Core Curriculum
Students develop interpersonal and communication skills through classroom activities. In addition, students participate in the Library Reading Program. They engage with literary texts and learn to analyse and respond to texts studied in class. They will also learn to write a variety of text types.
Topics Studied:
Issues
Writer's Workshop
Text Study: Frnakenstein (Play) by Philip Pullman
Text Study: Robert Runs by Mariah Sweetman
Film Study: Billy Elliot by Stephen Daldry
Assessment Tasks:
• Text Response
• Writing Folio
• Creative Writing
• Oral Presentations
• Language Analysis
Duration: 8 hours per fortnight
Health and Physical Education focuses on students enhancing their own and others’ health, safety, wellbeing and physical activity participation in varied and changing contexts. Research in fields such as physiology, nutrition, biomechanics and psychology inform what we understand about healthy, safe and active choices. Health and Physical Education offers students an experiential curriculum that is contemporary, relevant, challenging, enjoyable and physically active.
Topics Studied:
Sports Across the Lifespan
Sports Education in Physical Education Program (SEPEP)
Inclusive Sports
Invasion Sports
Net/Wall Games
First Aid
Respectful Relationships
Illicit Drugs
Domains of Health
Assessment Tasks:
Practicals
Folios
Presentations
Tests
Duration: 6 hours per fortnight
The Humanities course includes four main areas of study: Civics and Citizenship, Economics and Business, Geography and History in different contexts at each year level. The study of Humanities encourages and challenges students to gain the knowledge and skills necessary to question, understand and contribute to the world in which they live.
In History, key skills gained include document analysis, the use of historical sources as evidence, chronology, cause and effect, as well as change and continuity. In Geography, students develop skills relating to data collection and analysis, interpretation of maps, graphs and visuals, and the application of geographic concepts.
Topics Studied:
History: Europe and the Mediterranean World; The Asia-Pacific (600-1750 CE)
Geography: Geomorphology; Changing Nations
Economics and Business: Entrepreneurship
Civics and Citizenship: Contemporary Political, Legal and Civic Issues
Assessment Tasks:
Research Projects
Work Folios
Skills and Knowledge Test
Annotated Visual Displays
Fieldwork
Document Analysis
Duration: 6 hours per fortnight
Students study measurement, ratios, integers and indices, fractions and decimals, percentages and statistics. Students continue to develop mathematical communication skills. Students make greater use of computer software to learn more about graphs and to assist with calculations and data presentation in their investigations of real situations. Students tackle more abstract problems and consciously build the range and sophistication of their problem-solving strategies.
Topics Studied:
Integers and Indices
Fractions, Decimals and Percentages
Measurements
Ratios and Rates
Angles and Pythagoras
Statistics
Algebra
Equations and Inequalities
Linear Relations and Graphing
Probability
Convergence
Assessment Tasks:
End of Topic Tests
Projects
Duration: 8 hours per fortnight
Students examine cells, body systems, and how structure relates to function in multicellular organisms. Students explore the properties of materials and how they change through physical processes. They investigate elements, compounds and mixtures, and explore energy transfer and transformations, including forms such as heat, light, sound, kinetic, and potential energy, and how these are used in everyday devices. Students analyse data from controlled experiments and evaluate the impact of scientific developments on society.
Topics Studied:
Biology: Cells; Body Systems; Reproductions
Chemistry: Elements, Compounds and Mixtures; Physical and Chemical Changes
Physics: Energy
Assessment Tasks:
Formal Practical Reports
Project Work
Topic Tests
Duration: 8 hours per fortnight
Languages
Français:
Students further develop their understanding of French literature with a focus on the 19th and 20th centuries. They study Maupassant, Zola and Hugo. They also consider plays by Marivaux and Corneille, in addition to the role of media in modern society.
Histoire-Géographie:
Students continue to build on their foundational base from Year 7. In Geography they look at urbanisation, globalisation and the exploitation of rivers, seas and oceans. In History, they learn about France’s political upheaval throughout the 19th century, in addition to its colonial past. There is also a focus on the Dreyfus affair and laicité as a concept.
Topics Studied:
Le jeu de l'amour et du hasard by Molière
Au Bonheur des Dames by Émile Zola
Claude Gueux by Victor Hugo
Le Cid by Corneille
Media
Poetry
Assessment Tasks:
CNED Devoirs
Orals
Writing Tasks
Workbook
Duration: 6 hours per fortnight (French), 2 hours per fortnight (History-Geography)
Students build on knowledge gained with a key focus on the world around them. They study topics relating to the home, their town/city and fashion. These enable them to participate in discussions that extend beyond the self. Units of work on Les Misérables and French film La Première Étoile ensures students are exposed to works of significant cultural importance. An additional Immersion unit of work on describing and creating self-portraits is included.
Topics Studied:
Describing Myself
Social Media
Where I live
Around Town
Text Study: Les misérable (comic book) by Victor Hugo
Fashion
Self-Portrait
Assessment Tasks:
Oral Presentation
Reading and Listening Comprehension Tests
Writing Tasks
Duration: 6 hours per fortnight
Students develop their foundational understanding of French through units of work focused on self-introduction, family and friends, and leisure activities. Students strengthen their cultural awareness of the French-speaking world through the completion of a research project on a chosen Francophone country. Text and film studies are undertaken to promote a greater sense of connection to French cultural phenomena.
Topics Studied:
Describing Myself
Social Media
Where I live
Around Town
Text Study: Les misérable (comic book) by Victor Hugo
Fashion
Assessment Tasks:
Oral Presentation
Reading and Listening Comprehension Tests
Writing Tasks
Duration: 6 hours per fortnight
The Japanese Immersion program recognises current research and best practice teaching in Language acquisition that immersion is not only the most effective method of language learning but also provides significant cognitive benefits also. Students have the additional benefit of studying Science in Japanese
Year 8 Level:
Students continue to develop their understanding of the Japanese scripts, with an emphasis on katakana and kanji. Units of work include daily routines, school life and hobbies.
Year 9 Level:
Students continue to develop their skills in reading and writing hiragana, katakana and kanji. Units of work include growing up, food and shopping.
Both levels develop their cultural understanding of Japan and the Japanese-speaking community. The language of instruction is generally Japanese. This applies to both Japanese and Science classes.
Topics Studied:
Daily Routines
School Life
School Holidays
Hobbies
Characters (Appearance and Personality)
Festivals and Celebrations
Assessment Tasks:
Orals
Unit Tests
Role Plays
Workbook
Duration: 6 hours per fortnight
Students continue to develop their understanding of the Japanese scripts, with an emphasis on katakana and kanji. Units of work include daily routines, school life and hobbies. Students improve their capacity to read and write script, as well as their ability to interpret spoken information.
Topics Studied:
Daily Routines
School Life
School Holidays
Hobbies
Characters (Appearance and Personality)
Festivals and Celebrations
Assessment Tasks:
Orals
Unit Tests
Role Plays
Workbook
Duration: 6 hours per fortnight
Arts
Students study the roots of contemporary music practice from African music through to the Blues. Students compose collectively and individually using traditional instruments and technologies. They learn the basics of score writing in both traditional and contemporary practices. Aural skills are an essential part of the music program with students learning how to listen deeply and analytically. Students learn the basics of transcribing music and cultivate the ability to respond to music using appropriate musical terminology.
The formal and non-formal teaching practices embedded in the program prepare students for the music industry as they progress through secondary schooling.
Topics Studied:
Traditional Instruments
Aural Skills
Music Transcription
Musical Terminology
Assessment Tasks:
Instrument Studies and Performance
Composition
Rhythmic Composition and Performance
Duration: 4 hours per fortnight
Technologies
This is a theoretical and practical unit of study that focuses on the technology process using food as a material. Students will familiarise themselves with the Design Process through design briefs, investigations and design options so that they continue to learn about food and its relevance in today’s society. Students will become aware of how packaging, advertising and marketing influence the foods we select.
Topics Studied:
The Design Process in Food Technology
Health and Nutrition
The Influence of Packaging, Advertising and Marketing
Practical skills
Assessment Tasks:
Eat Well, Live Well Booklet
Healthy Breakfast
Practical Test
Duration: 4 hours per fortnight