Year 9 Term 1 Overview

Year 9: 

English: (Jing): 

In English this term, students will be exploring the genre of dystopian fiction. They will analyse a range of multimodal texts such as: movies, books, graphic novels and short stories as a means of dissecting the different ways authors can create meaning using language, sound and visual features, particularly with the use of symbolism and imagery. They will identify and analyse the depiction of a range of dystopian features such as: totalitarian government, fear of government, conformity, constant surveillance, lack of freedoms, censorship, and survival. Students will experiment with creating short, precise and impactful meanings by creating their own versions of texts that showcase different dystopian features and provide a warning message for the future. 

Hums: (Charlotte)

This term, Year 9 students will explore the foundations of government and democracy, comparing political systems around the world. They will examine how governments are formed, the role of political parties, and the impact of alliances on decision-making. Through role-playing, research, and discussions, students will analyse different democratic models, from Australia’s parliamentary system to Switzerland’s direct democracy and the U.S. presidential system. Later in the term, they will investigate alternative systems such as socialism, communism, and capitalism, evaluating their benefits and challenges. This engaging unit will develop critical thinking and global awareness, helping students understand how different political structures shape societies and influence the world.

Maths: (Ski)

In Term 1, Year 9 students will use natural numbers, including integers and scientific notation in expanded form and as products of prime factors using exponent notation, covering all index laws from 1 - 6 including the introduction of negative to positive conversion and surds. They will link through demonstration of critical thinking and applied mathematical modelling and problem solving techniques to relationships between mathematical theory and its application.  

Students will also extensively  explore the connection between algebraic and graphical representations of relations (such as simple quadratic, reciprocal, circle and exponential, using digital technology as appropriate). This will be achieved through solving linear equations involving simple algebraic fractions and solving more complex equations (eg: quadratics) using a range of strategies both mental and formula and mathematical proofs based., requiring students to problem solve, trouble-shoot and think critically.  

Science: (Mary)

In Term 1, the year 9 cohort will be exploring the ever expanding universe. Students will deepen their understanding of the universe first by looking at the contents of our own solar system and differentiating between the various celestial bodies. Students will explore how the big bang theory models the origin of the universe and discuss the scientific evidence supporting this. Students will explore the history of space exploration and discuss the importance of future space exploration. In the second half of the term students will continue to develop there understanding on atomic structure. They will be looking at hom atoms bond together creating new substances with entirely different characteristics to there reactants. Students will explore the different categories of these bonds and will be introduced to isotopes. They will explore how isotopes can be used to date objects. Students will be exploring different tyes of radiation and discussing the medical applications of radiation.

Technologies: (Jag)

This term in Year 9, students will be exploring a digital technology unit that introduces students to the binary system of ones and zeros used by digital technology to store and process numbers. In this unit students will develop an understanding of binary numbers and how they can be used to represent numbers, text, images and sound within digital systems. Term 1 is structured around four sequential units that introduce students to the concepts of digital encoding and storage. In Unit 1, students begin by learning how to convert whole numbers into binary, the fundamental language of computers. Additionally, Unit 2 builds on this knowledge by exploring the ASCII and Unicode systems for encoding text, deepening students’ understanding of how characters are represented digitally. Unit 3 shifts focus to how images are stored, comparing raster and vector images and their respective representations in binary. Finally, Unit 4 examines digital audio, teaching students how sound is encoded and stored in binary form. These units collectively provide a comprehensive foundation in how data, from numbers to multimedia, is represented in the digital world.