Australia · ACARA Content Descriptions
Year 9 English
This course challenges Year 9 students to explore how language shapes identity and influences social change. Students engage with diverse texts ranging from Shakespearean drama to contemporary digital media to develop sophisticated analytical and creative writing skills.
01The Power of Persuasion
Students analyze rhetorical devices in speeches and advertisements to understand how authors manipulate emotion and logic to influence audiences.
An introduction to ethos, pathos, and logos within famous historical speeches, focusing on identification and basic analysis.
Students will analyze how speakers and writers build or undermine credibility through language and presentation.
Students will explore various techniques used to evoke emotions in an audience and their ethical implications.
Students will identify and evaluate the use of logical reasoning and evidence in persuasive arguments.
Students will learn to identify common logical fallacies (e.g., ad hominem, straw man, slippery slope) in arguments and media.
Deconstructing visual and linguistic techniques used in modern marketing campaigns, focusing on how they target specific demographics.
Students will analyze how propaganda techniques are used in various media forms to influence public opinion.
Students will learn to structure a clear and compelling persuasive argument, focusing on thesis development and organization.
Students will practice selecting and integrating various types of evidence (statistics, anecdotes, expert testimony) to support their arguments.
Students apply persuasive techniques to create and deliver their own campaign for a social cause, focusing on oral presentation skills.
Students will learn to identify and effectively address opposing viewpoints in persuasive writing and speaking.
A discussion on the ethical considerations of persuasive language, distinguishing between influence and manipulation.
Students will analyze how persuasive techniques are adapted for and utilized in various social media platforms.
02Shattering the Glass Mirror
A deep dive into speculative fiction and dystopian literature to examine how writers use 'what if' scenarios to critique modern society.
An overview of the common characteristics, themes, and purposes of dystopian literature.
Analyzing how authors use sensory imagery and setting to establish a dystopian mood and reflect societal issues.
Exploring the role of the rebel or misfit in speculative narratives as a catalyst for change or critique.
Identifying and interpreting the deeper meanings behind recurring motifs and allegorical elements in speculative texts.
Analyzing how authors use different narrative voices to shape reader perception and build suspense in dystopian stories.
Exploring how dystopian literature examines themes of governmental control, surveillance, and loss of individual freedom.
Examining how characters resist oppressive systems and the consequences of their actions in dystopian narratives.
Analyzing the character arcs of protagonists in dystopian stories, focusing on their internal and external struggles.
Investigating how language is controlled, manipulated, or used as a tool of oppression in dystopian societies.
Students will draw connections between the fictional worlds of dystopian literature and real-world social, political, or environmental issues.
Students will apply their understanding of dystopian elements to write a short scene, focusing on setting and atmosphere.
Students will compare and contrast a dystopian novel with its film adaptation, focusing on how themes and messages are translated.
Students will work in groups to design their own dystopian society, outlining its rules, control mechanisms, and potential for rebellion.
03Shakespearean Echoes
Connecting the themes of power and betrayal in Shakespeare's plays to contemporary contexts and adaptations.
An overview of Shakespeare's historical context, the Globe Theatre, and the conventions of Elizabethan drama.
Decoding iambic pentameter and the function of puns and metaphors in dramatic dialogue, focusing on rhythm and meaning.
Students will explore common Shakespearean vocabulary, idioms, and various forms of figurative language (metaphor, simile, personification).
Analyzing the psychological depth of tragic heroes and villains, focusing on their internal conflicts and motivations.
Students will explore recurring themes of power, ambition, and betrayal across various Shakespearean tragedies.
Identifying and analyzing the use of dramatic irony and foreshadowing to build suspense and deepen thematic understanding.
Students will analyze the purpose and impact of soliloquies and asides in revealing character's inner thoughts and advancing plot.
Evaluating how modern film and literature adapt Shakespearean themes for new audiences, focusing on cinematic choices.
Students will identify and analyze allusions to Shakespearean plays and characters in contemporary music, TV, and literature.
Students will work in groups to interpret and perform a short scene from a Shakespearean play, focusing on character and delivery.
Students will practice writing a short dialogue or monologue that mimics Shakespearean language and dramatic conventions.
An introduction to the structure and thematic content of Shakespearean sonnets, focusing on poetic devices.
A culminating discussion on Shakespeare's lasting impact on literature, language, and Western culture.
Exploring the characteristics of Shakespearean comedies, including mistaken identity, witty banter, and happy endings.
04The Digital Citizen
Developing critical literacy skills to navigate and analyze the complex landscape of digital news and online media.
An overview of the evolution of media, comparing traditional news sources with contemporary digital platforms.
Investigating how word choice and framing influence the reporting of current events, and the concept of journalistic neutrality.
Students will learn to distinguish between misinformation and disinformation, and identify common tactics used to spread false narratives.
Exploring how algorithms and social media platforms shape our understanding of the truth by reinforcing existing beliefs.
Students will develop skills to critically evaluate the credibility of various online sources, including websites, social media, and blogs.
Crafting long-form investigative articles that explore complex social issues, focusing on narrative and depth.
Students will explore the concept of a digital footprint and its implications for personal and professional identity.
An examination of intellectual property rights, plagiarism in the digital age, and ethical considerations for content creation and sharing.
Students will explore the conventions of digital storytelling through blogs and vlogs, focusing on audience engagement and platform-specific techniques.
A discussion on the emerging role of Artificial Intelligence in generating and disseminating information, and its implications for media literacy.
Students will examine how digital platforms are used for social and political advocacy, and the strategies for effective online activism.
Exploring the impact of cyberbullying and developing strategies for responsible and empathetic digital citizenship.
A forward-looking discussion on how virtual reality, augmented reality, and other emerging technologies might shape future media consumption and creation.