For more detailed information click here to access the Year 10 Information Booklet
English
The English curriculum is built around the 3 interrelated strands of Language, Literature and Literacy. Teaching and learning programs should balance and integrate all 3 strands. Together, the 3 strands focus on developing students’ knowledge, understanding and skills in listening, reading, viewing, speaking, writing and creating. Learning in English is recursive and cumulative, building on concepts, skills and processes developed in earlier years. In Year 10, students interact with others and experience learning in familiar and unfamiliar contexts, including local or global community and vocational contexts.
Students engage with a variety of texts for enjoyment. They analyse, interpret, evaluate, discuss, create and perform a wide range of texts. Texts may include various types of media texts including film, digital and online texts, novels, non-fiction, poetry, dramatic performances and multimodal texts. Themes and issues may involve levels of abstraction, higher order reasoning and intertextual references. Students develop a critical understanding of how texts, language, and visual and audio features are influenced by context.
Homework expectations are 1.5 - 2 hours per week. This includes reading, research and assessment completion.
Mathematics
Mathematics and numeracy skills are critical to the learning and overall education of all students. Studying mathematics allows students to be able to think critically, problem solve using logic, think outside the box to develop multiple solutions, manage their time effectively and make connections creatively. Students will learn to use arithmetic, algebraic, spatial awareness and logical skills to solve contextual and abstract problems using a range of strategies.
Students are encouraged to participate in the free maths tutorials our teachers organise both after school, Tuesday 3:10pm to 4:30pm, and during school, Tuesday second break and Thursday second break.
Students are encouraged to complete one hour of study at home every week to consolidate their learning in class.
Science
Science students participate in hands on experiments and activities under teacher supervision to provide opportunities for them to develop an understanding of important concepts and processes. There are strict laboratory rules to ensure safety with chemicals and equipment.
Science provides an empirical way of answering interesting and important questions about the biological, physical and technological world. The curriculum supports students to develop the scientific knowledge, understandings and skills to make informed decisions about local, national and global issues.
History
History is a disciplined process of inquiry into the past that develops students' curiosity and imagination. Awareness of history is an essential characteristic of any society, and historical knowledge is fundamental to understanding ourselves and others. It promotes the understanding of societies, events, movements and developments that have shaped humanity from earliest times.
History students will refer to key events, the actions of individuals and groups, and beliefs and values to explain patterns of change and continuity over time. They will analyse the causes and effects of events and developments and explain their relative importance. Students will also explain the context for people’s actions in the past. In addition, they will explain different interpretations of the past and recognise the evidence used to support these interpretations.
History is interpretative by nature, and therefore promotes debate and encourages thinking about human values, including present and future challenges. It provides the opportunity for students to further develop their ability to ask relevant questions, critically analyse and interpret sources and respect and explain different perspectives.
Health and Physical Education
Health and Physical Education is a compulsory subject in Year 10, studied for one semester. This course aims to involve students in regular physical activity each week, as well as regular classroom lessons on key topics. Physical activity is essential for all students. Regular active and purposeful participation in physical activity promotes health and wellbeing and supports the achievement of academic goals. It builds on the Year 8 and 9 course and introduces learning approaches and content areas covered in senior elective subjects – Physical Education, Sport and Recreation and Certificate III in Fitness.
ELECTIVES
Art
Art is the study of visual communication and visual expression. Students study (describe, analyse, interpret and judge) visual artworks and this becomes the basis of a contemporary interpretation. Students design and produce their own expressive artworks in a variety of media and art processes. Through this they develop skills in visualising and planning work.
The course is designed to be a practical subject with corresponding theoretical components and seeks to be an outlet for the expression of ideas. It has a focus on art to develop problem solving skills requiring the students to research, develop and resolve ideas in a visually pleasing manner. This approach is developed upon in the Senior Visual Art program.
Agriculture
Students will use agriculture theory to design, implement and evaluate local agricultural practices, activities and equipment. The practical component involves aspects of scientific and technological practices associated with both plant and animal industries.
Units of study will include learning activities related to forage, grain, beef, sheep, goat, beef and chicken production as well as horticulture. An interest in agriculture would be an advantage.
Civics and Citizenship
Civics and Citizenship enables students to become active and informed citizens who participate in and sustain Australia’s democracy. It provides opportunities for students to investigate legal and political systems, and explore the nature of citizenship, diversity and identity in contemporary society.
Civics and Citizenship, students will study contemporary legal issues, including the purpose and work of the High Court. They will explain how Australia’s legal obligations influence law and government policy. Students will examine Australia’s roles and responsibilities within the international context, such as its involvement with the United Nations. They will also compare and evaluate the key features and values of systems of government and evaluate a range of factors that sustain democratic societies. Therefore, this subject will prepare students for studying Legal Studies in Years 11 and 12.
Dance
Dance is expressive movement with purpose and form that communicates ideas and stories of personal and cultural identity through the body. Dance has the capacity to engage, inspire and enrich all students, exciting the imagination and motivating students to reach their creative and expressive potential.
Students will acquire and develop dance skills and then be able to apply these skills in a wide range of contexts. The three focus areas are Choreography, Performance and Responding.
Students will individually and collaboratively choreograph, rehearse, perform and respond as they engage with dance practice and practitioners in their own and other’s cultures and communities.
Movement is the essential material of dance.
Drama
Drama is designed to promote student’s awareness of the dynamic nature of drama, enabling them to investigate and experiment within dramatic forms, whilst developing their own creativity and dramatic skills.
Outcomes of the course include improved self-confidence, social and communication skills, organisational and group-working skills, increased creativity and dramatic skills, and knowledge and understanding of a variety of dramatic forms.
It is recommended that students have demonstrated a Sound Achievement or greater in English, as Drama has a strong written component. Students must work co-operatively as members of a group, requiring regular attendance. This is essential to the successful completion of the Drama course.
Economics and Business
Business explores the ways individuals, families, the community, businesses and governments make decisions in relation to the allocation of resources. It aims to enable students to understand the process of business and economic decision-making and its effects on themselves and others, now and in the future. Students will analyse factors that influence major consumer and financial decisions. They will investigate how businesses improve productivity and respond to changing economic conditions. In addition, they will evaluate the effect of workforce management on business performance. In addition, students will be given the opportunity to develop their understanding of why and how governments manage economic performance to improve living standards. They will provide explanations for variations in economic performance and standards of living within and between economies. Therefore, this subject will prepare students for studying Business in Years 11 and 12.
Engineering Principles and Systems
Engineering Principles and Systems is studied for three lessons per week over a semester. This subject is well suited to the enquiring mind, with a strong focus on working out ‘how things work’. Students will explore engineering principles relevant to the challenges they are given. Students will work independently and collaboratively to apply design processes. They will investigate relevant knowledge, generate and refine ideas, plan and produce design solutions, and evaluate solutions and processes.
Our workshops involve machinery and processes considered to be of HIGH and EXTREME risk. Students are required to wear an apron, hairnet and impervious upper shoes for every workshop lesson.
Food Specialisations
Food Technology is studied for three lessons per week over a semester. The course is designed to be a practical subject which has a strong focus on learning through doing. Students will focus on the creation of designed solutions, investigating, planning and producing food items using a range of tools and technologies. They will be working independently and collaboratively throughout the semester. Students will investigate and make judgments on how the principles of food safety, preservation, preparation, presentation and sensory perceptions influence the creation of food solutions for healthy eating.
Students will be expected to bring ingredients from home most weeks. Some of the ingredients required during this subject will be supplied by the school, but the majority must come from home. Recipes can be adjusted to suit family budgets and dietary requirements. Herbs/spices required can be accessed from school pantry if family would not normally purchase.
This subject will prepare students for studying Hospitality Practices in Years 11 and 12.
Food and Fibre
Textiles Technology is studied for three lessons per week over a semester. This practical subject has a strong focus on learning through doing. Students will be exploring textile materials and production processes required to create textile items.
Students will investigate, plan and produce textile items using a range of tools and technologies. They will be working independently and collaboratively throughout the semester. Students have the opportunity to be creative while working with textile materials and technologies. Some of the lessons will be dedicated to project work in which the student can learn time management skills and work at his or her own pace. It is not necessary to already know how to sew or to have completed Textiles in Year 9. All practical work can be designed by the individual student to suit his or her own skill level.
Geography
Geography is a structured way of exploring, analysing and understanding the characteristics of the places that make up our world. Key concepts are place, space, environment, interconnection, sustainability, scale and change. Geography addresses scales from the personal to the global and time periods from a few years to thousands of years.
Students will investigate how interactions between geographical processes at different scales changes the characteristics of places. They will predict changes in the characteristics of places and environments over time, across space and at different scales and explain the predicted consequences of change. Students will also identify, analyse and explain significant interconnections between people, places and environments and explain changes that result from these interconnections and their consequences. They will propose explanations for distributions, patterns and spatial variations over time, across space and at different scales, and identify and describe significant associations between distribution patterns.
Japanese
Why study Japanese? Preparing for a global future! Communication in, and knowledge of, a foreign language is viewed most favourably by employers across various sectors of the community.
Japanese is particularly relevant to our state and local community in areas such as tourism and hospitality, business, agriculture, manufacturing and trade. Many businesses, service providers and government departments have links with Japan and have a growing need for employees with some Japanese language background. Some Junior Japanese is a desired pre-requisite.
The study of Japanese in focuses on developing communication skills in Japanese through listening, speaking, reading and writing, across a variety of relevant topics. Japanese also gives students a strong foundation for those wishing to continue learning Japanese in senior.
Materials and Technology
Materials and Technologies is studied for three lessons per week over a semester. This subject is closely related to the traditional Manual Arts courses offered in the past, with a strong focus on the materials and production processes required to design and manufacture everyday products. Students will work independently and collaboratively to apply design processes. They will investigate relevant knowledge, generate and refine ideas; plan and produce design solutions, and evaluate solutions and processes.
Our workshops involve machinery and processes considered to be of HIGH and EXTREME risk. Students are also required to wear an apron, hairnet and impervious upper shoes for every workshop lesson.
Music
Music is widely recognised as a powerful educative tool that contributes to the development of an individual. As one of The Arts, Music makes a profound contribution to personal, social and cultural identity. Studies in Music offer a unique form of self-expression and communication.
The music course is developmental in nature. Students will acquire and develop musical skills, and then be able to apply these skills in a wide range of contexts. The three focus areas are Responding, Composing and Performing.
The Music Course assists students to enjoy, appreciate and make music. It does this by developing an awareness of sound as well as developing skills in practical music production and composition.
Students do not need to own a musical instrument, nor do they need to be able to play one, as the development of correct musical notation is part of the theory of this course. Students must have good listening skills and a commitment to involvement in practical situations.