Sample of Junior Cycle topics
- The specification for Junior Cycle Home Economics focuses on developing students’ understanding and skills to achieve an optimal, healthy and sustainable life through three inter-connected contextual strands:
- Food, health and culinary skills,
- Responsible family living,
- Textiles and craft.
Classroom Based Assessments (CBAs)
Outline of the CBAs
- The CBAs are completed during class time. CBAs allow students will actively engage in practical and authentic learning experiences.
|
CBA 1 -Year 2
|
CBA 2 -Year 3
|
|
1.Apply the design brief process
2.Apply the principles of design and sustainability
3. Make a textile item for an individual or the home
or
Recycle or upcycle a textile item for an individual or the home
|
1.Use the design brief process to research, generate ideas and possible solutions for a Food Literacy Skills.
2. Provide a summary of feedback received from teacher and peers.
3.Reflect on their work considering the feedback received.
|
Junior Cycle Exam/Requirements /breakdown of marks
- Final Assessment Year 3 – (Issued and marked by the State Examinations Commission).
|
Practical Food Skills Examination
|
Written Examination
|
|
1. Based on CBA 2, the Food Literacy Skills Brief
2. Demonstrate culinary and creative food literacy skills in the implementation of the chosen brief
3. 1hr 30 mins + 30 mins preparation time
4. 50% of final examination mark
|
1. 1hr 30 mins
2. 50% of final examination mark
|
How it is marked
- Written exam is marked by the SEC –Subject specific examiners.
- Practical exam is examined by Home Economics examiners.
- The two classroom-based assessments (CBAs) are marked in a departmental SLAR meeting.
When are they done
- CBA 1- completed in second year (January).
- CBA 2 – completed in third year (January).
- Practical exam- completed in April/May of third year.
- Written exam-completed in June.
Overview of descriptors
There are four level descriptors of achievement in each Classroom-Based Assessment:
- Exceptional describes a piece of work that is of an extremely high standard.
- Above expectations grade describes a piece of work that reflects a particularly good piece of work but with feedback from the teacher the student has potential to improve.
- In line with expectations grade describes a piece of work that reflects most of the Features of Quality for the Classroom-Based Assessment well. It shows a good understanding of the task in hand and is free from significant error.
- Yet to meet expectations grade describes a piece of work that falls someway short of the demands of the classroom-Based Assessment and its associated Features of Quality. The student has made a good attempt, but the task has not been grasped clearly. This grade also enables a student to progress to the 3rd year project.
A ‘Not reported’ is granted if a student does not make any attempt at producing any work for their CBA.
Junior Cycle Curriculum – link to DE specifications
