We’re in the home stretch of Term 1—just one more week until our well-deserved winter break! Even with the holiday excitement in the air, we’ve stayed as active and engaged as ever.
English:
This week, our young readers wrapped up their novels and dove into some thoughtful reflection and creativity. Each student crafted a book review, summarizing the plot, highlighting their favorite scenes and characters, and sharing whether they’d recommend the story to others. The reviews showcased not only their understanding of the novels but also their personal connections to the stories. To add a splash of creativity, students illustrated their favorite scenes. To wrap up, we took a quiz to assess comprehension. Looking forward to next week as we tie up loose ends and celebrate the fantastic work accomplished this term!
Math:
This week, Year 8 and Year 9 students have been diligently working to complete their final units of the term, while our Year 7 students wrapped up their unit on Tuesday with a culminating test. To finish the term on a strong note, 7s begun a short unit from the Spring term, designed to build on the concepts we’ve just mastered. For homework, each year group will be working on a Math Review Journal. These journals are a fantastic way to revisit key topics, solidify understanding, and practice skills learned in class. It’s also a great opportunity for students to see how far they’ve come this term!
History:
This week, we concluded our unit on the Age of Exploration by examining the North American settlements and colonies established by the French and English. We delved into the unique ways these regions were colonized and compared them to the Spanish approach in the Americas. Students explored the reasons behind the influx of European migrants to the New World and how different economic and cultural factors shaped these colonies.
Our discussions took a serious turn as we examined the devastating realities of the triangular trade. This included the forced transportation of enslaved Africans to the Americas and the unimaginable suffering endured during the Middle Passage. We also discussed how the exploitation of human lives fueled the economic growth of nations at a horrific human cost.
It was a challenging but important lesson, fostering critical thinking and empathy as we reflected on how these events shaped history and continue to influence the world today.
Science:
This week in science, we wrapped up our unit on waves by focusing on thermal energy. Students explored how thermal energy is the movement of particles within a substance and how it transfers between objects or systems. We discussed conduction, convection, and radiation. To bring these concepts to life, we conducted a virtual lab investigating how energy is input and output through different methods. Students experimented with scenarios like heating water, insulating materials, and understanding how energy is conserved or lost in various systems.
I very happy with the effort everyone has shown—let’s finish strong before heading into the holidays!
Mrs. Leah