Year 9 Core Subjects
Students will be required to complete text responses, oral presentations and folio pieces over the year. A range of text types will be completed as part of the subject. These could include;
- Newspaper articles
- Recounts
- Stories
- Poetry
- Auto/biographies
- Essays
Students explore a range of issues and themes relating to the texts studied. Texts can be both written and/or visual. The choice of texts will vary depending on individual student needs and interests. All year 9 students will regularly complete homework tasks provided by their teacher. These tasks will form the basis for their Homework PLR result.
Health and Physical Education focuses on students enhancing their own and others’ health, safety, wellbeing and physical activity participation in varied and changing contexts. Health and Physical Education offers students an experiential curriculum that is contemporary, relevant, challenging, enjoyable and physically active.
In year 9 all students will have the opportunity to participate in 2 practical and 2 theoretical units of Physical Education per week. Content in these practical and theoretical will be closely linked and successful completion will require effective involvement and the development of knowledge and skills in all aspects of the course. Individual achievement will be assessed according to standards set in the Victorian Curriculum.
The theory components will include Fitness Theory, Personal Identity, Movement Analysis, Mental Health and Drug and Alcohol Education.
Practical activities will include Fitness Testing, Fitness Training, Non Traditional Invasion Games, Movement Analysis Tasks, SEPEP program (Sport Education in Physical Education Program), and Target based Recreational Games and Minor Games. Additionally, students will have the opportunity to select from a range of recreational activities in both Terms 1 and 4. Many of these activities will be run off campus and will aim to involve students in the wider community, with a focus on experiential learning.
ADVANCE (Life Saving)
Students selected to complete the ADVANCE program will have the opportunity to complete their Surf Rescue Certificate (SRC), this requires the successful completion of both practical and theoretical components, assessed by Life Saving Victoria. Students will also work on developing open water (surf beach) and closed water (pool) awareness and skills via surfing and swim coaching, with a focus on technique development and safe participation.
Additionally students will be required to complete major projects and coursework that align with the current Year 9 curriculum with a focus on leadership development.
Students who enroll in ADVANCE will be required to pay a levy of $80 per semester to supplement the cost of uniforms, camps, bus travel, lifeguards and specialised equipment and facilities hire.
The ADVANCE program is a two-year course completed in Years 9 and 10 and a selection process applies to this subject. Students must apply in writing.
The Advance course in year 9, runs over 2 semesters and is undertaken instead of the mainstream Physical Education core program.
The Humanities provide a framework for students to examine the complex processes that have shaped the modern world and to investigate responses to different challenges including people’s interconnections with the environment. As per the Victorian Curriculum, Humanities consists of the four subject discipline areas of History, Geography, Civics & Citizenship and Economics & Business.
In History and Geography, students explore the processes that have shaped and which continue to shape different societies and cultures, to appreciate the common humanity shared across time and distance, and to evaluate the ways in which humans have faced and continue to face different challenges. At the Year 9 level, students complete the Geography depth study Global Inequalities. In addition to this, they complete the History depth studies The Industrial Revolution, Australian History and World War One.
Economics and Business explores the systems that shape society, with a specific focus on legal and economic systems. Students learn about Australia’s role in global systems, and are encouraged to appreciate democratic principles and to contribute as active, informed and responsible citizens. At the Year 9 level, these topics are integrated into the above depth studies.
The Year 9 Mathematics course covers the standard Victorian Curriculum. The curriculum is grouped into approximately 10 topics per year studied sequentially spread evenly over the two school semesters. An additional topic is introduced during Headstart at the end of the year in preparation for Year 10. Students use a combination of book work, computer tasks and hands on activities to develop their mathematical skills. They are expected to complete work set in class for homework regularly. Students are assessed at the end of each topic, their book work and computer tasks are used to moderate their grades. Students are encouraged to progress through these stages of mathematical skill development:
• Consolidation of skills from previous years
• Mastery of essential numeracy skills
• Understanding of new topics
• Proficiency in new topics
• Ability to tackle more challenging mathematical problems independently with confidence
Science is studied for both semesters during Year 9. Students study science as seven units in Year 9. Each unit will develop a student’s ability to ask questions and find answers about the natural and physical world.
Students are required to complete science in Semester 1 and Semester 2. Students will study General Science 1 (SG19) during Semester 1 and then General Science 2 (SG29) during Semester 2.
GENERAL SCIENCE 1:
In semester 1 students will undertake studies on heat transfer. Ecosystems will be examined as will factors which influence the environment. Chemistry and the nature of matter will be discussed.
GENERAL SCIENCE 2:
In semester 2 students will undertake studies covering aspects of human control and regulation with a focus on neurological systems. Acids, bases and their environmental impact will also be investigated, in the study of chemical reactions. Tectonic Plates and Electricity will also be studied.