Year 8 Integrated Learning

YEAR 8

INTEGRATED LEARNING

I have really enjoyed Year 8 and all the opportunities that came with it. Year 8 Camp was a great experience and really fostered a sense of connection between us as a cohort while also allowing us all to step outside of our comfort zones. I love the greater amount of freedom we received this year and have found it really pushed us each to grow into strong, independent women.

Year 8 Maye student

I have thoroughly enjoyed Year 8 Integrated this year and the various topics we’ve discussed. I have learnt many skills during these lessons including developing my problem-solving skills during the Rube Goldberg unit which consisted of creating a machine to undergo a particular function. The United Nations topic was my favourite as I enjoyed learning about how to become a global citizen and the debate was a lot of fun. Overall, I have learnt many useful skills for the future and really enjoyed learning about a wide range of topics.

Year 8 Maye student

This year has been a year to remember. Year 8 Camp helped us to create new friendships within our year group and we experienced things that we have never done before. This included camping overnight in a tent, mountain bike riding and a high ropes course. During Integrated, we also studied a colonisation unit which taught us about colonisation from the perspective of First Nations Australians. I learned aspects of the culture that I never knew. Although remote learning was hard, our year group was able to unite and complete a Minecraft world that replicated a new design for Cockatoo Island. This year has been a great year that tops my first few years at Loreto Normanhurst.

Year 8 Ward student

2021 has been a very tumultuous year. The entire Year 8 cohort and wider school community had to endure online learning, and what seemed like endless lockdowns with limited social interaction. However, coming back to school for the remainder of the year felt like being welcomed back into such a warm place. Year 8 has had many highlights too, from going on camp, growing friendships, some of us experiencing Music Festival for the first time ever, participating in inter-House community events, and engaging in academic, leadership and extracurricular opportunities. The support of our advisors and tutors was a constant network of reliance for all of us. Despite the circumstances and challenges, our advisors still fostered an inclusive environment and created an at-home Integrated course where we re-designed an eco-friendly community facility for Cockatoo Island. The pastoral house system played an integral role in our community interaction, enabling us to still communicate with others, and have a seamless transition back to school onsite. Overall, Year 8 provided ample opportunities through which I have learnt a multitude of life lessons that I know I’ll integrate into my future.

Year 8 Kuring-gai student