Year Seven News

Visual Arts Ceramics

Students in Year 7 Teal group have completed their coil pencil pot holders that they have been working on this term. They have also completed their artist statements and reflections where they have discussed all their learning about ceramics. Students reported on how clay is formed, the history of ceramics over the thousands of years. They have also discussed the various stages of the clay working and drying process. At the moment, the students clay is at the leather to bone dry phase, where it will dry out so that it will be ready to be fired in the kiln.  The final stage is called a Bisque firing which will allow the clay to be waterproof and harden the clay so that it can be used and washed with water.  Students have also discussed the meaning behind their clay project and the types of shape and art elements they have used in their artwork. They discussed the challenges and success they experienced when working with clay and how they felt about the project they created. 

Coding and Robotics

Using 3D design software, students have created fondant stamps, customised with the Saltwater College name and logo. These stamps have been printed on the College's 3D printer, and can now be used by Food Technology students to make cookies and cupcakes for school events. 

Coding students are finalising their text based adventure games, focusing on refining the game design, enhancing presentation and debugging code. The finished product will be a program that incorporates all of the coding skills learnt this term. This includes displaying text in different styles and colours, making decisions in response to user input, and using loops and labels to control the flow of the game.

Music

Over the past few weeks, our Year Seven Music students have been establishing the foundations of music through:

• Musical notations on the treble staff
• Exploring Rhythmic patterns 
• Notes of the Piano keyboard
• The Major scale, highlighting the interval differences between Tones and Semitones
• Chords and Triads
• The Circle of Fifths and its applications in composition and songs

Much of their music classes this fortnight has been dedicated on applying all of the foundational knowledge into their own compositions. 

Within the GarageBand application on their laptops, each student has created a composition using well-known chord progression, applied drum beats, and created basic melodies based on motifs.  

In their final week, the students presented their compositions to the class.

Guest Speaker- Chris Anstey

On Monday 12th September, the Year Sevens were fortunate to have a former NBA and NBL player, Chris Anstey, visit and share with them experiences and lessons he has learnt throughout his career. Chris started his professional career in 1994 for the Melbourne Tigers in the NBL, and was drafted to the NBA in 1998 as a round one draft pick. He has played for the Dallas Mavericks and Chicago Bulls in the NBA as well as having played in leagues in Russia and Spain.

Chris spoke of his time prior to playing basketball and the opportunities that have come his way since he began playing. He emphasised the importance of trying your best and putting in your best effort no matter how you feel as you never know what lesson, experience or opportunity may come from it.

Chris shared his perspectives on the NBA and the mental load he needed to overcome to play with and against some of the greatest basketball players of all time such as Michael Jordan, Shaquille O'Neal, Dirk Nowitzki, Luc Longley, and Scottie Pippin.

Chris asked all our students to take two things away from his time with them-

• Never to take criticism from someone you wouldn't take advice from. And,
• When you think you have nothing left to give, you need to keep going. That's the point that most people give up.

We are extremely grateful to Chris for spending time with our Year Sevens. His stories, that highlighted perseverance and resilience, were well received by all. Our students were mesmerised and in awe of what he could share with them. 

Year Seven Camp

Reflection by Eshan Iyer and Lisa Vartanov

During Week 9, we travelled to Campaspe Downs (Kyneton) for our first Year Seven camp. All year 7’s were split into different cabins and activity groups, which meant we got to meet and interact with people across the whole year level. The students arrived on Monday where we met our camp leader. We were given eight activities across the three days. Some of these activities were physical and active tasks and some were testing our brains and ability to communicate and engage with each other. Our physical activities were canoeing, the flying fox, rock climbing wall, the centipede course, and the challenge course. It was great fun to put our physical strength to the test and some activities even required us to get wet and muddy, like commando crawling under obstacles in the mud. We also had some riddles and group activities that challenged us to work as a team. 

Visual communication students also were given the opportunity to photograph the sun setting and rising. Those students were also able to experiment using a polaroid camera to take portraits. These photos were amazing and even the camp staff were asking for copies of them.

Some students really enjoyed the flying fox where we could go over a large lake attached to a harness and zipline. Others excelled at the rock climbing wall where you could choose a difficulty and climb up using small hand and foot holds. The centipede had us all climbing a long, thin piece of wood that had several parts attached to it that we had to climb to reach the top, all while it was able to move around as it wasn't fixed to the ground. 

The other team activities had us completing challenges such as having our whole team stand on a tiny piece of tarp, passing a hoop "through" people the fastest way possible, and communicating clearly to navigate an obstacle course while blind folded.

At night we had a capture the flag contest where two teams had to travel to the enemy teams flag and take it back to their side. On the second night we had a large campfire where we answered riddles and ate marshmallows.

On the Wednesday we all packed our luggage and ready to go back to school after our last two activities. We thanked the people working at the camp and then left to go home. 

Camp was an extraordinary experience for us all and gave us all an opportunity to excel at different things. A big thank to both the camp staff and our amazing teachers that came and supported us through every activity.