Course Outline

The 5th year accounting course has two main objectives. Firstly, to introduce the basic accounting skills and concepts to students as they begin their study of Leaving Certificate accounting. This will serve as an aid for those who have not studied bookkeeping as part of the Junior Cycle Business Studies course and as a refresher for those who have.

The second objective of the course will be to guide students through approximately 75% of the topics on the accounting syllabus. Focus will be placed on continuous practice of exam standard questions with particular emphasis on the marking scheme and how students can maximise their grades in the exam.

All students will receive a comprehensive set of notes including fully worked solutions to the most recent leaving certificate questions. Students will also receive a comprehensive set of notes covering the theory section of the course, which is essential if students hope to achieve a H1 grade in the exam.

Topics to be covered will include:

• Introduction to Accounting
• Introduction to Tabular Statements
• Depreciation of Fixed Assets
• Club Accounts
• Service Firm Accounts
• Farm Accounts
• CVP Analysis
• Product and Absorption Costing
• Final Accounts with adjustments of a sole trader and limited company
• Ratio Calculation
• Cash Budgeting
• Production Budgeting
• Flexible Budgeting
• Incomplete Records

The Applied Math’s syllabus covers a variety of topics, designed to solve problems arising in Physics, Computer Science, Business and Finance. This course explores each topic in turn by first explaining the ideas behind, and motivation for the topic at hand, as well as applications to further study and professions. More concrete problems are then tackled, and once a level of proficiency and understanding is achieved focus is shifted to exam papers. Applied Maths assumes knowledge of the Leaving Certificate Maths syllabus, and so special care is taken to introduce topics only after 5th Year students are likely to have covered the necessary material in their own Maths classes.

Topics will be taught from the following list:

• Networks and Graphs
• Algorithms and Graphs
• Project Scheduling
• Dynamic Programming
• Units and Vectors
• Linear Motion
• Projectiles
• Newton’s Laws and Connected Particles
• Work, Energy and Power
• Collisions
• Circular Motion

Comprehensive notes will be given to students in advance of classes. They are designed not only to be followed during the first contact with a topic, but also to be an adequate revision tool after the fact. Multiple worked examples are provided, as well as questions to be worked through during class time, and optional homework to be completed after each class.

This course is designed for students studying Higher Level Biology. Classes are exam-centred and particular attention is paid to past papers. The course is delivered by an experienced examiner of Leaving Cert Higher Level Biology who places strong emphasis on exam technique/keywords and the marking scheme. Worksheets are also given to help students gain an understanding of experiments associated with the Higher Level Biology course.

Topics from:

• The characteristics of life & the scientific method.
• Food (biomolecules).
• Cell structure.
• Cell diversity.
• Enzymes i.
• Enzymes ii.
• Exam question focus.
• Movement through membranes.
• Cell continuity(mitosis).
• Respiration i.
• Diversity of living things.
• Monera (bacteria).
• Exam question focus.
• Fungi.
• Protoctista (amoeba).
• Structure of flowering plants.
• Transport in flowering plants.
• Human circulatory system.
• Human lymphatic system & defence.
• Human nutrition.
• Homeostasis.
• Human breathing system.
• Human excretion system.
• The endocrine system.
• The nervous system.
• Ecology i.
• Ecology ii.
• Exam question focus.

The aim of this course is to allow students to gain a thorough understanding of topics on the Leaving Certificate Higher Level Chemistry course.

Topics from:

• Mole concept / Isotopes / Stoichiometry.
• Periodic Table / Arrangement of electrons in atoms / Trends in the Periodic Table .
• Chemical Bonding / Tests for Anions / Recrystallisation /Melting Point Determination .
• Intermolecular forces / Shapes of Covalent Molecules.
• Oxidation & Reduction / Oxidation numbers / Balancing Redox Equations / Halogens as Oxidising Agents.
• Intro to Volumetric Analysis / Preparation of Standard Solutions  / Acid Base Titrations.
• Properties of Gases / Ideal Gas Equation / Measurement of Relative Molecular Mass of Volatile Liquid.
• Volumetric Analysis (Part 2) / Redox Titrations / Potassium Permanganate and Iron (11) Ions / Sodium Thiosulphate & Iodine.
• Hydrocarbons / Oil refining & oil products / Thermochemistry / Hydrogen.
• Alkanes / Alkenes & Alkynes / Mechanisms of Substitution & Addition Reactions / Benzene.

Please bring periodic table and calculator

The Four Strands of Study:

Strand 1. The World of Heroes: Homer’s Odyssey and Virgil’s Aeneid.

Strand 2. Drama & Spectacle: Greek theatre, the Roman Games, the Circus Maximus and the Colosseum.

Strand 3. Power & Identity: Alexander the Great.

Strand 4. Gods & Humans: Greek and Roman funerary practices, Greek and Roman temples and religious festivals, philosophy in Plato’s Crito and Horace’s Odes and Epodes.

Assessment: A research essay on an aspect of the ancient world must be completed by January of 6^th year. This essay is worth 20% of the final assessment. The remaining 80% comes down to a single two and a half hour exam paper.

These are the books required for both 5^th & 6^th years:

1. G. Lloyd, Alexander the Great: Selections from Arrian, Cambridge University Press.
2. Homer, The Odyssey, Penguin Classics (Must be translated by E.V. Rieu)
3. Virgil: Selections from the Aeneid, Cambridge University Press, translated by Graham Tingay.

Our 5th Year Economics grinds help students to develop the knowledge and critically, the flexibility, needed to be successful at Higher Level by assisting them in developing a deep understanding of all aspects of the Economics course. Having a broad knowledge across the entire course is an absolute pre-requisite for success and our exam focussed classes assist students to develop that breadth of knowledge. Students will learn how to apply that knowledge to exam style questions and will become familiar with the attention to detail consistent with H1 standards. Furthermore, students are encouraged to understand and evaluate real world economic events as this is another essential component for success in both the written examination and the research project.

Topics from:

Strand 1: What Is Economics About?

1.1 Economics as a way of thinking

1.2 The economic concepts of scarcity and choice

1.3 Economic, social and environmental sustainability

Strand 2: How Are Economic Decisions Made?

2.1 The market economy

2.2 The consumer

2.3 The firm

2.4 Government intervention in the market

Strand 3: What Can Marketers Do?

3.1 Market structures

3.2 The labour market

3.3 Market failure

Strand 4: What Is The Relationship Between Policy and Economic Performance?

4.1 National income

4.2 Fiscal policy and the budget framework

4.3 Employment and unemployment

4.4 Monetary policy and the price level

4.5 Financial sector

This class is designed to give 5th year students a comprehensive understanding of the coursework that is set for examination in Leaving Certificate Higher Level English, and to give students effective exam question answering techniques.

Topics Covered Include:

Paper 1

• Explanation of the 5 prescribed language genres:

1. The Language of Argument
2. The Language of Persuasion
3. The Language of Information
4. The Language of Narration
5. The Aesthetic use of Language.

• Comprehensive analysis of past examination tasks, with focus on how to approach the Reading Comprehension Part A and Part B tasks.
• Guidelines on the types of questions / tasks set and sample answers provided with a breakdown of the marking scheme.

The Composition task is worth 25% of the final grade. Guidelines and examples will be provided on how to write an effective:

• Discursive Essay
• Short-Story Writing
• Personal Essay
• Speeches and Debates

Paper 2

Single Text – The single text being taught in these classes is William Shakespeare’s Hamlet.

NB Significant class time will be given to the exploration of the single text (6 sessions approximately).

The focus will be on developing a clear and substantial understanding of the plot, characters and important themes of the play, as well as beginning the work of identifying and learning important quotation. With sessions dedicated to:

• Introduction to Tragedy and ‘The Tragic Hero’
• Dramatic conventions and Soliloquys
• Intro to Characters
• Intro to major Themes

Comparative Studies

Class will offer guidelines on an approach to:

• Using comparative language effectively
• Constructing effective Comparative essays-past exam question analysis
• The three prescribed modes of comparison for 2028 are:

1. Theme or Issue
2. The Cultural Context
3. Literary Genre

Poetry

Analysis of:

• Unseen Poetry tasks, including guidelines and sample responses to past exam  questions
• 4 of the 8 prescribed poets will be taught in class
• Approaching the Prescribed Poetry Question – how to structure your answer plus sample answers to past questions.

A selection of poets (TBC) will be studied in classes.

This course covers all the four competencies necessary for success in Leaving Certificate Higher Level French – Aural, Oral, Reading and Writing.

Topics from:

• Letter writing.
• Diary entries.
• Abstract topics.
• Response pieces.
• Comprehensions (method and content).
• Listening comprehensions.
• Oral exam.

This course is designed to help students maximise their performance in Leaving Certificate Higher Level Geography. Classes are focused on completing the entire Geography course while developing the knowledge, skills and examination techniques needed for success in the final examination.

The course is structured to cover all key areas of the Leaving Certificate syllabus in a clear and manageable way. Students will build a strong understanding of Physical, Regional, Human and Economic geography while learning how to answer exam questions effectively to maximise marks.

Topics Covered Include:

Physical Geography:

• Plate Tectonics
• Earthquakes & Volcanoes
• Folding and Faulting
• The Rock Cycle
• Weathering processes
• Karst landscapes
• River, coastal and glacial processes
• Mass movement processes
• Isostasy
• Weather and climate
• Human interaction with natural processes
• Map reading and aerial photograph interpretation

Regional Geography:

• Types of region
• Greater Dublin Area
• The West of Ireland
• The Paris Basin
• The Mezzogiorno
• Brazil
• Regional development and change

Human and Economic Geography:

• Population growth and migration
• Urban growth and urban problems
• Settlement patterns
• Economic development
• Globalisation
• Multinational Companies
• Sustainable development
• Economic and environmental change

Geoecology:

• Ecosystems and biomes
• Human impact on biomes

Geographical Investigation:

• Students will receive guidance on planning, researching, structuring and writing the Geographical Investigation. Particular emphasis is placed on structure to maximise marks in this important component of the Leaving Certificate examination.

Examination Preparation:

Throughout the year, students will develop the skills required to succeed in the Leaving Certificate examination, including:

• Essay writing techniques
• Short-answer and SRP development
• Map and aerial photograph skills
• Graph and statistical interpretation
• Time management
• Past examination question practice
• Marking scheme analysis

Each topic is supported by detailed notes, worked examples and examination-focused revision. Particular emphasis is placed on understanding how questions are asked, identifying common examination themes and developing the techniques required to achieve top grades.

This course is ideal for students who want a structured approach to completing the Leaving Certificate Geography course, improving examination performance and building confidence ahead of the final examination.

This course prepares students to achieve their maximum potential in their Leaving Certificate Higher Level German exam. Classes concentrate on the four main skills tested in the exam, with ongoing homework and support provided throughout the year.

Topics from:

• Oral exam
  Exam format.
  General questions.
  Role play.
  Picture sequence or project work.
  Option to discuss a film or novel in the oral will be covered.
• Aural Comprehension
  Practice using CDs and authentic listening material.
  Skills required for the exam.
• Reading Comprehension
  Intro to both journalistic and literary styles of texts.
  Answering skills & techniques for the written exam
• Writing
  Letter writing.
  Short essay.
  Opinion of issue practice.
• Grammar
  Techniques needed for the examination.
  Formal grammar section covered in detail.

This course is designed to help students prioritise the work that needs to be done in preparation for the Leaving Certificate Higher Level History exam in June 2028. During the weekly classroom sessions, students will be provided with useful exam advice and study tips to facilitate learning and aid exam preparation.

Our online Moodle page will feature Revision Packs and a myriad of online articles and videos to help students stay up to date with their learning and become familiar with the course content and various personalities. Many of the class sessions will also feature short video clips to add to the learning experience, encourage student engagement and invite questions and discussion.

In the 2028 Leaving Certificate Exam, students will be required to answer the Documents Based Question section from the USA History module. They will also have to write one essay from another European module and two more essays from two different Irish modules. The modules that will be taught to Fifth Year History students in the Institute of Education are as follows:

· Politics and Society in Northern Ireland, 1949-1993.

· Sovereignty and Partition, 1912-1949.

· The United States and the World, 1945-1989 (Compulsory Documents Based Question taken from this module).

· Dictatorship and Democracy, 1920-1945.

*Please note the following additional information:

· During the academic year, the History teacher will be giving presentations on how to structure Leaving Certificate essays, demonstrate how the state exam marking scheme works and, provide a detailed breakdown on how students should answer more effectively the Documents Based Question on the Exam Paper.

· The History teacher will, on occasion, read student essays and advise on writing technique and course detail.

· If a student is electing to take History as an additional subject for their Leaving Certificate outside of their day school, the History teacher will work with them in helping them to start and develop the Additional Course Component (History RSR project) of the exam paper.

Topics from Irish and European History

Irish History

Module 1: Politics and Society in Northern Ireland, 1949-1993.

Topics that will feature form the Northern Ireland course module will include:

· Lord Brookeborough and the emergence of the welfare state in Northern Ireland, 1943-1963.

· Cultural identity and symbolism in Northern Ireland.

· Case Study: The Apprentice Boys of Derry.

· The O’Neill era, 1963-1969.

· Case Study: The Coleraine University controversy.

· The Civil Rights Movement, 1967-1969.

· The outbreak of the Troubles, the collapse of Stormont and Direct Rule, 1969-1972.

· Case Study: The Sunningdale Agreement 1973.

· Impact of the Troubles on Northern Ireland and political efforts that tried to establish peace.

· The contributions of Bernadette Devlin, John Hume, Margaret Thatcher, Ian Paisley, and Seamus Heaney to Northern Irish affairs.

· The contribution of Capt. Terence O’Neil to Northern Ireland.

· The contribution of Brian Faulkner to Northern Ireland.

· How the Troubles impacted on music, sport, and the arts.

Module 2: Sovereignty and Partition, 1912-1949

During Term 1 and most of Term 2 core course material will be taught from the Sovereignty & Partition module; the topics that will get most emphasis from this module will be taught as intended targets for the 2027 state exam paper as well as being designed to allow students gain insight into the key events, themes and personalities from this era.

· Unionist resistance to Home Rule, 1912-1914.

· The 1916 Rising.

· The rise of new Sinn Féin, 1916-1918.

· The War of Independence.

· Case Study: The Treaty Negotiations.

· The contribution of Michael Collins to Irish affairs.

· Socio-economic developments in the Irish Free State.

· Case Study: The 1932 Eucharistic Congress.

· Gaelic and Catholic identity in the Irish Free State.

· Law and Order in the Irish Free State.

· Anglo-Irish relations, 1922-1949.

· The steps to partition, 1912-1949.

· The contribution of Cosgrave and de Valera to Irish affairs.

· Case Study: The Belfast bombings, 1941 and a comparative analysis with the war experience in Dublin.

European History

Module 1: The United States and the World, 1945-1989.

This course module has been selected by the Department of Education to feature on the Documents Based Question section in both the 2028 and 2029 Leaving Certificate History state exams. Topics that will be covered from this module will include:

· Developments in race relations in the United States.

· Case Study 1: The Montgomery Bus Boycott, 1955-1956.

· Vietnam: Entry, escalation and US military tactics.

· Case Study 2: The impact of the Vietnam War on US society and President Johnson.

· Case Study 3: The Moon Landing, 1969.

Module 2: Dictatorship and Democracy, 1920-1945.

Topics that will feature form this European History course module will include:

· Mussolini’s Italy.

· The Weimar Republic.

· The Rise of Hitler, his totalitarian regime, and life in Nazi Germany.

· Hitler’s foreign policy.

· Nazi Propaganda.

· Case Study: The Nuremberg Rallies.

· The characteristics of fascism.

· Fascism and the Church.

· Britain between the Wars.

· Case Study: The Jarrow March

· Stalin’s Russia – ‘Fear and Transformation’.

· Case Study: Stalin’s Show Trials.

· Propaganda in Stalin’s Russia.

· France between the Wars.

· Víchy France.

· Anglo American Culture and developments in radio and cinema, 1920-1945.

· The contribution of Leni Riefenstahl, Charlie Chaplin and Bing Crosby to cinema.

Key personalities, core course content and material outside the syllabus will be analysed to give the student extra insight and understanding of these modules to aim for the higher grades in the state exams.

Throughout the year, students will gain access to data, content and personalities from the Institute of Education History notes that often do not feature in mainstream textbooks. The students will have a stronger grasp of each course topic and a greater range of content with which to answer any exam question.

Students will also be introduced to the several core-course themes that run through each of the modules. These themes influence the frame-working of exam questions. Knowledge of these themes and how they feature throughout the various course topics will help students achieve a deeper understanding of the subject and ensure they are better prepared for the state examination.

Information and tips regarding managing content, effective writing and essay structure will be referred to throughout the year.

Students will also be instructed on how to address and effectively answer the compulsory Documents Based Question (DBQ) section of the exam paper.

This course aims to maximise the student’s ability to achieve the highest possible grade in the Leaving Certificate Higher Level Irish exam.

Topics from:

• Poetry and Prose
  Detailed notes and sample answers to exam style answers.
  Focus on vocabulary and key phrases.
• Oral Exam
  Focus on development of effective oral skills
  Sample answers to common questions.
  Picture sequences (Na Sraitheanna Pictiúr) with exam guidance.
• Aural Exam
  Structured listening guidance.
  Key question terms and answer-finding skills.
  Support with vocabulary and exam technique.
• Grammar Skills
  Weekly focus on grammatical aspects of the language.
  Development of vocabulary.
  Focus on comprehension past papers.
• Exam Skills and Techniques
  How to negotiate the exam.
  Timing.
  Tips for success.

This course covers the essential methods, formulae and procedures required for success in the Leaving Certificate Higher Level Maths Papers 1 & 2.  Students are shown how to approach exam questions and homework properly. Guidance is given on resource material they will need to enhance their studies. Comprehensive notes are presented and fully worked solutions, with a huge number of examples, are provided.

Topics from:

• Algebra.
• Complex Numbers.
• Limits and an introduction to Calculus.
• Financial Mathematics.
• Sequences and Series.
• Differentiation.
• Anti- Differentiation.
• Functions.
• Trigonometry.
• Co-ordinate Geometry of The Line and Circle.

Please bring log tables and calculator

This course gives an intensive overview of selected topics from the Leaving Certificate Higher Level Physics syllabus. Strong emphasis is placed on the exam and past papers and students are given a solid foundation for progression in to 6th year. Classes are taught in a friendly, relaxed and structured manner that is conducive to understanding the principles of physics.

Topics from:

• Mechanics 1
  Linear motion.
  Newton’s laws.
• Mechanics 2
  Moments.
  Circular motion.
  Planetary motion.
  S.H.M.
• Sound and Waves
  Doppler Effect.
  Standing waves.
  Sound intensity.
• Light
  Reflection.
  Refraction.
  Diffraction.
• Electricity 1
  Resistivity.
  Resistance.
  Conductivity.
  Semiconductors.
• Exam Focus
  How to study physics.
  How to prepare for the exam.
  How to correctly read exam questions.
  How to “answer what is asked”

Please bring log tables, past papers and calculator

This course prepares students for success in the Leaving Certificate Higher Level Spanish exam. Initial emphasis is placed on developing grammar skills. Once this important foundation has been established, students then practice with past papers and learn strategies to maximize their marks in the Oral, Aural, Reading and Written sections.

Topics from:

• General overview of the exam paper.
• Key grammar points
  – Verbs: present, future, conditional, 3 past tenses, subjunctive, imperative and gerund
  – Some special verbs: gustar, ser and estar
  – Pronouns
• Reading Comprehension
  – Exam techniques and vocabulary from past papers.
• Writing
  – Opinion piece (Structure, topics, vocabulary, idiomatic expressions…)
  – Writing techniques for Diary entries and Notes.
  – Sentence building. Work on common errors.
• Listening comprehension
  – Vocabulary from past papers
  -Vocabulary for the weather report
• Oral
  – Understanding the oral exam.
  – Interview. Expanding on common topics.
  – Sample answers.
  – Role-plays