Science & Sundials!
“Have you ever played outside all day and noticed that the length and location of your shadow changed as the hours went by?”
You probably also noticed that the sun changed location in the sky throughout the day too. The sun’s change in location caused a difference in the size, shape and direction of your shadow.
This week our Year 2’s grabbed the opportunity to work with a real sundial and see first-hand how it works.
We set up a “home-made” sundial on our tennis court using a bucket filled with sand, holding a tall stick in its center. Each Year 2 class was taken out to observe this “make-shift” sundial at 3 different points in the day. Every time a child is chosen to draw a line in chalk exactly where the shadow of the tall stick is at that point. The time of observation is written next to the drawing, for the next class to come out a little later to observe and record their results.
The students thoroughly enjoyed the realism and practicality of this experiment. They enjoyed being able to go back to class and record the data they had collected, drawing pictures for each observation taken. They have now seen, first-hand, the way in which a shadow moves throughout the day as well as how and why the sundial came about.
Sundial for Kids: Facts & History
https://study.com/academy/lesson/sundials-lesson-for-kids-facts-history.html
Siobhan Hendry
Year 2 Teacher
Adventures At The Artscape Theatre
It was a very early start for our Foundation Stage classes this past Monday as we came to school ready for our Outing to the Artscape Theatre.
The students were very excited to see some of their favourite characters on stage. This year’s production was called “Kipper and the Storybook” and featured beloved characters such as Kipper, Biff, Wilf and Wilma as well as some new and exciting characters.
There was the evil witch, who ate children’s imaginations, and off course the silly trolls. As Kipper and Biff (helped by all the girls and boys in the audience) defeated the evil witch all the stories in Story land returned to normal.
The production focused on the importance of stories and reading, encouraging our students to use their imaginations and read as many books as they can.
Our students were asked to write down some of their best moments from the Outing. Some wrote about their favourite characters, some even wrote about the set and how the stage turned.
It was a great adventure, enjoyed by all.
Monique Crawley
Reception Year Teacher
Physics – What is it?
Physics is a branch of science concerned with the nature and properties of matter and energy. The subject matter of physics includes mechanics, heat, light and other radiation, sound, electricity, magnetism, and the structure of atoms. The world of Physics is an exciting but daunting field of study and spans many different aspects of our universe.
We develop different theories to understand and predict the world around us. Experiments are then conducted to validate or disprove our original theory. Theory, without practice would be very boring and very difficult. For this reason, we conduct regular experiments and visit industry where many of the theories can be seen in action and the power of our knowledge be harnessed to benefit mankind.
Our Year 10 & 11 students recently conducted experiments to prove Ohm’s Law. Definition: a law stating that electric current is proportional to voltage and inversely proportional to resistance.
For more information on the application of physics follow the link to this brilliant article.
https://www.topuniversities.com/student-info/careers-advice/what-can-you-do-physics-degree
Patrick Katzen
High School Physics Teacher
Read More
Robotics
Robots have always been a captivating piece of technology, programmable to move, make noise, light up, and follow instructions as directed. There is nothing quite as fun — and educational — as building one’s own robot and setting it through the paces of a race, an activity or a challenge.
In the school setting, robots encourage problem-solving, creative thinking, and a healthy sense of competition that drives innovation from students.
As robotics and computers become increasingly prevalent in students’ lives, understanding programming and programming concepts is becoming very important for students’ success. Robots are a fun, easy, and effective way to learn about computer programming. Programming a robot has tangible, observable effects.
Having to control a physical robot and seeing what goes wrong, students learn what robots can and cannot do. They also learn the need for precise instructions. Robotics helps address the growing demand for teaching science, technology, engineering and Maths in schools.
Robotics use the making of a prototype easier so it will help make the problem better. Students get the time, space and purpose to build robots and solve open-ended problems. Program building robots aims to help students develop logic building and critical thinking skills at a very young age.
Robotics is a branch of mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, electronic engineering and computer science. It deals with the design, construction, operation, and application of robots, as well as computer systems for their control, sensory feedback, and information processing.
We would be amiss not to place immense value on incorporating Robotics into our children’s lives. As our future engineers, programmers, pilots and doctors, to name only a few, we have to empower them for them to be successful.
Sonia Terblanche
Robotics and Programming Teacher Junior School
One To One Event – Blouberg International School Interact Club
This past Sunday, the 18th of August, seven of interact members spent the first half of their day assisting the Blouberg Rotary Club stall at the annual One to One event.
One to One is held every year at the Green Point Stadium. It is a day that is focused around differently abled kids and adults from Cape Town and its surrounds. With some people being bussed in from as far as George. One to One is orientated towards providing a fun filled day for them.
There were various games to be played at the many stalls, prizes to be won and lots of free hugs all around.
The day is organized by various clubs, such as Rotary, Lions Club, Roteract and many interact clubs from schools.
The few hours that were spent at the event were filled with laughter, cheering, music and performances. While spreading love we were able to forge new friendships with people from other schools. It was a humbling experience that we all enjoyed being a part of.
We are looking forward to next year’s event with our eyes set on our own Blouberg Interact stall.
Hope Munkondia
Interact Member – Year 10
Key Stage 2 Book Week 2019
The history of our beautiful land can only be depicted through the magnificent stories and writings told by our talented authors. This week BIS has dedicated Book Week to honor our South African Children’s Authors.
On deciding to do this, I, myself had surprisingly made the discovery of how many brilliantly written local children’s books existed. I took some time to read a few books, and was touched by the realities and beauties of our very own land. It is so important for us to pass on the diversity of cultures and heritage to our children and the best way to do this is through a book.
On Tuesday we were fortunate enough to receive a visit from an amazingly talented South African Children’s author, Lori-Ann Preston.
“Lori-Ann Preston is an award-winning children’s author who lives in East London. She won the Golden Baobab Prize in 2016 for her Early Chapter Book, The Ama-Zings! Her picture books, Mr Cocka-Rocka-Roo and Snails Have Feelings, Too! were short- and long listed for the same prize, respectively. She holds a BEd Honours degree from the University of South Africa and spent 20 years as an educator.”
A magical week was had by all. We had many other visitors and events at our school, “Help the Rural Child” mobile book shop, “Hooked on Books”, Story Book Character Dress up day and a Cake sale, all of which makes Book Week something to look forward to every single year.
“When we read we are able to travel to many places, meet many people and understand the world”
-Nelson Mandela
Let us continue to empower and grow young minds through reading. Happy reading all.
Nadia Mahomed
Year 5 Teacher
Hidden Benefits To Reading To Your Children
As a much younger teacher, I remember emphasizing to parents, the importance of reading aloud to their children. It was really only after having my own children and practicing what I had preached, that I began to understand that I too was benefiting!
I recently read an interesting article, published by the Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, in which they set out the basic “hidden” benefits…
Building Bonds
While reading is a necessity for learning, it is also one of the best ways to develop bonds with your children; researchers say reading to your child is “a gift for time-challenged parents who may feel guilty about missing special moments with their kids.” (www.scholastic.com) The book publisher suggests parents schedule reading sessions often and use the moments to enrich their relationships with their children, as well as build their vocabularies. Parents will forever cling to such innocent moments. Children, meanwhile, are learning about complex aspects of life and relationships when they are engaged in stories with themes that can be more mature than anything they’ve encountered in life. Going through those educational moments with a parent allows them to confront these issues in a safe space.
Secret to Success
The article goes on to explain that research showed that children four to five years of age who are read to three to five times a week are six months ahead of their peers in terms of reading acumen. Those children who are read to daily are a year ahead of those who are read to less frequently. ”It does appear to be the case that children who are read to more often keep doing better as they age than other children.”
Rich Vocabulary Equals Advantage
Educator Jim Trelease notes that there is a clear difference between conversing with a child and reading to him or her. As he points out in his book “Read-Aloud Handbook,” literature is more intricate than speech and therefore vastly more educational.
“The language in books is very rich, and in books there are complete sentences. In books, newspapers, and magazines, the language is more complicated, more sophisticated. A child who hears more sophisticated words has a giant advantage over a child who hasn’t heard those words,” Trelease says.
Teaching by Example
“A child who has been read to will want to learn to read herself. She will want to do what she sees her parents doing. But if a child never sees anyone pick up a book, she isn’t going to have that desire,” Trelease points out in a conversation with GreatSchools.org. Reading increases a child’s attention span and a parent’s own cognitive ability, the best-selling author says. It is one of the most essential and valuable activities children can inherit from parents simply by observing them being engrossed in a book or magazine. Knowing how many habits children pick up from grown-ups around them, reading is one activity parents should aim to get caught doing in front of their children!
So, enjoy cuddling with your child and reading that bed time story.
Kim Coetzer
Year 2 Teacher
Interactive Curriculum Morning, August 2019
On Saturday, 17 August we had another Interactive Curriculum Morning. The focus was Sensory and Fine Motor development in the early years. Both of these skills develop from birth and are essential for healthy brain development. Parents attended a PowerPoint presentation explaining the importance of these skills and were given some tips and ideas about activities that can be done at home with their children.
Then the messy fun began and the parents were invited to do the activities alongside their children. There were 2 stations. One for Sensory skills and the other was for Fine Motor skills.
At the Sensory station, the children could experiment with substances that appealed to all their five senses. They had a lot of fun playing with shaving cream, jelly, dry pasta, oats, coloured spaghetti and in the sand pit.
At the Fine Motor station, the children could use elastic bands to make patterns on peg boards. They did beading, making patterned necklaces for their parents to admire. The children also really enjoyed making monsters and other creatures from play dough, plastic eyes, pipe cleaners and sticks.
The morning is always a wonderful experience of learning through play.
Bronwen Nuthall
Reception Year Teacher
Nursery Pajama Day
The Nursery class came to school in our pajamas on Tuesday. We spent the morning playing and relaxing outside in our special Nursery garden while colouring in and socialising. We played imaginative games with our teddy bears and Lego blocks, building structures and dreaming up different scenarios for our teddy bears to act out.
During morning snack time we enjoyed a cup of hot chocolate and treats while reading story books. After snack and story time ended we had free play outside by the “big’ Jungle gym until lunch time. We had a delicious luncheon with chicken strips, potatoes and salad.
Nap time arrived and we had a long, peaceful 2 hour nap. When we woke up we had a refreshing fresh fruit salad for afternoon snack.
The day ended off with us dancing outside in the garden and enjoying free play.
We wish every day could be pajama day!
Jacky Billings
Nursery Teacher
From the Principal’s Desk, 22 August 2019
Dear Parents
This has been an exciting week as we celebrated Book Week in our junior school.
We had a visit from South African author Lori-Ann Preston who addressed our Key Stage 2 students. She is a seasoned South African educator with more than twenty years of experience. She has a Bachelor of Education Honours Degree through the University of South Africa.
Lori-Ann won the Golden Baobab Prize in 2016 for her Early Chapter book ‘The Ama-zings!’, a fast-moving, fun-filled adventure story, and received the New Writer of the Year award in 2016 from the South African Writer’s Circle.
She just launched another book called “Thabo, the Space Dude“ which promises to be an interesting and compelling read to our children.
Our choir participated in the West Coast Song Festival last night and the organisation of the event at Woodbridge Primary was exceptional. Thank you to all the parents who came to support our choir.
On Friday we will have our Storybook Dress-up Day and we are looking forward to our students creative costume ideas. This promises to be a fun-filled day at school, signaling the end of another successful Book Week.
Next week we have the opening of our high school’s 2019 musical ‘Little Shop of Horrors. It has been was such a pleasure to see how actively this was promoted by our students this morning as they sang and danced in the car park, inviting parents to come and see the production. They have all worked tremendously hard over the past months to ensure we have a potentially award winning show.
I wish you a wonderful weekend ahead.
Kind regards
Edna