PMS Senior School Curriculum Handbook 2013

7/30/2019 PMS Senior School Curriculum Handbook 2013

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Curriculum HandbookSenior School

2013 EDITION


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WesternAustraliasonlyselectiveacademicschool

Perth Modern School Curriculum Handbook Senior School 2013ii

Students and parents are advised to reer to the most recent handbooks or websites rom

TAFE Institutes o Training, TISC, the Universities and the Curriculum Council,

prior to making subject selections and career plans.

PLEASE KEEP THIS HANDBOOK AS A REFERENCE FOR YEARS 10, 11 AND 12.

PUBLICATION DATE: July 2012

PUBLISHED BY: Perth Modern School

Roberts Road

SUBIACO 6008

9380 0555www.perthmodern.wa.edu.au


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Perth Modern School Curriculum Handbook Senior School 2013 1

contents

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Catering to the needs o gited and talented students 2

Course Selection Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Careers Inormation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Ensuring your success . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Recommended Minimum Entrance Requirements . . . 4

Homework/Study Commitments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Attendance Commitment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Secondary Graduation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

WACE requirements or 2013 and beyond . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

WACE courses ofered at Perth Modern School . . . . . . . 5

University Admission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

University entrance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

General criteria or eligibility or exhibitions and awards 8

Beazley Medal: WACE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Awards or outstanding achievement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

General exhibitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Special general award . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Awards or outstanding achievement in a course. . . . . 8

Course exhibitions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Special course awards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Certicates o distinction (WACE courses) . . . . . . . . . . . . 9Special certicate o distinction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Certicates o commendation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

School Based Awards and Recognition. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

99 Club. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Sphinx Society. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Scholarships . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Year 10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

English Compulsory. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Semester One:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Semester Two: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Mathematics Compulsory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Science Compulsory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Social Science Compulsory. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Health and Physical Education Compulsory . . . . . . . . 19

Languages Compulsory. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

The Arts Learning Area Electives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Health and Physical Education Electives . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Technology and Enterprise Electives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Science Electives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Years 11 and 12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

The Arts Learning Area. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30English Learning Area. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Health and Physical Education Learning Area. . . . . . . . . 36

Languages Learning Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Mathematics Learning Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Science Learning Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Social Science Learning Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Technology and Enterprise. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54


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Perth Modern School Curriculum Handbook Senior School 20132

Introduction

CATERING TO THE NEEDS OF GIFTED AND TALENTED STUDENTS

All Western Australian schools ofer courses that are prescribed by the Department o Education

Syllabus Statements and Curriculum Council. The list o courses is vast and caters to all abilities.

At Perth Modern School we have careully selected courses to meet the needs o gited and talented

students. Our staf have had ormal and inormal training in the special needs o our student cohort

and are aware o methods o adapting curriculum to meet their students academic, social and

emotional needs.

Although these courses are taught in regular schools,

teachers at Perth Modern School diferentiate the curriculum

by placing greater emphasis on higher order thinking and

processing skills. Where appropriate, teachers will adjust

the pace o curriculum delivery and will ensure students

have the opportunity to be extended by working with

more complex ideas at a greater depth than perhaps in

regular schools. Students are provided with many more

opportunities or enrichment though external programs,

competitions and events.

Students will have access to a richer curriculum and will

be well prepared to achieve the results they require to becompetitive in the WACE examinations. They will be well

placed in applying or courses at tertiary institutions that

are in high demand and accessing courses interstate and

overseas. Teachers aim to get the best learning outcomes or

all o our students.

Perth Modern School is committed to keeping its rigorous

curriculum engaging and relevant to meet the needs o

very able students. We aim to ofer curriculum choices to

meet student special needs ensuring the highest possible

educational outcomes or all students.

Our Senior School program operates or all students in Years10, 11 and 12, as there may be some students in Year 10 who

wish to accelerate their studies and enrol in courses that are

ofered to Year 11 and 12 students. Students in Year 11 and

12 complete courses which are typically completed in unit

pairs or the duration o a year. For example, English Unit 2A

and Unit 2B are considered as one course. The number listed

against a unit indicates the stage or level o di culty within

the course o study.

This handbook contains inormation to assist students in

deciding which courses to study at the senior level. The

options are many and the need to involve parents, teachers

and counsellors in the decision making process is very

important.

COURSE SELECTION PROCESS

Studying at the senior level means that students

are expected to take greater responsibility or their

decisions. Additionally, students are expected to develop

independence in their study habits and skills.

Year 10 students

It is anticipated that most students enrolling in Year 10 will

complete Senior School in three years and choose only Year

10 courses in 2013. Given that during Year 8 and 9 courses

were compacted to cover three years curriculum the Year

10 courses at Perth Modern School aim to enrich, challenge

and expand understanding.

However, each student entering Year 10 in 2013 has the

opportunity to create a unique Senior School academic

pathway. Perth Modern School has an Academic Placement

Policy which allows certain students the opportunity to

accelerate their studies i they wish. For some students

there is the opportunity to mix and match Year 10 subjects

with Year 11 courses. It is possible or students to choose to

complete only Year 11 courses in 2013.

I your child is interested in completing Year 11 courses

in Year 10 you will need to make an appointment withthe Associate Principal to discuss the options. You are

also advised to attend meetings organised by the school,

about the conditions or Graduation and tertiary entrance

requirements.

The enrolment process or Year 10 students 2013

1. Students will be provided with the Senior School

handbook in Year 9. You will need it as a reerence to

select courses in your Senior School Years at Perth

Modern School.

2. Students who wish to complete Year 10 subjects only willbe required to complete the enrolment orm and submit

the orm by the date indicated.


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The enrolment orm will include a section where

students will be required to indicate their preerred

elective courses. Inormation about elective courses

ofered is provided in this handbook.

3. Students who wish to include Year 11 courses not ofered

on the selection sheet are invited to attend the Parent

Inormation Evening and make an appointment with the

Associate Principal to discuss their childs course choices.

Year 11 students

Students entering Year 11 will select six courses (i.e. pairs o

units). It is anticipated that in most cases courses selected

in Year 12 will be a continuation o those selected in Year

11. Students need to ensure that the courses chosen are

rom both lists A (arts, languages and social sciences) and B

(science, mathematics and technology) to satisy Graduation

and university entry requirements. All Year 12 students must

select at least ve courses (i.e. pairs o units) at Stage 3 level

(e.g. 3A and 3B) at Perth Modern School.

In the majority o cases, students will be able to study

their six preerred courses. There may be instances when

a student chooses a pattern o courses that is uncommonand two o their courses are timetabled at the same time.

In these cases students will be contacted to discuss their

options. In addition, i a student chooses a course that is not

viable due to low numbers, they will be contacted regarding

an alternative choice.

The enrolment process or Year 11 students 2013

The enrolment process used to help students select

appropriate courses will consist o a number o stages.

1. Students will explore career paths in Advocacy and

Career Education classes during Terms 1 and 2, 2013.2. The Associate Principal and individual teachers will

address students about course selection and specic

courses.

3. Parents will be invited to a Parent Inormation Evening.

4. Parents can ask urther questions on Parent Reporting

and Inormation Days.

5. Parents will receive a letter with an interview time

allocation in order to discuss and make course selections.

6. In some cases, course selection will need to be reviewed

based on results in second semester.

Year 12 students 2013

It is expected that students in Year 12 will ollow the same

program commenced in Year 11, so the course choices

or Year 12 will be structured in this way. Variations to this

should only be made ater careul consideration, appropriate

recommendations rom teaching staf, and discussion with

the Careers Counsellor or Associate Principal.

The enrolment process or Year 12 students

1. Parents will be invited to a Parent Inormation Evening to

be inormed about WACE requirements and conditions

or enrolment into university.

2. Students will be required to complete an enrolment

orm.

CAREERS INFORMATION

School based staf and resources

The Course Counselling Team will issue appointments to

meet with parents and students enrolling in Year 11 to assist

in the courses selection process. The team consists o the

ollowing staf:

Associate Principal

Careers Coordinator

Year Coordinators

Teachers rom each o the Learning Areas.

An interview can be arranged or students other than those

enrolling in Year 11 by contacting the Associate Principal

(Operations) or the Careers Coordinator.

The Careers Centre in the East Building o the School has the

latest inormation on courses.

A computer-assisted career guidance sotware packagecalled Career Voyageris available in the Careers Centre or

students by appointment. Students should see the Careers

Coordinator. All Year 10 students will be taken through the

program as part o their career education course.

The School Psychologist is available to help with personal

and career problems and can be particularly useul i

students are unsure about what they want to do, or i they

are not sure that they are able to cope with a particular

course.


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RECOMMENDED MINIMUM

ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS

The Recommended Minimum Entrance Requirements

or each course are included in the detailed course

descriptions. These are stated to help you choose

appropriate courses in which you should succeed, provided

you work hard.

HOMEWORK/STUDY COMMITMENTS

Beore you decide on which type o course to study, you

need to consider the type o commitment you are able togive out o school hours. Students studying Stage 2 and 3

courses need to do a minimum o three hours study per

unit per week, each and every week. That means i you are

studying ve university entrance courses, you need to do a

minimum o 15 hours o homework and/or study per week.

Homework does not only consist o the work given to you

by the teacher, but includes a sel-directed component. This

may be organising your notes, revision, research, exam study,

practical study or additional tasks or questions.

ATTENDANCE COMMITMENT

Your attendance and participation in class is the key to

achievement o success. Studies show that students who

attend school regularly are more likely to succeed at school.

Aim or 100% attendance. The only acceptable reasons or

absences are i you are sick or have a school activity such

as an excursion. I you know you are going to be absent,

see your teachers and your Year Coordinator beore your

absence to collect work to ensure that you keep up with

your coursework and study.

Ensuring your success


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The Western Australian Certifcate (WACE) is awarded to secondary school students who satisy its

requirements. All the courses that contribute to WACE are governed by the syllabus and assessment

structures o the School Curriculum and Standards Authority. The summaries or Stage 2 and 3

capture the key ocus o the Curriculum Council courses.

WACE COURSES OFFERED AT

PERTH MODERN SCHOOL

List A: Humanities: Arts/Languages/Social Science

CHI Chinese

DRA Drama

ECO Economics

ENG English

FRE French

GEO Geography

HIM History Modern

HAM History Ancient

ITA Italian

JAP Japanese as a Second LanguageLIT Literature

MUS Music

PAE Philosophy and Ethics

PAL Politics and Law

VAR Visual Art

List B: Sciences: Mathematics/Science/Technology

BIO Biological Sciences

CHE Chemistry

CSC Computer Science

DES Design

HBS Human Biological Science

MAT Mathematics

MAS Mathematics Specialist

PES Physical Education

PHY Physics

PSY Psychology

Please note: Endorsed programs are unlisted.

Secondary Graduation

The School Curriculum and Standards Authority will issue

two documents to students. A Statement o Results

will be issued to all students who complete at least one

Curriculum Council Accredited Course. All courses, or subject

equivalents completed in Year 11 and 12 level count towards

secondary graduation. The Western Australian Certifcate

o Education (WACE) will be issued to all students who

achieve secondary graduation.

WACE REQUIREMENTS FOR 2013 AND BEYOND

Students need to be aware o the requirements or

Secondary Graduation, as it is a prerequisite or University

entry, and or most TAFE Diplomas.

Breadth and Depth Requirement

Complete a minimum o 20 course units or the

equivalent.The 20 course units must include at least:

our course units rom English, Literature and/or

English as an Additional Language/Dialect, studied

during Year 11 and Year 12 (at least two o these units

must be completed in Year 12)

one pair o course units rom each o List A (arts/

languages/social sciences) and List B (mathematics/

science/technology) completed in Year 12.

Achievement Standard Requirement

Achieve a C grade average or better across the best 16

course units o which at least 8 must be completed in

Year 12.

Endorsed Programs and/or VET credit transer can reduce

the required number o course units by up to 6 units.

English language competence requirement

Achieve a C grade or better in any course unit rom English,

Literature and/or English as an Additional Language.

Complete our units rom an English course (two units must

be completed in the nal year o schooling).


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Examination

All students in their nal year who are enrolled in Stage 3

units must sit the exam (unless exempt).

In order to be considered or university admission, a school

leaver should:

achieve the Western Australian Certicate o Education

(WACE).

achieve competence in English as prescribed by the

individual universities.

obtain a su ciently high Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank (ATAR) or entry to a particular university and/or

course.

satisy any prerequisites or special requirements or entry

to particular course.

Competence in English

For university admission purposes, competence in English

is usually demonstrated by achieving the prescribed

standard in a course rom the English Learning Area: English

or English Literature. The University o Western Australia,

Curtin University o Technology, Murdoch University andEdith Cowan University all require a scaled mark o at least

50. Notre Dames University requirements are best viewed at

their website.

Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank ATAR

The Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank (ATAR) is derived

rom school based assessment and an external examination.

To obtain an ATAR, students must sit the Tertiary Entrance

examinations the WACE Course Examinations at the end o

Year 12. Some students may complete a course during Year

11 and can sit the exit exam. The result achieved will count

towards the nal ATAR achieved the ollowing year when

other courses are completed.

Examinations are based on work studied in Year 12 only

or or some students who complete a Stage 3 courseearlier.

The ATAR will be calculated by adding the best our

combined (school and examination) scaled scores in

courses providing that at least two diferent units o the

course have been completed.

No course can be counted more than once.

For all universities you may accumulate scaled scores

which contribute to your ATAR over ve consecutive

years.

Courses undertaken on a private basis can be used in thedetermination o an ATAR. The nal Level o Achievement

or a course undertaken on a private basis will be 100%

o the external assessment. (Note that students who sit

as a Private Candidate do not have it counted or their

WACE).

Unacceptable course combinations

There will be some unacceptable course combinations

whereby scores in both courses cannot both be used at the

same time. It may be possible to take both courses but the

result in only one may be used to calculate the ATAR. Theseare indicated in the ollowing list:

Biology and Human Biology

3A/B MAT and 3C/D MAT

Chemistry and Integrated Science

3A/B MAS and 3C/D MAS

English and Literature

Literature and English

Secondary Graduation


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UNIVERSITY ENTRANCE

Inormation received rom TISC indicates that or students

wishing to enter university the ollowing is required:

As an incentive or students intending to undertake

School Curriculum and Standards Authority courses

to study those courses at the more demanding Stage

3, results at Stage 3 will be increased by 15 marks per

course as a minimum relative to the Stage 2 results, as

part o the scaling process.

The current Average Marks Scaling (AMS) process will

be applied to all course results to ensure airness to allstudents.

The Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank (ATAR) will be

calculated by adding the best our scaled scores, subject

to unacceptable combinations. These scaled scores

may be in any combination o courses and/or Stage 2 or

Stage 3 courses.

The competence in English requirement will normally be

met by a scaled mark o at least 50 in Stage 2 or Stage

3 English, English as an Additional Language, or English

LiteraturePrerequisites will generally require a scaled mark o at

least 50.

For detailed inormation about university admission

requirements, students in Year 11 in 2013 should reer to the

2015 Admission Requirements or School Leavers brochure and

students in Year 12 in 2013 should reer to the 2014 Admission

Requirements or School Leavers brochure. Alternatively these

brochures can be downloaded rom www.tisc.edu.au.

Students may also make contact directly with the

universities or inormation on courses and admission

requirements. University Websites have specic sections or

prospective/uture students.

For urther inormation regarding specic University courses,

please contact:

Curtin University o Technology

www.curtin.edu.au

Prospective Students Services

Phone: (08) 9266 2710/9266 2662

Email: [email protected]

Edith Cowan University

www.ecu.edu.au

Student Recruitment

Phone: (08) 6304 6304


Murdoch University

www.murdoch.edu.au

Prospective Students and Admissions Centre

Phone: 1300 Murdoch


The University o Western Australia

www.uwa.edu.au

UWA Admissions Centre

Phone: (08) 6488 1226


The University o Notre Dame

www.nd.edu.au

Phone: (08) 9433 0555


University Admission


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Perth Modern students might wish to consider their eligibility or any o the ollowing awards when

making their course selections.

Some subject combinations that are not permitted in

determining the Curriculum Council award score. In cases o

such combinations, only the higher o the two scaled scores

will count. In addition to unacceptable course combinations,

no more than two o Mathematics, Mathematics: Specialist,

and the ormer TEE subjects Applicable Mathematics,

Calculus and Discrete Mathematics can be used.

At least two units in each course must have been studiedand completed during the last two years o senior

secondary schooling. Where candidates have accumulated

scaled scores over two years, the ollowing rules apply in

calculating the Curriculum Councils award score:

Most scaled scores must have been obtained in the nal

year o senior secondary schooling.

Where a student has repeated a course, the rst scaled

score obtained is used. Scaled scores in repeated courses

will count only once.

SPECIAL GENERAL AWARDA special general award is presented to students not eligible

or the award o a general exhibition because they have

not satised the general criteria or eligibility but who have

otherwise achieved the requirements or the award o a

general exhibition and whose Curriculum Council award

score is not below the lowest score or a general exhibition.

AWARDS FOR OUTSTANDING

ACHIEVEMENT IN A COURSE

The awards relate to WACE courses only and do not include

VET industry specic courses.

COURSE EXHIBITIONS

A course exhibition may be awarded to the eligible student

obtaining the highest combined mark or each WACE

course, provided that the mark is equal to or greater than 95.

To be eligible or a course exhibition, the student must have

completed at least two course units in the year o the award

being granted. No course exhibition will be available or

students who have not sat the examination in that course.

Only one exhibition is awarded in each course. Typically, the

winner will have completed Stage 3 units in Year 12.

University Admission

GENERAL CRITERIA FOR ELIGIBILITY

FOR EXHIBITIONS AND AWARDS

To achieve the Beazley Medal: WACE, a Certicate o

Distinction or a Certicate o Excellence, a student must:

be an Australian citizen or a permanent resident o

Australia.

be enrolled as a ull-time student

1

in a registeredsecondary school.

not have previously completed the course external

assessment used in determining the award.

have satised the requirements or a WACE at the time o

the determination o the awards.

1. A ull-time student is one who is enrolled in at least our ull-year

or equivalent courses in a registered secondary school.

Special general awards, special course awards, special

VET awards and special certicates o distinction may be

awarded to students who do not meet the general eligibility

criteria.

BEAZLEY MEDAL: WACE

The Beazley Medal (WACE) is awarded or excellence to the

eligible student who achieves the top Curriculum Council

WACE award score. The Curriculum Council WACE award

score is used to rank students or the general exhibition. This

score is based on the average o ve scaled scores, with at

least two rom each o List A and List B.

AWARDS FOR OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT

General exhibitions are awarded to recognise outstanding

academic achievement. The awards relate to WACE courses

only and do not include VET industry specic courses.

GENERAL EXHIBITIONS

Forty awards, known as general exhibitions, are awarded

to the eligible students who obtain the highest Curriculum

Council WACE award scores based on the average o ve un-

truncated scaled scores, calculated to two decimal places,

with at least two rom each o List A and List B.

The average marks scaling process is used to determined the

scaled scores.


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Where there are large enrolments in Stage 2 and only a ew

schools with Stage 3 students, the Exhibitions and Awards

Committee will review the results rom both stages.

In the event that there is a tie in the combined mark, then

the student with the highest raw examination mark is

granted the award.

Where the number o candidates who sat the WACE

examination in that course was below 100, the Exhibition

and Awards Committee may decide to award a course

exhibition i the achievement is o an exceptionally high

standard. Background candidates sitting a languagecourse which includes background and non-background

candidates are not eligible or a course exhibition in the

respective course.

SPECIAL COURSE AWARDS

A special course award may be presented to a student

not eligible or a course exhibition because they have not

satised the general criteria or eligibility but who have

otherwise achieved the requirements or a course exhibition.

Only one award will be available in a particular course.

Background candidates sitting a language course whichincludes both background and non-background candidates

are not eligible or a special course award in the respective

course.

CERTIFICATES OF DISTINCTION

(WACE COURSES)

Certicates o distinction are awarded to eligible students

who are in the top 0.5 per cent o candidates, based on the

WACE course score, or the top two candidates (whichever is

the greater) in a course where there are at least 100 students.

The determination is based on the WACE course score.In the case o language courses which have background

candidates, certicates o distinction will be granted to

the top 0.5 per cent o eligible candidates or to the top

two non-background candidates (whichever is greater).

Background candidates sitting a language course, which

includes background and non-background candidates, are

not eligible or a certicate o distinction in the respective

course.

Where the number o candidates who sat the WACE

examination in that course was below 100, the Exhibition

and Awards Committee may decide to award certicateso distinction i the achievement is o an exceptionally high

standard.

SPECIAL CERTIFICATE OF DISTINCTION

A special certicate o distinction is awarded to students not

eligible or the award o a certicate o distinction because

they have not satised the general criteria or eligibility but

who have otherwise achieved the requirements or the

award o a certicate o distinction. It will be awarded only to

candidates within the top 0.5 per cent o candidates sitting

the examination. Background candidates sitting a language

course which includes background and non-background

candidates are not eligible or a special certicate o

distinction in the respective course.

CERTIFICATES OF COMMENDATION

A certicate o commendation is to be awarded to each

eligible student who, in their last three consecutive years o

senior secondary school WACE enrolment, obtains at least

20 A grades in course units or equivalents (including a least

three two-unit combinations). Up to eight unit equivalents

can be rom endorsed programs and/or VET units o

competency.

A grades required or a certicate o excellence

Unit equivalents A grades required:

0 endorsed units requires 20 A grades or a certicate o

excellence.

1 endorsed unit completed requires 19 A grades or a

certicate o excellence.

2 endorsed units completed requires 18 A grades or a











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SCHOOL BASED AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

99 Club

Students who achieve an ATAR score o 99+ will be

recognised with membership to the 99 Club. Students

will have their name included on an honour board and be

recognised at a Perth Modern School assembly.

Sphinx Society

Rationale

The Sphinx Society is open to all Year 10, 11 and 12 students

and is designed to encourage academic excellence in Senior

School students, by providing overt activities including the

awarding o a prestigious badge.

Eligibility

Eligibility is by semester and is determined at the completion

o each semester report. Membership is or the semester

ollowing earning the award.

Year 10 students:

must achieve an A grade in each o the English,

Mathematics Science and Social Science Learning areas,

plus our additional A grades. This makes a total o 8 A

grades. I a student is studying a Stage 2 or 3 course(s) in

Year 10 and they achieves a B grade in that course(s), the

Head o Learning Area will review their perormance and

advise the Associate Principal that the student has met

the criteria or Sphinx Society.

must have a minimum o B grade in all other subjects.

must maintain Good Standing or the semester.

students obtaining all A grades (English, Maths Science

and Social Sciences) and 1 C grade may apply to

the Associate Principal or special consideration omembership. A panel o three will make the decision and

inorm Parent/Student prior to announcement o Sphinx

Society Membership at the beginning o each semester.

Year 11 and Year 12 students:

must achieve ve A grades in any course combination.

must have a minimum o B grade in other courses.

must maintain Good Standing or the semester.

To remain in the Society, students must achieve this

standard at each semester report.

Graduation

To graduate as a Sphinx Society Member the student

must have qualied or the Certicate o Excellence.

At the Presentation Ceremony students who have beenmembers o the Sphinx Society will receive a certicate

stating the number o semesters they have been a

member.

Benets

Twenty House Points each time a student qualies.

Guest speaker program.

Acknowledgement through newsletter, morning tea and

certicate.

Time with high achieving students.

Honour Board or 4 consecutive semesters eligibility inYears 11 and 12.

Badge awarded at the start o membership.

Scholarships

There are a variety o scholarships available rom the various

universities. They range in value rom $1000 to $200,000.

The selection criteria vary or each scholarship and rom

university to university. For urther inormation contact

the Careers Counsellor at Perth Modern School or visit the

university website.


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CURRICULUM HANDBOOK SENIOR SCHOOL 2013

YEAR 10


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Year 10

ENGLISH COMPULSORY

In the English Learning Area students learn about the English

language: how it works and how to use it efectively. They

develop an understanding o the ways in which language

operates as a social process and how to use language in a

variety o orms and situations. They learn to speak, listen,

view, read and write efectively.

Students studying English can expect to enjoy themselves

while being ofered every opportunity to improve in both

the traditional elements o English, such as the conventions

o standard Australian English, as well as in the progressive

area o critical literacythe ability to see, or instance, how

diferent texts can shape our identity, our values and our

belies. Students will be encouraged to think independently,

extend themselves and express their creativity, while

developing a strong grounding in the essential conventions

o language and text.

In 2012, Year 10 English students will study two semester-

length units rom a wide range o choices ofered to

accommodate their increasingly diverse interests and

aspirations. Students will make their selections later this year.The range o units that are ofered provides a balance

between intrinsic areas o interest in language, culture and

communication, and the essential theoretical underpinnings

o English and Literature Courses in Years 11 and 12.

The kinds o units, as well as the degree o choice, are not

dissimilar to the way Universities ofer language, culture and

communications courses. The ollowing are the units being

ofered to Year 10 students next year:

Semester One Semester Two

Square Pegs The Good o SocietyThe Alchemy o Creativity Thrilling Crime

Science Writing That Way Madness Lies

Beyond the Monochrome Creative Writing

Resurrecting the Gothic Victorian Ideologies

Public Speaking Heroes and Villains

Rebel Writers and Social

Resistance

Language and Humour

A Kind o Blue Dramatic Tendencies

SEMESTER ONE:

Square Pegs

A unit about what it means to belong, what happens when

people move rom belonging to displacement, and how

texts explore these ideas and resultant identities. How does

our context afect the way we view past atrocities? How

does context afect our interpretation o events? What

happens when you dont want to belong anymore? What

drives people to abandon everything they know? How do

we deal with being culturally displaced? These questions are

examined in the light o interesting and challenging print

and non-print texts.

The Alchemy o Creativity

Is the search or the philosophers stone just something

between Harry Potter and Voldemort? Or is it an essential

ingredient o the creative process? Many amous writers,

lm-makers are alchemiststransorming the already

existing into the wholly original and unique. Does this

mean that Shakespeare is a thie? Tim Burtona plagiarist?

Denitely not!

What is the creative process? By examining contemporary

writers and lm-makers, this unit will expose and explore

the journey o the creative muse. Here you will have the

opportunity to discover your own philosophers stone and

create pure gold.

Science Writing

There is a strong demand or good science writers. Enrolling

in this unit might be the beginning o an illustrious career.

Students taking this unit get to read some o the best

science writing ever written, explore the idea that science

writing should be read as literature, practise a new kind o

writing, and produce their own piece o science writing

whether as a science ction story, or as a quality article in

a science journal. At the heart o this unit is the idea that

Science is a part o our culture; and it is predominantly

through language, especially the language o metaphor,

allusion, and narrative, that Science is understood.

Beyond the Monochrome

What do we do when were conronted with things that all

between the gaps?


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This unit is a crash-course-style history o texts that have

questioned where genres begin and end; have invented

genres, have deed genres; in short, a history o text creators

who have deed convention.

It explores the shades o grey o genre. It asks why

writers, artists, visionaries, renegades who have snubbed

conventions have elt the need to do this.

Students taking this unit will also create texts that t in these

liminal spaces between genres.

Resurrecting the GothicEnter a world o death, decay and darkness. Prepare yoursel

to ace your ears, and those o your ancestors. The Gothic

is a place where societal anxieties are resurrected and

exorcised. Those students brave enough to walk the path o

darkness will examine a range o print and non-print Gothic

texts in insanity-provoking detail. This close examination will

urther students analytical skills and provide inspiration or

students to produce their own terriying Gothic texts.

Public Speaking

This unit will allow students to nd their voice and enjoythe voices o others. They will be introduced to some

o the greatest orators in history, including ctional ones

rom literature, and be invited to develop their own style in

presentation, complemented by the conventions o debate

and public speaking adopted by Oxord University Colleges.

Rebel Writers and Social Resistance

There have always been writers, lm-makers and artists

who live on the margins; writers o texts that shock, surprise

and conuse. Who are these rebellious gures? How have

they changed the ace o literature and the way we see theworld? Do you have what it takes to join the revolution?

Be warned, i you want to break conventions you must

rst understand them well! Meet the mavericks o World

Literature. Transorm your reading and writing skills, nd new

ways o viewing the world, dare to step outside the square.

A Kind o Blue

Do you ever wonder what the soundtrack to your lie might

be? Well here is your chance to create one!

Kind o Blue explores the connections between music and

language through the detailed study o singersongwriters

and the study and production o soundtracks or lm,

documentary, images, stories, poetry, and lives. Fancy

yoursel as a poet? A lyricist? Study the beauty and power

o the work o singer songwriters such as Paul Kelly, Leonard

Cohen and Bob Dylan whose songs have called or change

and inspired people to change the world. And be inspired

to write your own songs o protest about issues that are

important to you.

SEMESTER TWO:

The Good o SocietyWhat is dystopia? In this unit, students look at the history

and maniestations o human control. It explores the

anxieties that cause controlling mechanisms, and that

result rom controlling mechanisms. It urther examines the

reasons behind human need or control as well as the nature

o control mechanisms, and how these benet and destroy

societies. It looks at how controlling mechanisms are made

to be socially acceptable, and nds its answers in texts that

document a history o dystopian ears.

Thrilling CrimeTighten your holster and sharpen those detective skills.

This unit involves an up close investigation o the detective

and crime genre. The detective genre allows the reader

to encounter a world o di culty and danger, to play with

motive and understand why people do bad things. From the

property crimes o the 19th century, to crimes against the

body and the current ear o terrorism, the detective genre

ofers an exploration o cultural anxieties. Your powers o

observation and superior rational thinking skills will allow

you to interrogate whodunits, pulp ction, lm noir, orensic

science television series, parody and a range o questionable80s lms among many others.

That Way Madness Lies

Are you brave enough to y in the ace o social norms; to

belong to a minority o one? (1984)

In our mad, mad world we will study the links between

artists, genius and notions o insanity. Well explore

the ways social context afects the ways normality and

madness is dened. Ranging across history we will look at

representations o madness in drama, poetry, novels, short

stories, documentaries and lm.


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The Writers Way: A Course in Creative Writing

Indulge your inner artist, exploring and developing skills and

talents in creative writing. Motivation, Inspiration, Originality,

Experimentation, Voice and Style are all thoroughly explored.

Students will explore a variety o traditional and innovative

genres, including verse, ree verse and experimental poetry,

the short story, the novel, and lie-writing; and a variety

o styles, including romanticism, realism, magic realism,

experimental, eminist and protest writing.

Victorian IdeologiesThe condition o England in the 19th Century is revealed in

all its grandeur and squalor, through looking at the art o

the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, and the literature o Charles

Dickens and Thomas Hardy. Tess, rom Hardys Tess o the

dUrbervilles will be studied as the archetype o the allen

woman.

Heroes and Villains

In Literature, and Popular Culture, particular characters are

demonised and championed. Who are these characters and

what do they represent?

Year 10

This unit examines heroic gures and villainous characters

in order to explore the values, attitudes and ideological

rameworks at play in the societies that produced them.

Students will examine a wide range o texts rom a variety o

contexts with a ocus on analysing the central characters

how they are constructed through written and visual

language and how they embody and reect the ears and

aspirations o society.

Language and Humour

Seriousness is the only reuge o the shallow. As Oscar

Wilde suggests, humour is not a supercial subject or

pastime, it has played the chameleon since the rst human

social interaction. This elusive entity will be the ocus o

scrutiny in this unit and students will trace its origins rom

the social platorms o Ancient Greek comedy to the massive

appeal o todays stand up comedians.

Dramatic Tendencies

Oscar Wilde said, I regard the theatre as the greatest o all

art orms, the most immediate way in which a human being

can share with another the sense o what it is to be a human

being.

The world o the theatre and the language o drama will be

explored in this unit, where you will learn, through reading,

analysis and perormance about the power o plays to

outrage or amuse shock or delight.


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MATHEMATICS COMPULSORY

Students entering Senior School at Perth Modern have

gained a high level o achievement in Mathematics. Our

Mathematics courses aim to cater to the students range o

interests and provide them with the necessary background

to attempt courses in Mathematics that will optimise

their personal goals as well as educational and vocational

directions.

The Mathematics course in Year 10 is designed to

prepare students to study Stage 3 Mathematics and

Mathematics Specialist courses in Year 11. Content

includes the mathematics o pre-calculus, probability

theory, trigonometry and statistics. However, there is an

appreciation that some students require extra time to

consolidate key concepts, so there is provision to meet their

needs also.

In all aspects o Mathematics, communication skills are

importantprocesses and conclusions must be presented

(in writing or otherwise) so that others can understand

them. Students are given many opportunities to explore and

extend their mathematical reasoning.The Mathematics Learning Area is organised within six

outcomes:

Working Mathematically

Space

Measurement

Chance and Data

Algebra .

To meet the needs o gited and talented students the

content in mathematics is taught at a ast pace, with

increased complexity and greater depth. All students in

Year 10 will be given the opportunity to participate in the

Maths Challenge Program and the Noether Enrichment

Program during their class instruction time. These give

the opportunity or students to extend and develop

their Mathematics skills through problem solving, and

applications to real world situations. The students will also

be given urther opportunity or extension in a class setting

through the Maths Talent Quest and other competitions.

The compaction o the curriculum gives us the chance to

provide these opportunities to the students.

Technology

Calculators are essential or everyday use within the

Mathematics classroom, and at home. All students in

Senior School will use the Classpad 330 in their study o

Mathematics.

Costs

Students participating in the Maths Challenge and

Noether Programmes will also be required to pay

approximately $60 in addition to the other cost.


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SCIENCE COMPULSORY

In the Science Learning Area, Year 10 students learn to

investigate, understand and communicate about the

physical, biological and technological world and, in the

process, appreciate the interactions that support lie on our

planet. Science helps students to become critical thinkers

by encouraging them to use evidence to evaluate what they

see and what they hear.

In Semester One students will study our ve-week

preparation modules based around the WACE Science

courses o Biology, Chemistry, Human Biology and Physics.

These modules introduce and cover preparatory knowledge

and concepts required or Year 11 courses.

In Semester Two students will complete a urther unit

in Human Biology and Chemistry (Organic) in Term 3. In

Term 4 students will be introduced to a urther Physics

module (Nuclear Physics). This will be ollowed by open-

ended research opportunities, enrichment and study skill

development to prepare students or WACE courses in the

Science Learning Area.

Throughout the Year 10 course, students will be requiredto apply their understanding in accordance with Blooms

taxonomy. Many o the tasks set require application o

understanding, analysis, synthesis and evaluation. Some

tasks are sel-directed and require a research element,

whilst others are completed to allow reective thinking

and reasoning approaches, either in groups or individually.

Enrichment and extension opportunities are used to

develop contextual understanding. These include: The

UWA Scientist Student Partnership, The Australian

Brain Bee Competition and the BioGENEius Competition.

Also all students compete in the ICAS Competition withselect students participating in the Rio Tinto Big Science

Competition.

An outline o each o the modules is given below.

Course 1 Biology: Cells, Organelles, DNA

and Protein Synthesis

Students study the structure o the cell, including the

structure and unction o organelles. Students appreciate

the importance o microscopes in studying the cell. In

preparation or Y11/Y12 Human Biology and Biological

Sciences students learn about DNA and how it is controls

the activity o the cell through protein synthesis. Students

appreciate that beore the cell divides, DNA needs to

replicate. Students learn the diferences between the 2 types

o cell division; mitosis and meiosis.

Course 2 Chemistry: Stoichiometry

Students are able to construct molecular ormulae and apply

their understanding to balancing chemical equations. They

appreciate the diferent types o chemical reaction and

extend their understanding o the mole. Students use their

knowledge to carry out mole to mole, mass to mole and

limiting reagent problems.

Course 3 Physics: Forces and motion

Students study Newtons 3 Laws o Motion and vector

quantity problems. They are given opportunity to apply

the equations generated rom motion graphs and they are

required to work through contextual examples. Students

may carry out a range o investigations in order to test the

Laws o Motion. This will result in analysis, synthesis and

evaluation opportunities.

Course 4 Human Biology: Genetics and evolution

Adaptation and evolution are underlying principles in

Year 11 and Year 12 Human Biology and Biological Science

courses. Students discuss the advantages o asexual and

sexual reproduction in the context o survival strategies

and evolution. They are required to know the human

reproductive systems and how these structures are

related to their unction. Students consider the evolution

o organisms as a result o mechanisms such as natural

selection. Alternative theories are discussed at this point.

Students appreciate how inormation is passed on rom one

generation to the next and can apply their understanding to

genetic predictions o inherited characteristics.

Year 10


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Course 5 Chemistry: Organic Chemistry

Students will learn the nomenclature o alkanes, alkenes,

alkynes and cyclic hydrocarbons in a course which will

prepare students or the organic component o the Year 11

and Year 12 Chemistry WACE course. They will study and

conduct basic reactions such as, combustion, substitution

and addition. Students will analyse the products. The course

will cover the great range o polymers, their origin in the

petrochemical industry and their many uses in society. They

will manuacture basic cosmetics, such as lipstick and hand

cream.

Course 6 Physics: Nuclear Physics and heat

A lot o ear surrounds nuclear physics. This course provides

a sound understanding o the main eatures o nuclear

physics, allowing them to make inormed decisions about

the pros and cons o nuclear energy. Students are given

an overview o nuclear decay, usion and ssion and are

required to consider the environmental implications.

Further to this, students apply their knowledge to problems

involving heat transer, insulation and conduction in the

context o an energy e cient house.

Course 7 Open ended research, enrichment

and study skill opportunities

Students are given opportunity to develop their

investigative skills in the context o one o the science

disciplines. This may involve group or individual work.

Students will be required to research their work and it may

involve some work with outside agencies (e.g. UWA). Further

to this, students will be given opportunities to develop their

study skills in preparation or Year 11.

SOCIAL SCIENCE COMPULSORY

Social Science curriculum outcomes will be delivered

through student choice o two Semester long courses

(which are listed below. Each will be acilitated by specialist

teachers. All will be inclusive o best practice GATE strategies

and have been created to ofer rich tasks and interesting

challenges to our student cohort. Student choice will be

satised wherever possible. Completion o Year 10 courses

is not a prerequisite or Year 11 and 12. The Social Science

Leaning Area ofers a range o extra curricula activities

including SCRAM, Future Problem Solvers, Mock Trial,debating, and Tournament o the Minds

Students are able to select rom the ollowing:

Geographic Problem Solving

Royalty, Revolution and Rights: The Evolution o our

Political/Legal System.

Globalisation: A Curse or a Blessing?

Heroes and Villains o Modern USA History

Legend And History; Reconstructing the Ancient World

Cloning, Conormity and Chicken NuggetsAnIntroduction to Ethics.

1. Geographic problem solving

Complex data has never been more ascinating or more

interesting to analyse, whether it be the 600,000 years

between the eruptions o supervolcanoes or the possibility

that obesity is more common amongst those persons living

closest to ast ood outlets! Spatial technology is altering the

orm and unction o Geography and its place in the world.

This course introduces students to a variety o current

spatial technologies and their application. Google Earth, GISTraxsticks and Geographic Inormation Systems exempliy

an exciting approach towards a study o distributions, the

discovery o change and a methodology o problem solving.

A study o both physical and cultural landscapes is included.

Students will conduct investigations and test hypotheses.

Sustainable solutions will be created through a management

simulation exercise and local eldwork.

Negotiation and choice will be essential elements o the

course.

Students will be introduced to the career directionsassociated with the emerging technologies.


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2. Royalty, Revolution and Rights:

The evolution o our political/legal system

This unit aims to introduce students to some o the key

events and issues in the evolution o our Political and

Legal Systems. Although there will be some negotiation,

students will get an opportunity to study material such as

the signicance o the Magna Carta to the role o the United

Nations in ostering Human Rights. Each o these ocus

areas will be driven by an abstract question that challenges

students to think about issues and outcomes associated

with the topic.Again, practical skills such as essay writing and source

analysis (cartoons, graphs, tables and documents) will

be undertaken. Students will be encouraged to develop

negotiation skills and they will be required to hone their

ability to think critically. Furthermore, they will be challenged

to consider ways to evaluate and assess the impact o much

o the key events studied, another valuable transerable skill

or urther study at Perth Modern School and beyond.

3. Globalisation: a curse or a blessing?

In simple terms, globalisation can be seen as theinterconnectedness between places and people o the

world. Does this improve our standard o living? Does it

make it too expensive to buy Australian goods? Are oreign

goods better just because they are cheaper? Can we

aford to isolate ourselves? We will look at the pros, cons

and diferent perspectives and viewpoints associated with

globalisation. We will ocus on current economics. Was

the global nancial crisis and economic chaos caused by

globalisation?

We will look at international trade, global corporations

and the share market. Students will be asked to debateand unravel real world situationstaking on the role o an

Economist.

Skills in Economics ocus upon reasoning and interpretation.

This includes the continued development o essay writing,

short answers and data interpretation skills. These skills will

assist in both the analysis o contemporary economic events

and issues and the justication o predictions and decisions.

Students will be challenged to develop higher thinking skills

through problem solving real time economic issues.

4. Heroes and villains o modern USA history

Like it or not the USA is the most powerul nation on the

planet. It has the wealthiest economy, the mightiest military

and the most inuential culture. Its important that young

people have a better understanding o the Rome o our

times, and this is the goal o the Course.

We accomplish this by looking at some key moments

in modern US history through the eyes o some o its

most amous/inamous individuals. We start by looking

at gangland Chicago in the 1920s, the era o Al Scarace

Capone. Then we ast orward to the Second World Warand debate whether President Truman, in authorising the

use o nuclear weapons against Japan, was a hero or a mass

murderer. Next we head to Montgomery Alabama in 1955,

where Rosa Parks reused to give up her seat to a white

man on a bus, and in so doing helped efect huge changes

within the country. Finally, students choose their own hero

and villain and research their impact on modern history.

In doing this Course students are exposed to all o the

skills needed to be a successul History student in Upper

School. We analyse documents and look at the merits and

reliability o diferent sources o inormation. We look atdiferent interpretations o specic events and debate key

issues. We also work on developing logical and coherent

essay writing skills. Finally, research skills will be improved

through a research assignment and there will be a group

oral presentation together with a regular ocus on using IT in

the classroom.

5. Legend and History: reconstructing

the ancient world

Ancient History stimulates students curiosity and

imagination and enriches their appreciation o humanitythrough a study o ancient societies. In ancient societies we

see the development o some o the distinctive eatures o

contemporary societies such as social organization, power,

authority, law and religion. Ancient History is also concerned

with the roles o individuals and groups and how they

shaped the political, social and cultural landscapes o the

ancient world.

Year 10


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Myths and legends rom the Ancient World continue to

capture the imagination o students today and provide

a wealth o material or popular culture. This unit begins

with an overview o the ancient world which is designed to

develop students understanding o the geographical and

historical context and characteristic eatures o key ancient

civilizations. This unit enables student to explore the origins

o legends and where truth replaces myth. Students will

use a range o evidence both physical and written rom

the ancient world to examine the legend o the Trojan War

and conduct their own investigation into an ancient legend

(event, practice or controversial personality).

Students will also explore the diferent ways ancient events

or personalities have been represented rom ancient to

modern times. Through examining a variety o sources

(including the movies) students will examine these

representations and evaluate their validity. Possible examples

include the Persian Wars, Ramses, Cleopatra or gladiators.

6. Cloning, conormity and chicken

nuggetsan introduction to ethics

Ethics is the most practical arm o Philosophy. It attemptsto answer questions about how we live our lives; how we

relate to others; and how we should act when making

ethical decisions. Students will examine questions relevant

to practical ethics such as: Is it right to clone people?, Why

do I have to tell the truth? and Is it morally acceptable to eat

other animals?

In answering these questions, students will learn about

normative ethics and the attempts to nd a system

o determining right and wrong. We will examine

Utilitarianism, Kantian and Virtue Ethics as well as looking

at the conict between Moral Relativism and UniversalMorality.

Students will also be introduced to some practical and very

valuable skills, including essay writing, constructing and

deconstructing arguments, and learning to tackle advanced,

abstract concepts. Students will also improve their verbal

communication skills through regular philosophical

Communities o Inquiry.

HEALTH AND PHYSICAL

EDUCATION COMPULSORY

The aim o the Health and Physical Education Learning

Area is to develop knowledge, attitudes and skills that will

enable students to make decisions that lead to a healthier

liestyle. We also recognise that our students have many

leadership qualities and potential as community leaders in

Health and Physical Education and we aim to ofer as many

opportunities as possible or students to gain experience

and skills in peer management and healthy liestyle

advocacy.

In Health and Physical Education classes students will

have their level o development assessed in the ollowing

outcomes:

the perormance o movement skills and strategies

needed or successul participation in a variety o

sports

health knowledge and understanding and how it

applies to the community

the demonstration o sel management skills

the demonstration o interpersonal skills.

The ollowing Health and Physical Education Courses are

compulsory or all students, and continue with the program

rom Year 9:

Physical Education

Students will participate in a unit o Physical Education

each semester. Students rotate through a range o sports

and have the option to pursue swimming in Term One. The

Sport Education model will be used in various contexts

to give students practical experience in leadership,

management and coaching/peer support roles. Students

will also choose a winter sport to compete in during Term

Two rom the ollowing, AFL, Soccer, Hockey, Volleyball,

Netball and Basketball. Students will train in teams in

readiness or Lightning Carnival interschool competition

and develop strategies and team play in a similar way to a

community team. Outstanding students will also be given

the opportunity to gain experience as a coach or younger

students in the sport o their choice.


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Career Education

Students will participate in a unit o Career Education during

Semester One.

This course ocuses on the transition to Senior School and

will challenge students to consider their uture work choices

and study alternatives. Students will complete an online

program that will ocus on their personal areas o interest

and ability. Students will also gain experience in goal setting,

budgeting, resume writing, job interviews and inormation

gathering or university study throughout the world. The

course will also cover some ethical issues in the modernworkplace, the history o unions and trends in the world

o work. Students will also participate in Work Experience

or a Skills Week course during Term Two and students will

receive inormation on the opportunities available during

the course.

Health Education

Students will participate in a unit o Health Education during

Semester Two. The pre-driver road saety program Keys

For Lie will give all students the opportunity to gain their

Learners Permit and will provide opportunities or parents/guardians to be involved in supervised driving practice.

Other ocus areas o the course are Efective Health

Promotion, Popular Culture and its Impact, STI education

and Healthy Relationships. Students will be encouraged

to ocus on the wider global aspects o health issues and

the gathering o reliable inormation and its analysis will be

emphasized.

LANGUAGES COMPULSORY

Students have the opportunity to enjoy one or more

Languages throughout their school lie at Perth Modern

School. In Year 8, students will continue their language

learning rom primary school or to start a new language and

ollow continuous study in this language to the end o Year

10 or Year 12. As all languages courses deliver diferentiated

curriculum, students who have some experience in a

language are equally catered or as new learners.

Students aiming or study or travel overseas or or an

international career should continue their language study

through to Year 12. For all students completing the WACE

stage 3, the Universities o Western Australian and Curtin

ofer 10% bonus points to students scaled score. This special

consideration by some WA universities can make a big

diference to the students nal Australian Tertiary Academic

Ranking, potentially opening up many university courses

previously unattainable.

The Languages ofered at Perth Modern include:

Chinese as a second language

French

Italian

Japanese as a second language.

Each Language currently ofers enrichment and extension

through a biennial trip to the country and French also ofers

the opportunity o a our week exchange program to one o

its Francophone countries: La Runion.

Extension is ofered through national and state competitions

as well as excursions to lm estivals and other rich cultural

events. Some competitions such as the Alliance Franaise

examinations ofer overseas trips to Francophone countriesas prizes to the winners.

In all languages, native speakers are also employed to work

individually or in small groups with students to extend their

pronunciation, vocabulary and cultural understanding skills.

In all languages courses teachers have high expectations o

their students.

Year 10


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Outcomes

In all o the Languages courses, communication is

paramount. Communication is acilitated through the

achievement o our outcomes. These outcomes are based

on the Languages learning area outcomes in the Standards

and Assessment which has signicant links to the

orthcoming National Curriculum:

Listening and Responding

Spoken Interaction

Viewing Reading and Responding

Written Communication.

At Perth Modern students ollow the WACE courses rom

Year 8. These courses ofer more depth and rigour than the K

to 10 Curriculum Framework and enable gited and talented

students to maximise their potential. Each Stage leads on to

the next, enabling students to clearly see the sequence o

language learning.

Learning contexts in Languages

Each unit is dened with a particular ocus, three prescribed

learning contexts and a set o prescribed topics through

which the specic unit content can be taught and learnt.

The cognitive di culty o the content increases with each

stage. The pitch o the content or each stage is notional and

there will be overlap between stages.

The prescribed learning contexts are:

The Individual

The Language-speaking Communities

The Changing World.

Through The Individual, students explore aspects o their

personal world, aspirations, values, opinions, ideas, and

relationships with others. It also enables students to study

topics rom the perspectives o other people.

The Language speaking Communities explores topics

rom the perspectives o individuals and groups within

those communities or the communities as a whole, and

encourages students to develop an understanding o how

culture and identity are expressed through language.

The Changing World enables students to explore

inormation and communication technologies, the efects o

change and current issues in the global community.

Through communicating in languages, students develop

intercultural understandings which enhance their

knowledge, awareness and understanding o their own

culture and language as well as that o the language

speaking world. Interpersonal relations and everyday living,

communication and language and belies, attitudes, values

and norms are all developed.

Stage 1 units provide support and a practical and applied

ocus to help students develop skills required to be

successul or Stage 2 units. Students with no experience are

also catered or in these units.Stage 2 units provide opportunities or applied learning but

there is a ocus more on academic learning.

Stage 3 units provide opportunities to extend knowledge

and understandings in challenging academic learning

contexts.

Each WACE course is designed or students who do not

have a background in the languagethat is, students who

have learnt the majority o their language they know in an

Australian school or similar environment. A unit is completed

when all assessment requirements or that unit have been

met. It is important to understand that in the WACE or Stage

2 and 3 Courses in Chinese and Japanese there are eligibility

criteria and back ground speakers do not meet the criteria

and thereore can not take these courses.

Typically students in Year 8 to 10 will complete Stage 1, Year

11 Stage 2 and Year 12 Stage 3. However, at Perth Modern as

students in languages are encouraged to be sel motivated,

independent learners aiming to reach their potential at all

times and strive or high academic standards, gited and

talented students are oten accelerated and curriculum is

compacted and/or enriched to reect their learning ability.

Year 10: Chinese as a Second Language, French,

Italian, Japanese as a Second Language

Students continue their studies in the same language as in

year 8 and 9. In this year the emphasis is on preparation or

the Senior School courses as well as emphasising language

study enrichment and extension activities. Many students

will accelerate their program to commence Stage 2 courses

while in Year 10.


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There are many incursions and excursions and all students

now have antastic opportunities to travel on overseas

languages trips. French students visit the: Why We Learn

French Forum to experience the huge range o work

opportunities throughout the Francophone countries

available to them. Japanese and French students are

involved in exchange programs. All students have access

to the Film estivals or their language. Students also enter

competitive examinations with overseas prizes available to

winners in some languages.

In Year 10 students have the opportunity to compete inthe Language Perect World Championshipsan online

vocabulary and phrase building competition. They will also

help organise the Language week activities. All languages

make extensive use o on-line resources enabling rich and

authentic experiences or students.

Year 10 students aiming or study or travel overseas or or an

international career should continue their language study

through to Year 12. For all students completing the WACE

stage 3, the Universities o Western Australian and Curtin

ofer 10% bonus points to students scaled score. This special

consideration by some WA universities can make a bigdiference to the students nal Australian Tertiary Academic

Ranking, potentially opening up many university courses

previously unattainable.

For detailed inormation on the content o each individual

language course, please consult the Perth Modern School

website.

THE ARTS LEARNING AREA ELECTIVES

Within the Arts Learning Area students engage in a range

o communication processes in general and specic areas

o the Visual Arts. Studies incorporate and extend the

students understanding o historical, social and cultural

inuences. It is expected that students will respond to Arts

experiences using processes o enquiry, creative thinking

and experimentation.

The ollowing outcomes provide the ramework within

which the subjects within the Arts Learning Area are

planned and delivered:Arts Ideas Students generate art works that

communicate ideas.

Arts Skills and Processes Students use the skills,

techniques, processes, convention and technologies o

the arts.

Arts Responses Students use their aesthetic

understanding to respond to, reect on and evaluate the

arts.

Arts in Society Students understand the role o the

arts in society.

DRAMA

Drama 10 ADR 1/2

Two electives are ofered or the Year 10 course. They will

explore the elements o drama and design and content in

the preparation or urther studies in Drama. The ocus will

be on acting skills, scripted text interpretation, playwriting

and design roles, such as lighting and sound and publicity.

Drama students will experience both Representational and

Presentational theatre styles in the workshop processes.

Students will investigate and apply the conventions

o Commedia Dellarte in developed past and present

scenarios. In these improvised practised perormances they

will demonstrate the use o masks and physical theatre

orms.

Students will gain an understanding o Drama Skills and

Processes whilst exploring the work o Drama theorist,

Stanislavski. The understanding o his work will be

highlighted whilst rehearsing the techniques in context

with character development or scripted monologues and

duologues.

Year 10


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Experimental theatre perormances will demonstrate

the students knowledge through sel-devised dramas.

Students will show a variety o theatrical techniques by

using experimental sound, lighting and multi-media in this

creation o their own dramas.

The students in role will write extended responses to analyse

their perormances.

The course ocuses on knowledge, understandings and skills

to a degree o complexity in:

Voice and movement

Drama processes

Drama orms and styles

Drama conventions.

The essential content or achievement at this level is based

on:

Learning contexts or perormance

Text and style

Dramatic action

Building upon knowledge and dramatic skills.

MUSIC

The Music course is designed to encourage students to

participate in musical activity as both a recreational and

vocational choice. It may serve as a pathway or urther

training and employment in a range o proessions within

the music industry, or as a means o experiencing the

pleasure and satisaction that comes rom making music.

Students enrolled in a music course are expected to be

members o the co-curricular ensemble, Senior Chorale.

In addition, students are expected to be members o

the applicable ensemble or their instrument or voice, as

directed by the Music Department. Reer to the Music

Policies and Guidelines or urther inormation.

Outcomes

The syllabus is designed around our key outcomes:

Perorming

Composing and Arranging

Listening and Responding

Culture and Society.

Within these our outcomes there are six key content areas:

Aural

Theory

Analysis Composition and Arranging

Perormance

Cultural and Historical Perspective.

The Music curriculum ofers many opportunities or student

extension, particularly through theoretical understanding,

composition, and perormance opportunities. The

implementation o Kodaly methodology throughout the

curriculum allows students to learn through involvement in

quality music-making experiences.

Extension Music 10MUSE 1/2

Extension music students continue their learning in the

key areas o Aural, Theory, Composition, Music Technology,

Perormance, and Cultural and Historical Styles. This

continues in the same way as the Year 8 and Year 9

Extension Music Program.

Class Music 10MUSC1/2

Class Music students continue to study the key areas o

Aural, Theory, Composition and Perormance. This continues

in the same way as the Year 8 and Year 9 Class Music

Programs.

Prerequisites: Successul completion o Year 9 Class Music or

Year 9 Extension Music. Students wishing to enter the Year 10

Class Music program must be learning a musical instrument

and be approved by the Music Department.

Music 2A/B

Any student interested in studying in Course o Study

2AB should reer to the description in the Year 11 section.

Students should discuss this option with the Head o Music.


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VISUAL ARTS

Visual Arts Semester 1: Fine Arts

Drawing/Painting 10AFI 1

Visual Arts Semester 2: Fine Arts

Printmaking/Sculpture 10AF1/2

Students may take one or more courses in Visual Arts during

the year, dependant on interest and availability. Students will

be expected to:

draw and plan in order to communicate ideas

learn, select and manipulate a range o techniques, skills

and processes

analyse and express opinions about art works using

relevant art language

develop understanding and critical awareness o

diferent art movements and their links to society.

Students have the opportunity to investigate the ne arts o

painting, drawing, print making, and sculpture. Participation

in this course is recommended or those students who may

wish to urther their visual art studies at an Upper School

examination level as it establishes a broad theoreticaland technical oundation. Students also explore ceramics,

practical printmaking and general vocational activities.

Contemporary crat is about making things. It is an

intellectual and physical activity where the maker explores

the innite possibilities o materials and processes to

produce unique objects.

Crat is remembering that art is seen, elt and heard as well

as understood, knowing that not all ideas start with words,

thinking with hands as well as head.

HEALTH AND PHYSICAL

EDUCATION ELECTIVES

The ollowing Health and Physical Education electives are

ofered and run or either semester except where indicated.

Please note:

or all electives, each course requires regular participation

in vigorous activity. Students will need to change into

suitable clothing or each activity

costs or these electives must be paid beore a student

takes part in any activity.

Physical Recreation Aquatic Option 10SAQ1/2

This elective is designed or students who want to

experience activities that are water based and easy to

access in Perth. The State Sailing Centre based at Mounts

Bay Sailing Centre will host most activities. The activities will

be chosen rom dinghy sailing, sail boarding, canoeing and

power boating. Students must be competent swimmers.

Electives available in Health and Physical Education include:

Physical Education 2A/B

Aquatic Recreation

Sports Challenge

Specialised Physical EducationSoccer

Specialised Physical EducationNetball

Specialised Physical EducationFitness

Contemporary Dance.

Physical Education 2A/B

Please reer to the description in the Year 11 and 12 Section.

This course will be the equivalent o 2 electives over the

whole year. It is expected students would ollow a pathway

to Physical Education 3A/B in Year 11.

Year 10


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Sports Challenge 10SPC1/2

This elective is designed or students who love the cut and

thrust o competition. Teams will compete in a number o

team and individual competitions at community sporting

venues (e.g. Revolution) and the school acilities culminating

in a nal series.

Sports will be chosen rom European Handball, Korball,

Indoor Soccer, Volleyball, Squash, Gol, Indoor Hockey, Ten

Pin Bowling, Inline Skating, Indoor Cricket, Basketball, and

Lawn Bowls.

Specialised Physical Education Soccer 10SPES1/2

This elective is designed to provide students with the

opportunity to extend their skills and knowledge in Soccer.

Specialised coaches will develop skills, tactics and game

strategies, knowledge o rules and tournament competition

in ar more depth than in general Physical Educatio

Documents

PMS Senior School Curriculum Handbook 2013