Year Eight 

English 

Since the beginning of Term 4, the focus for Year 8 English has been on persuasive writing and speaking. Throughout this term, students have engaged in a range of formative tasks involving; identifying persuasive language techniques (PLTs), applying PLTs, and understanding the effect language choice can have on different target audiences. 

Students have had the opportunity to deepen their understanding of persuasive writing, through applying persuasive language in the context of their own business proposal. This business task spans across Year 8 English and Humanities, where students have created their own business proposal, and will soon engage in a ‘Shark Tank’ style persuasive speech, to launch their ‘business’. 

Within this unit of inquiry, it has been wonderful to see the innovative business proposals put forth by our students, and how through the application of visual literacy in creating their own business advertising, student creativity has shone. 

We look forward to listening and engaging with the Year 8 business presentations in the coming weeks, and hearing from our future entrepreneurs! 

Food Technology

The Year Eight students have been busy exploring a variety of cooking techniques and recipes this term. As a class, we have covered a range of safe cooking methods, including how to safely use a knife in a commercial kitchen. Each week, students have enjoyed cooking and creating dishes such as bun cha gio (vermicelli noodle bowls), cinnamon scrolls, dumplings, and more.

This week, students are preparing for their design task. They are following the design process to plan a recipe that they will independently create in Week 8. The students have shown a lot of excitement and passion for this task, and we look forward to sharing their successes with you in the coming weeks.

Maths

This term, Year Eight students embarked on an exciting journey into the world of Geometric Reasoning, where they explored the properties of shapes, transformations, and the beauty of tessellations. The topic has not only deepened their understanding of fundamental geometric concepts but also sparked curiosity and creativity as they discovered how mathematics connects with the world around them.

The first part of the unit focused on the study of triangles and quadrilaterals. Students analysed the different types of triangles, such as equilateral, isosceles, and scalene and investigated their key properties like angles, sides, and symmetry. They also explored various quadrilaterals including squares, rectangles, parallelograms, rhombuses, and trapeziums, learning to identify their properties and classify them based on their characteristics.

The students also got an opportunity to delve into the fascinating world of transformations such as translations, rotations, and reflections. They discovered how shapes could be manipulated on a plane without changing their fundamental properties. The concept of symmetry was introduced, and students explored how transformations could be used to create symmetrical patterns and designs. This led them to the study of tessellations, where they saw how shapes can fit together without gaps or overlaps, creating beautiful, repeating patterns.

As the term progresses, Year Eight students are set to embark on an exciting new phase of their mathematical journey of linear and non-linear relationships. In the coming weeks, they will explore how to plot points, draw lines, and understand the relationship between variables in both linear and non-linear contexts.

To bring these abstract concepts to life, Year Eight students will use Mathigon Polypad, an innovative, interactive online platform that allows them to explore and represent their graphs in real-time. Through Polypad, students will be able to visualise and manipulate linear graphs, gaining a deeper understanding of how equations relate to their graphical representations.

As Year Eight students continue their exploration of these mathematical concepts, they will engage in a range of activities designed to reinforce their understanding and sharpen their problem-solving skills. 

Science

Over the past few weeks, our Year Eight science classes have been diving into the fascinating world of energy and energy transfer. From exploring the difference between kinetic and potential energy to understanding how energy is transferred and transformed, students have been busy making connections between science and the real world around them.

One of the highlights of the unit was our hands-on project where students built their own rubber band race cars! Using rubber bands, students discovered how to harness elastic potential energy, converting it into kinetic energy to set their cars into motion. It was incredible to see the students’ creativity and problem-solving skills at work as they designed, tested, and raced their unique creations. Not only was it a blast, but it also helped them see physics in action!

In addition to building cars, students tackled the concept of energy efficiency by calculating how well different machines conserve and use energy, highlighting the relevance of energy efficiency in everyday life.

Looking ahead, we’re gearing up to learn about types of heat transfer, including conduction, convection, and radiation. To put their knowledge into practice, students will create their own experiments investigating insulators to determine which materials best prevent heat loss. We’re excited to see the innovative experiments they come up with!

We’re thrilled with how engaged our students have been throughout this unit, and we can’t wait to see their enthusiasm continue as we move forward. Stay tuned for more updates on  our scientific discoveries!

Health

Community Safety

The Year 8 students are exploring the important topic of community safety in their health classes. Through engaging discussions, activities, and real-life scenarios, they are learning to recognise potential risks in their environments and develop effective strategies to enhance safety in their communities. Topics include emergency preparedness, safety strategies when out in the community peer support, and situational awareness. We are also exploring people and services who work in the community that we can trust. This unit not only provides essential life skills but also encourages students to take on a sense of responsibility and become proactive members of their community.

School Safety

We are also discussing School Safety. The students are exploring essential topics such as emergency protocols, conflict resolution, and personal safety. Students will participate engage in discussions about various situations, fostering a proactive mindset. By the end of this topic, our students will not only understand how to keep themselves and their peers safe but also develop valuable skills in communication and teamwork. 

Physical Education

Netball

Our Year 8 students have completed their Physical Education unit on netball! They explored the rules of the game, familiarised themselves with different positions, and developed essential team-building skills. Through a mix of drills, practice matches, and collaborative activities, students are gaining confidence on the court. Each student had the opportunity to explore roles such as Goal Shooter, Goal Attack, Wing Attack, Centre, Wing Defense, Goal Defense, and Goal Keeper.

Students have practised essential skills such as shooting, passing, and defending. They discovered how each position requires skills and teamwork, emphasising the importance of communication and collaboration on the court.

Each lesson has provided opportunities for them to support one another, encouraging their peers. The students enthusiasm for this sport has been fantastic and we are truly proud of their efforts.

Softball

Our Year 8 students have now begun learning about softball! They have been learning essential skills such as batting, pitching, and teamwork. Softball is allowing them to develop their athletic abilities and help the students build sportsmanship. Students have enjoyed playing softball games. We’re excited to see the students enthusiasm grow and skill develop this term. 

Wood Technology 

Year 8 students recently completed their pencil case projects and brought them home. Students were given a single length of timber to measure, mark, cut and assemble their products using only hand tools. Students followed basic construction techniques to develop their skills with a focus on safety to produce their pencil case. They documented the process in a digital portfolio using the IB MYP design cycle. Box construction forms the basis of all modern construction and learning the basic skills to construct a small pencil case gives students a good foundation for constructing cabinets, cupboards and eventually hundred-thousand-dollar kitchens that are all based on box construction. Well done year 8’s

Spanish: Exploring Colombia Through Encanto

Our Year 8 students have embarked on an exciting cultural journey in the last few weeks, immersing themselves in the vibrant world of Colombia through Disney’s Encanto. Using the film as a springboard, students have explored the historical, cultural, and societal influences that shape modern Colombia.

The film’s rich tapestry of colours, music, and traditions provided the perfect opportunity to delve into topics such as Colombia’s biodiversity, its history of colonization and resilience, and the importance of family and community in Colombian society. Students examined the symbolism behind elements like the magical casita, the traditional clothing of the characters, and the significance of music genres like vallenato and cumbia, which feature prominently in the soundtrack.

As part of their studies, students also compared the portrayal of Colombia in Encanto with real-life Colombian customs and traditions. This included discussions about local delicacies like arepas, the historical importance of La Violencia, and the role of cultural pride in uniting communities.

If you would like to try arepas yourself, there is a local café called Lola Melona that serves arepas and other delicious South American dishes. It can be found at the Saltwater Coast Lifestyle Centre.

Our deep dive into Colombian culture allowed students to practice their Spanish skills in creative and engaging ways. They wrote descriptive paragraphs about their favourite characters, created “cultural fact files”, and even presented their own ideas for a magical gift they would want to bring to their families.

I am incredibly proud of the students’ enthusiasm and effort as they connected language learning with meaningful cultural exploration. Be sure to ask your child about what they’ve learned—¡Colombia es mágica!

Profesora Hewat

Humanities

As the end of the year draws ever-closer, year eight have been enthusiastically finishing and presenting their shark-tank business model to their classmates and teachers. Bringing together persuasive language techniques and the essential elements of business to demonstrate their entrepreneurship, students are asking the ‘sharks’ to invest in their business, and the ‘sharks’ are showing their skills in evaluating the pitch and analysing the prospects of the business to determine its potential for success.

Through their business design, students have identified a gap in the current market and come up with some innovative solutions to make the customer experience just a little bit sweeter; from work and support for the homeless, to mechanical repairs, to customisable donuts, the students of year eight have shown an array of ideas that we may very well get to see come to light in future years.

In the final weeks of this term, students are looking forward to the study of the Industrial Revolution; looking at its direct and indirect causes and impacts, and connecting this study to their understanding of economy and growth.