Our curriculum

Our curriculum gives students from kindergarten into high school an opportunity to explore a wide range of ethical issues through discussion with their peers. Volunteer ethics teachers use highly detailed lesson materials to deliver this curriculum. Most topics are designed to help students explore particular ethical issues (for example: stealing, lying, fairness), while some topics are skills-focused and help students develop important skills for thinking critically and working together as a group.

Our lessons are given by trained volunteers, many of them parents. Why not consider volunteering with us?

When designing the original curriculum Dr Sue Knight (a distinguished academic in the field of philosophical education for children – see below) adapted a long respected philosophical tradition of respectful discussion. This approach has significant social benefits. By learning to think about ethical matters together, through the give-and-take of reasoned argument, students learn to consider other people’s points of view and be sincere, reasonable and respectful in dealing with their differences and disagreements.

Click on the menu at the top for details about our curriculum for each age group.

Each ethics topic is reviewed by an expert panel for best practice in teaching design and philosophical rigour. The structure and content of our curriculum has been informed by research in developmental psychology and education, including at what age  children begin to understand different ideas (for example, they begin to develop an awareness of widely held stereotypes from around age six).

Our classes are free to families and given by volunteers. We receive no government funding.

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Objectives

The aim of our curriculum is to give students an opportunity to discuss and think for themselves about ethical issues relevant to them. The aim is not to impose a particular moral code – our materials are always content neutral and encourage students to consider a range of different perspectives. In doing so, we aim to help students develop a deeper understanding of ethical issues and develop skills in ethical reasoning, critical thinking and collaborative inquiry.

Our curriculum is not intended to present a ‘history of ideas’ through the thinking of particular philosophers. For example, it does not seek to teach children about Western figures like Kant, Plato, etc. Nor does it offer an account of the thinking of Buddha, Confucius or other non-Western philosophers. Rather, Primary Ethics seeks to present ‘ways of thinking’ (or perspectives) that cut across cultures and traditions.

Dr Sue Knight – Foundational Curriculum Author

Dr Sue Knight was the foundational author of the Primary Ethics curriculum, with topics crafted for each stage of primary education. Dr Knight holds a PhD in Philosophy and a Bachelor of Education from the University of Adelaide and spent more than 20 years researching and teaching within the University of South Australia’s School of Education.

Structure and topics

Our curriculum spans from kindergarten into high school and contains more than 100 topics and 300 individual lessons. It is designed to be both sequential and spiral, which means that ideas are introduced in simple forms in the early years and extended in ever-greater complexity over the following years. To read a short description of the topics and questions that are considered each year, scroll down then click on the + to expand the appropriate group below.

Kindergarten (Early Stage 1)

In 2026, students in Kindergarten will think for themselves and discuss the following topics:

Being curious and asking questions: Introduces students to ethics lessons and shared inquiry. Young children are curious about countless things and a goal of our curriculum is to nurture this curiosity so that they’re motivated and confident enough to think critically for themselves about issues that matter to them. Students practise listening, taking turns, asking questions and beginning to explain their ideas.

Did you know or did you guess? Students explore the difference between knowing and guessing. They reflect on uncertainty, curiosity and why it can be difficult to admit when we don’t know something.

Doing harm without meaning to: Students examine the difference between accidents and intentional actions. They consider responsibility, carelessness and whether outcomes or intentions matter more when something goes wrong.

Intentions and knowledge: Students explore how knowledge and ignorance affect moral judgement. Through stories, they consider what someone might know, what they might mean to do and how this shapes responsibility.

Making things up and showing off: Students explore why people sometimes make things up or show off. They reflect on honesty, pride, embarrassment and how these behaviours can affect others.

Getting back at someone: Students explore anger, retaliation and fairness. They consider whether getting back at someone is ever acceptable and how responding to wrongdoing can make situations better or worse.

*New in 2026* Sadie and the machines: Students explore different kinds of machines and their purposes. They consider the difference between machines for helping and machines for fun, and reflect on balance, use and overuse.

Disagreeing: Students explore disagreement and how to express it respectfully. They consider when it is important to speak up and how listening to different views can support thinking together.

Changing your mind: Students explore what it means to change their mind. They consider stubbornness, flexibility and whether good reasons should lead us to rethink our views.

Owning up: Students explore honesty and responsibility when mistakes are made. They consider why owning up can be difficult and how it supports learning and trust.

Does telling the truth matter? Students explore truth-telling and its role in relationships. They consider when telling the truth can be hard and how lying affects trust and friendship.

How can we work out what’s true? Students explore ways of working out what is true using senses and simple reasoning. They consider evidence, comparison and making careful judgements about everyday situations.

Stories, distinctions and inferences: Students explore the difference between make-believe and true stories. They reflect on what stories can teach us and how we draw conclusions from what we hear and imagine.

Years 1 and 2 (Stage 1)

In 2026, Students in Stage 1 (Years 1 and 2) will discuss and think for themselves about the following topics:

Introductory lesson: Introduces students to ethics lessons, discussion norms and the idea of exploring big questions together. Students practise listening, sharing ideas and giving simple reasons in a low-stakes context.

Pride: Students explore what it means to be proud. They consider pride in effort, achievement and possessions, as well as pride in others, and reflect on when pride may be appropriate or problematic.

How important are the reasons? Students explore the role of reasons in belief and action. They practise giving reasons and consider whether it is acceptable to follow instructions or copy behaviour without understanding why.

Are you the same person you used to be? Students explore personal identity over time. They consider change, memory and continuity, and reflect on what makes someone the same person despite physical or psychological change.

Laziness: Students explore what it means to be lazy and whether laziness is always a bad thing. They consider effort, rest, efficiency and context when judging behaviour.

Examples and counter-examples: Students practise using examples and counter-examples to clarify ideas and test generalisations. They explore how these tools support clearer thinking and reasoning.

Sharing with those in need: Students explore questions about sharing, need and responsibility. They consider when sharing may be required and whether obligation depends on familiarity, fault or circumstance.

Courage and being brave: Students explore the concept of courage. They consider fear, risk and action, and reflect on whether bravery is always desirable or required.

Forgiving and being forgiven: Students explore saying sorry, forgiveness and making things right. They consider what it means to say sorry, whether forgiveness is owed and what helps restore trust.

Another kind of courage: Students explore moral courage. They consider situations where doing what seems right carries social risk and reflect on standing up for values.

Coming to grips with deductive reasoning: Students practise deductive reasoning by drawing conclusions that follow necessarily from given information. They explore valid inference and common reasoning errors.

Ownership: Students explore what it means to own something. They consider different kinds of ownership, creation, use and control, and reflect on the limits of ownership.

How do we know when we’ve done something wrong? Students explore how we judge right and wrong. They consider rules, harm, intentions and feelings, and reflect on how these factors guide moral judgement.

Years 3 and 4 (Stage 2)

In 2026, students in Years 3 and 4 will discuss and think for themselves about the following topics:

Introductory lesson: Introduces students to ethics lessons, discussion norms and the idea of exploring big questions together. Students practise listening, sharing ideas and giving simple reasons in a low-stakes context.

Being selfish: Students explore what it means to be selfish and whether selfish actions are always wrong. They consider effort, ownership, motivation and whether helping for selfish reasons changes the moral value of an action.

Staring, excuses and reasons: Students explore social behaviour, explanations and responsibility. They consider when staring is inappropriate, what makes an excuse different from a reason, and when excuses are acceptable.

*New in 2026* Screen time: Students explore ethical questions about screen use. They consider balance, wellbeing, responsibility and what life would be like without screens.

Disagreeing respectfully: Students explore how to disagree in constructive ways. They consider when it is important to challenge others’ ideas and how respectful disagreement supports ethical inquiry.

Should we keep animals in captivity? Students examine ethical questions about keeping animals in captivity. They consider animal welfare, human benefit and whether different animals should be treated differently.

Bragging: Students explore what counts as bragging and why it can be problematic. They consider pride, confidence and how bragging can affect others’ feelings.

Imagining how others feel: Students explore empathy and perspective-taking. They consider the challenges of imagining experiences very different from their own and how empathy supports ethical judgement.

Understanding diversity: Students explore cultural and social diversity. They consider why different societies have different laws and punishments and reflect on values, context and fairness.

How should we treat living things? Students explore how we should treat plants and animals. They consider factors such as harm, intelligence, lifespan and scarcity when making ethical judgements.

Inferring or figuring things out: Students practise reasoning by making inferences from behaviour and evidence. They explore how inferences can be useful and how they can sometimes go wrong.

Breaking a promise: Students explore promises, trust and responsibility. They consider when promises should be kept, when breaking a promise may be justified and how promises support relationships.

Thinking about giving: Students explore why people give and how generosity relates to need, motivation and fairness. They consider giving to friends, strangers and those in need, and how to balance competing claims.

Years 5 and 6 (Stage 3)

In 2026, students in Years 5 and 6 will discuss and think for themselves about the following topics:

Introductory lesson: Introduces students to ethics lessons, discussion norms and the idea of exploring big questions together. Students practise listening, sharing ideas and giving simple reasons in a low-stakes context.

A fair society: Students explore what makes a society fair. They consider equality of opportunity, access to education and healthcare, and whether societies have responsibilities to address inequalities arising from luck or circumstance.

Appeal to authority: Students examine when it is reasonable to defer to authority or expertise. They consider trust, justification and when it may be appropriate to question or challenge authority.

Human rights: Students explore the idea of human rights and what rights people should have. They consider whether some rights might extend to non-human animals and what grounds rights claims.

Beliefs, opinions, tolerance and respect: Students examine the relationship between beliefs, opinions, tolerance and respect. They consider whether all beliefs should be tolerated or respected and how to respond to harmful beliefs.

Artificial intelligence: Students explore ethical questions raised by artificial intelligence. They consider trust, responsibility, ownership and how AI differs from and resembles human intelligence.

Teasing: Students explore what counts as teasing and when it becomes harmful. They consider intent, impact and whether teasing can ever be harmless or justified.

Drugs in sport: Students examine fairness and advantage in sport. They consider different ways athletes seek an edge and reflect on what makes an advantage unfair.

*New in 2026* AI and education: Students explore the use of AI in learning and assessment. They consider fairness, skill development, reliance on technology and the purpose of education.

Fatalism: Students explore whether the future is fixed and what this means for choice and responsibility. They consider whether moral responsibility makes sense if outcomes are unavoidable.

Moral responsibility: Students examine what it means to be morally responsible. They consider causation, freedom, upbringing and whether individuals can be held responsible for their actions.

Thinking: Students explore the nature of thinking and reflection. They consider thoughts, memories and metacognition, and how thinking shapes understanding and decision-making.

Should we take circumstances into account? Students explore whether moral judgement should depend on context. They consider cultural differences, intentions and circumstances when evaluating actions.

Are some things just wrong? Students examine moral absolutism and relativism. They consider whether some actions are wrong regardless of culture and how we might justify moral claims across contexts.

Years 7 and 8 (Stage4)

In 2026, students in Years 7 and 8 will discuss and think for themselves about the following topics:

Introductory lesson: Introduces students to ethics lessons, discussion norms and the idea of exploring big questions together. Students practise listening, sharing ideas and giving simple reasons in a low-stakes context.

A fair society: Students explore what makes a society fair. They consider equality of opportunity, access to education and healthcare, and whether societies have responsibilities to address inequalities arising from luck or circumstance.

Appeal to authority: Students examine when it is reasonable to defer to authority or expertise. They consider trust, justification and when it may be appropriate to question or challenge authority.

Human rights: Students explore the idea of human rights and what rights people should have. They consider whether some rights might extend to non-human animals and what grounds rights claims.

Beliefs, opinions, tolerance and respect: Students examine the relationship between beliefs, opinions, tolerance and respect. They consider whether all beliefs should be tolerated or respected and how to respond to harmful beliefs.

Artificial intelligence: Students explore ethical questions raised by artificial intelligence. They consider trust, responsibility, ownership and how AI differs from and resembles human intelligence.

Teasing: Students explore what counts as teasing and when it becomes harmful. They consider intent, impact and whether teasing can ever be harmless or justified.

Drugs in sport: Students examine fairness and advantage in sport. They consider different ways athletes seek an edge and reflect on what makes an advantage unfair.

*New in 2026* AI and education: Students explore the use of AI in learning and assessment. They consider fairness, skill development, reliance on technology and the purpose of education.

Fatalism: Students explore whether the future is fixed and what this means for choice and responsibility. They consider whether moral responsibility makes sense if outcomes are unavoidable.

Moral responsibility: Students examine what it means to be morally responsible. They consider causation, freedom, upbringing and whether individuals can be held responsible for their actions.

Thinking: Students explore the nature of thinking and reflection. They consider thoughts, memories and metacognition, and how thinking shapes understanding and decision-making.

Should we take circumstances into account? Students explore whether moral judgement should depend on context. They consider cultural differences, intentions and circumstances when evaluating actions.

Are some things just wrong? Students examine moral absolutism and relativism. They consider whether some actions are wrong regardless of culture and how we might justify moral claims across contexts.

All about our lessons and teaching method

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