Year 7

Pastoral Care: Mrs Marilyn Faithfull, Mr Sam Azon-Jacometti, Mrs Emma Schaeffer

Welcome to Year 7 and the start of what is sure to be an amazing and rewarding year. Our focus during Pastoral Care will be building resilience and character as we navigate the first year of secondary school. Mr Sam Azon-Jacometti, Mrs Marilyn Faithfull and Mrs Emma Schaeffer are the key staff members who will work closely with Year 7 over the course of the year. We are all very excited about being a part of the journey ahead and will be encouraging the girls to take up every opportunity offered at PLC Armidale; participating in a sporting team, learning a musical instrument, auditioning for the school musical or just being there to help a friend in need.

Year 7 Mathematics: Ms Amanda Burney, Mr Greg Cotterell

Mathematics this year will allow us to find our way. There will be a lot of support on finding our level and comfort zone with maths. We start the year by gaining a deeper understanding of positive integers and integers, expand into exploring the idea of negative integers and end the term with an investigation of angles. These topics will build and reinforce the foundations achieved from junior school education and build a curiosity towards mathematical understanding.

Year 7 English: Mrs Kate Clych, Ms Grace Welch

In English this year, Mrs Clynch and Ms Welch will introduce students to the wide range of ways in which we communicate. We will study a variety of textual mediums including the novel, film, poetry and drama, and girls will learn to express themselves through written texts which are both creative and informative. They will gain skills in public speaking and responding to different types of text from Shakespeare through to Anime. We will have fun with the building blocks of language through spelling, vocabulary and wide reading activities.

Year 7 Geography: Mr Andrew Patrick, Mr Greg Cotterell

In Geography this Semester, Year 7 will be developing their geographical and inquiry skills in space, place, interconnection, change, the environment, sustainability and scale. We will be looking at the diversity of landforms, and formation of landscapes and landforms in a variety of places. Term 2 brings the topic of 'Place and liveability' to encourage students to become observers in their local and global communities. We study statistics and introduce new types of maps in order to learn what we need as a society and what makes up the liveability of places. Fun activities using Google Earth and other mapping software await!

Year 7 History: Mr Andrew Patrick, Mr Greg Cotterell

The Year 7 History course takes us back to Ancient History, and an exploration of life in the Ancient World. We start with a unit called 'Investigating the Ancient Past', and develop the historical skills of the students incorporating site studies from Australia's ancient past as well as other prominent sites around the world. We then have great fun exploring the wonders of Ancient China and Rome. Be prepared for your daughters to want to watch history documentaries in their spare time, and even build some models of ancient structures. It is a fantastic course to spark curiosity and enjoyment of history for years to come.

Year 7 Visual Arts: Mrs Emma Schaeffer

This year the girls will be diving straight into exploring artistic traditions with Mrs Schaeffer. They will be building on art skills and discovering their creative ability through the exploration of different materials and subject matter. In conjunction with making art, the course allows students to examine the practice of artists from a range of cultures, genres and forms of artmaking that can inspire and inform their own practice. The first unit this year will focus on the concept of the Frames that underpins Critical and Historical studies of the visual arts and artistic practice. Students will explore a variety of artmaking techniques and learn about using the visual elements of art to construct compositions. Students will investigate a range of artistic representation of animals throughout history and will use a variety of animals as themes for their own artmaking.

Year 7 Music: Mr Mattew Minter

This year the girls will kick start their music education by diving straight into our Stage 4 Instrumental Program which sees students starting a wind instrument of their choosing, receiving tuition in small groups. Students will then be in a position to practise hard in order to gain a spot in a number of our ensembles. We hope to see our students with the skills to participate as a class in the eisteddfod. Students in Year 7 will also combine with Year 8 in the Stage 4 Choir. This choir will also perform at the Eisteddfod and the school concert, PLC Performs, early in Term 2. In the classroom, students will study program music as well as develop their composition skills, writing an original piece of music. Music is alive and well at PLC Armidale and we cater for all sounds!

Year 7 Science: Mrs Kate Fittler, Mrs Yvette Ballard

This year Mrs Fittler and Mrs Ballard will have the privilege of guiding Year 7 Science through the wonders of science. The science lab is an exciting place! We will start our adventures in science learning more about the science laboratory, equipment, and the scientific method. Then we will delve into matter, and learn more about substances, mixtures, and pure substances. We will then look at the microscopic world to learn more about cells before we move on to the wonders of space. We will finish the year learning about energy, and how we can apply our knowledge and understanding to toymaking!

Year 7 Technology: Ms Amanda Burney, Mr Jonathon Shumack, Ms Paula Cowley

Technology is a hands-on, practical subject that gives opportunity for students to thrive in a creative space. Students will learn about and work through the design process as they complete their practical work. Students will be introduced to Student Directed Learning as they master specific technologies throughout the year. During Semester 1, students will be learning about textiles, working with fabrics in designing and making their own tote bag. In Semester 2, students will be introduced to the Trade Training Centre and Food Technology, exploring Foods of the World.

Year 7 French: Mrs Pérez García

Year 7 French is a beginner's course. It is a very special course taught by Mrs Pérez García through total immersion. The aim is to create a passion for language learning while having fun. Students will learn mainly through listening and reading stories using the most frequent structures and vocabulary of the language.

Year 7 Christian Studies: Ms Jennifer Leahy

In Year 7 Christian Studies, Ms Leahy will begin the year with an introduction to the Bible, helping each student understand what Christians believe about the Bible and how to navigate their way in the book. We then move on to looking at the Big Picture of the Bible and seeing how all the smaller stories in the Bible fit together to tell one Big Story. Later in the year we will look at the story of 'The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe' and how it is connected to the story of the Bible.

Year 7 PDHPE: Mrs Lucy Donaldson

Mrs Donaldson is very excited to be teaching PDHPE to our wonderful 2023 Year 7 cohort. We will commence with a unit called Wellbeing Wonderland. This unit will explore the 12 Elements of Wellness to support personal wellbeing at school and beyond. In Term 2, we will embark on 'The Way we Change' a unit which looks at adolescence and how it is a unique period of challenge and change for individuals. The students will develop personal awareness, and gain knowledge and understanding of strategies to empower them to take responsibility, set goals, and create action to enhance their wellbeing and connections. Theory work will be completed in work booklets with a focus on literacy skills, visible thinking routines and critical inquiry approach to further develop students' understanding of class content. Our practical units will focus on athletics skills, creative movement (rhythmic gymnastics, circus skills and cheerleading), racquet sports and field games. These skills will be developed through game-based activities and small group activities. Participation and overall enjoyment will be our goal!

Year 7 Drama: Mrs Joanne Wysel

Mrs Wysel is excited to be offering Drama to our Year 7 students this year. We start off the year learning about the Elements of Drama exploring aspects of a compulsory component of Drama in Stage 4 - playbuilding. Skills learnt in playbuilding are skills for life: collaboration, team building, and problem solving. We discover scripts in Term 2 looking at Ernie's Incredible Illucinations by Ayckbourn building confidence, social and emotional wellbeing and teamwork. In Semester 2, we delve into the history of theatre and finish off a fun year by playing with physical comedy learning from the greats - Monty Python and Mr Bean. Students will have lots of fun in this class whilst learning more about themselves, increasing in confidence, social awareness and empathy.