The Humanities department has had a busy start to the term, with the Year 8s, 9s and many 10s having the opportunity to complement their in-class studies with experiences outside of the classroom.

A highlight of our Humanities program is our biannual Year 10 History excursion to the Melbourne Holocaust Museum. Students studying World War 2 had the privilege of browsing the exhibits of the newly reopened museum, and to meet and ask questions of Holocaust survivors Dr Henry Ekert AM and Peter Gaspar OAM, both of whom immigrated to Australia in the years after the war and have made significant contributions to Australian society. We encourage our students to be mindful that they are the last generation to meet with Holocaust survivors, and it was wonderful to see how they engaged with this unique experience. 

In Week 2 Ms Lee’s Year 10 Geography class also set off on a fieldwork expedition to the Great Ocean Road; you can read more about this excursion elsewhere in this newsletter.

The Year 9s attended the Shrine of Remembrance during Anzac week, on an excursion timed to coincide with the beginning of their studies of World War 1. They met with veterans, explored artefacts including clothing of the era, and explored the historic building. They also ascended Melbourne’s tallest building, the Eureka Tower, to take in the view of the city on what was a stunning autumn day. The day acted as a ‘trial run’ for the four-day City Experience program that will take place late in Term 3.

And, finally, in Week 3 our Year 8s visited the Melbourne Museum, where they explored exhibits related to their studies of Geography and Science and experienced A Beautiful Planet in 3D at IMAX – a film set on the International Space Station that inspired many students – and staff! – to consider astronomy as a future career!

Thank you to all staff involved in these Humanities excursions and to students for their enthusiasm and engagement in these valuable learning experiences.

 

Ms Katie O’Connell – Humanities Learning Area Leader