Scotch College

MATHEMATICS Year 7 – 2011

In Year 7 students learn mathematics in their Form classes. The opportunity exists for appropriate student to attend Maths Challenge classes one a cycle instead of their regular classes.  In these classes, students complete both the Challenge and Enrichment Stages of the Mathematics Challenge for Young Australians.

A small number of students who experience difficulty with mathematics may be offered assistance by the Education Support Department.

Rationale

This course aims to:

• instill in students positive attitudes towards their involvement in mathematics

• develop the confidence and competence of students in dealing mathematically with situations occurring in ordinary life

• instruct students in concepts and techniques that reflect modern mathematics and its applications

• develop each students’ capacity to use mathematics in solving problems individually and collaboratively

• develop each students’ ability to interpret and communicate ideas mathematically

• increase the level of abstraction in each student’s powers of reasoning

• make use of available resources to enhance each student’s learning experience.

It is hoped that each student will acquire as many as possible of the following objectives:

• An operational understanding and appreciation of the real number system.

• Facility in a number of skills, for example; ability to approximate the result of arithmetic operations, ability to check algebraic manipulation, ability to use geometrical instruments.

• Informal understanding of the laws of arithmetic.

• The ability to construct and interpret graphs of relations.

• Knowledge and appreciation of geometrical concepts and reasoning.

• Knowledge and understanding of basic theories of algebra and geometry, and the ability to apply them to practical problems.

• The ability solve problems using arithmetic, algebraic, geometric and Information Technology techniques.

Course content

Natural Numbers: Place value, basic operations, order of operations, factors, multiples, primes, composites, powers, pronumerals and substitution.

Geometry: Angles, lines, triangles, quadrilaterals. Ruler and compass constructions, including angle bisection. Deductive proof using results on parallel lines, triangles and quadrilaterals.   Cartesian plane.

Algebra: Algebraic notation and conventions. Construction and solution of linear equations.  

Integers: Introduction to negative integers. Basic operations, order of operations.

Fractions and 

Decimals: Equivalent fractions, basic operations on fractions. Decimals as fractions, basic operations on decimals.

Measurement: Perimeter and area of rectangles, triangles and composites shapes.

Probability:   Basic concepts of theoretical and empirical probability.

Assessment

Students will undertake a test at the end of each topic.

Throughout the year, students will be required to solve a range of challenging problems.  Problem-solving and project work will form part of each student’s assessment.

Semester One Semester Two

1. Topic tests 1. End-of-year test

2. Problem solving 2. Topic tests

3. Problem solving/project