K1 Native & Non-native

Students in the K1 Mandarin native language class reviewed the story of the Very Hungry Caterpillar that they learned last week. Reviewed the Chinese characters one, two, three, four, five and six. We learned a new story "The Little Bear Grows Up" and together we understood what it means to grow up and discussed how we have grown! We learned new Chinese characters big and small.

This week, our K1 students revisited our previous lessons before delving deeper into the topic of vegetables in Mandarin. Following this review, we engaged in a hands-on activity where students practiced coloring various vegetable illustrations. They really did an excellent job!

K2 Native & Non-native

The students in the K2 Mandarin native language class learned a new fable "The Blind Man Touching the Elephant". We played a blind guessing game and acted out the story of the blind man touching the elephant. Through this story, we understand that we should not only see one side of anything but should see it all.

This week, our K2 students delved deeper into their exploration of vegetables and learned a catchy new tune called "The Mushroom Song." The children also had a blast creating an assortment of vegetable shapes using playdough, an activity that proved to be both educational and entertaining!

K3 Native & Non-native

Combined with the theme of the inquiry unit "Signs", students in the K3 Mandarin native language class learned a new story "Eleven Cats Doing Hard Work". This story tells the story of eleven cats who did not follow the rules emphasized on the signs and were captured by a monster to do hard labor. Through this story, we learned together about the different signs and their meanings.

This week, our K3 students reviewed previous lessons and learned a new song called "Mushroom Song." We continued our study of vegetables and engaged in a hands-on activity where students created various vegetables using playdough. Some examples included peas (豌豆) and garlic (大蒜).

G1 Native & Non-native

This week in G1 Language art class, through reading and discussion of the text "The Little Painter in the Snowfield", the students explored how animal footprints look in the snow and gained a preliminary understanding of metaphor as a figure of speech. Looking forward to further exploration in the upcoming classes.

This week in G1 Mandarin intermediate class, we started learning what day of the week it is. We reviewed the number unit, and every child can count from one to one hundred in Chinese. We learned how to ask about dates, birthdays, and other time-related sentences. Everyone is great!

G2 Native & Non-native

This week in G2 Language art class, after learning the new text and vocabulary, students actively participated in the activity exercises in the PPT, and each student answered these questions accurately. I am pleased to see the enthusiasm and progress of the students. We look forward to more fascinating learning experiences in the future!

This week, second-grade non-native Chinese students continued discussing the topic of "Community." They practiced question-and-answer dialogues through interactive games and reviewed what they learned in the unit. Additionally, classroom activities allowed them to practice writing the new characters from this unit, reinforcing their skills.

G3 Native & Non-native

This week, students in the third-grade native language class engaged in the study of two insightful essays, with the goal of encouraging them to discover and appreciate the beauty in everyday life. Through these essays, students not only enhanced their reading and comprehension skills but also developed a greater awareness of the world around them. They practiced writing their own reflections, capturing moments of beauty they encountered throughout the week. This exercise aimed to inspire them to carry this newfound appreciation into their daily lives, recognizing that beauty exists in both the extraordinary and the ordinary.

This week, we engaged in an activity by making word cards to help students memorize new vocabulary. The students were highly focused as they wrote definitions and explored different ways to explain the meanings of the words. Following this, they partnered up to assess each other's understanding, fostering collaborative learning. This peer-to-peer interaction proved to be an effective and enjoyable way to enhance their vocabulary skills!

G4 Native & Non-native

We focused on understanding word expressions found in myths. Students collaborated to decipher their meanings and explore how the characters in these stories related to them. It was inspiring to witness our young learners working together, sharing insights, and completing tasks as a team. Their enthusiasm and teamwork not only enhanced their comprehension of the material but also fostered a supportive learning environment.

This week in G4 Non-native Mandarin class, we had a rewarding week observing students as they progressed in using quantifiers and colors effectively. Their ability to transition from phrases to sentence expressions is commendable, and I look forward to further enhancing their language skills in the upcoming classes.

G5 Native & Non-native

This week, fifth-grade native Chinese students completed their study of two expository texts, learning various methods to describe an object. Through analyzing the readings, they compared the differences between the two texts, enhancing their understanding of expository writing techniques and critical thinking skills.

This week, students in the fifth-grade intermediate Mandarin class focused on practicing their writing and sentence expression skills. The class began with a review of key vocabulary and sentence structures, which laid the groundwork for the day's activities.In addition to individual writing tasks, the students engaged in pair work, where they shared their sentences with a partner.

Creativity, Activity, and Service (CAS)

DP1 CAS students are now actively engaged in their CAS experiences and are making significant progress in planning their CAS projects. They have been working on familiarizing themselves with the CAS portfolio on ManageBac, focusing on structuring high-quality reflections. Through these reflections, students are developing a deeper understanding of their activities, examining how they align with CAS learning outcomes. The week emphasized reflective practice as an integral part of CAS, guiding students to document meaningful experiences and personal growth.

The DP2 CAS students are progressing well with their final CAS experiences and diligently updating their reflections on ManageBac. They are ensuring all CAS learning outcomes are met through thoughtful engagement and documentation. This week, students focused on aligning their activities with CAS requirements, refining their reflections to highlight how they’ve achieved each outcome. This ongoing process allows them to wrap up their CAS journey with a comprehensive portfolio that showcases their growth and commitment. 

Theory of Knowledge (TOK)

This week, Grade 11 TOK students focused on the element of "Scope" by exploring the breadth and depth of knowledge required within chosen professions. Building on their previous investigations into Perspective, Methods and Tools, and Ethics, students created creative mind maps that visually represented the boundaries and extent of knowledge in their selected jobs. These mind maps included specific contexts and illustrated the knowledge necessary in each case. Using a firefighter example as inspiration, students produced colorful and engaging mind maps, and each presented their work to the class, sharing insights into how scope varies across different professional fields.

This week, Grade 12 TOK students concentrated on drafting their first essays, with the first draft deadline approaching next week. Building on the areas of knowledge and real-world examples they’ve been exploring, students dedicated time to structuring their arguments, refining thesis statements, and incorporating TOK concepts. This initial drafting phase is a key opportunity for them to articulate their ideas and receive feedback that will shape their final essays. As the deadline draws near, students are encouraged to focus on clarity, coherence, and depth in addressing their chosen prompts.

Extended Essay (EE)

DP1 students have officially embarked on their Extended Essay journey by beginning their EE proposals. This crucial step allows them to articulate their research ideas and justify their topic selection. These proposals, due December 18th, 2024, will help guide their early explorations and ensure their research questions are feasible and aligned with their interests. Over the next several weeks, students will be refining their proposals with guidance from their supervisors, paving the way for a focused and rewarding research process ahead.

This week, DP2 students continued their work on refining and enhancing their Extended Essays. They dedicated time to drafting their interim reflections, a 150-word reflective piece summarizing their engagement with the research and writing process so far. This reflection allows them to assess their progress, recognize any challenges they’ve overcome, and identify key insights gained since starting their EE. These reflections will play a valuable role in deepening students' understanding of their own research journey, helping them to see their growth and set meaningful goals for the final stages.

Pre-K

This week in Pre-K, we started learning about family members, beginning with Daddy! Students enjoyed helping him choose ties for his suit, exploring colors and patterns along the way. This simple activity fostered bonding, introduced decision-making, and encouraged helping others. We also read "My Dad", a warm story about all the amazing things dads can do—from fixing things to making us laugh. The book sparked curiosity and got students excited to learn more about their own dads’ unique qualities, helping to build understanding and appreciation for family roles. 

Another highlight was Sports Day, where our students had a blast playing various games and singing together. It was a wonderful week filled with fun, learning, and teamwork!

K1

This week in Inquiry, we introduced the students to various forms of art. We explored the main building to discover different artworks and introduced a few famous artists, starting crafts inspired by their paintings. Additionally, we set up art stations in the hallway, creating a new space for students to engage in social interactions while exploring their creativity.

In Language, we focused on the letter sound "N." The children enjoyed singing the song Day and Night and discussed activities we do at different times of the day. In Math, we introduced the number 6 through a fun insect-themed craft activity, helping the children practice counting and recognizing numbers.  

K2

InLanguage Arts this week we introduced the letter H, as in horse and heart,which means we’re now well into the second Jolly Phonics sound group.  Our students had lots of fun doing scavengerhunts to find objects starting with the h sound and loved singing the H songand hopping around the classroom with their hands to their mouths and saying‘h’, ‘h’, h’! Some of the things our students found included horses, hippos,hearts, heads, hands and houses. We continued practicing identifying initialsounds, counting the syllables in words and sounding out and trying to blendCVC (consonant, vowel, consonant) words. Our read-aloud sessions have beeninteractive and fun and are a great way to build vocabulary, draw attention toprint conventions and hone listening and comprehension skills! We love books! 

K3

This week, our K3 students had a fantastic time participating in Kindergarten Sports Day! We kicked things off with an exciting parade, where each class marched together, bringing lots of energy to start the day.

The children then enjoyed a variety of engaging activity stations. They worked together during parachute games, tested their coordination in the obstacle course, danced and listened carefully in musical chairs, and raced through ring running. Each activity brought tons of fun and encouraged everyone to stay active and support one another.
Sports Day was an amazing experience, filled with teamwork, laughter, and great memories. Thank you to everyone who helped make it such a memorable day!

K1 (Yani Wang)

This week, our K1 German class explored a new shape: the triangle. We learned about its characteristics and practiced drawing triangles by connecting three points. Students identified triangular objects commonly seen in everyday life, such as sailboats, pine trees, and flags. To reinforce our understanding, we created triangles using popsicle sticks in class, helping students grasp the shape's morphological features.

We also delved into the world of colors through the German story "Little Yellow and Little Blue." The tale taught students how mixing colors creates new ones: yellow and blue make green, while red and yellow produce orange. To experience this firsthand, we used flashlights and colored clinker chips to mix different hues on white paper. Additionally, we blended watercolors on paper, allowing students to discover the joy that colors bring to our lives.

K2 (Yani Wang)

This week in K2 German class, we focused on sports in preparation for our upcoming sports day on Thursday. We engaged in various activities to learn about common sports movements:

1. Card drawing games to practice actions like standing on one leg, rotating hips, and squatting.

2. Discussions about popular sports such as swimming, basketball, and tennis.

3. A classroom game called 'I perform, you guess', where students acted out sports movements for others to identify.

Students also expressed their sports preferences, stating which sports they like and dislike. We introduced the number 6, with students practicing writing it on the whiteboard.

As Monday was Saint Martin's Day, a traditional German holiday, students completed a coloring activity featuring Saint Martin.

K3 (Yani Wang)

This week in K3's German class, we explored the world of signs. We began by listening to the picture book "Mr. Rabbit Goes for a Walk," which introduced simple signs such as walking forward, minding stairs, and going downhill. Through this story, students learned about the importance of signs in our daily lives.

Students then unleashed their creativity by designing their own signs and explaining their meanings to the class. We also categorized common signs into groups like "attention," "not allowed," and "allowed." For instance, we learned that yellow triangle signs often indicate caution, red signs typically mean prohibited actions, and blue signs usually denote permitted activities.

Additionally, we reviewed personal information previously learned, such as names and birthdates. This exercise helped students gain a deeper understanding of themselves.

Overall, the week's lessons enhanced students' awareness of signs in their environment and reinforced their knowledge of personal information.