1. A Warm Welcome!
Subject Options Information Evening for Parents & Guardians of First Year Students

2. CORE JUNIOR CERTIFICATE NON-EXAM SUBJECTS
Physical Education
Social, Personal & Health Education
Information & Communication Technology (First and Second Year)
Religious Education (Non- exam)

3. CORE JUNIOR CERTIFICATE SUBJECTS
Gaeilge
English
Mathematics
Science
History
Geography
French OR Spanish
Civic, Social & Political Education

4. J.C. Optional Subjects Art, Craft and Design 48 Home Economics 66
Business Studies

5. Continued Technology- Wood 72 Technology-Metal 48 Music 28
Technical Graphics

6. OPTIONAL LEAVING CERTIFICATE SUBJECTS
Art, Craft & Design
Construction Studies
Design and Communications Graphics
Engineering Technology
Music
Home Economics (Social & Scientific)
7 directly from J.C.

7. Optional Subjects Continued
Accountancy
Business
Economics
Applied Mathematics*
Ag. Science*
Biology*
Chemistry*
Physics*
Geography*
History*
* From core J. Cert.

8. Benefits of the
various subjects....

9. LANGUAGES Students will know: Careers:
How to communicate in the language, developing their speaking, listening and writing skills
The culture, way of life and history of the country where people speak the language
Students will know:
Careers:
International Marketing
Translator, Tourism Interpreter, Teacher, Journalism, Management.
JC Exam:
Currently:Written 45%
Aural: 35%, Oral: 20%
New Junior Cycle: See
2 CBA’s: CBA 1: End of 2nd Year: Oral Communication
CBA 2: End of Term 1 in 3rd Year: Language Portfolio, Assessment Task
One External assessment at end of 3rd Year
Activities include:
Project Work, Themed Cultural Week, Pen-Pal Letter Exchanges, Trips Abroad, ICT Activities
LANGUAGES

10. BUSINESS STUDIES Students will: Careers: JC Exam:
Learn to collect, organise and record financial information.
Learn their rights and responsibilities as a consumer.
Learn to calculate wages.
Find out why our membership in the EU is so important to our economy.
Develop communication skills such as letter writing and report writing.
Students will:
Careers:
Accountant, Entrepreneur, Economist, Financial Advisor, Marketing, Banker, Business Manager.
JC Exam:
Classroom Based Assessments 10%
CBA 1: Action Group Project – end of 2nd Year
CBA 2: Presentation –end of Term 1 in 3rd Year
Written Final Exam: 2 hours - 90%
BUSINESS STUDIES

11. Follow recipes and cook dishes in pairs/individual and evaluate
Know the importance of nutrition and healthy eating to maintain a healthy body.
Hand and/or machine sew a small craft item suitable for home.
Become more experienced at managing resources in the home
Students will:
Careers:
Chef/cook, catering, fashion and textiles, child care, teaching, food industry, tourism, and health and nutrition.
JC Exam:
Practical Project:
Written:
35% 15%
50%
45%
15%
40%
Higher
Ord
HOME ECONOMICS

12. ART The elements of art The principles of design
The knowledge and skills associated with these processes.
Learn to work in 3D e.g. construction, sculpture and clay
Their histories, their contemporary practices and learning to make links between your artwork.
Students will:
Careers:
Architecture, Graphic Design
Film, Illustration, Digital Media/Animation, Product Design
Industrial Design
Interior Design
Education, Fashion
JC Exam:
New Junior Cycle: See
Continuous assessment / tasks
Two Classroom based assessments
One External assessment
State Certification - 3rd Year
ART

13. m MUSIC Careers: Students will: JC Exam: Education: Teacher/Lecturer
Learn about many types of music, popular, classical, traditional, jazz and rap.
Learn how to read & write music. The exam is based around listening, performance and composition.
All students learn the ukelele.
All 1st year students will have drumming workshops
Music Generation Limerick City Secondary Schools Programme, students compose/perform and record their own songs
Students will:
Careers:
Education: Teacher/Lecturer
Business : sound
engineer, lyricist,
reviewer
Performance:
composer, performer, conductor. m
Practical: 25%
Written Exam: 75 %
Note: Leaving Certificate Practical: 50%
JC Exam:
MUSIC

14. WOOD TECHNOLOGY 66% Practical Portfolio 33% Written: Students will:
How to design a project given a brief description
Learn to prepare and design drawings and make small projects form these drawings
Use equipment and tools to create these designs.
Work mainly with wood but also with other materials.
Learn about wood as a material
Students will:
Careers:
Woodworker, Carpenter, Engineer, Product Design, Forestry, Furniture Design and Manufacture, Construction.
JC Exam:
Practical Portfolio
Written:
66%
33%
WOOD TECHNOLOGY

15. METALWORK Careers: Students will: JC Exam: Practical Coursework: 37.5%
Work with modern technologies to process materials such as metals, plastics and composite materials
Assemble these materials to produce interesting items.
Develop practical skills as well as working with modern workshop processes such as CNC lathes and 3D Printers.
Appreciate the need and develop the ability to finish products at a high standard
Develop the ability to design projects for themselves
Learn to read working drawings as well as 3D Modelling Programmes (Solidworks)
Lead on to Engineering at LC .
Students will:
Careers:
A wide range of Engineering disciplines e.g.Mechanical, Design, Aeronautical etc.
Product Design, Material Science, Industrial Design, Education or Trade Route, e.g. Welding, Plumbing, Electrician
JC Exam:
Practical Coursework: 37.5%
Practical Exam: 37.5%
Written Exam: 25%
METALWORK

16. TECHNICAL GRAPHICS Careers: Students will:
Graphic Design and Illustration, Architecture, Product Design, Engineering, Industrial Design, Education.
Learn how to produce drawings using drawing equipment, freehand sketches and computers.
Develop problem solving and creative thinking skills through the solution of graphical problems and diagrams
Builds on skills learned in Maths and Geometry E.g. 2D and 3D shapes, lines and angles.
Leads on to Design & Communication Graphics at Leaving Certificate.
Students will:
JC Exam:
100% Written
There are practical elements to the paper on the day and students must bring the relevant equipment
TECHNICAL GRAPHICS

17. So, how do you choose your options? Research, Discuss & Reflect

18. NCCA Subject Fact Sheets
Research
Have a look through some of the Junior Certificate course books and see what you think.
It may also help to look up the NCCA website for a fact sheet to accompany each subject. (Click the link below)
NCCA Subject Fact Sheets
Subject Websites
curriculumonline.ie
Career Websites

20. Discuss Discuss your thoughts with: Subject Teachers
Guidance Counsellors
Current Pupils
Parents/Guardians, Older Siblings

21. Reflect Think about your Son/Daughter’s interests and how they learn.
Have them ask themselves the following questions:
Do I enjoy this subject?
Do my strengths/talents/attribute reflect this subject?
Am I choosing because of friends/teachers?
Will I be motivated to achieve ?
Is there a chance I might need it for further study/career?
Am I keeping my options open?

22. OPTION SUBJECTS CHOICE
Name: __________________________________ Class: __________________________________
PLEASE FILL FORM IN BLOCK CAPITALS
FIRST YEAR
OPTION SUBJECTS CHOICE
In order of preference, please indicate which of the following option subjects you wish to study for your Junior Certificate.
Art, Craft & Design
Business Studies
Home Economics
Music
Technical Graphics
Materials Technology-Metal
Materials Technology-Wood
Preference 1 __________________________ Preference 2 __________________________
Preference 3 __________________________
Preference 4 __________________________
N.B. Forms will not be accepted unless the four preferences are completed in full.
Every effort will be made to offer all students their first two preferences.
Parent’s/Guardian’s Signature: ______________________________
Completed Form to be returned to the school office no later than Thursday, 26th October, 2017 at 9.00 am

23. Further Events 1st Year Parent Teacher Meeting 9th Nov
Sports Hall – 3.30pm – 6pm
Teachers sitting in alphabetical order
Prioritise who you need to see
Timing – Parents/Guardians max 5 mins per teachers
Christmas exams Nov 14th to Nov 16th 2016

26. Colleges that require a
third language
Maynooth University
NUI Galway (NUIG)
University College Cork (UCC)
University College Dublin (UCD)
Royal College of Surgeon’s, Ireland (RCSI)
St. Angela’s College, Sligo
National College of Art & Design (NCAD)
Shannon College of Hotel & Catering
Cadets & Defence Forces

27. Colleges that do NOT require
a third language
University of Limerick (UL):
Will accept English & another language.
Trinity College Dublin (TCD):
Will accept a “language other than English” e.g. Irish
Institutes of Technology (e.g. AIT, DIT, LIT etc):
Will accept English or Irish for entry purposes
Dublin City University (DCU)