2012 Year 9 Curriculum Guide - Brisbane State High School

Selecting Year 9 Semester Units
A Learning Area can be undertaken as a Major or Minor study.
Subjects within each Learning Area are either two semester units in length (a Major study) or one semester
unit in length (a Minor study).
Students must select four Learning Areas to study for two semesters (a Major) and four Learning Areas to
study for one semester (a Minor).
Twelve semester units of study must be selected for the year.
English, Mathematics and Science must be studied for two semesters (Major) and one other Learning Area
must be selected to be studied for two semesters.
History must be studied by all students for one semester (Minor).
Aspire (Enrichment) subjects are two semesters in length and therefore can only be studied as a Major.
Not all semester units are available as a Major study – refer to the details provided in each Learning Area.
DAD (Digital Art and Design) can only be studied for one semester in the Arts and Technology (a Minor in
each Learning Area).
To ensure a deep understanding of a subject within a Learning Area, students are expected to continue a
subject from Year 8 into Year 9. Exceptions may be made only after discussion with the relevant Head(s) of
Department
Structure of the School Day
Brisbane State High School operates four 70 minute lessons each day.
Six subjects are studied in any one semester.
Each subject is timetabled for three 70 minute lessons each week.
8-12 Curriculum Framework
Year 8 and 9 students at Brisbane State High School study a curriculum set down by the Queensland Studies
Authority and the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA). The aim of the Year 8
and 9 Curriculum is to introduce students to a range of subjects, whilst allowing them to choose to study more in
subjects where they have more interest. In Years 10, 11 and 12 students study from Senior Syllabuses written
by the Queensland Studies Authority. Students at Brisbane State High School choose six subjects (or
equivalent) to achieve their Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE) and receive an Overall Position (OP) for
tertiary entrance.
Year 9, 2012
Australian Curriculum
English
Maths
Science
History
Queensland Essential Learnings
Geography
The Arts
Languages
Technology
Health & Physical Education
Opportunities for Extension and Enrichment
Aspire Subjects
Brisbane State High School is proud of the high academic calibre of its students. In 2012, we are continuing to
offer an enrichment curriculum for students in which higher-order, creative and lateral thinking, pace, complexity
of challenge, appropriate degrees of independence and the development of the whole student are encouraged.
These Aspire subjects will be studied by students with an interest in developing their skills further in that area.
To be successful in these subjects, students will need to be:
highly motivated
able to commit to independent work