forms; the total number of lessons in individual forms and the total number of lessons for the upper and lower stages notes on the curriculum timetable: content specification, organisational conditions and further specifics appertaining to the implementation of compulsory as well as optional subjects if the data are not clear from the arrangement of the curriculum timetable in a tabular form (based on which field/fields, or cross-curricular subjects, the subject of instruction was prepared unless its educational content and name are identical to those of the educational field in question in the FEP EE; usage of another organisational form than a class hour, etc.) 5. Syllabus name of the subject of instruction characteristics of the subject of instruction - content, time allotment and organisational specification of the subject of instruction (specific information on the subject important for its implementation; if it is integrated, indicate from which educational fields, their parts and cross-curricular subjects the educational content of the subject has been created) - educational strategies: common approaches applied on the level of the subject of instruction by the teachers to shape and develop the targeted key competencies of their pupils educational content of the subject of instruction - distribution and allocation of the expected outcomes from the FEP EE into forms, or into longer time periods - selection and allocation of the subject matter from the FEP EE into forms, or into longer time segments in connection to the expected outcomes - cross-curricular subjects – selection of thematic areas while specifying the topics and activities in individual forms Further recommended data: interrelations between subjects, further notes specifying the implementation of the educational content. 6. Assessment of pupils and the school’s self-evaluation rules for the assessment of pupils - assessment methods – through marks, verbally, through a combination of the two methods - assessment criteria school’s self-evaluation: - areas of self-evaluation (in accordance with Decree No. 15/2005 Coll., specifying the requirements of the school’s long-term plans, annual reports and self-evaluation, as subsequently amended, or other areas of self-evaluation) - objectives and criteria for the self-evaluation - instruments for the self-evaluation - time allotment of the evaluation activities Glossary This glossary contains only those expressions which have been used in the FEP EE and its Appendix Regulating the Education of Pupils with Mild Mental Retardation. The glossary explains their meaning in the context of these documents. It should serve primarily for principals of schools and teachers who develop their own School Education Programmes. autism pervasive developmental disorder (→pervasive disorder) which expresses itself through the individual’s inability to establish social contacts or communicate, as well as through an absence of imagination; these symptoms are usually accompanied by a limited area of interest, unfocused repetitive behaviour and bizarre rituals cognitive processes the intellectual processes which form the essence of learning; they are part of human intellectual development and include sensory perception, ideas and imagination, thinking, memory and learning, sometimes also speech and attention compensation special educational methods and procedures by means of which the effectiveness of functions other than the one affected is improved and perfected and which represent an active way of compensating for a handicap and an attempt at matching the level of the common population of the same age compensation methods methods for developing the performance of undamaged functions as a compensation for a damaged or entirely missing function complementary educational field educational field which complements and augments the →educational content of elementary education cross-curricular subjects these are areas of current problems faced by the world today and in the future within the →Framework Education Programme, which are becoming an obligatory part of elementary education; they are an important formative element in elementary education and help the pupil’s personality develop particularly in the area of attitudes and values; they become an opportunity for the pupils’ individual engagement and their mutual cooperation curricular documents the educational documents which delimit the legislative and content framework necessary for the development of the →School Education Programme; the system of curricular documents is created and applied on two levels; on the state level, it consists of the →National Education Programme and →Framework Education Programmes while on the school level, it is formed by the →School Education Programmes curriculum timetable the part of the →School Education Programme specifying the organisation of instruction at a specific school on the basis of the →Framework Curriculum Timetable; it contains a chart with the list of compulsory and optional →subjects of instruction and notes on the organisation and implementation of the individual →subjects of instruction 126 cycle a phase of education with both its educational content and time specified in the →Framework Education Programme for Elementary Education at Stage 1; Cycle 1 of education includes the 1st to 3rd forms, Cycle 2 includes the 4th and 5th forms Education Act the abbreviated name for Act No. 561/2004 Coll., On Preschool, Elementary, Secondary, Higher Vocational and Other Education, as subsequently amended educational areas roughly delimited units of the →educational content of elementary education; the →Framework Education Programme for Elementary Education contains nine educational areas, which consist of one or more →educational fields of similar content educational content specification of the →expected outcomes and →subject matter on the level of →educational fields, which is further elaborated on the level of the →School Education Programmes educational content of elementary education a collection of human knowledge didactically adapted for the level of →elementary education, which provides pupils with a reliable foundations of general education oriented in particular on situations close to everyday life and on practical conduct educational fields independent parts of the →educational areas in the →Framework Education Programme for Elementary Education; they specify the →educational content (→expected outcomes and →subject matter) educational objectives at elementary schools the objectives of elementary education; the →Framework Education Programme for Elementary Education defines a total of nine objectives, whose gradual fulfilment helps form and develop the pupils’ →key competencies; the provider of elementary education must create the conditions for their achievement educational strategies carefully selected and ordered approaches through which the school endeavours to fulfil the targeted →key competencies elementary school →field of education – elementary school evaluation activities all planned and targeted activities of the school aimed at verifying, measuring, assessing and evaluating the results and changes achieved in all school activities and defined in the →School Education Programme expected outcomes the principal part of the →educational content of the individual →educational fields; they are verifiable, practically focused, activity-based and applicable in everyday life; they specify the level which is to be attained by all the pupils through the →subject matter; they are orientational (tentative) for the end of the 3rd form (Cycle 1) and binding for the end of the 5th form (Cycle 2) and of the 9th form 127 field of education – elementary school one of the fields in the educational system as prescribed by the government after discussions with the relevant union bodies and respective nationwide employers’ organisations; for the implementation of elementary education, the →Framework Education Programme for Elementary Education is published in compliance with the →Education Act Framework Curriculum Timetable for Elementary Education curriculum timetable for the →Framework Education Programme for Elementary Education, which specifies the basic organisational parameters of elementary education; it contains binding rules for: the integration of →educational areas and →educational fields into elementary education at Stages 1 and 2, the minimum time allotment for their implementation, available time allotment, total compulsory time allotment and notes on the Framework Curriculum Timetable Framework Curriculum Timetable for Elementary Education for Pupils with Mild Mental Retardation curriculum timetable of the appendix to the Framework Education Programme for Elementary Education, which defines the basic parameters for the organisation of elementary education; it contains binding rules for: the integration of →educational areas and →educational fields into elementary education at Stages 1 and 2, the minimum time allotment for their implementation, available time allotment, total compulsory time allotment and notes on the Framework Curriculum Timetable Framework Education Programme for Elementary Education (FEP EE) the →curricular document on the state level which normatively prescribes the general framework for the →elementary education Framework Education Programme for Elementary Education – Appendix Regulating the Education of Pupils with Mild Mental Retardation appendix to the →Framework Education Programme for Elementary Education adapted to the needs and educational potential of pupils with mild mental retardation Framework Education Programmes the →curricular documents on the state level which normatively prescribe the general framework for the individual →stages of education and are binding for the creation of →School Education Programmes integration of educational content the interconnectedness of the →educational content on the level of themes, thematic areas, or →educational fields and →educational areas, which is made possible by the →Framework Education Programme for Elementary Education integration of pupils the inclusion of pupils with special educational needs as well as exceptionally gifted pupils into regular classes and their education in accordance with their individual educational needs key competencies a body of knowledge, skills, abilities, attitudes and values important for the personal development and success of every member of society; the →Framework Education Programme for Elementary Education defines the key competencies on the level which is to be acquired by all the pupils by the end of their elementary education; at this stage of education, the following are considered as key competencies: learning competency, problem-solving competency, communication competency, social and personal competency, civic competency and professional competency 128 Manual for Developing School Education Programmes for Elementary Education a methodological document which is recommended for the development of →School Education Programmes for elementary education; it offers specific approaches for the creation of the individual parts of the →School Education Programme, with examples from school practice supplied mental retardation lower intellectual abilities resulting from organic brain damage or a deficiency of mental functions; it manifests itself through a lower level of →cognitive processes, different development of certain mental functions and lower social adaptability; the individual modifications of the mentioned symptoms depend on the depth and scope of the mental retardation, the degree to which individual functions have been affected and the level of mental development; the World Health Organisation (WHO) divides mental retardation into six basic categories: • mild mental retardation – mental disability (IQ 50–69); lower intellectual abilities as a result of organic brain damage; such individuals lag behind in their mental development, but most of them achieve complete independence in personal care and in practical and domestic skills • moderate mental retardation – mental disability (IQ 35–49); the basics of reading, writing and counting; as adults, individuals thus disabled are usually capable of performing simple supervised work tasks, some can take part in simple conversations; their mental retardation is usually accompanied by other associated disabilities such as neurological and physical disabilities, epilepsy and →autism • severe mental retardation – mental disability (IQ 20–34); a great part of such individuals suffer from motor impairment and other associated deficits indicating the presence of the damage to the central nervous system; such individuals’ educational possibilities are quite limited, and they are currently being educated according to the Rehabilitation Education Programme for Auxiliary Schools • profound mental retardation – (IQ below 20); low developmental level of mental functions, particularly attention and volitional qualities necessary for systematic acquisition of the subject matter; the possibilities of educating them are very limited • other mental retardation • unspecified mental retardation National Education Programme the supreme →curricular document, which is created on the basis of the specifications in the →Education Act National Programme for the Development of Education in the Czech Republic the conceptual document of Czech educational policy designated as the White Paper; it contains the plans for the development of education of the pupils between 3 and 19 years of age and proposals as well as recommendations of economic, political and educational nature, which are gradually being implemented objectives of an educational area the part of the →educational areas which links the →educational content with →key competencies; it forms the starting point for →educational strategies on the level of the →subjects of instruction; through these strategies, the school endeavours to create and develop the pupils’ →key competencies person handicapped with multiple disabilities a person handicapped with multiple disabilities is an individual who is simultaneously handicapped with two or more causally independent forms of disabilities, each of which would with respect to the level and impact qualify the individual for inclusion in a school specialising in the respective type of disability pervasive disorder a disorder which affects the entire personality and manifests itself in all functional areas 129 re-education special educational methods and approaches used to perfect performance in the area of the function affected by a disability rehabilitation (in the educational sense) special educational methods and approaches through which social relations are modified, disrupted practical capabilities and skills restored along with the disabled individual’s possibilities for self-fulfilment school council the school’s organ allowing adult pupils and the legal guardians of minor pupils, the school’s pedagogical employees, the founding entity and other persons to participate in running the school; it discusses the proposal of the →School Education Programme School Education Programme (SEP) the →curricular document on the school level; a School Education Programme for Elementary Education must be prepared by every provider of elementary education on the basis of the →Framework Education Programme for Elementary Education school’s self-evaluation is used for systematic assessment of the school’s activities planned in the →School Education Programme; the results of the self-evaluation serve as feedback, on the basis of which the school can adjust its own activities, and as the starting point for the school’s future work; the self-evaluation is performed by the participants in the educational process – the school’s management, teachers, pupils; the chapter School’s Self-Evaluation is a part of the →School Education Programme in which schools define their objectives, instruments and criteria of self-evaluation as well as time allotment of →evaluation activities special-education diagnostics a scientific discipline focusing on determining the individual abilities and potential of persons with a disability; the purpose of the diagnostics is to determine these individuals’ educational possibilities as well as a means for special education within the family, school and during extracurricular activities special-education methods methods focusing on preventing, overcoming or reducing the impact of a disability; the basic specialeducation methods include education, compensation, re-education and rehabilitation stages of education legislatively defined phases of education with their content determined and specified in terms of time, which correspond to education in compliance with the relevant →Framework Education Programme subject matter a part of the →educational content of the individual →educational fields, which is structured into individual thematic areas (topics, activities); it is understood as a means for achieving the →expected outcomes, it forms an integral part of the →educational content; on the level of the →Framework Education Programme for Elementary Education, the subject matter is recommended for inclusion in the →School Education Programme; on the level of the →School Education Programme, it is binding subjects of instruction didactic and organisational treatment of the →educational content in a specific →School Education Programme; it is possible to create one or more subjects of instruction from one →educational field, or a subject of instruction may be created by integrating the →educational content of several →educational fields (integrated subject of instruction) 130 131 subjects of special educational care the instruction of subjects of special educational care is provided at elementary schools specialising in the specific type of disability, according to the needs of the individual pupils, always based on the recommendations of a specialist to the extent enabled by the conditions of the school and within the regulations in force; these include individual speech therapy, sign language, remedial physical education, spatial orientation and independent movement for pupils with visual impairment, visual stimulation, work with compensation aids, rational and sensory education, etc. syllabi the part of the →School Education Programme in which the →educational content of the individual →educational fields is divided into →subjects of instruction in individual forms at Stages 1 and 2 of elementary education