K1 Native & Non-native

Native students in the K1 Mandarin native language class learned the Chinese characters "口" and "目", which mean mouth and eyes respectively. Combined with the theme of the inquiry unit "Body Parts", we explore the structure of the mouth and eyes together and understand the importance of the mouth and eyes to our lives.

This week, our K1 non-native students reviewed colors and the"bye bye song." Subsequently, we learned about different fruits inMandarin, such as grapes, mangoes, and strawberries. We also engaged in ahandcraft activity to help memorize these fruits.

K2 Native & Non-native

Native students in the K2 Mandarin native language class learned the new Chinese characters “火”, “虫” and “朋友”. These Chinese characters all come from the story "Firefly Finds a Friend". The students enjoyed acting out the characters from this story. Students are also constantly changing and creating new storylines to help fireflies find friends. This helps students better understand the meaning of friends.

This week, our non-native K2 students reviewed previouslylearned songs. Subsequently, they explored various fruits in Mandarin. We alsoparticipated in a handcraft activity titled "My Orchard" to aid inmemorizing these fruits. They truly excelled in their efforts!

K3 Native & Non-native

Native students in the K3 Mandarin native language class learned a new ancient poem "Wind". Through this ancient poem, we enjoyed the different scenery brought by the wind in different seasons. We learned the Chinese characters for leaf, autumn and bamboo in this ancient poem. We made our own little book of Chinese characters.

This week, our non-native K3 students revisited previously covered material. They explored different fruits in Mandarin and engaged in a handcraft activity to enhance their memory of these fruits. They truly excelled in their efforts!

G1 Native & Non-native

This week, first-grade native Chinese students completed their study of all Pinyin initials and began learning some whole syllables. They reinforced their skills through fun children's songs. This progress not only boosted their confidence but also set a strong foundation for further Chinese language learning.

This week in G1 Mandarin intermediate class we started to learn about age, and through class activities and group cooperation, we learned vocabulary and sentences about asking about age, and introduced family members. At the same time, in order to increase literacy, we reviewed the vocabulary we had learned before, and used the card game of a kitten fishing to increase students' interest and consolidate literacy in a happy play.

G2 Native & Non-native

This week in G2 Mandarin language arts class we started to learn several short stories. For example, the clever Cao Chong weighed an elephant, and Lingling modified a painting with the help of her father. Through these stories, students can improve their literacy and learn the truths in them, so that they can be diligent and thoughtful children in life.

This week, second-grade non-native Chinese students focused on the theme of "Age." They practiced various speaking dialogues to discuss their ages and those of their friends and family. These interactive exercises enhanced their conversational skills and helped them build confidence in using the language.

G3 Native & Non-native

This week the G3 native class held a composition sharing activity. This is their first composition in learning their native language, and the students are willing to share what they have written with their peers. This can be helpful in increasing their confidence in collaboration.

This week in G3 Intermediate class, we completed Lesson 4 along with the writing assignment. Students thoroughly enjoyed collaborating to practice the writing tasks while crafting their passages. It is truly gratifying to see them effectively apply the sentence patterns in their writing. Following this, they shared their compositions.

G4 Native & Non-native

We shared our writing assignments this week,allowing students to read and appreciate each other's work. They identified keyhighlights in the composition and offered valuable suggestions, such ascorrecting writing mistakes and adding more details to enhance the paragraphs.It is gratifying to learn from one another, and we thoroughly enjoy readingeveryone's writing.

This week in G4 non-native Mandarin class, we delved into the topic of "Where Are You From?". Our focus was on exploring the various ways of greeting in different countries, understanding the significance of greetings in various cultures. As well as learning about the names of different nations around the world, enriching our knowledge of global geography and cultural diversity. It was inspiring to see students actively engaging with the topic of cultural greetings and showing curiosity about different countries.

G5 Native & Non-native

This week in G5 Language art class,we completed Unit 2. As the saying goes, we learn by reviewing the old. In order to understand our students' learning situation, we tested their mastery of the knowledge in Unit 2 by answering questions and selecting the correct words. Students are very fond of this form of "exam" and eagerly participate.

This week, the G5 intermediate students learned adialogue about enriching their extracurricular life. This topic is in line withtheir actual lives and the students are very interested in learning it. Thereis also a high level of motivation in participation in vocabulary activities.

Creativity, Activity, and Service (CAS)

For CAS, DP1 students have been actively engaging with their ManageBac portfolios, getting acquainted with the requirements and expectations for documenting their CAS experiences. We discussed the importance of identifying meaningful experiences that align with the learning outcomes of Creativity, Activity, and Service. Students practised writing reflections, focusing on the impact of their activities and the personal growth they aim to achieve. For DP2, students are in the final stages of their CAS programme. They have been diligently updating their portfolios, adding detailed reflections that highlight the challenges they have faced and the skills they have developed. Many are also finalising their larger CAS projects, showcasing their leadership and initiative as they prepare to complete their CAS journey successfully. Their commitment to making a positive impact in their community is truly commendable.

Theory of Knowledge (TOK)

Grade 11 students spend the week delivering Ted Talk presentations that they have each been individually working on. Through these presentations, students are working on their communication and critical thinking skills, and reflecting on how their personal experiences and identity shapes their answers to challenging questions.

Grade 12 students received feedback on their exhibition drafts, and held 1 on 1's with their teachers to discuss the issues and strengths with the reports and the recommended changes if any. Students also completed an assignment that asked them to explore 3 of the potential 6 TOK essay questions for this year, break them down, and identify potential approaches to answering them.

Extended Essay (EE)

This week, our DP1 students delved into sample IB Extended Essays, analyzing how they were assessed. This hands-on exploration provided valuable insights into the IB’s rigorous standards and expectations. By examining exemplary essays, students gained a clearer understanding of the critical role their topic choice plays in the success of their Extended Essay. This process will help them make informed decisions about their research topics, ensuring they select areas that both interest them and align with IB’s academic criteria. These sessions mark an important step in their journey towards completing this significant component of the IB Diploma Programme.

This week, our DP2 students focused on refining their Extended Essay drafts as they prepare for submission to their supervisors. During the lesson, they worked on polishing their arguments, improving structure, and ensuring that their research aligns with the IB’s standards. These final adjustments are crucial as students approach the submission stage, allowing them to demonstrate their critical thinking, research skills, and subject knowledge.

Pre-K

Polly Coronel and Kirsten Hernandez

This week in Pre-K, we introduced body parts, starting with "eyes" and "mouth." We explored how our eyes help us see the world by taking the students outside with magnifying glasses, which sparked their curiosity as they made exciting discoveries in nature. Next, we focused on the mouth, engaging the students in a fun art activity where they used plastic straws to blow colored water onto paper, creating unique artworks.

We also had a great time outside blowing bubbles, which the kids loved to chase and pop and continued our exploration of the mouth through a fun "Feeding the Puppet" activity, focusing on what we can safely put in our mouths! The students helped our puppet friend choose safe foods and learned to avoid unsafe items. This hands-on experience reinforced mouth safety and developed important skills such as decision-making and understanding healthy eating habits.

Overall, these activities enhanced their observation skills, fostered curiosity, improved fine motor skills, and promoted safety awareness, all while making learning enjoyable!

K1

Erin Wang and Zoe Oconnor

This week in Early Years (EY), we participated in an assembly to celebrate the Learner Profile award for the inquirer, with a focus on demonstrating positive behaviors in EY. In Inquiry, we continued exploring the five senses, concentrating on smelling and tasting. In Math, students practiced tally marking numbers 1-3. The K1 students led a Sliced Apple Tasting activity, offering a hands-on opportunity to review the letters S, A, and T, explore different colors, and fully engage their senses. Throughout the activity, students were encouraged to describe their feelings about the apples and practiced data-handling by counting votes for their favorite varieties. This blend of sensory exploration and literacy was a highlight of the week.

K2

Mika Allicer, Sue MacDonald and Jess Macur

The highlights of the week were our family tree and play dough parent activities in Inquiry. We've explored the roles that family members play and noted that these roles change over time and that sometimes different people play similar roles. Our K2 students populated their family trees with pictures of siblings, parents and grandparents, and of course, themselves!  Some students even included Ayis and pets! Once these were complete, we reflected on the kind of relationships we have with our family members. After listening to stories about what mommies and daddies do best, some students made playdough dolls of one of their parents. Most chose to make their mother, but dad was chosen by a few! Through our lines of inquiry, our students are having a wonderful time exploring how relationships work with family, friends, classmates and other people in their environment!

K3

Dean Fletes, Katie Reddington and Wouter van den Berg

This week for Literacy K3’s finished their work for the letters SATPIN. This marks the end of our first group of Jolly phonics letters. K3’s are always working on CVC words and blending so using these letters can help us to incorporate these more and more in the classroom. K3’s are also working very hard with their writing skills and handwriting every week. Literacy is a huge componant of the classroom in K3 and as such is incorporated multiple times throughout our day through: Stations, phonics practice, handwriting and storytimes.

K1 (Yani Wang)

This week in K1 German class, we explored the theme "My Hands." We began by learning the German names for the thumb, index finger, middle finger, ring finger, and little finger through the interactive song "Wo ist der Daumen." Students then crafted oversized hand replicas from cardboard, modeled after their own hands, which were used to perform the dance "Die Haende rauf und runter." The session continued with a discussion on various hand functions such as waving, clapping, holding scissors, drawing, dancing, and turning book pages. Students demonstrated their understanding by cutting out diagrams depicting these functions and attaching them to their homework sheets. The lesson concluded with a conversation on the importance of frequent hand washing and the proper techniques to do so.

K2 (Yani Wang)

In this week's K2 German class, we first completed the "My Grandparents" craft that we hadn't finished from the previous session. We then transitioned to a new theme - autumn. We learned German vocabulary related to autumn, such as fallen leaves, strong wind, ripe wheat, and harvest. We explored the characteristics of autumn, noting that the days are becoming shorter and the nights longer. Many fruits and grains are harvested during this season. The weather turns colder, leaves on numerous trees change to yellow and fall, and small animals start their preparations for winter. We also learned the famous German song "Der Herbst ist da," which captures the essence of autumn. This theme was further enhanced by a color-mixing activity where we used primary colors like red, yellow, black, and white to create autumn hues like brown and orange. The students then used these colors to paint autumn leaves.

K3 (Yani Wang)

This week in K3 German class, we are exploring theemotion of anger. We began by discussing the various situations that mightprovoke anger, such as being forced to do something undesirable, losing a game,or not achieving one's desires. Each student brought up personal examples andshared them with the class. We also read the story "Frida is Angry,"through which we learned that anger is a normal emotion experienced byeveryone. It's important not to suppress anger; instead, we should find effectiveways to manage and release it. Techniques such as taking deep breaths, countingto ten, or hitting a pillow can help calm us down quickly. This week, we alsocreated anti-stress balls using balloons, flour, and yarn to help us physicallycope with stress.