Highlights from 2021 were:
Newcastle University Build Me Day
Year 8 EEE attended the Newcastle University Build Me Day in May. This day enabled students to demonstrate their teamwork, problem-solving, creativity and collaboration skills to design and construct STEM activities such as bridges, earthquake-proof towers and a Mars buggy. The students finished in third place on the day which was a commendable effort given they had never seen these activities before.
Excursion to ANSTO's Lucas Heights reactor
In February, Year 11 Chemistry students visited ANSTO's Lucas Heights reactor to further investigate Nuclear Chemistry principles and technologies. It provided students with a greater understanding of radioactive isotopes and the opportunity to observe some authentic applications of this technology.
Excursion to ORICA
In June Year 12 Chemistry students visited ORICA to attain first-hand experience of the workings of a chemical industry. The students were provided with valuable information about the range of chemical substances produced by ORICA and the large variety of different occupations a chemical plant employs (chemists, engineers, tradespeople, accountants, market analysts, etc). The excursion supplemented their course work about chemical synthesis processes.
Dorrigo excursion
In May, Year 12 Earth and Environmental Science participated in an excursion to Dorrigo. They attended a lecture given by National Parks and Wildlife staff on the geological history of Australia, it's separation from the supercontinent Gondwana, and how that has impacted on flora and fauna. The students then participated in fieldwork on the escarpment and geology of eastern Australia, before walking through the rainforest and observing the changes and features of the environment. This increased student knowledge about the break-up of Gondwana and the evolution of the rainforest and important species, such as song birds and whales.
Year 11 Earth and Environmental Fieldwork excursion
In June, Year 11 Earth and Environmental students travelled to Blackbutt Reserve, Nobbys Headland and Strzelecki Lookout to observe local soil and rock formations. Students developed a greater knowledge and understanding of what conditions were like at the time, and how different features of the local environment formed, such as Nobby’s Headland which was formed from volcanic eruptions off the coast of Newcastle.
Awabakal Education Centre excursion
In July, Year 11 Biology students participated in a field trip to the Awabakal Education Centre. They engaged in mandatory first-hand investigations involving the collection of ecological data by dip netting for various animal species, sampling wind speed, pH, turbidity, salinity and temperature using data loggers and analysing quadrats and a transect.
Online learning
During online learning, Year 7 students made their own catapults and parachutes as part of the 'Forces' topic. They discovered which materials and designs made the catapult launch objects the furthest and the parachute fall the slowest.
Year 8 Moon experiment
During online learning, Year 8 students investigated the phases of the moon using oreo cookies. They created the 8 phases of the moon in the oreo cream and then had fun eating their experiment!!
