From the Principal’s Desk, 6 November 2020
Dear Parents
I am, and have always been, a firm believer in lifelong learning. As the world evolves around us and we are expected to move with the times, it is an especially important skill to be teachable in all areas.
Lifelong learning is when we learn new skills actively throughout our lives and it is so important that we nurture this passion for knowledge in our children. An important lesson to take from this difficult year is the necessity of adaptability and the importance of broadening our skill set. Stagnation and complacency are simply not an option.
In our staff meeting this week, I emphasized the importance of keeping abreast of changes and developments to the Cambridge curriculum. One of the areas we are exploring is the introduction of Global Perspectives as a subject in the primary school. Global Perspectives is a subject which develops the important transferable skills of critical thinking, research, and collaboration.
We are currently exploring many different opportunities for our students and we will keep you up to date about enhancements in the Cambridge curriculum and in our own subject-offering. I hope you are as excited about it as we are. Our teachers are enthusiastic about the recent developments in the curriculum and are equipping themselves for the challenges of the new academic year.
This week is the halfway mark of progression tests in the primary school. Year 5 will start their progression tests on Monday 9th November and Year 6 will start their progression tests on Monday 16th November. I am sure that both parents and students are grateful to have a weekend ahead of us.
In the famous words of Albert Einstein,
“Wisdom is not a product of schooling but of the lifelong attempt to acquire it.”
I wish you all a wonderful weekend.
Regards
Edna
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Year 7 ScienceBiology
The subject ScienceBiology is the amalgamation of three different areas of science namely: Biology, Chemistry and Physics. During each term we cover work from all three areas.
Biology is the study of living organisms where we delve into the structure of cells and how they are arranged to ultimately form different organisms. We look at how these organisms are adapted to live in different habitats and how human activities are impacting fragile ecosystems. Lastly, we discuss the concept of species and the systems that biologists use to classify organisms into different groups, based on features they have in common.
Chemistry is the study of chemical substances that form the Earth and our Universe. We learn about the different states of matter and the changes occurring in the particles of matter when it changes from one state to another. Next we compare the differences between metals and non-metals, as well as studying the properties of different materials such as plastic and glass. Another interesting area of Chemistry is investigating material changes. We studied acids and alkalis and did a practical investigation on the effect they have on substances called indicators. Red cabbage juice is an example of an indicator which changes to different colours, depending on whether it is added to an acidic or alkaline solution. Students had to make their own red cabbage indicator in class and add it to a variety of unknown solutions. They had to observe the colour change to find out whether a solution was acidic (pink/red colour), alkaline (green/blue colour) or neutral (purple colour). Much fun was had and students unexpectedly stumbled upon neutralization reactions when they added the acidic and alkaline solutions together at the end of the experiment and saw the colour change back to purple. We ended the Chemistry section of the book by studying the different types of rocks and minerals that make up the Earth and how different processes can weather them away over time. When certain types of rock weather away they reveal the fossils of organisms that lived millions of years ago. These fossils tell cryptic stories that gives a glimpse of what life on Earth was like in the distant past.
Physics is the study of nature and properties of matter, energy, and forces. Students investigate forces in a variety of practical ways. One practical challenge was for students to lift a plastic container using only rice and a chopstick. Thanks to the force of friction between the rice and chopstick, students were able to achieve the seemingly impossible. We continued delving into the world of Physics by discussing different stores of energy as well as energy changes. Energy does not disappear, but simply changes from one form to another. The last part of Physics covered in Year 7 investigates astronomy and how far we have come in our understanding of our planet, solar system and galaxy. It gave us a true sense of how tiny we are in the universe when comparing the size of Earth to some of the largest stars discovered so far.
ScienceBiology takes students on a very diverse educational journey and lays the foundation for all three areas of science on which to build in future years.
Marlene Feltoe
Year 7 ScienceBiology Teacher
Year 3 Mummies
In History and Geography this term, the Year 3’s have been learning about the Ancient Egyptians and their country. This has been a thoroughly exciting topic to learn about and one that the students have embraced with great enthusiasm.
This past week, the Year 3 students had the opportunity to make their own mummy by drawing the outline of one and using their cold glue skilfully in creating its bandages. After this, the students learned about the many steps to the mummification process and included these steps beneath their mummy creation.
Even though this activity got quite messy, much enjoyment was derived from it!
Alexia Holmes
Year 3 Teacher
Why Should We Teach Children About Pollution And Waste?
The Year 2 students have been learning about pollution and waste over the past few weeks in Science and they have been taking the topic very seriously.
The teachers find it a very important topic for students to learn about as it benefits not only the students, but also the environment around us. Pollution affects our health and welfare every single day as it directly relates to the status of our environment, therefore making it an exceptionally important topic to have knowledge on, from a young age.
A crucial part of development is that students learn that they have a choice and the power to make a difference in the world.
The Year 2 teachers took the students outside to collect litter around the school and then discussed the different types of waste they had found (fruits, paper, and plastic). We also discussed which of the waste was biodegradable and which were non-biodegradable. This was a fun activity of learning new information and Year 2 thoroughly enjoyed it.
Erin Hierse
Year 2 Teacher
From The Principal’s Desk, 30 October 2020
Dear Parents
In my last few newsletters, I have avoided writing anything about the Covid-19 pandemic. I thought it best to shift to a more positive, student-centric focus.
Unfortunately, in the last few weeks there has been an increase in the Western Cape and the Parklands area specifically identified. Although we have only had one positive case, a student, we need to remain vigilant.
It is our duty to ensure that we follow the protocols prescribed by WCED and the Department of Health. Our year 10 and 12 students are writing their external Cambridge examinations and it is crucial they remain in good health. Should they test positive or be in contact with a positive case it will affect their ability to complete the examination series. We thus ask that you maintain rigorous protocols at home.
Students must always maintain social distancing. As much as they may wish to socialize and mingle closely with friends, it just takes one positive case to change the course of their lives.
We are also acutely aware that the process of dropping and collecting students at school can be very frustrating. Parents must please use the demarcated parking bays and not double park. Our neighbors, and the area around the school in general, has been negatively affected by the queues of cars trying to enter the school property at certain times of the day. We have sent letters in the past regarding this issue and respectfully ask you to adhere to the guidelines. We can make someone’s day or ruin it entirely by our own actions. Let us be mindful of one another in an already difficult and frustrating time. Let us be the kindness someone might need today.
Have a wonderful weekend ahead.
Edna
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From The Spanish Classroom
As I look back on the early days of an academic year, I am always amazed at how far we have come. This year is no different. Despite the huge challenges of a pandemic no one was prepared for, my students improvised, adapted and marched on. Their innate resilience and positive energy is what makes my day as a teacher.
This term, the Year 7’s learned to describe their city, ask about places in town, make and respond to invitations and talk about the weather. The Year 8’s are learning about the city of Barcelona, what there is to see and do there, all types of shops and what can be bought there.
We are now learning to ask and give directions. The Year 9’s are travelling around the world, describing past holidays, and planning future destinations, including making reservations for different types of accommodation.
The Year 11’s have researched the topic of ‘The Environment’ and we are discussing how, as individuals, we can contribute to a more sustainable way of life.
The Year 10’s and Year 13’s are now writing their external IGCSE and A Levels exams. I wish them all the very best and I extend my good wishes to all BIS students for the final exams.
Elena Berger
High School Spanish Teacher
2020 Has Been Very Busy In The Spanish Department!
In KS2 we had a Restaurant seating in the class, created a menu. We went shopping looking for clothes, made hotel reservations and visited a travel agency to prepare our trip to one of the 21 Spanish speaking countries.
The KS1 students introduced their families, describing the clothes that they were wearing, naming the rooms in the house, and increasing their vocabulary in a fun way through the Rockalingua songs and games.
The students have been involved in real life communication situations, by allowing and making sure that their natural strategies for language acquisition are used. This has opened them up to learning and using the language.
As a result, the students, especially in Year 5 and 6, can see that what they are learning is useful.
Setting up different situations that students are likely to encounter in real life, like everyday conversations about the weather, your hobbies or the family, reading comics and telling stories using the vocabulary and topics that we are working on, have allowed them to learn in a more natural way.
I would like to continue working next year trying to increase the responsibility to participate in the lessons using the TPRS methods (Teaching proficiency through reading and storytelling), for the students to gain confidence in using the Spanish language.
Additionally, we also encourage the students to take more responsibility for their own learning, helping us create the appropriate and relaxed atmosphere needed for this second language acquisition process to be more successful.
Javier Vidal
Junior School Spanish Teacher
“The greater your storm, the brighter your rainbow” – Unknown
We gave our Year 4 students a special assignment in art: “If you could see the year 2020 in January through magical glasses…”
The result was captivating! We expected our students to reflect on home schooling, Covid-19, masks, the earthquake, etc. To be honest we expected a very different reflection of 2020, but our students surprised us…
They drew happy pictures, showing family life, ice-cream, games and party hats. Most prominent was rainbows of hope.
Once again, they’ve taught us how resilient children are to change. Our kids are happy and hopeful despite the difficulties we faced this year.
We are incredibly proud of our 2020 Year 4 students.
Marlize Keyser
Year 4 Teacher
Learning About Time And The Importance Of It
“The two most powerful things are patience and time.” – Leo Tolstoy
Students are taught how to tell time somewhere between the ages of 6 and 8. We teach them how to read the hands of the clock and how to tell the seconds from minutes. They often get so excited to learn about telling the time that they forget the mere value in it.
Without realising it, in teaching time, we are giving them the understanding for a lifelong lesson in the value of composure, stability and patience.
This week our Year 2’s have been learning all about time!
We worked around the clock looking at how to tell which lessons we are in and how long we spend on those lessons, when break times are and how long those go on for.
Our aim is getting our students to become more aware of their surroundings and the various time restraints we live in as well as the value in learning patience.
We also tested our memory by filling in some worksheets in and doing some practical work within the classroom.
Some great ways to practice learning about time at home with your children:
- Look through a calendar.
- Set alarms for homework times.
- Look at a digital clock together.
- Have fun in making a clock together!
Siobhan Hendry
Year 2 Teacher
Nursery Space Fun
The Nursery students have been learning about Space. We are learning amazing songs like ‘8 Planets in the Solar System” in order to learn the names of the planets: Mercury, Jupiter, Uranus, Mars, Pluto, Earth, Saturn and Venus. We are also discovering where you can find the planets and what colour they all are.
The students enjoyed our art activity where we stuck red tissue paper on our rockets. We will be adding many different colours to our rockets throughout the coming week. We really like making our colourful collages!
The students had fun with our sensory activity, where we made red play dough. We learned about measurement and mixing ingredients and were amazed to see how play dough is made. We then tried to make rockets out of our play dough, strengthening our fine motor muscles while we play.
The Nursery is looking forward to learning more about Space next week.
Jacky Billings
Nursery Teacher
