sustainablilty project year 8
In Term 3, the Year 8 students have been researching the Sustainable Development Goals, a United Nations initiative that identified 17 areas that need to be addressed worldwide. The aim of these global goals is "peace and prosperity for people and the planet" – while tackling climate change and working to preserve oceans and forests.
Year 8 students chose a goal and worked in pairs to gain a deep understanding of the issue and the possible solutions, they then worked on devising ways to teach their chosen goal to a younger audience.
On Friday the 25th of September the year 3 & 4 classes came to the sports hall for the first SDG Exhibition. Year 8 students had five minutes to teach their goal in a fun and interactive way to small groups of younger students, at the end of the five minutes the groups moved on to the next goal.
I was so impressed with all of the Year 8 students, they were enthusiastic, caring and managed the questions from the Year 3 and 4 students with ease. When Kindergarten asked to join the fun we said yes and the Year 8 students who had not prepared for an even younger audience took it in stride and maintained the enthusiasm!
At the end of the double period some were exhausted, having gained a first-hand look into how tiring teaching can be! But all agree it was a fun and worthwhile activity, one that they can be very proud of.
- Stefan Hendry, Secondary School Teacher
On the 27th of August, athletes from GISS travelled to Sydney Olympic Park to participate in the IPSHA Athletics Carnival.
Students joined in on track and field events, showing their strength in all areas. With over 1000 participants from across NSW, the GISS team was competitive in their heats, winning several ribbons in the track events.
A special mention to Arelie from Year 4, who made it through to the CIS carnival for 800m and 1500m. Amazing efforts to all participants and looking forward to the day next year!
IPSHA ATHLETICS CARNIVAL
year 10 ib workshop
Am Ende des vergangenen Terms tauchten die ZehntklässlerInnen in einem praxisnahen Workshop in die Welt des IB ein. Dabei setzten sie sich intensiv mit den verschiedenen Fächern und den jeweiligen Voraussetzungen auseinander, um eine individuelle und fundierte Wahl für ihren Einstieg ins IB-Programm im Jahr 2026 zu treffen.
At the end of last term, the Year 10 students immersed themselves in a hands-on workshop exploring the world of the IB. They took a deep dive into the different subjects and their requirements in order to make a well-informed and personalised choice for their start in the IB Diploma Programme in 2026.
Ende Term 3 fand ein dreiwöchiger Schüleraustausch nach Deutschland statt - eine Reise voller neuer Eindrücke, spannender Begegnungen und unvergesslicher Erlebnisse. Die Reise begann in München. Vom berühmten Marienplatz aus erkundete die Gruppe die Altstadt, wagte sich auf die Zugspitze – den höchsten Berg Deutschlands – und machte einen Tagesausflug ins malerische Salzburg in Österreich. Natürlich durfte auch das Probieren bayerischer Spezialitäten nicht fehlen.
Weiter ging es in die Hauptstadt Berlin. Die SchülerInnen besichtigten das Brandenburger Tor, den Reichstag und die farbenfrohe East Side Gallery. Besonders bewegend war der Besuch im Mauermuseum, wo die Gruppe tiefere Einblicke in die Zeit der Teilung Deutschlands erhielt. Viele waren beeindruckt, wie greifbar Geschichte in Berlin wird.
Austausch nach Deutschland
Eines der spannendsten Erlebnisse ihres Aufenthalts war das Fußballspiel zwischen Borussia Dortmund und dem VfL Wolfsburg. Im mit 81.000 Fans gefüllten Stadion erlebten sie die mitreißende Atmosphäre hautnah. Voller Begeisterung feuerten sie den BVB an und waren sich besonders beeindruckt von der legendären Stimmung auf der Südtribüne sowie der riesigen gelb-schwarzen Kulisse.
Nach den aufregenden Tagen in den Großstädten ging es weiter nach Beckum. Hier lebten die SchülerInnen zehn Tage lang bei Gastfamilien – ein echtes Eintauchen in den deutschen Alltag. Die Familien empfingen ihre Gäste mit großer Herzlichkeit. Es wurde zusammen gekocht, gespielt, gelacht und die Umgebung erkundet. Auch der Schulbesuch in Beckum stellte eine spannende Erfahrung dar, da sich der Unterricht und das Schulleben deutlich vom eigenen Heimatland unterschieden.
Am Ende der drei Wochen waren sich alle einig: Der Austausch war ein voller Erfolg. Neue Freundschaften wurden geschlossen, die Deutschkenntnisse verbesserten sich spürbar, und vor allem bekamen unsere SchülerInnen einen echten Einblick in das Leben und die Kultur in Deutschland – aus erster Hand.
student exchange to germany
At the end of Term 3, a three-week student exchange to Germany took place – a journey full of new impressions, exciting encounters, and unforgettable experiences. The trip began in Munich. From the famous Marienplatz, the group explored the old town, ventured up the Zugspitze – Germany’s highest mountain – and took a day trip to the picturesque city of Salzburg in Austria. Of course, sampling Bavarian specialties was a must.
Next, the journey continued to the capital city, Berlin. The students visited the Brandenburg Gate, the Reichstag, and the colorful East Side Gallery. A particularly moving experience was the visit to the Wall Museum, where the group gained deeper insights into the period of Germany's division. Many were impressed by how tangible history feels in Berlin.
One of the most exciting experiences of their stay was the football match between Borussia Dortmund and VfL Wolfsburg. In the stadium filled with 81,000 fans, they experienced the thrilling atmosphere up close. Full of enthusiasm, they cheered for BVB and were especially impressed by the legendary atmosphere in the South Stand as well as the huge yellow-black backdrop.
After the exciting days in the big cities, the journey continued to Beckum. There, the students spent ten days living with host families – a true immersion into everyday life in Germany. The families welcomed their guests warmly. They cooked, played, laughed together, and explored the surroundings. Attending school in Beckum was also an exciting experience, as classes and school life differed significantly from those in their home country.
At the end of the three weeks, everyone agreed: the exchange was a complete success. New friendships were formed, German language skills improved noticeably, and most importantly, our students gained a genuine insight into life and culture in Germany – first-hand.
On Friday 17th October, four GISS students were privileged to attend a special ceremony at the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) celebrating the top achieving students in the ‘Schools Sharemarket Game’.
Year 9 and 10 Social Science students began trading in August, some joined with classmates to create a syndicate, while others chose to trade on their own (while still being a syndicate). Each syndicate started with $50,000 virtual cash with which they are able to buy from 300 ASX-listed companies, 60 ETFs, and 5 LICs. Over the course of 10 weeks, they have made strategic trading decisions based on real-time market conditions, complete with live prices and brokerage fees.
Year 10 student, Neo, climbed to 35th out of the 17,832 syndicates competing from schools all across Australia, raising his portfolio to
around $15,000. As a result of this sensational effort, Neo and three Year 11 GISS students chosen from the IB Economics class were invited to a “Ringing of the bell” ceremony and information session at the ASX in Martin Place.
Australian Securities Exchange Visit
Students from some of the top-ranking syndicates were part of the ceremony, representing a range of Sydney schools, with a group even travelling down from Byron Bay High School.
The Market board was explained to the group before the bell was rung to open the market and then we were treated to a question and answer session from one of the many ASX experts who were on hand with all the answers.
With the knowledge gained we are hopeful to do even better next year in the Schools Sharemarket Game! - Stefan Hendry
In Term 3 in our Drawing & Painting AG, students explored different techniques and materials to express their creativity. They began with detailed pencil drawings of dolphins, focusing on proportions and shading to bring their sketches to life.
Next, they experimented with watercolours to paint vibrant fruit still lifes, learning how to mix colours and create depth through light and shadow. To finish the term, the students used acrylic paints to create stunning jellyfish paintings, capturing the graceful movement and glowing colours of these fascinating sea creatures.
Throughout the term, they developed their patience and confidence in using various painting techniques and produced beautiful artworks to be proud of!
Im dritten Term haben die SchülerInnen der Drawing & Painting AG verschiedene Techniken und Materialien erkundet, um ihre Kreativität auszudrücken. Sie begannen mit detaillierten Bleistiftzeichnungen von Delfinen und konzentrierten sich dabei auf Proportionen und Schattierungen, um ihre Skizzen zum Leben zu erwecken.
Anschließend experimentierten sie mit Aquarellfarben, um lebendige Stillleben von Obst zu malen. Dabei lernten sie, Farben zu mischen und durch Licht und Schatten Tiefe zu erzeugen. Zum Abschluss des Terms verwendeten sie Acrylfarben, um beeindruckende Quallenbilder zu gestalten – sie fingen die anmutige Bewegung und die leuchtenden Farben dieser faszinierenden Meereslebewesen ein.
Im Laufe des Terms entwickelten die SchülerInnen Geduld und Selbstvertrauen im Umgang mit verschiedenen Maltechniken und schufen wunderschöne Kunstwerke, auf die sie stolz sein können!
drawing & painting ag
In Term 3 in our Science and Experiments AG, students worked in small groups researching, planning, and conducting a variety of exciting hands-on experiments to explore how different materials and forces interact.
Throughout the term, our young scientists created colourful lava lamps, launched baking soda and vinegar rockets, and built marshmallow catapults to learn about chemical reactions and forces. They also explored how air can keep a ping pong ball floating on a hair dryer, and investigated fascinating mixtures like oobleck (made of corn starch and water), which is sometimes a solid and sometimes a liquid! Other highlights included making rainbow rain in oil and watching food colouring dance in milk with a drop of dishwashing liquid.
The students showed great curiosity, teamwork, and creativity throughout the term. A wonderful demonstration of how, driven by their own ideas and discoveries, the students find out how fun and exciting science can be! - Caro Toppoff
Im dritten Term haben die SchülerInnen in unserer Science & Experiments AG in kleinen Gruppen gearbeitet, um verschiedene spannende Experimente zu recherchieren, zu planen und durchzuführen, bei denen sie erforschten, wie unterschiedliche Materialien und Kräfte miteinander reagieren.
Im Verlauf des Trimesters haben unsere jungen Wissenschaftler bunte Lavalampe hergestellt, Backpulver-Essig-Raketen gestartet und Marshmallow-Katapulte gebaut, um chemische Reaktionen und Kräfte zu verstehen. Sie haben außerdem erforscht, wie Luft einen Tischtennisball auf einem Haartrockner schweben lassen kann, und faszinierende Mischungen wie Oobleck (aus Maisstärke und Wasser) untersucht, das manchmal fest und manchmal flüssig ist! Weitere Highlights waren das Herstellen von Regenbogenregen in Öl und das Beobachten, wie sich Lebensmittelfarbe mit einem Tropfen Spülmittel in Milch bewegt.
Die SchülerInnen zeigten während des gesamten Trimesters große Neugier, Teamgeist und Kreativität. Ein wunderbares Beispiel dafür, wie die Kinder durch ihre eigenen Ideen und Entdeckungen herausfinden, wie spannend und spaßig Wissenschaft sein kann!
Katapult
Regenbogenschauer
Oobleck
Lava lamp