Last week saw the Year 9 & 10 Art class attend the Western Australia Art Gallery in Perth and the Year 11 examinations begin with those non-ATAR Year 11s finished for the year. 

I hope families enjoyed the Pupil-free Catholic Day on Monday. It was beautiful weather for those who could get out and about. This week has also seen our Year 10s join with Year 5s to clean up the cemetery on Tuesday and next week we have the Year 7s off to Caversham Wildlife Park for a science excursion. 

Year 9s and 10s will begin their examination week on Friday 15 November. Not all subjects will have an exam but those not completing an exam will be completing assessments in class  from the 15 to 20 November. 

Our Year 10s finish on Friday 22 November. They will need to empty their lockers on Thursday 21 November so they can return their locks to their Homeroom teachers on Friday morning. Those students who have not lost their good standing more than once this year will be attending the Year 10 Rewards event at the Northam pool where they will have a sausage sizzle for lunch and then have time on the slides and in the pool. 

Year 7 – 9 students will have their pool Reward event on Thursday 5 December. Again, those students who have lost their good standing more than once will remain at school. 

A reminder to Year 8 parents who have not completed their online form for the Year 8 Retreat/Camp to please get these done so that we have a clear understanding of food allergies / intolerances to prepare for the meals. Thank you. 

God Bless.

Sharon Cusack
Head of Secondary

Curriculum News

Science in Term Four

Year 7
This term in Year 7, students have dived into the study of living organisms and the basics of classification. They have learnt how scientists group organisms based on shared characteristics, exploring the major kingdoms of life such as animals, plants and fungi. Through activities, they will understand the importance of classification in organising biodiversity and how it helps in identifying species. This foundational understanding of classification will set the stage for more detailed studies in Biology as they progress and to appreciate the experiences at the upcoming excursion to the Caversham Wildlife Park.

Year 8
The Year 8 students have been investigating all things Chemistry. The students looked at similarities and differences of elements and how they are classified on the Periodic Table, enabling better understanding of the natural world. The students looked at specific elements and the individual particles that make up atoms. In the remainder of the term, they will take this understanding a little further with experiments examining various chemical changes and reactions.

Year 9
This term, Year 9 students have explored key physics concepts, including energy, sound, light and electricity. They have investigated different forms of energy, learning how it is transferred and conserved in various systems. In studying sound, students conducted experiments to see how vibrations create waves, while exploring light helps them to grasp the scientific concepts of reflection, refraction and the electromagnetic spectrum. Moving into the second half of the term, the study of electricity will introduce them to circuits, voltage, current and resistance. Through practical experiments, they will deepen their understanding of how these physical phenomena shape the world around us.

Year 10
Both classes have been researching Earth and Space Science, with looking at the formation of the universe, our Sun and the solar system. The students have examined the processes behind different types of stars and the equipment used to observe them through many types of telescopes. In addition to developing a knowledge of where elements come from and how they are made in the cores of stars, the students gained an insight into radio astronomy and the development of the Square Kilometre Array project here in WA. The Course A students ventured to the Gravity Discovery Centre to develop an in-depth understanding of modern physics, conducting experiments at the Leaning Tower of Gingin where the students timed water balloon drops and identified that the mass of an object, does not change the time of the fall. The students then looked through cosmological history and considered aspects of Einstein’s Theory of Special Relativity, investigating spacetime and then thinking about time dilation and how your position around a gravitational source, alters your view of time compared to others, which as a surprise to many, is something that must be considered when placing satellites into orbit around the Earth.

Senior Secondary
This term, our Year 11 Human Biology students focussed on advanced topics in genetics, including inheritance, sex linkage and genetic variation. They explored how traits are passed from one generation to the next through the principles of Mendelian genetics and Punnett squares. The concept of sex linkage was introduced, explaining how certain traits are linked to sex chromosomes, leading to conditions like colour blindness and haemophilia. By studying these topics, students will gain a deeper understanding of the role of DNA, genes and chromosomes in shaping biological diversity and human health.

The Year 11 Chemistry students have been exploring key concepts through hands-on experiments. Recently, they focused on acids and bases, gases and the Kinetic Theory and rates of reaction. By linking theoretical content to practical work, students gain a richer understanding of these topics.

One of the highlights has been an experiment on rates of reaction. Students observed how a change in one factor, in this case concentration, impacts the speed of reactions, making abstract concepts more tangible. The accompanying photos show students engaged in this experiment.

This practical approach helps students apply their learning to understand important scientific skills, which will be expanded further in the Year 12 Chemistry course next year.

Our Year 11 Physics students have finished off their course looking into wave motion, which enabled the students to conduct investigations on light and sound, including measuring the speed of sound in an outdoor environment and calculating the speed of light using cheese and a microwave oven. In addition to this, students identified the relationship between different objects through measuring the amount of refraction, identifying an unknown material by its refractive index. The students then consolidated this learning and prepared for the upcoming examinations.

Mark Bundock, Steve Rigney, Cam Greenley, Jada Yengkopiong, Andrew Ellis, Gerhard Vogel, Amy Bennett, Nita Budas and Mark Gargano
Science Learning Area staff

Cookie Central

As part of our giving back to the community, the students had a lot of fun this week shopping at K-Hub with some of our Cookie Central profits for the Christmas present donation appeal.

The students would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their support this year; they have enjoyed baking and serving up to 300 cookies and Milo balls each Thursday. Our last Cookie Central for the year will be Thursday 21 November (week 7).

Sally Clements
Education Assistant