Planting the seeds of knowledge!
Planting the seeds of knowledge!
A little seed for me to sow.
A little seed to make it grow.
A little hole, a little pat
A little wish and that is that.
A little sun, a little shower.
A little while,
And then a flower!
What do seeds need to grow? This was the question posed to our Year 5’s in our first Science lesson this term.
But… instead of telling the students, we decided to let them discover it for themselves. Using their knowledge of what a fair test is, the students investigated by setting up their own scientific enquiry. In groups, they were supplied with four plastic cups, soil, 12 seeds and a little water. Together a discussion was held on what the independent, dependant and control variables would be. Once they reached a consensus, students set about planting their seeds. Two samples were placed in a warm place in the classroom – one with water and one without. The two remaining samples made their way into their teacher’s fridge-one with water and one without.
Predictions were made and arguments put forward, but only time will tell. For the next couple of weeks, students need to water some of the seedlings and keep a vigilant eye on any possible germination before they can reach a conclusion. Watch this space!
Well done Year 5’s!
Mandy Goch
Year 5 Teacher
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Mathematics Can Be Fun!
If you’re like me, Mathematics at school was always a daunting subject! However, I have discovered that the key to motivating children in any subject, but especially Mathematics is to make it fun.
Counting in various intervals, e.g., 1’s, 2’s 3’s 4’s 5’s, forwards and backwards, etc. is crucial to laying the foundation for mathematical skills. Addition, subtraction, multiplication and division are all based on counting. If a child have a solid understanding of counting in different intervals, they find the transition to the later operational activities much easier.
A study by researcher Louis Manfra from the University of Missouri suggested that teaching pre-schoolers to count, better prepares them for success in mathematics once they start school and found that children who could recite and count to 20 in preschool had the highest mathematics score in first grade.
(Origo Education)
In class we played a ball game to make counting more fun. I gave one student a number to begin with. They had to say the next number and throw the ball to a friend, who then followed with the number after that one. We had a lot of fun during this activity.
Kim Coetzer
Year 2 Teacher
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Our First Week In Year 4
“Every sunset is an opportunity to reset. Every sunrise begins with new eyes.”
(Richie Norton)
The first week back has taken off with great excitement and eagerness. It was created on a recipe for success combined with only the finest ingredients.
A tonne of laughter and cheer combined with a Kilotonne of smiles and giggles. Whipped together with a megatonne of chatter. Stirring in a gigatonne of pure joy, topped with just a sprinkle of nervousness.
The Year 4’s have kicked off 2023 with a bang. They spent the first week organising, sorting and decorating books and stationery. Catching up with friends was the number one priority. We also delved straight into our work and had fun recapping Mathematics concepts, looking at stories from the past in English and even setting up and performing Science experiments.
We look forward to a successful and fun-filled year.
Nadia Mahomed
Year 4 Teacher
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Welcome
The high school Induction Day was held on Friday, 13 January 2023. The event was organised and led by the Student Representative Council (SRC), who can be praised for an extremely successful event.
The day began with the SRC taking the new students on a tour of the school. The tour included an explanation of our building project and went a long way to ensuring that no student was lost or without a friend on the first day of school.
After an early lunch, students participated in a variety of games and activities designed to help them to get to know each other better. The ice quickly broke and a nervous group of students started holding animated conversations with the SRC and each other.
The day ended with much laughter as the students provided facts about themselves and guessed who the author was.
We would like to extend a warm welcome to all our new students. May your time at BIS be enjoyable and fulfilling.
Sheila Marais
SRC Coordinator
The Year Ahead
Monday, 16 January was a beautiful sunny day and the Teachers at Blouberg International School welcomed their new students. As the new faces arrived in Year 1, some very excited and others a little more apprehensive, they quickly settled into their new class and greeted friends from last year. There is always a buzz on the first day as students reconnect and tell their peers all about their holiday.
Some comments from the Year 1 students about the year ahead.
I am excited to do ballet. – Purity
I am excited to learn about maths. – Nikraad
In Year 1 am excited to do gymnastics. – Chaitrika
I want to learn about how nature works. – Ayominde
I am excited to learn more maths. – Sofia
In Year 1 am excited to do maths and drawing. – Lolwam
I like to do colouring. – Tiwatope
In Year 1 I love doing maths. – Jonah
I am excited to be grown up and I want to be a soccer player like Ronaldo. – Chimdindo
I am excited to make new friends in Year 1. – Isabella
I am excited to learn about stories. – Tinashe
I am excited that there are new people and I get to play with Daisey at playtime. – Juliet
I want to learn new things. – Anam
I am going to do maths. – Somto
I am excited to be in Year 1 because I will be 7 years old. – Luka
This year we all get to play on the big field and we write sentences. – Alupheli
I like learning about science. – Likani
I like to draw and learn new things. – Marcus
I want to be in Year 1 because it is fun for me. – Naleli
I like to work and be kind to people. – Leah
Ann Cordner
Junior Primary Coordinator and Year 1 Teacher
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BIS Interact Club
- Promoting a peaceful environment within our communities.
- Fighting life-threatening diseases like polio, HIV/AIDS and malaria
- Providing clean water and hygiene.
- Caring for the underprivileged mothers and children.
- Supporting basic education and literacy.
- Creating opportunities for economic development in our communities.
- Protecting the environment.
With the presence of technology in our everyday lives, our children have never been more globally connected through social media, the internet and a daily bombardment of news and opinions from every corner of the world; and yet, today so many children are feeling disconnected. Perhaps it is because no tech gadget can replace our innate need to socialise, to belong, to care for each other, or to make connections. Unfortunately, many of us are overwhelmingly busy with our daily jobs, homework, school lifts, and supper, and little time – and energy – is left to switch off from the mad rush.
Our Interactors pay weekly visits to Peace Home, a shelter for children who come from difficult upbringings, to help them with their homework – what a great opportunity it has become for a safe space to connect with each other, share daily experiences and a few laughs in between doing school work.
These are some Interactors’ thoughts on going to Peace Home visits:
“It helps you to learn how to teach. You can also appreciate what you have.” (Faith Chivaka – Y8)
“The day I went I really enjoyed the little girls, Kaitlin and Precious, they were so sweet and funny.” (Favour Chimezie – Y8)
“… it was very fun and a great experience. Teaching the little Grade 2 girl, Precious, was very enjoyable and I was glad to be able to help someone else with their education.” (Amanda Nkomo- Y8)
“My experiences at Peace Home are always lovely. It feels very rewarding to help someone with homework, especially when I know my contribution makes a huge impact on their lives.” (Landelwa Maqanda – Y11)
“I enjoyed helping the kids with their work. The dogs are really cute and everyone is very inviting and well mannered”. (Daniel Moodie – Y11)
Thank you parents, grandparents, guardians and carers for caring about our children. As the African proverb says, “it takes a village to raise a child”.
Elena Berger
Interact Club of Blouberg International School Coordinator
Year 9 Mathematics Treasure Hunt
Generally, Mathematics is considered to be boring. With my class we decided to change this and always design activities that encourage critical mathematical thinking as students find different ways of solving real life mathematical problems and deepen their understanding of mathematics.
Throughout the year, we did quite a number of project/fun activities with my students, which included “guess the concept “, tarsia puzzle, tag of war, Kahoot team race, pair/match card race, geometry ball coordination outdoor play, blind fold math master and so on. Of all these phenomenal fun activities, the treasure hunt stood out as one of the best loved by students because of the way we redesigned it this year.
Unique treasure hunt design
Students were divided into groups of 4 and given a set of questions to use. Their task was to then design the map the way they wanted and give reasonable clues along the way. A minimum of 5 stops are allowed before the final point where the treasure is hidden. Think about it; Year 9 students were practicing key topic Mathematics questions, working in teams, solving all the problems I had prepared for them. All of that, without even knowing they are actually learning new things.
Teams design their own stations and always give two optional answers which are closely related. I guided them to see some common silly mathematical mistakes made by students and allow these as an alternative that will eventually lead to a different station, which we called the “battery changing station” or simply “corrective station”. At this station, they will ask a similar question and be given a second chance to take themselves back to the correct station.
All 4 teams did well, running around the school grounds and classes. Finally, the treasure was found. In reality, students love Mathematics.
See attached pictures of Year 9 teams in action.
Hebert Tapfuma
High School Mathematics
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English News
During the fourth term, the English department focused on sharpening the creative writing skills of the BIS students.
All Year 7, 8, 9 and 11 students were tasked with writing narrative and descriptive essays this term, whether it be for a CASS or for the exam.
Creative writing is one of the elements of teaching English that is most enjoyable – not only for the students to write, but for the teachers to mark! It enables the students to express their creativity and come up with stories that have never been told before. The sky truly is the limit when it comes to creative writing.
It is so refreshing and rewarding to read through some of our students’ creative pieces and to be able to see the future novelists and script writers.
As a treat for our readers, we have included one of the narrative pieces written by Nicholas Neethling in Year 9 below:
Artecua Demenzis by Nicholas Neethling
The burn of ice, the tunnel of darkness, the loneliness, all dramatically leading up to a state of desperation. A hungry desperation – starving and lustful with no sense of consequence – with its feedings a torment.
Friday, 07:54, 1908. Screams echoed wherever one went in this place, the mishaps and the damned all crying for the sense of hope that existed prior to their foolish mistakes. This was Rokka Penitentiary. Shadows escaped but souls were left wrecked and misplaced. The bitter-sweet evolution of pain coursed through the veins of the “Whisper Killer”.
Sat, chained to a wall and what appeared to be deep in thought, was this monster. However, after five months, the state had sentenced him to death by the ropes.
07:55 came. With a nail tearing, blood boiling screech, the bolt moved.
07:56, a dark figure appeared, standing nearly 7ft tall; this was the warden.
“By the laws of the constitution and sentencing by the honourable Judge Michael Harringway. You, Artecua Demenzis, have been sentence to hang tomorrow at midday.”
For a moment the room was silent and still without a thought of any kind.
07:57 came. The room stood silent still…
07:58, the door whined closed and once again the bolt sent all listeners of the locking of the bolt through the ninth hell. All except one – Artecua Demenzis. He had not moved even to look at the slowly growing dust collection around him. He remained unaffected for the following 27 hours.
Saturday, 11:50, 1908. The bolt grinded open, again the warden had appeared, this time with three other men – prison guards. The men removed the wall-mounted shackle and dropped it to the ground. Now Artecua’s body was completely limp as they dragged him down the halls and into the underground of the facility.
11:56, around the corner appeared the gallows. Although internally unbothered with the situation, Artecua Demenzis had heard the murmurs of the small crowd of people who were hurt, damaged, or forever changed by his actions; thus, he put on a show to remember. Hysterical laughter filled the room. He hadn’t made a sound for months, but this carried pure emotions of satisfaction and no regret.
11:58, the Pope gasped at the sight of this monster but read the piece, nonetheless.
“For filth like yourself, I wouldn’t give it to ya. However, have you any final words, Mr. Demenzis?”
“See? Killing doesn’t end the killing… I will be back – maybe with a changed form, but in this life or the next. I am inevitable…”
The clock struck twelve. The platform dropped. But still the laughter did not stop.
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The Arts & Crafts Club Rocks!
The Arts & Crafts Club have been busy this term with completing a Rock Art project with the theme ‘ be kind, be caring and be encouraging’ in line with our anti bullying campaign at the school.
This was a process of preparation of the rocks, painting an undercoat, decorating, writing and finally varnishing them. They enjoyed completing it at all the stages and finally they were dry. At the beginning of Term 4, the Club enjoyed the last step of placing the Rock Art creations in the rock garden near the entrance of the school.
We hope you also enjoy looking at them while visiting the school.
Kerstin Pani
Club Coordinator
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Our Amazing Gourmet Burgers
The Year 4’s spent one of the term’s art lessons creating these mouth-watering gourmet burgers. Our objective was to create traffic-stopping art that would cause our audience to stop, stare and desire to eat an amazing burger on the spot, on-route to class. This has certainly happened. We have noticed students and teachers slow down in our passage, admiring our art. We have even had a teacher come into our classroom to express her great desire for a particular burger on display.
We worked with different paper textures as well as a variety of coloured paper. Each student had to design their own burger, having to think of every topping imaginable. The background was just as important. Many students put time and effort into creating detailed wooden table tops or beautifully designed table cloths. For those who had extra time at hand, sides were an added addition to their menu.
This was a highly rewarding art lesson and certainly showed us how powerfully persuasive pictures can be. Take a look at the photos below and see if you can resist the tempting thought of a gourmet burger satisfying your tummy!
Carol Blake
Year 4 Teacher
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