HUMANITIES

TERM 2 COMMERCE LEGAL STUDIES MOCK COURT EXCURSION

In week 1 of term 2, the Year 10 Commerce classes went on a mock court excursion to the Old Melbourne Gaol for our Legal Studies unit. During the excursion, we had to re-enact a plea hearing based on the case of Kim Tran, a 19-year-old charged with culpable driving. 

We were quickly briefed with a short video showing the culpable driving event. We were then assigned different characters in the plea hearing including the defendant, tipstaff, judge, prosecuting counsel, defending counsel, witnesses, testimonials and public galleries. 

We were given scripts to read, and act based on the events that happened in the courtroom. We learnt about the processes in the Supreme Court, the application of criminal law in our legal system and the specific plea hearing processes including mitigating factors that help determine the final sentence of a defendant.

This was one of the most enjoyable experiences so far in Year 10 Commerce, as it was so immersive and interesting to re-enact an actual plea hearing. We learnt a lot from this excursion, and personally, my favourite part was being the judge. I was able to bang the gavel and order everyone to be quiet!

Thanks to the Commerce teachers, for initiating the excursion, and thanks to the staff at Old Melbourne Gaol!

Sophie Yu

Year 10 Student

YEAR 10 HISTORY EXCURSION TO THE MELBOURNE HOLOCAUST MUSEUM - END OF TERM 1

On both Friday 22 and Tuesday 26 March, our Year 10 history classes headed to the Melbourne Holocaust Museum in Elsternwick. We were greeted by many amazing people who helped broaden our knowledge of the Holocaust. We first sat down together and listened to an introduction to the course and reasons for the Holocaust such as that the Germans were antisemitic, used propaganda, and were extremely nationalistic. 

Then, we examined some primary sources that allowed us to explore the different phases of the Holocaust like dehumanisation, discrimination, resistance and return to life. My group was given letters that were written towards Jewish people by their employers. Jews were given these dismissal letters because they were discriminated against and their working rights and their jobs were taken away, even though they were good at their jobs, because they were Jewish. Each group shared the insights that they had gained through the study of these primary sources.

Afterward, we could explore the museum and ask about anything we were unsure of. Lastly, we listened to a Holocaust survivor named Joe Szwarcberg who shared his experience. Joe was born in 1930 in Kozienice, Poland, being the youngest of six children. He faced many struggles, having to forage for food to stay alive and even witnessing the death of family members. At the age of 15, Joe was finally reunited with his sisters who survived and continued to live a happy life in Australia. In the end, he said, “Australia is the best country.” 

Overall, it was a wonderful experience, and I am beyond grateful to have been able to hear from Joe as a survivor of the Holocaust and have this experience.

Angelina Kaminsky

Year 10 Student