Grade 6 (Mr. Ryan Stienberg)

During this week, the grade 6s researched effective public speaking techniques and gave an interactive presentation on their findings; educating their peers on the techniques they found. Thereafter, they viewed a multimodal text, analyzed it in order to establish the effective speaking techniques used, and shared their findings with their peers. The students then created a short speech revolving around climate change, and presented it to the class using the techniques they have learned about. After watching each presentation, the learners provided constructive feedback to their peers. We ended the week by visiting the book fair and participating in reading buddies; an activity wherein learners had the opportunity to read to learners in PYP.

Grade 7 (Mr. Ryan Stienberg)

During this week, the grade 7s were introduced to the diverse aspects of the advertising process. The learners were educated on the different elements within a brief, and thereafter, were required to create a brief for a brand of their choice and present it to the class. We then explored concepts within advertising; the engine of the advertisement. Thereafter, the students were provided with one of the briefs previously presented, and were required to develop a concept for the brief. We ended the week by visiting the book fair and participating in reading buddies; an activity wherein learners had the opportunity to read to learners in PYP.

Grade 8 (Mr. Ryan Stienberg)

During this week, the grade 8s continued exploring the diverse structures of poetry. The students learned about, read, wrote and analyzed a Haiku, Acrostic, Sestina and concrete poem. In doing so, the learners practiced their critical and creative thinking skills. We ended the week by visiting the book fair and participating in reading buddies; an activity wherein learners had the opportunity to read to learners in PYP.

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

During this week, the grade 9s had the opportunity to collaboratively create their own community; focusing on aspects such as class systems, beliefs, values, customs, education, environment, social justice and healthcare. Thereafter, they were required to establish a problem within their community and three solutions; allowing them to think more critically about leadership, global issues and change. The students then gave a speech to the class; their community. After each speech, constructive feedback was provided in order for the learners to understand their areas of strength and growth. We ended the week by visiting the book fair and participating in reading buddies; an activity wherein learners had the opportunity to read to learners in PYP.

Grade 10 ( Mr. Miller & Mr. Turnbull)

The grade 10 English Language and Literature class continued their unit on digital landscapes. This week, students were introduced to the various ATLs that they were developing throughout the unit. The class used an image as a source of inspiration to practice the ATL of creating a new work by using an existing work in different ways. They also practiced forming factual, conceptual and debatable questions in order to decipher meaning from visual texts. The class had time to continue developing their summative task and presented an elevator pitch, a brief presentation that explained their overall idea and concept for their online brand. The class visited the grade 4 PYP classrooms to participate in the reading buddies activity on Friday.

Grade 11 (Mr. Turnbull)

Grade 11 students recorded their mini individual oral assessments. They analyzed The Road and a non-literary text in connection to a global issue and presented their arguments as an oral presentation. This was a major summative task and students put a great deal of effort into developing perceptive and justified interpretations of the texts. On Friday, students were introduced to the expectations of Paper #2. They participated in an activity where they compared and contrasted two different songs and practiced creating an outline for a comparative essay based on their interpretations.

Grade 12 (Mr. Turnbull)

To start the week, Higher Level students analyzed and discussed the second chapter of The Vegetarian by Han Kang. They discussed the use of symbolism, connections to global issues and developed a richer understanding of the text. Students revisited their global issues for their IA and participated in a learning experience that had them look at the various factors for why their global issue exists. Students learned about denotation and connotation and applied their understanding of these concepts to analyzing images. Students did an independant image analysis and shared their findings with the class.

Grade 6 German (Mr. Robert Jordan)

This week the students continued to work on their projects. The new students worked on a roblox modification, while the old students continued to work with RPG makers by working on the stats of Monsters, weapon drops, designing of buildings etc. Also a basic hierarchy of some game development tools was explained including examples for recent bad and good games.

Grade 7 German (Mr. Robert Jordan)

This week we studied movies (parts of 2 different filmic versions of Heidi, Die unendliche Geschichte) to the literature we read in previous weeks and reflected on what we have learned in this unit in the previous weeks by doing group work by using posters and other tools. Students partly also tried to give each other feedback.

Grade 8 German (Mr.Sebastian Adler)

During the third week of our Literature Study, Grade 8 students took charge of their learning journey. They delved into the nuances of character development, distinguishing between round and flat characters, and dynamic and static ones. Student agency was highlighted through group discussions, where they explored character relationships and the impact of character choices on plot progression. This week empowered students to analyze characters in-depth, fostering a sense of ownership in understanding the intricacies of literature and its thematic elements.

Grade 9 German (Mr. Robert Jordan)

This week we studied strategies that commercials/advertisers are using to manipulate customers to buy their products. We also listened to various speeches like Ich bin ein Berliner. On wednesday we discussed the view of Buechner on the social class system and spoke about the poem Die Kloeppnerinnen. On Thursday and Friday students had time to work on their summative (see previous weeks).

Grade 10 German (Mr. Sebastian Adler)

In the dynamic third week of our "Media" unit, students took the reins in exploring the television landscape of the 1990s. Engaging with enthusiasm, they investigated the German context, examining the impact of cable TV and discussing popular shows. Empowered with agency, students conducted comparative analyses of US and German television influences, fostering insightful discussions. With interactive elements like debates and research projects, students actively shaped their learning, gaining a deeper understanding of the cultural nuances that shaped television narratives in this transformative decade.

Grade 12 German A (Mr. Sebastian Adler)

During the third week of the "German Essays" unit, Grade 12 IB DP students actively honed their writing prowess. Engaging in lessons on transitions and cohesion, they incorporated peer feedback to enhance their essays. Emphasizing self-reflection, students independently identified and rectified common pitfalls, ensuring a more polished writing style. The week concluded with a collaborative effort in providing constructive feedback on each other's work, fostering a sense of ownership and camaraderie in refining their essay-writing skills. The students demonstrated increasing autonomy in their journey toward becoming adept German essay writers.

Grade 10 Korean (Ms. Claire Kim)

This week, our G10 Korean Language and Literature students showcased their impressive abilities through a summative presentation. Following the flipped classroom approach, the students took on the role of instructors, delivering a teaching session on a literary work by Pi Chundeuk. The aim was to demonstrate their comprehension and interpretation of the concepts covered in Unit 1. Our G10 students exhibited exceptional proficiency in their presentations, highlighting their comprehensive understanding of the subject matter. Through their teaching classes, they effectively conveyed their knowledge of Pi Chundeuk's literary work, showcasing their analytical skills and critical thinking abilities. Our G10 students will have started new unit 2. Poetry and Yun Dongju next week.

Grade 11 Korean (Ms. Claire Kim)

DP Year 1 Korean Language and Literature students engaged in a mini IO (Individual Oral) assessment, focusing on a global issue derived from non-literary texts for Unit 1. The purpose of this assessment was to develop an outline for a related non-literary oral presentation. Each student was allotted a maximum of 6 minutes for their assessment, followed by peer assessment using an IO checklist. Half of the students successfully completed their mini IO assessments, impressing us with their comprehension of the global issue and their adeptness in presenting their ideas. Their ability to articulate the connection between the literary work and the chosen non-literary text highlighted their analytical skills and critical thinking abilities. In the upcoming week, we anticipate the completion of the mini IO assessments for the remaining students. Also, our G11 students will start studying a new literary unit, Park Jiwon’s novel, next week.

Grade 12 Korean (Ms. Claire Kim)

DP year 2 Korean Language and Literature had engaged in a comprehensive study of the literary work "Seoul, Winter 1964" by Seungok Kim. During our discussions, we focused on key elements within the story to unravel its deeper meaning. Students delved into the theme of anonymity and how it played a role in the narrative, prompting students to analyze the impact of identity and its absence. Also, G12 students explored the contrasting values of the characters, providing a rich ground for discussions on diverse perspectives and their implications within the story. Symbolic expressions throughout the work, particularly in the climax, falling action, and resolution divs, were also examined, leading to insightful interpretations and analyses. Also, G12 Korean A students embarked on a new work by Kim Seungok titled "Understanding My Sister." The students engaged in close reading and utilized thought-provoking questions to guide their approach and enhance their understanding of the work. G12 students will finish studying the work next week.

G1 Beginner EAL - Tom Wickham

Work on diagraphs continues. Students have responded well to exercises that involve challenging or unfamiliar vocabulary such as (magpie, gong, jumper). Resources from twinkl.com that include British English vocabulary can often be a source of discussion and seem effective in aiding vocabulary building. Very noticeable improvement in ability from some students. Group reading exercises using decodables from Reading A-Z have proven effective. The structure of boarding the day’s digraph and topic followed by a discussion and then an exercise, followed by a relevant video to review the digraph and finished with a relevant decodable has proven to be a reliable strategy.

G1 Intermediate EAL - Hercus Theron

This week, students got to experience the Book Fair and choose some books that they like. It was very interesting to see what kinds of books each student liked. I hope the books they chose will inspire them to read even more. During class time, we reviewed some of the sight words that we will be using in our writing activities in the weeks to come. At the end of the week, we had a visit from the MYP students as part of the reading buddies initiative. Students got to read a book with an MYP student. A great experience that hopefully encourages the students to continue reading at home.

G2 Beginner EAL - Tom Wickham

Review of digraphs with some students has proven necessary. Question words are regularly reviewed and sight word practice now includes sentence building with associated sight words. This has been very successful and students have proved capable. A similar lesson structure that begins with boarding and discussing key elements followed immediately by a written exercise and then a relevant video has shown itself to be a very efficient use of time. This has improved the speed at which students complete written exercises correctly which has allowed more time to end the class with a decodable reader (either as a class or reading alone with one-on-one support).

G2 Intermediate EAL - Hercus Theron

As part of our preparations for their upcoming WIDA tests, we reviewed a few sight words that we encounter on a regular basis. We continued to work on using simple sentence structures. We also practiced reading and listening comprehension. Students this week got to visit the Book Fair and I am excited to hear about the books that they chose to get. There was also a visit on Friday from the MYP students as part of the Reading Buddies initiative. I hope this week has inspired the students to read more at home.

G2 Intermediate EAL - Chris Marionni

In Mr. Marionni’s G2 Intermediate EAL, students read the short story “Emma’s New Lunch Box”, discussed the story in detail, answered story questions (both verbally and in writing), and focused on story vocabulary using visuals. Students also reviewed the four regular past tense verb rules. On Thursday, students did a great job deciding on their favorite lunch box, choosing what items would go in their lunch box, and also selecting the 3 best adjectives to describe their lunch box. Items in lunch boxes ranged from Nutella to popcorn – 1 student even included chorus fruit from Minecraft! On Friday, students played a vocabulary game which focused on adjectives and nouns; reading and listening skills were also a focus.

G3 Beginner EAL - Tom Wickham

This week, we continued to review adverbs through discussion and through dedicated reading exercises to build adverb vocabulary. Then, using this vocabulary we added to our existing verb charades game by including adverbs. Reading comprehension exercises that conclude in writing exercises continue to prove effective in generating writing from students. This week: ‘the three snowmen.’ Use of IXL to teach and cooperatively practise grammar rules has been effective and will be used more regularly in this way. Additionally, synonyms and antonyms were discussed and a vocabulary of associated words collectively built. Students are showing improvement but more explicit reviewing and reinforcing of grammar rules will be implemented moving forward as students respond well to exercises that involve these rules being clearly outlined on the board.

G3 Intermediate EAL - Hercus Theron

The grade 3 students on Monday reviewed the words ‘this’, ‘that’, ‘these’, and ‘those’. We then remembered the differences between ‘their’, ‘they're’, and ‘there’. On Thursday, students practiced their listening skills with a few short stories and comprehension questions. On Friday, we practiced reading and speaking with a ‘story retell’ activity. Students this week also had an opportunity to visit the book fair and get some fun and interesting books they like. They also got a visit from the MYP students as part of the reading buddies initiative.

G4 & G5 Beginner EAL - Tom Wickham

Grade 4&5’s have responded well to IXL as a tool to review key grammar rules. Class focus has proved a challenge as changing language ability is quickly shifting dynamics within the classroom and differentiation is becoming more challenging. Duolingo has been mentioned by students on numerous occasions as the reason that they are familiar with a newly covered topic in class such as the pronoun-verb agreement. Although an effective home study tool, some students and parents do not engage with it regularly and so additional written exercises are assigned for homework.

G4 & G5 Intermediate EAL - Hercus Theron

This week, student reviewed the difference between ‘there’, ‘they’re’, and ‘their’. We then continued the homophones grammar theme by looking at the words ‘wear’, ‘were’, ‘where’, and ‘we’re’. On Wednesday, students got to visit the book fair and had the opportunity to get some books for themselves. Thursday was all about listening comprehension. Students initially struggled. However, after we looked at some strategies on how to identify and remember important information, students showed good improvement. MYP students visited the PYP classes and shared some books and stories with the students. A great week full of inspiration to read even more books at home.

G4 & G5 Intermediate EAL - Chris Marionni

In Mr. Marionni’s G4 & G5 Intermediate EAL, students read the short story “The Skeleton Key”, discussed the story in detail, answered story questions (both verbally and in writing), and focused on story vocabulary using visuals. Students also reviewed irregular past tense verbs. On Thursday, students completed a one-paragraph writing assignment connected to the short story and grammar focus of the week. This week, students did a good job writing about their basement or attic of choice; students chose to create playrooms, movie rooms, and video game rooms! On Friday, students played a vocabulary game where reading and listening skills were also a focus.

G6 & G7 EAL - Richard McNamara

This week, in G6, my students' IXL diagnostic scores were updated following the break, with a score of 600 representing the Grade 6 skill level. They took a comprehensive review exam that covered text formatting, capitalization, pronouns, prepositions, and commas. They also completed and uploaded their I&S summative (D Level). In G7, students worked on their summative I&S and science assignments. Following weeks 7 and 8 of monitoring I&S feedback on formative assignment uploads, this week's Friday quiz was an extended review test covering pronouns, prepositions, commas, capitalization, and text formatting (Level H).

G8 & G9 EAL - Anuschka Etsebeth

This week, grade 8s focused their efforts on finishing their I&S presentations. Students worked hard on citations and making sure their research was relevant to their settlements and did not stray off-topic. My main goal was to keep them on track by asking them questions to catch faults and correct them. We also paid close attention to detail in terms of how a presentation should appear and what we should avoid. Students were invited to refer to their checklist as a guide. To complete their homework, we looked at several objects and described them. We welcomed our new student to the class in grade 9. We examined graphs and discussed what should be included when creating a graph. To stay on schedule, we completed our action plan and completed our digital Greece stations for students who were absent last week.

G10 EAL - Ayana Najuma

In Ms. Najuma's grade 10 EAL class, students began working on a new reading skill called Understanding Sequence. They were introduced to it interactively and then practiced independently. They also took part in a social-emotional learning activity, note-taking, to enhance their research skills. Finally, they brainstormed ways to actively practice their vocabulary words every night. They created practice cards and wrote personalized plans for how they would engage with the vocabulary each evening. Looking ahead to next week, students will continue practicing the Understanding Sequence skill and participate in activities to foster meaningful independent vocabulary development.