Welcome back to Term 3! We’ve had a wonderful and productive start to the term, and the students have jumped back into learning with enthusiasm.
English – The History of English
In English, we’ve begun a unit on the History of the English Language. We started by asking a big question: What exactly is a language? Students explored how human language compares to animal communication—both how it’s similar (for example, in the use of sounds or gestures) and how it’s different (such as grammar, creativity, and complexity).
We then moved into studying how the thousands of languages spoken around the world are grouped into language families, much like how people are grouped into family trees. The students learned about some of the major language families including Indo-European, Afro-Asiatic, Sino-Tibetan, and Niger-Congo and discovered that English belongs to the Germanic branch of the Indo-European family.
Science – The Digestive System
In Science, we kicked off our new unit on the Human Digestive System. Students were introduced to the key organs involved in digestion, such as the mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, and large intestine, and learned about each organ’s basic function in breaking down food and absorbing nutrients. To reinforce this learning, we got hands-on and creative by building 2D models of the digestive system using construction paper. Students carefully labeled each part with detailed information, which helped them visualize the process food goes through in the body.
PSHE – Healthy Eating
Our PSHE focus this term ties in beautifully with our Science work. We’re looking at what it means to have a healthy, balanced diet and why good nutrition is important for overall well-being. This week, we emphasized how food impacts how our bodies feel rather than focusing on how bodies look. We discussed food groups, essential nutrients, and the importance of eating appropriate portions to fuel our bodies with what they need to grow and stay healthy.
History – War Journalism and Perspectives
In History, we started a powerful unit on War Journalism. We are exploring how different sources can report the same event in very different ways, depending on their perspective or purpose. To illustrate this, we examined two contrasting accounts of the Battle of Lexington, one from the British point of view and the other from the American perspective. Students analyzed primary source documents to identify where language became subjective or emotionally charged, as opposed to being a straightforward, factual description. This has opened up rich conversations about bias, reliability, and the importance of cross-checking information, valuable skills for both history and media literacy.
Homework this week includes:
- Math practice for year 7’s
- Reading on the Digestive System with Questions
- Reading on Language Families with Questions
- The Battle of Lexington Article with vocabulary activity, reading comprehension questions, and critical thinking questions.
All homework is dune Next Friday April 18th 🙂
Everyone rest up, and go to bed earlier as we had quiet a few sleepy heads earlier this week!
-Mrs. Leah
