Stage 5 Subject Selection Booklet - PLC ARMIDALE
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PLC ARMIDALE Stage 5 Subject Selection Booklet
RATIONALE
The Stage 5 elective program at PLC Armidale has been designed to provide students with choice, rigour
and preparation for further study.
All of our Group A courses are NESA (NSW Educational Standards Authority) Board Developed Courses. This means that
the content delivered is aligned to syllabuses or courses of instruction produced by NESA.
All of our Group B subjects are school developed courses and run for one semester.
Your pattern of study will consist of two Group A subjects and one Group B subject per semester.
Completing Board Developed courses enable students to receive a grade for their RoSA (Record of School Achievement)
undertaken for either 100 hours (2 consecutive semesters) or 200 hours (4 consecutive semesters).
These syllabuses have been designed to provide access to stage appropriate content which provides a secure
foundation for students to gain a deeper understanding of key concepts and content which is articulated in more
detail through a wide range of individual subjects offered in Stage 6 (Years 11 and 12).
Whilst studying certain courses in Stage 5 are not a prerequisite for Stage 6 courses, it is apparent that skills learnt
in Stage 5 can facilitate an easier transition into their respective Stage 6 courses.
PROGRAM STRUCTURE
This handbook is designed to assist parents and students to understand the Stage 5 requirements and to provide
information on the various courses on offer (Years 9 and 10) at PLC Armidale.
The syllabuses covering Years 7-12 may be viewed on the NESA website: http://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au
All students at PLC Armidale study the mandated core curriculum and 3 100/200 hour electives throughout Years 9
and 10. The elective subjects chosen allow the students to further develop their interests and talents. They also allow
the students to gain insights into subject areas which they may want to pursue at a later stage.
At this level of schooling, it is important for students to broaden their educational experiences and to choose electives
which they feel will be interesting and enjoyable. Although career paths may not seem significant for some students in
making decisions about electives in Year 9, what is significant is that students work to the best of their ability in the core
and elective subjects to provide themselves with an excellent grounding for further study or work.
Although this handbook provides a variety of course descriptions, not all courses will necessarily run. Student subject
preferences, class sizes, timetabling constraints and specialist room availability will affect the final elective line structure.
Considerable effort will be made to meet the preferred choices of students.
MANDATORY CORE SUBJECTS
All of the subjects listed below are one or two year courses. At the completion of Year 10, the students’ chosen
subjects will appear on the students Record of School Achievement (RoSA) documents provided by the NESA
if they choose to leave school prior to completing the HSC. Unless they choose a school developed elective
which do not contribute to the RoSA.
In line with the NESA Requirements, all Students in Years 9 and 10 are required to study the following core subjects:
• English
• Geography
• History
• Mathematics
• PDHPE - Personal Development, Health & Physical Education
• Science
2SECTION I
GROUP A COURSES (NESA DEVELOPED COURSES)
AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Students will develop skills in the effective management of sustainable production and marketing practices that are
environmentally and socially responsible. They will explore the many and varied career opportunities in agriculture
and its related service industries.
Students investigate the viability of Australian agriculture through the careful management of issues relating to the
sustainability of agricultural systems, as well as the relationships between production, processing and consumption.
The study of a range of enterprises allows students to make responsible decisions about the appropriate use
of agricultural technologies.
COMMERCE
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Commerce provides the knowledge and skills to enable students to make sound decisions on consumer, financial,
legal and employment issues. It develops knowledge and skills in students through relevant case studies and an
understanding of commercial and legal processes and competencies for personal financial management.
DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Design and Technology develops a student’s ability for innovative and creative thought through the planning and
production of design projects related to real-life needs and situations. The design and development of quality projects
gives students the opportunity to identify needs and opportunities, research and investigate existing solutions, analyse
data and information, generate, justify and evaluate ideas, and experiment with tools, materials and techniques to
manage and produce design projects.
DANCE
COURSE DESCRIPTION
The aim of the Dance syllabus is to develop in students the ability to express themselves through dance; compose,
perform and choreograph in dance; develop skills and techniques of dance with an understanding of anatomy,
physiology and kinesiology; appreciate dance as a performing art; understand and accept a variety of dance styles;
obtain knowledge of dance in an historical context; promote an understanding of themselves and others by providing
opportunities for them to work in cooperative and collaborative contexts.
3DRAMA
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Drama enables young people to develop knowledge, understanding and skills individually and collaboratively to make,
perform and appreciate dramatic and theatrical works. Students take on roles as a means of exploring both familiar
and unfamiliar aspects of their world while exploring the ways people react and respond to different situations,
issues and ideas.
FOOD TECHNOLOGY
COURSE DESCRIPTION
The study of Food Technology provides students with a broad knowledge and understanding of food properties,
processing, preparation and their interrelationship, nutritional considerations and consumption patterns. It addresses
the importance of hygiene and safe working practices and legislation in the production of food. Students will develop
food-specific skills, which can then be applied in a range of contexts enabling students to produce quality food products.
It also provides students with a context through which to explore the richness, pleasure and variety
food adds to life and how it contributes to both vocational and general life experiences.
LANGUAGES
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Languages courses provide students with the opportunity to gain effective skills in communicating in the chosen
language, to explore the relationship between languages and English, and to develop an understanding of the cultures
associated with the chosen language. For example, French and German. Other languages may also be facilitated through
Distance Education.
MUSIC
COURSE DESCRIPTION
All students should have the opportunity to develop their musical abilities and potential. As an art form, music pervades
society and occupies a significant place in world cultures and in the oral and recorded history of all civilisations.
Music plays important roles in the social, cultural, aesthetic and spiritual lives of people. At an individual level, music
is a medium of personal expression. It enables the sharing of ideas, feelings and experiences. The nature of musical
study also allows students to develop their capacity to manage their own learning, engage in problem solving, work
collaboratively and engage in activity that reflects the real world practice of performers, composers
and audiences.
VISUAL ARTS
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Visual Arts provides opportunities for students to learn about the pleasure and enjoyment of making and studying
different kinds of artworks in 2D, 3D and/or 4D forms. It builds an understanding of the role of art in all forms
of media, both in the contemporary and historical world; how art is shaped by different beliefs, values and meanings
by exploring artists and artworks from different times and places while enabling students to represent their ideas
and interests in artworks. Visual Arts enables students to become informed about, understand and write about
the contemporary world.
4SECTION II
GROUP B COURSES (SCHOOL DEVELOPED COURSES)
CREATIVE & CRITICAL COMPOSERS
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This Elective is designed for strong English students with a creative flair and who want further extension in ideas,
skills and work rate. Skills developed in this course will directly benefit all students studying English in Stage 6.
The unit allows for students to work on ways of developing an understanding of the history of literary genres and film
and creative expression across a variety of different forms including short story writing, drama, film/script writing,
music and lyrical poetry. Students will develop skills in the process of composing creative texts based on literary
models and the extensive drafting, editing and polishing techniques that are required for success in creating
a tightly woven text.
CULTURE & WORLDVIEW
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This Elective is designed for students who have an interest in the way that history, culture and heritage shape the
way we look at the world. By comparing the western worldview with other contemporary outlooks, cultural values
and perspectives can be identified, explored and challenged. Students will look at narratives from our own western
tradition and other contexts, expressed through film, literature and extemporaneous interactions.
This Elective will likely appeal to students with a willingness to engage in abstract and philosophical concepts and will
be beneficial to students with an interest in studying Society and Culture, Advanced and Extension English, History
(both Modern and Ancient) or Philosophy.
IT’S ALL IN YOUR MIND
COURSE DESCRIPTION
We talk about pressure and pleasure, how we are often guided by our emotions, how we reason problems through
logic and how we draw conclusions. But, how do these things happen?
It’s All in Your Mind is an introduction to the study of psychology, looking at the experiences we have in our everyday
lives, the decisions that people make. It will ask how does our understanding of our brain help us make sense of how
people respond to different situations in different ways.
The course will take a thematic approach to looking at the psychological factors associated with performance
in a broad range of different ways, and integrate real and hypothetical case studies to illustrate the applied nature
of the psychological theory.
COURSE FEATURES
• Theory and concepts from the field of psychology
• The interactions between psychology and performance
• Scientific research methodologies in psychology
5OUTDOOR EDUCATION / PASS
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Outdoor Education is a challenging, rewarding subject which is designed to give students a safe pathway to outdoor
adventure activities in an environment which fosters teamwork, but values individual achievements. Students will
be expected to participate to the best of their ability in a wide variety of outdoor pursuits. However, this subject
is not all practical work. Students will learn to evaluate risk and to demonstrate the organisational ability to enjoy
and preserve wilderness environments. Students will gain skills, which enable them to pursue satisfying lifetime
recreational pursuits.
PLANET EARTH
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course is an extension of Physical Geography that is studied in Stage 4. In this course students study oceanography,
physical aspects of the natural world and tie it together with a transect through Africa.
COURSE FEATURES
• Fieldwork:
Available to Elective students only, fieldwork at an appropriate site will enable students to investigate themes raised
in the classroom and gain practical experience in the field. With the incorporation of current technology, the girls will
have a field experience like no other. Specifically; Coffs Harbour marine environment.
• Contemporary Geographic Issues:
With the aim of developing the student’s ‘world view’, frequent analysis of the issues making the news will be
a feature of the course.
• Perspectives:
This world view will be further enhanced by “seeing things through others’ eyes”.
FULL STEAM AHEAD!
COURSE DESCRIPTION
The STEAM elective will build upon the skills developed in Integrated Learning in Stage 4. Students will develop skills
in critical thinking and creative problem-solving, through completing project-based work with real-world outcomes.
Earlier modules will include engineering challenges, laser-cutting design and 3D printing. In the latter part of the course
we will explore computational thinking through coding for websites, games, robotics and apps. Embedded throughout
the activities we will explore how our brains work and how to leverage this understanding to maximise our learning
potential. Students will have the opportunity to work on a project of their choosing that seeks to reduce the difficulties
of an everyday task, by employing the skills they have developed to create a take-home product.
DIGITAL STORYTELLING
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Our students live and breathe in an increasingly visual culture, a world dominated by images. In order to be informed
and effective consumers of these images students need to understand how and why images are used.
Digital Story has become an avenue of expression leading to new forms of social networking and a means through
which stories are remade for different media.
This elective examines techniques of story production through a range of digital media which will lead to the
development and production of stories by students.
6PLC Armidale … educating successful women of tomorrow in a Christian environment.
ADDRESS Crest Road (Locked Bag 5) Armidale NSW 2350 • PHONE 02 6770 1700 • FAX 02 6770 1797
EMAIL enquiries@plcarmidale.nsw.edu.au • WEB www.plcarmidale.nsw.edu.au
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