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We started our term with a day trip to the Brussels art & history museum! As part of our IPC studies on non-European civilisations, we were lucky to have a guided tour of the collection “Art of the Islamic World”. After learning about the architectural marvels of mosques, noticing Near and Middle East patterns up close helped bring our historical studies to life! There was plenty of inspiration for students to later create their own geometric repeating patterns in class using only a compass and ruler. Take a look at our artwork in the shared album below – what patterns can you notice?
Later this term we were invited to our 2nd InterQuiz competition at BEPS where Year 5 and 6 students competed in a battle of general knowledge – Kahoot style. Although we didn’t win a trophy this year our students should be very proud of themselves for participating and their resilience against such stiff competition.
In Literacy we started a new book, the dystopian novel ‘Boy in the Tower’. Exploring the themes and features of science-fiction genre resulted in some ardent ideas and predictions being made – from killer plants to zombie policemen. We’ll find out what happens in part two of the novel after Easter break.
Finally, our class dipped their toes into politics and began campaigning for a seat on our brand-new Student Council! It was heartening to see their persuasive arguments and posters around the school – good luck to all our candidates!
We've been on quite the journey this half-term, merging historical exploration with the inspiration of real-life heroes. Our adventure back to 900 CE has brought the ancient Mayan civilization and the Kingdom of Benin right into our classroom, through activities like map-making and building model cities. It's been a hands-on experience that's not just about memorizing dates but also connecting with the people and cultures of the past. Check out our Entry Point games where pupils took part in Viking rowing races and pyramid building to get them into a historical mood!
Our literacy unit has taken us on another exciting journey with the book, "Rise Up: Ordinary Kids with Extraordinary Stories". It's a collection of biographies about young individuals who've achieved remarkable feats, and our students have enjoyed reading these stories. They've been identifying what makes these biographies so compelling, from Greta Thunberg to Ayesha Farooq and discussing what we can learn from these extraordinary young people. By summarizing these stories and even trying to rewrite them as autobiographies, our students are not only enhancing their English skills but also stepping into the shoes of these inspiring people.
We're excited about the journey ahead and can't wait to share more about our students' discoveries and growth. Thank you for your continued support and enthusiasm for our learning adventures!
Dear Parents, Guardians, and Friends,
As we reach the end of an eventful term, it's a pleasure to share the highlights from our Upper Primary 2 class, filled with creative projects, scientific exploration, and festive teamwork.
Art and Craft with Papier-Mâché
We started the term with an art project where students created colourful bowls using papier-mâché. This task was not just about art; it also taught patience and attention to detail as students worked with layers of coloured paper.
Exploring Ecology through Literature
In our literature studies, we focused on 'Fourteen Wolves: A Rewilding Story' by Catherine Barr. The students learned about the impact of wolf reintroduction on Yellowstone National Park and expressed their understanding through informative posters. These posters provided a visual insight into how the reintroduction of wolves affected the park's ecosystem.
Science Meets Technology
In our IPC Science task, students explored natural selection and evolution. They started with the story of the peppered moth and then used Google Slides to create digital environments and 'beetles', applying their scientific understanding in a personalised context.
Jingle Olympics: Teamwork and Fun
To wrap up the term, we had the first "Jingle Olympics". This was a series of fun team activities, including 'Who Am I?', 'Candy Cane Zipline', and 'Candy Cane Drop', where students worked together to complete festive challenges. These activities required coordination, communication, and teamwork, all within a festive atmosphere. We also had a quiz on festive traditions, adding to the fun and learning.
Looking Forward
This term at ISG has been a wonderful blend of learning, creativity, and fun. We’ve seen our students grow not just in their academic knowledge but also in their teamwork and problem-solving skills. As we look forward to the next term, we are excited for more adventures and opportunities to learn, grow, and celebrate together.
Exploring the World of Poetry in Upper Primary 2: A Reflection from our Intern, Natalia
Welcome back to another blog post from ISG! This term is a special one for us, as we have the pleasure of hosting Natalia, our intern from Greece. Natalia has been a wonderful addition to our Upper Primary classrooms, and this term’s blog post reflects on the rich experiences we've had while diving into our Literacy unit on the anthology "Poems from a Green and Blue Planet" and the subsequent ‘writer’s workshops.’
The Journey Begins with an Elephant on the Thames
Our literary exploration began with a fascinating poem titled "The Elephant is Walking on the River Thames” by Imtiaz Dharker. Natalia observed that while the students were initially reserved, their interest piqued as they delved deeper into the poem. "During the lesson, I've seen that they are trying to understand the poem and they were paying attention," she shared. Through a mix of creative projects, focused exercises, and interactive games, we were able to captivate our students’ attention.
Writing Their Own Verses: Animals in Unusual Places
Inspired by the Elephant poem, our young poets ventured into writing their own verses, many of them opting for whimsical settings featuring animals in unusual places. From whales wandering through city rivers to birds making homes in post-boxes, the students unleashed their imaginations. Natalia found it uplifting to see how the students applied poetic characteristics like stanzas, spelling, alliteration, and rhyme in their own poems. "They seem to really enjoy the process of writing a funny story, emotions, etc., through their own unique way and words," she noted.
Final Thoughts
Our term’s journey into poetry has been a rich tapestry of learning and self-expression. Both the students and Natalia have found value and joy in this exploration. "It’s a new way of expressing themselves and saying how they are feeling with a more creative way," Natalia believes. In the process, our students have discovered new avenues for writing and emotional expression, enriching their academic and personal lives.
A heartfelt thank you to Natalia for her insightful observations and for actively contributing to our classroom's dynamic learning environment. We can't wait for more shared experiences and literary explorations after the Autumn holidays!
Until next time,
Mr. J & Ms. Natalia
A Note on Our Bilingual Program from Mr. Francis
As we reflect on this term's accomplishments and explorations, let's not forget another enriching aspect of our educational journey—the bilingual program. For a closer look into how our students are thriving in this special program, here's a word from our Bilingual teacher, Mr. Francis:
Students in the bilingual program have started off well. They got used to the routine where they come to the Dutch classroom four times a week during morning break and lunch break, and they are all doing really well with communicating only in Dutch in the classroom! Apart from our inquiries into biomes, animal classifications, food webs and human impact (part of IPC), students have also set up good routines to study Dutch language skills in two different groups – thanks to ms. Adinda for her support in teaching reading and spelling! Finally, we are really glad to see that many pupils are active in Dutch outside school as well (clubs, reading, watching TV, etc.) Our class has also visited the public library recently, so everyone definitely has some books they can read at home. Dankjewel iedereen voor de fijne sfeer in de klas en fijne vakantie gewenst aan iedereen!!
