Mr Morgan – 2023/24

Happy Friday everyone,

Another week has come and gone quickly, made short by the mid-week day off. It has been a full week as students have been taking InCAS tests, and eliminating suspects in their investigation to find the status thief.

In Maths and English, we took InCas tests in Reading, General Maths, Mental Arithmetic, Spelling, and Developed Ability. As always, it is an excellent opportunity to gauge students’ strengths and weaknesses and to adapt accordingly.

In IPC, students passed their ‘Forensics training’ and used their skill set to start tracking down the culprit of the statue theft. They collected evidence in the form of pens, drinks, handwriting samples, and cups from the teachers. They used their knowledge of pH levels to investigate the black substance. They used knowledge of insulators to measure temperature to give a timeframe to the crime, and they used chromatography to check the composition of pigments in ink. They have mostly compiled all their evidence and whittled down the list of suspects. They are currently working on displaying their evidence for a big reveal to the school next Friday.

That’s all for this week. Just a reminder that there is no school on Monday for Children’s Day, and to please respond to the Residential Trip, (Here) whether your child is going or not.

Have a lovely long weekend, and I will leave you with a few other photos from around the classroom.

Mr Morgan

Happy Friday everyone,

Another week has passed, and it has been a busy eventful week, with World Book Day and an enjoyable presentation/concert, on top of a lot of great learning. Here is a quick recount of week 2.

In Maths, we finished our geometry unit on position and direction. Students have become extremely proficient at reading coordinates, translating shapes in the first and fourth quadrants, as well as reflecting through horizontal, vertical, and diagonal mirror lines.

In English, we finished creating instructions on how to upcycle waste to create useful or creative new items. Students focused on the importance of the clarity of instructions, keeping them simple, and using imperative verbs. We produced clear instructions on how to make upcycled items from bottle lamps to plastic bottle surfboards. The importance of this skill has been recognized and used widely in our new IPC unit. As always, students took the time to give constructive feedback on each other’s work, and to reflect on ways to improve their own.

In IPC, students have continued in their roles as trainee forensic scientists, learning new skills to solve the head-scratching mystery of the statue thief. This week they have learned about acids and alkalines and how to test substances using pH strips. They also learned about chromatography, carrying out experiments on pens, to explore the different pigments used in inks. These experiments have helped students to realise the importance of fair testing and to apply their knowledge to hypothesize and find answers. I’m sure these skills will come in handy to help us find the thief!

Reminder: Next Wednesday (May 1st) is a national holiday and the school will be closed.

That’s all from Week 2. I will leave you with some pictures from World Book Day. As part of this event, our class went to the library and chose books to read to Ms Temple’s class. It was lovely to see everyone getting on so well and engrossed in their literature.

Have a great weekend,

Mr Morgan

Happy Friday everyone,

This week has absolutely flown by, in a flurry of new activities and learning. We have got off to a great start and I am excited for this new term. Term 3 is looking to be packed with lots to look forward to. Here is a quick rundown of everything we have done in this first week.

In Maths, we started by looking at coordinates and translation. Students have been practicing coordinates in the first and all four quadrants. They have learned how shapes translate, and how to describe translations. There have also been opportunities to put this knowledge to good use through games and puzzles, and to physically practice moving through grids.

In English, we have started our new unit ‘Make It Happen’ which focuses on different types of writing and communication. This week we delved into an article on ‘Plastic Pollution’ exploring the features of a magazine article, and the various styles of writing involved. We worked on reading, paying attention to the effect punctuation has on tone and intonation, and the importance of clarity when writing instructions. We used written instructions to make an origami boat, first with poor instructions, and then with clearer ones, to highlight the importance. I think you can tell by the photos which instruction set they were using!

In IPC, we started our new unit “Investigators”. This is a science-based unit, focusing on the importance of critical thinking and fair testing. This week we had a bit of a shock to find that two beloved statues had been stolen from our classroom and that the conscienceless thief had left behind a note and an unidentified warm black substance! Students have had to become trainee forensic scientists to learn the skills necessary to unravel the evidence and find the culprit. We jumped straight into the training, with the students designing an experiment to find the best insulator to keep ice cold. The emphasis was more on designing a fair test, and reflection, more than the outcome. It was an eye-opening experiment as to all the different variables that need to be considered to carry out an effective, fair experiment.

Upcoming Events: There are a lot of activities on the horizon for Term 3. In week 2 we have ‘World Book Day’ on Tuesday 23rd April. This is an opportunity for students to dress up as their favourite book character for the day. This is not compulsory but it should be a lot of fun. Students should also bring their Read-a-Thon sponsor forms, records, and sponsorship money on this day.

On Friday 26th April, we are being treated to a live concert in the hall for charity by HHI’s KFCC. Students do not need to prepare anything for this, but will be a good opportunity for a sing and a dance!

That is all for week 1. Have a great weekend, and I will see you in week 2!

Mr Morgan

Hello everyone!

It is the final Friday of Term 2, and it has been a busy last week, tying up loose ends and getting in the spirit of International Day. We finished up this term by……..

In Maths, we spent the week exploring time. Overall, it can be a tricky concept, not only are you dealing with different units, but also you have to convert them into decimals. Students really employed their growth mindset to become proficient at this. It also enabled us to have some fun, timing challenges such as breath holding, speed reading, and tower building to recognize the importance of being able to work out time intervals and the need to convert.

In English, we took the opportunity of International Day to explore folklore from each of our countries. It was a good chance for students to work on their story-telling skills, as well as an interesting and eye-opening introduction to the tales from around the world. We learned about Johnny Appleseed, Kitsune, Puss in Boots, and the Pied Piper to name a few.

In IPC, we started the week researching how countries have changed over time and creating layover maps showing how major events have shaped our world. We finished up our unit on ‘Being Historians’ by understanding the importance of learning history. Looking at the meaning of Sir Winston Churchill’s famous quote “Those who fail to learn from history are condemned to repeat it. We studied positive and negative images from important world events, to recognize how they have affected our current lives. We then looked to the future, incorporating the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, to achieve a better world.

It has been an excellent term, and it feels like we are well and truly settled into the new school. I hope you all have a well-deserved break, and I look forward to seeing you fresh in Term 3. I will leave you with a few photos from International Day.

Have a great break,

Mr Morgan

Happy Friday everyone!

As Term 2 nears its end, we have a fun-filled week of learning and finishing projects, culminating with our class trip to Kyeongju. This week…….

In Maths, we have dived into the practical, hands-on mathematics of measurement, investigating and calculating the area and perimeter of shapes. Students have worked on the practical elements of measuring and understanding the formulas needed to work out the perimeter and area of 2D shapes, from rectangles to triangles, to hexagons.

In English, we have walked in the shoes of Shakespeare. Students storyboarded and wrote a script for a scene of the Twelfth Night. They planned an act based on what happened to Sebastian after his ship sank. Students created the script using the correct features and a sprinkling of Shakespearean language. At the end of the week, they had an opportunity to act out each other’s plays.

In IPC, we finished up our video projects detailing world-changing inventions. Students displayed a great deal of creativity in producing videos explaining the problems before the invention, the inventor, a timeline of improvements, and predicting the future. On Thursday, we looked at the ancient Silla civilization in preparation for our trip and used our research as a basis for designing kites for our trip.

And finally, today we went on our trip exploring Kyeongju, (the museum without walls!). We went inside a Silla King’s tomb, flew kites beside the ancient celestial observatory of Cheomseongdae, picnicked next to an active archaeological dig, and visited the Kyeonju National Museum. It was a packed day, with perfect kite-flying weather. I was extremely proud of how well-behaved and respectful all students were. It was a fun day out.

That’s all for this week. I will leave you with a few extra photos from the week. Have a great weekend,

Mr Morgan

Happy Friday again everyone,

It has been a lovely week, with a new addition to our class from Brazil, birthdays, and a great deal of learning going on. The improvement in the weather has also been welcomed! This week….

In Maths, we finished our unit on adding and subtracting both fractions and decimals. Students have become proficient at finding the common denominators and solving these equations. Adding and subtracting decimals gave us plenty of real-life opportunities to utilise the skill. We took to the football pitch to record some race times, and enjoy the warmth, and used the data to find differences in speed.

In English, we examined how Shakespeare has been portrayed through different mediums. We looked at how modern movies such as The Lion King, 10 Things I Hate About You, and She’s the Man, were based on famous Shakespearean plays. We also examined a Manga comic version of Twelfth Night, culminating with writing an opinion piece on which version we preferred and why.

In IPC, we continued to delve into history. Students looked at the importance of historical sources and learned about the advantages and limitations of using primary and secondary sources. In the latter part of the week, students were given a creative/research-based task to investigate a life-changing invention to present as a documentary. They have been busy researching, planning, and directing, and I am looking forward to seeing the end results.

A few reminders.

Next Friday is our class trip to Kyeongju. Please be sure to sign the permission form to allow your child to go. Here

PE: Please ensure that students are wearing appropriate PE attire on Tuesdays and Fridays.

Students must:

• Be wearing sports shoes
• Be able to tie long hair up
• Remove glasses or have safe sports glasses
• Be wearing either the school cool PE shirt or grey PE shirt (in the short term, other appropriate sportswear will be accepted)
• Be wearing sports clothing on their lower half
• Bring a water bottle

Students must not:

• Wear denim
• Wear dress shoes
• Wear glasses that are not designed to be safe for sports

It is essential that students are appropriately dressed to get the most out of PE, and to keep them safe and healthy.

That is all for this week. Have a great weekend,

Mr Morgan

Class Trip to Kyeongju

I am excited to let you know about our upcoming trip to Kyeongju. In alignment with our latest IPC unit on Being Historians, we will take advantage of the warmer weather and explore the heart of Korea’s history. We will visit ancient tombs and palaces, pass by active archaeological excavation sites, and finish by exploring the Kyeongju Museum.

This will take place on March 22nd at the end of week 11. There are no fees required for this trip. A small amount of pocket money for snacks or drinks could come in handy but is not essential. Students will need to bring their own packed lunch.

In addition to a packed lunch, students should all wear uniforms on that day. They should also bring warm clothes just in case. I’m hoping for some lovely spring weather (and cherry blossoms), but it can be very changeable at this time of year.

Please fill out the permission form here, and do not hesitate to contact me if you have any queries.

Mr Morgan

Happy Friday everyone,

It has been another week that has flown by, and we have been busy again. This week we have…

In Maths, we completed our unit on ratio and proportion. At the start of the unit last week, I presented the students with various stations, each with ratio-related questions to solve. For many of them it was their first time even hearing about them. To finish the unit, I set up a similar group of stations, and it was great to see the students really getting to grips and answering the questions well, highlighting how much they had learned over the two weeks.

In English, we have been on an eclectic journey from looking at Manga cartoons at the beginning of the week, to reading Shakespeare by the end. Students read and looked at the features of an excerpt from the popular Manga comic ‘No.6’ exploring the features and how they differ from regular comics. They then jumped into reading and understanding an excerpt from Shakespeare’s ‘Twelfth Night’. We even took the opportunity to ‘talk’ with the ‘Bard’ and find out about his life!

In IPC, we continued our reach into history. We finished our personal timelines, exploring the big events that have happened in our lifetime, and then explored the main events shaping different countries over the last century. Students seem to be picking up on and gaining insight into the major events that have shaped the world in modern history.

That’s about all for this week. It is nice to finally have some better weather. Today we were also able to use the large football pitch by the college. It provided a well-needed opportunity for students to stretch their legs and an excellent way to finish the week.

Have a great weekend, and see you next week.

Mr Morgan

Happy Leap Day everyone,

It has been a short but fun week, with plenty going on, and lots of learning. It was also great to get to talk to many of you this week in the PTC meetings. This week…..

In Maths, we started delving into ratios and proportions. This was something that most students had not yet encountered but has a lot of real-world value. We spent the best part of the week practicing using manipulatives and really getting to grips with the concept. Questions about ratios and proportions can be quite wordy, so it was an excellent opportunity to brush up on mathematical vocabulary.

In English, we jumped right into creating a chapter for a graphic novel called ‘Flora and Ulysses’. This was a great opportunity for students to recognize the constructs of a graphic novel, and to use their imaginations to continue the story. There was also time for students to give feedback on each others’ work, and to reflect on ways to improve their own writing.

In IPC, we had a lot of fun exploring the roles of different types of historians. We were archaeologists, military experts, historical linguists, and research historians. For the Knowledge Harvest, we brainstormed all the historical eras, events, and famous people we could think of, and attempted to put them in chronological order. We also had the opportunity to get to know each other a bit better, looking at each other’s photos of milestones growing up (thank you for providing so many lovely photos! There was a lot of arrring!). Students have used these to explore world history in their lifetimes.

That about sums up the week. Remember that there is no school tomorrow!

Enjoy your long weekend, and I’ll see you on Monday.

Mr Morgan

Happy Friday everyone,

Another week has flown by, and it has been great to see so many of you at the opening ceremony and the PTC meetings. Somehow we have already found ourselves over halfway through Term 2! Despite the opening day preparations, it has been another busy week, with lots of great work occurring.

In Maths, we finished our unit on statistics. Students demonstrated their proficiency carrying out all kinds of investigations, and investigating the results of the data. They displayed their work through bar charts, frequency diagrams, and waffle diagrams, and learned to recognise correlations in data through scatter graphs.

In English, we started our new unit “A Different Medium” which looks at the fun-filled sector of graphic novels. After, reading extracts from ‘Flora and Ulysses’, we jumped straight into creating chapters of our own for the novel. This week we went through the planning and drafting stage, and I hope to have some examples to share with you next week.

In IPC, we finished up our unit “Express Yourself” by creating art to evoke emotions. We explored how famous artists use the elements of art to portray different feelings, and then used what we learned to create our own art. Students chose popular landmarks from around Ulsan, and reinterpreted them to show and demonstrate emotions.

That is all from week 7. I look forward to seeing some of you next week for the PTC meetings.

Have a great weekend,

Mr Morgan