Year 8 Term 2 Overviews

English

In Term 3, students will study the novel A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park. This text is based on the real-life stories of two Sudanese children, Salva and Nya, who live in different time periods. Salva, a young boy in the 1980s, is displaced by civil war and embarks on a dangerous journey in search of safety. In contrast, Nya, living in the 2000s, faces the daily challenge of walking long distances to collect water for her family, highlighting the scarcity of clean water in her community.

Throughout the unit, students will use the Cornell note-taking strategy to build comprehension and deepen their understanding of the text. They will identify and analyse evidence to support their interpretations and personal responses to the characters and themes.

Students will demonstrate their learning through a range of written responses, with a focus on developing their use of the Claim, Evidence, Reasoning, Link (CERL) structure. By the end of the unit, they will apply these skills to write a structured essay in response to a prompt, including an introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

Humanities

In Term 2, Year 8 students will investigate what makes a place a good place to live. They will be introduced to the concept of liveability and explore how factors such as access to transport, services, environment, safety and community all influence people’s decisions about where they live. Students will work with real maps and data to compare different areas across Australia, identifying patterns in the distribution of liveability between cities, suburbs and regional areas. Throughout the term, students will examine how environmental quality, including air pollution and green space, can shape people’s quality of life, and how perceptions of a place may differ from the reality shown in data. They will also explore the importance of community, belonging and cultural identity, including the deep connections Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples have to Country. Students will then turn their attention to how cities grow and change over time. They will investigate urbanisation, migration, and the reasons people move between places, comparing Australia with other countries. By the end of the term, students will take on the role of planners, designing their own ideas to improve liveability and sustainability in a chosen place, using the geographical skills and frameworks they have developed throughout the unit.

Math

This Term, year 8s will use algebra rules to simplify, expand, rearrange, and factor linear expressions. They will draw graphs of linear relations and solve linear equations and one-variable inequalities. They will plot both linear and non-linear graphs on a coordinate plane, with or without digital tools. Students will use models to solve problems with linear relations and check if their answers make sense. They also make and test ideas about linear relations using steps and digital tools. After that students will revise topics covered in Term 1 and Term 2, and then sit their Semester 1 exams. And at the end of term, students will enter a ‘Probability’ unit, show outcomes of two events using tables and diagrams, and find probabilities to solve problems. They use experiments or digital tools to work out probabilities of combined events.

Science

This term in Year 8 Science, students will be exploring and developing their understanding of Chemistry through the Atomic Theory of Matter. Throughout this unit of learning, students will investigate how matter is made up of particles and how atomic theory can be used to explain the differences between elements, compounds and mixtures.

Students will distinguish between pure substances and mixtures and learn how elements are represented using symbols on the periodic table. They will also explore how elements are arranged in the periodic table and how this arrangement helps scientists identify patterns and group elements with similar properties. Students will represent elements, molecules and compounds using chemical formulas, as well as two-dimensional and three-dimensional models.

Students will develop their science inquiry skills by designing and applying procedures to separate mixtures, while also considering how scientific models and theories can change when new evidence is discovered. Through this unit, students will strengthen their ability to identify patterns, generate ideas and evaluate different possibilities, building a strong foundation for future learning in chemistry and scientific thinking.

Wood Technology

This term in Year 8 Wood Technology, students will continue to build on their foundational skills with a strong focus on accuracy and craftsmanship. They will refine their sawing techniques and develop greater control when using chisels to create precise joints with a close, clean fit. Students will also be introduced to the importance of applying finishes to their projects, exploring how different finishes can enhance the appearance of their work while also providing protection and improving long-term durability. In addition, students will learn how to safely create channels in timber and be introduced to the use of the pillar drill. Throughout the term, there will be an emphasis on safe workshop practices, attention to detail, and pride in producing high-quality work. 

Health

In Year 8 Health, students will explore mental health, resilience, and respectful relationships through a focus on online safety and digital wellbeing. They will examine how social media and online interactions can influence emotions, behaviour, and self-image. Students will develop strategies to manage online challenges, build resilience, and support themselves and others in digital spaces. 

PE Sport and Sport and Movement

Year 8 students will build on their net and wall skills, refining techniques such as serving, shot selection, and positioning. They will apply more advanced strategies in gameplay and begin to analyse their performance. Students will also undertake fitness testing, using the results to set goals and monitor improvements in their physical fitness. In Sport and Movement, students will participate in Soccer, AFL, Badminton and Table Tennis

Visual Arts

Visual Arts will consolidate hand-building and construction techniques learnt in term 1 and apply their understanding to the creation of their own finished clay artwork. Students will brainstorm ideas, research contemporary ceramicists, and document their own design practice using their visual diaries. The final pieces will be displayed at the celebration of learning. The Unit will culminate in a visit to the National Gallery of Victoria to view Asian ceramics, ‘Top Arts’ exhibition, a student display of VCE (Making and Exhibiting and Creative Practice) and the sculptural installation of Tadao Ando. 

Performing Arts

In Year 8 Drama, students will consolidate and extend their understanding of expressive and stagecraft skills by applying them to the creation of a short film. Building on prior learning, students will explore how voice, movement, gesture, facial expression, alongside production elements such as props, costume, lighting, and sound, contribute to meaning making in performance. Students will engage in the full creative process of drama production, including brainstorming, scriptwriting, storyboarding, rehearsing, and filming. This unit culminates in a filmed piece that demonstrates their ability to communicate ideas through dramatic storytelling.