The curriculum in SPHE comprises three strands, Myself, Myself and others and Myself and the wider world, which are subdivided into a number of strand units.
These strand units consist of a topic or a number of topics that are related to the unit. The objectives and the exemplars in each strand unit indicate the outcomes to be achieved for the four levels in the primary school. It is envisaged that aspects of all three major strands will be covered in any one year. The teacher should choose topics or strand units from within the strands in such a way that the child will receive a comprehensive programme in SPHE over a two-year period. Any aspects of the curriculum not covered in a particular year should be included when the teacher is organising the class plan for the following year.
The pages for planning and selecting content in the SPHE curriculum will guide the teacher in choosing the strand units and the range of objectives for each class level. Using this information, he/she will decide on the length of time it will take to adequately cover a strand unit and will develop the timetable accordingly.
| Junior infants to second class | Third class to sixth class |
| Myself | Myself |
Self-identity
Taking care of my body
Growing and changing
Safety and protection | Self-identity
Taking care of my body
Growing and changing
Safety and protection
Making decisions |
| Myself and others | Myself and others |
Myself and my family
My friends and other people
Relating to others | Myself and my family
My friends and other people
Relating to others |
| Myself and the wider world | Myself and the wider world |
Developing citizenship
Media education | Developing citizenship
Media education |
Having chosen the content to be covered in a particular year, the teacher will decide how this can be implemented in the three contexts for learning, that is, the objectives that will be achieved in the discrete time, in the context of other subject areas, or in a combination of both, and how these objectives will be reinforced and developed in the context of the classroom or school climate and atmosphere.
Exemplars
Each of the five exemplars on the following pages
- present content from a strand unit as outlined in the curriculum, identifying strategies for creating a supportive classroom environment and some appropriate teaching approaches and tools for assessment
- illustrate how this strand unit or a topic within the strand unit can be explored during SPHE discrete time and across other subjects.
Exemplar 1
Strand unit: Taking care of my body
Topic within strand unit: Food and nutrition
Exemplar 2
Strand unit: My friends and other people
Strand unit or topic: My friends and other people
Exemplar 3
Strand unit: Media education
Strand unit or topic: Media education
Exemplar 4
Strand unit: Developing citizenship
Topic within strand unit: The local community
Exemplar 5
Strand unit: Developing citizenship
Topic within strand unit: National , European and wider communities
These exemplars are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not prescriptive. They will help the teacher in planning further topics in any of the strand units.