MESC Senior School Handbooks

 Year 9 Core Subjects

Subject Descriptions for Year 9

Students in Year 9 are part of the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program. The core subjects that students experience are developed with the International Baccalaureate (IB) philosophy in mind, and assessed against the IB and Victorian Curriculum frameworks. Further information about the Middle Years Program (MYP) at Mount Eliza Secondary College can be found in the MYP Handbook on our website. Further information on the Victorian Curriculum can be found via  https://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/foundation10/Pages/f10index.aspx

 

CORE SUBJECTS AT YEAR 9

 

Year 9 CONNECT PROGRAM     (Compulsory Unit for each Semester)

 

In Year 9, students will participate in Immersion Days that focus upon Service Learning, Careers, and Wellbeing. Students collaborate with teachers and external facilitators to reflect upon the impact of their choices, to act with integrity and to further develop their resilience. A transition program for the senior pathway also provides students with the opportunity to evaluate their current interests and skills. Immersion days may include:

  • Careers development sessions focusing on employability skills, personal interests, resume and cover letter support. Students also undertake the Morrisby Assessment, a personalised careers assessment which includes a 1:1 interview to discuss the results of the assessment.
  • Personal development workshops delivered by external support agencies such as the Reach Foundation, Tomorrow Man and Rustic Pathways
  • Elevate study practices
  • Year 9 MYP Celebration Day

Subject Cost:       CONNECT Semester 1 & 2: $20 per year

Please note:  Approximate cost of $80 as extra-curricular items to enhance learning. This will be charged throughout the year via Compass Events

 

 

 

Year 9 HEALTH & PE     (Compulsory Unit for each Semester)

 

Health and Physical Education in Year 9 at Mount Eliza Secondary College will expose students to a balance of practical and theoretical experiences. There will be a focus on developing movement skills and concepts required to participate in physical activities with confidence and competence. The knowledge, understanding, skills and disposition students develop through movement in health and physical education at our College, will encourage ongoing participation across their lifespan and in turn lead to positive health outcomes. In addition, students will develop and use strategies to promote a sense of personal identity and well-being and to build and manage respectful relationships. An extensive personal, social and community health program will be delivered to improve the health literacy of students. A grater health literacy will ensure students have greater knowledge about their health and understand ways in which they can improve their health.

 

Practical classes, Sport Education and some sporting events, will expose students to a range of activities that could include team sports and individual challenges. Regular involvement in both elements of the course is compulsory to assist the students in understanding and learning through, in and about movement.

 

Subject Cost:       Health & PE Semester 1 & 2: $45 per year

Please note: Approximate cost of $35 as extra-curricular items to enhance learning. This will be charged throughout the year via Compass Events

 

 

 

Year 9 INDIVIDUALS & SOCIETIES    (Compulsory Unit for each Semester)

 

Individuals and Societies incorporates disciplines traditionally studied in the Humanities, such as History, Geography, Civics and Citizenship and Economics. The subject aims to explore the processes that have shaped and which continue to shape different societies and cultures, to appreciate the common humanity shared across time and distance, and to evaluate the ways in which humans have faced and continue to face different challenges. Students collect, describe and analyse data used in studies of societies, and learn how to interpret complex information, including original source material.  

 

Subject Cost:        Individuals & Societies   Semester 1 & 2:   $35 per year

 

 

 

Year 9 LANGUAGE ACQUISITION (Indonesian)     (Compulsory Unit for each Semester)

 

The study of language prepares students for a world in which intercultural communication and understanding are becoming increasingly important. Students learn to understand the multicultural and multilingual nature of Australian society and a globalising world which is highly mobile.

 

The study of additional languages in the MYP provides students with the opportunity to develop insights into the features, processes and craft of language and the concept of culture, and to realize that there are diverse ways of living, behaving and viewing the world.  The acquisition of the language is valued as central to developing critical thinking, and is considered essential for the cultivation of intercultural awareness and the development of internationally minded and responsible members of local, national and global communities (MYP Language Acquisition Guide).

Topics may include:

  • Cooking
  • Teen life
  • Travel
  • Arts and entertainment
  • Climate and environment

Study Tours are offered to students of Indonesian, where possible.

 

Subject Cost:    Language Acquisition (Indonesian)   Semester 1 & 2:   $65 per year

 

 

 

Year 9 LANGUAGE & LITERATURE   (Compulsory Unit for each Semester)

 

These units are designed to further develop students’ ability to speak, listen, read, view and write with enjoyment, purpose, effect and confidence. It also encourages understanding of the ways in which language varies according to context, purpose, audience and content. A broad range of texts are studied, and the focus is the capacity to discuss and analyse critically. 

 

Subject Cost:        Language & Literature Semester 1 & 2:   $30 per year

 

 

 

Year 9 MATHEMATICS      (Compulsory Unit for each Semester)

 

During Year 9 all students will study Mathematics for Semester 1 and Semester 2. Students will study Core Maths as well as Booster Maths. 

 

In Core Maths students will study all the strands in the Mathematics Victorian Curriculum, including:  

  • Number
  • Algebra  
  • Measurement
  • Geometry  
  • Statistics
  • Probability  

Also in Core Maths, students will undertake the International Baccalaureate (IB) Mathematics curriculum and will be assessed against both the Victorian Curriculum as well as the IB curriculum. 

 

In Booster Maths, students will undertake study in Number and Algebra only, supporting and extending students to build strong skills in this area of the curriculum that underpins all areas of Mathematics. 

 

The diagram below represents the most common pathways in Mathematics although there are many other combinations of pathways to suit student needs. 

Subject Cost:      Mathematics Semester 1 & 2: $70 per year

 

 

 

Year 9 SCIENCE     (Compulsory Unit for each Semester)

 

Science provides an empirical way of answering interesting and important questions about the biological, physical and technological world. Science is a dynamic, collaborative and creative human endeavour arising from our desire to make sense of our world by exploring the unknown, investigating universal mysteries, making predictions and solving problems. The Science curriculum provides opportunities for students to develop an understanding of important scientific concepts and processes, the practices used to develop scientific knowledge, the contribution of science to our culture and society, and its applications in our lives. 

 

Students who wish to study sciences in VCE are strongly encouraged to also enrol in the 

science elective options.

 

Subject Cost:       Science Semester 1 & 2:  $115 per year