St John the Evangelist Catholic High School Nowra eNewsletter

NEWS FROM THE HSIE DEPARTMENT

Students are busy working over a range of subjects that fall under the Human Society and its Environment (HSIE) Key Learning Area.

Year 7 are currently studying History and will undertake Geography next semester, whilst

Year 8 are currently studying Geography and will undertake History next Semester. Ms Semmens and a Year 8 Geography Class undertaking some field work at school.

Years 9 and 10 have half of the year studying history and half studying geography with the classes swapping teachers and subjects next semester. The Year 10 classes will be undertaking excursions in Week 3, History attending the Jewish Museum in Sydney to appreciate the atrocities of the Holocaust and to be inspired by hearing the hope shared from a Holocaust survivor. Our avid Geographers will be undertaking local fieldwork and assessing their findings for the Environmental Change and Management topic.

Year 10 History Elective were tasked with the honour of presenting at the ANZAC Day Assembly on Thursday 2 May. The focus of their presentation was that of honouring our Australian War Nurses, and with the help of some Year 11 drama students, they provided a moving presentation.

Our Senior Students are studying a range of subjects; Ancient History, Modern History, Geography, Society and Culture, Business Studies and Legal Studies. Students are having some key successes in their learning, in particular, their writing skills are improving regularly, aided by the help of Scribo.

We had some exceptional helpers representing HSIE at the recent Year 7 2020 Open Night. Students introduced our potential new students immerse in some experiences of HSIE learning, such as, constructing a timeline of historical events and piecing together the world! They also shared the wonderful space in which they learn.

Isaac Collins and Holden Walker (Year 12) helping with timelines at the Year 7 2020 Open Night.

Taylor West, Ashleen Rigney, Aliza Briggs, Kyah Chewying, and Daniru Jayasuriya, leading the way in re-constructing the world at the Year 7 2020 Open Night.

Jessica Arnold, Kayleigh Sleath and Harrison Cocks. Happy in the HSIE learning space!

Al Noor Mosque Christchurch - Messages of hope and love from SJE

Year 11 Student Pallas Retimana recently visited her hometown of Christchurch. While in Christchurch, Pallas carried with her a couple hundred messages of hope and love written on Harmony Day by St John's students and staff to the victims of the Al Noor Mosque terrorist attacks. This was a SJE PAX intitiative to live out our motto of Peace, Advocacy and Acceptance. Pallas collated these messages into two booklets and personally delivered them to the Al Noor Mosque, the site of the attack. During this visit Pallas spent time with one of the victims, Mr Farid Ahmed, who lost his wife in the attacks. Pallas presented him with the booklets and Mr Ahmed read and commented on every single message that our school community wrote. Pallas was inspired by Mr Ahmed's thoughts on love and forgiveness and Mr Ahmed was in turn inspired by our students messages which gave him hope in the younger generation. Our messages are now housed in the Al Noor Mosque prayer room, where people can read our messages and reflect. Pallas will be sharing her experience with the whole school community at the assembly in Week 3.

We would like to thank Pallas for delivering our messages to the people of Christchurch and particularly the Muslim community at the Al Noor Mosque.

Mrs Rachel Hennessy
HSIE Coordinator