Academic Life & Learning
Taking a closer look at nature
The Year 12 Integrated Science classes recently went on an excursion to Neil Hawkins Park to study the water quality and macroinvertebrate life of Lake Joondalup. With the help of the ‘Nearer to Nature’ group, students took samples from the lake, discovering a wide range of aquatic life including leeches and shrimp. The students will use these findings to compare the water quality with Herdsman Lake, samples of which have already been tested in class. Despite the hot weather, students and staff had an enjoyable day outside and gained valuable insights to the field of ecology.
Alexander Gibbs
Science Teacher
Academic Extension Program
Competition Winners
Year 7 students have been working on producing some amazing designs in their challenge to design a ‘Safety in Science’ t-shirt recently.
Congratulations to both Ben Kay and Pearl de Ridder (Year 7) on their winning designs. Ben and Pearl were presented with t-shirts displaying their designs. Thanks is also extended to Gwen Sepkus for her time and effort in transferring the student designs onto the shirts.
Joan Orr
Teacher - Science
Ben Kay and Pearl de Ridder show off their winning designs
English
Year 7 AE
Authors and Archetypes
Students in the English Academic Extension Program used their note taking skills to research an author of their choice this term; researching everything from where the author found their inspiration to the type of language techniques they use.
Students then used this information to write a diary entry from either the author or one of their archetype's perspective then collated all of this information into an aesthetic and interactive presentation which they presented to their peers and teachers.
On the day of the presentation students were confident, informative and engaging. Their use of quizzes, costumes and even food proved that they have exceptional organisational skills and an enthusiasm for learning. Great work!
“I thought the task was a lot of fun. At first I was a bit anxious but as soon as I began talking I was having a lot of fun. I love English!” - Kiera H
Alison Zarrop
Teacher - English
Shaping Future Leaders
On Friday 25th February, the Student Council was lucky enough to be invited to a Future Leader's workshop run by leading educational facilitators ABCN. The day looked a little different given the climate, but the 15 students from Years 9 to 12 rose to the challenge and worked digitally with leaders across the state, even a few students from Sydney checked in!
Students were split into breakout rooms and given a challenge to solve and there were some fantastic ideas that have even been forwarded to the Principal as recommendations for the school. The feedback from the leaders and facilitator on our Student Council and their leaderships skills was remarkable and we look forward to seeing our future leaders here at Belridge SC come up with more amazing ideas.
Jade Wright
Student Council Coordinator
Year 8 AE
Youth Writers Workshop
As part of the Young Writers Collective workshops run through the Literature Centre, a small group of Year 8 AE students spent a day workshopping with children’s author, Aska. Live streaming the event, Aska gave the students an opportunity to develop their story telling ability through visual literacy. Starting with drawing a jellybean, the students worked through how to show expressions and sounds to bring the picture to life. They created a range of storyboards throughout the day, developing their skills along the way. The students thoroughly enjoyed the experience and look forward to working with other authors later this year.
Rebecca Edmonds
Academic Enrichment Coordinator
Year 9
AE Youth Writers Workshop
On Tuesday 15th March, five Year 9 students spent the day working with West Australian author Alexander Thorpe, through the Young Writers Collective online workshop. Alexander discussed and asked students to work on creating elements of a narrative. Focusing on the crime genre, they looked at ways to develop the perpetrator and their motive for the crime, red herrings and suspense.
Students had a fantastic time, developing on story ideas throughout the day.
A sample of work that that was created is below;
Sarah flung the bedroom door forcefully open. She was steaming, and marched her way over to the dresser to the left of the bed her unfaithful husband had once laid. She knew the detectives were incompetent, and so took it upon herself to discover who was responsible for his untimely death. Tears poured down her cheeks as she clasped the round golden handle to the bottom drawer, and pulled. She exhaled. A sigh of relief. Nothing had been in the drawer, but Sarah knew that her late husband had refused to put anything into the drawer he couldn’t reach without straining, as he was a pompous man. All she'd done was delay the inevitable. Her hand slowly hovered upward and shook, rising up to clasp the tarnished gold. She inhaled deeply, tightened her grip both on the lids of her now shut eyes, and the handle she was holding onto, her only form of balance, and yanked at it violently. She slowly opened her eyes, only to close them soon after, clasping her hands over her mouth and screaming. Inside the drawer, laid her deceased husbands head, and a letter addressed, How does a man turn away from those who love him, if he has no head left to turn?
Libraries are more than just stories ...
The college now has a subscription to Comics Plus, available to all students. To log in, students require their student email address:
username@student.education.wa.edu.au
e.g. joanne.smith@student.education.wa.edu.au
The password has been emailed via Connect to parents.
Students can see Library staff if they need assistance or need to change their password.
Year 12 Rottnest Excursion
On Friday 11th March and Wednesday 16th March the Year 12 Outdoor Education students ventured to Rottnest. They were two amazing days!
We tackled the hills on our bikes to reach three different snorkel locations. On the south side of the island the students experienced very different snorkelling to what we see in Perth; here it is like you are in a tropical location with coral and colourful fish species in clear blue water. Little Salmon and Parker Point being the highlight for most of the students.
After refuelling with lunch we headed to the North side of the island, where we challenged our breath and courage doing various swim throughs.
They were both fantastic days and the students were amazing.
Tiffany Collins
Teacher - Health & Physical Education
Delectable Desserts
In the past, Home Economics has been offered to Year 9 students as a Semester long program. For the first time this year students will be participating in a year long course.
There are also two different contexts – Food for Fitness and Food for Others – for students to choose from, or they can study both.
Food for Fitness looks at the functions of nutrients, diet trends, food required for peak performance and healthy lifestyles, while Food for Others covers different dessert styles, savoury showcases, café creations and the high tea trend.
During Term 1 Food for Others students have been looking at Delectable Desserts, preparing a range of different dessert styles culminating in preparing their own dessert; designing, garnishing, decorating and plating their creations.
Micael Corless
Teacher - Home Economics
