Year 7 News

As we approach the final term of the school year, it is easy to feel like the finish line is in sight. You have worked hard, and the holidays are just around the corner. But this last term is just as important as the first! It is a time to consolidate your learning, set goals, and finish strong.

Why is staying motivated important?

Build Good Habits: The habits students develop in Year 7, like staying focused, managing their time, and keeping up with their studies, will carry over into Year 8 and beyond. Strong work habits help make future challenges easier to tackle.

Strengthening Knowledge: The last term often brings everything students have learned together. It is a chance to connect ideas and deepen understanding. By staying motivated, students can ensure that they are prepared not just for the end-of-year assessments, but also for the topics that will be cover in Year 8.

Personal Growth: The effort that students put into their studies now will help them develop perseverance, responsibility, and a sense of achievement. These skills are valuable not only in school but in life beyond the classroom.

How can you stay motivated?

Set Goals: Break your tasks into smaller, manageable goals. Celebrate your achievements along the way.

Stay Organised: Use your school diary or create to-do lists to track your assignments and deadlines.

Ask for Help: If you are feeling stuck or overwhelmed, don’t hesitate to ask your teachers or classmates for support.

Stay Positive: Remind yourself why it is important to keep going. Visualise how great it will feel to finish the year strong! You’ve done so well already, Year 7—let’s finish this year on a high note! Stay focused, keep working hard, and remember, your efforts will pay off.

Academic Achievements

At the beginning of this term students changed their semester subjects such as Art, Music, ICT and Food Technology.  This means that by the end of the year                                    all students will have had an opportunity to experience all the subjects on offer at Craigieburn Secondary College. 

In English, studying Tim Winton’s Blueback has engaged the students with themes of environmental conservation, family, and personal growth. Through reading the novel, they develop skills in analysing characters, themes, and the author's message. Writing a text response allows them to express their understanding of these elements, structure their ideas, and provide evidence to support their interpretations, fostering critical thinking and writing skills.

In Maths, students have begun exploring algebra in order to develop foundational skills in understanding patterns, relationships, and variables. They are learning to express mathematical situations using symbols, solve simple equations, and understand the use of unknowns. This introduction to algebra helps them build problem-solving skills and prepares them for more complex mathematical concepts in the future.

 In Science, students have looked at Biology. Students were introduced to fundamental concepts in life sciences, including the structure and function of living organisms, ecosystems, and the processes that sustain life. They explored topics such as the classification of living things, and how organisms adapt to their environments.

In Humanities, students have been exploring the stories and history of our Indigenous communities.  They have also been studying how to think like a historian.

Classroom decoration competition

This term we started the Year 7 Classroom Decoration Competition.  It was an engaging event where students were encouraged to creatively decorate their classroom based on a chosen theme. This fiercely fought competition fostered teamwork, creativity, and school spirit as students collaborated to transform their learning environment.

Each class was judged on criteria such as originality, theme relevance, and overall presentation. The competition not only brightened up the classrooms but also enhanced student engagement and the sense of ownership in their learning spaces. It was a difficult decision to decide the winner, however 7B were victorious and they received a pizza lunch in recognition for their efforts.

Recycling Project

This term the students have continued with their 7 Recycling Soft Drink Bottles project.  This has given them an opportunity to explore the importance of recycling and sustainability by focusing on collecting soft drink bottles so that they are removed from land waste. 

This year, the students have contributed to collecting 6220 bottles. The impact of this work is equivalent to 36,540 litres of water, 8,110 megajoules of energy, 375 kilograms of landfill, and 750 kilograms of Carbon Dioxide not in the atmosphere.

The money raised from this project has been used to purchase a PlayStation 4 and the students then spend merits to use it during break times. A "Hot Wheels" racing tournament was held in Week 10, which resulted in a thrilling competition between 16 students. The final pitted Dawood Gencmen of 7A against Adam Najmeddine of 7B. Highlights included Chase Hiah-Daye defeating Lincoln Pearse by crashing into him mid-air and Ethan Folk of 7G having several nail-biting races. Adam won the final to be declared Hot Wheels champion of Year 7 for 2024!