Hello everyone.
Don’t forget we will be on our class trip to the UN Peace Memorial Hall and the UN Peace Park on Tuesday. It should be a great experience. Below are a few highlights from the week of learning.
Literacy
To conclude our study of Holes by Louis Sachar, students completed a written assessment exploring the question “How does Louis Sachar show that friendship helps Stanley and Zero to survive?” The rest of this week, students began their new Gothic Horror Creative Writing unit, exploring how writers create fear, mystery, and suspense. They examined extracts from classics such as Frankenstein and Dracula to identify key features of the Gothic genre, including eerie settings, vivid imagery, and tense atmospheres. Through guided analysis and creative tasks, students experimented with sensory language, tone, and sentence structure to build mood and tension in their own writing. By the end of the week, they were confidently crafting short, atmospheric descriptions that captured the unsettling essence of Gothic fiction.
IMYC
This week, in history class, students examined how the decisions of key leaders influenced the Korean War. Working in pairs, they studied short biographies of Kim Il-Sung, Syngman Rhee, Harry Truman, and Mao Zedong to understand each leader’s choices and their consequences. Students created flowcharts showing how one decision could lead to major outcomes, both positive and negative, and then discussed who demonstrated the greatest sense of responsibility during the conflict.
In Science this week, students investigated the effects of smoking on the body and how it connects to responsible decision-making. They began by examining images of healthy and smokers’ lungs to identify visible differences and discuss what causes the damage. Working independently, students then researched how smoking affects different organs such as the lungs, heart, and brain, learning about the chemicals in cigarettes and their long-term impact on health.
This week in geography, students began by presenting their geography projects from the previous week, sharing their research on global environmental challenges and how different regions are affected by climate change. Following their presentations, we explored real-world climate data, using graphs and maps to analyse how human actions contribute to rising temperatures, extreme weather, and changing environments. Students also discussed which regions are most vulnerable to these effects and reflected on how individual and collective choices can make a difference to our planet’s future.
Math – Year 7
This week, students worked on the following topics:
- Compare two numbers using =, ≠, <, >, ≤, ≥
- Order a list of integers
- Find the range of a set of numbers
- Find the median of a set of numbers
- Understand place value for decimals
The students have found the work fairly easy, so we have been working on some harder word problems and multistep logic puzzles to make sure they are challenged.
Math – Year 8
This week, students worked on the following topics:
- Aut.4.2 – Identify and draw lines that are parallel to the axes
- Aut.4.3 – Recognise and use the line y = x
- Aut.4.4 – Recognise and use lines of the form y = kx
- Aut.4.5 – Link y = kx to direct proportion problems
- Aut.4.6 – Explore the gradient of the line y = kx (Higher)
- Aut.4.7 – Recognise and use lines of the form y = x + a
- Aut.4.8 – Explore graphs with negative gradients (y = -kx, y = a – x, x + y = a)
Students have shown good engagement and understanding of linear graphs and gradients throughout the week.
Important notice:
There will be a test next Friday. Workbooks will be handed out on Thursday for students to review and prepare.
Well done to everyone for their continued effort and focus!
Math – Year 9
This week, students completed the topic Testing Conjectures, covering:
- Aut.3.7 – Conjectures with algebra
- Aut.3.8 – Explore the 100 grid
- Aut.3.9 – Expand three binomials (H)
Students had an assessment on Friday to review their understanding of the topic. Test papers have been sent home for parents to review with their children.
We have now started a new topic on Geometry, beginning with:
- Aut.4.1 – Know names of 2D and 3D shapes
Well done to all students for their continued effort and engagement
