Please check out the BIS Campus Newsletter. This edition is a collaborative effort from our educators: Liliia from EYFS, Matthew from the Primary School, Mpho Maphalle from the Secondary School, and Edward, our Music teacher. We extend our gratitude to these dedicated teachers for their hard work in crafting this edition, allowing us to delve into the fascinating stories of our BIS campus.
From
Liliia Sagidova
EYFS Homeroom Teacher
In pre nursery, we've been working on colors, fruits, and opposites.
The kids have been doing lots of activities related to this theme, like decorating numbers, learning new songs, counting things around the school, counting with blocks and other stuff they can find in class.
We've also been practicing talking a lot, and the kids are getting really confident. We've been really good at being nice to each other and learning how to say "Yes, please", "No, thank you", "Help me please".
I create new activities on a daily basis to give children different experiences and different feelings.
For example, during our lesson time, I often encourage children to sing, play active games where children can learn new vocabulary while having fun.
Recently, we have been using interactive touchscreen games and children are loving it. I love watching my babies grow and develop day by day! Great work Pre Nursery!
From
Matthew Feist-Paz
Primary School Homeroom Teacher
This term, year 5 have covered lots of fascinating content across the curriculum, however as a teacher I am most pleased with the progress and adaptability of students during our English classes. We have been heavily focused on reviewing lots of basic English skills and building a repertoire of vocabulary and grammar. We have been working hard for the past 9 weeks completing a structured writing piece based on the fairy-tale “The Happy Prince”.
Our structured writing classes normally go as follows: Watch/read/listen to a segment of the story, we discuss ideas how to rewrite/retell that div of the story, students come up with their own vocabulary, I give them some examples to make note of, and then finally students write a sentence following an example sentence stem I write on the board (then verbal feedback is given).
Each child is pushed to be as creative and adapt as much as they can. For some students it can prove challenging due to their limited vocabulary and knowledge of English, but each lesson they are still learning new words and at the very least adapting the sentences to new words of phrases from the lesson.
For the challenge students they will attempt to add more information and deepen the moment correct grammar and spelling. It is clear that year 5 students love a good story and a captivating tale certainly helps to keep them engaged.
Writing is a process and although we have made good progress with our structured writing there is still lots to learn and practice about error correction and improving our writing.
This week, students have put all of what they have learned so far into an independent writing piece loosely based on the original story. The students will all agree that they need to be more descriptive and include more adjectives, which I am pleased to see them working hard to do and showing a great commitment to writing a good story. Please see some students’ examples of their writing process below. Who knows maybe one of them could be the next fiction bestseller!
BIS Year 5 Students' works
From
Mpho Maphalle
Secondary Science Teacher
The practical experiment of testing a leaf for starch production holds great educational value for students. By engaging in this experiment, students gain a deeper understanding of the process of photosynthesis and the role of starch as an energy storage molecule in plants.
The practical experiment provides students with a hands-on learning experience that goes beyond theoretical knowledge. By actively participating in this experiment, students were able to observe and understand the process of starch production in leaves, making the concept more tangible and relatable to them.
The experiment helps with the Reinforcement of Photosynthesis Concept,which is a fundamental process in plant biology. Students are able to connect the dots between light energy absorption, carbon dioxide uptake, and the production of glucose, which is subsequently converted into starch for storage. This experiment allows students to witness the outcome of photosynthesis directly.
Students were excited at the end of the experiment when they saw the chlorophyll (which is the green pigment in the leaves ) coming out from the leaves, The practical experiment of testing a leaf for starch production offers students a valuable learning experience.
It reinforces the concept of photosynthesis, enhances understanding of starch as an energy storage molecule, promotes the application of the scientific method, develops laboratory techniques, and encourages curiosity and inquiry. By engaging in this experiment, students gained a deeper appreciation for the intricate processes occurring within plants and the importance of starch in sustaining life.
From
Edward Jiang
Music Teacher
There's a lot happening in music class at our school this month! Our kindergarten students are working on developing their sense of rhythm. They've been practicing with drums and learning fun songs with dance moves. It's been great to see their enthusiasm and how focused they are as they pat out beats and move to the music. The students are definitely improving their rhythm skills through these engaging activities.
In the primary grades, students are learning about music theory and instrumental skills through the Cambridge Curriculum. They've been introduced to concepts like melody, harmony, tempo, and rhythm. The students are also getting hands-on experience with guitars, bass, violin and other instruments as part of their lessons. It's exciting to see them light up as they create their own music.
Our secondary students have been diligently rehearsing a drum performance that they will present at the kindergarten fantasy party at the end of the month. They've choreographed an energetic routine that will showcase their drumming talents. Their hard work is evident in how tight their performance is sounding. The kindergarteners will love seeing the complex rhythms and choreography the older students have put together.
It's been an action-packed month in music class so far! The students are building important skills while also having fun with singing, dancing, and playing instruments. We're looking forward to seeing more creative musical endeavors from students of all grade levels as the school year continues.
