Information for the Week of February 6-10, 2017

January was a busy and exciting month with the Science Fair and then the Sports Day. Thank you parents for attending both and boosting your child’s morale.

Unit of Inquiry – How the World Works

Central Idea

Conservation of energy supports global progress.

 Lines of Inquiry

• Different forms of energy sources (renewable and non-renewable) (An inquiry into the natural world and its laws) FORM FACTUAL
• How energy is used (transformation from one form to another) (how humans use their understanding of scientific principles) CHANGE CONCEPTUAL

In the previous weeks, we have been working on the various forms of energy. This led to our discussion of transformation of one form of energy to another. This week we are discussing how advancement in science has impacted the environment. It is connected to what we have been learning in class about renewable and non-renewable forms of energy. We will broaden our understanding of the impact of energy consumption and conservation over time, on individuals, society and the environment.

• Sustainable energy practices (the impact of scientific and technological advances on society and on the environment) RESPONSIBILITY PROVOCATION

In class, we have started looking at information related to sustainable energy sources and are discussing various perspectives. This helps to formulate ideas and thoughts regarding our usage. This week, we will also engage with issues and ideas that have local and global significance regarding energy practices.

Math – Graphing

Last week in class we had fun making catapults, then we tried shooting different objects to see how far each landed. We collected that information and organized it to be displayed on a bar graph. We later analyzed the graph to see what information was obvious and what it seemed to be missing. We will continue to learn more various ways of presenting data.

We are also revisiting all that we have been learning in Math since the beginning of the school year. We will be using this knowledge to build our own Math Games for the upcoming Math event. More details will be coming your way through PYP Correspondence.

Literacy

Students are thinking about various perspectives to make an informed judgment and enable us to make meaning. We are constantly using Seesaw to convey understanding. We’re working on paraphrasing portions of text or information presented on the media and other various formats. It is a difficult skill but a very important one. It means to express the meaning using different words, especially to achieve greater clarity.

Start by asking simple questions such as, “What did you do in school today?” or “Tell where you would like to go vacation and why you would like to go there.” After your child answers the question in 3 or 4 sentences, talk about the same thing by using different words but concisely and with clarity.

Home Connection

• Discuss the rules of some board games, card games, dice games etc. Locate some games, either virtual or real, analyze them with your child to select interesting information.
• Please watch this video and discuss with your child all that he/she has learned in class related to the various sources of Energy and using it responsibly.
• Engage with issues and ideas that have local and global significance regarding energy practices.
• After your child reads something for the day, engage in a discussion with them with special focus on paraphrasing their words. 

That’s all for this week folks! If you have any questions, comments or concerns please contact me via the school correspondence or send a note in your child’s diary. I have an open door policy and am always happy to accommodate you at the earliest.

Have a great week!

Welcome!

A brand new unit

This week we started a new unit under the transdisciplinary theme  How We Organize Ourselves.

An inquiry into the interconnectedness of human-made systems and communities; the structure and function of organizations; societal decision-making; economic activities and their impact on humankind and the environment.

Central Idea

Marketplaces provide opportunities for exchange of goods and services.

Unit Of Inquiry

Last week, we started looking at the theme and central idea to think about the big ideas in this unit. This week, we will be breaking down the theme to dive into our inquiry. We are making connections between needs and wants, supply and demand of goods and services.This week we will be focusing on the first line of inquiry to make those connections. We will use our Thinking Skills to analyze the various types of marketplaces. We will look at how these systems are organized and what Social skills are required to be successful.

Lines of Inquiry

Consumer needs/wants, supply/demand (Connection)

English

We have been working on Persuasive writing. Over the weekend, your child must have been persuading you for what they wanted. As requested earlier, please don’t give in to their pleas easily. We are trrying to develop a language where they understand how to persuade their audience. Not because “I want!” 

This week, we will be looking at different texts, these include advertisements. The purpose of this exercise is to determine whether the author wants to inform, entertain, persuade or instruct others.

Math

For this unit, we will be looking at Measurements again, this time with indepth focus on Area and Perimeter, and Decimals.

ICT

This week we will be collaborating with a class in Jeju, Korea to talk about how they have been using their digital skills to inquire into their unit. Coincidentally, their unit was also about Energy, but ours was focused on transformation and sustainability, whereas there’s was mostly about Electric energy. 

We are hoping to ask about the marketplaces in Jeju as well.

Social Studies

We will be looking at various marketplaces around the world and what makes them unique, similar or different.

Home Connection

• As you’re out with your child, talk to him/her about the marketplaces you see around you. What makes them unique? How do they function? How do the services connect to others? How do you think they get their products? Who supplies them? Why are prices for the same product different in a different location?
• As you’re shopping, ask your child to calculate the amount. What number is before the decimal point? What is after the decimal point? What does it mean? What if there was no decimal point? Would that make a difference?
• Please help your child to come up with some good open-ended questions to ask the students in Jeju, Korea.

As always, I would appreciate your feedback (or as I like to tell my students, FEEDFORWARD) since it will help me to understand your concerns as well. Email me if you have any questions, comments or concerns. Looking forward to a great week!

Information for the Week of February 13-17, 2017

Reminders

An email was sent out to inform you all that TIS Primary section will be celebrating Friendship Day on Tuesday February 14, 2017. Please send your child with Rs 100 (per gift) if he/she wishes to buy an anonymous gift for a friend. Your child can place an order on Monday February 13 with a personalized message using the Learner Profile attribute.

Unit of Inquiry – How the World Works

Central Idea
Conservation of energy supports global progress.

Lines of Inquiry
· Sustainable energy practices (the impact of scientific and technological advances on society and on the environment) RESPONSIBILITY

We’ve been learning about which forms of energy are sustainable to support progress in the world around us. This week we will be working on sorting that information into groups. This will help the students to draw conclusion to determine which sources are sustainable. We have been looking at various websites

Math – Graphing

In Math, we have been learning how to collect, organize display and analyze data. We will continue to do so this week as well. The students will be looking at the information provided and construct tables, line plots and graphs.

Alongside this, students will continue to work on their Math Games for the upcoming Math Night in March.

Literacy – Persuasive Language

Students have been working on paraphrasing and summarizing. This skill will help them to sort the important information from what they are reading and researching. We will keep on sharpening this skill this week as well.

Students will also start working on persuasive language. Persuasive writing uses three main elements of persuasion – logic, ethic and emotion. In class we will be looking at various posters, advertisements, videos etc., to determine how the audience is being persuaded. This will help the students to think of a way to persuade their audience to their way of thinking when they write their persuasive essays about the best source of sustainable energy.

Home Connection

UoI:

Please go through the following websites with your child and talk about the most effective ways to conserve energy.

http://www.cleanlineenergy.com/learn/elementary/renewable-energy

http://www.touchstoneenergy.com/together-we-save/overview/

English:

· Help your child develop their arguing skills by having them give you good reasons for arguing their point. If they want a new toy/book/game, have them persuade you. But don’t let them use “Because I want it” as a reason. Challenge them to give you real reasons for what they want.

Math:

· When opening a box of Smarties/ M&Ms; ask your child to think how many of each color in the box? Ask them to tell you at least three things and draw a quick sketch to represent that information. Also ask them how many different ways they can show this information. Compare and evaluate how well each representation shows the important information.