What’s Been Happening in RE?

June 3, 2022

The shared vision of the Religious Education team is to provide an engaging, relevant and rigorous curriculum that enables students to gain knowledge of Gospel values and the teachings and practices of the Catholic Church so that they can find their place in the narrative of Christ’s story.

Head of Religious Education Melissa Trolio said, “We are blessed to have a dedicated RE team who are passionate and committed to instilling a love of learning in our students about faith and partnering that with what mercy looks like, sounds like and feels like.”

While the Years 11 and 12 students are away for exams and Workplace Learning, students in Religious Education in Years 7-10 have been focussing on the following content.

Year 7

Who was Jesus? Our Year 7 students have been immersed in the world and person of Jesus. They have been exploring how Jesus can mean different things to different people and that each person’s relationship with Jesus is deeply personal. Students have been challenged geographically and politically to investigate the impact of the Roman Occupation on the Jews in Palestine. Over the past week, as journalists, students presented newspaper articles using evidence from various sources to prove that Jesus was a historical figure.

Year 8

In Year 8, students have been introduced to different types of truth – theological and scientific. They were asked to consider the wonders of creation and were challenged to explain the importance of Catholicism’s two creation stories as described in the book of Genesis. Students have recently had an opportunity to explore the harmonious state in which God made the world known as ‘God’s State of Original Justice’. Year 8s have also been studying how the biblical story of the Fall demonstrates how God’s original harmony was damaged. Students were asked to create a symbolic tree of knowledge. Their artistic representations reflected examples of good and evil in today’s world. Students will now investigate how Catholics are called to be stewards of creation and reflect on Pope Francis’ call to listen to the cry of the earth and the poor.

Year 9

Have you ever wondered how the Bible was written and composed? In Year 9, students have been investigating how the Holy Spirit inspired the writing and editing of the Bible. The Bible is written in literary forms to reach different audiences to tell people truths about God throughout history. By identifying important people, events and issues in the Old Testament, students have been able to summarise the development of the Bible related to one of seven key stages of development. This week students will present their findings to their peers in engaging and creative ways.

Year 10

Did you know that a vocation is the life-calling of every person and is created in everyone by God? In Year 10, students understand that work participates in God’s creative activity. They have been presented with opportunities to explore a variety of vocations and lifestyles, including single life, marriage, priesthood and consecrated religious life. Students have also been provided with opportunities to demonstrate their writing skills to communicate their responses effectively.

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Author: Santa Maria College
Santa Maria College is a vibrant girls school with a growing local presence and reputation. Our Mission is to educate young Mercy women who act with courage and compassion to enrich our world. Santa Maria College is located in Attadale in Western Australia, 16 km from the Perth CBD. We offer a Catholic education for girls in Years 5 – 12 and have 1300 students, including 152 boarders.