Students at work
Year 9 STEM Project Based Learning- Unboxy
Developed by Associate Professor Dr Craig Deed, Ph.D at La Trobe University, in partnership with Y2, the architectural firm that is leading the design of our upcoming Junior and Senior STEM centres, Unboxy was designed to support the transition for return to school, emphasising the promotion of student wellbeing.
A group of our Year 9 students worked with large selection of geometrical shapes to design and build a classroom space through collaboration. This challenged their perceptions, developing student voice and choice, it incorporated action and a hands-on sensory experience, and further developed their spatial reasoning, engineering and cognitive skills.
Mr Dion Spoljar
“We created a space base using equilateral and right angle triangles that came in a variety sizes, using small circles to join them together. There were different groups working on specific structural aspects of our space base. The group I was in created a large roof whereas the other groups were tasked with building the walls.
The activity was creative and we didn’t just draw our base, but we could build a real life version of it.
It was highly enjoyable to work together with my whole class.
Although our build was ultimately unsuccessful, the project was fun and we learnt much through the design and building process.”
Kimberley Suson
Creative writing - Ms Towns
In Year 12 Literature we have been doing some creative writing, creating our own interpretations of Tennessee William’s ‘Cat on a Hot Tin Roof’. Here are some excerpts from the writing pieces that we have written during this time.
Father and Son – Christopher Jorrisen
Father and son,
Gone such separate ways.
To clash and then run,
Far, far, away.
Familial signs of disagreement,
Led to quite distress.
Will they be able to mend what’s spent?
I mean, who can guess?
Ended – Beyonce Lay
I lay in bed listening to the gusty wind, there was a knock. A panicked knock, it fast and hard, I picked my self up to open it. It was Maggie “Skipper, he’s go-ne”
“Whatcha mean Maggie” I responded.
“He’s jumped”, those two words changed me. I dropped to the ground, the world had now gone ghost quiet, I wanted to do something, to act and shout, but silence had descended on me in full force. There was nothing to say and nothing to do. I felt suffocated under this weight of emotions, I could see Maggie bent down in front of me, her lips moving, she is speaking but I could hear nothing, it felt as if a vacuumed had sucked up my insides.
Servants Letter – Samaria Samuel
Big Daddy promised me he would give me some time off to come see you, he’s a good man but very misunderstood I’ve been hearing whispers about his health, don’t think he’s got long left now though… he asks about you sometimes, I think it would be nice for the both of you to meet because his affections for you haven’t faded. He’s done good things for our family, hell he’s the reason your off at school but regardless of that I’m proud of you for being such a strong and hardworking girl.
Maggie – Natarsha Acton
I strive for the top of the tower
So that I can finally have endless power
Pushed down like a bully to a kid
Whilst he gets praised for the work I did
Hoping to mother his child
Meanwhile he is going wild
Trying to serve my purpose
In this household that is a circus