Secondary 7/8 Learning

Mathematics

All students across the school completed a subtraction moderation task to show everything they know about subtraction over the past week.

Students were given a problem such as; a student has a 46 marbles they dropped some down a hole, how many are left? They then used a thinkboard to:  

·        show how they can subtract numbers to solve the problem using a number line

·        write or draw any number facts they know about the problem

·        tell or write another subtraction number story

·        make and draw the answer using materials.  

Students working below level 1 in subtraction were given a different moderation task using a blue and yellow mat.    

TASK 1. I’m going to tell you a takeaway story.  There are 4 teddies in the blue square. Two of the teddies walked into. How many teddies are left in the blue square?   

TASK 2. Here are 5 teddies. Can you tell and show me a takeaway story?    

TASK 3. Place 4 teddies on the table. Here are 4 teddies. Can you make me one less? What is one less than 4?                                TASK 4. What number is before … _____4,    _____2, _____6, _____3,   _____5   

Students wrote their responses or verbally gave answers for the teacher to write for them.

English

Students have continued to investigate a wide range of non-fiction texts to learn about concepts of print during reading lessons. Students who have beginning decoding and comprehension skills are working on activities to help them discriminate between a letter, number, word and a sentence. Other students are working on concepts that involve; locating the contents page, understanding that books are broken into chapters, utilising the glossary and identifying the features of non-fiction text as opposed to fiction text.

Classes brainstormed and listed topics to write an information report about; relating it to the Australian Colonies Integrated Unit. Students decided what they would write their information reports on and were given the appropriate scaffold planner or graphic organiser. They then used computers, books or portfolio worksheets to research their chosen topic. At this stage students recorded facts in dot point. Students then followed their individual organiser to write their first draft of their informative text, ensuring the text had a clear structure and that each dot point from planners was written into full sentences.

SMC students have written a movie script where they are travelling through space in an egg. This happened because an orangutan switched their olive oil with time travelling olive oil. They are travelling to many different lands and have to pick up different ingredients to make a galactic omelette. If they make the omelette, they can then come back to Concord School. They will be shooting this epic cinematic masterpiece in the Discovery Centre. We can’t wait for the premiere to show everyone.

Social Competencies

This term as part of the MPower Girls program we ran specific sessions on puberty, targeting menstruation (periods). Students had the opportunity to focus on the physical and emotional changes that occur during this time.

The aim of these sessions were to help teach the girls about the changes they experience and to better prepare them to manage their physical, emotional and social development. Components of the teaching resource Puberty and Special Girls By: Faye Angelo, Rose Stewart, Heather Anderson were used. The sessions were beneficial to all girls whether they have started to menstruate or not.

Students were informed about their basic physical anatomy and reproductive system. The process of menstruation was described. Through discussion the girls offered support and reassurance to each other. Each participant was provided with a period purse featuring products and an educational experience which taught students about correct use of sanitary pads.

Regular and effective personal hygiene was promoted. Parents may wish to consider that it can sometimes be beneficial for girls to occasionally wear a pad prior to starting their period. This helps to start the conversation, prepare them and teaches correct use. Students were encouraged to talk with their family or trusted adults about puberty and these changes.  Parents are encouraged to access support information on the Family Planning Website https://www.fpv.org.au/communities 

Integrated Studies

Some classes are continuing to investigate the impact of the gold rushes while other have moved on to investigating colonial conflicts: the Eureka Stockade and the Myall Creek Massacre. Students watched a youtube clip about the Myall Creek Massacre and then had a discussion using following questions – When? Where? Who? What happened? Why? How do you think the Aboriginal people felt? What were the consequences of the massacre?  After the discussion students completed a given tchart to summarise the given information.

Students also watched a youtube clip telling of the Eureka Stockade. They used discussion card questions to answer in pairs, small groups or whole class OR were given one discussion question to research and then can shared their learning and put into a tchart. Students were given a copy of a timeline of events at the Eureka Stockade and then either individually or as a class highlighted the 9 main events that students then transferred to individual timelines.

You will have noted in ‘Dates to Remember’ and on Compass that we have a Hands On Science incursion during week 1 of term three. This incursion is an introduction to our semester 2 unit, ‘Heating and Melting’.       

Secondary Spectacular

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the ‘Hairspray’ storyline, here is our modified version:

‘1960s Baltimore, dance-loving teen Tracy Turnblad auditions for a spot on "The Corny Collins Show" and wins. She becomes an overnight celebrity, a trendsetter in dance, fun and fashion. Perhaps her new status as a teen sensation is enough to topple Corny's reigning dance queen but………… will her new found dancing fame be short lived when she gets caught up in a protest rally and is arrested???’Class dance and individual speaking role rehearsals are all progressing nicely.

PreCAL Secondary 7/8 

Over the last couple of weeks SFC have been visited by a paramedic, journeyed out to Westfield Doncaster, the MFB Fire Museum in the city and to the Thomastown Fire Brigade fire demonstration.

The visit from Marcus, the paramedic, gave SFC hands on learning. Student engagement was evident by their participation and questions posed for their documentary.

SFC are becoming seasoned public transport users as they caught the train and tram to the MFB museum. They have also been looking at route maps and looking at journey planner instructions.

During these PreCAL experience days, students have been able to apply language and skills around location, positional and directional words. Students used information maps to locate particular stores, visualise the directions and use hanging information boards to follow arrows to their favourite shops.

In reading, SFC used the Ambulance Victoria text ‘Ouch!’ to identify all the different types of print used and how they give the reader clues as to how it should be read.

Karen Hickling

Acting Secondary 7/8 Team Leader