Humanities and Languages
Welcome to Term 4! We are definitely on the downward slope of the mountain that has been 2023! This term is shaping up to be a busy one, not only with school events, but also with curriculum. This is a good time to remind you all to check Day Map assessment dates, and ensure that these are being met by your children.
This term, students are looking at a variety of topics such as the importance of water (7), mountains (8), biomes and food security (9) in the junior years. Year 10 students are looking at the impact of Covid-19 on business, the different migration groups to Australia and how they have shaped us as a nation, and youth justice in the legal system – a very current and topical unit to be studying! Our Year 11s are moving into an exam block very soon, where they will complete their last assessment piece for the year, before moving onto the units of study they will be preparing for in Year 12.
I am sure, that before we know it, we will be faced with the last week of school. Here’s to an action-packed Term 4!
Cecilia Hall
Head of Department - Humanities and Languages - Year 9E to 9G
Japanese - いそがしい です！
More exchange lessons for Year 7 and homestay opportunities.
The exchange lessons with students in Japan at Chiba Junior High School will continue into 2024. Our Head of Department, Ms Hall, and I are looking forward to Mr Kawana who is the teacher of the students in Japan, visiting our school in March. Mr Kawana will speak with Leadership, meet our students in person during lessons and discuss homestay options. There will be an opportunity for families to host Japanese visitors, in the future. This term, both Ms Hall and I will attend the accreditation course to be host school coordinators so that we can manage the Study Tours from Japan.
The Year 7s are going to Nerima Gardens today to participate in the traditional Japanese tea ceremony (chanoyu) in Queens Park, Ipswich. This is a ceremonial way of preparing and drinking matcha green tea in a traditional tea room with a tatami floor. The 30 students are looking forward to the ritualistic ceremony involving them to follow rules of waiting till the hostess invites them into the tea room, sit on their knees, accept what the hostess says and gives them to eat or drink. The bats who were resident at Queens Park have left, so the students will also be taken on a guided walk in the beautiful Japanese garden, and guided through the animal encounter. The students are able to take photos for their assessments as they prepare to create a bilingual brochure for Japanese tourists visiting our area!
Keep an eye out in the next newsletter for information about the trip to Japan in April 2025!
Georgina Wellwood
Japanese Teacher