KLA News 

This fortnight we hear from the HSIE, Maths, RE and VET Key Learning Areas.

HSIE

Mrs Cherie Stoessel

Welcome back to Term 3 for our students, parents and carers and all in the O'Connor community.  This Term for all of our junior students marks the changeover from Geography to History in Years 7 and 8 and History to Geography in Years 9 and 10.  Other students in Years 9 and 10 continue elective studies in Commerce, Legal Studies and History and of course, our senior students continue their preliminary or HSC studies in their elective courses: Ancient History, Business Studies and Legal Studies.

Bernie May in Year 9 is going to tell us what they are learning about in Year 9 Geography.

Year 9 Geography and Sustainable Biomes.

A report by Bernie May

In Year 9 Geography, we have started a topic on biomes. In the past week we have learnt about the different types of biomes, these being desert, tundra, grassland, freshwater, marine, and rainforest. In learning this, we also answered the question as to why different biomes occur. In answering this question we came to the conclusion that Earth has a variety of biomes because of the spatial distribution of precipitation on Earth and the spatial patterns of Earth’s temperature. For places that lie underneath or near the equator and near an abundance of water, their biome tends to be a tropical rainforest biome. These regions of the Earth receive more direct sunlight every day, and because there also tends to be an abundance of water nearby, evaporation appears more frequently, resulting in frequent rainfall. However, the further you move away from the equator, the amount of direct sunlight is reduced, making these regions cooler than other parts of the world. Their biomes can be grasslands, freshwater biomes, or in really cold areas, tundra biomes. 

Year 9 and 10 Commerce Report

Students in Year 9 and 10 study Commerce as one of their elective subjects. It is a subject that covers a very wide range of topics, from Legal and Business Studies to Economics and Tourism. 

This Term, Year 9 students are studying the nature of employment in our society. We’ve examined the many reasons why people work (it’s not all about the money!) and in our last lesson students were challenged to create a poster encouraging people to work as volunteers for some of our community organisations. 

Later this term we’ll examine differences between part-time and full time work, temporary and permanent contracts and the rights and responsibilities of employees in the workplace. 

In Year 10 Commerce we’ve been examining the way in which our economy interacts with the global economy. We have looked at how different sectors of the economy (such as consumers, businesses and the financial sector)  are interdependent and the effect of disruptions in one sector on the other sectors. 

Mathematics

Mr Mark Harris

With the start of a new term brings new opportunities for learning in Mathematics.

This is the focus in each year for the beginning of Term 3.

Year 7 are being introduced to Algebra.

Year 8 are studying geometry and angle relationships.

Year 9 are learning about Linear relationships and Measurement.

Year 10 are also working on Linear relationships and Data and Statistics.

Year 11 are beginning to learn about Calculus for the first time in Mathematics Advanced and Mathematics Standard are just completing a unit on Linear Relationships.

Year 12 have either completed their formal course work or are very close in each course. Revising and preparing for their final Assessment Task - the Trial HSC Examination.

Students are reminded to make sure they turn up to class with all the necessary equipment each day. This includes pens, pencils, ruler, scientific calculator and a fully charged device.

Religious Education

Mr Andrew May

The focus of Religious Education in Years 7 to 10 is of course our Catholic faith and the ways in which the Catholic Church responds to the challenges of our times. This is clearly seen in the units of work that our classes have commenced this term. 

Year Seven are examining the teachings of the Catholic Church in regard to care for our common home - how we are called to be Stewards of Creation. The Core Catholic Value of the Sanctity of Life reminds us that all life is sacred, from the moment of conception to the moment of death. We look at how we can care for this planet of ours, from local to global action, responding to the call of Pope Francis in his book Laudato si’. 

Year 8's unit this term is entitled Striving for goodness. In this unit, we are reminded that all beings are inherently good - no one is born evil. We examine how Jesus is the role model for Christians, and see how he responded to the evil that he encountered in his life. Importantly, we seek to find practical ways in which people try to be the best that they can be and achieve good in their lives and in our world. 

Year 9's RE’s unit, The Search for Meaning continues the themes explored by Years 7 and 8. In this unit students explore what are called the ‘fundamental questions of existence’, such as why suffering exists, what happens to us when we die, and why ‘bad’ things can happen to ‘good’ people. We examine the principal beliefs of the Catholic Church as outlined in the Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds, and revisit the concept of ‘Biblical Truth’ which was addressed in Term One’s work. 

BIBLICAL TRUTH: Year 9 are exploring the topic The Search for Meaning and were hard at work this week. 

Finally, Year 10's work this term focuses on the practical ways in which the Catholic Church responds to injustice in our modern society. We explore the concepts of personal morality and ethics and how these shape our actions when faced with injustice. A core Catholic Principle is the dignity of the individual, and students will examine situations when this dignity has not been recognised, and the work of significant Catholics to fight to restore this dignity. 

All of these units have a practical focus - Religious Education is not simply about learning a set of values or rules, but is in fact all about showing students how they can take positive action to create a better world starting at the local level. The Lasallian and Ursuline traditions have a very strong focus on practical action and here at O’Connor we strive to follow in their footsteps.

VET

Hospitality

Mrs Anne Healey

Year 12 Hospitality students completed their final work placement in Term 2. I’d like to thank our very generous local employers for providing guidance and an opportunity for further skill development. The White Bull Hotel, the Goldfish Cafe, Armidale Bowling Club and the French Patisserie. The  students were great ambassadors of the College and, as is often the case, offers of employment were made and accepted. 

VALUABLE EXPERIENCE: Year 12 Hospitality students in the workplace.