Religious Education  

The Year 9 Religious Education curriculum is developed from To Know, Worship and Love, a Religious Education Curriculum for Catholic School in the Archdiocese of Melbourne. The curriculum is designed so that students can explore, understand and come to know the essential elements of the Christian tradition. Deep understanding and knowing often comes through experience so while students learn about prayer, reflection, sacramental and liturgical life opportunities to experience these are given to students. The positive commitment and respectful attitude to the Religious Education program of the College is a central part of the enrolment pledge agreed to by both student and parent. A social justice placement is part of the Year 9 RE program.

Areas of Study  

Scripture study, prayer and liturgy participation are incorporated into each unit of study.

Unit 1	Who and/or what leads to an understanding of a ‘Good Life’ Explores qualities and actions of individuals through case studies Examines what Christian faith teaches about living a blessed life
Unit 2	What prevents a ‘Good Life’ Explores the complexities of good verses evil Examines the nature of suffering Faith as a way to combat temptation
Unit 3	Enriching the ‘Good Life’ Reflections on life events Develop an intimate knowledge of Jesus / to know Jesus intimately Our gifts; how to enrich the life of others Trust in God and our beliefs

Assessment  

• Extended response / essay responses
• Class activities
• Recorded research activities using iPads

Community Connections  

There are 3 key themes in the teaching of Catholic Social Justice:

• Human Dignity
• Solidarity
• Common Good

For one whole term our students engage in Religious Education out in the community.

Spending time with and contributing to communities of people with disability, communities of the elderly, and communities of people who are socially disconnected, our students experience and learn – in living, practical terms – what these 3 ideas actually mean.

Assessment  

• How to Lead a Good Life
• Community Connections
• Semester examination

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English

At Year 9, English focuses on critical thinking, informed decision making, public speaking and creative writing. Students study and analyse texts which raise topical issues. Skills in written analysis, and critical thinking and writing are developed. Students learn to tackle controversial topics through thorough research and discussion, guiding them towards presenting their own clear opinions. Using a broad range of examples and models, students develop their creative writing skills. They work on vocabulary enrichment, complex sentence structuring and the drafting and editing of their written pieces. Students are given a variety of opportunities to present their ideas in oral form, both in person and using multimodal form.

Reading and viewing  

Students analyse the ways that text structures can be manipulated for effect. They analyse and explain how images, vocabulary choices and language features distinguish the work of individual authors. They evaluate and integrate ideas and information from texts to form their own interpretations. They select evidence from the text to analyse and explain how language choices and conventions are used to influence an audience.

Writing 

Students understand how to use a variety of language features to create different levels of meaning. They understand how interpretations can vary by comparing their responses to texts to the responses of others. In creating texts, students demonstrate how manipulating language features and images can create innovative texts. They create texts that respond to issues and interpret and integrate ideas from other texts. They edit for effect, selecting vocabulary and grammar that contribute to the precision and persuasiveness of texts and also apply the conventions of correct spelling and punctuation.

Speaking and listening  

Students listen for ways texts position an audience. They understand how to use a variety of language features to create different levels of meaning in their own spoken texts. In creating oral texts, students demonstrate an understanding of audience and register. They adapt their content to suit the audience and purpose of their oral texts. They are encouraged to contribute actively to class and group discussions, comparing and evaluating responses to ideas and issues.

Assessment

• Writing Folio
• Text Responses
• Oral Presentation
• Semester Exam

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Year 9 Humanities

Subject description

The Geography course at Year 9 includes two main areas of study: ‘Biomes and Food Security’ and ‘Geographies of Interconnections’. Students will investigate the interaction of human activities with the natural environment through a study of various ecosystems (biomes), sustainability, technology and industry. Students will also explore a range of topics including: poverty, links between food, hunger and technology and the social and economic consequences of development in creating rapidly growing cities, mega cities, informal settlements and rural depopulation. They will develop skills to evaluate the factors contributing to the development of these issues, identify strategies to address them and explore ways of managing them. Students undertake a field investigation in the local area to gather, collate, analyse and evaluate data relating to natural and developed environments.

The History course at Year 9 covers three main areas of study: The Industrial Revolution and how new ideas and technological developments contributed to change, the early history of Australia (1750-1918) including the effects of contact (intended and unintended) between European settlers in Australia and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, the living and working conditions in Australia around the turn of the twentieth century and key events and ideas in the development of Australian self-government and democracy. Students will also investigate key aspects of World War I (1914-1918) and the Australian experience of the war.

Areas of Study

Geography: Biomes and Food Security

Geography: Geographies of Interconnection

History: The Industrial Revolution

History: Australia and Asia

History: Australia at War – World War I

Assessments

Biome Investigation Report

Global Food Security Analysis

Interconnections Fieldtrip Assignment

Argumentative essay on the Industrial Revolution

Source analysis on Australian Settlement

World War I Research Assignment

Semester Examinations

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Mathematics

In Year 9 Mathematics, the skills and knowledge acquired in many of the topics studied in Years 7 and 8 Mathematics are consolidated and extended. Some new areas of Mathematics are also explored. Problem-solving is encouraged in every topic.

While most students will complete Year 9 Standard Mathematics, there are two alternative pathways in Year 9 Mathematics: Modified Mathematics and Extension Mathematics.

Year 9 Modified Mathematics is a smaller class designed for students who find mathematics to be very challenging. In this class, the students benefit from receiving more of the teacher’s time and a curriculum and pace of learning which better suits them. Entry into this class is by invitation only.

Year 9 Extension Mathematics provides a more rigorous program than Year 9 Standard Maths. Students in this class will experience a more challenging curriculum. The standard Year 9 curriculum is completed and extension activities will be offered and assessed as well. These activities include collaborative tasks and participation in competitions.

Areas of Study

• Pythagoras’ Theorem
• Algebra
• Indices
• Financial Mathematics
• Measurement
• Linear Relationships
• Linear Graphs
• Probability
• Trigonometry

Assessment

• Topic tests
• Application tasks
• Semester examination

 

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Science

In Year 9, students analyse how models and theories have developed over time and discuss the factors that prompted their review. They predict how future applications of science and technology may affect people’s lives. They analyse how biological systems function and respond to external changes with reference to the interdependencies between individual components, energy transfers and flows of matter. They explain how similarities in the chemical behaviour of elements and their compounds and their atomic structures are represented in the way the periodic table has been constructed. They compare the properties of a range of elements representative of the major groups and periods in the periodic table. They use the concepts of voltage and current to explain the operation of electric circuits and use a field model to explain interactions between magnets.

Students describe social and technological factors that have influenced scientific developments and predict how future applications of science and technology may affect people’s lives.  Students develop questions and hypotheses that can be investigated using a range of inquiry skills. They independently design and improve appropriate methods of investigation including the control and accurate measurement of variables and systematic collection of data. They explain how they have considered reliability, precision, safety, fairness and ethics in their methods and identify where digital technologies can be used to enhance the quality of data. They analyse trends in data, explain relationships between variables and identify sources of uncertainty. When selecting evidence and developing and justifying conclusions, they account for inconsistencies in results and identify alternative explanations for findings. Students evaluate the validity and reliability of claims made in secondary sources with reference to currently held scientific views, the quality of the methodology and the evidence cited. They construct evidence-based arguments and use appropriate scientific language, representations and balanced chemical equations when communicating their findings and ideas for specific purposes.

Strands 

• Science Understanding
• Science Inquiry Skills

Areas of Study

Semester 1	Semester 2
Magnets Cells and Microbes Ecosystems	Electricity Body Balance Acids and Bases Atomic Structure and Chemical Reactions

Assessment  

• Practical Reports
• Test
• Research Assignments
• Semester Examination