Technologies News
Computer Science
As we round out the term for Years Eleven and Twelve Computer Science students are finalising their term projects. There has been plenty of learning along the way as we’ve thought about how to apply our new knowledge through development and improvement of skills across our courses.
Year Twelve ATAR has taken on the challenge of applying object-oriented programming in their stride. I’ve been thoroughly impressed by their passion and excitement to demonstrate and extend their coding ability as they’ve built a functional booking system for the school drama space. Year Twelve General round out the term as budding systems analysts, thinking about managing projects and what is involved in client briefing and delivering large-scale IT projects from procurement to budgeting.
Year Eleven ATAR and General are finalising their first Python or game design programming project and have demonstrated amazing resilience and determination in building their knowledge and skills. We are now in bug-fix mode with the mantra “keep calm and debug your code!”
Digital Technologies
Our Year Eight students are very close to completing their MakeCode Arcade RPG games. Students have built everything from riddle-based experiences to complex mazes, obstacle courses and massive maps geared towards exploration and adventure. They are incorporating foundational computer science skills to understanding algorithm sequencing, the use of selection and decision-making logic, and iteration. I am thoroughly impressed by their creativity and technological aptitude.
Mr Kieran Bailey | Head of IT Services/Teacher
Year Seven Digital Technologies
In Year Seven Digital Technologies we are rounding out the final minutes of the documentary viewing of "The Social Dilemma". This is an important viewing for students as we set the foundations for the next term. It is important because many Year Seven students are at a "fork in the road" moment, where they are deciding or asking to use social media, or expanding their footprint to multiple apps.
Coming up text term, we will be exploring how we work, learn, live, play and shop online, and how to do so as a safe and vigilant member of a connected world. In classes we will discuss the documentary, including how social media companies use the data they collect from users; how our perceptions of the real world could change by our interactions with online platforms; and how social media can influence our relationships and emotional health. I encourage all families to hold a "digital check-in" conversation across the holidays.
Topics and suggested talking points can be found at this link: CSP-Conversation-au
Mr Kyal Rose | Teacher
Hospitality Electives
Year Seven
This term in the kitchen with the Baudin group has been wonderful. They’ve mastered essential kitchen procedures, tackled various recipes, and worked collaboratively with a great work ethic and a sense of fun. Recently, they designed their own savoury muffins, followed by a delicious pear cake and a batch of chocolate chip biscuits—all delightful treats that should be enjoyed as discretionary foods.
Year Eight
Continuing with our breakfast theme, students delved into the nutritional aspects of eggs, examining their anatomy. I showcased diverse cooking methods suitable for breakfast, and the students incorporated scrambled eggs into a portable breakfast wrap—complete with bacon, mushrooms, tomatoes, spring onions, corn, and seasoning. Additionally, they explored wholemeal pancakes, serving them alongside berries and yogurt. Their creativity shone through, and they took pride in their work, particularly when it came to garnishing. A fun activity to end the term was an experiment with yeast to see how carbon dioxide is produced when making crumpet dough. Homemade, delicious crumpets served with homemade butter and a sweet topping were enjoyed for breakfast treat.
Year Nine
In the kitchen, students learnt how yeast works to make pizza dough. They meticulously compared homemade, frozen, and takeaway pizzas, considering their nutritional aspects. Following a design brief, they skillfully crafted their own high-fibre pizza base, incorporating seasonal vegetables and fruits. This wholesome foundation was complemented by a low-salt, low-sugar sauce and topped with reduced-fat cheese. Despite time limitations, their flavourful and visually appealing pizzas looked delicious, and the kitchen transformed into that of an authentic Italian pizzeria, filling the air with sensational aromas!
Year Ten
Exploring Fresh Produce and Bush Tucker: During the first half of this term, our students were busy utilising fresh produce from our kitchen garden. They learned preservation techniques and recently discovered the abundance of bush tucker growing on our school campus, particularly Samphire.
From Flavours to Damper: To put their knowledge into practice, students incorporated various bush tucker flavours along with pantry staples like nuts, seeds, and dried fruit. The result? A deliciously baked Aussie-style damper.
Sharing the Culinary Journey: The learning journey culminated in the creation of vibrant grazing boards, perfect for a shared lunch. Each kitchen pair invited a teacher to join them, fostering sensory analysis conversations about the tasty creations.
Here are some reflections from staff members who joined the class.
"After experiencing the grazing platter presented by the Year Ten Hospitality students I really hope I get asked back next year to be a taster. The food was delicious andvaried with pickles and chutneys and homemade damper bread. Bush tucker was sourced from the local area and some of the vegetables were grown in the GSG garden. The students worked together, under pressure to present this fare and with some direct language and a lot of good humour they put on a great show. I even managed to bag a jar of pickles."
Mr Joe Fowler, Music
“The tasting plate that I enjoyed had a fabulous selection of items. I particularly enjoyed the chutney and especially the pickled radish. These were the perfect blend of vinegary sweet and spicy hot. Restaurant quality food!”
Mr Jem Ruggera, English
Carrying on the Aussie theme: Students revisited the past, making old-fashioned-style sponges, and transforming them into tasty lamingtons. After comparing store-bought lamingtons against their own using a sensory analysis, students value added using homemade berry jam and whipped cream.
Certificate II Hospitality
Year Eleven
This term in the kitchen, our students have honed their knife skills, experimented with a variety of ingredients, and meticulously followed kitchen procedures. Their efforts have resulted in an array of appetisers. Recently, they crafted an antipasto platter, utilising our garden-fresh zucchinis, eggplants, and rock melons. Other simple ingredients were transformed into tasty options—marinated feta, mushrooms, and olives infused with fresh herbs and spices, complemented by a selection of tasty cheeses and deli meats. Working effectively as a group, sharing tasks, they assembled a single platter. The same collaborative approach was applied to create mini beef sliders, beautifully garnished and elegantly presented on a long service board. Additionally, they prepared, stored, and barbecued lamb koftas, serving them alongside a herb and garlic yogurt sauce. To conclude the term, our students whipped up simple fish goujons, accompanied by a flavorful lemon aioli, garnished with a slice of lemon and fresh herbs.
Year Twelve
It’s lovely to witness the students’ espresso coffee creations during the weekly staff coffee service, consistently meeting high industry standards. They’re diligently honing their skills to perfect 13 different Western Australian espresso coffee styles. At the recent VET Show, these budding baristas impressed by efficiently taking orders and skillfully preparing and serving a variety of espresso coffees. Additionally, they explored a diverse range of non-alcoholic beverages, including milkshakes, smoothies, frappes, fresh fruit juices, and health drinks, making use of the sweet watermelons grown in our kitchen garden.
Mrs Teresa McAllister | Head of Technologies/Teacher
Sustainable Production
The Year Seven Mokare students missed coming to the garden for a couple of weeks due to camps, so, in Week Eight they got a huge surprise. The warm weather led to great growth conditions and bumper crops of cucumbers and zucchini for them to take home. We have tomatoes in many shapes and colours at the moment, so I set the challenge of collecting and presenting a colourful tray of “Vegan Easter Eggs” sometimes called a medley of tomatoes for the students to deliver to the teachers and administration staff.
In Week Seven they did library-based research on Albany’s climate and how to choose what to grow at different times of the year. It was a concrete demonstration of how growing the right plant at the right time of the year can yield a bumper crop. We also discussed how seasons can vary and with it some plants thrive, others underperform and how this might influence our decisions around what to plant. For example, we planted a late crop of corn in January which the students, myself and the Facilities team are all watching with interest – will there be enough warm weather to finish it off?
The Year Seven Mokare students will say goodbye to the garden for now and move onto their next electives in Term Two. With that comes moving the chickens onto the next area so the plot they were on will be ready to welcome a fresh batch of Year Seven gardeners.
Watermelon party update
Last year the Year Nine students planted a cover crop of rock and watermelons as an experiment to keep weeds down while we were on holidays. Yesterday I enlisted some keen Year Eleven students to pick and deliver about 15 watermelons to Hospitality which was sliced for the students to enjoy at the Colour Run today. They took this job very seriously insisting on quality controlling the product before delivery!
Ms Diane Thomas | Teacher
Woodwork
Year Seven
The class has finished their acrylic wind spinner and has almost finished their wooden spatula. We have made the most of this term and I have been pleased with the level of enthusiasm and the skill level of our students. The workshop is always a great way to learn, and the Year Seven students have learnt design, marking out, use of bandsaw, hand/linisher sander and buffing skills.
Great job Team.
Year Eight
This term the class has finished their skill-building task which was an acrylic bowl. They have been busy learning about the Design Cycle in the classroom and completed their Inquiring and Analysing and Developing Ideas stage. We are now back in the workshop to 'Create a Solution' which for Design Task One is a Western Australian Hardwood Timber Box. The group is rotating between marking out, using a table router to cut a half lap joint, using a table saw to trench a groove for the base and dry fitting their box. The class is using a step-by-step procedure that they developed back in class. The box is ready to be glued when they return next term, and they are looking great.
Year Nine
This term's VACS program was centred around the theme of arts and culture, so I challenged the students who had nominated to participate in working with wood to create an image that was both two and three-dimensional with the aid of wood and other various materials we had on hand in the workshop. They were to act as a picture frame of sorts that had texture, depth, and a good level of contrast.
All the students who participated did a fantastic job, considering the numerous absentees that occurred as a result of camps, carnivals and other events. The artworks ranged from wood chopping with the use of fallen sticks to act as the chopped wood to 3D boats riding 2D waves.
On the last day the students all displayed their work and were given an opportunity to vote for the pieces they thought were the most creative and appealing. A big congratulations to Denver Farmer who was voted as number one, followed closely William Baldwin and Myles King.
In Wood Technologies the Years Nine, Ten, Eleven and Twelve classes will return next term working through their various projects.
Mr Brodie Sarre | Materials Design and Technology Wood Teacher