Geometry: Australian Curriculum

Critical issues facing educators today include; educational inequity, socio-economic status of students, cultural diversity, stereotyping, dominate cultural paradigms, and social disadvantage. Because of these issues, educators will be best prepared for classroom life if they find ways to adapt and modify the learning environment in order, to provide for inclusive regardless of the learners needs. All children in Australia are presented with the opportunity to attend schools which are designed to be inclusive for any and all abilities. Due to the diverse nature of the school age population in Australia classrooms are made up of an assortment of needs in relation to social, cognitive, and physical areas of learning.

Historians debate that Heron’s most important work was the “Metrica”. The “Metrica” is a series of three books that included formulas and geometric rules that Heron had discovered. These formulas included how to find the areas and volumes of plane figures, as well as solid figures. Book I included one of the more famous formulas still used today. This formula was how to find the area of a

The stage 4 mathematics Unit of Work (UoW) “Unit 10 Measurement, Length, Perimeter and Area” implements an array of concepts to aid the students to learn multidimensional mathematics through applying an Aboriginal perspective. These concepts that are outlined are the choice of and conversion between metric units, establishing and using formulae to solve perimeter and areas of squares, rectangles and triangles, utilising pi and solving perimeters of circles and solving problems using perimeter, area and circumference. Although the unit mentions the importance of the use the Mathematics problem solving there is a majority of content that is missing on the cultural aspect of mathematics as it highlights the prominent use of one-dimensional Mathematics.

Curriculum is designed to develop successful learners. Confident and creative individuals and active and informed citizens (MCEECDYA, 2008, p.13). In 2008, the Australian Government promised to deliver a fair and equitable curriculum for the national’s educational system, taking the task away from the State and Local Governments. The purpose of this was to create an even level of education throughout the country whether in Hobart of Cape York, and to ensure our nations position into the 21st century. This essay will demonstrate the Nation’s curriculum, its structure and development ready for its initial implementation in 2011.

The Australian Curriculum incorporates observations as one of the fundamental skills that students are required to learn (Assessment and Reporting Authority [ACARA], n.d., ACAVAM106). Observations, such as the observational drawing of leaves completed in topic two provide students with an opportunity to develop their visual literacy skills and inquire about the world around them (Dinham, 2014, p. 39). During the different stages of drawing development, students draw upon prior learning, which they have gained through observations, to express their thoughts and make meaning. In the same way, the artist Henri Rousseau, who’s jungle paintings have been described as “…primitive and naïve” drew upon his developing catalogue of prior learning to

Students engage in the discussion on a picture drawn on an interactive whiteboard (IWB) with the concept of mathematics in the form of art.

Following the year 9 Australian Curriculum ACMMG221 in geometric reasoning to solve problems using ratio and scale factors in similar figures (Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting

In exploring the Australian Curriculum, it becomes apparent that this curriculum was developed to encompass a wide range of skills and abilities that will be needed to enable young Australians to become productive and successful members of society of the future. The influence of a range of different curriculum models and education theories has bought together a comprehensive overview of what the Australian education system will deliver and how this can be accomplished.

Geometry and Algebra are so crucial to the development of the world it is taught to every public high school in the United States, around 14.8 million teenagers each year (National Center for Education Statistics). Mathematics is the engine powering our world; our stocks, economy, technology, and science are all based off from math. Math is our universal and definite language “I was especially delighted with the mathematics, on account of the certitude and evidence of their reasonings.” (Rene Descartes, 1637).

Constructions are important in geometry, because they are one of the most basic ways to build angles, segments, and other shapes. In the logic unit of our geometry class, we learned about postulates and axions. Constructions are important for this unit in class, because they are often used to understand and learn these definitions. It is necessary to understand and learn constructions in order to know axiomatic logic and to build the correct angle, shape, or segment on anything.

Using a compass and straightedge is the most practical way to construct geometric figures. When Geometry first became a system of mathematics around 300BC Euclid, also known as “The Father of Geometry” would have used tools like a compass and straight edge to make Geometric constructions. To truly understand Mathematics in its entirety it is crucial that we also know the history and where it began. By using a compass and straightedge rather than a drawing program students have the opportunity to understand fully how Euclid and other ancient mathematicians made Geometric constructions. To some using a compass and straightedge may seem old fashioned, but just as we do not use calculators to solve all arithmetic, computerized programs should not

Geometry is the branch of mathematics that deals with the properties of space. Geometry is classified between two separate branches, Euclidean and Non-Euclidean Geometry. Being based off different postulates, theorems, and proofs, Euclidean Geometry deals mostly with two-dimensional figures, while Demonstrative, Analytic, Descriptive, Conic, Spherical, Hyperbolic, are Non-Euclidean, dealing with figures containing more than two-dimensions. The main difference between Euclidean, and Non-Euclidean Geometry is the assumption of how many lines are parallel to another. In Euclidean Geometry it is stated that there is one unique parallel line to a point not on that line.

"This king divided the land . . . so as to give each one a quadrangle of equal size and . . . on each imposing a tax. But everyone from whose part the river tore anything away . . . he sent overseers to measure out how much the land had become smaller, in order that the owner might pay on what was left . . . In this way, it appears to me, geometry originated, which passed

When planning unit outcomes, the Australian Curriculum, local context and needs of individual students are considered. This ensures relevant stakeholder interests are balanced and meaningful outcomes developed (Dowden, 2013). The Australian Curriculum, guided by the Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians, outlines the official mathematics curricula to ensure students are taught the required knowledge and skills needed is consulted initially (Dowden, 2013). This is important as the Australian Curriculum has been planned with future educational and employment goals

Euclid’s assumptions about his postulates have set the groundwork for geometry today. He provided society with definitions of a circle, a point, and line, etc and for 2000 was considered “the father of geometry.” His postulates proved to be a framework from which mathematics was able to grow and evolve, from two thousand years ago, till Newton and even to all our classrooms today.