In Week 5, Preshil hosted members of the Beehive Design Collective, a world-renowned arts organisation from North America. Year 8 students in our Changemaker program were lucky to get a special presentation, which included storytelling and a hands-on art-making activity.
The Cage at BK was decorated with a series of large-scale murals created by a group of artists in collaboration with the Beehive Design Collective. The workshop centred on one mural entitled, ‘The Cost of Coal’.
Year 8 student Mina Fraillon said “It was such a great opportunity to learn about the native wildlife in America and we got a chance to relate this to our own local wildlife when they sent us off to complete an art activity.
Mietta Pemberton-MacDonald commented “We learnt about the Battle of Blair Mountain, why it happened and the reactions and after-effects of the battle. It was interesting to hear about how the community came together to repair the environmental damage.”
In Week 8, students ventured to Mars at the Victorian Space Science Education Centre. During this excursion, students worked as a team and used their problem-solving skills to successfully complete a geological survey of the surface of Mars. They wore specially designed spacesuits and acted as astronauts, mission controllers and research scientists.
In Week 10, students embarked on a trip to the NGV to participate in a Design workshop called Toy Takedown. This workshop was a great opportunity for students to extend learning in the Year 8 Design unit, Toy Story, and also a chance to establish links between Design and the Preshil Changemaker program. During this workshop, students considered the big question: “What makes a sustainable toy design?” They were able to work in a team to surgically disassemble a toy, reducing it to its constituent parts and were able to learn about design processes and production, materials and components, product life cycles and sustainability.
Back on the school campus, our Year 8s have had the opportunity in the Homeroom curriculum to learn about a range of topics such as cultural diversity, growth versus fixed mindsets and how to access academic extension. One area that has provided a forum for these conversations is the Year 8 Yarning Circles. Yarning Circles is the latest addition to our homeroom curriculum. Yarning Circles are an Indigenous Australian cultural practice that has been used for thousands of years as a way of sharing stories, knowledge, and experiences. The idea behind yarning circles is to create a safe and respectful space where people can come together to share their thoughts and feelings on a particular topic.
Lewis Kingston
Year 8 Coordinator
