Grade 6 (Mr. Ryan Stienberg)

During this week, the grade 6s have been working on their final summative assessment of unit 1 - Short Stories. To successfully complete the assessment, learners are required to choose a genre, and utilize the conventions and style of the genre to create a short story. Their stories need to demonstrate coherence, creative engagement and accurate use of language.

Grade 7 (Mr. Ryan Stienberg)

During this week, the grade 7s have been working on their final summative assessment of unit 1 - Myths and Legends. To successfully complete the assessment, learners are required to write a creation myth, heroic myth, or legend that is based in a specific culture of their choosing, and utilize the conventions and style of the genre. Their stories need to demonstrate coherence, creative engagement and accurate use of language.

Grade 8 (Mr. Ryan Stienberg)

The grade 8s have been working on their final summative assessment of unit 1 - Science-fiction. To successfully complete the assessment, learners are required to write a short science-fiction story by utilizing the conventions and style of the genre to create the short story. Their stories need to demonstrate coherence, creative engagement and accurate use of language.

Grade 9 (Mr. Ryan Stienberg & Mr. Turvey)

During this week, the grade 9s have been working on their final summative assessment of unit 1 - Film Studies. To successfully complete the assessment, learners are required to choose a genre, and utilize the conventions and style of the genre to write a film script. Their film scripts need to demonstrate proper structure, coherence, creative engagement, and accurate use of language.

Grade 10 ( Mr. Miller & Mr. Turnbull)

The week commenced with a class discussion on the summative task for the new unit, providing students with an opportunity to contribute their ideas towards its creation. Engaging in a dynamic conversation, the class delved into the realms of emerging technology, the internet, and artificial intelligence, exploring their profound influences on our cultures, behaviors, and society at large. To encapsulate their viewpoints on the present-day role of technology in our world, students penned concise reflections. Additionally, on Thursday, the class partook in book talks, fostering a platform for students to share their individual reading encounters and insights with one another.

Grade 11 (Mr. Turnbull)

The class has embarked on their exploration of Haruki Murakami's Norwegian Wood, their second literary text. They delved into the historical context surrounding the novel, familiarizing themselves with the author and the significant impact this work has had. Two major themes, nostalgia and mental health, were introduced to the students, serving as focal points for their analysis. Engaging in vibrant discussions, the class shared their thoughts and opinions on the first two chapters of the novel. Furthermore, students were allotted time to develop their mini individual oral presentations, which will serve as a scaled-down replication of the Internal Assessment (IA) task.

Grade 12 (Mr. Turnbull)

The Higher Level students commenced their exploration of their final literary text, The Vegetarian by Han Kang. They engaged in in-depth discussions focused on the first chapter of the novel, sharing their insights and responding to a range of thought-provoking discussion questions. In preparation for Paper #2, the class dedicated time to crafting comprehensive study guides, encompassing the essential overarching literary elements of the texts. These study guides will be evaluated and further developed, ensuring that students acquire and retain the necessary knowledge for Paper #2. Unfortunately, the class missed their block period on Friday due to parent-teacher interviews.

Grade 6 German (Mr. Robert Jordan)

This week for our animation unit we had the topic of storyboarding and video game animation for our animation unit. Students received the animation summative and started working on it. The summative is a group project with 1. developing an animated product and 2. a presentation of this product reflecting on the creative process and the principles of animation.

Grade 7 German (Mr. Robert Jordan)

This week for our literature studies unit we enthusiastically discussed matters regarding authorship and the use of ChatGPT with all its possibilities and limitations for writing texts. We also had the topics of citation for character analysis, Gesellschaftsroman, the thriller Die Therapie (in book vs. movie trailer), problems regarding journalism and politics in practice in general and a quiz about german specialities.

Grade 8 German (Mr.Sebastian Adler)

In the first week of our Literature Study unit, MYP Grade 8 students embarked on an exciting literary journey. They were introduced to the course's objectives and expectations, explored the diverse world of literary genres, delved into the essential elements of plot and setting, and initiated an in-depth exploration of character development. Through engaging activities and discussions, students gained a foundational understanding of literary concepts, setting the stage for a rich and immersive exploration of literature in the weeks to come.

Grade 9 German (Mr. Robert Jordan)

This week we discussed the topic of good and bad dialogue (in movies and video games) and Mary Sue characters in movies as well as video game adaptations and storyboarding (especially for animation) in movies. We also discussed movies like Barry Lyndon, the seven samurai, Lalo from Better call Saul and the new into the panderverse. We finished our movie studies unit and started with our oratory unit including introducing first relevant terms.

Grade 10 German (Mr. Sebastian Adler)

In the first week of our "Media" unit, we embarked on an exciting journey into the realm of television, film, and audio. We delved into the power of visual storytelling, understanding the elements that make them compelling. From analyzing iconic TV shows to exploring the art of film, we uncovered the nuances of media production. Additionally, we learned to critically evaluate media messages and their societal impact, setting a strong foundation for the weeks to come.

Grade 12 German (Mr. Sebastian Adler)

In the first week of the "German Essays" unit, Grade 12 IB DP students delved into the fundamentals of essay writing. They explored the essay genre's characteristics, structure, and the importance of strong introductions. Through classroom discussions and sample essays, they gained insights into the art of crafting engaging and clear opening statements. This initial week laid a solid foundation for their journey towards becoming proficient German essay writers.

Grade 10 Korean (Ms. Claire Kim)

In the MYP Year 5 Korean Language and Literature class, students delved into the intricacies of narrative writing through an essay by Lee Kiju. They examined a narrative writing sample derived from a straightforward news article, exploring its structure and techniques. In parallel, the Grade 10 students engaged in a comprehensive lesson on crafting a lesson plan for their upcoming summative task, which involves a flipped classroom approach. They recognized the lesson plan as a distinct text type and discussed the potential for creativity within its framework. In a collaborative setting, they will convene to seek advice and inspiration from their peers, fostering a supportive environment for the refinement of their ideas.

Grade 11 Korean (Ms. Claire Kim)

In DP Year 1 Korean A: Language and Literature, students recently delved into their third text, "Journalism talk show J," specifically focusing on the "Jeju Refugee situation" and exploring the themes of stereotypes, bias, and discrimination. Through the analysis of this journalism talk show episode on KBS, titled "Refugee issues in Korea," students gained a comprehensive understanding of media-related topics from both receptive and productive perspectives. As students now shift their focus to analytical writing, we have emphasized the importance of constructing arguments, employing reason, logic, and analysis supported by sound evidence and appropriate foundations. Looking ahead, our Grade 11 students will organize their thoughts on the Refugee report as a framing issue and commence their preparations for the practice Individual Oral (IO) assessment, drawing upon the insights gained from these non-literary texts.

Grade 12 Korean (Ms. Claire Kim)

In DP Year 2 Korean Language and Literature, students have been engaged in a comprehensive analysis of the literary work "Trip to Mujin" by Seungok Kim. The Grade 12 students have actively discussed and explored various symbolic materials within the text, such as operatic arias versus popular songs, telegrams versus mail, and the contrasting settings of Mujin and Seoul. To further enhance their understanding, students have delved into the historical context of 1960s Seoul, Korea, providing a deeper appreciation for the literary work. Meanwhile, the Grade 11 students have completed their close reading of "Mujingihaeng" and are currently engaged in follow-up writing activities. Looking ahead, the Grade 12 students will have the opportunity to practice Paper 1, refining their skills in literary analysis. Additionally, they will commence the study of Kim SeungOk's next work, "[Seoul, 1964, Winter]," in the upcoming week, further enriching their literary exploration.

G1 Beginner EAL - Tom Wickham

We continue to focus on building CVCs/CCVCs/CCVCCs and using the magic e. Introduced sight words: go, no, so, my, one. Continue to review previous sight words. Most students have a strong and consistent grasp of CVC construction at this point. Reading with decodables independently will be emphasised moving forward to encourage students to focus and take their time. Digraphs have and will continue to be a key focus during word construction. Building vocabulary will also be something we work on moving forward.

G1 Intermediate EAL - Hercus Theron

This week, the grade 1 students continued learning about phonics. We reviewed the short vowel sound ‘u’. We built CVC words using the vowel sound and identified the sound in other words. We also learned about prepositions and used them to describe where an item (Noun) is placed. We also played some fun Halloween games and learned some new vocabulary. Next week, we continue with our short vowel sounds and CVC words. We will also look at more ways to we can support “nouns” when building sentences.

G2 Beginner EAL - Tom Wickham

In Grade 2 this week, we’ve continued with blends focusing on TH in particular, as it seems a difficult sound for many of the students to make. Due to student absences I have returned to reviewing vowels, vowel and consonant recognition and CVC construction. Introduced sight words: go, no, so, my, one. Vocabulary will be a key focus as we move forward as many students are keen to build and use real rather than nonsensical words. Some students' reading and speaking ability is significantly improved although some students will require further review of things covered so far.

G2 Intermediate EAL - Hercus Theron

The grade 2 students this week continued to learn about “l” blends. Next week, we will review both the ‘r’ and ‘l’ blends we have learned. We also continued with adjectives and also briefly reviewed prepositions. There were some fun Halloween activities and the students learned some spooky new vocabulary words. Next, we will start to look at sentence structures with some writing activities. 

G2 Intermediate EAL - Chris Marionni

In Mr. Marionni’s G2 Intermediate EAL, students read the short story “Ian Makes Dad a Birthday Cake”, discussed the story in detail, answered story questions (both verbally and in writing), and focused on story vocabulary using visuals. On Wednesday, students focused on adjectives and practiced finding adjectives in sentences and also adding adjectives to sentences to make them more descriptive. On Thursday, students focused on writing; this week, students completed sentences in a paragraph about their birthday cake of choice – most cakes were delicious, one was ice cream, and another was even spooky! At the end of class on Thursday, students played a vocabulary game where reading and listening skills were also a focus.

G3 Beginner EAL - Tom Wickham

Library visits continue to be an effective tool both with encouraging students to challenge themselves with reading and to build vocabulary with their reading journal. Due to differences in student knowledge it can be challenging to cover relevant areas of review effectively so more differentiated work will be done moving forward when possible. We’ve begun work on prepositions and once again, physical activities proved effective in helping students memorise words and phrases. Worksheets and particularly reading comprehensions have proved very effective with these students and will be implemented more in the future.

G3 Intermediate EAL - Hercus Theron

The Grade 3 students this week continued to learn about the different parts of speech. We focused on ways to support our nouns. Like using adjectives, and prepositions to help us understand more about our chosen nouns. We also played some fun Halloween activities and read some spooky stories. Students also did a short writing activity. We will continue to work on our writing in the coming weeks, while also building on our grammar, vocabulary, and comprehension skills.

G4 & G5 Beginner EAL - Tom Wickham

Noticeable improvement in speaking ability and listening comprehension in some students who struggled earlier in the year. The library visits and reading journals have become an effective tool in building vocabulary for these students. An emphasis on explicitly building vocabulary through word games like scattergories has been implemented and will continue to be a regular class activity. Although students do reasonably well with the books they have chosen, decodables still prove to be a necessity for some students. Moving forward, we will try to use levelled books in class so that despite differences in ability, students can all take part in the same reading comprehension activities.

G4 & G5 Intermediate EAL - Hercus Theron

The students this week continued learning about ways to write better sentences. We reviewed our parts of speech and focused on supporting our nouns with good adjectives, pronouns, and prepositions. We used the sandwich/burger approach to construct our story paragraphs and looked at ways to avoid paraphrasing when writing stories. We also found time to have some Halloween fun. We read spooky stories and played some scary word games.

G4 & G5 Intermediate EAL - Chris Marionni

In Mr. Marionni’s G4 & G5 Intermediate EAL, students read the short story “Brotherly Love”, discussed the story in detail, answered story questions (both verbally and in writing), and focused on story vocabulary using visuals. On Wednesday, students focused on regular past tense verbs and then used IXL for extended application of the four regular past tense verb rules. On Thursday, students completed a one-paragraph writing assignment connected to the short story and grammar focus of the week. At the end of class on Thursday, students played a vocabulary game where reading and listening skills were also a focus.

G6 & G7 EAL - Richard McNamara

In G6 EAL, according to the results of the I&S summative exam and presentations, students used IXL to follow customized writing and punctuation guidelines while focusing on improving their understanding of the properties of light. Two combined G6/G7 social-emotional learning (SEL) workshops were also given on Monday and Tuesday afternoon. Along with updating their individual IXL diagnostic and class leaderboard scores, they also updated their vocabulary notebooks in preparation for an I&S vocabulary spelling test at the end of the week. Two combined G6/G7 social-emotional learning (SEL) workshops were also given on Monday and Tuesday afternoons.

G8 & G9 EAL - Anuschka Etsebeth

In G8 EAL, we began this week by ensuring that students submitted their research questions for I&S on Managebac after first reviewing their work. Reading is an important aspect of helping students improve and comprehend their work. Students were required to write words related to Halloween on a pumpkin, and then read a sentence from the board and provide the proper word. In G9 EAL, how to capture a reader's interest! Students were given the topic of taking care of pets and encouraged to practice writing a hook using a quotation, question, fact, or number. We then went on where they had to rewrite a paragraph. We concentrated on how to use synonyms, rearrange the structure, and simplify a paragraph. We sought to create an atmosphere by engaging in a class vocabulary activity on Halloween. Students were required to write words related to Halloween on a pumpkin, and then read a sentence from the board and provide the proper word. The first student to correctly spell and answer the question received candy.

G10 EAL - Ayana Najuma

In Ms. Najuma's grade 10 EAL class, students delved into a fresh vocabulary root, "grad" and "gress," encountering the words repeatedly through word sorting, pictorial vocabulary review, and a crossword puzzle. They also began honing their skill of identifying facts and supporting details, which builds on their prior work of identifying the main idea. Next week, students will continue to engage in activities with the new vocabulary and complete their work with facts and supporting details.