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Overview

The English curriculum is built around three interrelated strands of: Language, Literature and Literacy. Together the strands focus on developing students’ knowledge, understanding and skills in listening, reading, viewing, speaking, writing and creating. In-school events and excursions such as performances, guest speakers and extended writing activities are an integral aspect of Year 9 English.

Assessment

Assessment consists of text responses, oral presentations, creative writing, language analyses and end of semester exams.

Overview

The content covers the following 6 strands:

• Number
• Algebra
• Measurement
• Geometry
• Statistics
• Probability

Students are required to learn, practise and apply mathematical algorithms, routines and techniques. The use of technology (CAS calculator and laptop) is incorporated into the course. This allows the students to solve more complex questions and grasp a better understanding of skills required. Students engage in activities which develop:

• knowledge of facts and technical skills
• depth of conceptual understanding
• ability to communicate using clear and precise mathematical language
• ability to tackle non-routine problems in an organised and systematic way
• ability to apply what has been learned to solve real problems
• ability to conduct investigations using mathematics
• logical reasoning and understanding of proof at the appropriate level of sophistication
• practical ability in measuring, estimating and making sensible use of calculators and computers.

Assessment

Assessment is based on facts, skills, problem-solving and application tasks. There is continual assessment throughout the year with reports issued at mid-year and the end of the year. Examinations in Mathematics are conducted in June and November.

In Semester 2 of Year 9, students who have excelled in Mainstream Mathematics during Semester 1 will be invited to undertake Extension Maths.

Pathways

Students who complete the Year 9 Mathematics course in semester 1 and semester 2 are recommended to continue with Mainstream Mathematics in Year 10.  While 10A Mathematics is still an option, it is not recommended for students that have not participated in Year 9 Extension Mathematics in semester 2.

Overview

This unit continues with the outline given for Year 9 Mathematics but is taught at a more comprehensive and detailed level.  Additional topics within the Year 9 course outline are covered to extend and challenge students.

The content covers the following strands:

• Number
• Algebra
• Measurement

Students are invited into Extension based on their semester one results, work habits and organisation and participation in extension work in semester one.

Assessment

Assessment is based on facts, skills, tests, problem-solving and application tasks.  Results are reported throughout the semester and an end of semester report is issued at the end of the year.

Pathways

Students who successfully complete this subject in Year 9 may elect to study either Year 10 Mathematics A or Year 10 Mainstream Mathematics.  Any student intending to pursue a Mathematical Methods pathway in VCE is strongly recommended to complete Year 10 Mathematics A.

Overview

Year 9 Accelerated Mathematics is offered, by invitation only, to a select group of highly capable students towards the end of Year 8. This course compresses all the content from the Year 9 Mathematics and Year 10 Mathematics A into one year. It is a fast-paced course for highly able students only.

The content covers the following 6 strands:

• Number
• Algebra
• Measurement
• Geometry
• Statistics
• Probability

Prerequisites

By invitation only.

Assessment

Assessment is based on facts, skills, tests, problem-solving and application tasks. There is continual assessment throughout the year with reports issued at mid-year and the end of the year. Examinations in Mathematics are conducted in June and November.

Pathways

Students who successfully complete this subject in Year 9 may elect to continue to accelerate by studying Units 1 & 2 Mathematical Methods in Year 10.

Overview

The content covers the following strands:

• Biology – Causes of disease, nervous and endocrine systems, reproduction in plants and animals
• Chemistry – Periodic Table, structure of the atom and radioactive decay
• Earth and Space – Carbon cycle, Earth’s systems and climate change
• Physics – Energy transfer in terms of waves and particles, Law of Conservation of Energy
• Experimental Investigation – investigate a research question and test a hypothesis

Students are required to apply scientific thinking to each of the strands in the Year 9 Science course. In addition to knowledge about each of the areas in the curriculum, students will learn how to apply Science Inquiry Skills to their understanding of the world around us.

Assessment

Assessment can be done by written tests that include recall of facts, understanding of concepts, and solving of problems, as well as practical work, practical tests and reports, oral and multimedia presentations and assignments.

An exam is held each semester on the content covered.

All students in Year 9 study Humanities for the full year. Students develop a range of analytical skills including the interpretation of data and maps; patterns and relationships; historical sources of evidence and case studies while studying the following units:

Civics and Citizenship: students consolidate their understanding of the principles and features of Australia’s systems of government and the main participants in Australia’s democratic institutions, including citizens. Students examine the characteristics and types of law in Australia, the democratic nature of institutions and the relationship between individuals, communities and contemporary Australian society.

Economics and Business: the focus of learning in this unit is on individuals, businesses and entrepreneurs within a personal, community and national context, and Australian markets within a national context.

Geography: students’ geographical knowledge, skills and conceptual thinking are further developed through:
A study of biomes and their features including weather, climate, soil, flora and fauna. Students also investigate food production and how biomes influence food production; food security and scarcity; sustainability.
Global interconnections are explored through supply chains and networks, global digital access, trade, branding and the economy.

History: students explore various historical concepts including continuity and change; causes and consequences; historical evidence, significance and chronology through a study of the making of the modern world including:

• The Industrial Revolution, its significance and impact on innovation, movement of peoples and exploration
• Colonisation (with particular focus upon Australia) and its impact on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
• Federation
• World War I

Assessment

Assessment consists of research tasks, data interpretation, document analyses, tests, written responses and fieldwork.

Overview

Year 9 Religious Education has four main learning sequences that are designed to allow students the opportunity to encounter faith and church tradition within the classroom context.

• Students explore and encounter the role of prayer in the Catholic Tradition, with a focus on the Stations of the Cross, in a unit that challenges them both spiritually and morally.
• Students investigate the lives of women in the Hebrew Scriptures and complete an in depth study on the book of Ruth.
• The Australian Catholic Church unit explores the unique history of the church, shaped by Irish Catholic convicts and successive immigrants from around the world, and the role that it plays in society today. This unit also focuses on the role of women, such as Mary MacKillop, who helped shape and influence the role of the Australian Catholic church in our society.
• Students examine what Christian values are and the role they play in our daily life. There is a focus on the concepts of forgiveness, redemption and values. Students explore how they can turn to their faith when faced with challenges in their lives.

Assessment

Assessment consists of creating a Stations of the Cross Art installation and reflection, tests, inquiry based project and short answer responses.

Overview

The Year 9 Health and Physical Education Curriculum is informed by a strengths-based approach. Rather than focusing only on potential health risks or a deficit-based model of health, the curriculum has a strong focus on supporting students to develop the knowledge, understanding and skills they require to make healthy, safe and active choices that will enhance their own and others’ health and wellbeing. Health and physical education is the key learning area in the curriculum that focuses explicitly on developing movement skills and concepts students require to participate in physical activities with competence and confidence.

Students undertake units of work ranging from first aid, drug education and sexual health to themed-based physical activities such as invasion games, striking & fielding games, net & wall games, Cirque du Â鶹´«Ã½, SEPEP and movement for life (fitness).

Assessment

Â鶹´«Ã½ health and physical education students will approach learning by utilising their critical thinking, creativity, communication and collaboration skills. In doing so, they will develop the key character qualities of curiosity, initiative, persistence, adaptability, leadership and social awareness. Students will undertake a variety of common assessment tasks which include:

• Collaborative tasks
• Reflective journals
• Self and peer assessments
• Theoretical tests
• Skills assessments