In Year 9 students will read and view imaginative, informative and persuasive texts that explore ideas and information related to challenging topics, themes and issues. Students will produce, in print and digital forms, texts for a variety of purposes, including speculating, hypothesising and reflecting. Students will also express creative and analytical responses to texts, themes and issues. They will develop skills in the key modes of English; reading, writing, speaking and listening.

ASSESSMENT TASKS

• An analytical interpretation of a selected text in written form

• A creative response to a selected text in written form with a written explanation of decisions made in the writing process and how these demonstrate understanding of the text

• Oral presentation and debates

• Analysis of argument and persuasive language tasks

NOTE: EAL is only for students that have been in Australia for less than seven years. If you have any questions please contact Timotei Schubert.

Students read a variety of texts and write in a variety of styles for different audiences, study issues and develop responses, and participate in a range of oral activities based on the set texts and issues. The emphasis is on strengthening skills in speaking, listening, reading and writing. As students range from beginners onwards, their level of development varies and hence the assessment tasks they complete may also vary.

ASSESSMENT TASKS

• Writing Folio

• Issues Response

• Text Analysis

• Oral Presentations

Students continue to build their maths skills and knowledge, learning at their point of need with the guidance of their teachers and the Maths Pathway learning platform. By the beginning of year 9, students should have consolidated their earlier knowledge and have commenced working towards their senior maths goals.

Students engage in mini lessons and work both individually and in small groups to develop their maths content knowledge. Whole class Rich Tasks enable students to explore a range of mathematical ideas, including the skills needed to build and break conjectures, an important critical thinking skill. Larger projects run each semester and allow students to explore an area of mathematics more deeply.

ASSESSMENT TASKS

• Rich Tasks

• Skill Exercises – modules

• Learning Cycle Tests

• Problem Solving Assignments and Projects

Students will start year 9 Humanities with a Geography unit, focusing on Biomes, Food Production and Global Food Security. They will then explore the Industrial Revolution, and examine how new ideas and technological developments contributed to societal change in this period. Students will also investigate the colonisation of Australia, including perspectives of convicts and the impact on Australia's First Peoples. World War 1 will be the final key area of study, where students will learn about the global importance of the war and Australia’s involvement in the conflict.

ASSESSMENT TASKS

• Research Essay

• Oral presentation

• Source Analysis Task

• Test

Throughout Year 9 Science students further their understanding of the atom as the ‘building blocks of the universe’. They will learn about atomic structure and how atomic instability results in the release of radiation.

Students will explore local and national marine, aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems and develop their understanding of ecosystems as communities of interdependent organisms and abiotic components of the environment. They will learn about the impact human activities are having upon the environment and what this means for individual organisms. For example, they will explore the link between burning fossil fuels, ocean acidification and loss of coral on Australia’s shores. In doing so they will further their understanding of chemical reactions. Students will also investigate how matter and energy flow through these ecosystems.

Students will discover that scientific understanding, including models and theories relating to the environment and Earth’s geological processes are contestable and are refined over time through a process of review by the scientific community. They will also learn how the values and needs of contemporary society can influence the focus of scientific research.

Investigations building electric circuits will help students develop their understanding of circuit components, and current and voltage. They will investigate interactions of magnets and how magnets can be used in the generation of electricity and operation of motors.

ASSESSMENT TASKS

• Conducting Scientific Investigations

• Reporting on Scientific Investigations

• Communicating Scientific Knowledge

Students in Year 9 Physical Education will undertake a course of study designed to develop their proficiency in movement and manipulative skills via engagement in a wide range of organised sports and physical activities.

As students participate in the activities, they will learn to implement ways of improving their performance. A key element of performance analysis will be peer analysis, where constructive feedback is offered to other students and used to improve future performances.

Students will learn the key components of fitness and look to analyse their physical performances to identify potential strengths and weaknesses. Students will create a personalised fitness program designed to suit their needs and interests in which they will participate and reflect upon their experience and results. Students will investigate the energy and key body systems that impact performance outcomes, exploring acute and chronic changes from exercise.

ASSESSMENT TASKS

• Practical Application of Skills

• Individual Analysis of Fitness Testing

• Key Areas of Fitness - Designing a Fitness Program

• Energy & Body System Test

Students learn to use simple health data to identify the major causes of Australia’s illness, injury, and death. They investigate personal behaviours and community actions that may contribute to the health outcomes of specific groups. Students investigate the work of government departments and non-government bodies in promoting and protecting young people’s health, including laws, policies, and provision of health services.

Students engage in the department Respectful Relationships Program, which promotes and models respect, positive attitudes and behaviours. It teachers students how to build healthy relationships, resilience and confidence.

They explore a range of health-related issues that directly impact young Australians, including sexuality, alcohol, drugs and gambling. They learn strategies for supporting themselves and other young people experiencing difficulties in relationships or with their sexuality. They will identify positive coping strategies, stress management and learn about the community services available to assist.

ASSESSMENT TASKS

• Have your Say - Argumentative Essay

• What's the issue? - Issues in Society Presentation

• Respectful Relationships Workbook

The Year 9 S.E.E program has been developed using the Resilience, Rights, and Respectful Relationships curriculum created by Prof. Helen Cahill of the University of Melbourne. Encompassing our pillars of Unity, Respect, Creativity, and Endeavour, our Year 9 program builds from fostering positive relationships and growth mindsets in Year 7 and 8 to explicitly teaching the values of inclusion, social and emotional learning, and mentoring and leadership skills. The program is a 30-minute session each week taught by the student’s homegroup teacher who also teaches them two of their core subjects. As part of the program students also complete a Year 9 S.E.E project which is mentored by their homegroup teacher. This is done in conjunction with their Project subject where they will undertake community service, implement an initiative and reflect on their experiences.

ASSESSMENT TASKS

Reflection Folio

Japanese

Japanese at Year 9 has a dual focus, covering both the language and culture of Japan. The course covers a range of relevant and interesting learning experiences to build on students’ prior knowledge of Japanese, while developing skills in reading, writing, speaking, listening and viewing.

Topics covered include daily routines, housing in Australia and Japan, school life, and weather and seasonal activities. Students are exposed to a range of text types in order to communicate about their personal world, while enhancing their understanding of modern and traditional Japanese lifestyles.

ASSESSMENT TASKS

• "A Day in the Life" Written Schedule and Interview

• Email to Host Sibling

• School Life Audiovisual Presentation

• International Weather Report

• Unit Tests

Italian

Italian at Year 9 has a dual focus, covering both the language and culture of Italy. The course covers a range of relevant and interesting learning experiences to build on students’ prior knowledge of Italian, while developing skills in reading, writing, speaking, listening and viewing.

Topics covered include daily routines and health, school life and housing in Australia and Italy, making plans for the weekend and describing a past holiday. Students are exposed to a range of text types in order to communicate about their personal and social worlds.

ASSESSMENT TASKS

• Role play between two friends

• Letter to an Italian host family

• Blog entry about fashion

• Oral presentation

Literacy

Year 9 Literacy is an optional year-long elective subject, available to those students who would like continued Literacy support throughout their middle years at school. In this class, trained Literacy teachers provide explicit instruction on spelling, sentence structure, vocabulary, reading comprehension strategies and extended writing tasks. In addition, Literacy teachers collaborate with the Year 9 English team to provide students with individualised support to make their way through the English curriculum at this level. Students will be given additional time and learning resources to ensure that they are able to meet the increasing demands of English in the middle years.

ASSESSMENT TASKS

Individual Learning Goals

All students must complete one unit of Community Inquiry. Visit the Year 9 Community Inquiry Project to make your selection

All students will undertake Urban and Rural intensives throughout Year 9. The Urban Intensives include the Eat Well and FHS Bike Hub programs; the Rural Intensive is a Survival Camp. Visit the Urban and Rural Intensives page for further information.

All students must complete at least one Arts Unit in Year 9. Visit the Arts page to make your selection

All students must complete at least one Technology Unit in Year 9. Visit the Technology page to make your selection

In addition to the Arts, and Technology Pathway Extensions outlined above, all students must select two additional Pathway Extensions of study in Year 9. Visit the Year 9 Individual Pathways Extensions page to make your selection.