GEOGRAPHY
We had an absolutely brilliant start with our online learning programme after a well-deserved break. The students have been attending conferences, completing their work and being on task with what needs to be done. The Year 7 students are looking at Globalisation giving them some idea of where the big name brands like Nike, McDonalds, Addidas etc. comes from. Year 8 students are focusing on Climate Change and will soon realise that we as humans are the main contributors to this global crisis as the planet has shown some ‘healing’ during this global pandemic where people have been restricted to their homes for the last 8 to 10 weeks. The Year 9 students started a new topic and will get some insight into the Middle East and some of the challenges and success stories of that region. I would like to encourage my students to keep at it as we head into the home straight of this challenge. They have impressed me with their maturity, commitment and work ethic thus far. Keep going, we are almost there.
MATH
This week students are back from holidays and are still feeling the holiday sprit in terms of their work but by Friday they should be starting to get back into the business.
Year 7 are starting with algebra, equations specifically. They are learning how to solve these using one and 2 steps method. It is a difficult concept, but I have confidence in all of them to master this topic by the end of next week, if they follow the steps and use the rules for solving these equations.
The Year 8’s is doing the topic of proportions. They are learning about how two entities are related to each other in terms of the mathematical influence they have on each other. They are doing direct and indirect proportionality. They investigate what the effect of speed has on time, when you increase or decreasing it and how to represent that on a graph.
The Year 9 is very exited because they are on their final chapter of the year. They are revising everything through exercises in this chapter and then they will start their IGCSE preparation section. The latter is just looking at the layout of the 2 years to follow and as well as starting at least with the first part of the course.
Starting this week Ivan in Year 11 is starting with the analysis of his mock exams and then will start focusing on the areas where he found it difficult as well as revising topics that are still a bit difficult for him.
HISTORY
This week students have been demonstrating their knowledge of the history topics they have been studying whilst online. Year 7 have been creating their own models of Motte and Bailey, Stone Keep and Concentric Castles and Year 8 have been demonstrating their knowledge of the French Revolution by producing video clips of themselves citing 10 important facts from the revolution.
MUSIC
Years 7 and 8 have started to work on the new project Music From My Window where they are going to explore how music enriches and complements video. They were watching video clips where ordinary things became alive and miningful thanks to music like in the scene with flying plastic bag from American Beauty movie.
Year 9 was studying the art of Big Bands in jazz, types of saxophones, instrument groups and role of solo improvisations. Also, they keep working on the arrangement of Shallow by Lady Gaga and learning how to read music in bass clef.
RUSSIAN FIRST LANGUAGE
KS3 students this week received creative assignments, which they will demonstrate at the end of May in their online conferences.
ENGLISH
After the spring break the classes have resumed with all engaged in text analysis.
In Year 7, we have discussed how to carry out the perfect murder while leaving no evidence. Is it possible? In ‘Lamb to the Slaughter’ we have met Mrs Maloney, a housewife who receives bad news and finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation. The Police can not find the murder weapon and, thus, can not find the culprit.
In ‘Lord of the Flies’ Year 8 are delving deeper into the chaos of the island as the community’s structure and authority are deteriorating. The boys’ imaginations are running wild with images of beasts and darkness gripping their minds and increasing their fear. Can Piggy and Simon reason with them all? Can Ralph keep control? Can Jack be controlled?
In Year 9 we have met Harold and Daisy, a young couple from Canada who are on honeymoon in Paris, the most romantic of cities. However, Daisy is in fear as her burly husband has been drinking heavily and is driving crazily. Doom seems inevitable, but how? They survive the drive, so Daisy must now be safe, but they enter a gloomy and dismal room. What more can go wrong for an exhausted and distressed Daisy?
The IGCSE class have been reviewing their recent assessments as they continue their examination preparations.
SCIENCE
It was good to welcome everyone back after the holidays. Although nobody left the confinement of their home environments for warmer pastures, we all enjoyed the time away from Canvas and Zoom.
The world outside did not change much over the holidays, except for the Covid-19 virus causing havoc in Russia. Since Russia is one of the worst infected areas in the world right now, it is important to monitor our own behaviour as best as we can. Although wearing masks and gloves are valuable tools in counteracting the spread of the virus, washing hands and staying- indoors are still the best ways of protecting ourselves. Until the Curve flattens, meaning the spread of the virus is declining, we all have to make peace with the fact that our homes are the best places to be.
Luckily the teachers at EIS make it our fulltime jobs to create interesting activities for the students, and right now we are looking forward to our exciting theme for next week: The Sixties! In Science we will be looking at some of the Influences that lead to the Sixty’s Culture, and in PSHE we will explore the Social Impacts of the roaring Sixty’s. Students are invited to form their own opinions, dress up in true Sixty’s fashion, and cook up a storm!
We are looking forward to great fun and hope to see inspiring creativity from the students!
