Sri Lanka Grade 6 Curriculum - Practical and Technical Skills

This curriculum, implemented in 2015, aims to equip students with practical skills across five technical areas, fostering problem-solving abilities and preparing them for the world of work. The curriculum emphasizes hands-on activities and projects, integrating Information and Communication Technology where appropriate.

I. Agriculture

• Developing Cropping Land: Students learn to prepare garden plots, considering environmental factors like sunlight, soil, and water. They gain practical experience in planting and maintaining various crops, understanding their usage and the role of beneficial animals in crop growth. This includes preparing planting materials, planting techniques, and crop maintenance methods like shading, watering, mulching, and pest control.
• Beautifying Surroundings with Ornamental Plants: Students learn to select and care for ornamental foliage and flowering plants, considering different growing patterns. They apply this knowledge to beautify classroom surroundings, creating attractive arrangements with potted plants and garden beds.

II. Food

• Contributing to Food Security: Students learn to describe food characteristics, select and purchase appropriate food for consumption, and secure food for home use. This includes understanding food classification, the characteristics of fresh and processed foods, and the purpose of food consumption. They also explore home-made agricultural products, food protection methods (cleaning, packing, storing), and traditional food preservation techniques.
• Maintaining a Kitchen for Quality Food: Students learn to plan and maintain a kitchen as a place for preparing quality food. This involves planning food storage, water supply, utensil storage, food preparation areas, and waste disposal. They also learn about kitchen hygiene, pest management, and efficient kitchen practices. Additionally, they learn to create labels for stored ingredients using word processing software.

III. Elementary Technology

• Using Hand Tools and Equipment: Students learn to safely and correctly use basic hand tools and equipment for technical tasks. They explore different materials like timber, tin sheets, and plastics, understanding their properties and tolerances. They practice measuring, marking, parting, shaping, joining, assembling, and maintaining tools and equipment.
• Making Simple Devices/Products: Students learn to transfer innovative ideas to paper and create simple designs using available materials. They select appropriate tools, equipment, and materials for their tasks, and develop skills in marking, cutting, shaping, pasting, and painting. They apply these skills to create simple, functional products.
• Problem-Solving with Technology: Students learn to identify everyday problems in their home and school environments that can be solved with technology. They investigate the reasons and causes for these problems and develop simple technological solutions, presenting their designs and artifacts.

IV. Business Matters

• Making Decisions about Goods and Services: Students learn to differentiate between needs and wants in daily life, comparing and selecting required goods and services to meet them. They study local suppliers, including individuals, institutes, and organizations, who provide these goods and services.
• Planning and Conducting Small Business Enterprises: Students learn about daily savings and explore ways of earning money. They learn to calculate the cost of production based on material costs, using spreadsheets for calculations and record-keeping. They also explore strategies for minimizing production costs.

V. Graphics

• Using Patterns and Designs: Students learn to use freehand drawing to create simple diagrams with various shapes, including lines, curves, and plane figures (both formal/geometrical and non-formal/irregular). They combine these shapes to construct simple graphics and learn to use appropriate software for drawing. They also explore pattern design using shapes and colors, applying this to create dress designs and other patterns.
• Creating Pictorial Views and Models: Students learn to design three-dimensional views of simple objects, drawing sketches and two-dimensional views from different angles. They use dot matrix paper to create three-dimensional representations and apply this knowledge to create models of objects like packaging boxes, containers, and stage background shapes.