Category Archives: Life in 5R

5R Update

Leave a reply

Welcome back from break! We had a great first 3 days back last week, kicking off new units in reading, writing, and inquiry. Here’s an update of what we’re learning and doing in class:

Literacy:

In reading we have begun a unit on nonfiction reading skills. We will focus on skills that will help us as we read increasingly complex nonfiction texts. For the first few weeks, all students will be reading texts that support our unit on energy. Students can choose between nonfiction and fiction books for home reading.

In writing, we are wrapping up our unit on narrative. Students have written many seed ideas, and learned strategies for generating story ideas. They then chose a personally powerful seed to draft and evolve. Most students have reached the stage of having a “Frankenstein story”, built of bits and pieces of multiple drafts and revisions. We celebrated this work by sharing it with our class and our grade one buddies before the break. Next, we will begin a unit on research reports. During that unit, students will write reports on energy — first an “all about energy” report, and then later, researching one particular source of energy and the impact of our energy use on the environment.

Math:

Students will learn about division this week. They will learn a few ways to model division and the partial quotients algorithm. This algorithm builds conceptual understanding of division. Please ask your child to show you how to divide this way sometime later in the week. Toward the end of the week, students will be assessed on their understanding of the four operations. Our next unit (on fractions) will begin next week.

Unit:

Last week, we kicked off our energy unit. Each child visited four different classrooms to see four different energy demonstrations. The kids got really excited about these. It was a lot of fun for all of us. This week, we will begin learning about the different types of energy. On Thursday, students will make their own energy demonstrations.

On Friday, we celebrated our community and our first week back with a team-building hike upstream, and up the “waterfalls” in the woods. Thank you for sending in rain boots and jackets… It got wet 🙂 Enjoy a few photos of the event.

ZIS Lower School Technology User Agreement

Leave a reply
At the Lower School we operate an integrated technology program where technology is used to support and enhance the student’s learning. Starting this year we are asking parents to complete a User Agreement which outlines some key points about how we use and our expectations when using technology. Many of you have already completed this but there a still a few people who still need to.
Please take a moment to read through and complete the form – click here

Family Conference Sign-Up

Leave a reply

Friday October 6th.

G2 – G5 Family Conferences and PS – G1 Parent/Teacher Conferences.

On this day, school is closed for the Conferences which will be occurring in all classes at the ECC and the Lower School. In all G2 through to G5 classes, the student should also be present at the conference. There will be very limited child care provision in room C306.

To help make the signup process as manageable as possible we request the following:

Sign Up Right Now (September 26th) – for families with more than one student at the Lower School or Early Childhood Centre. These families have first priority as they have to go to more than one meeting. Please note, if you have conferences at both the ECC and the LS please allow for travel time

Sign Up From Wednesday (September 27th) Onwards – families with one student at the school should sign up.

To make an appointment with your child’s German teacher, please email their German teacher directly. These appointments will take place in German classrooms.

If you wish to make an appointment with Ms. Henry (music), please email her directly on ahenry@zis.ch. These appointments will take place in her music room B208. Other music teachers will not be present on this day.

For Art and PE, please feel to drop in to meet the teachers, (the Lower School Gym for PE, respective Art classrooms for Art).

Here is the link to the sign-up sheet. You should be able to edit the page directly.  Please take care not to change another family’s conference time.  Please let me know if you have any questions.

Many thanks,

Jamie

Agendas & Genius Hour

Leave a reply

Dear 5R Families,

Things are rolling along beautifully in grade five. In Math, we’re deep into our exploration of Place Value and will soon be transitioning into a further part of this unit, reviewing the four operations. In Writing after developing a number of strategies for story ideas and writing short “seed stories”, we’ve chosen particularly meaningful seeds to draft into longer stories, and will be revising and editing them over the coming weeks. In Reading, we’re learning to record our thinking while reading, focusing on character traits. In Unit, we’re launching our Genius Hour inquiry which will go strong for the next three weeks. For more on these, log in to zis.ch and keep an eye on the G5 Newsfeed.

Two main notes to this post: Agendas and Genius Hour

Agendas

Over the past several weeks a group of 5R students volunteered to trial and provide feedback on our agendas. The results are in and starting on Monday, Sept 25 every 5R student should have their agenda in their backpack each day going home and each morning returning to school.

These agendas are the same as those in use in the ZIS Middle School. We are using them in part to support students with that upcoming transition. The purposes of the agendas are:
  • To help students stay organized with upcoming responsibilities
  • To record reading
  • As a conversation starter/communication aid between home and school
The agendas will come home with your child each day, and must return to school each morning.
Would you please:
  • look at the agenda each evening with your child
  • use their notes as conversation starters to chat about their day
  • support them to record their reading in the agenda
  • initial at the bottom of each day’s column, each evening
We welcome your feedback on this learning tool!
Genius Hour

Last week, fifth grade students were asked: “If you could learn about one thing (a skill, subject or passion), for three weeks, what would it be?”

This weeks sees the start of our Grade 5 Genius Hour projects. From gourmet meals, to shooting hoops, to building with Lego; we are in for a wide range of creative and thoughtful projects over the next three weeks!

What is Genius Hour? Have a look at this short video to get an idea, or this site to go deeper…

How will students get started?

During the first week, the students have the chance to meet with their homeroom teacher to plan out their project as if it were a mini unit. Together we will identify key questions and skills to be developed throughout the project and a timeline to help the students keep on track.

As this form of learning varies somewhat from what the students have done before, here are some guidelines for the process and answers to some questions.

Our first Genius Hour project will last just 3 weeks. There will be several hours each week at school to pursue this learning, but we encourage students to spend additional time at home in the evening working on their projects. Parents should feel free to enjoy researching and learning alongside their children.

Week 1: This is a research week. Having chosen their subject (e.g. soccer, origami, fashion, painting, baking), the students may wish to research something of the background or history of your subject area (e.g. how ladies’ fashions or make-up techniques have changed over the last 100 years, the history of origami, the life of a famous artist). Alternatively, they may wish to  research material to support your personal inquiry in week 2 (e.g. 3 different recipes for baking chocolate brownies from 3 different chefs). The student are encouraged to look for primary sources (people in your family, people in your community) who might be able to help you with your research. On Wednesday, students will be “pitching” their ideas to the class.

Week 2: This week, the students will be investigating and creating. They might be baking cakes and bringing them in for taste tests, trying out basketball techniques, making different origami creations or painting in the style of a famous artist. Experimenting, investigating, taking photos, making notes and creating videos are all possibilities.

Week 3: In this final week, the students will share and reflect on their project, share their experiences with the rest of the class and post a final reflection on their blog. The following questions will give an idea of what this reflection might look like: What progress did you make towards your identified skills? Did you manage your time independently, or did you need reminders? What aspect of the process did you find challenging and how did you overcome these difficulties? What was the most exciting part of Genius Hour?

We are looking forward to an exciting three weeks.

Wednesday in Torgon

Leave a reply

Day three started ominously… Clouds blanketed the mountains and rain threatened as we made our way to breakfast. But as we grouped to head off to our activities a bit of blue shone through. The day came on, the clouds cleared, the sun shone through, and we had another gorgeous day in Torgon.

Groups dove into the same range of activities as Tuesday with students having the opportunity to try new options from the rotation. Three groups made the full day hike to France and reported back that it was coooooold on the border ridge.

Another great day in the outdoors! Enjoy the folder of today’s photos!

Tuesday in Torgon

Leave a reply

Day two…

Our first full day of camp and our first taste of all the camp programs. Today activity groups had breakfast together, packed their lunches and headed out to follow their individual schedules for the day.

Activities ranged among:

  • Eco Trails: A full-day hike up to France, with a built in scavenger hunt. Have lunch while standing with a foot in each country!
  • Earthworks: What are the properties and interactions of earth, wind, fire and water? How are humanity impacting our home?
  • Where are we? Orienteering, map reading, compass-making and urban planning!
  • Living with Nature: Building fires, shelters and more!
  • Team Building: Community building games in nature are twice as fun 🙂
  • Climbing: How many crates can you stack and stay balanced on top of? Can you ring the bells at the top of the climbing wall?

A beautiful, sunny, full-on active day in the mountains!

Enjoy the photos in the linked gallery!

Torgon in the sunshine.

Monday in Torgon

4 Replies

It’s hard to believe we’ve only been here a day!

After arrival, the students learned who would be there roommates and dropped off their bags, before joining their activity groups, meeting their counselors, and sitting down for lunch… Gnocchi with tomato sauce and cheese, with a salad bar, naturally.

After lunch, we all went together out to the big field, under the mountains, for some activity group and whole school games. The sun came out and we played games for hours.

Upon return to the camp, students had time to shower, we had a quick fire drill, then sat down for dinner: vegetarian tacos, pumpkin soup and a salad bar. Following dinner for the evening activity, all groups set off for a night hike in the woods.

At the end of the evening, each classroom group came together to have a chat about their day and share some excitement about the days to come.

A great first day in Torgon! Enjoy today’s photos in this folder.

Stay tuned for tomorrow!

 

Touchdown Torgon!

2 Replies

Grade 5 has traveled across Switzerland, braved snack -time in Gruyeres, and climbed the twisty road, to arrive safely at our home for the week, Torgon!

We’re excited and ready for a great week of getting to know ourselves, each other, and coming together as a community.

Stay tuned for photo updates each evening. See you Friday!

Torgon Details – Repost from Newsfeed

Leave a reply

Dear Parents,

The following is a re-post of key information from the G5 Newsfeed. It contains details for our Torgon Trip next week.

The Grade 5 field trip to Torgon with Village Camps is fast approaching. Please read this post carefully for medication information and a packing list.

MEDICATION:

If your child takes any medicine that he/she will need during the field trip, we need to have this medication early so that we can document and chart it.

The medication should be put in a ‘zip-lock’ type transparent bag. Please print out and complete the Torgon Trip Medication Form and put it with the medication in the bag.  Any medicines your child requires must be with the nurses by August 31st.

If you have any questions or concerns please call, visit or e-mail the nurses’ office.

WHAT TO PACK:

Here is the recommended packing list for our trip. Please do note that the weather is very changeable in the mountains and we do recommend packing warm clothing! Layer up!

  • Warm sweater/s or fleece.
  • Waterproof jacket and trousers.
  • Long trousers suitable for walking and climbing, we suggest bringing two or three pairs. Jeans are acceptable too! You may also want to bring a pair of shorts.
  • Socks – make sure they are comfortable with your walking shoes. Longer socks are better than ‘tennis’ type socks.
  • T-shirts/tops, underwear, nightwear and toiletry items – including extra hair bands, girls! Please note any medication MUST be given to the school nurse before the trip.
  • Towel (as least one teacher usually forgets this, let’s see if all the students can remember!)
  • Flash light/torch (optional)
  • Slippers/indoor shoes (no big ‘fluffy animal’ slippers for safety reasons please!)
  • Hiking boots and/or sports shoes suitable for walking and climbing. The most important thing is that your shoes are ‘worn in’ and comfortable. Try not to wear brand new boots for the first time. It would be best to bring two pairs of shoes if you can. It is possible that a pair may get wet or muddy in the course of the day and you want to be dry and comfortable!
  • Sunglasses
  • Large water bottle – min 1 litre. If your backpack comes with a “bladder” type water pouch you may use this instead of a water bottle.
  • Sun cream and sun hat/baseball cap.
  • Warm hat and mittens/gloves.
  • A large plastic bag for wet or dirty clothes.
  • A backpack – suitable for day trips – you need to fit a tupperware box of lunch, your water bottle, sun cream, a sweater/jacket and possibly your rain gear.
  • A book to read in the evenings.

Optional:

  • Many students like to bring card games (like UNO etc.) to play in their rooms during free times.
  • A soft toy to sleep with.
  • A phone, ipad or other device for the bus (these will all be kept safely in teacher rooms during camp, and returned to students for the bus back to Zurich. Students will not have access to them at camp).

*Please do not send snacks, candy, or other treats with your child unless they are needed due to dietary restrictions. If this is the case, please inform your child’s teacher.  All food and snacks are provided.

We highly recommend that you pack your child’s bag along with them. They will be much better at staying organized if they know what’s in their bag, and where to find it, because they put it in themselves!

Looking forward to a great trip!

School Photos, Agendas, 1st Weeks and More!

Leave a reply

Dear 5R Community…

It’s been another great week in 5R! This week we have begun the routines of reading and writing workshop, and we have worked on some math challenges that have really gotten the students thinking. Additionally, we’ve been attempting to articulate who we want to be as a class, and what rights and responsibilities will help us get there. This has been connecting to investigations of online, digital citizenship as well.

 

This is photo week!

  • Individual Student photos will be taken on Monday, August 28
  • The class photo will be taken on Friday, Sept 1, before PE (students may come in special clothes for the photo if you like, and change afterwards into their PE kit).

 

Writer’s Notebooks

We will be decorating our Writer’s Notebooks this Friday. Each child needs to bring in photos, postcards, drawings, or other flat images that can be glued to their writer’s notebook.  The writing notebook is a place where students will write about personal things, and by decorating and personalizing it, the notebook becomes a cherished object, rather than just a school notebook. So, for Thursday, please have your child bring in 10 or more photos or other images that they can glue on their notebook.  I will provide writing quotes that they can use, as well. (I can print images for the children, as well. Please have them send me the images, sized for how they’d like them printed in ONE Google Doc or Word file, rather than separately attached to an email.)

 

Torgon

Our Torgon trip is coming soon!  I will post updates on our class blog, including information about arrival and departure times and photos of each day.  Please make sure you have subscribed to the blog so that you receive these updates.

 

Meet the Teacher Night

Thanks to all the families who attended our Meet the Teacher Night last week. Here is a link to Monday night’s slideshow in 5R and in the MPR. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns. I enjoyed meeting you all, and I appreciate your commitment to your child’s education. I look forward to working in partnership with you this year.

 

ZIS Accounts & 1st Weeks Video Reflection

On Friday 5R spent some time getting used to using our Google Accounts. You should have received an email from your child with a password you’ll need to view their blog. If you didn’t receive it, please let me know! Their ZIS accounts (email, Google Classroom, blog etc) are available from any online device, using their ZIS email address and password. The password they sent you was specifically for viewing their blog.

As part of this students completed their first Google Classroom assignment, following instructions and uploading videos to be edited. The following video is the result of this. If your child is missing, that’s a sign that they had some challenges with the workflow and instructions. We’re all learning! 🙂

 

Agendas

Last but not least, as part of our efforts in G5 to prepare students for Middle School, they will be receiving the same organizer/agenda that the MS students use. This will come to and from school each day. More on this soon!

Thanks for supporting your child and our community!