CISH MAPLE DRAGON (June Week 3, Part 4)

Grade 3

As part of our descriptive writing project in Language Arts, we have been practicing sentence expansion. Students take simple sentences and add details to improve them, enhancing their writing skills and creating more vivid descriptions. Through this process, students learn to paint a clearer picture in the reader's mind, making their writing more compelling and interesting. By the end of this unit, students will have a better understanding of how to craft detailed and expressive sentences that bring their stories to life.

Also this week, students in grades 3-5 embarked on an exciting field trip to 1972. They participated in a series of craft workshops to express their creativity. The young learners had the opportunity to explore gel pad printing, creating beautiful imprints of various leaf types. They also unleashed their creativity by sketching their own unique landscapes. Additionally, the students were introduced to the art of traditional ink stamping, learning how to use these classic tools effectively.

Grade 4

This week was “Week Without Walls”, and most of the grade 4 studentswent on a 3-day residential trip to Anji. They did activities such as learningsurvival skills, raft-building and competing in a “Master Chef” style competitionto cook their own dinner in teams.

The students that didn’t go to Anji went out on a day trip to Hechai,where we visited an Immersive art gallery to try out traditional ink stamping.We also did a crafting workshop, where the children tried painting, gel-printing,and bead-making activities.

Grade 5

This week was “Week Without Walls”, and most of the grade 5 students went on a 3-day residential trip to Anji. They did activities such as learning survival skills, raft-building and competing in a “Master Chef” style competition to cook their own dinner in teams.

The grade 5 students who stayed in Hefei went on a field trip to the Hechai art district. We explored the interesting sculptures and art on display and also got to make some art! The students tried traditional block printing, gel-printing, painting, and beaded jewelry making.

We also practiced our financial literacy in Math class – creating a plan and budget for a dream vacation over the summer holidays!

Grade 1

This week, students were introduced to character movement using "if forever" and the green flag, with the independent challenge of completing the task themselves.

Grade 2

This week, we learned how to use clones in Scratch to make copies of our characters and modify them.

Grade 3

This week, students began a new CoSpaces project where they learned to import a cannon from the internet, incorporate it into their game, and program it to shoot using position and direction blocks.

Grade 4

We continued developing our Scratch game this week by adding scoring systems with variables. We also learned how to use costume numbers to track whether the character successfully collected the target.

Grade 5

Grade 5 students learned how to import images from the internet into their Processing projects using PImage, loadImage, and image.

Grade 6

In Design, students are actively constructing their lamps using selected materials and following their detailed blueprints. They are working with care and creativity to ensure their designs align with their success criteria.

Grade 7

This week, the Grade 7 students came close to completing their boat creations, focusing on refining and justifying modifications to improve functionality. Through a dynamic class discussion, they articulated their reasoning behind design changes, demonstrating their understanding of engineering principles and problem-solving skills. Excitement is growing as race day approaches, and with a few last adjustments, their boats will be ready for the competition. The students showed impressive creativity and teamwork throughout the process, applying trial-and-error learning to optimize performance. I’m confident their hard work will pay off when they put their designs to the test next week!

Grade 8

This week, the Grade 8 students continued collaborating in pairs to develop their wooden real-world solutions. Their projects are taking shape, and their focus has now shifted to refining the final products. Sanding, filing, varnishing, and painting have begun, ensuring their creations are not only functional but also visually appealing. Through this process, students are recognizing the importance of time management and proactive effort—essential skills that will benefit them beyond the classroom.

Grade 9

This week, our Grade 9 students have demonstrated remarkable maturity, self-management, and focus as they work on their personalized projects. With the final design project of the year nearing completion, they are developing essential skills such as multitasking, time management, and self-reflection. It has been inspiring to see them fully invested in their own creations while also supporting their peers—offering advice, exploring alternative solutions, and lending a helping hand. With just three lessons remaining, the excitement is building as they put the finishing touches on their final products.

Grade 10

In Design 10, students are actively following their planning diagrams to build the original games that they will use to demonstrate their understanding of probability in Math class.

Grade 11

DP1 students reviewed the last of the new content for year 1 in preparation for a final summative on Topic 3 – Networks. They also continued to work on their Internal Assessments (IAs). The next IA check-in point is on June 5th.

Grade 6

Mr. Hood’s and Mr. Dooley’s Grade 6 students were both busy this week. Grade 6 started the week watching the film: Big Hero 6 which links to their unit: Work Around the World and Where We Learn. The Grade 6s completed a creative unit activity in which they stepped into the role of one of the team members of Big Hero 6 and created a heroic story. The Grade 6s were also encouraged to create illustrations to support their writing.

Grade 7

Both Mr. Hood’s and Mr. Dooley’s Grade 7s were busy this week. Grade 7s watched the film: Mitchell's vs the Machines which is linked to their unit in terms of discussing evolution of technology and communication. The movie also gave the students a humorous but serious perspective on the benefits and risks of AI in modern society. The Grade 7s completed a reflection task in which they addressed the benefits and risks of AI and whether modern communication is more effective and healthy than past communication.

Grade 8

Mr. Hood's Grade 8s students Grade 8s started the week by completing their peer evaluations based on the group role play activities last week. The Grade 8s then completed a BBC quiz on CanGlory which was a scaffolding activity preparing them for their final film review this year. They ended the week watching the film: Journey to the Center of the Earth. They will complete reflection writing tasks based on the film next week. The Grade 8s also completed their end of year reading diagnostic assessments this week. Meanwhile, Ms Bartoszak’s Grade 8 students started the week by developing their reading skills for which they received constructive feedback. They also used this opportunity to enhance their grammar and sentence construction. Next, students delved into the mysteries beneath the Earth's surface as part of their preparation for "Journey to the Centre of the Earth." This will be followed by engaging in a variety of activities to help them analyze the film next week.