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Grade 8 students are in the process of wrapping up a Business and Economics unit. It has largely focused on preparing them for the ‘real world’, learning knowledge and skills, such as GDP, calculating income tax, budgeting, and the realities of running a business. Students have worked in small groups and used their economic and business knowledge to pitch a business idea to a ‘shark’ (following the concept of the television show, Shark Tank). Students understand the relevance of this unit as young adults, and they have shown a high level of engagement.
Grade 8s are about to move on to their next history unit, Feudal Japan (1600-1868). Students will gain an understanding and appreciation of the Japanese culture and values whilst further developing their skills in forming historical inquiry questions, researching, and analysing primary and secondary sources of information.
Year 8 science has been a whirlwind of learning over the last few terms, students are embarking on a fascinating journey through geology and have just finished their chemistry unit.
Engaging with the Earth's mysteries, they're delving into the diverse realm of rocks – igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic – unravelling their origins and unique characteristics that these rocks hold. Students have had an in-depth look at chemistry and how atoms make up everything and everyone, navigating the periodic table’s known elements, and discovering their properties.
In this edition, we delve into the intricate realm of networks, where nodes and edges weave the fabric of our interconnected world. Visualize nodes as points and edges as lines, encapsulating networks that span from digital relationships to urban infrastructures. The potency of networks transcends their visual representation; they underpin search engine algorithms like Google's PageRank and guide urban planners in optimizing roads and energy grids.
Graph theory and network analysis provide the mathematical lens through which we dissect these intricate connections, not only in theory but also in real-world applications. Embrace the challenge of "Six Degrees of Separation," reflecting the profound interwoven nature of our global society. As we navigate the landscapes of networks, we uncover their profound impacts on modern life, shedding light on the hidden threads that bind us.
During Term 3, students in Grade 9 English have been studying persuasive speeches. Along with a refresher on the types of persuasive devices people use to successfully argue a point, students have analysed the famous Martin Luther King ‘I Have a Dream’ speech to understand how strategies such as cause and effect, repetition and calls to action are applied to create a successful speech.
Students also watched the speech and learnt how MLK used oratorical skills to make his speech powerful and effective. To apply their learning, students have been practicing their PEEAL paragraph skills to write an analytical essay on the rhetorical and oratorical devices MLK used in his speech. Later in the unit students will be taught how to write their own persuasive speech on a topic of personal interest to them.
On Monday the 28th August students watched a performance titled Such Sweet Sorrow by the Bell Shakespeare Company, which will support the Romeo and Juliet unit they study at the end of the year. The performance was fast paced and engaging, and students showed a high level of interest.
The first half of term 3 has been a busy but an exciting time in the HPE space. Classes have been working hard through their designated units of work, with each grade focussing on the following:
Grade 7: Dance and Nutrition
Grade 8: Net & Wall Games and Relationships & Sexuality
Grade 9: Striking & Fielding Games and Nutrition
Grade 10: Target Games and Relationships & Sexuality
Outside of the classroom, the NHSSA rosters on a Wednesday and Thursday Afternoon have continued, with finals for all sports starting next week with a number of our teams winning their way through. All ladders and results can be found at nhssa.org.au.
In the remaining portion of the school year, there are many extracurricular opportunities available for students in the HPE space, beginning with the Thursday Afternoon Basketball roster commencing in week 9 of Term 3. At the beginning of Term 4 we will be holding our annual Swimming Carnival at the Launceston Aquatic Centre on the 18th/19th October, followed by Inter High Golf on the 10th of November, Schools Triathlon Challenge on the 23rd of November, and the Weekend Basketball Tournament on the 25th and 26th of November. If you or your child has any questions about the events, please speak to your HPE teacher.
On Tuesday and Wednesday last week the grade 8, 9 and 10 drama students performed scripted plays for family and friends.
One of the grade 8 classes were very ambitious and performed two plays based on the Ancient Greek tragedies ‘Oedipus’ and ‘Antigone’. The second class performed a comedy called ‘Jinxed’. A play about a therapist’s office where all sorts of oddballs have gone to get help from a doctor and nurses who are possibly even more mad than they are.
The grade 9/10 class performed a play called ‘Neighbours Away’ which is a parody of soap operas. For the grade 10 students it was their final scripted performance during their time at Queechy High School. The play went very well and there was an emotional ending when the grade 10s realised it was their final performance.
Both nights went extremely well with approximately 120 family, friends and relatives attending.
This week we are celebrating our Teacher Assistants and the incredible contribution and difference they make in our school every day. The strength of our team is due to the wide-ranging skills, knowledge and personalities of individual team members, and we are fortunate to be able to work with you.
Every day brings new challenges, and we appreciate the knowledge, skills and professionalism that you employ to manage them. Thank you for continually ‘stepping up’ and meeting the ever-increasing demands of your role; it doesn’t go unnoticed. Thank you from the staff and students at Queechy for your amazing work.
