Technologies News
Year Seven Digital Technologies
In Year Seven Digital Technologies, we have had two or three lessons together (depending on the class) and have been focusing on using our new and shiny Surface Go laptops. Our tips, tricks and hacks sessions have upskilled students on how to utilise to the capacity of the digital learning tools and have confidence to engage with the device.
In our next few classes, we will be diving into our first topic of digital systems and understanding the concepts of hardware and software. The students will learn about the components that make up a computer (digital) system and how they interact with each other. We will then move on to networking and explore the basics of how devices connect and communicate with each other over a network.
I am confident that the students will find these lessons both challenging and rewarding. I have been impressed with the engagement and enthusiasm in the classroom. I am looking forward to an exciting year!
Mr Kyal Rose | Teacher
Year Eight Digital Technologies
In Year Eight Digital Technologies students have had a couple weeks to start getting into the early concepts of our Year Eight programme, already exploring algorithmic and computational thinking concepts, and looking at the role technologies are playing within our society. We have also had the opportunity to start looking at what is involved in designing video games – from story and structure, right through to engagement and challenge, using Shigeru Miyamoto, world-famous video game designer and the creator of Mario as our virtual guide. We will continue this term looking at developing programming skills including the use of variables, iteration, and conditional logic to build out interactive game solutions for a target demographic.
I’m looking forward to an exciting year with our students and encouraging them to aim for excellence as they explore all things technology.
Mr Kieran Bailey | Head of IT Services/ Teacher
Computer Science
This is our first year offering General and ATAR Computer Science across both Years Eleven and Twelve and I’m so excited to be back with our students to see what amazing projects they create this year.
In Year Eleven Computer Science our General students have begun exploring foundational programming concepts through a game-based context as they learn the intricacies of working with sprite designs and programmatic movement and interactions combined with user inputs.. These building blocks will launch them into their projects to build role-playing games (think The Legend of Zelda or Stardew Valley) in the coming weeks. Our Year Eleven ATAR students have dived straight into Python programming, showing enthusiasm and excitement as they explore fundamentals such as control structures and how these all interact together. With VS Code and the clever use of artificial intelligence to provide feedback, debugging and a rubber duck for their code, they are well on their way to some amazing results.
As our Year Twelves come back to Computer Science for 2024 both General and ATAR have been stepping up the pace with a focus on design lifecycles and project management. They have commenced exploring different methodologies for delivering solutions from linear project management with its phases, milestones, and sequences, to iterative styles and the focus of rapid prototyping and ongoing customer feedback. ATAR students have begun reviewing and building on their Python programming knowledge from last year, while General students have been learning how to interpret the requirements of solutions and systems development by using context diagrams, project planning and budgeting.
Our budding computer scientists are full of energy and looking forward to sound results in 2024.
STEAM
I am really pleased to see many familiar faces joining this class off the back of a fantastic Year Eight program. This semester we are spending time preparing and training for the 2024 First Lego League Challenge. Our program this semester is a simulation of the 2022 Superpowered Season and aims to take students from beginning to end to demonstrate and explore the knowledge and skills to be successful on the main stage.
This simulation will be as close to the real event as possible to drive authentic learning, leaning into local industry leaders, other local schools who are also participating and training, and judges as mentors from past seasons. When the 2024 season materials are released these students will get to work and apply their skills into the now competitive context, and will be joined by an additional secondary school and primary school team.
I'm excited to see where this year will take us!
Sustainable Production - Year Seven
This term we welcome the Mokare Year Sevens into the Market Garden. In groups of two or three they have been given about five square metres in which to grow vegetables. In Week Two they enthusiastically prepared the soil and made walkways using repurposed pallets. They planted lettuce, corn, beans, beetroot, zucchini, regular and apple cucumbers, ruby chard, radishes, and coriander. They have also enjoyed befriending the chooks, collecting the eggs and feeding them weeds and slaters.
In Week Three they had more time to look around the garden and were able to graze on strawberries and beans. The strawberry plants are now producing runners so they were able to help place these over pots so they grow roots and can be separated from the parent plants next week. They planted extra seeds in between their seedling and a few brave students tried fresh chilli!
The Hospitality students were able to use our zucchinis, tomatoes and eggs this week in their lessons.
Ms Diane Thomas | Teacher
Woodwork
Like most years it has started with a bang. The students across all years have been getting right back into the swing of things in the workshop. With a growing trend towards the use of technologies and this being a technologies subject, we have introduced an online interactive program that will be used to help with safety in the workshop. This program is full of resources and tests specific to individual machines and tools that will be used throughout the course. It has been used to help test the students on their knowledge around how to use the machines safely and effectively, once this has been completed and the teacher demonstration logged the students are then signed off to use that machine. This training has been the priority to begin the year, so a strong culture around safety is set and a good platform is there for the remainder of the semester for some of the students and year for others.
Year Seven
Year Seven students completed a safety induction worksheet and had fun getting around the workshop and identifying the potential risks and hazards. This term we are spending time making a skill builder and a design task. The skill builder has started and it’s an acrylic wind spinner. The design task is a wooden spatula. I'm looking forward to working with this great group and seeing where their skills develop!
Year Eight
We have an all-star Year Eight group in the workshop this semester and I am looking forward to seeing some great skills develop over the next two terms. The group started with a safety induction worksheet and went and explored the workshop looking for safety stop buttons and identifying the potential risks and hazards. This term we are spending time making a skill builder and a design task. The skill builder has started and it’s an acrylic bowel. The design task is a wooden box. I'm looking forward to working with this great group and seeing where their skills develop over the term!
Year Nine
The Year Nine group has now started marking out their tee half-lap joints which will form part of their larger project which will be a shelf. This skill development exercise teaches students the importance of marking out and gets them back into using hand tools. These basic skills performed will go a long way towards achieving excellence within Wood Technologies and producing high-quality projects.
Year Ten
The Year Ten group has begun working on the finger joint box project. This is another skill development exercise centred around the importance of marking out and the effective use of hand tools. We try to get into this task early so students can re-engage with the subject and get their hands back used to working with the wood.
The Year Eleven and Twelve groups have a different-looking syllabus to the other technology classes with a larger focus on the design stage of their projects.
Year Eleven
To begin the course the Year Eleven group is researching and designing for their upholstered footstool task. This task allows the students to learn skills in Wood Technologies but also some basic skills in furniture upholstery. It is important from the onset that the students really engage with the design stage as this helps them to create something that is theirs and that they are proud of and excited to take home.
Year Twelve
The Year Twelve class is busy designing their bedside tables which will be their first major project for the year. This class has a strong culture and connection as they have been together in Wood Technologies for several years now and as a result produce some very creative and high-quality work which all stems from their engagement in the design stage. There will be plenty of images in the weeks to come as these projects all progress.
Mr Brodie Sarre | Materials Design and Technology/ Woodwork Teacher
Hospitality Electives
Year Seven
Our Baudin students have kicked off their Hospitality elective with enthusiasm! They’ve delved into kitchen procedures, mastering the art of washing dishes, and honing their knife skills. Collaborating, they even whipped up a nutritious fruit snack. The group has also conquered the safety procedures to follow using the stovetop and oven, creating tasty macaroni cheese. It’s safe to say they are having a blast!
Year Eight
Our students are diving into the world of flavours. They’ve looked at the five food groups, understanding their role in a balanced diet. Recently, they transformed seasonal strawberries by macerating them with a blend of white balsamic vinegar, basil, and sugar – a tasty topping for the warm French toast they prepared and plated up.
Raiding the fridge and our kitchen garden, they prepared and cooked colourful and delicious fritters using fresh veggies. They learned the art of garnishing to add flair to their plates. A small dish of tasty tomato relish, made by our Year Ten class using cherry tomatoes from our garden, was served as an accompaniment.
Year Nine
Students researched the intricacies of food labels, understanding what’s essential for accurate information. They then applied this knowledge to create personalised labels for the jars of homemade raspberry jam they produced. While making the jam, students used the gel test, ensuring that their jam would set perfectly. They learned the art of hosting a guest for a Devonshire Tea. From brewing a cup of tea to crafting their own fluffy homemade scones, they’re ready to welcome invited staff with warmth and deliciousness.
Year Ten
The Year Ten class is diving into the art of preserving seasonal fruits and vegetables, many of which come straight from our own kitchen garden. They’ve gathered armfuls of ripe veggies to use in a variety of recipes. The daikon radish they collected from the garden was pickled and infused with a touch of fresh beetroot to achieve a pink hue. The green beans were also pickled, enhancing flavour with fresh garlic, whole chili, dill fronds, and peppercorns. And let’s not forget their refreshing cordial made with rhubarb, strawberries, and rose water. An old-fashioned tomato relish was cooked using cherry tomatoes from the garden.
Certificate II Hospitality
Year Eleven
Students are adapting to the kitchen environment by proudly wearing chef uniforms for work in the kitchen. They’re starting to acquire precision knife skills while preparing a range of appetiser recipes. Simultaneously, they’re gaining knowledge about workplace health and safety. Their journey towards competency for this qualification is off to a promising start!
Year Twelve
Our students have wasted no time, refreshing their barista skills to create an affogato stand in the Pratten Centre. The Year Twelve cohort enjoyed this pop-up treat! These students now manage a weekly espresso coffee service for our staff. From compiling orders to delivery across the campus. Their polished front-of-house skills wowed the guests at the recent P&F Sundowner with professional and friendly appetiser service.
Mrs Teresa McAllister | Head of Technologies/ Teacher