Lower-Primary - Ms Julieta

Entry point and knowledge harvest!

 

On Monday we had our Entry point for our Super human IPC unit. Together with the upper primary class we explored the human body exhibit at the children's museum 'de Wereld van Kina'. The models of the body showing the skeleton and internal body parts got us thinking about what we would like to learn!

 

The following day back at school we did our Knowledge harvest. On our large outline of the human body, children labelled the external body parts that they already knew. Then I asked them what they would like to learn! It looks like we will have to do some research together about the brain! A few children would like to learn more about the eyes as well. The students in the upper primary class are currently researching about how the eye works, so we look forward to them sharing their findings with us!

Later in the week the children labelled a human body in their books and we identified some more specific external body parts that the children did not know - earlobe, thigh, calf, wrist, ankle, hip, armpit, forehead...

 

We then took the new words we learnt and turned it into a song! Maybe we will share it with you next week!

 

Finally, the week ended with the teachers being so spoilt by all of the parents at ISG. Thank-you, thank-you, thank-you for the amazing breakfast and lunch that you prepared for us. What an amazing feast we had. Thank-you also for the flowers, the chocolates and the beautiful cards made by the children. I love working with all the children in the primary class, they are a fantastic group of students - so happy and so eager to learn! Thank-you again for the effort you put into Teacher Appreciation day today!

Have a great weekend!

Super Humans!

 

Our first IPC unit is a science based unit called Super Humans. The theme for this unit - the human body - is a fascinating and complex topic for children. I am sure we will learn a lot and have fun!

The big idea

Your body is a bundle of bones, muscles, senses and nerves all connected together to make you a human. But how do these parts of the body work with the brain? Let's find out!

In science, we'll be finding out:

  • What the main external parts of the body are called
  • What the five human senses are
  • How we can see, hear, smell, taste and touch
  • How the brain connects to other body parts
  • How to eat healthily and get enough exercise
  • How and why we use medicines
  • Why body hygiene is important

In Technology, we'll be finding out:

  • How to plan and prepare a healthy meal

To kick off our unit we will visit the human body exhibition at the Children's museum - De wereld van kina - on Monday 29th October. De Wereld van Kina is in walking distance to the school, by the St Pieter's abbey. The aim of the Entry point is to trigger children's interest in our new topic. Following our visit we will do our Knowledge Harvest where we will see what children already know about the human body, and also what they would like to find out!

If you have any books or material at home that would support this unit, please feel free to bring them into class!

I am sure it will be a fun unit!

NB:  After completely losing my voice last week, I am on the road to recovery. I look forward to being back in class next week!

 

 

Primary colours in Lower Primary!

 

At the start of the week we completed our Piet Mondrian inspired artwork. We learnt about the five primary colours, then used them to paint the squares and rectangles we created on our paper using masking tape.

The final step was to use a ruler and black marker to rule lines around the shapes. This was quite tricky and for some students it was their first experience using a ruler.

The end result looks fantastic! Come and have a look at them in the classroom!

We also started our reading rotation in the classroom this week. It is great to see the students so excited about learning how to read. Thank-you to everyone for returning the homework reading books the following day so that other students can read them!

In maths this week we focused on ordering numbers up to 100, place value and addition involving 'teen' numbers. Some days the students practice in their workbooks and other days we do more practical activities using equipment.

Here you can see the children each with a number and working co-operatively to stand in order from smallest to largest.

Here some students are using place value blocks to write and read numbers up to 1000.

What a busy week of learning in Lower Primary! Have a great weekend everyone!

RESPECT!

 

International School Ghent has 8 Personal goals that we discuss, encourage and aim to instill in all of our students. They are Respect, Cooperation, Resilience, Thoughtfulness, Enquiry, Adaptability, Communication and Morality. Each month we will focus on a different personal goal. During September 'RESPECT' is on centre stage!

We represent these 8 Personal goals as a flower. If we can encourage these 8 values in our students they will bloom and grow into active and caring citizens.

In the lower Primary class we discussed what RESPECT means to us.

To increase your child's understanding of RESPECT please discuss it at home in your mother language. What kind of things can your child do at home to show respect?

I am sure your child also told you all about our team-building activity on Monday! All the students had a great time at the indoor climbing gym!

Parents, have a look in the photo gallery for more photos of us climbing!

During the week we have continued to establish new routines for literacy and numeracy and on Friday we started a Piet Mondrian inspired artwork using only the only primary colours. Hopefully we can share them with you next week!

 

Have a good weekend!

First week back at school!

 

To start the week students had to introduce themselves to a partner. They had to listen carefully because afterwards they had to present their partner to the rest of the class!

 

The students have also completed artwork that shows what their favourite things are, about their family, what they are good at and what they want to do when they grow up! With so many new students in the Primary class it has been a good chance to get to know each other better.

 

We have a lot of new games in the class so the students have been learning the rules and also practicing important skills like taking turns and playing fairly.

 

We have also been setting up classroom routines. We have started handwriting and phonics and near the end of the week we made a start with the Abacus maths programme that we will follow.

The children had a busy last day of the week with our first swimming lesson and a walk and play at the Citadel park.

What a fun first week in the Lower Primary class!