Mr V  Grade 5  (January, 2025) 

Building Super Sentences

Great English writers use many adjectives in their sentences to paint a picture in the reader’s mind. Our classes learned the differences between writing just fine, good, and super sentences.  The students know that adding adjectives or describing words to their sentences strengthens them. This year, we are focusing on making our characters and story settings more interesting to read.

We first looked at a simple sentence, “The cat is in a tree.” The class discussed how these sentences do not give us much information. We learned to build stronger sentences that a sentence should include the following five things: adjectives, when, where, how, and why. We then read another simple sentence, “The dog is running.” We built it into a super sentence by looking at a PowerPoint explaining how to go through each step using the mini-whiteboards. First, by adding adjectives.

Next, the students practiced making short sentences using the five steps of adjectives: when, where, how, and why. The students were asked to add each part in the steps for the final activity. 

First, the students wrote their short sentences, adding adjectives. Next, they built upon their sentence by adding the “when”.  Then, they continued to build their sentence by adding the where, when, how, and why. After the students wrote their best sentences, they were asked to draw a picture depicting their best sentences. By making stronger, interesting sentences, our students will become better writers. 

Ms Jenna  Grade 1  (January, 2025)

Winter Writing Practice  

In preparation for winter students of 1.3 learned new winter vocabulary and used them in sentences. Our vocabulary this month included many winter themes such as winter food, clothing, and weather.  To continue our vocabulary practice we played games involving seasonal clothing where students had to place the randomly selected clothes under the right weather condition. Then students in one class practice writing their vocabulary, while the other class wrote sentences. Their vocabulary included: snow, snowman, snowflake, boots, mittens, parka, spaghetti, and soup.

We also read a book about 1^st graders experiencing a “snow day” for the first time. The book title was called “Snow Day!” and the author was Lucille Colandro.  Students learned that during a real snow day, school is usually canceled, and many outdoor snow activities can occur. Students exclaimed that Guangdong doesn’t get any snow days!

In preparation for our writing assignment about snowflakes, we talked about the many shapes we can see in a snowflake. We can see triangles, hearts, and even parallelograms!  Students had the freedom to write about their unique snowflakes anyway they wanted. They could say, “My snowflake has a star and a heart,” or “My snowflake has two circles and a square.” After they finished writing, they had an opportunity to practice making their own unique snowflake. 

Mr James  Grade 3  (January, 2025)

Going Far with Phonics - Phonics /ar/ Sound

Review and Introduction - To start our class, we reviewed the previous week’s /or/ sound words with some recitation, a couple of games, and some oral sentence making. The /ar/ sound was then introduced with songs and videos, which were paused for students to repeat words and sentences. After this, the students volunteered as many /ar/ words as they could.

Realia Bag - For some active learning, random students drew realia from Mr. James’ bag, including a shark, a dart, a jar and a star! We reviewed the objects on screen, and after eliciting their names, students repeated the words a few times and used them in sentences.

Focus Words - The week’s /ar/ focus words (car, star, large, bark and shark) were then introduced.

Five pictures were shown in turn on screen, and students guessed the related focus words. Each word was then revealed and the students repeated them, before we discussed their meanings and created sentences with them. We played a game of connecting pictures to the focus words, after which we decoded the words by breaking them into phonetical chunks.

Students then made some imaginary /ar/ “crazy words,” and explained their meanings!

Conclusion - To conclude our class, the students read sentences together, choosing the correct focus words to fill in gaps and complete sentences. Then to further reinforce our learning, we read a phonics story book “Shark in the Park” together. The fun, holistic learning was successful in giving the students confidence decoding /ar/ words.

Mr Reynolds  Grade 6  (December, 2024)    

Fun With Simple Machines

As part of the thematic unit on tools and machines, students have been studying simple machines and how they work together to make complex machines.  To further develop student’s critical thinking skills as well as their speaking, writing and listening abilities; students have created a project in which they have to use the information they have learned about simple machines and create a working machine and presentation. Through readings, videos and PowerPoint presentations, students will gain the knowledge and vocabulary to present a working machine to their classmates.

The process begins with students learning the basic vocabulary and concepts from a PowerPoint presentation. The students take notes and discuss the different concepts behind simple machines. Then students complete a reading comprehension and video comprehension listening activity to further their development of the concepts being presented in the unit.

Once the main concepts are understood, the students conduct some more research and begin working together as a group to create and design a working simple machine. First the students create a design poster that explains what simple machines are used and how they intend for their machine to work. Next, using recycled and other materials found in the classroom, the students construct a working machine. 

Mr Rohde  Grade 2  (Dec, 2024)

Exploring Language with Nouns, Adjectives, and Verbs

Teaching grade 2 students to write with nouns, adjectives, and verbs is an exciting adventure into the world of words! At this stage, the goal is to spark creativity, grow their vocabulary, and help them discover the joy of self-expression.

We start by exploring nouns—names for the people, places, and things all around us. Activities like show-and-tell or scavenger hunts turn learning into a fun discovery game as students identify everyday nouns in their world. Once they’ve mastered nouns, we add a splash of color with adjectives. From describing their favorite stuffed animal to sharing details about a sunny day, students learn to make their writing come alive with descriptive words!

Next, we bring in verbs—the action heroes of sentences! (6) Interactive games and story prompts encourage students to pair verbs with nouns and adjectives to create lively, dynamic sentences. Visual aids like storybooks or picture cards help students see how these parts of speech work together to tell stories full of action and detail.

As their skills grow, students get to try their hand at writing short stories, using nouns, adjectives, and verbs to paint vivid pictures with their words. Sharing their creations with classmates turns the classroom into a place of encouragement, teamwork, and laughter.

By keeping learning playful and interactive, we inspire a love of language in Grade 2 students while giving them the tools they need to shine as writers. It’s a journey they’ll carry with them throughout their English learning adventure!

Mr Allan  Grade 2  (December, 2024)  

Learning Opposites with Fun and Engagement

The lesson began with a warm-up discussion. This opened the floor for guesses and excitement as they identified opposites of words the teacher provided, such as “up” and “big.”

Following the warm-up, students were introduced to opposite pairs through a slideshow with images and labels like “hot/cold,” “big/small,” and “day/night.” Real objects, such as a large and small ball, were also used to illustrate the concept visually and tangibly.

Next, the class played a round of charades, where students took turns acting out adjectives for their classmates to guess. After identifying the adjective, the class brainstormed the opposite and acted it out as well. This game brought laughter and movement to the lesson.

After the energetic charades game, students moved to a quieter activity, where they practiced using opposites in sentences. The teacher modeled a few examples on the overhead project and students created their own sentences. This activity helped students connect the concept of opposites to sentence structure.

The lesson ended with a matching game, where each student held a flashcard with one half of an opposite pair. Students took turns calling out their words, such as “I have ‘big.’ Who has ‘small’?” This final activity reinforced learning while encouraging teamwork and listening.

Overall, the lesson’s blend of active participation, visual aids, and individual practice helped students feel engaged and excited about learning opposites. It was a lot of fun! 

Mr B  Grade 1  (Dec, 2024)

What Plants Need to Grow

In Grade 1 we have been learning all about plants. After learning about the parts of a plant we learn about what they need to grow. We begin by learning vocabulary. We learn it all as a group first. Then the students get a chance to practice the vocabulary in smaller groups. And lastly they practice the new vocabulary and the question individually by asking each other “what do plants need to grow?” We also watch some videos and sing songs to help learn the vocabulary in a different way.

We learn that plants need water, air, sun, and soil to grow. Next we began a science experiment to see if the plants do not have one of these elements can it still grow. (8) The students all the got the opportunity to plant some grass seeds and will give them all the elements throughout the next couple weeks and see if the plants will grow.

The students loved having opportunities to help water the plants and check on them every time they arrive to class to see if they are growing.

Lastly we also draw a picture of a plant that is getting all four elements to help it grow. This gives the students one other way to help them learn the new vocabulary and show off their creativity.

Mr Frank  Grade 4  (December, 2024)

Transportation of the future.

In our themed unit on Transportation and Communication, the students learned about types of vehicles and how people and things are moved around the world. Our discussion led us to talk about the ways we can use different forms of transportation to explore our planet.

The students seemed very excited to contribute to the conversation. The class dedicated a few class periods to making a poster as a group project, as that allows for communication and creativity from the students. We talked about different types of posters and what kind of information they need on them. Next, the teacher broke the project down into three phases for the students. Then, we generated the language that the students would need to use to communicate tasks and responsibilities within the groups at each of the three phases of the project. 

During the planning phase, the students assigned tasks to each member of the group. They also discussed the features of their poster, and the placement of the information on their poster. They also shared different ideas to build a pool of ideas to choose from.

During the creation phase, the students worked diligently to write, draw, cut, and glue their features to the poster as they communicated what needed to be made and where information would be placed. They also continued to discuss ideas adding new ideas or refining existing ideas.

During the presentation phase, the students put the finishing touches on their work. They also decide who would talk about each feature of their poster and what they would say before they presented their finished product to their classmates.

Through group projects students learn more than just the content; they learn from each other and shared team work.

Mr John  Grade 3  (November, 2024)

Mastering Possessives: A Journey of Ownership in English

In Grade 3, we recently unlocked the world of possessives—an exciting way for students to express ownership in English. From the start, the class embraced the concept, learning how a simple apostrophe and ‘s’ could transform everyday sentences.

Students were thrilled to apply their new skills in real life. Pointing to objects around the classroom, they confidently declared, “This is John’s book,” and “That’s Amanda’s pencil.” Connecting the lesson to their surroundings made it personal and engaging.

One of the highlights of the lesson was our creative writing activity. Students crafted short stories using possessives to describe their classmates and their belongings. It was a joy to see sentences like, “Henry’s cat jumped on Amy’s chair,” emerge from their imaginations. These exercises gave them an opportunity to actively use possessives in a way that felt natural and meaningful.

By the end of the lesson, possessives became a regular part of their speech and writing, boosting both their grammar skills and confidence. The hands-on approach we used made learning feel fun and relevant, helping the students retain the concept and apply it effortlessly in daily conversations.

Though a small part of English grammar, possessives gave our students a powerful tool to communicate ownership and brought a sense of accomplishment to the classroom.

Ms Jemma  Grade 5  (November, 2024)

Crafting Creative speeches

Over the last month students have been learning how to craft creative speeches that engage audiences and effectively communicate their ideas. The process involves several key steps: using hooks, planning the speech, and delivering it as a team. For the topic of their speech we combined this with our theme class, they were tasked to plan a holiday while still sticking to a budget.

A well-structured speech typically has three main parts: the introduction, the body, and the conclusion. First we looked at using a hook at the beginning of their speech; hooks are powerful tools that grab the audience's attention right from the start. Once students have selected their hooks, the next step is planning the speech. The body of the speech needed to include some information about the country they were visiting along with their daily plan and an explanation of how they were spending their money. The students spent time independently planning and researching their holiday locations.

Finally, delivering the speech is the moment where all the planning comes together. By following these steps, using hooks, planning their speeches, and delivering their speech as a team, students worked to develop their abilities to engage an audience and communicate effectively. This was their first major project in grade 5 and it was a challenge for a lot of students, but they overcame and successfully presented their speeches. 

Ms Trudy  Grade 4  (October, 2024)

Contextual Learning

Grammar is the backbone of any language, but learning it in isolation can be boring and ineffective. Putting grammar into context helps students to understand the practical applications of grammatical rules and retain them.  In this lesson, we focused on reinforcing the possessive pronouns, prompting the students to talk about the relationship between people or to say who owns something.

First, the teacher introduced the topic with “Is This Mine or Yours?” questions, by asking the students to each put something into a box. Then, the students took turns pulling something from the box, using possessive pronouns to ask questions or make statements. Example: Whose book is this? It's not mine

They were then shown a short film to brainstorm profession related vocabulary in groups. Each group wrote down seven professions. Then, on additional cards, they wrote items related to each profession. Each student in the group held up one of the profession cards. The other students in that group took turns assigning related words for each “professional.” The players selected cards and had to decide who they belonged to, and hand the cards to that student, using a sentence that includes possessive pronouns and adjectives.

Afterwards, the students identified words in sentences that should be replaced with possessive pronouns. By learning in a context the students have a better chance to retain the grammar taught!

Ms Maria  Grade 5  (October, 2024)

Cooking Up a Story

The students have been working on a multi-part writing exercise so that they can improve their ability to write paragraphs and stories. The students first worked in groups to come up with words that related to a topic to help them generate ideas to start the writing process. They then worked as a whole class to create a story web together. Different students came up with ideas for setting, characters, problems, and events. Once they understood how to create a story web, they then got into small groups of two or three students to create their own story webs on a large piece of paper. Then the students learned how to take their ideas from the various story webs and organize them into a more formatted plan. As a class they separated the story into at least 5 paragraphs using the story web that they made together. After that, they went back to their small groups and planned their individual stories while also adding some more personal details or changing parts so that all the stories are different from each other. They also learned about the different reasons authors start new paragraphs when writing stories - time, place, topic, and people talking. Next they took their individual plan and wrote out their stories. The stories were checked for grammar mistakes and finally they wrote their final version on a cauldron as they have “cooked up” an interesting and scary story!

Mr B  Grade 1  (October, 2024)

Bringing Stories to Life:

A Grade 1 Role-Playing Adventure

In our Grade 1 classroom, we're not just reading stories; we're living them! Our Story Time Role Plays are a fun and engaging way to develop our beginner reading skills and to foster our interest in books and stories.

It starts with choosing a simple, age-appropriate story. We read together as a class, following along with the teacher and learning new words. We talk about the pictures and make exciting guesses about what might happen next. To check our understanding, our teacher asks us questions about the story, and we complete a simple worksheet to consolidate the details.

After our first reading, we return to the story and dive deeper. We read aloud together, acting out the narrator and characters' voices and conversations.

To really get into character, we practice our roles in small groups. With a little help from props, masks and costumes, each group takes turns performing their version of the story for the class. Being “on stage” can be a little scary so our teacher is always close by to help us remember words or even act out the story with us.

This process helps us develop our reading and speaking skills, while also teaching us the importance of being good listeners and audience members. It's a fantastic way to make learning to read fun and memorable!

Mr Ryan  Grade 2  (October, 2024)

The World of Plurals

Over the past week, our class jumped into the rules of “es” and “ies” plurals, transforming this grammar topic into an enjoyable learning experience. We kicked off the week with a catchy song that introduced the plural rules, sparking interest and setting the tone for an interactive learning journey. Then the teacher introduced when to add “es” (for words ending in s, x, z, ch, or sh) and when to change “y” to “ies” (for words ending in a consonant + y).

After the musical introduction, we moved into a detailed explanation of the rules, showing how singular words like “fox” become “foxes” and “lady” turns into “ladies”. Students took part in lively discussions, asking questions and giving examples.

To reinforce their understanding, we played a series of games, including Plurals Jeopardy Game and Guess the Correct Ending. In Plurals Jeopardy Game, students had to select and answer a question to gain student points, while in Guess the Correct Ending, the students had to select the correct ending by standing in a specific spot in the classroom! This encouraged the students to be active and most importantly, everyone could participate at the same time!

To wrap up our week, students paired up to create colorful posters showcasing the plural rules and examples they had learned. These posters are now proudly displayed in the English classroom, serving as a helpful reference for future lessons. Overall, the week was not only educational but also filled with laughter, creativity, and teamwork.

Mr Keeler  Grade 3  (October, 2024)

Pesky Pronouns

This week in grammar class we looked at pesky pronouns! Pronouns help us to avoid too much repetition in our writing and speaking. Some pronouns are – I, he, she, it, we, you, they. To begin with, we brainstormed the pronoun words that we already knew and the teacher wrote them on the board. To help us to review these words, students demonstrated representations of different pronouns whilst the class created sentences to match. Then, we had to decide which missing words to add to some sentences. We worked in our teams to identify the correct pronoun to add before showing the teacher our answers on our whiteboards. Each sentence had a fun picture to help us!

To reinforce our understanding of pronouns, we then played a matching game using flashcards which featured a pronoun or a sentence which uses a pronoun. Each flashcard also included a picture to help to solidify our understanding. We took turns to turn over two cards and read the sentence aloud for each one. We got to keep the cards of any matching pairs that we found and added our total up at the end to see who won! To further review our understanding, some students did demonstrations individually, and in groups, for the class to elicit full sentences to describe their actions whilst including the correct pronoun. It turns out that pronouns aren’t so pesky after all! 

Ms Kay  Grade 6  (October, 2024)

Making Good Choices

Grade 6 began the year with the theme of making good choices in order to have a successful year! To help show the differences between good choices and bad choices, the teachers became the students. Our grade 6 teachers pretended to be students and acted out bad choices that students should try to avoid, which the grade 6 students enjoyed seeing! Then, they modeled what would be good choices to make in English class to help make sure everyone has a good learning experience. Students got a chance to point out what were the bad choices and what were the good choices.

Afterwards, the students took time to write down different ways to show respect, responsibility, and self-discipline in the class. The grade 6 students gave many examples of how to show respect in the classroom, to their classmates, and to their teacher, but also, they got to talk about the different ways a teacher can show respect to them in the classroom. Next, they discussed how they can show responsibility such as giving their best effort in class. Lastly, the students mentioned ways to show self-discipline in the classroom. This could be making sure they don’t harm others when they feel angry or sad, or it could be making sure they stay attentive instead of disturbing others during class time. The students enjoyed the performances, and this presentation helped to set the tone of their last year in elementary school!

Ms Antasha  Grade 5 (September, 2024)

When Review Meets the Memory Game

Often times, language learners are limited with their language practice over school breaks and holidays. Our students contend with Spring Festival, and to a greater extent, the summer holiday. Family time often expands our home languages. When classes resume, many students may feel they have forgotten what they recently learned.

The Memory Game is actually a variety of games and actualities planned to help students recall and use various parts of language, relating to the four-domains (listen, speak, read, and write). Remembering can be easy, stressful, or a range in-between the two, but the goal is to make these interactive reminders fun!

Grammar can be a challenging subject for many students and the element of fun a challenge for some teachers. A few colorful resources, some patience, and simple learning can build the energy for a creative lesson of remembering/learning that incorporates the four-domains from the whole class, smaller groups, to the individual student. Language learning should be consistent, not stressful!

In our class, we reviewed Parts of Speech by matching various English words to the categories of noun, pronoun, verb, and adjective. We added on to those categories as the class began to identify and correctly place our initial words. Our game concluded with table groups writing their own sentences and identifying prepositions, conjunctions, articles, interjections, and adverbs. Though it seems like a lot for our first week back, taken in bite-sized pieces, we confidently completed our review. 

Ms Becky  Grade 4  (September, 2024)

Let’s make new friends!

Starting a new class, with new classmates is never easy, so in Grade 4 we like to first try to get to know our students, and help them get to know each other too. This will make the learning environment a lot happier! This year in 4.3, we began with thinking together about what questions we ask another student to make friends with them. We made a list as a class, and also students added three of their own.  We talked about ways to make connections with people and asking others if they like what we like. They shared their ideas to the class after.

Then we learned more vocabulary about self-introductions and answered questions about ourselves. After this we discussed about the important question words we need to make questions: what, where, when, why and how. We then wrote as many questions as we could to match the self-introduction responses. Finally, in table groups, each student chose the most interesting question and made a list of six questions.

These six questions were then written on a whiteboard dice and we took turns to throw the dice and answer each question. Every six minutes we rotated the dice to different groups to change the questions and keep students engaged with new and interesting questions. Finally, everyone had to write as much as they could about each person on their table in eight minutes. Then the books were collected and the teacher read out some of the descriptions and asked students to guess who it was. Students had a lot of fun and learned many interesting things about their fellow learners, and had some good laughs along the way! After these activities, students felt a lot more comfortable around each other and this will make future lessons more interesting too, as I will be able to include their hobbies and names in other activities. 

Mr Ward  Grade 5  (June, 2024)

Question Tags

As part of our grammar studies, we review and practice using question tags. Question tags can be complicated to use because the form changes depending on the verbs used in the first part of the sentence. Together we reviewed how to create question tags and took notes in our notebooks.

After reviewing how to make question tags, the students were given the first part of a sentence and the sentence tags. The students had to match the sentences and the question tags together.

Question tags are very useful in spoken English. Depending on the tone used, the listener understands if the speaker is seeking confirmation of information, thinks the listener will agree, or if they are unsure of the answer. In pairs, the students practiced asking and answering sentences with question tags. They practiced using different tones to imply different meanings in the questions.

Finally, the students practiced making sentences with question tags. They made a grid on a sheet of paper for 8 different sentences using question tags. For six of the sentences, they had to use different verbs. This made sure that they had a variety of practice with making the form. They made sure to focus on the structure and punctuation as well. They drew a picture for each of the sentences that they wrote.

Ms Jemma  Grade 5  (June, 2024)

Getting Statistical

Recently in 5.2 we have been looking at probability and statistics for Math. To begin with, we looked at some simple mathematical processes used to better understand data sets, such as how to calculate mean, mode, median and range. These are used to represent a typical data point and help students look for patterns and abnormalities in their data.

The students then reviewed some common charts and graphs that they looked at last year. Then we looked at two different methods for collecting data, the students were given pieces of yarn which they needed to examine and measure to collect data.

The second method required the students to create a questionnaire.

The students were asked to create their own imaginary chocolate bar to sell. To begin we needed to do some market research. The students created a questionnaire which included 8 sets of data, including name, flavor, chocolate types, etc.  They then asked their classmates, friends and family to gather some data.

Once the data had been complied the students presented the information using charts and graphs.

They each had one sheet of chart paper to present their data using at least 3 different chart and graphs. They also looked for patterns in their data to decide what would be the best choice for their imaginary chocolate bar.

Mr V  Grade 5  (June, 2024)

Sentence Building Blocks-Conjunctions

Conjunctions are important in writing because they help connect ideas and create relationships between different parts of a sentence. Words like "and," "but," "so," and "or" allow the writer to join together phrases and clauses, making sentences fit easily together and easier to understand. The conjunction “and” can be used to list a person’s favorite foods. The conjunction “but” can be used to explain how ideas are different. The conjunctions “so” and “or” can express cause, effect and choice. Without conjunctions, our sentences would be short and simple.

First, we looked at the answers from the previous day’s student interviews to create sentence starters. Then, the class discussed how we can use conjunctions to add more information. We learned to conjunctions can build sentences with more detailed information. Next, we took our interview responses and built them into more informative sentences by looking at a PowerPoint which explained how add the most common conjunction ‘and’ to add more information about a subject. Finally, we using our mini whiteboards, the students wrote about their interviewee using “and”, “but”, “so” and “or”. 

Ms Maria  Grade 5  (June, 2024)

The Great Inventions of Ancient China

The students began the month of May with briefly learning about various inventions that Ancient China is famous for through a Power Point and video. The class had a short discussion about the inventions and how they changed the entire world along with how society worked. These inventions include black gunpowder, fireworks, paper, printing, compass, trade, porcelain, Chinese traditional medicine, tea, silk, bronze ware, and weapons. Then the class was divided into 7 groups to do a more in-depth research into the various inventions created in Ancient China. Each group will be presenting their research as a lesson, teaching their classmates about one or two inventions per lesson throughout the month of June. Each group is responsible to provide a poster, key vocabulary, a worksheet, and quiz for their inventions. They are given the choice to include games, demonstrations, Power Points, videos, and other resources if they so choose to expand their lessons. Some of the students are creating models of their topic, while others are planning on doing demonstrations. Everyone has been busy making their poster unique and beautiful through drawing, painting, and coloring their poster along with writing key information on them. Other students are busy creating the lesson, and the speeches that everyone will use while teaching the class on their topic. The students are excited about their student led lessons that will be starting next week!

 Ms Antasha Grade 5 June, 2024

Word Detectives!

Words have the power to foster cooperation, connect generations and build relationships. Those same words, used recklessly, can discourage, destroy and devastate the hearts and minds of those who share this lovely planet with us.  

Let’s examine words to discover their meaning and gain understanding. Truly, understanding allows us to mean what we say when choosing our words.

Our Word Study lessons mostly explore prefixes, letters added before a base word, and suffixes, letters added after a base word. Both additions change the meaning of our initial word. We decode these words to find greater meaning to the base words we already know and expand the new words we learn by adding a prefix or suffix.

Let’s take a look at a list of words to see if we can find their meaning from the base word or either its prefix or suffix. We then make notes to break down the meaning of our base word. Our ability to make the best word choice before adding a prefix/suffix makes for an accurate use of our new word.

With notebook pages full of knowledge, we play a whiteboard game to check for comprehension. Ready – Set – Go! The new game challenge is to use picture examples, Word Study terms, and definitions to make a three-way match. By understanding or our word choices, we can use what we learn to win- In life and our class game.

Let’s discover and build language together! 

Mr Reynolds  Grade 6  (May, 2024)

Word Study: The Building Blocks of Communication

This Year, the bilingual program has put emphasis on developing student’s vocabulary and word knowledge. Focusing on vocabulary use in writing and speaking, the Grade Six Word Study program allows students to develop their vocabulary through a variety of methods, such as speaking, writing, drawing and skits along with traditional assessment. By focusing on word use in context, students learn a wide range of vocabulary, and how to use their vocabulary when speaking and writing. This gives students more experiences to express themselves in English.   

Students start by learning a new word list. Students then are tasked with searching for the word meanings as well as synonyms and antonyms for their words. Next, students construct a Word Study poster. Students work in small groups constructing posters for a speech and presentation to demonstrate what they have learned throughout the assignment. Finally, students work is displayed and hung around the classroom.

The next part of the unit lesson consists of students using their vocabulary in their writing journals. Students are expected to understand the part of speech of their word study words and use their words correctly in their own writing.

Finally, students engage in a fun skit activity. Here the students get the opportunity to sharpen their speaking and vocabulary skills as they use their new words to create short plays. At the end of each word study unit students are given a formal assessment of the words they have been studying over the past two weeks.

Mr Zee UELS  (April, 2024)

The benefit of using games in the classroom.

In the ELS classroom we place a high emphasis on engaging activities. One of the best ways to do this is through using games. Games assist in language acquisition in a fun way, retention through a competitive and sometimes amusing nature, and mastery through building confidence in teams. We strive for learning to always be fun because we want less groans, less anxiety, and more squeals of joy. Language acquisition and mastery require constant effort. Therefore wisely-chosen and competitive games with rewards are precious. They afford students necessary intervals from normal study while simultaneously allowing language practice. The games chosen help stimulate the brain, and improve cognitive skills (problem solving, concentration, mental agility, kinesthetic learning). With this in mind, we used alphabet blocks to be more challenging for students to find the letters, and a writing mat so they could produce the past participle in competitive exercises. This game requires teamwork and speed.

We started off by teaching students the past participle of the verbs, in animated format. Students took notes and corrected their work.

Next we moved students onto the team alphabet blocks games with the writing mat for some fun, movement, teamwork, and unconscious acquisition of language. Then the students used mini whiteboards, in order to assess individual progress and language acquisition. Finally we got students to produce the language through writing and then speaking using jeopardy.

Mr Adam  Grade 6  (April, 2023)  

Dodecahedron Book Reports

Since March is reading month, we have been working on book reports in Grade 6.  One type of book report that we have been working on throughout the month is a Dodecahedron book report.  This type of report requires students to complete 12 different circles, which are later put together to form a dodecahedron – or 12 sided shape.  The first circle we completed showed the students name. On the second circle they wrote the title of the book they read. To complete the third circle we went to the computer lab and the students researched a little about the author of their book, and then wrote down three interesting facts about the author. For the fourth circle each student summarized the book they read, making sure to include information from the beginning, middle, and end. Circles five, six, and seven required the students to tell us about three different characters in their book and explain what we need to know about them. We learned about three types of text connections: text to self, text to text, and text to world, and then the students wrote about these three types of connections for their book. For circle nine the students chose 5 people that they would recommend the book to. The students completed circle ten by drawing their favorite scene from the book and writing a caption about it underneath. Next, the students created an advertisement for the book. They completed the last circle by reviewing the book and sharing their opinion. Finally, they assembled their dodecahedron book reports, and we hung them up in the classroom. 

Mr Shaikh  Grade 6  (March, 2024)

Debating how we can be Healthier

This year we are researching what is considered to be the most important aspect of being healthy. Students were introduced to the topic and did some self-research to debate their opinions and then present their findings in a speech format.

First students were introduced to the idea of a wellness circle, which incorporates different aspects of being healthy and the discussed and noted down ideas.

Students then organized their ideas into notes and created posters to show their understanding.

They were then encouraged to debate their ideas and express which ideas they felt were the most important aspects of being healthy is and why.

Students found that the information they had for debate was inadequate. So they were given time to do research during computer class. Student’s researched vital information that would give them the edge in future debates as well as be able to help them to create speeches.

The teacher then gave them a conclusion to their research by introducing new concepts of being healthy through video format. After some discussion and explanations, students then made their final speeches.

Students were able to present their findings and research into a final presentation to give their opinions. After debates, research and expressing themselves in a presentation format, students were able to learn more about themselves and the concept of being healthy and will hopefully take their newfound knowledge to teach others and improve their own lives. 

Mr Ryan  Grade 6  (March, 2024)

Grammar Games – Share or Steal game

In 6.4 students practice grammar every week to become more proficient at identifying when to apply certain grammar rules in a sentence. To help spark the student’s imagination we play a fun interactive grammar game to practice.

First we go through a PPT explaining the rules of when to use “both, neither, either, all & none”, in a sentence. We then setup 2 cards with the word SHARE on it and 2 cards with the word STEAL on it. There will be a playing table, and the rest of the class will be seated as the audience. Two students are called up from the class. They will face each other at the playing table with the cards (face down) in front of them. Together they both have to get the 2 GAP fill questions right in the PPT game correct. If they get the two answers correct, then they can play Share or Steal. The reward is 10 points for their table which can be split into 5. The students then have 20 seconds to decide whether they will choose the SHARE or STEAL card. They can talk to each other in English to try and convince each other that they will share the reward. After the 20 seconds they reveal if they chose SHARE or STEAL. This game helps the students know when to apply grammar rules, and it’s also a lot of fun deciding to Share or Steal!

Mr Tshepo  LELS  (January, 2024)

Inductive Learning:

Discovering the Importance of Transition Words

A typical English lesson consists of students walking into the classroom and waiting for the teacher to execute a lesson plan. But what if students were told that they would be their own teachers for the day? That is what happened to LELS 1 students this month.

First, students were given scrambled flashcards, labeled A – I, which they had to organize. Some students organized the flashcards in alphabetical order whilst others organized them according to the pictures shown on the flashcards. Next, students read three short stories and were asked to find a grammatical structure that was consistent in the stories. This is where students discovered the use of transition words, i.e., words that show the relationship between sentences and paragraphs. They also discovered that the stories followed a sequence of events (6, 7). We brainstormed other words that can be used as transition words and watched a video to help come up with more words. Then, students realized that the flashcards they organized earlier told a story that followed a sequence of events. They reorganized their flashcards and presented the sequenced story using transition words. They also presented their own sequenced stories thereafter. Finally, once students understood the objective of our lessons, they were tasked with using the vocabulary and grammar they had discovered to write short stories of their own.

Students created stories that explained daily routines, weekend itineraries, instructions to activities, directions, etc. They did so through the process of self-discovery, that made students both the teacher and the student – an approach called Inductive Learning.

Ms Trudy  Grade 4  (December, 2023)  

Transforming language learning through speaking

One of the most important goals of learning English as a second language is being able to effectively communicate. Students often find it challenging to express themselves fluently in the language. They often experience a wide range of speaking-related problems such as lack of vocabulary and grammar knowledge, poor pronunciation skills, lack of knowledge about how to start, maintain and end a conversation politely and lack of confidence when speaking with more competent speakers of English. This lesson focuses on helping the students to develop public speaking skills with an emphasis on voice level, eye contact, clarity, and inflection.

 The Process

1. We started the lesson by discussing the term “Inspiration”. The students were asked several to get their thoughts flowing. 

2. They were then introduced to the key vocabulary to assist them with the upcoming activity.

3. The teacher modeled writing the speech on “My Hero” by explaining to the students the definition of hero, and then brainstorming the qualities that a hero might or should possess.

4. The students were then asked to write on the topic, describing their hero and how they inspired them.

5.  Afterwards the teacher then modeled the qualities of a good speaker, placing an emphasis on voice level, eye contact, clarity, and inflection.

6. The students were then task with presenting their written speeches focusing on these areas. 

Ms Belinda  UELS  (December, 2023)

The Thing about Phonics /th/ sounds

UELS.1 students have been working on digraphs during phonics lessons. We paid particular attention to the voiced and unvoiced /th/. In the first lesson, we introduced how to make the sounds. We focused on the position of the teeth, tongue, and lips and discussed soft and hard breathing using images and a mirror. Then, using a phonics video, we introduced and mimicked common words using the two sounds. In the following two lessons, we isolated voiced and unvoiced sounds. In both classes, we did a whiteboard activity where students wrote words using the letter sounds made by the teacher. This activity helps students decode new words when reading and improves their ability to sound out and spell words when writing (encoding). We then did short readings. We approach reading two ways. The first way is to analyze the story and identify the specific sound to improve decoding skills. The second is team reading races. The races help students trust their knowledge and attack a reading with confidence. (pic 9,10) We finished the unvoiced /th/ class with a whisper game to strengthen the use of phonics for writing. For the final activity in the voiced /th/ lesson, students played a Roll and Read game.

They challenged each other to decode unfamiliar words. In our last unit, we revisited both sounds using the whiteboard and reading activities. Then, they finished the /th/ unit with ‘Go Fish,’ where students successfully matched and sorted the two sounds. 

Mr Frank  Grade 4  (December, 2023)

Mind Maps for Journal Writing

In the writing strategies lesson, the students were tasked with making a mind map about Thanksgiving. Their discussion led them to discuss Thanksgiving in terms of planning a dinner. The students seemed very excited to contribute their ideas to the conversation. They dedicated a few class periods to having a discussion about thanksgiving, making a mind map and writing a journal about their perfect thanksgiving holiday.

This process allows for both organization and expression of their thoughts. Students discussed planning a guest list of people to invite to their holiday dinner, what food would be served to the guests and what activities to do after the dinner is finished. The assignment was divided into three phases for the students. Then, the students worked together to generated the language that they would need to use to make their mind map.

During the discussion phase, the students discussed and shared what they knew about Thanksgiving. They also asked questions about the holiday traditions in my family.

During the planning phase, the students worked diligently to write, draw and color their mind maps as they shared their ideas with their table-mates.

During the production phase, the students put the finishing touches on their mind maps and began writing their journals. They used the rest of the lesson writing and self-editing before giving their mind map and journal to the teacher.  

Mr Michael  LELS  (December, 2023)   

Writing stories/creative writing

An important part of learning a language is learning how to communicate in the written form. A good way for students to practice this is by having them create stories. We do this in a number of ways.

In class, we will watch a video to introduce the topic. We will then brainstorm vocabulary that can be used. The teacher will provide an example framework for how students should structure their writing. The students will then write their stories about the topic.

We can also use picture prompts. After we have brainstormed some vocabulary, the students will write about what they can see in the picture. They will also try to guess what the people might be feeling, what they will do later, etc.

Another fun way to get the students engaged is to have them create comic strips about their daily lives, and things they like doing. This allows the students to be creative, and because it is about them, it means they are interested in trying to express themselves in English.

These activities are all designed to allow the students to be creative and have fun while using English. It starts off small, with only a few sentences. Eventually, we aim for students to be capable of producing a passage like in the final photo. With hard work and focus, we are confident they can do it. Well done ELS students!

Mr Little  Grade 4  (November, 2023)

Learning new words for daily use

At the lower levels of language learning—that is to say, the beginning of the long road—learning new words to use in various situations is the most important thing. Luckily, the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. That step, is learning new words. In our class, we take short, easy stories, both reading and listening, as a platform on which to build our vocabulary. We learn the new words in a story a little at a time. We write them down in our notebook. Then we make flash cards with a picture on one side and the word on the other. We make crossword puzzles that require us to have the correct letters as well as an understanding of the definition. We write the word with its definition and then in a sentence. We write this again a couple times. The repetition with the fingers helps the repetition with the eyes and the mind; tying everything together with as many neural points as possible. Having learned new words and their meaning, and practiced writing them in sentences, it’s time to be let go and to write freely with the new vocabulary. Students write Thanksgiving cards, Halloween cards, and journal essays using their new vocabulary.

Their ears, eyes, mind and hands, all having practiced the words before, are better equipped to make use of the words in a natural and free setting. Just look at these beautiful minds fly free! Unfettered by a limited vocabulary! It’s a wonderful thing! 

Mr Nathan  Grade 4  (November, 2023)

Sportsmanship

With Sports Day coming we wanted to teach about Sportsmanship and the proper way to deal with playing games and competitions. The students first needed to learn the vocabulary we were going to use, so they copied down the vocabulary from our presentation. Next we read how to act while playing and after winning and losing. We learned about being fair – not cheating to win, taking turns – making sure that if you get a turn, everyone else gets an equal turn, and sharing – not being selfish and keeping everything for yourself. As a class we talked about how we would demonstrate sportsmanship while playing games or during a competition. The teacher then called up some volunteers to act out both good sportsmanship and bad behaviors so the students could see what they were to do next. Finally, the students worked in small groups to come up with a role play where they demonstrated both the good behaviors and the bad behaviors. There was a lot of fun with them coming in front of the class and acting and it helped build up their confidence in themselves and their English abilities. We agreed in the end that we liked being treated nicely so we should treat others nicely too.

Ms Becky  Grade 4   (September, 2023)

Prepping for the School Year

Starting a new school year can be a very challenging time for all concerned. Students are worried if the work will be too difficult, or too easy. In order to help students become the best learners they can be, in 4.3 we spend time discussing the specific challenges and expectations of being part of Grade 4, to help everybody adjust smoothly.

We encourage new friendships and balanced ideas by sitting students apart from old classmates and having a mix of boys and girls at each table. The students sign an agreement once they understand the rules. Giving ample rewards encourages other children who need more time to adjust. We model our expectations, and give students opportunities to redo an action until they are successful, which teaches persistence and respect.

In classes, we promote organized thoughts and ideas by insisting on neat and tidy room, and neat books. We work on how to be a good friend and how to have more emotional control so we can behave properly. We make a class circle and discuss these ideas openly so that students can get to know each other and feel safe to express ideas. We value all ideas and encourage students to support and listen to each other, through modeling and rewards.

After a few weeks, we find that starting the year with clear and high expectations for social and academic behavior develop the ‘whole child’, and, produce much more motivated and determined students. They develop clear goals of how to behave and respect each other, which makes the academic work flow well. Three cheers for a great new year! 

Mr Zhang  Computers  (July, 2023)

G3 - G5 English Computers

In the realm of information technology, a seamless integration of both technical and creative element is vital. On one hand, it's deeply technical, where precise instructions execute particular functions. On the other hand, it can be remarkably creative, deploying these specific instructions to build a plethora of innovative works. Now, encouraging the students to think more creatively is increasingly critical given the advancements in Artificial Intelligence and recent breakthrough with Large Language Models (LLM). This program serves to stimulate, nurture, and elevate students' innate creativity through the dual mediums of language and technology.

Within the G3 program, students concentrate on the essential skill of correct keyboard positioning, familiarize with A.I. while immersing themselves in a diverse range of activities, encompassing art, listening and reading.

Moreover, they acquire skills to operate interactive software equipped with tools that empower them to personalize various elements in accordance with their individual style.

Within the G4 program, students regularly practice typing and are provided with explicit instructions for conducting online research, employing curated websites to procure information for their respective projects.

Equipped with the appropriate amount of information, students are then instructed in the use of editing tools. This allows them to transform an ordinary animal into one that lives within their imagination, creating both subject and setting in a sandbox environment.

In the G5 Program, students work on coding activities while their typing accuracy (%) and word per minute (wpm) are challenged with typing tests. Additionally, they learn advanced editing tools guided by a blend of inspirational concepts and their own imaginations and take the reins in crafting their unique worlds.

A higher quality is felt; setting a new personal benchmark. This is achieved by their commitment to the task at hand, their enjoyment of the process, and their meticulous attention to detail.

The result of such a thorough effort transforms a project into a remarkable one. It evolves into a fusion of outstanding ideas and technical precision, manifesting as a creation in which both students and teachers can share a sense of collective pride.

Mr Tshepo  ELS  (June, 2023)

Identifying, reading and using Dolch words

This year, LELS 1 students reviewed Dolch words from the Pre-Primer list and learnt new words from the Dolch Primer list. Dolch words account for 50-75% of all vocabulary found in reading materials. Students who recognize and know the meaning of Dolch words are usually able to read books, and comprehend reading materials, easily.

During the month of May, we identified, read and used Dolch words through various media, games and activities. First, students were introduced to Dolch words through chants, songs and online videosThen students separated various vocabularies into Dolch words and non-Dolch words. Next, students read Dolch words from word searches, BINGO game cards and reading texts. Then, students had to count how frequently those Dolch words appeared in text, look up the definitions of the words using dictionaries and use those words to complete gap-fill activities to test students’ comprehension abilities.

Once students were able to successfully identify a list of Dolch words, and read and comprehend their meanings in reading materials, they finally had to use their understandings to create and write sentences of their own. Students were able to create unique sentences using any Dolch words of their choosing and drew wonderful illustrations to demonstrate the meaning of the sentences.

Identifying, reading and using Dolch words not only helped improve the students’ reading skills during Guided Reading but also their reading comprehension and writing skills – showing the importance of Dolch words in learning English!

Mr Little  Grade 4  (June, 2023)

Methods of Vocabulary Building

There are two basic paths to language acquisition. One is to memorize grammar and vocabulary from the start. This tends to be very complicated and uninteresting. A simpler and more enjoyable path is to start learning words that relate to your personal interests, and starting conversing on day one. In my experience, this method can bring you more success and fluency if practiced diligently. To find common and relevant vocabulary, we search through simple reading comprehension stories. We sift through to find the words that are new to us. Then we develop various means of learning them.

The first step is to read through a new story and create a list of words we plan to learn. Then we discuss the meaning of the words and reread the story, stopping frequently to take special notice of the new words. Next, we catalogue words into “word families” that have related letter groups and phonetic pronunciation. Then we take turns reading the story repeatedly, to cement the words into our minds and muscle memory. A further step is to cut out and write flashcards, which we use to memorize.

After working on these new vocabulary words for two weeks, we do a reading fluency assessment, and comprehension work. Using this method, our 4.5 class is working hard to build vocabulary and use the new words to improve our speaking and writing! 

Ms Belinda  UELS  (June, 2023)

Language in Motion

This month UELS.1 students were working on prepositions of motion during grammar. Often the students do well in isolated grammar exercises but struggle to apply grammar when communicating. To help students make this connection, we highlight the grammar focus during other lessons. In the first grammar lesson, the teacher introduced the prepositions of motion. Students copied sentences using the words and completed written activities to ensure understanding. During the next lesson, we used movement. Students ran an obstacle course that emphasized the prepositions we were highlighting. For each task of the obstacle course, they said out loud what they were doing. Then they competed against each other using prepositions in their team-created obstacle course. The next day during writing lessons, we reviewed the activities from the previous class. Then students wrote a summary of their experience with the obstacle course. They were working not only on applying the prepositions but also report sequencing. Later that week, during listening class, students listened to a story about a hike in the forest and identified the preposition used to help readers understand the movement of the people and animals in the woods. Finally, we ended our focus in a writing class. We provided various photo prompts that showed animals in the forest doing activities. The students chose four of these photos to create a story map. They then wrote stories about their hike through the woods and what they saw. They successfully used the prepositions of motion in their tales. 

Ms Trudy  Grade 4  (June, 2023)

Creating Comics: Unleash Your Imagination!

Comic writing is an engaging and effective tool for students to develop their language skills. Combining visuals with written text, comics provide a dynamic platform for language practice, vocabulary expansion, and creative expression. In this lesson, the students used the different elements of storytelling and combined visual communication by creating their own comic strips. The students had to apply their critical thinking skill, to develop characters, plotlines, and dialogue for their comics. This lesson helped them to enhance their writing and drawing abilities while expressing their creativity.

The Process

1. We started the lesson by discussing what comics are and how they combine visuals and storytelling. The students were shown some examples of comic strips to get them engaged and interested.

2. We then discussed the key elements of a comic strip: a. Panels: Define and explain the concept of panels in comics. b. Characters: Introduce the importance of well-developed characters in a story. c. Setting: Discuss how the setting influences the story. d. Dialogue: Explain the role of dialogue in conveying the plot and character interactions.

3. As a class, we brainstormed some ideas to create a simple comic strip together. We discussed ideas for characters, setting, and plot. The students were encouraged to contribute and share their thoughts.

4. Each student was then provided with paper to plan their own comic strip by sketching out the panels, characters, and basic story-line. They were reminded to use clear pictures, speech bubbles, and sound effects to enhance their storytelling.

5. Once the students completed their comic strips, they shared their creations with their classmates who shared their feedback and positive words of encouragement.

Ms Becky  Grade 4  (June, 2023)

Listening for and using adjectives in skits

Listening to and watching shows promotes listening skills and has really helped some students to learn new and interesting words. When students watch a show, and pick out certain words, they can improve their ability to listen for detailed information. In listening classes, we have been working on comprehending the general meaning of what we listen to and watch, and then analyzing some certain words and phrases.

An activity to develop these skills is the use of short movie clips in class. Students first listened to a clip and wrote down some ideas of what it was about. Then they shared and compared ideas in a class discussion. After this, students were asked to listen again for important words, such as adjectives, verbs and any new words. The clip was paused from time to time, to give students a chance to write down the words. We made a long list from all the ideas.

Students then wrote their own short skit in groups using four of the adjectives, verbs and new words they heard. They then performed it to the class, and the audience listened for the special words and shared the ones they heard. If they were correct, they received prizes. Students enjoyed this active listening and watching the performances, and were very excited to repeat the adjectives and verbs they heard.

Our listening classes have been very successful this year. Using movie clips promotes better listening skills through questions and word analysis. Adding subtitles can also improve reading skills at the same time as listening. I encourage students to watch English shows and movies, and test themselves by writing down new words they hear and see. 

Mr Nathan  Grade 4  (May, 2023)

Let Life Be More Green

For our theme we learned about Recycling and how we can help our environment and planet.

First we learned the English vocabulary that was related to recycling.

Next, the students practiced the vocabulary, reciting the words and their meanings. They learned about the different types of materials that things are made of, such as plastic, wood, glass and stone. The teacher elicited vocabulary from the students on common items in the classroom and we discussed what they were made of and whether we could recycle them or do we just need to throw them away later.

Students also called on their classmates to answer questions about the vocabulary or to give examples, practicing using the words in sentences. The class would decide if an item was recyclable or just trash.

Our activity was to make a poster showing how to separate the different recyclable items. The teacher explained the process of cutting out each picture and gluing it to the poster. There were 8 different bins; cans, clothes, reusable items, compost, garden waste, glass, paper and cardboard, and plastic.

Next, the students had to decide in which bin different items would go. They even found some items that could go into more than one bin. Everybody was proud of their hard work and this activity helped the students to better remember the vocabulary and allowed them to talk about recycling. 

Mr Michael  ELS  (May, 2023)

Weekly Talks

Throughout the year, students in LELS.2 are required to complete Weekly Talks. This helps their learning in a number of ways. First, they create the language they will use, improving their written work. Secondly, they stand in front of the class and speak about the topic, improving their confidence in using oral English.

There are a number of ways we set up this activity. Students are asked to provide ideas about the topic. The topic is then written on the board as a framework they can use.  Students may also be shown a picture, or series of pictures, and they can create a story about the picture/s.

After we have discussed the topic, the students are given time to prepare what they are going to speak about. This happens the day before. The following day, they have a chance to review what they have written before they present it to the rest of the class.

Initially, students are allowed to use their written plan when they are speaking in front of the class. The goal is to increase their confidence to a level where they are comfortable speaking without any material in front of them, except some key words to help them remember.

When the students are delivering their Daily Talks, the teacher provides support by asking probing questions. The purpose of this is to try and have students use more descriptive language when they are speaking, rather than using basic sentences.The activity is fun and allows the students to create their own language as well as speak themselves and listen to others.

Ms Antasha  Grade 5  (April, 2023)

Follow the Light

The discussion of light, and all the wonderful things to learn about it, is often taught in a Physics class. However, we can use visible light from the electromagnetic spectrum to make some fun observations about how we see the world around us.  Light must “bounce back” from an object in order for us to see it, or the colours of it.  In our class topic of Light and Shadow, we take a comparative look at reflection, refraction, and the way light moves.

Our journey begins with a light wave bouncing off of a smooth surface, like water or a mirror, which reflects an image that matches the original. Think of a building reflected on a lake, or your own image in the mirror. A refracted image does not match the original.

Refraction is simply the bending of light. The science and calculations behind the bend have to do with the speed of light going faster or slower through a transparent object. Do you like rainbows? This form of refraction is a dispersion of white light that splits into a “rainbow-spectrum” as it passes through some forms of glass or water droplets. 

This introduction brought much hands-on interest as our students made visible comparison of light versus sound waves using a guitar and a ribbon, created live comparisons of reflection and refraction with foil, a spoon and mirror, and beamed white light through glass and crystals to make rainbows. What will you discover when you explore light?