Technology and 

Applied Studies

Year 7

Term 2 has seen Year 7 continue learning about the different Technology areas. Classes have begun working towards completing projects in the specific areas of Agriculture/Food Technologies and Digital Technologies in the Technology Department, progressing through the programs for those areas. 

AgFo students are completing their Burger Boss task which involves creating their own unique and healthy version of the cheeseburger. Students have been experimenting with many different ingredients and preparation techniques to create the ultimate burger! The Digital Technologies unit has begun their Drone unit. We have purchased 20 Tello Drones that the students will design and code the drone to fly through an obstacle course. 

Year 8 Bridge Engineering

This term Year 8 engineering students are focused on developing their spaghetti bridge projects with technical drawings, simulations and prototypes. When complete we will hold a testing session to load the bridges with additional weight to measure the breaking stress and calculate a performance factor. These bridges weigh just 300g and the past spaghetti bridge record holder held an incredible load of over 86kg before breaking. That’s an impressive performance factor of 287 times its own weight.  This engineering project will test out our year 8 thinkers and tinkerers to the extreme to stimulate great ideas and problem-solving skills. And the winning team from each class will receive a hot chip lunch!

Laser Lights are being designed and made in the workshop. Students are choosing designs based on their interests and then using the laser cutter and timber workshop tools to assemble their projects.

Year 9 

Timber - Students have recently started on their serving board task, with hopes of finishing these before the end of term. Students have been encouraged to bring their own timber in and have personally designed their own boards. This project progresses their development of practical skills and fundamental timber joinery techniques.

Food Technology - Students have been learning about Food Equity this term. They are investigating people who have limited access to food and how this impacts on health. Their assessment task has students investigating Aid Agencies to help with society accessing food. Their practical tasks have included cooking an equity cake, ordering a meal for under $2.50 per person, making pancakes while blind folded and collecting water from across the College to cook rice. 

Metal - Year 9 students have just finished their sheet metal tool carry and have moved onto Oxy-Acetylene welding in preparation for starting their campfire BBQ in the coming weeks. While students are working on this project they will also be working on a number of small ones to continue to build the basic skills to be a fabricator.

Agriculture - Students are preparing to take home their very own day-old laying hens! All students will have the opportunity to look after the young chicks and will create an informative guide on raising the young animals. The students are also busy managing their winter vegetable production. 

IST - Students have been looking at Artificial Intelligence this term. Students have investigated machine learning, self-driving cars, the Turing Test and ChatGPT. Students are now working on a spreadsheet project for simulating earning and saving money.

Graphics - Students are enthusiastically progressing on their Mobile Phone Holder assessment using the PRIME design process. Here students document steps including Problem, Criteria for Success, Research using a PMI table, generating Ideas using sketching, making drawings and CAD models to 3D print, and then Evaluating their solution according to their Criteria for Success. 

Year 10 

Timber - Year 10 students have been busy creating side tables, showcasing their woodworking skills and creativity.  Through hands-on experience, they have developed essential woodworking skills such as measuring, cutting, shaping, and joining wood pieces. 

Food Technology - Students are looking at Food for Specific Needs. They are learning about specific food needs of groups in our society and how their eating decisions will impact on performance. Practical tasks include taste testing baby food, pasta bake, different milks and gluten-free foods and char grilled beef salad.

Agriculture - Year 10 students have just designed and sown their winter cropping trials for their assessment this term. In groups they’ve selected a planting factor to see what impact it has on plant growth. Some of the groups are testing the impact of synthetic versus organic fertilisers, what effect does seed depth and planting density have on germination/plant growth.  

Metal - Metal Oxy Acetylene welding has been the focus for students in the last few weeks. Some impressive welding skills are being developed with students enjoying the process. Machining on the lathes will start next week which will allow students to produce components for their bike lift both accurately and aesthetically.

Design and Technology - have been working on an Architecture unit. Students are analysing designs as part of their PRIME design portfolios and using this to inform a building project of a model house. They are choosing the design of their house with particular attention to a chosen location and its climate. Students are constructing with plywood using the laser cutter or Foam board and hot glue with no more than a 300mm x 300mm base to work from.

Year 11

Design and Technology - Year 11 students have embarked on a journey of design exploration and innovation. They have been challenged to identify real-world problems and develop solutions through their design projects. They will now create a Minor Design Project and document the process as a portfolio. 

Agriculture - Year 11 have shifted their focus in the past weeks from plant production to animal production. The class have been busy preparing the schools Merino Wethers for the NSW School Merino Challenge in August. 

Year 12 

Design and Technology - Our Major design projects are tracking along nicely with a wide range of student interests on display including tennis training aids, a tiny house and architectural models of wide variety of design situations. 

Year 12 Agriculture - Year 12 have shifted to their Farm Product Study topic which looks at Beef Production at the farm all the way through to the plate. All the different processes that occur are analysed and the students learn the importance of smart business management. Whilst doing this, students are working on their exam response writing in preparation for their Trial Exams. 

Mr Andrew Geurtsen | TAS KLA Leader