September2013

Welcome to the September Addition to the WIS Middle School Newsletter

=Important Dates: =

Reminder: It's getting wet out there! Students need to change into indoor shoes before entering the WIS wing. Let's all be caring learners and show respect for our school and for those who work so hard to make it a clean and organized place to learn :)

Oct. 02 - Oct. 04: Integration Trip (MYP 1-3); Warsaw Trip (MYP 4/5; Grade 5) Oct. 28 - Nov. 01: Fall Break

Science News:

MYP 1/2: The students are completing a combined unit on the scientific method. MYP 1 students have been introduced to the scientific method and the vocabulary associated with it. MYP 2 students reviewed such vocabulary and are teaching the MYP 1 students. We have been involved in several different types of experiments such as making silly putty, the reaction of baking soda and vinegar, and how different sodas react with mentos.

Here you can see some photos of the mentos experiment performed in class:



MYP 3: The students have completed their unit on the scientific method where our focus was on how to properly write a scientific lab report. The students choose to complete the following experiment: What is the effect of amount of alcohol on the burning time of wood? After completing this experiment the students wrote a lab report using the rubric created in class.

Here you can see some photos of the alcohol burning experiment:

MYP 4/5: The students completed their unit on scientific discoveries where the focus was on how scientists present their results in academic scientific journals. We spent several classes creating a rubric using the IBO science objectives. The students started writing a lab report about how different brands of fuels will effect the burning time of wood. Once all the supplies are gathered for the experiment, the students will be able to perform the experiment to test their hypotheses. We have also started our chemistry unit with a focus on converting between mass, moles, atoms and molecules.

Visual Arts

MYP 1 & MYP 2
Our first unit on Visual Arts is Maps Drawing (Grade 6) and Mind Mapping (Grade 7) We got familiar with a marvelous book of Maps made by Polish graphic designers Aleksandra and Daniel Mizielinscy. We have been analyzing how to draw a good illustrated map. A special guest was invited on our lesson to talk about various Mind Mapping Techniques. It was Mr. David Bridges (WIS sub teacher), who use mind mapping as teaching and learning strategy. He showed us hundreds examples.

MYP 3 We have been learning about Impressionism movement and about characteristic features of Impressionism style. Our key concept to understand the unit is change. We inquire how things change in different lights, and how Impressionism movement change History of Art. MYP 4/5 9 Graders has been studying Marc Chagall paintings. Our unit question is How do artists reflect the time they live in. Now students are being prepared to summative assessment that be showing our modern everyday life using all characteristic features of Chagall paintings. 10 Graders also are in the process of responding the same unit questions, but in different way. They doing a project – History of Art Time Line, where they are going to show, with illustrations or graphs, how Art was different in different times. Design Technology MYP 1 & MYP 2 On Design Technology we were exploring the Role of Design Cycle. We started our first units we were learning and recalling knowledge about The Design Cycle. Students create a big, circle poster of The Design Cycle. To use this knowledge in practice student have been designing an youth appealing envelop. = = MYP 3 Grade 8 has combined Design Technology unit with Language Arts unit. Unit is called Marketing & Advertising. While on Language A students learn about language aspects, on Design Technology they study visual layer of marketing and advertisement. We had a special guest Ms. Kalina Kalinska, who is a marketing specialist in FEM. MYP 4 & 5 On Design Technology 9 and 10 Graders are responding the same unit question, How can I show a dramatic historical event in children friendly way? 10 Graders are working on a graphic novel, while 9 Graders create a Travel Guide. Both product has to describe and inform about some difficult historical event in children friendly way. Physical Education

MYP 1 and 2

The grade 6 and 7 students recently finished their Project Adventure Unit. In this unit they participated in a variety activities in which students needed to work together to accomplish tasks. Safety was the focus for the unit and the activities built upon each other. Trust was also extremely important and students gradually built trust in each other more and more throughout the unit. If you would like to know more about this unit as well as see some videos please go to the link below, which will take you to the PE MYP 1 and 2 wiki page:

http://wis-pe.wikispaces.com/6th+and+7th+Grade

MYP 3-5 The grade 8-10 students are in the process of completing their Frisbee unit. During this unit they participate in Frisbee golf and Ultimate Frisbee. Here is a reflection from one of the students about Frisbee golf:

__ Frisbee Golf Reflection __

In PE our current unit is Frisbee. Our first task in this unit was to play Frisbee golf. Frisbee golf is a game like golf but instead of using a golf ball and a golf bat, you use a frisbee. You have to get your frisbee from one point to another. Every course has a PAR for the easier course the par will be a smaller number and for the harder the per will be a higher number. To get the smallest amount of points you have to hit the target(pole) with a smaller amount of throws then the PAR. When we were playing frisbee golf I had a strategy. My strategy was to throw the frisbee as close to the target as possible and then just touch the frisbee with the pole. On the course that had a fence behind the target, I tried to hit the target with one throw because I knew if I missed the target the fence would save it. Then I just touched the frisbee with the pole. On the courses that didn’t have a fence behind it i tried to make a light throw as close to the target as possible, so it would be easier to hit the frisbee with the target. I choose this strategy because if i would try to hit the target from far away and I missed the frisbee wo uld still go further away from the target and I would have more throws. When there was wind I tried to throw the frisbee low and more to the side where the wind was coming from so the wind didn’t take the frisbee with it and place my frisbee far away from the target. I think I did good in frisbee golf but I still have to practice my frisbee skills. So I can get under the PAR number. I think frisbee golf is a good sport and it is fun. So you can play with your friends on your free time.

-Oliver (MYP 4 student)

Ultimate Frisbee is a fast pace game where students are split into 2 teams and must pass the frisbee among their team (without it hitting the ground) from one end of the gym to the other to score points. The highlight of the unit was the field trip to the Toya Golf Course and Academy where students got instruction in driving and putting from a professional golf instructor. Then they were split into 4 teams and participate in a small 4-hole tournament on Toya's short golf course. The winning team was: Hania, Liina, Kristian and Seoungwoo.

If you would like to learn more about this unit and see some videos from Frisbee golf as well as from the field trip then please go to the link below, which will take you to the PE MYP 3-5 wiki page:

http://wis-pe.wikispaces.com/8th%2C+9th+and+10th+Grade

= World Studies News =

MYP 1/2
Our class is learning about mapping. We have been learning about Movement. Movement is interesting because it’s fun to do. We also did some geography and read some articles about mapping and geography. We also learned a little about the Middle Ages and history. The best thing for me was learning about our objectives because we got to describe things we know a lot about. --Amelia, Grade 6 We have been learning about Mapping. In mapping we are learning about relative location, absolute location, longitude, latitude and different regions. In mapping we are also learning about the location of countries. In this unit our unit question is, How do we study and understand the world? Our key concept for this unit is Time, Place, Space. So far I have found longitude and latitude very interesting. I also liked finding out about the relative and absolute locations of a place. I also liked learning about Criterion A. My topic was Youtube! I also liked the quizzes that we had to make for other people. –Jaqueline, Grade 6

//In grade 7 we’ve been studying the Roman empire and the systems it developed to manage its growth.//

I have learned that as the Roman empire grew they ran into problems. I found it very interesting that poor people were able to join the army. The reason is because poor people are usually never able to go anywhere. –Simphiwe, Grade 7



We’ve been learning about the way of fighting and soldiers during the First World War. First of all, we learned about how many soldiers, warships and weapons each country had then we made some questions and researched them. And then we learned about the different war plans each country had. Then we wrote some newspaper reports for the public and a report to the Prime Minister. It was hard to write it for the public. And last, we talked about how the people behave in the trenches. I liked this part because it’s interesting to find out that enemies communicated with each other and played games. --Chiharu

I have learned what trench warfare involved and what it was like in the trench. The new thing I learned was that the soldiers in the trench suffered a disease that they got from contaminated water. And my favorite part was about the relationships in the trenches. --Yein

MYP 4/5


Now in world studies we have the unit about World War 2. We have been learning all about the things leading up to the war like the League of Nations, the depression and Appeasement. We have just finished learning about the things leading up to the war and found out how the war began, why, when and where. For our formative assessment in groups we wrote about Appeasement and what we thought about it. I learnt a lot so far in World Studies. I really understand now why the war happened. I had a really fun time and I really like World Studies and learning about historical events like World War 2. --Hania

During the last three weeks in World Studies we have been learning about World War 2. Specifically, we have been learning about the causes of World War 2: how Hitler invaded Austria and the Anschluss; how Hitler took over Czech and the Sudetenland. We also talked about the Appeasement Policy. I found the appeasement policy interesting because it didn’t stop Hitler invading countries and starting the war. Appeasement had different points of view from different countries. --Oliver

**Language B Polish**  Currently students are finishing they very first Unit in which they have learned how to communicate in Polish with the very basic vocabulary and phrases. For the final assessments students will be participating in 2-3 minutes dialogue which will be recorded and then posted on my wiki so all parents will be able to see and hear they children speaking Polish.
 * Phase 1 **

 Students are reviewing they knowledge using 2 cases known cases (accusative and instrumental) within communication situations as shopping, telling about food preferences. Next the new case will be introduced to them so students will be able to talk about they dislikes as well as about using structure go to somewhere.
 * Phase 2 **

Students are reading pieces of „Kamienie na Szaniec” by A. Kamiński. This is a unit connected with Humanities unit about World War II. The next step will be reading pieces of „Pamiętnik z Powstania Warszawskiego” by M. Białoszewski. AT the end of this unit students will be expected to write kind of diary/journal from one week of war in Warsaw Math News ** MYP 1 **
 * Phase 4-6 **

[[image:order-of-operations-03-02.gif align="left" caption="Image from coolmath.com"]]
We have been studying number systems, word problems, magic squares, number pyramids, rounding and the order of operations. It was so fun after I solved math problems. It feels like cool x 100000000. When I solve magic squares I feel like a machine. I like math.

–Jun Soo, Grade 6

MYP 2
In math we are studying algebra. In this unit we are learning some more advanced algebra. It was very confusing at first, but I learned some more long algebra sentences. Now I can read and solve the problem by looking and writing in my notebook.

–Ho Jung, Grade 7

In math we have been learning about 3D and 2D shapes and then we learned about how to do the areas of triangles. Then we did algebra. We then learned about polygons, quadrilaterals and geometric solids. I like math. It’s very fun.

–Simphiwe, Grade 7 ** Language B French ** ====For MYP 1 Phase 1 we start the year with a unit on survival French. This will help the group to put in place a starting routine in the class and to understand the basic instructions for the first task and exercises we have done in class. There is an absolute need for the students to review what we have learned during the lesson, 5 minutes on an everyday basis as a good habit to take for the rest of the year.====

====For MYP 3/4/5, I have split the students in two groups: one beginner and one intermediate. With the beginner group, phase 1, we have done a unit on the survival French as it has been done with MYP 1, but in a more detailed way. For the intermediate group, phase 2-3, we are finishing our reviewing unit that ensured that the knowledge implemented last year was remembered so that we can go on to the next unit about the personal description. There is an absolute need, like in MYP 1, for the students to review what we have learned during the lesson, 5 minutes on an everyday basis as a good habit to take for the rest of the year.====

=Language A=

MYP 1
The MYP 1 students are well into their unit called ‘the Reading Bug’. They have been learning how to write a good reading journal entry, so that each week, they can write a good personal response to what they have read that week; giving examples to support their points, and making connections to other books and to their own lives. They have also been looking at what makes a good blurb and comparing the content and style of reading journal entries and blurbs. We will look at how to write a good review and the final assessment of the unit will be to give a book talk on a good book that they have read recently.

MYP 2
The MYP 2 students are well into their unit on Creative Writing. They have been looking at a number of short stories and have been figuring out the ingredients of good fiction. We have also been looking at the techniques that writers use to create tension. The students are now working on their own piece of writing in which they will try to apply these techniques.

**MYP 3**
The MYP 3 students are in the middle of their integrated Language A/DT unit on marketing and advertising. They have looked at how companies go about creating product names and slogans. By analyzing a number of slogans, they students identified the techniques used for making slogans memorable and spent time creating their own slogans for different products. They gave a mini presentation this week, explaining their slogans and justifying their choices. We spent a lot of time working on presentation skills and the students will practice this further next week, when they present and explain the logos they have been working on for DT.

MYP 4&5
The MYP 4 & 5 students are nearing the end of their first unit, Travel Writing. They have been comparing different types of travel texts, analyzing them for purpose, audience, layout and style. Next week, they will prepare short presentations using persuasive language to ‘sell’ their home countries. In the final assessment task, they will write their own pieces of travel journalism, applying the techniques that such writers use to make their writing engaging and entertaining.