Year Eight 

Spanish

Over the past few weeks, our Year Eight students have been honing their skills in using the verbs 'ser' and 'estar', especially to describe people and express emotions.

To conclude the term, we will delve into the various traditions of Easter celebrated in multiple Spanish-speaking nations. Students will navigate through Google Maps and engage in an escape room activity with comprehension tasks centred around Semana Santa (Holy Week).

This immersive and interactive approach will not only deepen the students' understanding of the Spanish language but also provide them with a cultural experience that goes beyond the confines of a traditional classroom. By exploring the diverse customs and festivities surrounding Easter in different Spanish-speaking countries, students will broaden their horizons and gain a greater appreciation for the rich tapestry of traditions that exist around the world.

Through collaborative problem-solving and critical thinking, students will unravel the mysteries of Semana Santa while also enhancing their language skills. This engaging and dynamic activity aims to spark curiosity, foster a sense of exploration, and ignite a passion for learning about different cultures.

By bridging language learning with cultural exploration, we hope to inspire our Year Eight students to become global citizens who are not only proficient in Spanish but also empathetic and understanding of the diverse perspectives and practices that make our world so vibrant and fascinating.

Enrichment: Psychology

The Year Eight students have enjoyed being part of Enrichment Electives throughout this term, one of them being Psychology! In Psychology, we studied the brain and its structures, and the Nervous System. Here is some of the amazing work from our Year Eight Psychology students and a few of their key take aways: 

"What I really enjoy in Psychology is how much stuff we do, and we get to study the brain and learn about neurons" - Alieta, 8D​

"I enjoyed making the actual figures of the brain and neurons" - Noah K, 8E

Humanities 

Civics and Citizenship has been the focus of our Humanities learning throughout this term. Concepts such as identity, community, forms of government and how laws are made, have been the topics of discussion in our Year Eight classrooms.

Over the past couple of weeks, students have learnt about our democratic system and how Bills are passed in parliament. Most recently, students have begun to inquire into revolutions and movements that changed the world. The Year Eights have also learnt about primary and secondary sources and what makes a credible online source, supporting students in their research. 

As we approach Term Two, we are looking forward to beginning our new Humanities topic: Geography! 

Mathematics

To explore the concepts of Chance and Probability, Year Eight students have learned how to calculate the theoretical probability of particular events occurring. They have then used playing cards and dice to conduct probability experiments, recording their results in frequency tables. 

Students have seen that, in general, a larger number of trials in an experiment leads to results that are closer to the theoretical prediction. Students have also worked on representing data in Venn Diagrams and Two Way Tables. They have then been able to calculate probabilities of various events from from their data sets.

Music:

Exciting Beginnings: Music Thrives at Our School!

We are thrilled to share with you the fantastic start our music program has had this year! It's been an inspiring journey watching our students dive into the world of music, utilizing new instruments and honing their skills with enthusiasm and dedication.

One of the most exciting developments is the addition of new instrumental staff starting next term. We are expanding our offerings to include a diverse range of instruments to cater to the varied interests and talents of our students. Starting next term, students will have the opportunity to learn drums, guitar, bass guitar, ukulele, voice, and piano from our talented instructors.

The introduction of these new instruments reflects our commitment to providing a comprehensive and enriching music education experience for our students. Whether they aspire to rock out on the guitar, set the rhythm on the drums, or serenade audiences with their vocals, there's something for everyone to explore and enjoy.

If you would like your child to embark on a musical journey during school time, we encourage you to take advantage of this exciting opportunity. Simply reach out to the music department or the school office to obtain an instrumental form. Please complete and return the form at your earliest convenience to secure your child's spot in the program.

Learning to play a musical instrument offers numerous benefits, including improved cognitive skills, enhanced creativity, and a greater appreciation for the arts. It's also a fantastic way for students to develop confidence, discipline, and teamwork skills while having fun and expressing themselves creatively.

We believe that every student has the potential to discover and nurture their musical talents, and we are dedicated to providing the resources and support needed to help them succeed. Together, let's continue to foster a love for music and inspire our students to reach new heights of musical excellence.

Thank you for your continued support, and we look forward to seeing our music program flourish as we embark on this exciting journey together!

School Sport: District Swimming Gala 

A huge congratulations to our wonderful Secondary Swim Team who competed at the District Swim Gala this week. We had a wonderful day in the sun with some exceptional results. Please congratulate the following swimmers on their brilliant results; 

• Vanessa 3rd place in 200m Freestyle, 100m Breaststroke, 2nd 100m Backstroke
• Marcus 2nd 50m breaststroke
• Angie 1st 50m Backstroke,  3rd 50m breaststroke 3rd 50m Freestyle
• Gayashi 2nd 50m Breaststroke
• Lincoln 1st 50m Butterfly 1st 50m Freestyle 1st 50m Backstroke 2nd 200m individual medley
• Dominic 1st 200m Individual Medley, 2nd 50m Butterfly 2nd , 50m Freestyle, 2nd 50m Backstroke 1st 50m Breaststroke
• Vedant 1st 100m Freestyle

Congratulations also to the 14yr Girls  who came 2nd in the 4 x 50m Medley Relay, to the 16yr  boys who came 2nd in the 4 x 50m Medley Relay, the Girls 14 age group 2nd in the 4 x 50m Freestyle Relay and the Boys 15Yr 2nd in the  4x50M Freestyle Relay. A massive thank you to Miss Evans, Miss Norton and Miss Brown for all their hard work at swim practice preparing the swimmers for their events.

A huge well done to Angie, Lincoln, Dominic, Vedant who finished first in their races and have qualified to compete at the next round of competition in Geelong this week. We wish them the best of luck.

Finally, we are delighted to announce that the 14Yr Boys and Girls finished 2nd overall, a fantastic achievement.