Course Selection: Subjects

Art

Elective Subject

Visual Arts - Art

This is a course that effectively provides opportunities for students to express their own identities and ideas using a variety of materials and processes. Students will develop an appreciation of their own artwork and that of other artists and cultures. The projects will be developed from Painting, Sculpture, Ceramics, Printmaking or Graphic Design, or a combination of these.

Students will be guided through a skills-based process to enable them to achieve confidence and expertise with the materials and techniques. They will be encouraged to develop ideas from small original sketches in personal Visual Diaries and take these ideas through to high quality final studio pieces.

Design and Technology

Elective Subject

Design and Technology is taught as two separate units in Year 7:

• Design Engineering
• Materials Technology

Design Engineering

The Design Engineering elective provides students with the opportunity to study different types of graphic communication techniques used in our modern technological world using the latest CAD software. We have also incorporated an Engineering component into the experience, looking at electronic circuits and associated technical skills. Both these units give the students a basic understanding of Design and Technology in the modern world and create an opportunity for further study in future years.

Materials

The aim of the Materials course is to give students an insight into the fundamentals associated with working with a broad range of materials and their impact on the environment. There is a focus on creating a safe work environment, where all students can demonstate creativity and develop some basic hand skills. They are encouraged to design, make and evaluate aspects of their project which gives them a valuable insight into the design process.

English

Core Subject

Within the English subject there are two English courses offered in Year 7.

English

The Year 7 Programme will focus broadly on several key areas: reading and comprehension, functional literacy and critical literacy. The focus on reading will be addressed through structured personal reading and the class-based study of a range of print texts including novels, short stories and articles. Through reading journals, library activities, reading aloud, comprehension tasks and creative work, students will be encouraged to enjoy their reading and engage thoughtfully with the opportunities for learning and escapism that books can provide.

Functional literacy is a vital component of all Middle School English programmes, and in Year 7 it will be addressed regularly and thoroughly. All students need to understand that their ability to use correct spelling, grammar and punctuation, as well as interesting and appropriately selected vocabulary, are core components of written communication, and cannot simply be prioritised intermittently. As such, regular spelling and grammatical tasks will be interspersed with extended and short answer written work – both comprehension and creative based – where the expression of ideas is treated as comparably important to the content.

In Year 7, the critical literacy emphasis is on encouraging students to think more deeply about the meaning conveyed in familiar text types, and exploring the possibilities for thought and understanding conveyed in less familiar text types. In order to encourage this, a range of interesting texts will be selected for students to explore in a manner easily relatable to their own lives, whilst giving them the chance to explore new and challenging ideas in a supported and nurturing environment.

English Course 3

This course is specially designed for boys identified as needing extra assistance in English.

This supportive and stimulating classroom environment fashions a differentiated programme that still incorporates units from the Mainstream programme. In any one lesson, students will complete activities that focus on their individual point of need, their independence and motivation and skill level throughout the year. A student in this class will gain extra one on one attention to ensure that their development is assured.

Each student’s progress is monitored throughout their enrolment in this course and their potential in rejoining mainstream English will be reviewed at the end of each term. Overall, it will seek to provide all of its students with the skills necessary to eventually move into a senior school course appropriate to the abilities of the student.

Health and Physical Education

Core Subject

Health

In Year 7, the content expands students' knowledge, understanding and skills to help them achieve successful outcomes in personal, social, movement and online situations. They learn how to take positive action to enhance their health, safety and wellbeing by applying problem-solving and effective communication skills, and through a range of preventive health practices. Outdoor pursuits such as canoeing, Trangia cooking and fishing are used as a practical setting to allow students to demonstrate their understanding of theoretical concepts covered in the program.

Physical Education

In Year 7, the content expands students' knowledge, understanding and skills to help them achieve successful outcomes in personal, social, movement and online situations. They learn how to take positive action to enhance their health, safety and wellbeing by applying problem-solving and effective communication skills, and through a range of preventive health practices.

Students continue to develop and refine specialised movement skills and focus on developing tactical thinking skills in a range of contexts and applying them to physical activities. They have opportunities to analyse their own and others' performance using feedback to improve body control and coordination. They learn about health-related and skill-related components of fitness and the types of activities that improve individual aspects of fitness. The application of fair play and ethical behaviour continues to be a focus for students as they consider modified rules, scoring systems and equipment, which allows participants to enjoy physical activities and experience success. They begin to link activities and processes to the improvement of health and fitness. The Year 7 curriculum exposes students to an aquatic unit combining survival skills and stroke development, athletics, basketball, fundamental movement skills and strength and conditioning.

The Health and Physical Education curriculum provides opportunities for students to develop, enhance and exhibit attitudes and values that promote a healthy lifestyle. The health component is predominantly addressed in the Year 7 elective rotation where students study health for one period each week for the duration of the year.

Humanities

Core Subject

Humanities is a broad-range subject that studies human behaviour and interaction in social, cultural, environmental, economic and political contexts. Humanities and Social Sciences has a historical and contemporary focus, from personal to global contexts, and considers opportunities and challenges for the future. By studying Humanities and Social Sciences, students will develop the ability to question; think critically; make decisions based on evidence; devise proposals for actions; and communicate effectively. Humanities subjects provide students with the knowledge and skills they need to develop a broad understanding of the world in which we live and how people can participate as active and informed citizens in the 21st century.

The Humanities course in Year 7 is divided into two key areas – knowledge and understanding and skills. Students will focus on the four main subject areas of History, Economics, Geography and Civics and Citizenship.

During Semester 1, there will be two courses offered:

• Humanities (Mainstream)
• Humanities (Course 3).

After the Semester 1 reporting cycle, a Humanities extension course will be established.

Humanities (Mainstream)

This course follows the Western Australian Curriculum and students will focus on developing their knowledge and understanding of the following key content areas:

• History: The Ancient World
• Economics: Producing and Consuming
• Civics & Citizenship: Designing our Political and Legal System
• Geography: Water in the World and Liveability

Humanities (Course 3)

This course has been specifically designed to support students who require a differentiated curriculum. While the content covered reflects the WA Curriculum, it is delivered in a supportive and stimulating environment which supports individual learning needs.

Each student’s progress is monitored throughout their enrolment in this course and their potential in rejoining mainstream Humanities will be revised on a regular basis.

Following the semester one reporting cycle,. This course will identify high performers and provide them with differentiated teaching, aimed at challenging and extending their learning. 

Humanities (Extension) – From Semester Two

The Humanities extension course will target high performers and provide them with differentiated teaching and learning opportunities, aimed at challenging and extending their content knowledge and skills beyond the Western Australian Curriculum. Students will be identified for this class based on their performance in Semester 1 and on teacher recommendation. Their performance will be regularly monitored to ensure ongoing suitability to this course.

Information Technology

Elective Subject

In digital technologies there are two main areas of focus:

• Applied Information Technology
• Game Design

Applied Information Technology

The Applied Information Technology (AIT) for Year 7 students provides an introduction to the concepts of information technology. Students will learn about the different components of a computer system, hardware, software and programming and networks. They will also learn about ethical and legal use of information technology.

In addition to the technical aspects of information technology, student will also develop their problem solving skills, critical thinking skills and digital communication skills. They will learn how to use information technology to solve real-world problems and be able to communicate with their findings with others.

Game Design

In Game Design, students use a range of digital sources to explore how to create innovative games. They develop games using relevant software, and create data to model objects and/or events. Students create digital solutions considering the user experience that allows for choices to be made within a user interface. Students work independently, and collaboratively, to plan, develop and communicate ideas and information, when using digital technologies.

Visual Arts - Media Arts

In Year 7, students are provided with opportunities to view media work within the context of the selected focus. They are introduced to the basic communication model, explore different viewpoints in contemporary media, plan and create representations in media work and respond to their own work and the work of others. Students will have an opportunity to engage in practical learning by creating their own photo-stories and animations. They will engage in peer review and be able to share their ideas and final productions with their classmates.

Students work as a team, follow timelines, and use processes and strategies to ensure safe and responsible use of media equipment.

Italian

Core Subject

Italian

In Year 7 Italian students will cover topics such as Greetings, Introductions, Birthdays, People and Sport. On a cultural note they will briefly study the Regions of Italy and also learn about Italian customs and traditions. They will learn basic grammatical concepts within the context of topics covered throughout the course.

Learning Support

Elective Subject

Literacy Enrichment and Assessment Programme (LEAP)

Trinity College strives to enable all students to reach their full potential and offer a variety of extra support programs. One of these is the Literacy Program. It will assist Year 7 students in improving their writing and reading skills (to support cross-curricular writing tasks and to prepare for NAPLAN). The Literacy program targets writing skills, in particular, paragraph writing, Persuasive and Narrative essay writing, comprehension, and decoding skills. The program varies on the needs of the students enrolled.

The program will take the place of an elective class and will occur twice a week. We are confident that the successful participation in this program by your son will improve his literacy level appreciably.

Mathematics

Core Subject

The Year 7 Mathematics course is designed to develop a rigorous foundation of the fundamental concepts underlying mathematics. The emphasis will be on core number skills and the development of mental strategies.

We will cover topics specified in the Western Australian Curriculum, namely: Number and Algebra, Measurement and Geometry, Statistics and Probability.

Problem solving will be interwoven within each of the above mentioned areas of mathematics. Technology will be utilised at every opportunity to enhance student understanding and learning. Students will also develop skills in calculator usage, preparing mathematical projects and
mathematics competitions.

Year 7 students will be ability grouped for their mathematics classes at the end of Term One, however all Year 7 students will do the same course.

Some students may also be identified for the Quicksmart Numeracy program at the end of Term One. See below for details of this program.

See Below: Senior Secondary Mathematics Pathways.

Music and Performing Arts

Elective Subject

Performing Arts - Music

The Year 7 Music course is a fun and practical semester-long course designed to cater for the general student and to provide the background necessary for the Year 8 music electives. The course is aimed at exploring the different elements of music through the teaching methods of the Kodaly concept.

Through singing and rhythm games students will develop their understanding of rhythm, pitch and notation and be given the opportunity to create and perform their own compositions.

Music Advanced - Yearlong (By selection)

A group of 20 boys will be selected to take part in the advanced year-long music program.

Selection will be on the basis of their musical aptitude as determined by a test administered to all incoming Year 7 students in November of this year. Selected boys will all need to be learning an instrument for the duration of the elective to be considered for the class.

Students in this elective will learn advanced rhythm, pitch and notation concepts through the Kodaly teaching methodology. In addition, they will have the opportunity to write their own music for their instrument and perform it in class.

Performing Arts - Drama

Students will be given the opportunity to plan, develop and present performance to their peers by safely using processes, techniques and conventions of drama. Drama will be improvised, or taken from appropriate, published scripts, using selected drama forms and styles. In Year 7, students will be covering beginner drama skills in the form of improvisation and circus. Student work in devised and/or scripted drama is the focus of informal reflective processes using generalised drama terminology and language.

Science

Core Subject

Year 7 is an exciting time for students as, for some, it will be their first time in a science laboratory. To study science, it is necessary to learn many skills so that they can embark on the processes of scientific inquiry and science investigation. The emphasis, therefore, of the Year 7 course is to learn how to conduct experiments. An interest in science is progressively built as a means of expanding their curiosity and willingness to explore, ask questions about and speculate on the changing world in which they live.

After a short introductory course in which students are familiarised with laboratory safety and procedures, they are exposed to the processes of scientific inquiry and science investigation through a series of activities. These activities build from simple concepts such as observing to more
sophisticated skills such as inferring. Emphasis is on the scientific method which engages students through problem solving and teamwork. During Semester Two further content is introduced to students through conceptual areas of Biological, Physical, and Earth Science which are explored through familiar and relevant real-world experiences. In Course 3, students are exposed to the same content as the other courses, however, the pace of delivery is slower, and more time is allowed for learning of key concepts. Furthermore, the curriculum is adjusted to allow more practice for literacy skills.