Year Nine

English

Year Nine students are working on understanding the various themes in the novel ‘The Hate U Give’ by Angie Thomas. Through meaningful discussions and group activities, students will develop and establish a conscious and critical understanding of the context around several aspects of the novel like code-switching the Black Panther Movement, media portrayal of police violence, and other pressing issues such as inequality that exists with various cultural settings. The aim for all students is to respond to the needs and demands of society.  Students will apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts in a way which promotes love of reading, improves their skills in reading and connects to real-world contexts.

Written by a Year 9 Student

‘The Hate U Give’ highlights real life issues happening in the world and media around us. It shows Starr, who is a sixteen-year-old and lives in a poor neighbourhood called Garden Heights but goes to a predominately white prep school, Williamson Prep. She balances her school and home life. This balance breaks when Starr witnesses her childhood best friend, Khalil get wrongfully shot by a Police officer. She realises the importance of speaking out about the discrimination and injustice happening to her people. It shows how many people justify the discrimination, racism, and violence against black people by using stereotypes. The novel speaks up about police brutality, poverty, racism, crime cycle and social inequities.

Food Technology

In Food Technology, Year Nine students have been busy learning and enjoying the diverse flavours that the world of food has to offer.

Our kitchen became a hub of creativity as students delved into the world of “Vegetarian Pasties”. By crafting these delicious treats, we gained a deeper understanding of the importance of incorporating a variety of vegetables into our diets. The colours, textures, and flavours combined to create a delightful and nutritious meal that showcased the versatility of plant-based ingredients.        

In our quest for a balanced diet, we turned our attention to lean red meat with a classic “Shepherd's Pie”. Using lean mince meat, we explored the nutritional benefits of incorporating red meat in moderation. This hearty dish not only satisfied our taste buds but also provided essential nutrients, demonstrating that a well-balanced diet can include lean protein sources for overall health.

Understanding the importance of balance in our culinary choices, we embraced the joy of indulgence with homemade “Chocolate Muffins”. While we often focus on the nutritional aspects of food, it's equally important to treat ourselves occasionally. These decadent muffins served as a reminder that enjoying a sweet treat in moderation can be a delightful part of a healthy and well-rounded lifestyle.

Venturing into the Grains unit, our class took on the challenge of making “Gnocchi” from scratch. This hands-on experience allowed us to appreciate the importance of grains in our diets and provided insights into the diverse world of pasta varieties. From kneading the dough to shaping the gnocchi, each step was a lesson in the artistry and science behind creating these delectable, pillowy bites.

Our culinary adventures have not only expanded our palates but have also deepened our understanding of the nutritional value and diversity of foods. 

Coding and Robotics

Coding students are applying their Python knowledge to create dynamic Web Apps. They are making an online digital portfolio to showcase their projects and learning reflections. Our focus for this week was to learn about lists and index numbers to make a Magic 8 Ball app that displays random responses to the user's questions.

"In this lesson I created a random magic 8 ball web app. I learnt how to import several modules like the random module and the radient function to generate random numbers. I learnt how to create a list of responses and link it to the label so that there will be multiple answers for the magic 8 ball. I also created a button which would generate a random number and then display the corresponding Magic 8 Ball response from the list." - Sukhraj

Science

Over the past two weeks, students have delved into the intricate realm of electron configuration within electron shells. Additionally, the Year 9 students explored the fascinating interplay between solution concentration, specifically with Hydrogen Chloride, and its impact on reaction rates.

 Furthermore, they have delved into the rationale behind the necessity to balance equations, exploring the 'Conservation of Mass theory.' Through hands-on experiments, they witnessed firsthand how this theory comes to life, grasping the crucial concept that equilibrium in an equation hinges on the equality of reactants and products.

Students have initiated their exploration into the chemical reactions involving acids, metals, and carbonates. They are now acquainted with the fact that when an acid reacts with a metal, it yields salt and hydrogen gas—a phenomenon detectable through the distinctive 'pop' test. Furthermore, their understanding extends to the reaction between acid and carbonate, resulting in the formation of salt, carbon dioxide, and water. To demonstrate the presence of carbon dioxide, they have learned that introducing a splint into a test tube containing the gas results in the smothering of the flame.

Visual Arts

The last few weeks has seen the students incorporate their learnings from Humanities and English into their final projects.  Students have been working toward creation of a summative task that will be a narrative on their identity.  The students are focusing on our current statement of inquiry which states 'Identity can be shaped and formed in relationship to our context and may be expressed through the Arts'.   Students are using their own voice and agency in deciding how they will address this statement and which medium they will use to express themselves.  Stay tuned for their final pieces as well as some exemplary annotations in their Visual Art diary showcasing their experimentation and trials

Visual Communication

This semester, our Year Nine students in Visual Communications are diving into a real-world project of Homestead Senior Secondary College. 

They are currently working on a brief that involves producing a comprehensive portfolio, encompassing various facets of a project, ranging from architecture to advertising. 

This hands-on experience allows them to explore the intricate details of the planning and execution stages. In addition to the project, students are also developing a new workflow with Adobe Lightroom, enhancing their digital editing skills and embracing industry-standard tools. 

Health and Physical Education

In Health, students have been exploring Healthy Communities and Mental Health. They have identified recent trends in popular sports within Australia and predicted where the trends may lead in the future. Students have also worked on identifying how activities can affect mental health and the mental health of those around them. They have started to examine how their own mental health is linked to their accomplishments, connection to others, self-care and hobbies/activities.

In Physical education, students have been worked to develop their knowledge on improving skills and fitness within sport. They have been developing skills of self assessment to improve in chosen movements.