HSIE Faculty News
Year 8 History Immersion Day: A Journey to Ancient Egypt
On Friday, 7 March 2025, all of Year 8 embarked on an exciting History Immersion Day, transporting them back in time to Ancient Egypt. The day was filled with engaging activities that brought the ancient world to life, focusing on the fascinating reign of the youngest pharaoh, King Tutankhamun.
Aligned with the NSW History Syllabus for Stage 4, this immersive experience provided students with a hands-on approach to learning about Ancient Egypt. The day included several interactive sessions:
The Amazing Tut Roadshow Audio Visual: Students explored the Tut trailer, a travelling museum featuring authentic ancient artefacts, genuine replicas, and informative videos. This audio-visual experience offered a deep dive into the life and times of King Tutankhamun.
Table of Writing: Students discovered the origins of writing, from early pictographs to the world's first alphabets. They learned how ancient Egyptians made papyrus and parchment, examined illustrations, and even stamped their names in hieroglyphics.
Tutankhamun’s Tomb Paintings: A full-size replica of the paintings in Tutankhamun's tomb allowed students to see how ancient Egyptians used grid patterns to create their art. They learned about the techniques and significance of these tomb paintings.
Seals in the Ancient World: In this interactive lesson, students studied various ancient seals and had the opportunity to design and carve their own seals out of clay.
Experience Forensic Archaeology: Students became archaeologists for the day, exploring the world of Tutankhamun. They handled 2000-year-old pottery, identified skulls, and learned about ancient injuries and their causes.
Construction in the Ancient World: Students had a hands on experience in architecture, building a Roman Arch and investigating the pulley system whilst figuring out how the Egyptians built the pyramids!
The day was facilitated by Dr Wayne French, a Tutankhamun enthusiast and expert. Dr Wayne French, a distinguished scholar from Avalon University, is renowned for his expertise in Ancient Egyptian history, particularly the era of King Tutankhamun. With a passion for bringing history to life, Dr French founded the Tutankhamun Roadshow, a travelling educational exhibit that immerses students and communities in the wonders of Ancient Egypt.
Dr French's dedication to experiential learning has made him a beloved figure in the academic community. His innovative approach combines authentic artefacts, interactive displays, and engaging storytelling to create a memorable educational experience. Despite his recent health challenges, Dr French's legacy continues to inspire curiosity and a love for history among students and educators alike.
Special thanks to the teachers on the day, for stepping up as 'experts' and running the workshops. Their efforts made the day an unforgettable experience for the students.
Congratulations to all involved for their curiosity and enthusiasm. The students represented themselves and the school admirably, making the most of this valuable learning opportunity.
Wendy Thomas
Leader of Learning – HSIE
The Future of Sustainability: Year 7 Recycling Workshop
On Wednesday, 5 March 2025, Year 7 students participated in an exciting workshop titled "The Future of Sustainability," focusing on waste management and recycling. The workshop was an eye-opening experience that encouraged students to think critically about their use of plastics and their impact on the environment.
Jess from Resourceful Living led the workshop, sharing her passion for caring for our planet. She began by asking thought-provoking questions: Do you know what happens to your containers once you're done with them? Did you know that chewing gum contains plastic? These questions set the stage for a day of discovery and learning.
Students learned about the history of plastics, starting from their invention in the 1800s to the establishment of the first plastic factory in the 1900s. Jess explained that while some plastics are necessary, most end up in landfills, harming our planet. She highlighted the importance of reducing our plastic use and finding innovative ways to recycle and repurpose waste.
Jess and her husband run a factory in Kurri Kurri where they transform waste materials like milk cartons, body wash bottles, and old school chairs into new, useful products. This process significantly reduces our carbon footprint and demonstrates the power of recycling.
During the workshop, students were challenged to think of ways to reduce their plastic use. They came up with creative solutions such as using naked lunchboxes, choosing loose fruits and vegetables, bringing their own reusable cups and water bottles, and reusing shopping bags. These small changes can make a big difference in reducing plastic waste.
"How can students avoid recycling by making more thoughtful choices for the planet when purchasing products or packing lunch, following the reduce, reuse, recycle mantra?"
Here are some ideas for students to make more thoughtful choices:
Reduce:
Buy in bulk: Purchase items in larger quantities to minimise packaging waste.
Choose minimal packaging: Opt for products with less or no packaging.
Avoid single-use items: Use reusable water bottles, coffee cups, and shopping bags.
Reuse:
Repurpose containers: Use glass jars or containers for storage instead of buying new ones.
Donate or swap: Exchange clothes, books, and other items with friends or donate them instead of throwing them away.
Repair items: Fix broken items instead of replacing them.
Recycle:
Proper sorting: Ensure recyclables are clean and sorted correctly to avoid contamination.
Upcycle: Get creative and turn old items into something new and useful, like turning old t-shirts into tote bags.
The Year 7 Recycling Workshop was an invaluable experience that inspired students to take action and make a positive impact on the environment. Together, we can create a sustainable future.
Year 12 Geography Field Trip
On Friday 7 March Year 12 Geography students headed to Port Stephens to investigate the human impact on and management of Stockton Sand Dunes. The students observed the dunes, their structure and vegetation patterns and the effects that the natural processes and humans have on the dunes' ecosystem. With Cyclone Alfred bearing down the coast, it was a great first hand account of the removal of sediment through natural forces.
The investigation began at Birubi Beach with a 4WD tour of the dune system and then continued on to the southern end of Stockton Beach. By moving within the dunes the elements of wind, water, biological and terrestrial processes could be linked.
The impact of human interventions was particularly evident at Stockton Beach which is resulting in the areas continual erosion problems. The City of Newcastle and the State Government management plans were very much evident as they create a buried sea wall of rocks and concrete to stop further erosion facing the crashing waves of Alfred continuously.
Year 12 Society & Culture Excursion
Year 12 Society and Culture students have been studying their Popular Culture unit with Television Sitcoms as their focus. The syllabus requires a research method be undertaken to study at least one dot point and therefore, students got to explore Stockland Green Hills and all of its establishments to conduct a content analysis to determine Urban access to sitcom paraphernalia.
We were shocked at the change in products available with Typo, JB Hi-Fi and EB games having sitcom paraphernalia but other larger companies such as Big-W, K-Mart and other popular stores having shifted their focus to Disney, Bluey and band T-Shirts. Students returned to school to utilise this data in a formative response task to provide further opportunity in HSC preparation and, how to respond to questions and report on data for their Personal Interest Project.
A fun and engaging day was had by all with a couple of small purchases made throughout the day. A special thank you to Mr O’Toole for driving us to Stockland Green Hills and for making a special trip to the bus so we did not have to carry bags all day.
Mrs Rensburg and Year 12 Society and Culture
