Social Science Faculty Report

It has been an exciting semester in the Social Science faculty as our team expanded, bringing enthusiasm and a wealth of new knowledge to the staff room. In Term 1 Ms Driscoll, Mr Fong, Mr Hannouf and Mr McGuire joined the team, with Term 2 bringing us Ms Jemmeson, and Mr Weir who has taken on the Head Teacher role.

We have had the pleasure of working closely with Ms Markos to integrate a literacy focus across all of our subjects, and as a faculty we are focusing on directive terms to help enrich and develop student responses.

Ms Platirahos and Mr Weir have teamed up during SES lessons to run Legal Studies workshops, and Ms Alaouie has worked hard organising university visits for our senior students, helping them learn about the tertiary opportunities on offer and feel more prepared as they approach the future.

Year 7 showcased their historical expertise in Term 2 by creating replica ancient Egyptian artefacts, displayed at parent teacher night for all to enjoy. From mummies and canopic jars, to chariots and pyramids our students excelled in demonstrating their research skills and creativity.

To wrap up their topic on Ancient Egypt, Ms Platirahos and Ms Hong ran an ancient Egyptian escape room with 7D to see who could escape Tutankhamun’s tomb first!

As we tentatively wave goodbye to the wrath of COVID-19, excursions are back on! In Term 1, Ms Driscoll and Mr Gifford took Year 12 Geography to Cronulla to complete an investigative study on the Bate Bay coastal dunes. After weeks of heavy rain, the clouds cleared and made for the perfect weather to explore coastal change.

Mr Fong ventured to the Chau Chak Wing Museum at the University of Sydney with Year 11 Ancient History to immerse themselves in the ancient world. They discovered a variety of artefacts including a dagger from ancient Sparta and brain removal hook used in the Egyptian mummification process.

As we embark on Term 3, Ms Nissan and Ms Platirahos are gearing up to take a variety of classes including Years 9 and 10 Elective History to the Sydney Jewish Museum to engage with their topics Crime and Punishment, and World War II. We look forward to planning more of these opportunities to foster student engagement with learning outside of the classroom.

Ms Driscoll and the Social Science Team