Teaching & Learning
RMIT Future STEM Leaders Program
A few Year 9 and 10 students were given the opportunity to become leaders and teachers for several Year 7 classes, exploring different sustainability techniques and technology that stems from that. We led them through activities to create proof of concepts for some sustainable technologies, such as speed sensors for wind turbines, self aligning solar panels and automated watering systems, while also explaining the structures and purposes for each.
Prior to us teaching the Year 7s we participated in 2 workshops with some of the RMIT staff and university mentors. This meant 1 full day of us trying out the activities, exploring leadership schools and learning about pathways at university. Our second meeting was a chance to get in touch remotely to check in and ensure we were prepared and revise the content.
When it came to the day of teaching the Year 7s, we split into groups to all focus on one sustainable tech area each. We taught these workshops to the Year 7 classes to help lead them into their sustainability unit in Science. We hope that we were able to give them a bit of an understanding about renewable energy and some of the options we have to better technology for our environment and planet.
We are very grateful for the opportunities we were given to possibly start our journeys into becoming future STEM leaders. We’d like to thank the STEM team from RMIT who took the time to come to CHS and teach us about sustainable technologies in a way we could teach and be role models to the Year 7 classes who participated in these STEM workshops.
Racquel O, Holly D, Sarah H
Dance
This term the Year 9 and 10 Dance students have been working hard on their whole class contemporary dance performances which they performed to several other classes. They have all developed their physical and creative skills to learn challenging choreography and create segments of their own. The Year 9 students have explored how our daily, sometimes monotonous routines are shaken up by popular culture, bringing spontaneity, joy and connection. Their contemporary routine, Breakout begins with machine-like choreography that is then taken over by iconic Beyoncé tunes and tiktok dance.
Year 10 Dance students performed “Please Respect Her Rule” a jazz influenced contemporary routine inspired by the legendary singer/musician Nina Simone. Students wrote about the intention behind this work:
“Please Respect Her Rule is a beautiful piece about the power and strength of women. It mainly explores a tribute to Nina Simone who is a very commanding and unapologetic person who shows power in her presence. The dance explores the sense of taking up space and showing confidence in the way that we move and express our bodies.”
“To show women taking up space and not hiding away in society. To show tribute to Nina Simone and how she stands up for herself. To have a sense of freedom, achievement and women’s empowerment.
“It then led to having confidence in yourself and girls and women being powerful.”
“While Nina Simone was a singer and songwriter, she was also a civil rights activist. This fits well with the intention of the dance, as it’s advocating for respect for women. Performing to a song by a strong female singer who challenged the racial and gender norms through her music seems quite fitting.”
In September, Year 9 and 10 Dance students attended Bangarra Dance Theatre’s performance of Illume at the Melbourne Arts Centre. Bangarra Dance Theatre is Australia’s premier First Nations Australian Dance company who are based in Sydney but tour all over the world. Students were treated to a visual feast of contemporary dance, culture and storytelling in a production of lavish lighting, sound and set design.
Student Responses:
“Overall I really enjoyed the show. There were many different sections with lots of different costumes, it helped to keep your eyes on stage and entertained. What I found memorable was that they brought out the large LED ropes. These ropes were really cool and it was interesting to watch them manoeuvre and make patterns with it.”
“I think that it was a very memorable experience as it was my first time watching First Nations dance and I found it very interesting. “
Fiona Cameron
Sport Coaching and Athlete Development
In Term 3, our Year 10 Sport Coaching and Athlete Development class attended Coburg Primary School to apply the knowledge and the skills that they had learnt throughout the term working with primary aged students.
Our Year 10 students successfully coached the Coburg Primary Grade 3/4 students in a variety of sports including Handball, Basketball, Volleyball, Soccer and Football.
The focus of the session was to develop each of the students competency levels across the array of sports and build a positive rapport with the primary school children. It was truly wonderful to see the positive interactions, care and guidance being provided by all members of the Sport Coaching class.
On behalf of the Year 10 Sport Coaching and Athlete Development class we would like to thank Jacob Bryant (Physical Education Teacher) and the Grade 3/4 Teachers at Coburg Primary for allowing our students to have such a valuable experience.
Kylie Saccone
VCE Vocational Major (VCE VM)
Sausage Sizzle 1
Movember
On a very windy and rainy Tuesday August 29th lunchtime saw students as part of their PDS Community Project to run a sausage sizzle with profits going towards their chosen charity Movember and Men’s Health
Stand Out and Rainbow Door
On Friday August 29th Stand Out and the VCE VM students worked together for Wear It Purple Day with a bake-sale with profits going to Rainbow Door.
The VCE VM Students spent part of the day before in our Food Tech room baking up a storm to make this as successful as possible.
Teachers Vs. Student Basketball Friday 29th Aug
With the weather not ideal students thought quickly on their feet and moved the once outdoor basketball game into the gym.
The final project for these VCE VM students saw Year 12s taking on the teachers in two friendly games.
Sausage Sizzle 2
Like their Year 12 counterparts the Year 11 VCE VM students as part of their PDS project chose to run a sausage sizzle. This time supporting Homeless Services. Alongside the sausage sizzle they’ve also run a food and clothing drive. The weather again was not on their side with the winds becoming gale force and leading students to seeking cover inside.
VCE VM Industry Excursion
On Tuesday August 26th, the Year 11 VCE VM PDS class attended an industry excursion alongside the Mentors that they have been working with during Term 3.
Starting at Onset Arts, followed by Carlton Football Club and finishing at Shoegrab in Preston. It was an eventful day with some students even signing up for SWL with Onset Arts to complete later this year.
Year 12 Final Day
With no exams in sight the Year 12 VCE VM students were able to celebrate their finish a little earlier on Friday 19th of September.
Congratulations to our second group of VCE VM Students and best of luck for their very bright futures.
Active For Life
Year 10 Active for Life students are closing out Term 3 with their second KLT on Active Mind, Active Body, with the 2025 Tokyo World Athletics Championships in the background for added inspiration.
Zhanet Zyka
The Year the Maps Changed - Author Visit
Year 7 students are currently studying the novel 'The Year the Maps Changed', a fictional story inspired by real events and real Victorian school kids. Yesterday, our students had the opportunity to meet the author, Danielle Binks, and learn more about the writing process that led to 'Maps', as well as some of the fascinating history behind the actual changing of our world maps and the lesser known human impacts this had. Students listened with rapt attention, and the line to have their own copies signed was unsurprisingly long!
Thank you Danielle for bringing the story alive, and sharing some of your own childhood (and amazing 90s fashions) with our 7s.
Dianna Jarnett & Aaron Zampicheli
Food Technology
The kitchens have see the last Year 11 prac for the year- a mystery box where the students had to choose from a range of ingredients and produce a dish using what was provided.
Olivia Stray