The Positioning of Mathematics in an Environmental Thematic Curriculum

With a crowded curriculum, many primary schools attempt to integrate their key learning areas. One primary school in a large regional city has taken this a step further. Using the "environment " as the overarching theme, the key learning areas are interwoven into the teaching of the environment. This has presented some issues when attempting to teach English and Mathematics. These issues and the way the school and teachers solve them are documented in this case-study. In a large regional city in Aus~ralia, a primary school has taken an integrated approach to teaching, using "the environmtnt " as the overarching theme. The year four combined classes of around fifty students are physically isolated from the rest of the school. This is not the only way these students are separated. They have different clothing. "Enviro" clothes, which allow easy movement outside (within the environment), include gumboots, strong leather walking boots, trackpants, shorts, polo shirt and rugger top. The classrooms are open plan with large amounts of window which view the outside areas. A verandah area facilitates outside activities e-v'en in wet weather. Adjacent to the building is a very large section of fenced garden area, a smaller covered propagation tent, several compos