We wrapped up our inquiry into how humans use our planet's energy by creating a blueprint to make our Primary Village more energy efficient.
We worked in groups and used all our ATL skills to execute this task. We followed the Design Thinking model. We took a walk around our campus to identify the issues and needs; brainstormed ideas, evaluated how these ideas would make an impact.
Then went to the drawing board to create a blueprint. The students amazed me with their creativity in thought. The suggestions included - harvesting rainwater; using the drains that run down the hill to harness hydro energy; creating a garden to grow organic vegetables that could be used in the food cooked/sold in the canteen; generating biomass from planting Switch grass on the slope outside of our classrooms, a Therapy garden with dogs students can pet to destress.... using solar panels, glass panels on the ceilings to bring in more natural light and reduce the use of lights, wind turbines on top of the hill in ISS.
Finally, we presented our plans to the grade 5.1 students, and listened to their's. We worked on speaking with confidence and clarity.
Then went to the drawing board to create a blueprint. The students amazed me with their creativity in thought. The suggestions included - harvesting rainwater; using the drains that run down the hill to harness hydro energy; creating a garden to grow organic vegetables that could be used in the food cooked/sold in the canteen; generating biomass from planting Switch grass on the slope outside of our classrooms, a Therapy garden with dogs students can pet to destress.... using solar panels, glass panels on the ceilings to bring in more natural light and reduce the use of lights, wind turbines on top of the hill in ISS.
Finally, we presented our plans to the grade 5.1 students, and listened to their's. We worked on speaking with confidence and clarity.
Learning about Climate change - we worked in two large groups. Each group had a set of cards. We looked at the cards, discussed, made connections, and sorted them accordingly. As we synthesised our information and evaluated each scenario depicted in the cards, we were able to deepen our understanding of the causes and effects connected with climate change. Eventually, each group created a climate collage to show their thinking.
Celebrating STEAM!
Friday assembly - March 5. Keishi's presentation and our PE fitness routines.
We finally built our solar cookers... we followed the scientific method in our inquiry - our questions were -how does solar energy turn into heat energy? How long will it take to melt/soften our marshmallows?
We developed a hypothesis, then set to investigate ... In the end we analysed the results and developed new questions. The students showed amazing thinking and cooperation skills.
Collaborating to build a solar cooker to deepen our understanding of transfer of energy.
Provocation - How the world works... our current unit of inquiry
Collaboration - prep for our grade 5.2 assembly - The Phantom of the Opera
Celebrating Literacy Week at ISS -
The classroom has been abuzz with excitement about decorating the doors based on books that we have read. We decided upon 2 books - Noruto and Percy Jackson. The students worked collaboratively - some drew illustrations, some created labels....
POETRY JAM - These risk takers shared their poetry with the school community during morning breaks. Kajsa, Jinwoo and Axel.
Author visit - Roger Jenkins read us stories and entertained us with his craft.
UOI integrated with literacy -
As we inquire into How the world works, we used our reading comprehension skills to understand what are renewable sources of energy, what are fossil fuels and how are they used today....
We followed a Visible Thinking Routine called Sentence Phrase Work.
Demonstrating agency, each student selected a news article to read; they highlighted one or two sentences that they found the most interesting, and wrote a short passage to explain why.
Next, they met other students who had chosen to read the same article to share their views. Each student read her/his sentence to the group and this led to a discussion. Some very misconception were clarified, and the discussion was brief and engaging.
We followed a Visible Thinking Routine called Sentence Phrase Work.
Demonstrating agency, each student selected a news article to read; they highlighted one or two sentences that they found the most interesting, and wrote a short passage to explain why.
Next, they met other students who had chosen to read the same article to share their views. Each student read her/his sentence to the group and this led to a discussion. Some very misconception were clarified, and the discussion was brief and engaging.
Introducing Probability - we set up 4 stations, and students visited each in groups. Played games and discussed scenarios, gradually introducing new relevant vocabulary - chance, probability .... impossible...
The Grade 5 Poetry recital - the boys and girls demonstrated that they were risk-takers, creative and committed by memorising poems either written by themselves or other poets, and then reciting them before an audience of primary school students. We used our speaking skills, focusing on using a clear voice, expression, eye contact and body language.
CNY celebrations begin at ISS ....
MATH - using base ten blocks to understand the connection between decimals and fractions.
Preparation for the Grade 5 poetry recital!
We spent the past two weeks reading and composing poems from various genres - haikus, free verse, rhyming, alliteration, ...... Next, we applied our knowledge of literary devices such as similes and metaphors and personification to enrich our poems. Once the poems were ready, we have been working hard on developing our presentation and speaking skills _ how can I project my voice? how to use my body language effectively to convey my ideas? Shall I use props? Overcoming our nerves and anxiety was another lesson. Rehearsals and buddy recitals helped.
WHAT SOME OF US HAD TO SAY ABOUT THAT:
JOSHUA: I felt nervous at the start when we were going to present to the other grades... But I feel happy and proud about the poem that I made. It is a free verse poem called Basketball, because I love basketball.
JINWOO: I wrote a funny free verse poem called My Hobbies. Nothing was difficult for me.... I enjoyed thinking about my hobbies _ playing Roblox and Volleyball, and performing.
DAICHI: I selected a poem called I have a little frog. I selected this poem because I find frogs cute. And the sentences were good and short.
WHAT SOME OF US HAD TO SAY ABOUT THAT:
JOSHUA: I felt nervous at the start when we were going to present to the other grades... But I feel happy and proud about the poem that I made. It is a free verse poem called Basketball, because I love basketball.
JINWOO: I wrote a funny free verse poem called My Hobbies. Nothing was difficult for me.... I enjoyed thinking about my hobbies _ playing Roblox and Volleyball, and performing.
DAICHI: I selected a poem called I have a little frog. I selected this poem because I find frogs cute. And the sentences were good and short.
Week 2 - was spent in visualising multiplication of fractions to deepen our understanding, producing haikus, and inquiring into literary devices such as similes and metaphors.
What does 1/2. X. 3/4 really mean? Can we show it in more than one way, and actually explain it?
In our exploration of literature, we started with inquiring into some prominent literature from our own cultures and home countries. It was a great way for us to expand our horizons and learn more about other countries.
First Assembly in Block 5
Exploring our environment in PE, and discussion over reading genres
2021 A Fresh start!
We started the new year by moving into our lovely Block 5 this week.
Week 1 update.
We launched or inquiry into How we express ourselves.
ISAIAH
On Wednesday of this week, Mr Lebon came into our class and taught us some French words that were from a french poem made in the 1940s. Then, Mr Lebon showed us two videos, one about someone reading the poem, and one about the poem with actors acting it. We learned about what the poem meant and what it was about. After that, Mr Lebon got 2 people from the class, one a girl and one a boy to act it out.
In my opinion, the lesson was quite fun learning a poem from another language and then acting it out.
PROVOCATION - WE LISTENED TO POETRY READ IN FRENCH, SPANISH, ITALIAN AND HINDI
On Wednesday of this week, Mr Lebon came into our class and taught us some French words that were from a french poem made in the 1940s. Then, Mr Lebon showed us two videos, one about someone reading the poem, and one about the poem with actors acting it. We learned about what the poem meant and what it was about. After that, Mr Lebon got 2 people from the class, one a girl and one a boy to act it out.
In my opinion, the lesson was quite fun learning a poem from another language and then acting it out.
PROVOCATION - WE LISTENED TO POETRY READ IN FRENCH, SPANISH, ITALIAN AND HINDI
A busy semester comes to a quick end today - we spent the day appreciating each other - made cards, and celebrating our hard work over the semester.
We are learning to use our new environment in creative ways - lunch picnic
BOSCO -
At first I thought it would be like the last classroom but when I saw the classroom I was very excited to learn there. I like the new classrooms in block 5 because it is much bigger and cleaner than the last one.
The grass field that was next to the classrooms was very beautiful and sometimes when I lay down there it feels very peaceful.
Now that my classroom is in block 5 we go to a different bathroom. The boys bathroom was very small so some boys had to wait outside for their turns.
CELINE
I really enjoyed this week. We got to move in our classroom which is bigger and cleaner than the other one. We also got to play dodgeball which is also very fun. And we have started a new unit how we express our selves. Ms Batlaw read us a few poems. In summary this week is very fun.
KAJSA
The things I like that are in block 5 are the classrooms are bigger and more tidy which makes the classroom have more space to move around in, I like that there is grass outside the classrooms, I like that the bathrooms are closer to the classrooms and I like the way all the classrooms are set up all around in a square. I’m really excited to see what this semester has in store for us.
At first I thought it would be like the last classroom but when I saw the classroom I was very excited to learn there. I like the new classrooms in block 5 because it is much bigger and cleaner than the last one.
The grass field that was next to the classrooms was very beautiful and sometimes when I lay down there it feels very peaceful.
Now that my classroom is in block 5 we go to a different bathroom. The boys bathroom was very small so some boys had to wait outside for their turns.
CELINE
I really enjoyed this week. We got to move in our classroom which is bigger and cleaner than the other one. We also got to play dodgeball which is also very fun. And we have started a new unit how we express our selves. Ms Batlaw read us a few poems. In summary this week is very fun.
KAJSA
The things I like that are in block 5 are the classrooms are bigger and more tidy which makes the classroom have more space to move around in, I like that there is grass outside the classrooms, I like that the bathrooms are closer to the classrooms and I like the way all the classrooms are set up all around in a square. I’m really excited to see what this semester has in store for us.
MATH - consolidating our understanding of volume, area and perimeter by measuring boxes in the classroom. We worked in pairs and used our social and thinking skills to work through the problem. We followed the Scientific method - first made our hypothesis _ "I think the volume of the box is 74 cm3..." Then planned the investigation, carried it out. In the conclusion, we determined if our hypothesis was accurate or not .... and looked at reasons to support our claims.
G5.2 focuses on the elements of art - shape, form, colour ... using pastel colours.
UOI - our inquiry into Who we are came to an end with an inquiry into what constitutes a balanced diet ... students looked at the 5 food groups. Then we applied what we had learned to analyse our last dinner - was it balanced? what do we need more of - grains or vegetables or proteins?
Investigating area and perimeter. We headed for the Lion's Den on a beautiful windy day, and had a lot of fun measuring the area and perimeter. We applied our problem solving skills to work out how much white tape would be needed if we created lanes for running races in the Lion's Den.
Next, we took the investigation to recycled boxes. We made estimations. Then we worked in small groups to work out the area and perimeter of boxes, and then shared our findings with the others.
Our grade 5 students have been working very hard to learn the steps for the festival of lights dance. Great examples of collaboration and team work
Writing with Ms Patty on Wednesdays!
We always look forward to our writing sessions with Ms Patty. Today, we closed our eyes and went far far away to the place where we like to relax ... some students went to their bedrooms, some went to a beach, some to a mountain top in another country across the seas .... we opened our eyes, put pencil to paper and then just wrote and wrote for 15 minutes.
Then we counted the number of words that we had each produced, and shared our favourite words from our writing pieces...
Then we counted the number of words that we had each produced, and shared our favourite words from our writing pieces...
Learning about MOVEMBER - the high school students shared information on the significance of Movember and taught us how to make origami moustache
Summative task presentations - how digital media was used to study, entertain, exercise and work, during the lockdown due to the COVID 19
We listened to some fantastic presentations - some students created posters, some had slideshows. The information was gathered through interviews with parents, and research from news articles. We used the donut model _ first we looked at how we used digital media, and then we looked at how it was used in the wider community. This research shed light on how schools in Japan, Korea and China handled home based learning. It was wonderful to see students apply their knowledge of graphs and data handling that we had learnt in Math, to make their research more compelling.
PROCEDURAL WRITING - its all about the steps and sequencing, so we learnt how to make origami paper roses from the experts in our class - Keishi, Tomoki and Daichi, and then attempted to practice our procedural writing skills.
G5.2's Diwali dance performance - students showing enthusiasm, collaboration and open-mindedness.
Learning about Deepavali through art - we mindfully painted lamps (diyas) and then used the left over paint to make symmetrical shapes. Maybe these shapes will inspire us to write something...
Axel - I enjoyed the painting because it was so much fun!
Isaiah - I loved the painting too!
Bosco: I enjoyed the painting because I love being creative.
Isaiah - I loved the painting too!
Bosco: I enjoyed the painting because I love being creative.
Data Handling - in math we have been learning to design surveys, collect data, interpret graphs and generate graphs using Google Sheets.
Students developed some interesting survey questions. Example:
ISAIAH: If you were stranded on an island with wood, wool, glass and stone, what would you do?
"Majority said they would build a house 8/26."
JOSHUA: If you were in a jungle, which animal would you like to be friends with? Choices - eagle, tiger, zebra, crocodile, snake and chicken.
"I found most people wanted to be friends with the tiger. 7/23. Because it is fierce and a carnivore"
BOSCO: If you were face to face with a tiger what would you do?
" Most people said they would beat up the tiger. I think they said that because if they don't defend themselves, the tiger would eat them up."
ISAIAH: If you were stranded on an island with wood, wool, glass and stone, what would you do?
"Majority said they would build a house 8/26."
JOSHUA: If you were in a jungle, which animal would you like to be friends with? Choices - eagle, tiger, zebra, crocodile, snake and chicken.
"I found most people wanted to be friends with the tiger. 7/23. Because it is fierce and a carnivore"
BOSCO: If you were face to face with a tiger what would you do?
" Most people said they would beat up the tiger. I think they said that because if they don't defend themselves, the tiger would eat them up."
Book Talks - we used our speaking skills to share our favourite books with the class. The focus was to summarise the story, identify the author's message and make recommendations.
Using our senses to write creatively
On a cool morning, we took a walk around the campus to find a peaceful spot where could zoom in on one subject. Then we zoomed in further into details - what did we see? what sounds do we hear? what could they be? How do we feel being outside to write...? The students produced some spectacular pieces of expressive writing. Many commented that they wanted to return outdoors to write next week.
Writing lesson with Ms Patty - visualising and verbalising
Ms Patty gave us a prompt; we closed our eyes and allowed our imagination to develop the narrative. Then we wrote down our ideas for 10 minutes. By the time we did the second round, students had built their stamina and produced some expressive and lengthy piece of writing.
End of a semester
We were sad to say goodbye to Haruya who returned to Japan.
Our assembly presentation to the Primary School
On Friday, our students demonstrated their wonderful presentation skills when they presented their inquiry into Migration.
What makes people move from their home?
That was the moot question.
Some times it is war, jobs, opportunities, climate change .....
Kajsa and Fatima were our confident presenters who opened the presentation.
Everyone in the class contributed - some spoke over the slideshow to explain their learning; others drew the illustrations to support the arguments.
We received positive feedback from many teachers in the Primary School.
It was a great example of teamwork, creativity, research skills and presentation skills!!
What makes people move from their home?
That was the moot question.
Some times it is war, jobs, opportunities, climate change .....
Kajsa and Fatima were our confident presenters who opened the presentation.
Everyone in the class contributed - some spoke over the slideshow to explain their learning; others drew the illustrations to support the arguments.
We received positive feedback from many teachers in the Primary School.
It was a great example of teamwork, creativity, research skills and presentation skills!!
Tuning into a new unit of inquiry - how we organise ourselves
This new unit focuses on the system of communication. So we tuned into it with a sorting activity. The students were given a set of 10 photos that they were asked to sort into 2 groups. The outcome was very interesting _ some students viewed the images as Old Things and New.
This was followed by a gallery walk and a discussion. We talked about why the image of a man holding a flair (smoking) was in the set ..... what do images and artwork on the walls of caves tell us? Why do we have a dove in the group?
This was followed by a gallery walk and a discussion. We talked about why the image of a man holding a flair (smoking) was in the set ..... what do images and artwork on the walls of caves tell us? Why do we have a dove in the group?
WEEK 6 - Celebrating the Mid Autumn festival
We collaborated with the grade 12 students to make lanterns, and in Art we used our imagination to create our own.
ART LESSONS WITH MS HIMA
It has been an exciting start to grade 5. We have spent the past few days in setting up class routines and essential agreements to ensure that the grade 5 experience is fun, safe and educating for all students. The focus has also been on developing our Thinking and Social Skills. In an attempt to understand each other better, we collected ideas and topics that interested each of the most. Then in groups, students sorted these ideas. It seems like the predominant theme is Science! We had categories such as Space (most votes)Technology, Animal kingdom.
In Math, we used numbers to express ourselves. For example, how many digits in my name? What will be the date when I will turn 18? What is my height in centimetres?
End of week reflections:
Jinwoo: I am excited because I have been voted to be a house captain for Raffles!
ISAIAH: I enjoyed making the slideshow about me. I like finding pictures for slideshows.
HARUYA: I enjoyed the Maths when we did the Four 4s activity because it was hard ... and when I found the numbers and solution it made me happy. Last time I worked on. my own on on 4 4s; today I worked with Tomoki on 5 5s.
ISAIAH: I enjoyed making the slideshow about me. I like finding pictures for slideshows.
HARUYA: I enjoyed the Maths when we did the Four 4s activity because it was hard ... and when I found the numbers and solution it made me happy. Last time I worked on. my own on on 4 4s; today I worked with Tomoki on 5 5s.
New unit of inquiry - Where we are in place and time
Central idea: Places and people are changed by migration.
What is migration?
We looked at: what makes people move to another place? What are push and pull factors?
What is migration?
We looked at: what makes people move to another place? What are push and pull factors?
Lunch breaks -
Week 4 - we looked at our own migration stories. What made us move? was it a push factor or a pull factor?
Mr Hayward and MrWhitehead from the High School paid us a visit as Guest speakers to share their fascinating stories of migration. We learnt of Mr Hayward's journey from the UK to Pakistan and how it shaped him, and of MrWhitehead's motivation to move from the USA to Singapore to teach in international schools.
Celine: Mr Whitehead's speech was very real .. in the US, I also had the experience where people would talk to me on the bus. But here, people mind their own business.
Celine: Mr Whitehead's speech was very real .. in the US, I also had the experience where people would talk to me on the bus. But here, people mind their own business.
In art, students approached the topic of migration from another lens. They looked at "migration art" and looked at hidden symbols and messages, to develop their analytical skills
WEEK 6 - We learnt more about the early migrants to Singapore - Chines, Malay and Indians. Guest speakers: Ms Ranj and Ms Su
Sept 21-25 Impact of Early migrations on Singapore
This week, we spent time to inquire into four early migrant groups - The Chinese, Indian, Malay and the Europeans. We looked at the Push and Pull factors that compelled them to come to Singapore. Then we learnt more about the ways each group influenced the culture of Singapore.
Ms Hima introduced Henna, a body art from India. In Ms Hima's Art class, the students tried their hand at an ancient Chinese art using bamboo.
Ms Hima introduced Henna, a body art from India. In Ms Hima's Art class, the students tried their hand at an ancient Chinese art using bamboo.
Henna
Developing our social, self management and communication skills through our inquiries into Singapore's migrant cultures. Students are working in groups of 3 and 4, sharing responsibilities to complete their task. Beautiful maps, time lines and illustrations have been made.
Posters work in progress