Festival of Learning

The whole school was so fortunate to spend this week out and about at countless venues and open spaces in the city pursuing chosen activities in the Festival of Learning. The excitement ran all week and finished with The Festival of Music, concerts and karaoke on every level of the school.

Here is a snapshot of just some activities The Dragon tried to keep up with! 

Wheelchair Basketball

We were invited by Rebound WA to participate in Wheelchair Basketball at Brookfield Place. We took along our Year 9 and 10 Basketballers as well as Year 7 Eliot Lilleyman and some of his Year 7 friends to watch them compete. 

P.A.R.T.Y Program

Some 20 Year 10 students took the Yellow CAT bus to Royal Perth Hospital to take part in the PARTY Program. This is an extension from the Keys for Life program that the Year 10’s completed in Term Three this year. On successful completion of Keys for Life, students come out with their Learners Certificate. Teenagers are the most “at risk” drivers on the roads and the PARTY program takes them into the trauma ward at Royal Perth Hospital. The students see real life trauma victims and hear their story and well as stories from the medics that deal with these victims. A real-life opener into how life can change in a split second.

Matilda Bay Play

The rest of the Year 10s spent a day at Matilda Bay swimming, playing Bubble Soccer, Cricket and having a sausage sizzle. A great way to relax and unwind in the final week of school. 

Painting in Kings Park

Despite the city becoming shrouded in a light rainy mist, Year 7 students made their way to Kings Park to do some Plein Aire art. Finding the perfect view was easy from the vantage point, and so students drew the landscape and coloured with water colour. One of the perks of our proximity to Kings Park. 

Meanwhile Year 9 Design students, Julian Pivac and Marcus Calafiore, chose to design buildings as their independent project. Julian researched modernist architecture to inspire his residential building in collaboration with Ben Moss, who designed the sustainable roof top garden. Marcus was inspired by the family home for his residential building. 

Short, sharp movie trailers 

This week our Year Nine students completed their study of Dystopian fiction by scripting, performing, filming and editing a one-minute trailer for the film version of one Dystopian narrative that they composed in Term Four. 

Titles such as Thread, Banned Truth, The Silent Watchers were turned into attention-grabbing trailers to bring together the work we completed this semester, starting with our study of Lois Lowry’s The Giver and concluding with our study of John Marsden’s Tomorrow When the War Began. 

The entire Year 7 cohort celebrated the start of the Festival of Learning with a collaborative English project, creating movie teasers for the novel Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow. In small groups, students planned, scripted, and filmed key scenes from the novel within a 100-minute session, showcasing their understanding of its narrative, characters, and themes. The activity combined creativity, teamwork, and fun, providing an innovative way to consolidate learning. The event concluded with a lively showcase of the teasers, filled with laughter and applause. This engaging project not only reinforced key skills but also fostered collaboration and a love for storytelling.

While some of our trailers might not be picking up any contracts quite yet with Netflix or Binge, they created a lot of fun and provided our students with a great way to show off their short film skills and their understanding of this genre.

Geocaching in the city

Maths loved celebrating the end of 2024 school year by ensuring Year 7s used their geometric skills to create beautiful pictures inspired by Paul Klee Castle in the sun. 

We also enjoyed taking the Year 9s geocaching – as they looked for small objects hidden in the city using their geocaching skills. Working together in teams provided a fantastic opportunity to contribute to the task of looking high and low for the hidden boxes. Boxes were always found in a place many people had looked and not seen it. We all had the best time!

Sensational Science

Year 8 students went to Kings Park on a Science Nature Trail on Wednesday, visiting the Botanical Gardens and DNA Tower before settling for a picnic on the grounds.

Year 9 students rotated around three Science Escape Rooms, trying to beat the clock and solve the mysteries while putting their scientific knowledge and laboratory skills to the test.

Dance, Music and Drama

Year 7 and 8 students embraced a range of exciting creative arts activities for the Festival of Learning, showcasing their talents and enthusiasm across various disciplines. Each experience was a success, leaving students inspired and eager to further explore their artistic passions.

Music Activity – Offsite Adventure 

Students with a love for music ventured offsite to explore the world of sound in dynamic and engaging spaces. This unique experience allowed budding musicians to immerse themselves in all things music, fostering creativity and a deeper appreciation for the art form.

Performing Arts at the King Street Arts Centre

Year 7s: Students dived into the world of Drama and Dance Musical Theatre at the iconic King Street Arts Centre. This hands-on experience gave them a taste of professional theatrical practice, igniting a passion for the performing arts.

Year 8s: Students chose between two thrilling options:

Stage Combat: Aspiring actors gained an introduction to Year 9 Drama, learning stage fighting techniques and honing their stage presence with confidence and skill.

Dance Musical Theatre: This energetic workshop combined dance, drama blocking, and movement, giving students the opportunity to shine and embrace the joy of performance.

These activities provided unforgettable experiences, leaving students with enhanced skills, newfound inspiration, and cherished memories. A huge congratulations to all participants for their enthusiasm and success!

Roof Dance 

The term culminated in a spectacular series of Roof Dance Performances during the Festival of Music and Arts on the final day of school. This event was live-streamed to every level of the school, ensuring all students could join in the celebration. The performers delivered breathtaking routines that highlighted their dedication, creativity, and technical skills.

Festival pictures by Seb!

Year 8 Mandela student Sebastian Kinnear  did a great job as the official Dragon photographer today for the Festival of Music and final Festival of Learning actvities. Thanks, Sebastian.