Specialists
Secondary 9/10 Term 1
Digital Technology
In the Digital Technology unit called ‘Minecraft Extend’ the 9/10 students are building on their existing Minecraft skills to create their own worlds. So far we have worked together to build a class Fun Park which includes mini golf course holes, archery fields and rollercoasters. While building, the students have been learning how to use simple slash commands (a type of code) and to use advanced Minecraft blocks such as deny, command, redstone and NPCs (non-playable characters). The students are now tasked with building their own world in a small group that others will be challenged to play. It has been a fun and focused start to the unit!
Music
The Secondary 9/10 elective groups have been exploring a range of instruments, completing workshops on keyboards, guitar, bass and drums. Students have been focusing on ensemble work, with groups playing together either on the same instrument or all mixed for band work. A great start to the semester!
PE
Students in the Net and Wall sports elective completed an introduction to tennis, pickleball and badminton. They practised racquet familiarisation and improved confidence with their forehand and backhand striking. Students enjoyed participating in singles and doubles matches with and against their peers and continued to work on their communication and teamwork when playing with a partner.
Selected students also joined the Concord swim team which competed in freestyle, backstroke and breaststroke events at School Sport Victoria (SSV) Banyule Division Swimming Championships. Eight students qualified to swim at the SSV Northern Metro Swimming Championships with students eagerly waiting to see if they qualified for the SSV State Championships early in Term 2.
Social Competencies
In Social Competencies - Drug Education, our Secondary 9/10 students have been actively exploring the Concord School Student Expectations: Be a Learner, Be Safe, Be Responsible, and Be Respectful. Students have examined their significance in different contexts and in Social Competency classes. They have reflected on what each expectation looks like in the Community, Classroom, Yard, and Online environments. The students have explained these values through drawings and in their own words.
Recently, the Secondary Years have started their journey into Drug Education, a safety topic they will continue to study next term. So far, students have focused on understanding the difference between drugs and medicines. They have investigated the difference between over the counter drugs and prescription drugs. Students have looked at different packaging and explored how to identify the medication, what it is used for, how it is stored and where to find the dosage. Students have completed a number of tasks and explained their understanding through drawings, sorting activities and group work.
Visual Arts
Throughout the term, students embarked on projects that inspired them to creatively share their individual imaginative artworks. They researched the concept of imagination and worked on pieces that conveyed their personal interpretations. Supported to bring their visions to life, students used a variety of materials in both expected and unexpected ways. The students are nearing completion of their personal projects.
Creative Media
Secondary 9/10 students have been busy this term creating digital portfolios for all of their work. This has included experimenting with different styles of photography, digitally editing images using their PC’s and researching how advertisements are created using these mediums. Students enjoyed picking a product to create a false advertisement for, including fictional fast food products and video games!
Food Tech
The 9/12 elective ‘Healthy Takeaway’ has generated good discussion around takeaway versus home cooked food. Students generated a list of the most popular takeaway foods and we have selected a few this term to demonstrate the benefits of home cooked meals and snacks.
The students made Hamburgers, Stir Fry, Falafels, Pancakes and Pasta Carbonara. We discussed the economic benefits, the health benefits and the joy it brings to cook with family and friends.
Students will continue with Healthy Takeaway in Term 2.
Science
Secondary 9/10 students have engaged with a range of materials and educational videos to explore Biology concepts this term including, classifying living and non-living things, basic needs of living things, animal and plant life cycles and microorganisms. Students have observed plant and animal cells and materials using light microscopes and organised a variety of insects, reptiles, amphibians and small mammals specimens in acrylic and resin. We have also set up experiments using yeast and propagated seedlings.
Outdoor Education
Students in 9/10 have enjoyed completing a variety of walking tracks during our Outdoor Education elective this term. The students have worked cooperatively in small groups to navigate these tracks using detailed photos and maps and have competently used google maps. The students have learnt the importance of keeping safe in the bush and demonstrated leadership skills by taking on the challenge of leading small groups on our bushwalks. A track students loved to walk was Gresswell Forest Nature Park with the water being a great spot for students to observe nature.
