Humanities Domain 

Welcome to the world of Humanities! 

It has been an academically stimulating start to the term for students in Years 7-9 upon successful completion of Economics (Term 1), and commencement of their studies in Geography. 

Year 7

Students are currently studying “Place and Liveability”. This topic seeks to enrich students’ knowledge and awareness of the world around them by investigating topics of poverty, housing, cultural background, access to health and education. Students build an appreciation of acceptance as another key issue explored in the context of social connectedness to a place. 

Year 8

Our cohort are delving into the study of physical geography, focusing primarily on “Landscapes and Landforms” with an emphasis on the use of maps to interpret and describe the distribution of various landscapes around the world (mountain, forest, polar, desert). In addition, students learn about the multi-layered ways that humans perceive land through notions of spiritual, cultural and aesthetic value of landscapes and landforms and become more informed on the significance of landscapes and landforms to Australia's First Nations communities. 

Year 9

Our final year junior students are consolidating their knowledge of physical and human geography in their study of “Biomes” around the world and the issue of “Food Security”. These topics enable our students to study the deeper complexities of the agricultural industry in growing food and the issues that lead to hunger around the world and potential solutions. This enhances their understanding of less fortunate countries, and seeks to establish, in our cohort, a sense of empathy for those in need, and appreciation for the resources that are available to us.

VCE Business Management 

The Business Cohort learnt about Operations Management (U3 AOS 3) through working in teams cooking energy balls.  Each team had an Operations Manager in charge of creating the energy balls.  Students understood concepts such as inputs, processing and outputs.  They also applied the concepts of waste minimisation, lean management, and corporate social responsibility during this activity. -Mark Fernandez, VCE Business Management teacher.

VCE History

VCE History students study pivotal events that shaped and transformed European History. 

The Year 11 Modern History students investigate and analyse the changes that took place in the German Empire, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR/Russia) and the Ottoman Empire/Turkey at the turn of the twentieth century. Topics such as German Unification, Russification and the decline of an over 600-year-old empire (the Ottomans) and the examination of key historical figures and their ideologies, such as Otto von Bismarck, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, Joseph Stalin and Adolf Hitler, create a suspenseful and riveting experience for this group of history enthusiasts.

The Year 12 History Revolutions cohort are currently evaluating and reflecting on the trials and tribulations of the Russian proletariat, workers and soldiers in the early 1900s using a multitude of primary and secondary sources to inform their learning and enhance their historical knowledge. We have examined the causes of the Russian Revolution of 1905 and 1917. The group are currently using their knowledge to develop a deeper understanding and perception of the consequences that followed at the end of 1917 following the October Revolution. Students engaged in a debate, adopting the mindsets of either a member of the Bolshevik Party or a member of the Left Socialist Revolutionary party on the topic of whether the peace Treaty of Brest-Litovsk with Germany was a necessary phase for the continuation of the Revolution. Tension, heated outbursts in Russian and many rebuttals (some spontaneous) brought to life the political animosity between two contentious revolutionary groups. Further topics will include the Red and White Terror, the Cheka (Bolshevik secret police) and new economic reforms that completely transformed Russia from its traditional autocratic identity to a communist state. 

VCE Legal Studies

Year 12 Legal Studies has two dimensions for its students. The first half of Year 12 Legal Studies continues with the previous year's topics of both the criminal and the civil justice systems of Victoria. In Year 11, particular crimes and civil wrongs are chosen and studied. The emphasis in Year 12 is on the institutions and methods for dealing with these legal matters. For example, the class learn what are plea negotiations in criminal matters and class actions in civil matters. Besides the definitions, Legal Studies also requires students to learn how such things may serve the interests of justice and what are the problems with them as well. The Leongatha Mushroom matter and the AFL head injuries class action have both been useful as classroom examples. The second-half of this subject is quasi-political because it is the study of how the laws are changed over time by both the judges in the courts and the politicians in parliaments. The important material here is the particular decisions by which these groups of people can change the laws for everyone, and the influences upon them when they do so. The challenge for the class is demonstrating that they can engage with all this while also seeming to a question-marker that you are still neutral and detached. A legal skill, I suppose. - Jonathan Sise, VCE Legal Studies teacher.

VCE Sociology

Our young Sociologists have been investigating the topic of Culture and Ethnicity in Year 12. Throughout our study of First Nations Australians we have used our sociological imaginations to cast a critical eye on issues faced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples due to historical, cultural, and structural reasons. During this study we visited the Bunjilaka Cultural Centre at Melbourne Museum and enjoyed a lovely walk in the sunshine along the Birrarung (Yarra) River listening to stories of colonisation and resistance from First Nations Australians.

More recently we have been discussing the sociological concepts of race and ethnicity, as well as the difference between them. We have examined Australia's racist past, including the White Australia policy, and the othering of Asian and Muslim Australians. We are now analysing the Australian government's attempts to promote multiculturalism through the experience of Bosnian Australians, learning about their culture and how it is practiced in Australia.

In Year 11 we have been introducing some of the foundational concepts of Sociology to our students through the diverse experiences of young people in Australia throughout history and in the modern day. More recently we have engaged with conservative and feminist perspectives of the family, and how this important institution contributes to society through socialisation of our next generations, while also acknowledging its changing nature and imagining how it may further change in the future in order to create an inclusive society. - Ross Clark, VCE Sociology teacher

Resources

As stipulated in our college expectations, students require a workbook, stationery and a laptop to complete all tasks in class and boost organisation. To further support our students, we upload our lesson plans to Compass daily, in which all available resources (PowerPoints, worksheets, web links) can be downloaded and accessed by students and parents. Junior students also require Education Perfect for homework and to supplement activities undertaken in class.