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O C T O B E R 2 0 1 6
PYP Coordinator
Newsletter
Save the Dates October
18 - PYP Coffee Morning 28 - Sleep Over 31 - Halloween
31 - Progress reports November
3 - Parent-Teacher Interviews – No school
4-5 - Staff PD December
10 - Christmas Show (Half-Day) 16 - Last Day
Dear XHIS Families and Friends,
As I ponder about the things we did in the past few weeks,
I came across this quote,’’ We learn by doing, but we learn
more by reflecting on what we have done.’’
#HackingLeadership. We had a great start of the school year as we begin our PYP Journey. We hosted 3 coffee
mornings with parents and the last one was a workshop on
ATL’s (Approaches to Learning) facilitated by our heads of
Primary and Secondary. We had a big number of parents
who came to our Back to School Night. It was a good opportunity for parents who couldn’t make it during the
day to meet their child’s homeroom teacher and see what is
happening in class. We celebrated Chinese Moon Festival
and Korean Chuseok with Korean and Chinese
performances, fun activities such as arts and crafts and treated everyone with moon cakes and Korean rice cakes
with support from our PTA.
As most classes are finished with their first unit of inquiry,
students and teachers will spend some time to do their reflections. Through the summative assessment tasks,
students will reflect on what they learned in class and apply
their new knowledge and skills to solve real life problems.
The teachers will reflect on their teaching and learning
practices and focused on what they can do better next time.
I am excited and looking forward to the next units of inquiry. The first few weeks of
school gave me the opportunity to observe classes and get to know our students. I have seen inquiry learning taking place in different classes and students engaged and
collaborating with each other. It was great to listen to students as they explain their work
demonstrating what they have been learning in class.
In the coming weeks, we will see more developments happening at school. Classes are
extending their inquiry and in the process now of planning their field trips. This is a good
opportunity for students to explore our local environment and connect what they have
been learning in real life situations. I have seen some parents starting coming to school to read with students. We will work together to support and to assists teachers in their
planning and teaching.
With the initiative of our teachers, classes have begun using Class Dojo and Homeroom
as platforms to connect with parents. I am very proud of the initiatives taking place at our school. We have drafted our Playground essential agreements and will be making our
posters to be put around the playground for students to see. Lastly, we will collaborate
with students in making our Learner Profile banners. These will be displayed around the
school to promote international mindedness.
As we work together towards building a stronger partnership to provide the best learning
experiences for our students, it is always good to look back and think about what we can
do better.
Thank you all for your support. We greatly appreciate your suggestions and feedback. If you have any questions about the Primary Years Program, please don’t hesitate to see me
or contact me via email, [email protected]
Maria Zialcita
PYP Coordinator
We have settled into our class routine and are growing in independence and taking responsibility for our own belongings. The children showed great enthusiasm during our first unit of inquiry, “Who We Are”. They were able to discuss their own families and share with the rest of the class what they like to do at home with their
family members. We also talked about what we have in common in our families and what is different.
I look forward to starting the next unit of inquiry and watching the children continue to grow and develop. Well done ECE-A!
Theme – How we express ourselves An inquiry into the ways in which we discover and express ideas, feelings, nature, culture, beliefs and values, the ways in which we reflect on, extend
and enjoy our creativity, our appreciation of the aesthetic.
Central Idea - Through play we express our feelings and ideas and come to new understandings.
Key Concepts:
1. Function - How does it work?
2. Connection – How is it connected to other things? 3. Perspective – What are the points of view?
Lines of Inquiry 1. Communicating through play
2. Imaginative use of materials 3. The role of toys through play
O C T O B E R 2 0 1 6
PYP Newsletter ECE A
Key Vocabulary
Toys
Share
Take turns
Express
Feelings
Material
Old
New
Playtime
Creativity
Teacher questions & provocations
1. What do you like to play? 2. Where do you like to play in the classroom?
3. Do you like to play with friends? Learner Profile Attributes
1. Caring 2. Risk-Taker
Attitudes
1. Enthusiasm 2. Creativity
3. Independence Development of Skills
Social Skills Cooperating - Working cooperatively in a group; being courteous to others; sharing materials; taking
turns. Resolving conflict - Listening carefully to others; compromising; reacting reasonably to the situation; accepting responsibility appropriately; being fair.
Unit Assessment
At the end of the unit I will initiate a series of roleplaying activities to assess the student’s ability to express themselves through play.
Observations – I will include student’s individual use of imagination and also how well they are able to co-operate while participating in activities with peers.
Anecdotal records – I will produce short reports assessing each child’s participation in the roleplaying activities.
What you can do for your child at home 1. Use various materials to encourage creativity in craft activities.
2. Play role-playing games with your child and encourage them to share and take turns with you. 3. Read stories with your child and maybe even create your own stories, using puppets/teddy bears. Transdisciplinary Links:
Math Literacy
In class we are bringing the first Unit of Inquiry of the school year to a close (Who We Are). As we progressed through the unit I heard lots students using the vocabulary associated with our lessons. We are having fun learning our sounds and the shapes that go with them, keep practicing the letters s, a, t and soon we will be adding
p,i, n and c/k. We have gotten really good at the days of the week and can tell you what day tomorrow will be. Thank you for joining us on Homeroom, I will try to post a few pictures each week.
Theme: Where we are in place and time
An inquiry into orientation in place and time; personal histories; homes and journeys; the discoveries, explorations, and migrations of humankind; the relationships between and the interconnectedness of individuals and civilizations from local and global perspectives
Central Idea - Interpretation of artifacts contributes to our understanding of people’s histories
Key Concepts
1. Form - What is it like? 2. Function – How does it work? 3. Change – How is it changing?
Lines of Inquiry:
1. How people analyze artifacts 2. How artifacts contribute to our understanding of the past 3. Why people keep or discard artifacts
O C T O B E R 2 0 1 6
PYP Newsletter ECE B1
Key Vocabulary
Artifact
History Represent Thinker Knowledgeable Analyze Discard Patterns Shapes Holidays
Teacher questions and provocations:
1. What is an artifact? 2. What can you learn from the artifact? 3. Where do you use them for? What are they for? 4. How can artifacts change over time?
5. Why do you keep artifacts Learner Profile Attributes
Inquirer Balanced
PYP Attitudes
Commitment Appreciation
Development of Skills
Thinking – Acquisition of knowledge and comprehension
Research – Formulating questions, observing, collecting data Unit Assessment:
Creation of a display which is represent by artifacts their family has collected over time. What can you do for your child at home:
Share artifacts that represent their family
Discuss family history/origin
Discuss why you kept the artifact Transdisciplinary Links: Social Studies Languages
The Arts
O C T O B E R 2 0 1 6
PYP Newsletter ECE B2
Key Vocabulary
Artifact History Represent Thinker
Knowledgeable
Analyze Discard
Patterns Shapes Holidays
In class we are bringing the first Unit of Inquiry of the school year to a close (Who
We Are). So, we are now transition into our second Unit of Inquiry. We have been off to a great start and are looking for greater parental
involvement to come in and show and tell about the artifacts you have that represent your family. On Oct 21 we will be having our assembly to show
all that we have been learning during our first UOI. Are class is becoming a juggernaut of learning, exploring, and fun please come and join or find a
way to contribute however you can. Thank you everyone who joined the Class Dojo, Miss Mini and I will work hard on keeping it updated with
photos and messages Theme – Where we are in place and time
Central Idea – Interpretation of artifacts contributes to our understanding of
people’s histories.
Key Concepts: 1. Form - What is it like?
2. Function – How does it work? 3. Change – How is it changing?
Lines of Inquiry: 1. How people analyze artifacts 2. How artifacts contribute to our understanding of the past 3. Why people keep or discard artifacts
Teacher questions and provocations: 1. What is an artifact? 2. What can you learn from the artifact?
3. Where do you use them for? What are they for? 4. How can artifacts change over time? 5. Why do you keep artifacts?
Learner Profile Attributes 1. Thinker 2. Knowledgeable
PYP Attitudes 1. Appreciation 2. Creativity
Development of Skills
Thinking – Acquisition of knowledge and comprehension
Research – Formulating questions, observing, collecting data Unit Summative Assessment
Creation of a display which is represent by artifacts their family has collected over time What can you do for your child at home:
Share artifacts that represent their family
Discuss family history/origin
Discuss why you kept the artifact Transdisciplinary Links:
Social Studies Languages
The Arts
O C T O B E R 2 0 1 6
PYP Newsletter Primary 1
Key Vocabulary
house
home
building
family
values
local
culture
material
environment
reflective
open-minded
commitment
tolerance
We have been busy in Year 1. Our class has finished up our unit on healthy choices by making a poster and sharing what we have learned
with an audience. Hopefully we are making better choices now, such as covering coughs and sneezes and eating healthy foods for snack and lunch. Our next unit will be all about homes and we will enjoy looking at pictures of our own homes, as well as homes from cultures around
the world. You can join our online photo album to keep up to date with what we are doing in class by going to: https://gethomeroom.com/i/6GHUPV
Theme – Where we are in place and time Central Idea – Homes reflect cultural influences and local conditions.
Key Concepts: 1. Form – What is it like? 2. Connection – How is it connected
to other things? 3. Perspective – What are the points of view? Lines of Inquiry
What constitute a home
How homes reflect family values
How homes reflect local culture Factors that determine where people li
Teacher questions & provocations
What is home?
How do homes reflect family values?
How do homes reflect local culture?
What factors determine where people live? Learner Profile Attributes
1. Reflective
2. Open-Minded PYP Attitudes 1. Commitment
2. Tolerance Development of Skills
Research skills
Observing – Using all the senses to notice relevant details Collecting data- Gathering information from a variety of first- and second-hand sources such as maps, surveys, direct observation, books, films, people, museums, and ICT.
Thinking skills Dialectical thought – Thinking about two or more different points of view at the same time; understanding those points of view; being able to construct an argument for each point of view based on knowledge of the other(s); realizing that other people can also take one’s point of view.
Acquisition of knowledge- Gaining specific facts, ideas, vocabulary; remembering in a similar form. Unit Summative Assessment
Students will be given a choice of several scenarios for building a home. The scenario will include the following: geographic location, weather, culture, and people who will live there. Working in small groups, students will construct the home and justify their decisions. Students will be able to explain why it is a "home". Students will be assessed with a checklist, to ensure they are able to explain their home and the
ways in which it reflects family values, local culture, and other factors that determine where people live. What you can do for your child at home
1. Compare the local houses you can see with houses from your home country. 2. Play “house” with your child and let them pretend to be roles other than the child.
3. Draw and label pictures of your house and other houses you have seen together.
Transdisciplinary Links: Social Studies
Literacy
P2 has learned so much about our first transdisciplinary theme of Who we are. Now the students are able to make healthy choices, such as good food choice, more exercise and making sure to do their part to
not spread germs. We are beginning our next transdisciplinary theme of Where we are in place and time. Students will be learning about the differences between a house and a home. They will be looking at different homes around the world and comparing how homes reflect certain family cultures. Parents,
please let us know if you would be willing to come in and share your knowledge about this. We would love to have an architect, or perhaps someone who has lived or travelled to different homes and
has photos from these. If you have books about different homes, we would encourage you to come in and read it to our class. We will also be collecting recycled boxes (any size!) to use during this unit. Please send some in if you get them. Thank you!
Theme – Where we are in place and time
An inquiry into orientation in place and time, personal histories; homes and journeys; the discoveries, explorations and migration of humankind.
Central Idea - Homes reflect cultural influences and local conditions.
Key Concepts:
1. Form – What is it like? 2. Connection- How is it connected to other things? 3. Perspective- What are the points of view? Lines of Inquiry:
What constitutes a home How homes reflect family values
How homes reflect local culture Factors the determine where people live
O C T O B E R 2 0 1 6
PYP Newsletter Primary 2
Key Vocabulary Building
Family
Values
Local
Culture
Material
Environment
Reflective
Open-minded
Commitment
Tolerance
Teacher questions & provocations What is a home?
How do homes reflect family values?
How do homes reflect local culture?
What factors determine where people live?
Learner Profile Attributes Reflective
Open-Minded PYP Attitudes
Commitment
Tolerance
Development of Skills
Research skills Observing – Using all the senses to notice relevant details
Collecting data- Gathering information from a variety of first- and second-hand sources such as maps, surveys, direct observation, books, films, people, museums, and ICT.
Thinking skills Dialectical thought – Thinking about two or more different points of view at the same time; understanding those points of view; being able to construct an argument for each point of view based on knowledge of the other(s); realizing that other people can also take one’s point of view. Acquisition of knowledge- Gaining specific facts, ideas, vocabulary; remembering in a similar form
Unit Assessment Students will be given a choice of several scenarios for building a home. The scenario will include the following: geographic location, weather, culture, and people who will live there. Working in small
groups, students will construct the home and justify their decisions. Students will be able to explain why it is a "home". Students will be assessed with a checklist, to ensure they are able to explain their home and the ways in which it reflects family values, local culture, and other factors that determine where people live.
What you can do for your child at home 1. Compare the local houses you can see with houses from your home country. 2. Play “house” with your child and let them pretend to be roles other than the child.
3. Draw and label pictures of your house and other houses you have seen together.
4. Skype with friends or family in another country and look at their home. Does it reflect their culture? How is it decorated? 5. Look up different homes on the internet. Discuss why they may be made from mud (maybe it doesn’t
rain in that area), ice (it’s very cold), stilts (the water level rises with heavy rain) and other material Transdisciplinary Links: Social Studies
Literacy
In Primary 3 we have begun our new Unit of Inquiry “Who We Are”. Students are investigating human body systems and the impact lifestyle choices have on our body. In Mathematics we are focusing on estimating
and measuring objects and events using standard units of measurement. In
Language students are exploring the form and function of Information reports.
Theme - Who we are
An inquiry into the nature of self: beliefs and values: personal, physical, mental, social, and spiritual health: human relationships including families,
friends, communities, and cultures: rights and responsibilities: what it means to be human.
Central Idea - The effective interactions between human body systems
contribute to health and survival
Key Concepts: 1. Function: How does it work?
2. Connection: How is it connected to other things 3. Responsibility: What is our responsibility?
Lines of Inquiry
(1) Body systems and how they work
(2) How body systems are interdependent
(3) Impact of lifestyle choices on the body
Teacher questions & provocations
1. What is a body system? 2. What happens if you damage one part of a body system?
3. How do we keep our bodies healthy?
O C T O B E R 2 0 1 6
PYP Newsletter Primary 3
Key Vocabulary Systems
Interaction
Interdependent
Health
Choices
Balanced
Responsibility
Lifestyle
Appreciation
Commitment
Function
Connection
Learner Profile Attributes Inquirer
Balanced
PYP Attitudes Commitment
Appreciation
Development of Skills
Self-management Skills: Healthy lifestyle- Making informed choices to achieve a balance in nutrition, rest, relaxation and exercise, practicing appropriate hygiene and self-care.
Research Skills Planning: Developing a course of action; writing an outline; devising ways of finding out necessary
information. Presenting research findings: Effectively communicating what has been learned; choosing appropriate media.
Unit Assessment Students will investigate a human body system and present their findings in a class exhibition. The students will be given a Checklist which outlines the information and elements that should be present in their exhibition.
What you can do for your child at home Have a discussion with your child about the lifestyle choices of your family. For example, do you have a
balanced lifestyle? Do you make healthy food choices? Do you get adequate sleep? Do you engage in
regular exercise? How do you think your lifestyle choices impact on your body? What changes could you make to improve your health and well-being? Please assist your child in completing their ‘My Body’ Journal. If you have expertise in the medical field or other health related occupations, we would love you to share
your knowledge as a guest speaker in the classroom. Transdisciplinary Links: Mathematics
Literacy Science PSPE
Primary 4 starts their new inquiry into the
body systems and their interdependence. In our unit “Who We Are”,
which is the transdisciplinary unit with PSPE, students will be encouraged to discover the information about the human body, the way
it works and how the body systems are connected. We will also learn
about the impact of our choices on our health and the importance of
understanding our decisions. It is going to be a very interesting unit with
many experiments, research, and some crafts!
Theme - Who we are
An inquiry into the nature of self: beliefs and values: personal, physical, mental, social, and spiritual health: human relationships including
families, friends, communities, and cultures: rights and responsibilities:
what it means to be human.
Central Idea - The effective interactions between human body systems contribute to health and survival.
Key Concepts
1. Function: How does it work?
2. Connection: How is it connected to other things?
3. Responsibility: What is our responsibility? Lines of Inquiry
(1) Body systems and how they work
(2) How body systems are interdependent
(3) Impact of lifestyle choices on the body
Teacher questions & provocations
1. What is a body system?
O C T O B E R 2 0 1 6
PYP Newsletter Primary 4
Key Vocabulary Systems
Interaction
Interdependent
Health
Choices
Balanced
Responsibility
Lifestyle
Appreciation
Commitment
Function
Connection
2. What happens if you damage one part of a body system?
3. How do we keep our bodies healthy? Learner Profile Attributes
Inquirer Balanced
PYP Attitudes
Commitment Appreciation
Development of Skills Self-management Skills:
Healthy lifestyle- Making informed choices to achieve a balance in nutrition, rest, relaxation and exercise,
practicing appropriate hygiene and self-care.
Research Skills
Planning: Developing a course of action; writing an outline; devising ways of finding out necessary
information.
Presenting research findings: Effectively communicating what has been learned; choosing appropriate media.
Unit Assessment:
Students will investigate a human body system and present their findings in a class exhibition. The students
will be given a checklist which outlines the information and elements that should be present in their exhibition.
Students will combine their presentation with exercises/dance from PE classes to show the connection in the
unit.
What you can do for your child at home Help children revise the material on daily basis. Make sure they understand the vocabulary as well as the
concepts discussed in the classroom, both in English and their native language. Discuss with your child their
understanding and ask them questions about healthy life styles and help them reflect on their own choices and
styles. Please, encourage your child to search for the information on the internet, books, papers, and share
them with the classroom. Also please make sure that the child works on their My Body Journal.
If you have expertise in the medical field or other health related occupations, we would love you to share your
knowledge as a guest speaker in the classroom.
Transdisciplinary Links: Mathematics Literacy Science
PSPE
In our next Unit of Inquiry, students will be examining
conflict from both a personal and a global perspective. We will define conflict in both small and large. We will look at the role of conflict in the history of the world. We will examine ways that people approach conflict. We will look at how people resolve conflict between nations
and individuals. We will look at the consequences of conflict on both the long and short term. We will discuss the results of resolving conflict.
Theme – Sharing the planet An inquiry into rights and responsibilities in the struggle to share finite
resources with other people and with other living things; communities and the relationships within and between them; access to equal opportunities;
peace and conflict resolution
Central Idea - Reaching a resolution during periods or moments of conflict is influenced by the actions and reactions of all involved.
Key Concepts:
Causation – Why is it like it is?
Perspective – What are the points of view? Responsibility – What is our responsibility?
Lines of Inquiry:
1. Cause of conflict (local and global)
2. Human rights and equity
3. Strategies used to resolve conflict Teacher questions & provocations
1. What are the causes of conflict (local and global) ? 2. What are human rights and equity? 3. What are some strategies used to resolve conflict? 4. What are some of the consequences of resolving conflict?
O C T O B E R 2 0 1 6
PYP Newsletter Primary 5
Key Vocabulary
Conflict
Resolution
Consequences
Peace
Reconciliation
Responsibility
Exploitation
Grief
Global
Equity
Strategies
Learner Profile Attributes
Communicator Reflective
PYP Attitudes
Enthusiasm Tolerance
Development of Skills
Thinking skills:
Comprehension: Grasping meaning from material learned; communicating and interpreting
learning.
Application: Making use of previously acquired knowledge in practical or new ways.
Social skills:
Cooperating: Working cooperatively in a group; being courteous to others; sharing materials; taking turns.
group decision making: Listening to others; discussing ideas; asking questions; working towards and obtaining consensus.
Unit Assessment Students may choose to express their understanding of the central idea using one of the following: Students will also be able to extend their learning into other areas of discussion.
Create a brief video presentation for a younger audience on conflict and its resolution.
With a partner, create a situation involving conflict and its resolution
Write a 5 paragraph essay on a historical conflict and its resolution
Create a poster that represents conflict and a process of resolution What you can do for your child at home You can talk with your child about conflict. What is it, what is its role in the world? How do people and
groups of people resolve conflict? How does your family resolve conflict? I think the historical conflict that your child can connect with is a great place to start a discussion on this
unit. Here are a few books on the subject aimed at the young to intermediate reader
Bull Run by Paul Fleischman (American Civil War)
Number The Stars by Lois Lowry (WW II, set in Europe)
The House of Sixty Fathers by Meindert Dejong (WW II, set in China)
So Far From the Bamboo Grove by Yoko Kawashima Watkins (Korean War)
The Year of Impossible Good Byes by Sook Nyul Choi (Korean War)
Transdisciplinary Links: Science Mathematics
PSPE
In our next Unit of Inquiry, students will be examining conflict from both a personal and a global perspective. We will define conflict in both small and large. We will look at the role of conflict in the history of the world. We
will examine ways that people approach conflict. We will look at how
people resolve conflict between nations and individuals. We will look at the consequences of conflict on both the long and short term. We will discuss the results of resolving conflict.
Theme – Sharing the planet An inquiry into rights and responsibilities in the struggle to share finite resources with other people and with other living things; communities and
the relationships within and between them; access to equal opportunities; peace and conflict resolution
Central Idea - Reaching a resolution during periods or moments of
conflict is influenced by the actions and reactions of all involved.
Key Concepts:
Causation – Why is it like it is? Perspective – What are the points of view? Responsibility - What is our responsibility
Lines of Inquiry:
1. Cause of conflict (local and global) 2. Human rights and equity
3. Strategies used to resolve conflict
O C T O B E R 2 0 1 6
PYP Newsletter Primary 6
Key Vocabulary
Conflict
Resolution
Consequences
Peace
Reconciliation
Responsibility
Exploitation
Grief
Global
Equity
Strategies
Teacher questions & provocations
1. What are the cause of conflict ? (local and global)
2. What are human rights and equity? 3. What are some strategies used to resolve conflict?
4. What are some of the consequences of resolving conflict
Learner Profile Attributes Inquirer
Knowledgeable
PYP Attitudes Enthusiasm
Tolerance
Development of Skills
Thinking skills:
Comprehension: Grasping meaning from material learned; communicating and interpreting learning.
Application: Making use of previously acquired knowledge in practical or new ways..
Social skills:
Cooperating: Working cooperatively in a group; being courteous to others; sharing materials; taking
turns.
group decision making: Listening to others; discussing ideas; asking questions; working towards and
obtaining consensus.
Unit Assessment Students may choose to express their understanding of the central idea using one of the following:
Create a brief video presentation for a younger audience on conflict and its resolution.
With a partner, create a situation involving conflict and its resolution
Write a 5 paragraph essay on a historical conflict and its resolution
Create a poster that represents conflict and a process of resolution
What you can do for your child at home You can talk with your child about conflict. What is it, what is its role in the world? How do people and groups of people resolve conflict? How does your family resolve conflict?
I think the historical conflict that your child can connect with is a great place to start a discussion on this unit.
Here are a few books on the subject aimed at the young to intermediate reader
Bull Run by Paul Fleischman (American Civil War)
Number The Stars by Lois Lowry (WW II, set in Europe)
The House of Sixty Fathers by Meindert Dejong (WW II, set in China)
So Far From the Bamboo Grove by Yoko Kawashima Watkins (Korean War)
The Year of Impossible Good Byes by Sook Nyul Choi (Korean War
Transdisciplinary Links: Science
Mathematics
PSPE
Welcome back and I hope everyone had a wonderful Holiday. I hope all is well for you and to your family. Going forward about our units, we have not
move on with our second unit for Performing arts but I can give you an insight of what are the things that will happen. First of all, all the students
from PYP 1 to PYP 6 are having their choir lesson once a week around 15-20 mins during our performing arts time. These songs that Mr. and Mrs. Kim
have developed for future performances are actually familiar and related to musical plays. Exciting part, our first debut with the choir will be on the Arts
assembly this Friday, Oct. 14th. Then we will continue our practice for the Christmas Concert on December which is one of our biggest school activity
each year. I hope to see you and support our children for their wonderful performances in the future. Now I will feature our Primary 1 and 2 for the
Unit of Inquiry.
Theme - Who we are
An inquiry into the nature of the self; beliefs and values; personal, physical,
mental, social and spiritual health; human relationships including families,
friends, communities, and cultures; rights and responsibilities; what it means to be human
Central Idea - The choices people make affect their health and well-being.
Key Concepts:
Causation – Why is it like it is?
Reflection – How do we know?
Responsibility – What is our responsibility?
Lines of Inquiry What it means to have a balanced lifestyle
How the choices we make affect our health
Different sources of information that help us make choices
O C T O B E R 2 0 1 6
PYP Newsletter Performing Arts
Primary 1 doing a
characterization exercise called ,
‘’mirror, mirror”.
Teacher questions and provocations:
What is the role of a story writer?
What is the intended message of the Story?
Who is the intended audience?
How does the moods (feelings) affects you by the story?
Learner Profile Attributes Reflective
Balanced
PYP Attitudes Confidence
Creativity
Development of Skills
Thinking skills
Application : Making use of previously acquired knowledge in practical or new ways.
Analysis: Taking knowledge or ideas apart; separating into component parts; seeing relationships;
finding unique characteristics.
Self-management skills –
Healthy Lifestyle: Making informed choices to achieve a balance in nutrition, rest, relaxation and
exercise; practicing appropriate hygiene and self-care.
Informed choices: Selecting an appropriate course of action or behavior based on fact or opinion.
Unit Assessment
The class will be divided into two groups to create a short story about living a healthy life and good choices. They will use their knowledge and experiences about living healthy and a well-balanced kid. Students will create their own characters based on the concept of eating good food, balanced exercise and good choices.
What you can do for your child at home You can best help your child about this unit by explaining and guiding them about good eating habits and proper exercise. If you have an access to YouTube
or any equivalent video entertainment, it would be better to watch some old films or video together about good
choices for kids. I could recommend the “Paper bag princess” in YouTube, any Disney or Pixar movies which the kids would definitely like it.
Primary 2 creating their own imaginative character for a short story exercise called, “”My Character”!
In the past unit, students had a wonderful time creating their own matches with scooters and balls. We learned some basic use of scooter and practice the teamwork by ball games. Students now have a better understanding of collaboration and game strategy. They reflect after each game and communicate with each other during the
match; also they build up their group decision-making skills through this unit.
Theme – How we express ourselves
Central Idea - Profound knowledge helps people extend and enjoy their creativity.
Key Concepts:
1. Form – What is it like? 2. Function – How does it work? 3. Reflection – How do we know?
Lines of Inquiry
1. Creativity should be base on knowledge 2. How can we transform the scooter ball knowledge into other sports?
3. People share ideas to make their creativity better
Teacher questions & provocations
1. What are the basic techniques and rules in the formal scooter ball games?
2. What others sports can we do if we use the same rules as scooter ball? 3. Can you create new rules for scooter?
O C T O B E R 2 0 1 6
PYP Newsletter PE
Key Vocabulary
Communicate
Forward
Backward
Mark
Creativity
Strategy
Cooperation
Captain
Wing
Attack
Defence
Learner Profile Attributes Knowledgeable
Communicator Risk-taker
PYP Attitudes
Cooperation Creativity
Confidence
Development of Skills
1. Research skills: Planning – Developing a course of action; writing an outline; devising ways of finding out necessary information.
2. Self-management skills: Gross motor – Exhibiting skills in which groups of large muscles are used and the factor of strength is primary.
3. Social skills: Cooperating – Working cooperatively in a group; being courteous to others; sharing materials; taking turns.
Unit Assessment Students will give a presentation of 'scooter ball' by their own rules and teacher will observe them by the side with a checklist. Their performance will be recorded and all the skills and techniques will be tested. So students will know that profound knowledge will help them understand the game and even create a
new rule for it. What you can do for your child at home 1. Watch ball game programs and talk about the strategy
2. Encourage your child to express themselves. 3. If possible, practice scooter at home to let them have a better control of it.
Transdisciplinary Links:
PSPE
During this unit, students learned economic activity relies on systems of production, exchange and consumption of goods and services. Students make some dialogues to simulate live-trading and understand the role of supply and demand. Students experience returning and changing the goods to analyse the distribution of goods and
services. As consumers, they take their responsibility in the field trip.
Theme – How we organize ourselves
Central Idea - Economic activity relies on systems of production, exchange and consumption of goods and services.
Key Concepts:
1. Function: How does it work? 2. Connection: How is it connected to other things? 3. Responsibility: What is our responsibility?
Lines of Inquiry 1. The role of supply and demand
2. The distribution of goods and services 3. Our responsibility as consumers
Teacher questions & provocations
1. What does supply and demand play in economic activities? 2. What does the beginning of economic chain?
3. What responsibility do the consumers have to take?
O C T O B E R 2 0 1 6
PYP Newsletter Mandarin
Learner Profile Attributes
Communicator Reflective
PYP Attitudes
Cooperation Creativity
Respect
Development of Skills
1. Social Skills: (a) Cooperating – working cooperatively in a group. (b)Sharing materials and taking turns
2. Communication skills: (a) Speaking – Giving oral reports to small group; expressing ideas clearly and
logically. (b) Presenting – Constructing visuals and multimedia for a range of purposes and audiences.
3. Self-management skills: (a) Organisation – Planning and carrying out activities effectively.
Unit Assessment Beginner: Students will go to Xi’an IKEA to have shopping experience.
Intermediate: Students will design economic chain for their personal products. Advanced: Students will design economic chain for their personal products.
Key Vocabulary
商品 交换 服务 责任 市场 需求 合作 分配 消费 角色
In this unit, our ECE students will focus on different materials for making artworks. We will study how to manage the
traditional art materials such like different kinds of paper, paint, oil-pastels etc. to create artworks and also we will experience other materials such like plastic, bottle, fabric etc. to change their purposes to make art.
Theme - How the World Works
An inquiry into the natural world and its laws; the interaction between the
natural world (physical and biological) and human societies; how human use their understanding of scientific principles; the impact of scientific and
technological advances on society and on the environment.
Central Idea - Materials behave and interact in certain ways, which determine how people use them.
Key Concepts:
1. Function – How does it work? 2. Causation – Why is it like it is? 3. Change – How is it changing?
Lines of Inquiry
1. Behavior of materials 2. Changing properties of materials
3. Manipulation and application of materials to new purposes Teacher questions & provocations 1. What are the materials for making art? How to use them? 2. How materials change in different environment?
3. What will happen when we mix different materials? 4. Can we use the materials that are not for the purpose of art to create artworks?
O C T O B E R 2 0 1 6
PYP Newsletter Visual Arts
Key Vocabulary
Materials
Behavior
Property
Purpose
Change
Manipulation
Manage
Mix
Learner Profile Attributes
1. Inquirer 2. Risk-taker
PYP Attitudes
1. Creativity 2. Curiosity
3. Enthusiasm Development of Skills
1. Self-management skills – Organization: planning and carrying out activities effectively; Informed
choices：Selecting an appropriate course of action or behavior based on fact or opinion.
2. Thinking skills – Analysis: taking knowledge or ideas apart; separating into component parts; seeing relationships; finding unique characteristics.
3. Communication skills – Presenting: constructing visuals and multimedia for a range of purposes and audiences; communicating information and ideas through a variety of visual media.
Unit Assessment
Students will create a piece of art by mixed media. They will use different materials (traditional & untraditional) to manage and arrange them to create. What you can do for your child at home
1. Guild them to break the traditional thinking of making art to use different materials, media and strategies to create new forms of art. 2. Take them to art gallery, show them more different forms of artwork, encourage them to make judgement about the materials the artist used.
Since the last newsletter in August, the EAL department concluded its initial testing and has begun the
work of supporting our English as an additional language learners. This work officially began on the second of September with a combination of ‘Pull-out’ classes and ‘Push-in’ support.
In a ‘Pull-out’ class, EAL learners are offered intensive English instruction outside of their normal homeroom. With ‘Push-in’ support, EAL learners receive assistance from an EAL teacher within their
normal homeroom. XHIS utilises both approaches to best serve the needs of our EAL learners.
In Primary 1 and 2, our recent focus has been intensive instruction in phonics, as well as support of the current transdisciplinary theme ‘Who we are’. We have also spent time teaching language that is useful for our students in their day to day studies.
In Primary 3, our learners have been learning to distinguish between different parts of speech. They have also been studying vocabulary and sentence structures used to express their feelings.
In Primary 4, lessons have also had a strong focus on phonics and general reading strategies. The students have also worked on writing an introduction of a classmate. Most recently, students have been
learning about body systems in support of their next UOI. Primary 5 and 6 also worked on writing an introduction of a classmate. In addition to this, the
students also studied vocabulary and sentence structures related to the concept of trade in support of the content of their UOI. Most recently, we have been learning about the language used to talk about math in
order to aid them in understanding word problems written in English. In the EAL program, we employ interactive teaching methodologies to motivate our learners to
become ‘risk takers’ and ‘communicators’ in keeping with the philosophies of the IB, while striving to
equip them with the language tools necessary for their academic success.
O C T O B E R 2 0 1 6
PYP Newsletter EAL
