Outdoor & Environmental Studies

Outdoor & Environmental Studies

Course Summary

Do you like interacting with the natural environment? Are you adventurous? Studying Outdoor and Environmental Studies will enable you to make critically informed comments on questions of environmental sustainability, as well as, you’ll understand the importance of environmental health, particularly in local contexts. Through both passive and active outdoor activities, you will develop experiential knowledge of outdoor environments. This is further enhanced through the complex interplay between outdoor environment and humans including environmental history, ecology and the social studies of human relationships with nature.

Unit 1: Examines how humans connect with outdoor environments and why these connections are important. Throughout the unit we learn about our place within outdoor environments and learn safe and sustainable participation in outdoor experiences.

Unit 2: Focuses on the different ways to understand outdoor environments and the impact of humans on outdoor environments. We also learn about planning trips and learning about the weather and minimal impact strategies.

Unit 3: Focuses on the ecological, historical and social contexts of relationships between humans and outdoor environments in Australia. Including the changes over time, from historical time periods to modern day contexts.

Unit 4: Explores the sustainable use and management of outdoor environments. Observing and assessing the health of outdoor environments and considering the importance of this health for the future of Australian outdoor environments and the Australian population.

Students have the opportunity to attend one (3-4 day) outdoor trip / experience each term, which directly links to the Unit 1-4 coursework and requirements. These trips include kayaking, hiking, abseiling, caving, skiing, canoeing, surfing, canyoning, rock climbing and white water rafting.

VCE: Unit 1, Unit 2 and Unit 3 & 4 sequence available

Learning Activities & Assessment

  • Explore some of the ways in which people understand and relate to nature through experiences of the outdoor environment
  • Explore what motivates individuals towards outdoor environments and experiences, how people interact with the outdoor environment
  • Develop adventure skills in rock climbing, snow camping, skiing and boarding, bushwalking, horse riding or surfing including termly overnight/s outdoor activities
  • Investigate the ecological, historical and social effects of people on the Australian environment
  • Explore the sustainable use and management of outdoor environments

FAQ’s & Myth Busters

Subject Gallery

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Approximate Costs

Unit 1 & 2

Excursions $45 – $595

Unit 3 & 4

Excursions $45 – $450

Checkpoint $18 (Optional)

Learning Area Contact

Health & Physical Education Learning Area Leader

David Janissen

English as an Additional Language (Bridging)

EAL – Bridging English (1 & 2)

Course Summary

Is English your additional language? Bridging English as an Additional Language (EAL) is the intensive and explicit study of the English language in a range of socio-cultural contexts and for a range of purposes, including further education and the workplace. You will develop your language skills and confidence, assisting you to communicate effectively in a range of contexts, including academic and every day, using a range of spoken and written Standard Australian English.

VCE: Unit 1 and Unit 2 available

Learning Activities & Assessment

  • Explore the English language in a range of socio-cultural contexts and for a range of purposes, including further education and the workplace
  • Develop language skills and confidence for you to communicate effectively academically and personally
  • Apply language skills to participate effectively in Australian life

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Approximate Costs

Learning Area Contact

English Learning Area Leader

Jakob De Wit

English as an Additional Language (EAL)

English as an Additional Language (EAL)

Course Summary

Is another language other than English your first language or dialect? Do you require additional support with English? English as an Additional Language (EAL) is designed to meet the needs of students with a wide range of expectations and aspirations, including those for whom English is an additional language. You will be equipped with critical and creative thinking, aesthetic appreciation and creativity. You will engage with texts from the contemporary world and the past, and using texts from Australia and other cultures.

VCE: Unit 1, Unit 2 and Unit 3 & 4 sequence available

Learning Activities & Assessment

  • Critically analyse written and spoken texts
  • Create pieces of writing in a range of styles and forms
  • Analyse the ways spoken and visual language is used to persuade
  • Apply written and spoken skills to a range of creative, analytical and media texts
  • Complete classwork and final exams to demonstrate competence and confidence in writing and speaking for different purposes

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Approximate Costs

Learning Area Contact

English Learning Area Leader

Jakob De Wit

Physical Education

Physical Education

Course Summary

Do you love playing sport and learning about movement? Are you interested in health, wellbeing and the human body? Studying Physical Education will equip you with strong communication skills and provides you with practical activities to examine the core concepts that underpin movement and that influence performance and participation in physical activity, sport and exercise. You will also examine how behavioural, psychological, environmental and sociocultural factors influence performance and participation in physical activity.

VCE: Unit 1, Unit 2 and Unit 3 & 4 sequence available

Learning Activities & Assessment

  • Explore physical activity, sport and exercise, and the enablers and barriers to movement
  • Investigate the musculoskeletal system
  • Participate in a range of physical activities
  • Participate in and understand a range of fundamental movement skills (FMS)
  • Write a report on an activity analysis

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Approximate Costs

Unit 1 & 2

Workbook $30

Unit 3 & 4

Workbook $30

Optional Text $32

Learning Area Contact

Health & Physical Education Learning Area Leader

David Janissen

VCE VET Circus

VCE VET Circus

Course Summary

Are you a member of the Flying Fruit Fly Circus? This subject is designed to provide you with specific skills and knowledge required for fitness instructors in circus training and performance at a basic level. You will be equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to assist more qualified circus trainers. This subject provides you with a firm foundation of theory and practice to assist with a future diploma or degree courses in the circus area.

VCE: Unit 1, Unit 2 and Unit 3 & 4 sequence available

ATAR Contribution: Unit 3 & 4 students do not receive a Study Score for this subject. Instead, they receive an ATAR increment of 10% of their fourth Study Score in other subjects 

VET: 10823NAT Certificate III in Circus Arts. Completed over a two-year cycle

Structured workplace learning advice: To be completed in conjunction with circus training for students enrolled in the Fruit Fly Circus

Learning Activities & Assessment

  • Explore the role of body awareness and knowledge of major body systems in elementary training for circus performers
  • Reflect on the physiological and psychological requirement of performance for specific circus apparatus
  • Assess individual requirements for fitness, strength and conditioning and participate in relevant pre and post-training fitness testing
  • Participate in individual fitness strength and conditioning program
  • Reflect on one’s individual training program, progress and outcomes

This program is run as part of an Auspicing arrangement with Swinburne (NICA) – RTO# 01108-3059

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Approximate Costs

Unit 1 & 2

N/A

Unit 3 & 4

N/A

Learning Area Contact

Health & Physical Education Learning Area Leader

David Janissen

Drama

Drama

Course Summary

Do you enjoy improvising and performing? Looking at a career as a performer? In VCE Drama you will focus on creating, presenting and analysing self-devised solo and ensemble performances. You will explore real or imagined characters based on stimulus material that reflects personal, cultural and/or community experiences and stories. You will analysis your own performance work and professional performances.  You will explore a range of performance styles relevant to practices of story-telling, contemporary drama practice and the work of a variety of drama practitioners.

VCE: Unit 1, Unit 2 and Unit 3 & 4 sequence available

Learning Activities & Assessment

  • Create and present a devised performance
  • Document your performance development
  • Analyse your performance
  • Analyse a professional production

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Approximate Costs

Unit 1 & 2

Unit 3 & 4

Learning Area Contact

Arts Learning Area Leader

Lynette Campbell

Music Inquiry (Unit 3 & 4)

Music Inquiry (Unit 3 & 4)

Course Summary

This study offers pathways for students whose main interest is a combination of performing, composing/arranging and investigating music through music making, analysing and responding in relation to their particular interests. Music making is a collective and integrated experience. It involves composing, arranging, interpreting, reimaging, improvising, recreating, performing and critiquing music in an informed manner. Students develop aural skills by responding to music from a range of sources across time and place. They analyse music works and/or styles and develop an understanding of how the treatment of music elements, concepts and compositional devices in one work and/or style can be identified and explained in the works of others.

VCE: Unit 3 & 4 sequence available

Learning Activities & Assessment

  • Perform a work in the style of a selected work/creator and explain how the performance relates to the selected music style and/or creator
  • Create and/or arrange music and demonstrate the connection to the selected music style and/or creator
  • Analyse and describe the treatment of music elements, concepts and compositional devices in two works
  • Listen and respond to selected music excerpts from a range of styles
  • Externally-assessed Task (EAT) – Submit a folio that contains documentation, video recording of a performance and an audio and/or video recording of a composition/arrangement
  • End of year written examination
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Learning Area Contact

Arts Learning Area Leader

Lynette Campbell

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Music Contemporary Performance (Units 3 & 4)

Music Contemporary Performance Units (3 & 4)

Course Summary

Students prepare a program for assessment in a live performance. They may be assessed as primarily a member of a group or as a solo performer. All performances must include at least one ensemble work with another live musician and an original work created by an Australian artist since 1990. All performances must include a personally reimagined version of an existing work. Original works may also be included in the program. Students identify technical, expressive and stylistic challenges relevant to works they are preparing for performance. They listen and respond to a wide range of music by a variety of performers in contemporary styles. They also study music language concepts such as sales, harmony and rhythmic materials that relate to contemporary music. Styles including (but not limited to) rock, pop, jazz, EDM, country, funk and R&B.

VCE: Unit 3 & 4 sequence available

Learning Activities & Assessment

  • Perform a selection of works being prepared for the performance examination, demonstrating an understanding of music style, authentic performance conventions and a range of techniques
  • Demonstrate and discuss performance development techniques and reimagining approaches relevant to the performances of selected works
  • Discuss a performer’s interpretation and manipulation of music elements and concepts in works
  • Identify, recreate and notate music language concepts
  • End of year performance examination-End of year written examination

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Approximate Costs

Learning Area Contact

Arts Learning Area Leader

Lynette Campbell

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