High School French

As you all know, the Coronavirus epidemic has become a global pandemic. In this case, many policies must be implemented and followed by everyone so that the epidemic of Coronavirus pandemic does not continue any more. Some policies include keeping the distance between people, staying at home, maintaining physical hygiene and most importantly leading a healthy life.

Unfortunately, because of this epidemic, our school “SIS” must also comply with these policies. The learning model has been changed to an “Online learning system”. Since Spring break, our school has set up an online system between teachers and students. However, we continue to maintain the quality and quality of student learning through an online system.

For all French classes, we use 2 learning systems: Videoconferencing and Google classroom. We are organizing an online class according to the class schedule as before, but the time is a bit shorter than usual. Teachers and students can still do the lesson as usual, even though via the online learning system. Students can also ask questions and interact with the teacher and classmates. Students also have exercises and homework to do and submit.

At the High School level, French language classes have 3 levels: Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced.

For the beginner level, students have mastered the basics of French grammar. They can make their own sentences, ask questions, introduce themselves, understand basic French conversation, etc.

For the intermediate level, certainly students already have a good basic knowledge of French grammar with more new vocabulary. Students are able to communicate, write, understand and listen everyday French conversations in the present, past or future time.

For the advanced level, students have far more complete and advanced grammatical knowledge as well as far more complete and more complete vocabulary and expressions. They can communicate directly with native French speakers, both oral, listening, written and read.

We all hope that the epidemic of Coronavirus will end soon and that we can resume our normal activities as before.

High School Art

After the Spring Break, due to the current world situation, online learning has begun. Although it is more challenging for Art, students have embraced the changes in learning and  are continuing to work diligently in the program. We communicate through Google Classroom or email whenever questions arise.

ART I

This semester, grade 9 students had been working and experiencing more artworks including landscape drawing or watercoloring with foreground, middle ground and background. The media they used were color pencil or watercolor. This is their first time learning to use color pencil with the right techniques.

They had also done Paper Quilling with the theme of ‘Animals’ where these young artists were challenged not only in their creativity but also their patience and neatness.

At this time although students are working online at home, their creativity and original ideas are challenged by working on Zentangle Art which is a simple type of artwork with many different strokes and patterns such as dots, lines, s-curves, orbs using black drawing pen or black fine markers.

ART II

Our grade 10 students, ART II, have been working on many art activities, such as landscape drawing where students review the foreground, middle ground, and background on their artwork. They also had the first experience on using soft pastel as the media.

Photography Art was a fun and challenging project at the same time where students must observe and explore around school then take photos of objects that have a number or a face. Students must develop their photos as their artwork using cut and paste style.

At this moment, students are working on their linoleum printing project where they are to research and design on the lino. They also learn it is important to mind about the mirror image in printing to make sure their design will not be seen wrong sided. They learn about safety in cutting lino and which blade to use for fine line and bigger space to cut. After that they will try a new tool called brayer and get to use ink printing.

AP ART

Our student artists from grade 11 and 12, continue to investigate and develop their investigations to be their original artworks using different kinds of media and artworks.

SCENERY and SET DESIGN

This is a unique class, which collaborates with drama, where grade 9 – 12 students with different talents come and work as individuals and as groups. Students are equipped with the knowledge about Drama Production before they apply what they learn in Art class. Students rotate to experience making props, advertising, music, and also background flats. This is a class where each student gets the opportunity to show their creativity and talent.

YEARBOOK

This year we are so fortunate to have a solid Yearbook team with 2 special persons taking the lead to be the Editor-in-Chiefs. Each of them worked extra miles. Everyone at our school can expect to own a copy of a very special Yearbook 2019 – 2020 edition.

Middle School Mandarin

As you know, our school started online course teaching on March 23rd. During this time, Chinese online courses will still allow students to train their Chinese language skills in listening, speaking, reading and writing. There may be some differences in the exercises, but I believe students can easily get started. Let’s take a quick look at the following four areas.

Listening: We will prepare audio recordings of the textbook and our own course-ware to ensure that students have a more authentic language listening environment.

Speaking: Students will have more speaking practice, and some topics may require family support and participation, but it will be a very interesting family activity. Students can share their works by recording and videotaping.

Reading: Depending on the students’ level of Chinese, they will have different reading exercises, some just reading the text aloud, others may have some reading comprehension exercises. Students can share their works by recording and videotaping.

Writing: Students will still have writing assignments, students will need to take pictures of their writing assignments, and we will revise and give feedback in the Google class. At the same time, students will have more practice in typing Chinese words, which is an important skill in modern languages.

The above is relevant information about our school’s Chinese online courses. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us. I wish you all the best and good health.

Middle School Math

Since transitioning to online learning, it has taken some adjustment for both students and teachers.  However, the middle school math students have accepted the challenge with enthusiasm and attendance for most students has been excellent.  We make it a priority to video conference at least once or twice a week and teachers are able to meet their students’ individual needs by contacting their math teachers directly if the need arises. 

Grade 6 Math

Due the COVID-19 pandemic, the 6th Grade class continued to learn via online learning. The students are now extending their knowledge of polygons and building their work on perimeters and areas of 2D Geometric Figures. Students will now be using formulas for the Areas and perimeters of parallelogram, triangle and circle. In the final three lessons of the unit, the 6th grade class will be exploring properties of solids as well as surface areas and volumes of prisms.

Online formative and assessments are also being used to show student understanding. 

Grade 7 Pre-Algebra

How can you use mathematics in architecture to show what an actual building will look like before it is built?  Students in Grade 7 Pre-Algebra are finally able to answer this question as they are now learning about Ratio and Proportion. Students are solving proportions using algebra and the cross-products property, and are also able to find the ratio of corresponding side lengths of similar figures.  Using scales and scale drawings, students are able to find unknown distances as well.  

Grade 8 Algebra

Students in Grade 8 Algebra have just completed chapter 10 which involves Quadratic Equations and Functions.  Quadratic Functions are an integral part of Algebra 1 and must be mastered in order to excel in Algebra 2.  We are now beginning Chapter 11 which involves Square Root Functions and Radical Expressions. You can use radical equations and expressions to solve real-world problems such as finding the length of a sailboat’s waterline given the hull speed of the sailboat.  A problem like this is typical when studying Physics and Calculus in the 10th and 11th grade.

The 8th Grade Algebra 1B class continued their learning via online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The class has continued to work on polynomials factoring. Assessments are now done online through goformative. Students have access to practice sheets via Google Classroom as well as IXL.