We are almost half way through term 4, and that means students are beginning to transition from learning new concepts, to applying their skills. Traditionally, this is a time that triggers stress and leads to avoidance strategies. In English, students are well into their text study – time away from classes will have a significant impact on their ability to keep up. Attendance and participation are keys to success, as well as keeping notes up to date ensuring students can begin the drafting process, maximising their chances for success.

In Ms Diesing's Year 7 English class, students have been working collaboratively to deconstruct and annotate model responses, in preparation for their upcoming assessment. When students can identify all the individual parts of an analytical paragraph, and how the parts work together, their own writing is significantly improved. 

Starting from next week, the English Homework Club will be running during first break for students who need support. This could look like: reading their novel, or being read to, finalising comprehension activities or practicing their analytical writing skills.

This week, our Year 9 Geography class taste tested some ‘foods of the future’. Sampling cheese and bacon flavoured dehydrated mealworms and sour cream and chives flavoured dehydrated crickets. Our Year 9 Geography class have been investigating the environmental impacts of traditional farming and exploring the viable alternatives, including mealworms. Eating mealworms may sound horrifying but they can actually be good for both you and the environment. According to new studies, mealworms are a viable and environmentally friendly substitute for traditional livestock offerings. Eaten in their larval forms, the worms have very high protein levels making them a feasible replacement for products such as chicken, pork, and beef. Our Year 9's certainly made a meal out of them!