pms middle years curriculum handbook 2013
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Curriculum HandbookMiddle Years
2013 EDITION
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Perth Modern School Curriculum Handbook Middle Years 2013ii
Students and parents are advised to reer to the most recent handbooks or websites rom TAFE
Institutes o Training, TISC, the Universities and the School Curriculum and Standards Authority, prior
to making subject selections and career plans.
PLEASE KEEP THIS HANDBOOK AS A REFERENCE FOR YEARS 8 AND 9.
PUBLICATION DATE: August 2012
PUBLISHED BY: Perth Modern School
Roberts Road
SUBIACO 6008
9380 0555
www.perthmodern.wa.edu.au
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contents
Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
English. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Mathematics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Science . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Social Science . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Languages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Health and Physical Education. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
The ArtsMusic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Arts and Technology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
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Introduction
SAVOIR CEST POUVOIR (KNOWLEDGE IS POWER)
The school motto acknowledges the value o knowledge within our society. Perth Modern School
continues to value its traditions while preparing students to meet the challenges o the uture. The
Middle Years program strives to empower its students by ostering a love o learning.
As Western Australias only selective school or academically
talented students, Perth Modern School aims to deliver a
program to meet the needs o students who have been
identifed as having the potential to achieve high levels o
academic excellence. Students come rom a wide range o
backgrounds. Some already have well-developed talents
whilst others need urther opportunities to develop their
gits into talent. Our Middle Years program aims to provide
a wide range o opportunities to enable students to reach
their ull academic potential.
Perth Modern School has established a learning
environment that is unique and advantageous to gited
learners. Students have the opportunity to learn and
develop with like-minded individuals. As a result, teachers
are able to eectively modiy the curriculum specifc to the
needs o their students. Teachers aim to design instructionalactivities that oster growth o thinking skills at high,
complex and abstract levels.
The Curriculum Framework is the basis o all curriculum
in Western Australian schools and is organised within a
ramework provided by the ollowing eight Learning Areas:
English
Mathematics
Science
Social Science
Languages (other than English) Health and Physical Education
The Arts
Technology and Enterprise.
Each Learning Area provides students with the opportunity
to develop the skills, knowledge and ethos necessary or
academic success. The content o each subject is designed
so that students may achieve outcomes consistent with their
ability and eort. The curriculum is dierentiated on the
basis o acceleration, enrichment and extension to engage
and challenge our students. The Middle Years content
is compacted to allow enrichment dierentiation to be
ocused on the degree o di culty o the material and on
the curriculum being studied at greater depth.
The acceleration and dierentiation is ocussed on the
aster pace o classroom instruction and on the earlier
introduction o advanced subject matter into the classroom.
Teachers aim to make learning enjoyable, stimulating and
relevant. Students are provided with a sound platorm o
understandings within a range o disciplines that will enable
them to excel in Senior School.
The use o Inormation Technology is a key eature in
the provision o the educational program. Students are
encouraged to explore ways in which the technology can
assist them in their learning.
OUR VALUES
The ollowing values guide the development and delivery o
our curriculum:
A commitment to the pursuit o knowledge and theachievement o potential, resulting in a disposition
towards striving to understand the world and how one
can best make a contribution to it.
A commitment to the pursuit o excellence in all felds o
experience and endeavour.
Sel-acceptance and respect o sel, resulting in attitudes
and actions which develop each persons unique
potentialphysical, emotional, aesthetic, spiritual,
intellectual, moral and social.
Respect and concern or others and their rights, resulting
in sensitivity to and concern or the wellbeing o others,
respect or others and a search or constructive ways o
managing conict.
Social and civic responsibility, resulting in a commitment
to exploring and promoting the common good; meeting
individual needs in ways which do not inringe the rights
o others; participating in democratic processes; social
justice and cultural diversity.
Environmental responsibility, resulting in a respect and
concern or the natural and cultural environments and a
commitment to regenerative and sustainable resource
use.
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ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
Each student is encouraged to achieve their personal best
and to develop a sense o pride in themselves, the school,
their environment and their society. As well as enhanced in-
class learning opportunities, students have the opportunity
to pursue areas o individual interest and to develop a high
level o competency by participating in a range o activities
provided by the school and by external providers such as
tertiary institutions and proessional associations.
STUDENT PROGRESS
Parents receive a Formal Report twice each year. The report
indicates the grade achieved in each subject. Each students
progress is monitored closely and parents are contacted
regularly by teachers and the Student Services team so that
they may be aware o the progress being made. I individual
students encounter di culties with their learning, parents
are contacted beore the ormal reporting period. Parents
are welcome to contact the school at any time i they are
concerned about their childs progress.
STUDENT SUPPORT
Even though our students have outstanding academic
ability, they experience the same pressures all teenagers
ace when growing up in a complex society. These pressures
oten impact upon academic perormance.
The school has in place well established procedures or
providing our students with the support they need when
they encounter personal or academic di culties at school.
CHOICE WITHIN THE CURRICULUM
In Year 8, most subjects are compulsory. Students may
choose the language they would preer to study. They mayalso indicate which music program they would preer.
In Year 9, students continue to study English, Mathematics,
Science, Social Science, a language and Music (i applicable)
but have a wide range o electives rom which to choose.
CAREER PLANNING
In Year 9, students begin investigating career options as part
o planning or the direction their uture education will take.
They will be assisted by a teacher in planning and mapping
individual pathways.
ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT
Perth Modern School recognises that although all o its
students have exceptional ability, there will be some whose
achievement in, and passion or, a particular subject requires
a program that enriches them even urther.
Students have access to Academic Enrichment in English,
Mathematics, Science and Social Science class groups. To
be placed in an Academic Enrichment group, students
must demonstrate outstanding achievement and a well-
developed work ethic. Placement is decided by the head
o each learning area in consultation with subject teachers.
Students remain in an Academic Enrichment group while
they continue to meet the placement criteria.
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English learning area
In the English Learning Area students learn about the English language: how it works and how to
use it efectively. They develop an understanding o the ways in which language operates as a social
process and how to use language in a variety o orms and situations. They learn to speak, listen, view,
read and write efectively.
YEAR 9
Year 9 students study our separate units, each o which will
urther their knowledge, understandings and skills in both
critical and unctional literacy. In particular, students will
improve and refne their handling o essay writing. Teacherswill choose our o the ollowing units or their classes:
Language and Technology
This unit explores the representation o technology in
flm, literature and the print media. Students will ocus on
investigating how our relationships with, and attitudes
toward, technologies have changed over time and how
these changes are reected in texts.
Perception, Power and Intertextuality
In this unit, students study the literary and scientifc
inuences on Philip Pullmans trilogy His Dark Materials.
Signifcant inuences include John Miltons Paradise Lost,
William Blakes Songs of Innocence and Experience and
contemporary science. Ideas about cultural archetypes and
myths are examined.
The Language o Shakespeare
Students will study one or more works by William
Shakespeare and explore language, stagecrat and poetry.
Tasks will ocus on reading comprehension, essay writing,
oral perormance and creative writing. They will explore
links between the works o Shakespeare and contemporary
events and texts.
A Sense o Place
In this unit students will examine how writers and
flm producers create a sense o social, cultural and
geographical place. Students also consider place in an
emotional sense, examining the impact o the physical
and social environment on the individual; the ormation o
relationships, coming o age, identity and belonging
Students studying English can expect to enjoy themselves
while being oered every opportunity to shine in both the
traditional elements o English, such as the conventions o
standard Australian English, as well as in the progressive area
o critical literacythe ability to see how dierent texts can
both shape and reect our identity, values and belies. Their
progress will be assessed in a variety o ways and students
will be encouraged to extend themselves and express
their creativity, while developing a strong grounding in the
essential conventions o language and literacy.
A challenging reading program is central to the course and
will introduce students to a range o texts rom the rich
tradition o English Literature. To promote eective public
speaking, the school participates in inter-school debating.
Creative writing is promoted through workshops conducted
by visiting authors and by participation in a range o writingcompetitions.
YEAR 8
An interesting and highly engaging variety o learning tasks
and activities will give students opportunities to develop the
skills they need to communicate in the 21st Century.
The activities are designed to promote unctional literacy as
well as allow students the opportunity or personal growth
through an enriched experience o language. In Term One,
students explore dierent ways and patterns o thinking
beore presenting a representation o their own mind. Inaddition, students study the use o allegory and metaphor
in literature and flm. Later, students explore dierent kinds
o imaginative journeys represented in a variety o texts,
including eature flm. In Term Three, ater studying poetry
and mastering the complexities o meter, rhythm and rhyme,
students create their own literary masterpieces. In Term
Four they study journalism, in the end producing serious
personal interest eature articles that would sit comortably
in prestigious journals, supplements and magazines.
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English learning area
Portrait o the Artist
Through wide reading o canonical and contemporary
literature, art and flm students come to construct their own
sel portrait. Students will explore texts that are reective
o their own art, or example Ted Hughes The Thought Fox,
Seamus Heaneys Personal Helicon, Stand by Me and The Book
of Everything. Students will be grouped into book clubs and
will be given a reading list o titles organised around themes,
such as Representations o Childhood, The Nave Narrator,
The Holocaust, Detective, and Romance.
Literature o the Ancients
In this unit, students study literature rom ancient Greece,
such as The Iliad, The Odysseyand plays by Sophocles
and Euripides. Students also study modern adaptations
o ancient Greek works and the inuence o these works
on modern texts such as the flms Oh Brother Where Art
Thou?2001: A Space Odysseyand Troy. Students will develop
their essay writing skills, produce creative responses, and
participate in a major oral presentation.
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Mathematics learning area
In Mathematics, students are encouraged to become critical thinkers who have a wide range o
mathematical tools at their disposal or use in investigations, applications and analysis. Students
engage in a curriculum that is motivating and intellectually rigorous. Our curriculum enables exibility
so that all students are given the opportunity to achieve to their potential. The extension and
enrichment opportunities that we provide enable students to move along a pathway at a pace that
suits them.
Mathematics provides a ramework or logical thinking and
deductive reasoning, as well as being a means o symbolic
communication that is powerul, concise, logical and
unambiguous. It is a means by which people can manage
and understand their environment. Through study in this
area students will develop the essential mathematical skills
o abstraction, proo, investigation, modelling and problem
solving.
The Mathematics Learning Area is organised within six
outcomes:
Working Mathematically is concerned with mathematical
thinking processes, problem solving, and the appreciation
that learning involves fnding out, rather than waiting to be
told or shown.Chance and Data assists students to collect, organise and
analyse inormation (data), and develop their thinking about
situations which are unpredictable but have long-term
patterns.
Working with Numbers helps students to develop
confdence to deal with computational situations they meet
dailya balance is needed between mental, written and
calculator skills.
Algebra develops e cient and powerul ways o
representing relationshipsskills that are also used in thestudy o other sciences.
Space involves learning about shape and structure,
transormation and movement, location and arrangement
and solving problems based on these properties.
Measurement allows students to develop concepts and
skills related to length, area, volume, mass, angle and time,
and also situations where quantities are measured indirectly
by the use o ormulas.
In all outcomes, communication skills are important
processes and conclusions must be presented (in writing or
otherwise) so that they can be understood by others.
Assessment
Students progress through the Mathematics outcomes
by achieving outcomes at the various levels, in which
an outcome is achieved at a level when it has been
demonstrated consistently in a variety o contexts. All
student work can be used to show this progress.
The range o student achievement, evident when students
leave primary school, can be expected to continue and
increase through lower secondary school.
Examples o assessment include:
ormal testswritten, mental or oral;
inormal tests and quizzes;
projects, investigations, problem-solving;
class activities and exercises;
homework, fle work;
group and individual work;
communication and technology skills.
Technology
Calculators are essential or everyday use within the
Mathematics classroom and at home. It is assumed that
each student has access to a suitable calculator at all times.
For Years 8 and 9 a scientifc calculator is suitable. However,
students will require a CASIO Classpad 330 in Year 10.
Class Placement
Mathematics, more than most subjects, is sequential in
nature. Thorough understanding o one level is necessary
beore success can be expected at the next level.
Students who attempt to move too quickly, beore having
consolidated their understanding o key concepts, will
actually hinder, rather than accelerate their own progress.
Students are allocated to a Mathematics class taking
into consideration inormation gained rom a range o
assessment items, as indicated above. Students are placed
in a class which best suits the level o mathematical skill
they have demonstrated. During the course o the year, all
outcomes are addressed at an appropriate level.
A textbook will need to be purchased or Years 8 and 9.
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Science learning area
Science helps us to better understand the world we live in. In Science, the why? question is very
important. Scientists recognise a problem, collect inormation related to the problem and then come
up with testable hypotheses, which can be investigated. From these investigations, conclusions are
drawn, in which the hypotheses are either rejected or accepted.
During Years 8 and 9 students investigate dierent aspects
o the physical and natural world. Students will be given the
opportunity to explore how scientists apply the scientifc
method in their research o the natural and physical laws
that govern the universe and specifcally the world in which
we live.
The key emphasis in Years 8 and 9 is to encourage and
engage students in the love o learning. This is conducted
through a variety o strategies aimed at encouraging
students to think about their thinking. For each topic
pre-tests, ormal or inormal, are given to allow students to
demonstrate their pre-existing knowledge. Many o these
tasks are open-ended to allow the students the reedom to
express their preerred learning style within the context o
the question asked.
Most, i not all, o the scientists who have seen signifcantbreakthrough in research have needed to apply many o
the 16 Habits o Mind identifed in Proessor Art Costas
work. In Years 8 and 9, although most o the Habits will be
accessed, there is a ocus on our: Thinking about Thinking,
Questioning and Posing Problems, Managing Impulsivity
and Striving or Accuracy.
Each student has the opportunity to enrich their science
learning by undertaking individual projects, by taking
part in group projects such as the Solar Car Challenge or
by participating in activities and competitions organised
by tertiary institutions and proessional associations. Thelearning links already established with the University o
Western Australia and the Institute o Child Health Research
provide urther opportunities or scientifcally talented
students.
Also, there are two enhancement programs running in
Science. Firstly, Thinking Science lessons are delivered
at regular intervals throughout Years 8 and 9. Students are
given problems to solve within the investigating science
context. Secondly, theJASON Project, an ecological series
o interactive web-based lessons run by National Geographic.
Delivered in Year 8, the aim is raising awareness o ecological
issues within the context o curriculum outcomes.
YEAR 8
What does a Scientist do? Working Scientifcally
Our Science hero is: Aristarchus (310230 BC). He
demonstrated the Habits o Mind o Thinking Flexibly
and Creating, Imagining and Innovating. An astronomer,
he was the frst to suggest that the earth rotated on its
axis and went around the sun once a year. He used careul
measurements to support his hypothesis. Aristotle (384 BC
322 BC) reuted his claims and was more accepted in his
time, even though he used no scientifc methodology.
The scientifc method is a method o discovering knowledge
about the natural world based on making alsifable
predictions (hypotheses), testing them empirically, and
developing peer-reviewed theories that best explain the
known data. Students will be encouraged to research one
o the Nobel Laureates in Biology, Chemistry, Physics or
Medicine rom the last ten years. They will be asked to
consider such questions as: What did they research? How
did they employ the scientifc method? Can students apply
what they learn rom these scientists to the experiments
they conduct?
Students are introduced to laboratory procedures ater
which the course ocuses on the scientifc method,
which incorporates planning and conducting scientifc
investigations, processing data and evaluating the
investigation.
Out with a Bang: Natural and Processed Materials
Can we blow things up? This is one o the most common
expressions Science teachers hear. Students love chemical
reactions. In this course students will explore the dierent
properties that dierent materials have and uses that relate
to their properties. Do the properties o materials change
i their state o matter changes? How do we know which
elements will bond together and which chemicals will react?
This course deals with separation techniques, chemical and
physical changes, elements, compounds, mixtures, simplechemical ormulae and equations.
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Science learning area
May the Force be with you: Energy and Change
What is the tallest building in the world? Burj Khalia in
Dubai is the tallest, (at the time o writing) although taller
buildings are under construction. To build a strong tower
requires an understanding o dierent types o orces. At
the end o this course there will be a competition to build
the tallest and yet strongest tower using straws. To do this,
students will require an understanding o the concepts
o orce, work and energy and their inter-relationships.
In addition, students will study the principles o simple
machines, energy transer and sources o energy.
The extended project will involve designing an energy
e cient house. What considerations would be necessary?
Research can be presented as a PowerPoint, a Podcast, a
report, or a model.
Am I Alive or not? Lie and Living
What determines whether something is living or not? What
is the dierence between non-living and dead?
Students need to identiy fve dierent organisms rom the
fve kingdoms. They will consider such questions as: What
determines them as living? What eatures do they have thatdetermines the kingdom they belong to? What similarities
do all the organisms demonstrate? Are they the same or
dierent at the cellular level o organisation? Students will
need to construct a simple key that will allow each o the
organisms they have chosen to research to be identifed.
The aim o this course is that students examine the basic lie
processes common to living things and the characteristics
used in the classifcation o the main groups. Also, students
should gain an appreciation that all living things are
interdependent and that changing any aspect o the
environment may aect other organisms and ultimately
change other eatures o the environment.
What on Earth is going on? Earth and Beyond
How did the Earth begin? Does the Big Bang Theory
or Steady State Theory really explain the origins o the
universe? These are big questions. On a smaller scale, but
more recently, Why have there been so many earthquakes
recently? Can we predict an earthquake? What causes
them? These are some o the questions that are explored
in this module. Students develop an understanding o the
Earth and the Universe as constantly changing as a result o
natural orces. The course ocuses on the Earth in terms o
its origin, its structure, and the ongoing changes aectedby volcanic activity, continental drit, aulting and olding,
erosion and weathering. Students will undertake extended
research on this topic: Evaluate the extent to which you
believe climate change is aecting the requency o weather
patterns, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions. The students
arguments need to balanced, well justifed and supported
with evidence.
The JASON Project: Ecology
In this course students are introduced to some ecological
issues acing the world today. As well as a designated
text, students are able to explore interactive, web-based
activities. This allows students to work through missions at
their own pace. The JASON Project connects students with
scientists and researchers in real- and near-real time, virtually
and physically, to provide mentored, authentic and enriching
science learning experiences.
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Science learning area
YEAR 9
I want to be a Plant Research
Scientist: Working Scientifcally
Building on the principles learnt last year, students
investigate how seeds grow. They are given a choice o
how to investigate dierent actors that aect seed growth.
Students will need to conduct the scientifc method and
research key elements that impact seed germination.
An important area o scientifc research is science
communication. Students need to present their work in the
orm o a science poster. This is to orm part o developing
an expert approach to presenting scientifc concepts.
Students will be required to answer questions on their
research as presented on their poster.
Im a very together person: Lie and Living
Are plants and animals similar or dierent? Students
research one system and outline the similarities and
dierences between this system in plants and animals. In this
course students explore the dierent systems o the body.
Why do multicellular organisms require systems? Our ocus
is on the human body, but the research project conducted
by the students should indicate the importance o systems
to all multicellular organisms. Central to this course is an
appreciation o how these systems operate in a coordinated
way. This provides the platorm or the study o Human
Biology or Biological Science in Senior School.
Theres no need to Over-react! Natural
and Processed Materials
John George Haigh wanted to commit the perect crime.
He believed he could not be ound guilty o murder i there
were no bodies to be ound. So he disposed o his victims
using suluric acid. However, his last victim was discovered
because gall stones and part o a alse denture remained.
Perhaps he needed a better understanding o chemical
reactions. In this course students investigate dierent
types o chemical reactions, including acid-base reactions,
ormation o precipitates and properties o solvents. This
builds on the work carried out in Year 8, reviewing balancing
equations and atomic structure and bonding. Through this
work, students will gain an increased understanding o ions
and ree electrons.
Research question: How important are the properties
o water to living organisms? To answer this, students will
need to have an understanding o both the physical and
chemical properties o water and how water is used by living
organisms internally and externally.
That Magnetic Appeal: Electricity and Magnetism
What is electricity and how important has it become in
todays society? Are we as a society becoming too reliant
on electricity? What is the impact o new technologies on
our energy resources? How does a battery work and is this
now the technology that is preventing us developing more
sophisticated gadgets? These are some o the big questions
students will consider during this course. Having been
introduced to the chemical eects o charges, students now
consider the physical eects. They will investigate the build
up o charges through static electricity in everyday situations
and the movement o charges through electrical circuits.
The properties o magnetic materials are considered and the
interaction o magnetic orces in a variety o situations.
To Infnity and Beyond: Earth and Beyond
Where did we come rom?, Are we alone in the universe?,
Is there lie on other planets? These are some o the big
questions that many ask. To tackle these big questions
students need to appreciate the variety o objects in the
solar system. This includes the dierences between planets,
the phases o the moon and the dierent eclipses. Also,
theories about the ormation o the universe and the solar
system are discussed. Students develop an understanding
o the nature o our galaxy and the universe and consider
hypotheses about the uture o our solar system. Extended
research: What we know about astronomy has been
discovered bit by bit. Students choose a amous astronomer
rom the past and fnd out what he or she discovered.
As courses are constantly being reviewed and developed,
content is subject to change. It is important to the Science
department to remain up to date with current issues and we
may wish to explore these developments with the students
as they arise.
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The Social Science Learning Area program in Years 8 and 9 provides students with exposure to a range
o disciplines that are taught in Senior School, including Geography, History, Economics and Politics.
The subjects are oten taught in an interdisciplinary approach, with students looking at a given
topic rom a range o Social Science perspectives. The Social Science Learning Area ofers students
a range o extra curricula activities including debating, UN Youth, and an excursion to Canberra in
Year 9. Students are also encouraged to take part in a range o subject-specic competitions that have
yielded success or students at state and national levels in previous years.
YEAR 8
In the Social Science Learning Area, Year 8 students
learn to investigate, understand and communicate how
individuals and groups live together and interact with their
environment. Social Science helps students become critical
thinkers by encouraging them to develop understanding
through processes o social inquiry, environmental appraisal,
ethical analysis and the skills to constructively critique
various perspectives rom past and present contexts.
By the end o Year 8, students develop to varying degrees:
A sense o their social world and their place in it.
A respect or their own cultural heritage and that oothers.
A respect or the rights o others.
A commitment to the values o social justice, the
democratic process and ecological sustainability.
An understanding that they contribute to the quality o
lie on earth, now and in the uture.
While the Year 8 program introduces students to the
disciplines o Geography and History, many other elements
o Social Science are incorporated through both individual
tasks and enrichment activities. Study commences with aunit o Geography in which students are provided with an
overview o geographic principles and physical geography
beore investigating earths natural systems and analysing
the impact on social systems. The unit culminates with a
presentation evening or parents where groups o students
work to answer the question: How did the Earth make
us? Students will then study and compare lie in Medieval
Europe and Feudal Japan, which incorporates aspects o
the Year 8 Australian Curriculum or History. The course will
culminate in an individual research task looking at a clash
o cultures rom history and examining the impact on thesocieties studied. Rigorous academic challenges are part
o the Year 8 Social Science learning experience, including
participation in the National Geographic Competition.
YEAR 9
Students develop their skills o investigation and
communication throughout Year 9. The ocus is on how
historical events can be explained and how current issues
relating to the organisation o our society and economy
can best be resolved. Students are encouraged to build on
existing knowledge, skills and values in a supportive learning
environment. Open-ended tasks designed to allow students
to easily demonstrate the ull extent o their learning are
used or assessment.
In Year 9, there are two semester-long units:
The frst unit starts with students learning about Australianinvolvement in World War One and the wars impact on
Australia. Students will learn about the dierent perspectives
o history and the evaluation o dierent causes when
explaining the reasons behind an event. Students will then
individually research another key event or idea that shaped
the modern world beore returning to look at the birth o
the Australian Federation. This topic is aligned with the Year
9 Australian Curriculum or History. This will then lead on to
students learning about the eatures o our Constitution and
democratic system, so that students have a solid grounding
in the key components and background to our political andlegal systems.
The second unit ocuses on our Market Economy and an
evaluation o its success.
The content involves Introductory Economicsthe
economic problem and circular ow models; understanding
the market economy and studying some negative
externalities, reecting on sustainability, global warming and
the use o ossil uels.
High level skills are developed through problem-solving
associated with these outcomes. Negotiation o curriculumis an accepted approach to student learning in the Social
Science Learning Area.
Social Science learning area
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Languages learning area
Students have the opportunity to enjoy learning one or more languages throughout their school
lie at Perth Modern School. In Year 8, students will continue their language learning rom primary
school or may commence a new language and ollow continuous study in this language to the end o
Year 10 or Year 12. As all language courses deliver diferentiated curriculum, students who have some
experience in a language are as well catered or as new learners.
In all o the Languages courses, communication is
paramount. Communication is acilitated through the
achievement o our outcomes. These outcomes are
based on the Languages Learning Area outcomes in the
Standards and Assessment which has signifcant links to the
orthcoming National Curriculum:
Listening and Responding
Spoken Interaction
Viewing Reading and Responding
Written Communication.
At Perth Modern students ollow the WACE courses rom
Year 8. These courses oer more depth and rigour than the K
to 10 Curriculum Framework and enable gited and talented
students to maximise their potential. Each Stage leads on to
the next, enabling students to clearly see the sequence o
language learning.
Typically students in Year 8 to 10 will complete WACE
Stage 1, Year 11 Stage 2 and Year 12 Stage 3. However, at
Perth Modern as students in languages are encouraged to
be sel motivated, independent learners aiming to reach
their potential at all times and strive or high academic
standards, gited and talented students are oten accelerated
and curriculum is compacted and/or enriched to reect their
learning ability.
Each WACE course is designed or students who do nothave a background in the languagethat is, students who
have learnt the majority o their language they know in an
Australian school or similar environment. A unit is completed
when all assessment requirements or that unit have been
met.
It is important to understand that, in the WACE or Stage
2 and 3 Courses in Chinese and Japanese, there are
eligibility criteria. Background speakers do not meet the
criteria and thereore cannot take these courses.
Students aiming or study/travel overseas or or an
international career should continue their language study
through to Year 12. For all students completing the WACE
stage 3, both the University o Western Australian and
Curtin University oer 10% bonus points to students scaled
score. This special consideration by some WA universities
can make a big dierence to a students fnal Australian
Tertiary Entrance Ranking, potentially making available many
previously unattainable university courses.
The Languages oered at Perth Modern include:
1. Chinese as a second language
2. French
3. Italian
4. Japanese as a second language.
Each language currently oers enrichment and extension
through a biennial trip to the country. Study in French also
oers the opportunity o a our-week exchange program to
one o its Francophone countries, La Runion.
Extension is oered through national and state competitions
as well as excursions to flm estivals and other rich cultural
events. Some competitions such as the Alliance Franaise
examinations oer overseas trips to Francophone countries
as prizes to the winners.
In all languages, native speakers are also employed to work
individually or in small groups with students to extend theirpronunciation, vocabulary and cultural understanding. In all
languages courses teachers have high expectations o their
students.
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Languages learning area
Learning contexts in Languages
Each unit is defned with a particular ocus, three prescribed
learning contexts and a set o prescribed topics through
which the specifc unit content can be taught and learnt.
The relative di culty o the content increases with each
stage. The pitch o the content or each stage is notional and
there will be overlap between stages.
The prescribed learning contexts are:
The Individual
The Language-speaking Communities
The Changing World.
Through The Individual, students explore aspects o their
personal world, aspirations, values, opinions, ideas, and
relationships with others. It also enables students to study
topics rom the perspectives o other people.
The Language-speaking Communities explores topics
rom the perspectives o individuals and groups within
those communities, or the communities as a whole, and
encourages students to develop an understanding o how
culture and identity are expressed through language.
The Changing World enables students to exploreinormation and communication technologies, the eects o
change and current issues in the global community.
Through communicating in languages, students develop
intercultural understandings which enhance their
knowledge, awareness and understanding o their own
culture and language as well as that o the language-
speaking world. Interpersonal relations and everyday living,
communication and language and belies, attitudes, values
and norms are all developed.
YEAR 8
Year 8: Chinese as a second Language, French,
Italian, Japanese as a second Language.
Students enter Perth Modern with a range o experience in
their knowledge o a oreign language. Students can choose
to continue the language that they have started at Primary
school or to start a new language.
Please note that the language courses are designed or
students who do not have a background in the language
that is, students who have learnt the majority o their
language they know in an Australian school or similar
environment.
I there is su cient demand students may study a urther
language in classes conducted ater school. This is o
particular value to students who wish to continue their
language rom primary school and start a new language
previously not available to them.
In Year 8 students have the opportunity to compete inthe Language Perect World Championshipsan online
vocabulary and phrase building competition. They will also
help organise the Language week activities. All languages
make extensive use o online resources enabling rich and
authentic experiences or students.
For detailed inormation on the content o each individual
language course, please consult our Moodle website:
under Year 8 and 9 Courses/Languages at: http://moodle.
perthmodernschool.wa.edu.au/.
YEAR 9
Year 9: Chinese as a second Language, French,
Italian, Japanese as a second Language.
Students continue their studies in the same language as
in Year 8. In this year the emphasis is on more complex
communication through reading, listening, speaking and
writing activities. All students have the opportunity to
compete in Australian Languages examinations. Some
language students will have a wonderul opportunity to
travel overseas in Year 9.
In Year 9 students have the opportunity to compete inthe Language Perect World Championshipsan online
vocabulary and phrase building competition. They will also
help organise the Language Week activities. All languages
make extensive use o online resources enabling rich and
authentic experiences or students.
For detailed inormation on the content o each individual
language course, please consult our Moodle website:
under Year 8 and 9 Courses/Languages at: http://moodle.
perthmodernschool.wa.edu.au/.
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Health & PhysicalEducation learning area
The aim o the Health and Physical Education Learning Area is to develop knowledge, attitudes and
skills that enable students to make decisions that lead to a healthier liestyle.
YEAR 9
In Year 9, students in Physical Education and Health
Education will develop their skills and knowledge in the
ollowing ocus areas:
Investigation o complementary medicine and how it
interacts with the mainstream.
Research o mental health issues with an emphasis on
stress management and strategies or general wellness; Issues relating to sexuality and relationships.
Working in small teams to conduct a Health Promotion
or primary age students with a drug education theme.
Decision-making, sel-esteem, goal-setting and assertive
communication skills are emphasised throughout the
Health program.
Developing skills and strategies in a range o sports
including badminton, hockey, soccer, volleyball, netball,
ftness, AFL and tennis.
Develop skills in a winter sport during Term Two rom theollowing choice; AFL, soccer, hockey, volleyball, netball
and basketball. Students will train in teams in preparation
or a Lightning Carnival interschool competition and
develop strategies and team play in a similar way to a
community team. Outstanding students will also be
given the opportunity to gain experience as a coach or
younger students in the sport o their choice.
Leadership, peer support and management as a
participant in the Sport Education model o competition.
In Health and Physical Education classes students will
have their level o development assessed in the ollowing
outcomes:
The perormance o movement skills and strategies
needed or successul participation in a variety o sports;
Health knowledge and understanding and how it applies
to the community;
The demonstration o sel management skills; The demonstration o interpersonal skills.
Not all outcomes will be assessed every semester.
YEAR 8
In Year 8, Physical Education and Health Education are
compulsory subjects. Students have the opportunity to:
Challenge themselves in the demonstration o
movement skills and strategies in a range o dierent
sports including sotball, cricket, hockey, badminton,
athletics, basketball, netball, soccer and gymnastics;
Choose the swimming unit during Term One;
Explore concepts o health as they relate to ftness,
puberty, disease, sel-esteem, nutrition, frst aid and use
o drugs;
Demonstrate high levels o motivation and sel
management skills through activities both in and
out o the classroom, including swimming, sports
management, interschool competition and presentation
o assignments;
Practise positive inter-personal skills in relationships
with both sta and peers through decision-makingopportunities provided in leadership, group
presentations to a variety o audiences, conict
management, communication and sportsmanship;
Choose a winter sport to compete in during Term Two
rom the ollowing: AFL, soccer, hockey, netball and
basketball. Students will train in teams in preparation
or a Lightning Carnival interschool competition and
develop strategies and team play in a similar way to a
community team.
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Health & Physical Education learning area
YEAR 9 ELECTIVE UNITS
The ollowing electives are oered or Year 9 students and
run or one semester each. These electives enable the
students to pursue their interests in physical activity beyond
the range o general Physical Education courses. Courses
are oered at Year 9 level in Physical Recreation, Specialised
Physical Education and Dance.
Costs or these electives must be paid beore a student takes
part in any activity.
Specifc Requirements:
Please note that all units and electives require regular
participation in vigorous activity. Students will need to
change into appropriate clothing.
Aquatic Recreation 9SAQR1&2
The elective involves activities out-o-school in a pool, river
or beach setting. It provides students with the opportunity
to learn skills chosen rom the ollowing recreational pursuits:
Sur Board Riding
Beach Fitness
Sailing Water Polo
Windsurfng.
Prerequisites:
A satisactory level o attendance and participation in Year 8
Physical Education and the ability to swim in deep water.
Physical Recreation 9SPR1&2
The elective involves activities out-o-school which are not
oered in the general Physical Education course. The unit
provides students with the opportunity to learn skills chosen
rom the ollowing recreational pursuits:
Archery
Ice-Skating and Roller Skating
Sel Deence
Cycling
Racquet Sports (Squash, Tennis, Badminton)
Gol
School Sports (Table Tennis, Indoor Soccer, Floor Hockey,
Gym Games).
Prerequisites:
A satisactory level o attendance and participation in Year 8
Physical Education.
Specialised Physical Education 9SPEF1&2
Students are provided with the opportunity to extend
their skills and knowledge in soccer, rugby, American and
Australian Rules ootball.
Prerequisites:
A satisactory level o attendance and participation in Year 8
Physical Education.
Jazz Dance and Perormance Skills 9SJD1&2
Jazz Dance provides students with some undamental skills
o movement with emphasis on body alignment, rhythm,
coordination and ftness. Students have the opportunity to
perorm various dances and will also develop choreographic
skills to create their own dance.An introduction to stagecrat is included in the unit which
allows students to explore make-up and costume design
relating to their choreography.
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The Arts learning areaMusic
Within the Music Learning Area, students engage in a range o communication processes in general
and specic areas o the Arts. Studies incorporate and extend the students understanding o
historical, social and cultural inuences o Music. It is expected that students will respond to Arts
experiences using processes o inquiry, creative thinking and experimentation.
All students enrolled in Extension Music or Class Music
must participate in instrumental and vocal lessons and
the relevant ensemble(s). Choir, Concert Band, Orchestra
or Guitar Ensembles rehearse either beore or ater school
or on Saturday morning. Attendance at rehearsals and
perormances is compulsory. Students are provided with a
schedule o rehearsals and perormances at the beginning
o each school year.
In both the Extension and Class Music programs, students:
continue the study o their instrument through weekly
lessons which may be organised through the school;
sing in a designated choir which rehearses on a weekly
basis;
participate in instrumental groups as required by the
Music Department;
continue solo instrumental perormances or their peersto develop the skill o music appreciation and critical
review o perormance.
Aural perception is developed through the reinorcement o
previously learned rhythmic, pitch and harmonic concepts.
Tonic sola is used extensively in all Musicianship courses.
All ensembles rehearse outside normal school hours.
Perth Modern School has a well-established reputation or
excellence in the delivery o music education programs. In
Year 8 and 9, students who have successully completed
the application and audition process may choose either
Extension Music or Class Music.
YEAR 8
Extension Music 8MUSE1&2
The Extension Music program is open to all Year 8 students,
and entry is through an application and audition process.
Students receive a thorough grounding in musical theory as
well as specialised instrumental instruction.
Students achieve the outcomes o this learning area through
the specifc study o musicianship (incorporating aural
perception and music theory), composition, perormance
and music literature that examines the history o music and
its place in society.
Class Music 8MUSC1&2
Enrolment in Class Music is open to all Year 8 students
and entry is through an application and audition process.
The Class Music program includes the specifc study o
Musicianship (incorporating aural perception and music
theory).
I students have received instrumental instruction through
the School o Instrumental Music, then they will continue toreceive instruction at Perth Modern School (in addition to
the class program). Students receiving private instrumental
instruction should continue to do so unless they are oered
a place at school that has become vacant.
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The Arts Learning AreaMusic
YEAR 9
Following the successul study o Music in Year 8, students
may choose either the Extension Music or Class Music
program in Year 9.
Extension Music 9MUSE1&2
Students achieve the outcomes o this subject through
the specifc study o musicianshipincorporating aural
perception, basic music knowledge and composition; and
music literature that examines the role o music in history
and its place in society.
Basic music knowledge rom the previous courses is revised
and extended. It is always linked with aural elements.
Music literature and appreciation skills are developed
through the study o various topics encompassing
music rom both the popular and classical idioms. Music
technology is utilised in many areas o the program.
Prerequisites:
Successul completion o Year 8 Extension Music program.
Students wishing to register or entry into the Year 9
Extension Music program who do not satisy the pre-
requisites should arrange an interview and audition with the
Head o Department, Music.
Students who successully complete Year 9 Extension Music
may choose to enrol in Year 10 Extension Music or the 2AB
Music Course o Study (see Senior School Handbook).
Class Music 9MUSC1&2
Basic music knowledge rom the previous courses is revised
and extended and is linked with aural elements.
Prerequisites:
Either:
1. Successul completion o the Year 8 Extension Music
course, or
2. Successul completion o the Year 8 Class Music course.
Students wishing to enrol in Class Music must be learning a
musical instrument (approved by the Music Department).
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Arts and Technologylearning area
The Arts and Technology learning area is a highly practical area in which students are encouraged to
express themselves and develop skills in decision-making and problem solving through a variety o
contexts. It also provides students with opportunities to apply their knowledge and skills in a creative
and practical way using a variety o resources.
All Arts and Technology subjects provide students with the
underlying skills base or urther study and development in
Senior School.
YEAR 8
Year 8 students can choose rom a variety o creative and
engaging subjects in which they are introduced to various
concepts and ideas in the fve contexts which make up this
learning area: Drama; Home EconomicsFood; Inormation
and Communication Technology; Design and Technology,
and Visual Art.
NOTE: Year 8 MUSIC students choose TWO electives
(1 per semester)
Year 8 NON-music students choose FOUR electives
(2 per semester).
Drama 8 8ADRA1&2
The Year 8 Drama courses have been designed to introduce
students to the origins o early western theatre such as Greek
Theatre and Melodrama. With confdence building activities
Drama students enjoy gaining an understanding o how
these techniques are applied and how they inuence todays
actors. Students are also encouraged to be experimental in
the Drama workshops by exploring a variety o perormance
spaces and scenarios.
Drama students will practise improvisations and stagecrat
skills to assist in creating their own group devisedperormances, relevant to the content, to present to class
audiences.
The course ocuses on students developing the ollowing
dramatic skills:
Warm-up activities
Vocal projection and sense
Movement and space
Chorus work and ritual
Developing a character
Stagecrat knowledge
Use o terminology.
Food or Fun 8 8TFF1&2
Home Economics is a creative, hands-on subject
encompassing many lie skills. Using a technology and
health ocus, students are encouraged to use their own
initiative to solve problems while working cooperatively withothers; using appropriate equipment; and managing time
eectively.
This is done in the context o ood preparation where
students will learn to saely prepare a variety o healthy
and nourishing oods suitable or breakast, lunch, dinner,
dessert and snacks. Students will plan and prepare a
morning or aternoon tea or invited parents and guests
and demonstrate the skills they have learnt. Students will
examine the relationship between their diet and their health.
They will take a critical look at what is actually in the oods
they eat; what is in the oods certain take-away ood chainswould like them to eat; and how to make wise ood choices.
Students will prepare antastic oods which are tasty and
nutritious, economical, accessible, easy and time-e cient to
make.
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Arts and Technology learning area
Digital Technologies 8TICT1/2
Digital Technologies provide the students with
opportunities to develop the practical skills and knowledge
to set up and operate the essential unctions o a computer.
Students will learn useul skills that enable them to
eectively use sotware applications including Flash,
GarageBand and Game Maker. Students will also learn
about PC hardware undamentals, saety aspects, networks
and hardware, eective communication skills, numerical
and problem solving skills and the dierent felds o digital
technologies.
The ocus o this course is to collect and analyse relevant
data independently and in collaboration in order to
manipulate that data and create relevant digital solutions.
During this course the students will also saety use a range
o sotware and hardware to model, construct, test and
evaluate digital products such as animations, graphic
manipulation, 3D graphics and other digital technologies.
The state-o-the-art computer Mac lab will oer the
opportunity to experiment, explore and test current and
emerging digital technology. Make your own animation,
your own game and create unique digital graphics.
This is an introduction course or Multimedia and Computer
Science courses in Year 9 and Year 10.
Design and Technology 8 8TDT1&2
Design and Technology in Year 8 oers a course that will
be the introduction to using tools and machinery in the
workshop. Throughout the course o the semester, the
students will be working with plastics, wood, metal and
will learn the processes involved with manipulating these
products.
Students will be utilising hand skills that will lead into the use
o heavy power tools in urther years when developing their
creative projects. All o the projects developed in Design and
Technology have the ability to be expanded upon as their
structure is based on the creative design o the student. By
the end o the course, students will come out with a variety
o projects that will display their hand skill development. This
course will develop skills and knowledge in a stimulating
environment where they will be introduced and encouraged
to research, design and then create their projects ftting into
a set o design criteria.
Visual Arts 8 8ART1&2
In the Year 8 Visual Arts course, students engage in
traditional, modern and contemporary media and
techniques within the broad areas o art orms. The course
promotes innovative practice. Students are encouraged to
explore and represent their ideas and gain an awareness
o the role that artists and designers play in reecting,
challenging and shaping societal values. Students are
encouraged to appreciate the work o other artists and
engage in their own art practice.
The Art course is designed to increase a studentsknowledge and understanding o the elements and
principles o art and design and to urther develop skills in
processes and techniques required in the production o
both two and three dimensional art works. The emphasis is
on making students amiliar with a wide range o media and
on creating a variety o art works.
The ollowing outcomes provide the ramework within
which the subjects within the Arts Learning Area are
planned and delivered.
Arts IdeasStudents generate art works that
communicate ideas.
Arts Skills and ProcessesStudents use the skills,
techniques, processes, conventions and technologies o the
arts.
Content:
Arts in Society
Drawing
Printmaking
Painting
Ceramics
Sculpture/3D Studies.
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Arts and Technology learning area
YEAR 9
THE ARTS
Drama 9ADRA1/2
The Year 9 course ocuses on students consolidating
their understanding o presentational theatre skills within
the context o Medieval Drama and its inuences in a
contemporary perormance context. Drama students will
also investigate the contrasts and lives o youths rom
other cultures. Through their fndings, they will apply these
narratives to their own dramas by using Forum Theatretechniques.
The Drama course will also see students investigate the style
o pantomime and its traditions. Drama students will then
create, develop and present their own pantomime or a
perormance.
The course ocuses on students developing the ollowing
dramatic skills:
Metaphor and symbols in perormance
Presentational theatre techniques
Vocal techniquessound scapes, rhythm, tone andphrasing
Physicalisation and movement skills
Improvisation skills
Forum theatre skills
Pantomime skills and perormance
Analysing perormances.
VISUAL ARTS
Each o the Year 9 Art courses is designed to increase a
students knowledge and understanding o the elements
and principles o art and design and to urther develop skills
in processes and techniques required in the production o
both two and three dimensional art works. The emphasis is
on making students amiliar with a wide range o media and
on creating a variety o art works.
Visual Arts in Year 9 oers two electives in Art.
Fine Arts Painting/Printmaking 9ART1&2In Semester One and Semester Two electives, we will explore
the Fine Arts o painting, drawing, printmaking, ceramics
and sculpture. Participation in this course is recommended
or those students who may wish to urther art studies at
an Upper School examination level as it establishes a broad
theoretical and technical oundation.
Fine Arts Sculpture/Clay 9ACR1&2
Contemporary crat is about making things. It is an
intellectual and physical activity where the maker explores
the infnite possibilities o materials and processes toproduce unique objects.
Crat is remembering that art is seen, elt and heard as well
as understood, knowing that not all ideas start with words;
thinking with hands as well as head.
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TECHNOLOGY AND ENTERPRISE
Digital TechnologiesMultimedia 9TMM1/2
Multimedia is the use o computers, programs, sotware and
hardware to present text, graphics, video, animation, and
sound in an integrated way.
This course will take a largely hands-on approach to learning.
Students will be engaged in a variety o practical activities as
they produce a wide range o multimedia products.
The aim o this course is to understand and learn about
digital systems, develop ICT skills as well as to appreciatethe importance o design principles in the creation o a
multimedia product. Students learn to use the latest tools
o multimedia presentation and will use industry standard
programs such as Dreamweaver, Flash, Photoshop,
Blender, iMovie, GarageBand and others.
The students will be working on the design, creation and
testing o interactive and multimedia projects including
animation, digital installations, digital graphics and other
orms o multimedia presentations. Students will explore,
and experiment with current technology individually and in
groups.
Digital TechnologiesComputer Science 9TCS1/2
This course is designed to introduce Computer
Science to students in Year 9. The course will explore
computer programming and introduce students to the
undamentals o how computers work. Through a variety
o practical, hands-on activities students will develop their
understanding o how computers work and improve their
general technology skills.
A major ocus o this course will be to develop the logical
problem-solving skills o students through an understanding
o computer programming. Students will be exposed
to a number o dierent programming languages and
techniques, and will compete in a number o national
programming competitions. Computer Game programming
concepts will be developed using the educational Scratch
and Game Maker where students will soon be creating their
own, complex programs.
Students will also design and create their own website, using
HTML and modern technologies such as CSS and Java. This
process will allow them to develop an understanding o the
Internet and how it works, the hardware that is needed and
how dierent devices interact.
In taking on this challenging course, students will develop
important skills that will be able to be transerred to many
other aspects o their schooling. Logical problem solving
is an essential skill to learn, and a deep understanding o
how computers work has an increasingly important role
in society. This course will develop these skills in a un and
inormative manner. This course leads to Computer Science,
Multimedia in Year 10 and AIT courses o study in Upper
School.
Woodwork 9TWD1/2
The Woodwork course in Year 9 will encourage students
to ocus on the fnished product that students will be
producing. By doing this, students can analyse and
appreciate the process required to create their projects.
This course will give students the opportunity to develop
their skills and knowledge in the workshop. Throughout
the semester a variety o tools will be used, rom high-
end power tools to the basic hand tools. Students will be
provided with the opportunity to learn their skills in a sae
and encouraging environment. They will create projects that
will not only look good, but also last as a sturdy household
creation.
Through providing designs, students can research and
manipulate their project ideas to create their own modifed
design that will still solve a set o criteria, but will be as
unique as the students themselves.
Practical Engineering 9TEN1/2
Practical Engineering will be looking at developing students
practical skills o metal work manipulation. This course
throughout the semester will ocus on the creation o
multiple metalwork projects that will allow students touse a variety o machinery rom power tools to hand tools.
This learning will be done in a controlled manner so that
students learn skills that will be taken with them throughout
their high school years. Students will be manipulating
multiple metal types while using a variety o metal joining
processes rom dierent welding methods to basic olding
techniques. The purpose built metal workrooms will be able
to provide plenty o opportunity or students to develop
their skills and build creations that will only be limited by the
students imagination.
Arts and Technology learning area
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Jewellery 9TJW1/2
This course will introduce students to the fner aspects
o Jewellery creation, as this course will be looking at the
manipulation o wood, metal, plastics and glass to create
items that can be proudly displayed. The development
o hand skills is integral to this course as the items being
produced are quite small and require much attention to
detail. The process being used to create projects can vary,
rom metal jewellery soldering to wood turning, to plastic
carving and the melting o glass to create impressive
designs. This variation o process will allow students to graspmultiple design concepts that will be applied throughout
the semester which will allow them to develop a variety o
design projects.
Photography and Digital Imaging 9TPD1&2
Introductory Course
Students will be introduced to digital photography in a
course which ocuses on producing excellent photographic
images. Hands-on opportunities will allow students to learn
how to use the latest digital cameras to shoot creative and
unique images ater studying composition and designelements. They will utilise proessional editing sotware, such
as Adobe Photoshop, to create quality images which will
then be printed with the high-end photographic printers.
Students will also create a large ormat image which will be
ramed and on display in the Year 9 Photography Exhibition.
A wide variety o media concepts will be studied, where
students learn about how the print media market their
designs, communicate their message and target specifc
audiences. Students will learn how to develop their own
typeace and to apply colour theory to a design. The
study o these conventions gives the students an excellentplatorm to build on or their study o Design in Senior
School.
Students will be studying Photography in the purpose built
Arts Centre which incorporates the latest iMac computers,
an industry standard ashion photography studio and a
product and still lie studio. These acilities allow students to
experience technologies used in industry and University to
ensure they have all the skills required to be excellent young
photographers and designers.
Students will also experience feld photography
opportunities when they participate in an excursion to
complete a photographic task. This opportunity allows
students to think independently about the design and
technical considerations o their images. Their images will be
used to create their own corporate style publication.
Photography and Digital Imaging 9TPDA2
Advanced CourseSemester Two only
In the Advanced course, students will be exposed to more
complex photographic skills and techniques to enable themto express their creativity through the orm o photographic
images.
It will be expected that students develop skills to critically
analyse photographic images and design components
within the print media. Students will study how proessional
photographers compose and design images as well as how
graphic designers apply typography, colour and graphics to
print media designs.
A major ocus o this unit is on students developing skills to
ully manipulate digital SLR camera controls to enhance their
image designs. Other photographic equipment including
tripods, external light meters and studio ashes will all be
used by the students to enable them to produce great
photographs.
Students will be required to complete a proessional ashion
photo shoot that will require them to consider all aspects
o a studio shoot, ranging rom modelling techniques
to the design o the set and lighting. They will also gain
an understanding o the techniques associated with
macro photography and stitching images or panoramic
photography.
It will be expected that students take their Adobe
Photoshop skills to a new level with a series o tutorials and
a digital design task to ully display their creative prowess.
Experimentation with the use o this highly advanced
sotware will be encouraged in this unit to extend the
technical and creative skills o the students.
Prerequisite:
Year 9 Photography and Digital Imaging (Introductory
course).
Arts and Technology learning area
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Perth Modern School Curriculum Handbook Middle Years 201322
Arts and Technology learning area
International Foods 9TIF1&2
Outcomes: Technology Process, Systems and Materials
Where does that ood come rom? An intriguing question:
has it spent many hours ying around the world or has it
come rom your own garden? In this course students look at
a wide variety o oods and trace their origins. They will also
consider what Australian cuisine is, where it has come rom
and what has inuenced it.
Students will investigate a variety o ways in which Australian
ood and diet has developed over the past 225 years.
They will investigate and practise traditional ood
preparation skills rom bush tucker to pasta making, sushi
rolling and gateaux cooking.
There is a ocus on working with others in teams, ollowing
sae, hygienic ood handling skills and development o
presentation and evaluation methods. It is a truly useul unit
rom which all students will gain a variety o relevant and
useul skills.
Masterche 9TCF1&2
Outcomes: Technology Process, Systems and Materials
Why do egg whites increase in volume? What inuences
our perception o taste? How do you make marshmallow?
These are just some o the questions that will be answered
in studying this unit.
This unit will introduce students to the many dierent
cooking techniques and specialised equipment used
in the preparation o ood. They will investigate which
methods and ingredients are the most appropriate in
dierent situations and have the opportunity to experiment
with dierent ideas. They will also learn dierent ways o
evaluating ood and identiy ways o improving the dish.
Students will have the opportunity to broaden their skills
through hands-on practical lessons that will broaden
their understanding and ability to use dierent oods and
equipment.
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