Year Seven

Science

In recent weeks, our Year Seven Students have delved into the fascinating world of Astronomy. The clear night skies have been truly marvellous, providing students with an excellent opportunity to observe the moon for their moon diary assessment task.  Students have been documenting their observations and taking pictures of the moon.  We believe this is a fantastic way for them to deepen their understanding of the moon's changing appearance.

In addition, the “Phases of the Moon” were studied using a creative and delicious approach - Oreo's!  Students had the opportunity to explore and manipulate the cookies to represent the various moon phases. It was wonderful to see their enthusiasm and engagement in this practical learning experience.

 Year Seven Students have also explored the fascinating topics of "Tides"  and "Seasons". They explored the factors that influence the rise and fall of tides and discussed the various forces at play. We also investigated the causes behind the changing seasons and how they relate to Earth's tilt and its orbit around the sun. 

Furthermore, we have also covered the intricate phenomena of "Eclipses". 

 The students have gained a solid understanding of the differences between Solar and Lunar Eclipses. Students are now eagerly awaiting for July 22nd 2028 where they will have an opportunity to witness the next Partial  Solar Eclipse in Melbourne and a Total Solar Eclipse in Sydney. 

It has been a captivating journey as they discover the wonders of celestial events.

Food Technology 

In Food Technology, the Year Seven students reviewed and learned more about hygiene and safety in the kitchen. We practiced measuring wet and dry ingredients and discussed conversions from cups to millilitres, litres, and grams to tablespoons.

The students were excited to discover that they would be making baked cinnamon doughnuts. All the students successfully prepared delicious doughnuts, and some even shared them with their teachers and took some home to their families.

The students had the opportunity to create a variety of muffins, utilising their skills in measuring both wet and dry ingredients and learning to use the oven safely and correctly. We emphasised the importance of preheating the ovens before baking. By the way, the muffins that the students prepared tasted amazing... hopefully, some made it home!

In the last session, the students were introduced to knife skills, which included discussions and demonstrations of the claw and bridge methods for using a knife. The students initially practiced their new cutting skills on carrots, presenting sliced, diced, and julienne (thin sticks) cuts of different types of vegetable preparations. After completing the task, the students made pizzas using a selection of vegetables they had prepared using their knife skills. The pizza toppings included diced and sliced capsicum, olives, mushrooms, spinach, tomatoes, red onion, and zucchini.

PE & Health

During Physical Education classes, Year Seven Students have had the opportunity during Week 3, 4 & 5 to participate in sessions run by Baseball Victoria. Students participated in activities for hitting, catching and throwing. Over the next few weeks, Students will participate in a game of baseball. 

In Health, Students have continued investigating the effects of drugs on individuals, families and communities. Students have looked at laws for smoking and alcohol, including harm minimisation strategies including the Quit Campaign. 

English

Our Year Seven Students are immersed in their exploration of Joseph Campbell's Hero's Journey Monomyth narrative structure. Over the past few weeks, they've had the pleasure of delving into Disney's "Moana" and dissecting the film through the lens of the 12 stages of the hero's journey.

This journey is firmly rooted in our statement of inquiry: "The stories of heroes across time may communicate a common theme which transcends individual civilisations.” We have expanded our range of text types to evaluate whether the traits of contemporary heroes can bridge the gap and resonate with the heroes of ancient civilisations, a topic we've been exploring in humanities. Furthermore, students have had the opportunity to select a hero from today's society and present a case for their heroism, drawing on their understanding of traits, characteristics, and the hero's journey to provide context to their argument.

The excitement continues to build as we look ahead to the coming weeks. Our students will soon embark on the creative endeavour of crafting their very own hero narratives within the framework of the Hero's Journey Monomyth. Stay tuned for more updates soon.

Robotics and Coding

Year Seven coders have showed off their creative flair, applying their coding knowledge to create title pages for their text-based adventure games. They are using coloured text, ASCII art and even animation to introduce their games. 

In coming weeks, Students will use variables, if statements and loops to create adventure games. They will capture information the user types and use this to make various endings for their games.

Visual Art

In the midst of Term Four, our Year Seven Students are nearing the completion of their exciting Explosion Book project. This innovative endeavour began with a focus on the Elements and Principles of Art, where students fearlessly experimented with diverse mediums, becoming true risk-takers.  What truly sets this project apart is the unique fusion of Art and Mathematics. Following video instructions, students skilfully employed their mathematical abilities to construct the book's shell. The final step demanded a keen sense of spatial awareness as they inserted their artwork. While the challenges were real, our students' determination shone through, proving that they are well-equipped to face academic obstacles with tenacity and creativity.

They've not only explored the depths of artistic expression but also harnessed their mathematical prowess to construct the foundation of their Explosion Books. This project is a testament to the cross-disciplinary nature of education, showcasing how seemingly unrelated subjects can harmoniously come together. As we approach the year's end, our students have not only created remarkable pieces of art but also gained valuable lessons in perseverance and the rewards of taking risks. Their journey will  continue with the final unit focused on how Mathematics impacts the creation of portraits.