Year 7: Confidence Meets Challenge

Term 1 — Analytical Writing: Short Answer

Week 1:Textual Pillars – Exploring the core pillars of context, audience, purpose, form, ideas, and values. Students apply their understanding of self and society to interpret meaning across short texts.
Week 2:Answering the Question – Learning how to craft topic sentences that respond directly to analytical prompts, aligning personal worldview with textual ideas.
Week 3:Introduction to Technical Analysis – Developing sentence fluency and learning the difference between macro and micro techniques when analysing texts.
Week 4:Analysing Prose Fiction – Understanding narrative conventions (setting, tone, character, conflict) and writing short analytical responses.
Week 5:Analysing Visual Texts – Applying visual conventions such as composition, colour, and framing to produce cohesive short answers.
Week 6–8:Assessment Preparation – Guided practice on assessment structure, drafting, and research.
Week 9:Analysing Non-Fiction Texts – Comparing fiction and non-fiction techniques through context, purpose, and audience.
Week 10:Analysing Poetry – Exploring poetic techniques (meter, rhyme, imagery) and writing short responses with precision.
Term 1 Holidays: Consolidate analytical writing skills across prose, visual, non-fiction, and poetry text types. Students refine short answer structure and practise responding to a range of question styles under guided conditions, preparing for increased complexity in Term 2.

Term 2 — Analytical Writing: Critical Study of Literature

Week 1:Introduction to Critical Study – Analysing the context, audience, and integrity of a major literary text to understand its lasting relevance.
Week 2:Purpose, Form, Ideas, and Values – Linking authorial intent to form and examining how context shapes meaning.
Week 3–5:Essay Writing – Writing 800–900 word essays with structured throughlines, contextual integration, and logical flow.
Week 6–8:Assessment Preparation – Refining essays through editing and peer feedback.
Week 9–10:Answering the Essay Question – Deconstructing multi-layered prompts and using critical reasoning to maintain cohesive argumentation.
Term 2 Holidays: Begin creative writing ahead of Term 3. Students explore narrative conventions, experiment with voice and characterisation, and draft a short story with guided feedback on structure and descriptive language.

Term 3 — The Craft of Writing

Week 1: Narrative Conventions – Understanding story structure, conflict, and characterisation in imaginative writing.
Week 2: Setting and Worldbuilding – Using imagery and context to build immersive narratives.
Week 3: Editing Workshop – Refining consistency in tone, tense, and point of view.
Week 4: Reflection Writing – Evaluating creative purpose and stylistic choices in structured reflection.
Week 5–7: Assessment Preparation – Drafting and finalising creative and reflective writing pieces.
Week 8: Persuasive Writing Foundations – Exploring rhetorical appeals and persuasive form.
Week 9: Developing the First Argument – Writing clear, evidence-based body paragraphs with logical progression.
Week 10: Expanding the Argument and Conclusion – Strengthening cohesion, rebuttals, and persuasive conclusions.
Term 3 Holidays: Extend persuasive writing skills introduced during term. Students craft a full persuasive composition, developing thesis statements, integrating evidence, and practising counterargument techniques.

Term 4 — Analytical Writing: Comparative Study of Text

Week 1: Introduction to Comparative Study – Exploring intertextuality between an original text and its adaptation through context, audience, and purpose.
Week 2: Linking Textual Pillars Across Texts – Analysing resonances and dissonances in form, values, and ideas.
Week 3–5: Assessment Preparation – Refining understanding of comparative structures.
Week 6–9: Essay Writing – Writing comparative essays (800–1000 words) integrating context and textual evidence.
Week 10: Answering the Comparative Essay Question – Synthesising arguments, interpreting prompts, and evaluating textual relevance.
Supporting Module: Grammar and Syntax – Sentences, tenses, voice, modifiers, and participles.
Term 4 Holidays: Consolidate grammar and syntax skills through dedicated practice. Review sentence structures, tenses, voice, and modifiers while previewing Year 8 expectations for analytical writing.

Term 1 — Integers, Fractions & Perimeter

Week 1: Computation with Integers – Operations with positive integers, estimation & rounding, order of operations; extend to negative integers and introduce the Cartesian plane.
Week 5: Fractions, Decimals & Percentages – Equivalent/simplified/mixed fractions; fraction arithmetic; decimals & place value; operations with decimals; powers of 10; proportions; factors & multiples; HCF & LCM.
Week 8: Fractions/Percentages (continued) – Ordering positive/negative fractions; decimal/percentage conversions; % of a quantity; comparing quantities using fractions/percentages.
Week 9: Perimeter of Plane Shapes – Metric units of length; perimeter; circles & π; circumference.
Term 1 Holidays:Algebraic Techniques – Intro to algebra, substitution (positive/negative), like terms, expanding brackets, applying algebra; number & spatial patterns; tables & rules; graphs on the Cartesian plane.
Review & Topic Test: Integers, Fractions/Decimals/Percentages, Perimeter.

Term 2 — Algebra, Equations, Data & Area

Week 1: Algebraic Techniques (continued) – Formal algebra, equivalence, like terms, mixed operations, expanding brackets, substitution, patterns, tables & rules, graphs.
Week 3: Equations – Solve by inspection and systematically; equivalent equations; fractions/brackets; formulas & relationships; word problems.
Week 6: Data Classification & Visualisation – Collect/classify data; column graphs, dot plots, line graphs; stem-and-leaf; pie charts/divided bar graphs.
Week 9: Areas of Triangles & Quadrilaterals – Parallelogram & triangle area.
Term 2 Holidays: Indices – Divisibility tests; primes & prime factorisation; index laws; squares/cubes & roots; zero index.
Review & Topic Test: Algebraic Techniques, Data Visualisation, Areas, Equations.

Term 3 — Ratios/Rates, Measure, Angles & Data

Week 1-3: Ratios & Rates – Ratio problems; distance-time graphs; % of a quantity; connect % with fractions/decimals; conversions; comparing quantities.
Week 4-7: Length, Surface Area & Volume – Length & perimeter; circumference; area (special quadrilaterals/circles); sectors & composite figures; surface area of prisms; volume & capacity (prisms/cylinders); mass.
Week 8-10:Angle Relationships – Angles at a point; parallel lines & transversals; classifying/constructing triangles, quadrilaterals & polygons.
Term 3 Holidays: Data Analysis & Time – Numerical summaries; centre, range & shape; theoretical vs experimental probability; time units & time zones.
Review & Topic Test: Angle Relationships, Volume, Ratios & Rates, Length/Area/Volume.

Term 4 — Pythagoras, Algebra/Indices, Percentages & Geometry

Week 1: Pythagoras’ Theorem – testing right-angled triangles; hypotenuse & shorter side.
Week 3: Algebra Techniques & Indices – Language of algebra; substitution/equivalence; add/subtract/multiply/divide terms; expanding & factorising; index laws (including power of a power).
Week 6: Percentages – Convert between decimals/fractions/percentages; express a quantity as a % of another; find, increase & decrease by a %.
Week 8: Geometry – Points/lines/intervals; measuring & classifying angles; adjacent & vertically opposite; transversals & parallels; problem solving.
Week 9: Circles, Constructions & Measurement – Ruler/compass & dynamic geometry constructions; unit conversions; perimeter; π & circumference; arc length; areas (rectangles/triangles/parallelograms/composites).
Term 4 Holidays: Graphs & Tables – Cartesian plane; linear relationships; find rules from tables; gradient & gradient-intercept form; x-intercept; solve linear equations graphically; apply linear & explore non-linear graphs.

Term 1 — Observing the Universe

Weeks 1–5: Nature and Practice of Science – Exploring how science builds understanding through careful observation, experimentation, and evidence-based reasoning. Students examine key scientific disciplines — biology, chemistry, physics, and geology — and how they interconnect. They study early models of the solar system, understanding how evidence shapes new ideas about planetary motion and lunar cycles.
Week 6: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Astronomy – Learning how Indigenous astronomical knowledge reflects deep cultural understanding of patterns in the sky, connecting scientific and cultural perspectives.
Weeks 7–10: Observing the Universe in Context – Investigating how telescopes, satellites, and modern technology have extended humanity’s understanding of the cosmos. Students analyse the relationship between observation, innovation, and discovery in space science.
Term 1 Holidays: Researching the historical development of alloys, tools, and materials to understand how science evolves through human need and creativity.

Term 2 — Forces and Motion (Physics)

Weeks 1–4: Forces in Action – Identifying and describing contact and non-contact forces such as gravity, magnetism, and friction. Students conduct experiments to explore how forces affect motion, using Newton’s laws to predict and measure outcomes. They use formulas (F = ma and F = mg) to solve problems in real-world scenarios.
Weeks 5–6: Magnets and Simple Machines – Investigating magnetism and electromagnetism, constructing simple devices, and exploring how machines make work easier through force, load, and effort relationships.
Weeks 7–10: Forces in Context – Analysing how physics explains the safety mechanisms behind vehicles, sports, and engineering systems.
Term 2 Holidays: Exploring energy transformations, types of energy, and the design of efficient systems in modern technologies.

Term 3 — Cells and Classification (Biology)

Weeks 1–4: Classification of Living Things – Investigating the diversity of life using modern and traditional classification systems. Students examine physical and behavioural traits to understand taxonomy and learn how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples classify living things within ecological and cultural frameworks.
Weeks 5–8: Cells – Exploring cell structure, organelles, and the roles of respiration and photosynthesis in sustaining life. Using microscopes, students compare plant, animal, and bacterial cells to understand differences in structure and function.
Weeks 9–10: Cells and Classification in Context – Investigating how classification reveals evolutionary relationships and assists in environmental conservation.
Term 3 Holidays: Reviewing cell theory, reproduction, and the processes of growth and repair across living systems.

Term 4 — Solutions and Mixtures (Chemistry)

Weeks 1–3: Properties of Matter – Studying particle theory to explain solids, liquids, and gases, including how temperature and energy influence state changes.
Weeks 4–5: Properties of Water – Investigating density, buoyancy, and surface tension through practical experiments and linking these to environmental applications like water purification and ecosystems.
Weeks 6–8: Solutions and Separating Mixtures – Exploring solubility, concentration, and separation techniques such as filtration, evaporation, and distillation.
Weeks 9–10: Solutions and Mixtures in Context – Applying chemical understanding to real-world issues such as water pollution, recycling, and resource sustainability.
Term 4 Holidays: Reviewing acids, bases, and everyday chemical reactions, connecting scientific concepts to household and industrial applications.