middle school prospectus - kellerberrin district high school · attendance: i agree to keep my...

“When

parents,

teachers,

students and

others view

one another

as partners in

education, a

caring

community

forms around

students and

begins its

work.”

– Dr. Joyce

Epstein

Middle School

Prospectus

Delivering quality

Middle School education

in our community

Kellerberrin District High School – Middle School

Code of Conduct – Rationale

The aim of implementing a Code of Conduct is to create a safe and

engaging learning environment for all students, as well as ensuring a

safe work environment for teachers and support staff.

The Code of Conduct is a binding agreement between students, their

parents/guardians and the staff at Kellerberrin DHS, and therefore must

be signed by all parties prior to a student being accepted into our

Middle School.

This set of standards aligns with our school’s Good Standing policy and

embodies our core values of Behaviour, Engagement, Presentation,

Punctuality, Readiness and Respect.

The Code of Conduct provides a clear explanation of the expected

standard of behaviour. It also outlines the consequences that will be

faced by students who choose to breach the Code.


Code of Conduct

1. Attendance: I agree to keep my attendance (both school and

classroom) above 80%. Being at school and in class is vital to my

education.

2. Engagement: I agree to put my best effort into completing all of the

tasks presented to me in class. It’s OK to not know, but it’s not OK to

not try.

3. Presentation: I agree to wear full school uniform (as per Kellerberrin

DHS Uniform Policy) and present myself in a neat and tidy way. I will

proudly represent Kellerberrin DHS Middle School.

4. Respect: I agree to treat those around me with respect; both students

and adults. Respect looks like using appropriate language, treating

others as you want to be treated, resolving conflict in peaceful ways

and being a positive role model for other students. Respect also

includes the respectful treatment of all property.

5. Punctuality: I agree to arrive at school before 8:50am.

6. Readiness: I agree to be prepared for learning. This means bringing the

required materials to class, as well as completing homework tasks.

7. Behaviour: I agree to acknowledge that I choose my own behaviour,

and I will accept the consequences of my behaviour – positive or

negative.

8. Others have the right to feel safe: I agree not to act in a threatening

manner towards any staff or students, and acknowledge that

threatening behaviour will result in immediate suspension from school.


Code of Conduct – Consequences

If a student fails to comply with the Code of Conduct, their parent/guardian

will be notified in the first instance in writing. A signed acknowledgement will

be required to be returned to the school.

A second warning of failure to comply will result in a lunchtime detention.

The student will be provided with class work to complete.

A third warning of failure to comply will result in a modification of their

learning programme. This means the removal of electives until the behaviour

improves. At this stage, the student loses their Good Standing and is no

longer eligible for Rewards Day or any extra-curricular events such as

sporting carnivals and incursions/excursions which may occur during the

remainder of that term.

A fourth warning of failure to comply will result in removal from all electives

as well as extra-curricular subjects. These students will attend only English,

Mathematics, Science and Humanities lessons. iPad privileges will also be

removed.

Threatening behaviour, whether verbal or physical, or destruction of property

will not be tolerated and will result in immediate suspension. Suspension, in

school or outside of school, means a loss of Good Standing. The student is no

longer eligible for Rewards Day, or any extra-curricular events such as

sporting carnivals and incursions/excursions which may occur during the

remainder of that term.

Students who lose their Good Standing more than once during the school

year will not be invited to our Middle School camp.


Curriculum

Core Subjects delivered by Classroom Teachers

• English

• Mathematics

• Humanities – Geography and History

Compulsory Courses delivered by Specialist Teachers

These subjects are accessed by all Middle School students throughout the year.

• Physical Education

• Health & Wellbeing

• The Arts – Music, Performing Arts, Visual Arts & Media

• Science – Chemical, Physical, Biological and Earth & Space

Elective Courses

These subjects are offered as ‘options’ and will be provided based on student

preferences. Students will have the opportunity to participate in 8 electives

throughout the year, as each elective runs for 5 weeks.

The following page provides an elaboration of the elective courses. Please see the

enclosed preference form and return it to the school office as soon as possible to

secure your child’s place in their preferred units of study.


Curriculum – Elective Courses

Home Economics – Cooking

Considering a career in hospitality? Learn about kitchen safety, healthy eating

guidelines, budgeting and meal planning. Prepare nutritious breakfasts, snacks

and lunches and plan a three-course meal for your final assessment.

Digital Photography

Feel like getting creative? Explore photography techniques such as rule of thirds,

macro settings, light, shadow and texture. Capture shots on a local excursion, then

print and mount your best photos ready for entry into a competition.

Media Studies

Ever dreamed of producing or starring in a movie or TV show? This course takes

students through scriptwriting, casting, filming and editing. Use technology to

create a short film that YOU helped produce.

Design & Technology – Creative & Personal Sewing

Sewing is a valuable life skill, as well as a way of expressing creativity. In this course

you will learn how to mend and alter your own clothes, as well as fabric care.

Create a final assessment piece you’ll be proud to wear!

Horticulture

Plants can feed people or create an ecosystem. Look at propagation techniques,

soil testing and plant suitability for different environments. Plant edible crops and

learn about Bush Tucker. You’ll be amazed at how plants get from the paddock to

your plate! Be involved in the development of a new garden from planning to

planting.

Dance

Dance is used as a way of storytelling and expression in cultures all over the world.

It is also a fun way to get fit and socialise! Learn about different dance styles from

all over the globe and then try them yourself. Research one story from an ancient

culture and create a dance interpretation to share with the group.


Curriculum – Elective Courses

Computing

You might love playing computer games, but how can that help you in your future

career? Learn the basics of word processing, creating documents, sending formal

e-mails and ‘netiquette’. Also experiment with coding to learn the language of

computing. Create a game for others to play and document your learning in your

own Blog.

Languages other than English – Japanese

Ohayo! Australia’s links with Asia in commerce and industry are growing stronger.

What better way to get an edge than learning an Asian language? Learn basic

conversational Japanese and some elements of this intriguing culture.

Creative Writing

From the earliest of times, people have communicated their stories and ideas

through writing. You will learn about writing through history, including hieroglyphics

and calligraphy. In this course you create original essays, poems, and short stories

about topics that are important to you.

Personal Finance

Money. You know it’s important. But how do you get it and what do you do with it

once you have it? In this course, you’ll learn about the basic principles of

economics including savings, interest rates, budgeting and long term financial

plans to help reach your goals. Create a savings plan to purchase your first car!


Year 7 English Curriculum

Unit One: Can you persuade me? (10 weeks)

Students investigate how persuasive text structures, language features and appropriate vocabulary

shape meaning and influence others to understand a particular point of view. Students compare a

range of persuasive texts and explain how they are effective in influencing audiences.

Unit Assessment: Students create and deliver a multimodal persuasive presentation.

Unit Two: Don’t believe everything you read… (10 weeks)

Students examine how informative and procedural texts use graphics for an identified purpose.

Students listen to and follow procedural instructions. Students investigate and critically evaluate a

range of information sources on a chosen topic and create an informative report.

Unit Assessment: Students create a multimodal informative report to be presented to a community

group.

Unit Three: ‘G’Day’ - Looking at Australian literature (10 weeks)

Students investigate the perspectives in a range of Australian literature, including Aboriginal

peoples’ and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ oral narrative traditions and contemporary literature,

early adolescent novels, short stories, plays and film. Students make inferences and synthesise ideas

and viewpoints to draw reasoned conclusions and discuss how literature represents Australia,

Australians and our place in the world.

Unit Assessment: Students create a literary analysis for ‘Tomorrow When the War Began’ by John

Marsden.

Unit Four: Texts to shape and share our lives (10 weeks)

Students develop an understanding of how protest poetry, songs and multimodal texts represent

historical, cultural and social perspectives over time. Students use the ideas and perspectives in a

text to create a transformation to a different text type.

Unit Assessment: Students create a reinvention of a song using poetry and multimodal texts.


Year 7 Mathematics Curriculum

Unit One: Whole Numbers and Place Value (5 weeks)

• Compare, order, add and subtract positive and negative integers

• Explore index notation and square roots

• Apply associative, commutative and distributive laws

Unit Two: Fractions, Decimals and Percentages (5 weeks)

• Compare fractions, equivalent fractions and mixed numbers, and represent

these on a number line

• Solve addition and subtraction problems involving fractions with like and

unlike denominators

• Express a quantity as a fraction or percentage of another

• Connect and convert between fractions, decimals and percentages

• Round decimals to a specified number of decimal places

• Find percentages of quantities

• Multiply and divide fractions and decimals

Unit Three: Three Dimensional Shapes (3 weeks)

• Draw accurate views of 3D shapes and solids formed by combinations of

prisms

• Calculate the volume of rectangular prisms

Unit Four: Geometry (5 weeks)

• Establish formulas for area

• Classify triangles and describe quadrilaterals

• Explore corresponding, co-interior and alternate angles

• Investigate angles and parallel lines

• Identify translation, reflection, rotation, and coordinates on the Cartesian

plane

• Identify line and rotational symmetry

• Demonstrate the angle sums of triangles and quadrilaterals

Unit Five: Algebra (4 weeks)

• Understand the concept of variables

• Create algebraic expressions using variables

• Solve problems using simple ratios

• Extend and apply associative, commutative and distributive laws to

algebraic equations

Unit Six: Financial Literacy (3 weeks)

• Investigate and calculate “best buys”

• Investigate simple and compound interest

Unit Seven: Chance (2 weeks)

• Construct sample spaces for single-step experiments

• Assign probabilities to the outcomes of events and determine probabilities

for events

Unit Eight: Data (4 weeks)

• Investigate, analyse and interpret graphs

• Interpret data

• Construct and analyse data displays

• Calculate and interpret mean, median, mode and range

• Construct, compare and analyse a range of data displays

• Investigate the collation of large count data

Unit Nine: Linear Equations (4 weeks)

• Plot points on the Cartesian plane and find coordinates for given points

• Investigate linear and non-linear relationships

• Solve simple linear equations

Assessment: Assessment in Mathematics will take the form of tasks completed

during general class work, practical demonstrations of competency and formal

tests at the end of each unit. These assessments will be ongoing and cumulative.


Year 7 History Curriculum

Unit One: The Ancient World – Investigating the Ancient Past (16 hours)

This unit focuses on ancient Australia in some depth and develops understandings of the

longevity and richness of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and histories.

Unit Assessment: Students present a spoken or multimodal response explaining, with

references to evidence and sources, a historical controversy or mystery that has

challenged historians or archaeologists OR an issue related to the preservation of the

remains of the ancient past.

Unit Two: The Asian World - China (16 hours)

In this unit, students investigate the features of ancient China as a major Asian civilisation

and study how these features have shaped and impacted the modern Chinese nation,

the Asian region and the world.

Unit Assessment: Students consider a range of sources, both seen and unseen, about

ancient Chinese civilisation including:

• the physical features, key events and

developments that shaped this

civilisation

• significant individuals from ancient

China

• traditional Chinese social structures,

• law , religion, significant beliefs, values

and practices of Chinese society

Students then write an extended response to these historical sources.

Unit Three: The Mediterranean World – Rome (16 hours)

In this unit, students investigate and develop an appreciation of the features of ancient

Rome, and the legacy ancient Mediterranean societies have left on the modern world.

Unit Assessment: Students respond to a series of questions, based on a selection of

historical sources (primary and secondary, visual and written, official and vernacular),

about:

• the physical features of ancient Rome

that influenced the civilisation

• the daily lives of key groups in ancient

Roman society, and significant beliefs,

values and practices of the ancient

Romans

• the contacts and conflict within

and/or with other societies, resulting in

developments such as the expansion

of trade, the rise of the Roman empire

and the spread of religious beliefs

• significant figures from ancient Rome


Year 7 Geography Curriculum

Unit One: Water in the World (25 hours)

The focus of the unit is on developing student understanding of water as a

renewable environmental resource that connects places as it moves through the

environment and of its varying availability in time and across space, its scarcity

and hazard potential. Studies of water are drawn from Australia, countries of the

Asian region, and countries from West Asia and/or North Africa.

Unit Assessment: Students create a multimodal presentation to represent the

location of water sources in a selected West Asian country, identify and explain

patterns of human distribution and their relationship to water and explain the

causes and impact of water scarcity.

Unit Two: Place and Liveability (25 hours)

The focus of the unit is on developing student understanding of liveability and how

it can be improved through planning. Students investigate liveability using studies

drawn from Australia and Europe. The connection between people and places

through culture is also examined, as well as the changes of Australian population

over time.

Unit Assessment: Students conduct a detailed liveability study of a chosen town,

including graphs of statistical information and annotated maps. They write a

summary and give an overall rating as to the liveability of the selected town.



Unit One: LOL – Language evOLves (10 weeks)

Students research how the language of technology has evolved over time and

how technology and social media have influenced language use and forms of

communication for different groups.

Unit Assessment: Students create and deliver a persuasive presentation using

research to show how social media has raised awareness of sustainability issues.

Unit Two: Me, Myself and I - My Personal Story (10 weeks)

Students examine and analyse how individuals are represented in a range of

media texts, including newspapers, magazines and digital texts. Students examine

and experiment with text structures, language features, and visual forms to create

a personal narrative.

Unit Assessment: Students create a personal narrative using elements such as

music, images and sound to enhance and layer meaning about their own identity.

Unit Three: Right or Wrong? Ethical dilemmas in literature (10 weeks)

Students explore themes of interpersonal relationships and ethical dilemmas

represented in a novel, including contemporary novels by or about Aboriginal

peoples and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and compare how other text types,

including film and poetry, represent similar themes. Students analyse the author’s

purpose and justify their point of view about how the author positions the reader.

Unit Assessment: Students create a literary analysis for ‘The Ink Bridge’ by Neil

Grant.

Unit Four: Asian Infusion – Culturally connected literature (10 weeks)

Students study poems and short stories from a range of cultures including those

from or about Asia that reflect on and challenge the values of an individual or

group and influence emotions and opinions. Students create an anthology that

explores emotional responses to a variety of literature from a range of cultures.

Unit Assessment: Students present an imaginative poetry performance and discuss

why it should be included in the anthology.



Unit One: Directed number, rules and patterns (10 weeks)

This unit builds on students’ understanding of operations with integers and

fractions, the connection between fractions, decimals and percentages, and

index notation. The unit focuses on developing students’ understanding of whole

numbers, decimals and percentages. They plot in the four quadrants of the

Cartesian plane and are introduced to straight line graphs.

Unit Two: Mathematical Design (10 weeks)

This unit builds upon students’ understanding of the use of formulas to solve

problems with perimeter and area, and the relationship between units of

measurement. Students use a variety of mathematical techniques and

approaches to produce optimal and efficient designs for various situations. This

includes problems involving measurement, percentage, length, area and volume,

rates and ratios, index notation, irrational numbers and square roots.

Unit Three: Algebraic Processes (4 weeks)

This unit builds upon students’ understanding of the concepts of variables and

substitution, and the associative, commutative and distributive laws of algebra.

Students complete a series of tasks involving simplifying and factorising algebraic

expressions.

Unit Four: Geometric Reasoning (3 weeks)

This unit builds upon students’ understanding of straight-line geometry. Students

investigate congruence and solve related numerical problems. They solve

problems using mathematical reasoning.

Unit Five: Planning a Holiday (3 weeks)

This unit builds upon students’ understanding of the application of rates, ratios and

percentages. Students produce an itinerary and budget for a holiday. They

consider costs, time taken for travel, and other criteria of their choosing.

Unit Six: Data Investigation (6 weeks)

This unit builds upon students’ understanding of the basic concepts of probability

and data representation.

Students learn about collecting, analysing and displaying representative data,

and assigning probabilities where appropriate. This unit incorporates ideas

concerning type of data, appropriateness of display, calculated measures,

analysis and the effect of outliers. Work in this unit also explores the logic that

underpins scenarios involving chance.

Unit Seven: Linear Relations (4 weeks)

This unit builds upon concepts developed in Units 1 and 3. Students learn to solve

linear equations using both algebraic and graphical techniques. They verify their

solutions by substitution.






Unit One: The Western & Islamic World – Medieval Europe (16 hours)

In this unit, students build on understandings of the ancient world to develop an

understanding of medieval life (social, cultural, economic and physical features), the

dominance of religion, the role of key individuals, and interaction between different social

groups and also between the Western world and the Islamic world.

Unit Assessment: Students research and communicate their understanding from a

medieval individual’s point of view in response to an event or phenomenon such as:

• the medieval way of life

• role and relationships of the individual

in a feudal society

• influence and dominance of the

Catholic Church.

Unit Two: The Asia-Pacific World – Japan under the Shoguns (16 hours)

In this unit, students examine how key features of Shogunate Japan, including social and

political structures, land use, trade and foreign contact, developed over a period of time.

They explore differing explanations regarding the decline of the Shogunate and the role

of modern, Western influences.

Unit Assessment: Students write extended responses to historical sources demonstrating

the following:

• the traditional Feudal system and that

of the Tokugawa Shogunate

• the development and effects of

foreign trade

• environmental and land use policies in

Japan

• theories about the decline of the

Shogunate

Unit Three: Expanding Contacts – Spanish Conquest of the Americas (16 hours)

In this unit, students focus on the Spanish conquest of the Americas to build an

understanding of how the modern period was shaped by, and emerged from, the

medieval period. After developing an appreciation of pre-Columbian life, students

investigate key features of Spanish conquest and colonisation.

Unit Assessment: Students create written responses to interpret, analyse and evaluate

sources that demonstrate:

• the nature of life before the Spanish

arrival

• the arrival of the Spanish and the

extent of their invasion

• nature of interactions between Spanish

and either the Aztecs OR Inca



Unit One: Landforms and Landscapes (25 hours)

The focus of the unit is on developing student understanding of geomorphology through

the processes that shape individual landforms and the significance of landscapes to

people, including Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The distinctive

aspects of landforms and landscapes are investigated using studies drawn from Australia

and throughout the world.

Unit Assessment: Multimodal or written report on a particular landscape from Australia or

overseas, addressing the following; geomorphic processes, human use, sustainable

management and protection.

Unit Two: Changing Nations (25 hours)

The focus of the unit is on the interconnections between places and people through the

production and consumption of goods and services, and how transport and information

and communication technologies have changed places and their environments. The

distinctive aspects of interconnection are investigated using studies drawn from Australia

and across the world.

Unit Assessment: 350 word essay to analyse geographical data and other information,

propose explanations for spatial patterns, trends and relationships and draw reasoned

conclusions



Unit One: Australian Identity (10 weeks)

Students engage with a range of Australian literary texts including short stories and dramatic performances,

and the oral narrative traditions and contemporary literature of Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islander

peoples.

Unit Assessments: 1. Review an Australian song or poem that illustrates Australian identity. Examine how the

songwriter/poet has used text structures and language features, including literary techniques, myths and

symbols to persuade audiences about the Australian identity presented in their work.

2. Participate and interact in a panel discussion to compare, contrast and evaluate representations of

Australian identity in plays and short stories.

Unit Two: Language Online (10 weeks)

Students investigate contemporary media to develop a critical understanding of the differences between

media texts and the responsibilities of online interactions. Students identify changes in language to describe

new media, and how jargon and technical language reinforces membership of specific communities.

Unit Assessments: 1. Create two media texts (an informative article and a persuasive article) to contribute to

an e-zine.

2. Participate in an analytical discussion to evaluate the production of an e-zine and its effectiveness and

purpose as a contemporary media text.

Unit Three: Technical and scientific language (10 weeks)

Students examine short scientific articles that include technical information from credible/verifiable sources

described using abstract and scientific language and vocabulary and supported by graphic

representations.

Unit Assessments: 1. Review two articles to evaluate how the sequence of ideas and information convey

precise procedure.

2. Create an imaginative transformation of an informative text into a literary text.

Unit Four: Global texts (10 weeks)

Students select, read and view literary and non-literary texts including those from and about Asia to

compare and contrast human experience in response to ethical and global dilemmas.

Unit Assessments: 1. Participate in a discussion to analyse how the director of a film/documentary has used

cinematic techniques to position the audience about an issue.

2. Create an analytical report comparing and contrasting textual features used to develop different

representations of Asia.



Unit One: Pythagoras’ Theorem, Linear Graphs and Direct Proportion (10 weeks)

This term builds upon students’ understanding of linear graphs, rates and ratio. Students investigate, create,

evaluate and manipulate mathematical models showing the relationship between two variables. They are

introduced to:

• Pythagoras’ Theorem

• direct proportion

• coordinate geometry

• using the distributive law

Unit Two: Algebraic Expressions and the Index Laws (6 weeks)

Students continue to develop their understanding of algebra to solve problems involving numeric

and algebraic situations. They:

• perform algebraic expansions, including binomials

• extend their understanding of the index laws, including application to scientific notation

• extend proportional reasoning to include simple interest

Unit Three: Measurement, Area and Volume (4 weeks)

This unit builds upon students’ understanding of measurement and geometry. They investigate:

• similar figures

• areas of composite shapes

• surface areas

• volumes

Unit Four: Designing the Best Game (10 weeks)

Students’ understanding of the fundamentals of probability and statistics includes identifying

complementary events, using two-way tables and Venn diagrams, and exploring the mean and

median. This unit extends student learning to:

• identify numerical and categorical

variables

• conduct two-step chance experiments

with and without replacement

• calculate relative frequencies

• investigate surveys used in the media

• describe the spread of data

Unit Five: Eureka! I’ve solved the problem. (10 weeks)

Building on understanding developed throughout the year, students apply learning to a series of

problem-solving and reasoning tasks that include:

• the application of trigonometric ratios to

solve right-angled triangle problems

• Pythagoras’ Theorem

• using similarity with trigonometry to solve

problems

• linear relations and graphing



Unit One: World War I (16 hours)

In this depth study, students investigate key aspects of World War I and the Australian

experience of the war, including the nature and significance of this war in world and

Australian history.

Unit Assessment: Students construct a persuasive essay about the commemoration of

World War I and debates about the nature and significance of the Anzac legend. The

essay will be based on research and make reference to the:

• causes of World War I

• places where Australians fought

• Impact of WWI on Australian society

Unit Two: Making a Better World – The Industrial Revolution (16 hours)

In this depth study, students investigate how life changed between the late seventeenth

century and the beginning of the twentieth century through study of the Industrial

Revolution, including the causes and effects of the development, and by making links to

the Australian experience during this time.

Unit Assessment: Students select a significant social, technological or economic

development associated with the Industrial Revolution, research the extent to which it was

significant and draw conclusions about the connections between the specific

development and some of the changes and/or continuities that arose from the Industrial

Revolution. Students present their findings in a research report that includes subheadings,

illustrations (e.g. pictures, graphs, tables) and an annotated bibliography.

Unit Three: Australia and Asia – Making a Nation (16 hours)

In this depth study, students investigate the history of Australia in the period 1750–1918,

including the expansion of settlement, the experiences of non-Europeans, living and

working conditions, key events and ideas in the development of Australian self-

government and democracy, and legislation 1901–1914.

Unit Assessment: Students consider a range of sources about the impact of self-

government and democracy on Australia, specifically; the effects of contact between

European settlers and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, the living and working

conditions in different parts of Australia and the events and ideas in the development of

Australian self-government and democracy, including Federation and the legislation of

early Commonwealth governments, and construct a written response.



Unit One: Biomes and Food Security (25 hours)

The focus of the unit is on developing student understanding of the significance of

the biomes of the world as a source of food and fibre, the effect of their alteration

and the environmental challenges of, and constraints on, expanding food

production in the future. The distinctive aspects of biomes, food production and

food security are investigated using studies drawn from Australia and across the

world.

Unit Assessment: Students complete a written assessment to identify and explain

the relationship between biomes and world food production, using selected

geographic data such as maps, graphs and tables.

Unit Two: Geographies of Interconnections (25 hours)

The focus of the unit is on the interconnections between places and people

through the production and consumption of goods and services, and how

transport and information and communication technologies have changed

places and their environments. The distinctive aspects of interconnection are

investigated using studies drawn from Australia and across the world.

Unit Assessment: Multimodal or Written report to investigate (question and

research) the effects of the global production and consumption of a specific

good on a country in North-East Asia and analyse the pattern of interconnection.



Unit One: The Classics (10 weeks)

Students investigate classic world literature, including a play by Shakespeare, to explore

themes of human experience and cultural significance. Students reflect on the classic and

contemporary relevance of the themes in world literature and discuss how language

devices layer meaning and influence audiences.

Unit Assessments: 1. Create a report that analyses how Shakespeare used themes and

language devices to influence audiences. 2. Create and present an imaginative

performance that explores the aesthetic and emotional appeal of a character to engage

an audience.

Unit Two: Issues and Events in the Media (10 weeks)

Students analyse and evaluate how human experience is represented in new media texts

and documentaries, including the use of images. Students develop a critical

understanding of the contemporary media and analyse the differences between news

media texts.

Unit Assessments: 1. Participate in an informative panel discussion to analyse the different

representations of a current event or issue in the news, evaluating whether credible/

verifiable sources have been used. 2. Create two imaginative news reports from different

perspectives on a current incident.

Unit Three: Representations of Adolescents (10 weeks)

Students analyse and explain how language and images create representations of

adolescents. Students analyse and evaluate satirical language and texts, and media texts

and images.

Unit Assessments: 1. Create and present an imaginative performance using satirical

language to interpret adolescent experiences.2. Create an analytical report exploring the

representations of adolescence in literary and non-literary texts.

Unit Four: Contemporary Literature (10 weeks)

Students compare and contrast the social, moral and ethical themes in a range of

contemporary literature texts, including the close study of a novel. Students evaluate how

text structures, language and visual features can be used to influence audience response.

Unit Assessments: 1. Compare and contrast how social, moral and ethical themes are

represented in a film and a novel. 2. Participate in a discussion to analyse the moral and

ethical dilemmas in texts.


Year 10/10a Mathematics Curriculum

Unit One: Algebra and Linear Modelling (8 weeks)

This unit builds upon students’ understanding of Cartesian geometry, linear relations and the

application of the distributive law. Students complete a series of challenges involving number and

algebra, including:

• factorising linear expressions

• simplifying algebraic expressions, including use of index laws and algebraic fractions

• expanding binomial products

• solving problems related to linear relationships

• solving and graphing linear inequalities.

Unit Two: Geometric Reasoning (2 weeks)

This unit extends students’ understanding of angle relationships, similarity and congruence. They

formulate proofs using congruence and angle properties.

10a students also apply proofs and reasoning to circles.

Unit Three: Mathematics and Sport (10 weeks)

This term builds upon students’ understanding of Pythagoras’ theorem, trigonometry, probability

and statistics. Students apply these foundational concepts to sporting scenarios. They:

• formulate proofs, including congruence and similarity

• solve problems involving angles of elevation and depression

• investigate claims that can be tested using concepts from statistics and conditional

probability

10a extends trigonometry and bivariate data. Students:

• establish the sine, cosine and area rules

• apply the unit circle to define trigonometric functions and graphs

• solve trigonometric equations

• investigate bivariate data sets

Unit Four: Algebra and Non-Linear Modelling (7 weeks)

In this unit, students extend their understanding of algebra and linear modelling to non-linear

situations. Students complete a series of challenges involving:

• factorising quadratic functions of the form x2 + bx + c, and solving related quadratics

equations

• sketching quadratic functions

• solving simultaneous equations

10a students also:

• factorise quadratic functions of the form ax2 + bx + c, and solve related quadratics

equations, including using the factor and remainder theorems.

Unit Five: Variation (3 weeks)

Students’ understanding of variation is extended in this unit. They will explore more detailed analysis

of variation, including the use of data displays to make informed decisions.

10a students’ understanding of variation will be further enhanced through the concept of standard

deviation.

Unit Six: How do my Assets Change? (6 weeks)

This unit builds upon students’ understanding of financial mathematics by connecting the

compound interest formula to repeated applications of simple interest, using algebraic and

graphical techniques.

10a students extend algebraic concepts through fractional indices, applying the laws of logarithms,

and solving simple exponential equations.

Unit Seven: Three Dimensional Objects (4 weeks)

This unit extends students’ understanding of surface area and volume from simple solids to

composite solids.

10a students study additional solids.






Unit One: World War II (16 hours)

In this depth study, students investigate wartime experiences through an in-depth study of

World War II. This includes a study of the causes, events, outcomes and broader impact of

the conflict as an episode in world history, and the nature of Australia’s involvement.

Unit Assessment: Students write an essay considering a range of sources about the impact

of World War II on Australia, specifically its impact on the Australian home front, including

the changing roles of women and use of wartime government controls and the

significance of World War II to Australia’s international relationships in the twentieth

century, with a particular reference to the United Nations, Britain, the USA and Asia.

Unit Two: Rights and Freedoms (16 hours)

In this depth study, students focus on the struggles for human rights. They investigate how

rights and freedoms have been ignored, demanded or achieved in Australia and in the

broader world context.

Unit Assessment: Students complete a case study on the significance of one of the

following for the civil rights of ATSI peoples: 1962 right to vote federally, 1967 referendum,

land rights movement, Mabo decision, ‘Bringing them Home’ report, reconciliation

movement, 2008 Apology to Australia’s Indigenous Peoples. Students develop a

hypothesis or position about the significance of one of these events or movements,

develop a script with appropriate references and deliver an oral presentation.

Unit Three: The Globalising World – Migration Experiences (16 hours)

In this depth study, students investigate the influence of migration experiences on the

shape of Australian society from 1945 to the present. They explore how Australia’s World

War II experiences, and events in Asia in the post-World War II era, have contributed to

migration experiences.

Unit Assessment: Written response to historical sources where students consider a range of

sources about the post-1945 migration to Australia, including government policy and

associated commentary, primary sources about migrants’ experiences and sources about

the effects on Australian society.



Unit One: Environmental Change and Management (25 hours)

The focus of this unit is on developing student understanding of the human-

induced environmental changes that challenge sustainability and the world views

that influence perceptions and responses to these challenges, including those of

Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Students apply human–

environment systems thinking to investigate a specific type of environment and

environmental change. The scale of study is at a local, regional and global level

with a comparative study of examples selected from Australia and at least one

other country.

Unit Assessment: Multimodal presentation (infographic) to investigate (question

and research) a specific environment in either Australia or one other country,

identify and explain its spatial distribution, apply human–environment systems

thinking to examine the causes and consequences of environmental change and

evaluate and select strategies to manage the change to ensure sustainability

Unit Two: Geographies of Human Wellbeing (25 hours)

The focus of this unit is on developing student understanding of different measures

of human wellbeing, the causes and spatial differences in these measures

between countries, and programs designed to reduce the gap between

differences in wellbeing. Students undertake case studies drawn from Australia,

India and across the world as appropriate.

Unit Assessment: Supervised response essay where students synthesise and draw

conclusions about global, national and local differences in human wellbeing

between places.

2 year levels, 1 classroom.

How does it work? In reality, every class has many levels. Students are not all magically working at the same level just

because they are in the same grade, so teachers are well accustomed to catering for students of

various abilities and learning styles. But how can two year levels be catered for in the same

classroom when the curriculum is so different?

• Organisation: Careful planning allows both year levels to be exposed to their respective

content. For example, Monday’s history session might be dedicated to Year 7 curriculum,

and Friday’s session to Year 8 curriculum delivery.

• Independence: Split classes foster an independent work ethic because students in one year

level can work independently whilst the teacher works with the other. Being able to work

independently and see a task through to completion is an important skill as students head

towards secondary school and further studies. In the example above, the Year 7 students

would work independently to complete their work on Fridays. The teacher is still available to

help, however students are encouraged to find their own solutions to problems as they arise,

or work together with their peers to complete tasks.

• Opportunity for remediation: Students who found previously covered concepts difficult have

the opportunity to ‘fill in the gaps’ in their knowledge by attending classes with the other

grade level.

• Opportunity for extension: Students have the opportunity to explore different topics which

may not be included in their particular year level’s course of study.

• A learning community: Students have the opportunity to work at their own pace, work

independently or with others, develop strong relationships with their peers and become

partners in learning.

Joel Gajadharsingh, professor emeritus of education at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon, says

students in split grades “do just as well, if not better” academically, thanks to repetition and

exposure to another grade. He adds that their ability to behave and get along with others is also superior.

They’re more independent, confident, responsible, dependable, respectful, collaborative and — if you

haven’t heard enough already — even tend to develop better study habits, regardless of whether they’re

in the younger or older grade.

“They’re not simply left alone,” says Gajadharsingh. “They have assignments to do and it’s these things

that teach them independence and dependability to do their work. They also learn to collaborate in this

kind of environment, where they either give help or seek help.”

http://www.todaysparent.com/kids/school-age/split-grade-classes/

This mutually beneficial environment is exactly what we aim to create here for your child at

Kellerberrin District High School.

Notes

Thank you for your interest in our Middle School.

If you have any queries, please contact the School Office.

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