Year 10 Handbook

In making your choice of Elective subjects you should consider the following:

• INTEREST - What you like, or are interested in studying
• SUCCESS - What will you be best at

It is important that you consider your performance and efforts in the Year 9 subjects you have completed this year.  The academic results and subject teacher’s comments on your College Academic Reports should be used as a guide to help you determine your subject choices for Year 10.

At this stage in your secondary education, you should not be too concerned with prerequisite subjects for tertiary course entrance, as this over-emphasis on selection for a proposed career choice made now, could lead to a poor decision for the future.  Many career-orientated courses in Years 11 and 12 can be chosen irrespective of the elective subjects studied previously.  It is only in some cases, that certain senior subjects require pre-requisite study and a list of these subjects is provided in this handbook.

In conclusion, it is important that students and parents consider the following advice on choosing subjects:

There should be a balance in the type of Elective subjects chosen e.g. cultural and practical.

There is an opportunity for students to pursue their special interests or develop talents which they have e.g. Art, Drama, or to speak and write a foreign language fluently.

Choose Elective subjects that you know you will enjoy completing and can be successful at.

When choosing your Elective subjects for Year 10 do not let your choice of subjects be influenced by:

• Being told that a subject is easy.  What is easy for some students may be quite difficult for others.  A subject which is too easy for you may very soon become boring!
• Hearing that there is no homework in that subject.  Beware this advice is misleading.  Practical oriented subjects may not have regular homework, but assessment items throughout the semester will be due.
• Which teacher is taking the subject this year. There is no certainty that the same teacher will teach the subject next year.  Many schools have significant re-allocations of staff each year.

Core Subjects

All students in Year 10 will complete all these subjects.

• Religious Education
• English
• Mathematics
• Science
• Humanities & Social Sciences 
• Health and Physical Education

In Year 10, students will be placed into the appropriate level of English and Mathematics using evidence from NAPLAN, PAT-R, PAT-M and their previous results.

Elective Subjects

All students will initially choose three subjects from the group below. This information will then be used to formulate the lines for the Elective subjects. All students will then be able to choose two electives from the lines.

• Design Technology (Graphics)
• Design Technology (ICT)
• Design Technology (Materials & Technologies Specialisation)
• Certificate II Manufacturing Technology
• Food Specialisation and Hospitality Foundations 
• Economics and Business 
• History and Civics & Citizenship 
• Health and Physical Education 
• STEM (Science - Technology Mathematics)
• Visual & Media Arts 

It is important to note that Elective Subjects will be arranged in groups or “lines” to allow timetabling.  Students will be able to select only one subject from each line. 

Lines will be drawn to:

• Allow students to choose an educationally sound and well-balanced course of academic and practically oriented subjects
• Cater for a range of student interests and needs
• Disadvantage as few students as possible.

‘Lines’ will be drawn up after student subject requests are submitted.

• Due to safety and legal requirements, some classes are limited in size e.g.  Design and Technology, Food Technology

Should the number of students wanting to complete a subject exceed the capacity of College facilities, the Deputy Principal in consultation with teachers of the subject areas will reserve the right to admit students to these Elective subjects in accordance with student needs and interest displayed in the subject during Year 8.

Similarly, if insufficient students nominate to take a subject, the subject may not proceed.

Student selections will be confirmed in Term 4. 

In selecting your Elective subjects, you may need to consider whether you will be eligible to enrol in the senior level of studies of the course. As all students will be completing a wide range of core subjects in Year 10, many of you will not need to consider pre-requisite studies as they will be covered by your core subjects.

Students, who may have an idea of wishing to proceed to tertiary institutions, will need to peruse this checklist to understand the process of subject selection for Senior Pre-Tertiary subjects.

As Year 10 subjects provide the building blocks for a successful senior secondary education, it is important that all students cultivate a more positive approach to these two years of schooling.

The successful student:

• Gains rewards from self-set goals
• Is an active learner and has commitment to his/her course of study
• Accepts responsibility for both successes and failures
• Accepts the challenge to overcome difficulties

To be a successful student you need to cultivate good study habits.  You should consider the following hints for more effective study:

• Formulate a homework and study plan.  It is recommended that students at this level should allocate 1 – 1½ hours per night to complete set homework, assignment preparation and study revision.
• Keep up to date in your College Student Diary with deadlines for all assessment items.
• Keep a balance between school and leisure/sporting team commitments and in some cases, part-time work.
• Regular physical exercise keeps you fit and helps to release tension.
• Make a list of things to do and indicate priorities.
• Ask for help from your teachers, parents and friends.
• Have a set-aside place for study with desk, comfortable chair and good lighting, where you can work without interruption from the television, family meals or other members of the family.

• Parents are encouraged to keep up to date with Subject Assessment Due Dates and Examination Schedules.  The Compass App and Facebook will always advise of upcoming important events and your child's Assessment Schedule is available on line as well. 
• Parents are required to check the College Student Diary weekly for regular subject teacher’s communication regarding your child’s progress in class and to monitor homework and assessment requirements.
• Parents are encouraged to help their children with their language development.  Suggestions:
  • By checking homework diaries for instructions parents can help children improve their organisational skills.
  • Encourage neatness and thoroughness in all tasks through praise not criticism.
  • Help children improve their spelling and punctuation by proof-reading their rough draft work.

Religious Education at Gilroy Santa Maria College is an important area of human culture and thus worthy of study in its own right.  Growth in faith can be nurtured by classroom teaching of Religion and is enhanced by a supportive home, school and church environment.  Religious Education presents faithfully, and with integrity, the richness of the Catholic tradition and respectfully presents other faith traditions.

The classroom teaching of religion enables students to explore ways in which religion, and especially the Catholic tradition is related to their own lives and to the society and world in which they live.

 Religious Education is a key learning area.

Pre-requisites:

Students and parents must be willing to accept the Catholic ethos and positively support the right of the College to educate in faith. 

Course Outline Junior Religion:

Unit 1: Meaning, purpose and expression

Unit 2: World religions and spirituality

Assessment:

Assessment will occur throughout the unit of work.  It will be in the form of the work (in-class assignments, class work, reflections, etc.) which will be completed in their folders and notebooks. 

In Year 10 students will be enrolled in the QCAA course, Religion and Ethics. They will complete four assessment tasks covering a project, extended response, and investigation. All assessments will occur in class time. At the satisfactory completion of this course students will obtain two (2) units points towards their QCE. Students will complete this course in Year 11.

Course Outlines:

The Year 10 English courses are designed to meet the requirements of the Australian Curriculum and are built around the three interrelated strands of language, literature, and literacy. Together, the strands focus on developing students' knowledge, understanding and skills in listening, reading, viewing, speaking, writing and creating. The course provides students with opportunities to engage with a variety of texts. These include various types of media texts, film, fiction, poetry, and multimodal texts, with themes and issues involving levels of abstraction, higher order reasoning and intertextual references. 

Students will also engage with literary texts that support and extend them as independent readers. Such texts are drawn from a range of genres and involve complex and challenging structures that may serve multiple purposes. These texts explore several themes, including that of human experience and cultural significance. The texts represent: a variety of perspectives, a synthesis of technical and abstract information, and more complex text structures and language features that include a high proportion of unfamiliar and technical vocabulary, figurative and rhetorical language, and dense information supported by various types of graphics presented in visual form. 

Students will create a range of imaginative, informative and persuasive types of texts including narratives, procedures, performances, reports, discussions, literary analyses, transformations of texts and reviews.

The Year 10 English course follows the Australian Curriculum program, although students are placed in classes, based on multiple forms of data including A-E results, NAPLAN and PAT data. Placement in these classes will allow increased opportunity for students to experience success with the Australian Curriculum whilst best preparing them for their perceived Senior English pathway. Students will complete Preparation for General English or Preparation for Essential English aligned learning experiences and assessment. There may be movement of students between classes across the year to find the best subject for their ability. In Semester 2, students studying Preparation for Essential English may complete the QCAA Short Course in Literacy if required. 

To complete General English in Senior, (which are prerequisites for some University courses), It is advised that for students to experience success in General English through the course of Year 11 and 12, students should be achieving a ‘B-’ or higher in their Prep for General English course.

Assessment:

In assessments students are provided with opportunities to comprehend, create and respond to a range of imaginative, analytical and persuasive texts. Assessments will take the form of:

• extended responses, and/or 
• examinations.

All assessment items are fully explained by the classroom teacher and are detailed on the task sheet. All tasks are assessed against common criteria.  

Homework:

Students are expected to complete homework daily to consolidate classroom learning and develop good study habits. It is expected that students engage in:

• daily reading
• revision of knowledge, skills and concepts in order to reinforce and consolidate classwork
• drafting and finalising assignment tasks

How can you support your child in the study of this subject?

• Help your child to create regular routines and study habits.
• Ensuring your child has a quiet space free from distractions.
• Encouraging regular reading of a variety of texts, as well as actively developing more sophisticated vocabulary.
• Encouraging regular writing will help improve their communication skills, clarity of ideas and words, and critical and creative thinking skills.
• Talk to your child about their texts – ask questions and share opinions.
• Help your child develop independent learning skills.

Mathematics is an integral part of a general education. In all its aspects, Mathematics is valuable to people by providing important skills which can be used at the personal, civic, professional and vocational level.

Course Outlines: 

The Year 10 Mathematics course follows the Australian Curriculum program, although students are placed in classes, based on results, that will best prepare them for their perceived Senior Maths pathway. There may be movement of students between classes across the year to find the best subject for their ability. In Semester 2, students will complete Advanced & Applied Mathematics, Core Mathematics or the QCAA Short Course in Numeracy.

To complete Mathematical Methods and/or Specialist Mathematics in Senior, (which are prerequisites for some University courses), students will need to achieve a B or better in the Advanced & Applied Mathematics course in Year 10. 

Assessment:

Students will be assessed in the following criteria:

• Understanding and Fluency
• Problem Solving and Reasoning

Assessment items each semester include:

• Supervised Tests - 1 per term.
• Problem Solving & Modelling Tasks (PSMTs) – 1 per year

Homework:

Homework will be given each lesson to consolidate and reinforce concepts learned in class. It should range from 20 to 30 minutes of work on average per day.

Additional Information:

Every opportunity is given to all students to make the most of their Mathematics studies. Teachers are willing to help students outside of class time at the tutoring sessions so that students are properly grounded in the skills required for Senior Mathematics.

Students (and parents) who are concerned about Mathematics results should approach the classroom teacher, the Mathematics HOD or College Administration to discuss.

The Year 10 Science curriculum builds on students' existing knowledge and skills, encouraging curiosity, critical thinking, and an understanding of the world through scientific inquiry. Students develop problem-solving abilities and the capacity to apply scientific knowledge to real-world situations. In Semester 2, students select a pathway - Science in Practice, Senior Science, or Agricultural Practices - that aligns with their interests and goals, helping them prepare for senior studies, future careers, or further learning in specialised scientific fields.

Course Outline: 

Key aspects of the Science curriculum include:

Scientific Knowledge: Developing an understanding of fundamental concepts across various scientific disciplines, including Biology, Chemistry and Physics.

Scientific Inquiry: Encouraging students to ask questions, conduct investigations, and analyse data to draw evidence-based conclusions.

Application of Science: Applying scientific principles to solve problems and make informed decisions in everyday life and societal contexts.

Science as a Human Endeavour: Recognising the role of science in society and its impact on technology, innovation, and ethical considerations.

In Semester 1, students rotate through Biology, Chemistry, and Physics with specialist teachers.

• Biology: DNA, Inheritance and Evolution
  • Structure and function of genetic material, inheritance patterns, and evolutionary processes.
• Chemistry: Investigating and Explaining Reactions, Periodic Table
  • Chemical reactions, reactivity series, and the arrangement of elements in the periodic table.
• Physics:
  • Fundamental concepts in physics, including motion, forces, and energy.

In Semester 2, students elect one of the following three subjects:

• Agricultural Practices: practical skills and knowledge in animal, plant, and agribusiness practices, applying scientific inquiry and problem-solving to real-world contexts.
• Science in Practice: investigating topics such as forensics and disease, students develop practical and analytical skills while applying scientific methods to solve real-world problems
• Senior Science: extending scientific knowledge, students explore advanced concepts while developing analytical, problem-solving, and research skills to prepare for senior science studies.
  
  

Assessment:

Assessment in Science includes:

• Exams to evaluate students' grasp of scientific concepts and principles.
• Assignments and projects that explore and apply different areas of the curriculum.
• Laboratory experiments where students design, conduct, and analyse experiments, culminating in written scientific reports that demonstrate their investigative skills and understanding.

Homework:

Homework will be assigned each lesson to consolidate and reinforce concepts learned in class. On average, students should expect to spend 20 to 30 minutes per day on Science homework. This includes occasional independent research and work on assignments.

Students are encouraged to maintain neatness and thoroughness in all their tasks and to improve spelling and punctuation by proofreading their rough draft work.

Additional Information:

All students are encouraged to fully engage with their Science studies. Teachers are available outside of class time during tutoring sessions to provide additional support and ensure students grasp the necessary skills for further Science education.

Students (and parents) who have concerns about Science results are encouraged to approach the classroom teacher, the Science Head of Department (HOD), or College Administration for further discussion and assistance.

Course Outline

HISTORY:

• World War II (1939-1945)
• Migration Stories
• Rights and Freedoms  

ECONOMICS AND BUSINESS: 

• Business, Marketing and Accounting Practises
• Measuring Economic Performance

CIVICS and CITIZENSHIP

• Key features of Australia’s Government and Democracy in comparison to our neighbours  
• Australia's Local and Global Legal Responsibilities

Assessment

Each semester students will be required to complete a combination of the following tasks:

• A research/investigative task
• Response to Stimulus Test
• Exams
• In class activities 

Homework

Students will be required to complete regular class and research work.

Additional Information

It is planned that students will obtain much of the information required for this course through library and computer technology such as:

• Databases
• Online Resources
• Textbooks and other library resources

Health and Physical Education is organised into two content strands: personal, social and community health and movement and physical activity. Each strand contains content descriptions which are organised under three sub-strands.

Focus Areas:

• Alcohol and other drugs (AD)
• Food and nutrition (FN)
• Health benefits of physical activity (HBPA)
• Mental health and wellbeing (MH)
• Relationships and sexuality (RS) 
• Safety (S) 
• Active play and minor games (AP) 
• Challenge and adventure activities (CA)
• Fundamental movement skills (FMS) 
• Games and sports (GS) 
• Lifelong physical activities (LLPA) 
• Rhythmic and expressive activities (RE)

Yr 10, Health and Physical Education includes both practical and theory components within this subject area. Topics covered in theory may include personal and community safety, energy systems and training programs, sustainable community health and wellbeing, cultural awareness and understanding and social responsibilities and relationships. Practical activities may include; invasion games and sports, net and court games,  challenge and adventure activities and traditional games.

Unit Overview

Term 1: 

• Theory - Strategies for a Healthy Sustainable Community 
• Practical - Volleyball 

Term 2: 

• Theory - Proficiency of Movement 
• Practical - Athletics 

Term 3:

• Theory - Prep for Senior PE 
• Practical - Touch Football + 2-3 minute video performance 

Term 4: 

• Theory - Prep for Sport & Rec 
• Practical - Coaching and Officiating of Training Sessions 

Assessment

Students are involved in various learning experiences either within the classroom or by participating in practical activities using the facilities provided. The health and physical education emphasis is on learning about, through and with physical activity.

The practical elements included in the course are assessed according to personal performance against standards.

Students will be assessed in all theory areas in a variety of tasks, including exams, practical skills observation, multimodal assignments and research reports.

Homework

Worksheets and assignment work for theory components. Students are also encouraged to practise practical skills at home to consolidate what is being taught and developed at school. Parents may also assist by encouraging children to participate in sporting teams. Study for theory tests is also required.

Using a range of technologies including a variety of graphical representation techniques to communicate, students generate and represent original ideas and production plans in 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional representations. These techniques will be specific to the technologies context and may include scale, perspective, orthogonal and production drawings with sectional and exploded views. Students produce rendered, illustrated views for marketing and use graphic visualisation software to produce dynamic views of design ideas and designed solutions.

Students with aspirations to tertiary careers in Architecture, Engineering, Surveying and Graphic Design, and students with an interest in trade subjects or even practical construction, whether as a career or merely a hobby, would benefit from studying Graphics. The course uses AUTOCAD, INVENTOR and REVIT and Adobe Photoshop so the students can gain the necessary computer skills needed for employment.

Pre-requisites

An interest in drawing is essential.

Course Outline

The course aims to develop an awareness of the importance of graphical communication and a knowledge and understanding of fundamentals in the following areas:

• Drawing equipment and aids;
• Plane geometrical drawing and construction;
• Systems of orthographic projection, both geometrical and technical;
• Pictorial drawing – including perspective;
• Diagrams and charts;
• Developments of patterns and templates;
• Presentational graphics including linework standards, freehand sketching and rendering;
• An introduction to computer assisted drafting across the areas indicated above;
• Design processes and understanding; 
• Graphic Design.

Homework

Homework is an integral part of the course.  It may be given on a weekly basis and is assessed. 

Assessment

Each area of work is assessed upon its completion, either by a folio of drawings, short response test or a combination of both.  A compilation of these assessment tasks, homework and assignments makes up the semester grade.

 The students work will be assessed in the following criteria:

• Technologies and society
• Generating and designing
• Producing and implementing
• Evaluating

Tests are assessed only in the Knowledge and Understanding criteria of the course.  All homework and assignments are assessed in all criteria.

Equipment

Some basic equipment must be purchased.  This includes a 12GB USB, range of pencils, an eraser, V liner pens and coloured pencils for rendering.

Course Outline 

• Robotics
• Graphic design 
• Animation
• Web design & development

Assessment

Students are involved in a variety of assessment techniques with an emphasis on producing products that can be published globally. This includes creation of blogs, formal exams, production of mobile apps, development of graphic design folios and construction and management of websites. 

Homework

Homework is given as required to ensure the principles being explored are understood.

The aim of this course is to provide the applicant with the best practical skills to improve manufacturing technology performance. It helps the applicant to use the right tools to work smarter and not harder.

This qualification provides a mixture of introductory and more advanced skills in manufacturing technology. The qualification packaging has been developed on an assumption that competency will be developed through a combination of off-the-job learning strategies. This qualification provides the skills needed to improve efficiency in a person’s own work role or the efficiency of a team or work area.

The MSM20216 Certificate II in Manufacturing Technology applies to a learning and assessment environment where access to normal production operations is not available. A typical environment will be for application in a VET in Schools delivery environment or other simulated or trial manufacturing environment where a high degree of supervision exists. The units are suitable for delivery in a school environment and for schools to contextualise the units to local manufacturing industry activities.

Cost: Students and parents are not required to pay a fee to complete this qualification. 

Further Training Pathways:

• MSA30208 Certificate III in Manufacturing Technology
• Engineering and Manufacturing trades

Core Units

MSMENV272        Participate in environmentally sustainable work practices

MSMWHS200       Work safely

MSS402001          Apply competitive systems and practices

MSS402051          Apply quality standards

MSS402080          Undertake root cause analysis

Elective Units

• MSS402002  Sustain process improvements
• MSMPCII298 Make an object from metal
• MSMPCII296 Make a small furniture item from timber
• MSMPCII295 Operate manufacturing equipment
• MEM09002B Interpret technical drawing

Course Outline

This course takes place over a one-year period, with a range of assessment including observations of practical projects and written tasks throughout the year. There are no entry requirements.

Students use design and technologies knowledge and understanding, processes and production skills and design thinking to produce designed solutions to identified needs or opportunities of relevance to individuals and regional and global communities. Students work independently and collaboratively. Problem-solving activities acknowledge the complexities of contemporary life. 

Course Outline

The course enables students to gain knowledge and skills in:

• Safety in workshops and industrial environments
• The nature of materials (mostly woods, metals and plastics)
• Techniques for manipulating these materials using hand tools and machines 
• Good technology practice
• Presenting graphical responses to design challenges

A hands-on approach is used in the making of artefacts which are designed to develop the skills previously outlined.

Assessment

Assessment is determined using learning outcomes based on the student’s level of competence in the tasks and associated technology involved in making each project, including: Evaluation of those designs and Workshop techniques

Semester 1 - Food Specialisation and Food Production & Design

Semester 2 - Hospitality Foundations

This creative and practical subject allows students to explore food, nutrition, and the science behind cooking while developing essential skills in design, planning, and production management. Students identify the steps involved in planning and producing designed solutions, creating detailed project management plans that include sequenced time, cost, and action strategies.

Throughout the course, students apply theoretical knowledge to a variety of practical projects across contexts such as Food and Fibre Production, Food Specialisations, and Materials. They establish and follow safety procedures to manage design tasks responsibly and efficiently, ensuring successful project outcomes.

In Semester 2, students extend their learning into senior Hospitality skills, gaining experience in culinary techniques and barista training—providing an ideal foundation for future pathways in Certificate II Hospitality, Health, or School-Based Apprenticeships and Traineeships (SBATs)

Pre-requisites:

Nil, although an interest in food and practical skills is an advantage.

Course Outline:

The Food Technology course will cover units on:

Semester 1

Food Specialisation & Design

Designing and Working with Food & Fibre Production, Design & Innovation. 

Term 1: Bread Methods

Students will learn about the evolution of bread-making through the ages and across differing cultures. Students participate in designing and producing different breads found throughout the culinary world both in everyday cultural practices and within specialised artisan bakeries . 

Students will investigate bread through:

• Food Provenance

• Designing and Producing Bread

• Evaluating Designs

Term 2: Asian Cuisine.

Students will learn the design processes associated with exploring different Asian cuisines throughout the pacific rim. Students will identify Asian ingredient profiles and their properties, and use appropriate tools and techniques to create and design Asian dishes. Students will be taught an understanding of the cultural and health aspects of food practices throughout Asia. 

Students will investigate Asian Cookery through:

• Cultural and contextual understanding 
• Food properties and selection, Tools & Equipment
• Design Techniques.
  
  

Semester 2 

Hospitality Foundations

Food & Beverage Production & Service through Hospitality Tasks relevant to Industry.

Term 3: Culinary Trends

In this unit, students explore the hospitality industry through the context of culinary trends. They interpret briefs using practices, skills and processes to an industry standard. Students evaluate and adapt production plans, techniques and procedures with the knowledge that the quality of products depends on customer expectations of value, which affects industry processes.

Students will investigate Culinary trends by: 

• Demonstrate practices, skills and processes related to culinary trends.
• Interpret briefs related to culinary trends.
• Select hospitality industry practices, skills and procedures.
• Sequence processes.
• Evaluate skills, procedures and products.
• Adapt production plans, techniques and procedures related to culinary trends

Term 4: Bar & Barista Basics

In this unit, students explore the hospitality industry through the context of bar and barista basics, including beverage and food production and service. They interpret briefs using practices, skills and processes to an industry standard. Students evaluate and adapt production plans, techniques and procedures with the knowledge that the quality of products depends on customer expectations of value, which affects industry processes.

Students will investigate Bar & Barista Basics through:

• Demonstrate practices, skills and processes related to bar and barista basics.

• Interpret briefs related to bar and barista basics.

• Select hospitality industry practices, skills and procedures.
• Sequence processes.

• Evaluate skills, procedures and products.

• Adapt production plans, techniques and procedures related to bar and barista basics

Assessment:

Food Specialisation & Design

Weekly practical cookery work & observations will be an integral part of the course.

Semester 1 - Food Specialisations

• Design Assessment Tasks; Theoretical Investigations (Design Assignment)
• Practical Assessments & Observations in the Kitchen  (Practical Cookery Procedures)

Semester 2 - Hospitality Foundations

• Planning & Design Tasks for Practical Execution. 
• Practical Assessments & Observations in the Kitchen & Cafe

A compilation of these assessment tasks, homework and assignments makes up the semester grade.

Homework:

This will include completion of worksheets and learning theory tasks associated within , recipes, cooking, nutrition & hospitality skills.  Students should be encouraged to practice skills learned at school by either repeating recipes used in class or applying these skills to similar recipes of interest.  A recipe book will also be compiled, to recognise cookery experience.

Course Content

Visual Arts:

In Visual and Media Arts students learn through direct engagement with two-dimensional, three-dimensional and four-dimensional art and design practices and concepts, theories, histories and critiques. They develop skills, knowledge, understandings and techniques as artists, designers, critics and audiences. Students learn to explore ideas through imaginative engagement, making and presenting art, craft and design works, and engaging critically with these works and processes.

Media Arts:

In media arts, students develop knowledge, understanding and skills in the creative use of communications technologies and digital materials to tell stories and explore concepts for diverse purposes and audiences. Media artists represent the world through various platforms, including television, film, video, newspapers, radio, video games, the internet, and mobile media. Produced and received in diverse contexts, these communication forms are important sources of information, entertainment, persuasion and education and are significant cultural industries.

Units and Assessment 

Year 10 Visual and Media Arts consists of four term-long units.

Unit 1: Chains of Influence

• An investigation of concepts, processes and materials used by artists in their arts practice. Students produce a folio of experimental artworks inspired by the arts practices of a range of selected artists. Students construct artist statements to enhance the process of making meaning for audiences. Students are assessed on a folio of experimental artworks, the documentation of their arts practice and the research underpinning their practice. All assessment evidence is completed in student art journals.

Unit 2: Synthesis of Visual Conventions

• An investigation of concepts, processes and materials used by a range of artists. Students produce artworks synthesising the studied arts practices. Students construct artist statements to support and communicate meaning to audiences. Students are assessed on their completed artworks and their documentation and research. All assessment evidence is completed in student art journals.

Unit 3: Synthesis of Visual Conventions

• Students are introduced to a reverse chronology approach to art history. 
• Students create artworks in response to the arts practices of contemporary artists and their historical precedents. Documentation, research and artist statements and additional evidence of practice are collated in the student art journal.

Unit 4: Art that brings joy

All students participate in class activities to develop an understanding of the central concepts underpinning the unit. Students conduct individual research and then define their own arts project. Students nominate the media and processes that they will use to create an artwork in response to an inquiry question. Individually, they create experimental work to inform the creation of a completed artwork. Finally, students curate an art exhibition and produce a catalogue that includes all of the artworks created in the unit.      

Homework

In Visual and Media Arts, class time is allocated for exploring and responding, creating and making, and presenting and performing; however, some time outside of class is necessary to complete all tasks. It is not always possible to continue artworks at home if specialised equipment is used; therefore, students must use class time effectively. The amount of homework varies depending on the assessment type and access to materials.