Year 9 Term 4 Overviews

Year 9 

Humanities 

In term 4, Year 9 students will explore the experiences, impacts, and legacies of World War II on individuals, communities, and nations. Students will examine how the war shaped the lives of diverse groups, including First Nations peoples, women, soldiers, Jewish and non-Jewish victims of the Holocaust, and consider how these experiences were recognised or overlooked. 

They will explore the home front in Australia, the effects of discrimination and trauma, and the way rights and freedoms were restricted or expanded. Students will also investigate how the war reshaped global politics through the creation of the United Nations, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, decolonisation, and the Cold War. By engaging with different perspectives and interpretations, students will come to understand that WWII not only changed the course of the 20th century but continues to influence identity, memory, and human rights debates today.

Science - 

Throughout this term students will analyse the importance of different scientific methods, critique, replication, publication and peer review in the development of scientific knowledge. They will discuss how scientific information and misinformation may inform personal and social decision-making and influence priorities for scientific research.

In particular, students will explore the theory of evolution by natural selection which includes the processes of variation, isolation and adaptation. Students will also learn how the theory is supported by evidence including the fossil record, biogeography and comparative embryology. Students will see how this theory explains past and present biodiversity and demonstrates how all organisms have some degree of relatedness to each other.

Students will be using online simulation to answer the following questions “How does simulation show natural selection? What factors affected survival?”. This helps students explore and expand their knowledge and understanding of adaptation.

Technologies - 

Year 9 Engineering Principles

In Term 4, our Year 9 students are completing their renewable energy projects, designing and constructing hydro-powered water turbines using recyclable materials. Through research, prototyping, testing, and refinement, students are exploring real-world applications of sustainable engineering and electricity generation. Their upcoming turbine showcases will highlight innovation, teamwork, and the use of engineering principles to create meaningful, sustainable solutions.

English - 

In Term 4, students will listen to different types of podcasts, including conversational podcasts, investigative podcasts, and roundtable podcasts, which allows students to understand how information can be presented with a combination of language, visual, and auditory choices. They will explore the purposes of these podcasts and analyse the structures and the range of engagement techniques embedded to remain listener’s interests. In addition, students will compare and contrast how different podcasts engage audiences through various engagement techniques and develop their own opinions of podcasts in general. By the end of the term, students will be provided with the opportunity to select a topic of their own interests and create their own investigative podcasts and present their learning by recording their own podcast. 

Maths:

In this term, students will develop their skills in Measurement, Probability, Algebra, and Financial Mathematics. They will solve problems involving the volume and surface area of right prisms, cylinders, and composite objects, using appropriate units and interpreting absolute, relative, and percentage errors in measurements to assess accuracy.

In Probability, students will explore outcomes for two-step chance experiments with and without replacement, using lists, tree diagrams, tables, and arrays. They will assign probabilities to events, calculate relative frequencies from collected or given data, and design and conduct repeated experiments and simulations using digital tools to estimate probabilities that cannot be determined exactly.

Students will also consolidate and deepen their understanding in preparation for the Semester 2 exam. Revision will cover Pythagoras’ theorem and trigonometry, quadratic relationships, financial mathematics, surface area and volume, and probability, ensuring students are confident in both problem-solving and analytical reasoning skills.

Health

In Term 4, Year 9 Health will explore Sexual Health, they will learn about Sexual relationships and identities, consent and the law, conception and contraception, the Male and female anatomy and its functions. Students will also learn about safe sex and sexually transmitted infections. Students will need to focus on using correct terminology and being able to create a safe learning space for students to feel included, respected and valued. 

PE

In Term 4, Year 9 Physical Education students will be focusing on striking and fielding concepts. Students will do collaborative teamwork with each other and learn how to use effective communication to achieve a common goal. Students will also focus on their fundamental motor skills on throwing, catching, fielding efficiently and striking a target.  Students will also form strategies to compete in a competitive environment. 

Masterclasses

Food Technology Masterclass

In Term 4,  the Year 9 Food Technology Masterclass students will explore a variety of global cuisines while developing key skills in planning, managing, and evaluating food projects. Practical lessons will include making choc chip cookies, sabaayad and suqaar (Somalia), Thai green curry (Thailand), Burritos (Mexico), Pani popo (Samoa), Basbousa (Middle East), Shish tawook wraps (Lebanon), and a final banquet. Through these dishes, students will apply the principles of food safety, hygiene, preservation, preparation, and presentation to create food solutions that are both culturally respectful and health-conscious. Supporting theory lessons will focus on project planning, including timelines, cost analysis, risk management, and production processing in preparation for the final banquet. The term will conclude with a collaborative banquet and reflection, where students will demonstrate their ability to plan, produce, and evaluate food solutions with creativity, teamwork, and attention to quality.

Forensic Science Masterclass

Year 9 students in the Forensic Science Masterclass will have an incursion at school where they will be visited by a Forensic Officer from Victoria Police Forensic Science Department. Students will gain an insight on the job scope, challenges and opportunities of a forensic officer. At the end of the session, students will be able to have a Q & A session with the speaker. Students from the Advanced Biology Masterclass will also join this incursion.

Students from both Forensic Science and Advanced Biology Masterclasses will also be visiting the Victoria Police Museum at Spencer Street Docklands where they will engage in a Crime Scene Investigation - Forensics program. The program includes a presentation about forensic science, including some case study examples. It also involves examining a crime scene and replica realistic cadaver. 

For the remainder of Term 4, Forensic Science Masterclass students will be exposed to elements of forensic taphonomy, forensic toxicology, digital forensics and nuclear forensics. Students will leave the course with a realistic view of the different fields of study under the umbrella of the forensic sciences.