In the Central Study Communication Systems some of the students have started by looking at the structure and naming conventions of organic compounds. This is part of our learning around the nervous and endocrine systems, which are the chief communication systems in our bodies and rely on a range of complex organic molecules (for example, hormones) and can be impacted by a range of drugs and toxins (for example, caffeine).
This is culminating in a distillation investigation, where students separate a mix of compounds based on distillation, with the product tested to determine purity. This has required students to learn new vocabulary, lab skills and a range of naming rules and conventions and apply them. It has been amazing to see high levels of resilience and collaboration as students work to consolidate these understandings.
Students working on the other side of Communication Systems will start the organic chemistry in Term 2. These students have commenced the year by exploring how humans communicate via drama. Our focus is the Shakespearean play Macbeth, we are currently watching the Joel Coen version of the play before moving into close reading and interpretation activities that highlight the relevance of the play’s themes to modern audiences.
