Technologies News
Digi Tech
Year Seven Digital Technologies
Students have been busy completing their Cyber Safety Project, and we are in the final stages of prototyping a solution to a cyber safety problem. To get here, we have explored some of the cyber safety issues that students at our school experience, and we are innovating how we change our behaviours to lower the impact and prevalence of the issues. I was thrilled with the prototypes developed throughout the week, including campaigns for posting positively online, mock chat logs that demonstrate strategies to disarm keyboard warriors, how-to videos that show the different ways to report content, and podcasts that aim to strike a balance for a digital life. I look forward to finalising these projects in the coming week.
Mr Kyal Rose | Teacher
Hospitality
Electives
Year Seven
The Baudin students bring a sense of fun, arrive organised, and are eager to learn new kitchen skills and cook simple recipes. They successfully made apple muffins using a rustic recipe, safely operating the preheated oven to ensure even baking. Leo was so excited to discover a double yolker egg! Exploring the sensory properties of macaroni cheese, they analysed it by sight, smell, taste, and texture. The preparation of pear cake introduced them to creaming and folding methods, creating light and airy cakes. Additionally, the students learned to categorise baked goods as discretionary items, highlighting the importance of consuming them occasionally due to their high sugar and fat content and low fibre content.
Year Eight
In our kitchen garden, the chickens produce fresh eggs for us to use. With the egg whites, we made strawberry-flavoured meringues, while the egg yolks were transformed into a luscious lemon curd infused with the unique indigenous flavour of lemon myrtle. These were used to prepare a pavlova grazing board, including seasonal fruit. Students invited a teacher to share and analyse their masterpieces. The irresistible lemon curd was so delicious that Mr McLean couldn’t resist eating it straight from the bowl!
Mrs Turnor visited the kitchen during preparation for a sneaky taste of a meringue laced with lemon curd! Currently, our students are engaged in designing their own burger, and this week they prepared and froze their custom-designed patties in preparation for the final burger assembly at the end of the week. The kitchen was filled with laughter as they dressed up as chefs for added fun during class.
Year Nine
Students identified ways to incorporate an adequate amount of macro and micro-nutrients into their daily meals. They analysed the nutrients found in sweet shortcrust pastry, homemade custard, and fresh fruit. The students demonstrated creativity and attention to detail to skilfully construct fruit flans. Currently, the students are exploring the concept of food sustainability and designing Buddha bowls as part of a lunch suitable for bringing to school, without the need for any wrapping. As part of this project, they made beeswax wraps, which will serve as reusable wrappers in their lunchboxes. Additionally, they learned how to make and freeze healthy sweet and savoury muffins, creating a convenient and nutritious snack option to include in their lunches.
Year Ten
Continuing our exploration of Asian cuisine, students have been actively identifying the aromatic profiles and flavours of various spices. They utilised these spices using a mortar and pestle to create homemade curry powder and garam masala, which were then incorporated into mouth-watering Indian and Japanese curry dishes. In another lesson, students meticulously recreated a Chinese five-spice chicken and tofu recipe, following an image as their plating guide. Using potatoes grown in our kitchen garden, they skilfully made Arloo Paratha, an Indian potato flatbread that served as an accompaniment to butter chicken. Chinese cuisine was also studied, leading the students to create succulent pork and ginger wontons, steamed in bamboo steamers. The students worked collaboratively in a production line to prepare traditional Japanese sushi, expanding their knowledge of diverse ingredients.
Certificate II Hospitality
Year Eleven
The practical aspect of the course has seen ongoing development in the students’ kitchen skills. They successfully prepared a selection of ribbon sandwiches, demonstrating their proficiency in several precision cuts. Additionally, they prepared and presented delicious fish goujons accompanied by a tangy lemon mayonnaise. An important milestone was reached as this group participated in their first function, where they confidently served a range of appetisers to guests at a Sundowner event. Their personal presentation was polished, and their teamwork was exceptional, with each student supporting and encouraging one another. To assist their learning experience, we visited the Albany Visitor Centre to gather valuable information for an ongoing tourism unit.
Year Twelve
The students have been honing their knife skills, using precision cutting techniques to prepare a variety of simple and compound salads. They have also gained an appreciation for the process of making mayonnaise, putting their muscles to work whisking it together – although some expressed a preference for using electronic equipment! Additionally, the students continue to learn the art of espresso coffee making using our new electronic coffee machine and grinder, recognising the value of these skills for potential employment as baristas in the industry. Displaying expertise and graciousness, the students served a three-course meal at the Harvey Beef Gate2Plate Awards Dinner held at Retravision Stadium. Guided by the function manager and chefs, they successfully managed the service of meals and left a lasting impression on all the guests. They should be very proud of their work!
Mrs Teresa McAllister | Head of Technologies & Hospitality Teacher
STEAM
Year Eight
There is a recurring theme that really gets the Year Eight STEAM class engaged - puzzles. Solving them is one aspect, however this group of students are masters at making them. Our final project is in its conception phase, and within, we are linking the games industry to STEAM. In particular, the link comes from our STEAM 'habits of the mind', which include having curiosity, critical thinking, creativity, persistence, and problem solving. Games can help teach and showcase these concepts, so our final project will bring together the STEAM habits of the mind into one very, very large game: The STEAM escape room (working title). Students have been presented with the challenge to create the escape room, ready for players in Week Ten.
This week, we have made our storyline, and begun to include elements of how to design (yet again) the puzzles. We are bringing back our skills from the cryptography unit in doing so. The project will take us through until the end of the term, and will be built in Michaelmas House.
Finally, I'd like to celebrate the amazing work that students completed on their Cloning task. An exceptional standard of work was displayed, and these projects will be on display at the upcoming Technologies Showcase.
Mr Kyal Rose | Teacher
Sustainable Production
Year Seven
The Camfield vegetables are growing like rockets at the moment which means in the coming weeks students will learn how to distinguish weeds from vegetable seedlings. The enthusiastic gardeners have also started an investigation to work out the viability of different seeds. Many of these seeds I am happy to say have been harvested from Grammar Grown vegetables.
Year Eight
Last week the Year Eight Students planted several square metres of garlic thanks to a kind donation of bulbs from the Sounness family. This week the first leaves have poked through the soil and eagerly await the rain. Today we discussed marketing and selling eggs which links in nicely with their study of supply and demand this week in Humanities. Year Eights will now design some labels for Grammar Grown eggs to test the market.
Ms Diane Thomas | Sustainable Production Teacher
Woodwork
This week I wanted to talk about some of the other activities we have been doing in and around Woodwork outside of our typical classes. On a Monday afternoon this term we have been running a Woodwork club where the students involved shared some ideas of possible projects they would like to build. They have decided to try and tackle a chess board with individual hand-crafted pieces. The students have done a great job with their boards and have shown some awesome creativity and imagination in designing their pieces so far.
During our VACS service rotation this term, the students have undertaken the task of repairing the bird hide which is primarily constructed out of wood, and is located past the boarding houses in a wonderful location overlooking some incredible water bodies and native flora. There were some small repairs carried out to the seats inside the hide and the steps at the entrance, plus a nice big clean out with the brooms and brushes to remove some of the leaves, sticks and dirt that had accumulated in there over time.
The students involved in both the Woodwork Club and the VACS group are doing a fantastic job.
Mr Brodie Sarre | Materials Design and Technologies Woodwork Teacher