Design and Technology Update

How wonderful it has been for students and teachers to be reunited with the return to face to face learning this term. The smiles, joy and sheer relief to be back in our everyday daily school routines and in the classroom together have been delightful for us all.

The Design and Technology students have been immersed in a range of practical tasks this term. They have shown so much enthusiasm, passion and commitment to the completion of their work across all Design and Technology learning areas.

VCE

Our Year 12 Food Studies students examined the impact of climate change on food security and the management of land and water to support sustainable futures. Students also undertook an analysis of food fads, trends and diets and the use of food labels.

Year 12 Product Design and Technology Wood students worked tirelessly on the completion of the products they designed earlier in the year. The determination and commitment of the students have resulted in some unique and creative pieces of furniture. We applaud their efforts in what has been a particularly challenging year.

Both our Year 12 Food Studies and Product Design and Technology Wood students are now preparing for their end of year examinations. We wish them all the best.

Our Year 11 Food Studies students have been examining how to plan and manage family meals at home and how to design and adapt recipes to meet specific dietary needs. Students have worked to a design brief to produce a nutritious and high fibre wellness brunch bowl that is nutritious and healthy and promotes the prevention of bowel cancer, Australia’s second deadliest cancer.

Food Studies

Our Year 10 Food Studies students have continued to examine global food security and food sustainability. The mushroom kits that students cared for at home during Distance Learning Mode (DLM) produced an abundance of oyster mushrooms. Students used their homegrown mushroom harvest to create mushroom recipes in response to a design brief. They produced an amazing array of delicious mushroom dishes.

In Year 10 Hospitality, students have been developing their complex practical skills for food preparation and presentation. They recently hosted a delicious and beautifully presented high tea for the college leadership team and also produced sponge cakes from scratch, which were decorated to professional standards.

Our Year 9 Food Studies students have studied food and nutritional needs at various life stages with a focus on their own needs as adolescents. They created nutritious lunchbox snacks as healthy alternatives to store-bought sweet and savoury foods such as healthy homemade energy muffins instead of a high in sugar packet muffin mix.

Year 8 Food Studies students have been cooking up a storm in the kitchen and developing their practical skills producing a range of recipes including Pita Pizzas, Macaroni and Cheese, Fried Rice and Chicken Kebabs.

The students have developed fundamental cooking skills including reading and interpreting recipes, measuring ingredients, using a range of tools and equipment including the oven, grill and stove. They also learned about cleaning up the kitchen, including sanitising all areas at the end of a practical session. The students will develop their baking skills in the final weeks of term, so look out for some delicious Christmas treats coming home to you.

Design and Technology – Wood and Metal

Year 7 Product Design and Technology Wood students have been working with a design brief to create a pop-up flock of birds that highlights the importance of native bird conservation in our local environment while developing essential foundation woodwork practical skills.

Students developed knowledge and skills in the safe use of the jigsaw to cut out their bird using plywood. The beautiful and colourful birds were screwed to a stake and have been placed in the school gardens.

Year 9 and 10 Design and Technology Wood students have been using a combination of square and rectangle-shaped wood materials to produce a small piece of furniture that was designed during DLM.

They have developed knowledge and skills in the safe use of portable power tools and showed incredible motivation and determination to produce high quality and functional products whilst meeting the timelines in their production plans.

Our Year 10 Design and Technology Metal students investigated the characteristics and sustainable properties of various materials. They used their engineering skills to construct dustpans, sheet metal figures and planes from aluminium cans. The result was some amazing creative products from our talented students.

Design and Technology – Fibre

Year 8 Design and Technology Fibre students have been learning how to use a sewing machine and developing their practical skills by creating samplers using a variety of sewing techniques. Cushion designs that students created during DLM are currently being turned into pattern pieces to create a cushion using an applique technique.

In Year 10 Design and Technology Fibre students have designed and created sustainable textiles products using recycled household materials. Students used yarn from recycled t-shirts and left-over traditional yarn, and through learning the technique of patchwork made some very inspiring finished products.

As we near the end of what has been an unforgettable and extraordinary year amid a global pandemic, I would like to thank our outstanding Design and Technology students and teachers who have displayed the utmost commitment and dedication to our curriculum programs.

We achieved so much together as a school community and I would like to thank parents and guardians for the support they provided to their children through DLM. I wish all students and staff a safe and enjoyable time in the final weeks of the school year.