Year 7 Student Work

Year 8 Student Work

Explanation of Curriculum Framework and Design

 

Students will explore the basic building blocks of life, and the interactions and adaptations of the living world. They will gain an awareness of the impart their lifestyle has on living things, and develop a sense of responsibility for the living world.  Students will participate in the creation and ongoing development of a biological project that aims to benefits learning throughout the college.

The units aims to be practical, hands-on and investigative with students creating their own understanding by exploring the local environment. They will visit the Mooloolah National Park to study wallum environments.

Students are involved as researchers, biologists, naturalists and environmental thought leaders as they unlock the secrets of the living world.

Key Assessment Tasks: 

• Write a feature article for an environmental magazine, on an an animal or plant that has been introduced to Australia.
• In small groups, develop and present a 15-minute lesson to a Year 6 group of students on a biological or environmental system. Include a model and lesson activities.

United World - How have our wartime experiences shaped Australia's national identity?

Students gain awareness of Australian involvement in war and investigate the effect of our wartime experiences on Australia’s national identity.  Students appreciate the effect of war on the development of our nationhood and share empathetic responses with the people involved.  Students are involved as researchers, writers, historians, artists and debaters.  The unit encourages an understanding of sacrifice, change and the growth of a distinctive Australian identity over the course of the Twentieth Century.

Key Assessment Tasks:

• Research one aspect of Australia's wartime experiences over the course of three major conflicts. Present your findings in a report format.
• Write a letter from a war-zone to home or from home to a loved one.
• Choose one of the following: 
  • Compose and arrange a piece of music in a style befitting a wartime era; or 
  • Create a piece of art in a style befitting a  wartime era.  
• Formally debate one of the following topics:
  • Anzac Day will always be relevant to Australians.
  • Australians should always be ready for war
  • Women have played vital roles in forging our identity in wartime
  • The Australian identity has been forged through involvement in wars.

Amazing World - Why does matter matter?

Students begin to unravel the nature of matter at a microscopic level and how substances can be manipulated for different purposes.  Students will become acquainted with the particulate nature of matter, understand why chemicals react to produce new substances and develop practical skills in scientific investigation.  Students will plan and conduct extended investigations into the nature and properties of matter, revealing the world of chemical bonds and reactions.   This unit involves students as researchers, scientists, historians and communicators as they investigate their material world.

Key Assessment Tasks: 

• Scientific examination
• Investigate the effectiveness of a range of household detergents to discover which detergents provide the best value for money. Conduct scientific tests and write a scientific report on your findings.
• An extended investigation on a topic regarding reactions. Write a scientific report on your findings.

Personal World - How do I pack for my life journey?

In completing this unit, students will map their skills, interests, knowledges, values and aptitudes against potential fields of work and types of employment.  Students describe their preferred work and how it relates to local and global economies and to their own strengths and areas to be developed.  Students present a 10-year personal career development plan (including an up-to-date resume), which targets strategies for achieving short, medium and long-term goals.

Rich Task

Students

• describe features of a range of work options and their associated expectations

• assess your existing strengths, interests, achievements and areas to be developed

• identify potential careers

• produce an individual career development plan for three careers

• include an up-to-date résumé

• 10-year flowchart of possible options and outcomes