In writing, students will refine their literary analysis skills and develop a more formal writing voice. This quarter's major writing project will serve as a comprehensive assessment, combining reading and writing standards. Students will demonstrate their understanding of literary elements while applying the writing and language skills they have been honing throughout the year.

In reading, students will focus on identifying and analyzing symbolism and mood across various texts. Additionally, they will choose a nonfiction book to explore this quarter, paying close attention to nonfiction text features. As a class, we will read nonfiction articles, focusing on how fiction and nonfiction texts can work together to facilitate a deep understanding of a topic. As in the first semester, students are expected to consistently log their reading, celebrating milestones, building stamina, and ensuring they remain on track to achieve their reading goals.

During Q3, students will get prepared to register for their Math 9 courses. There are three math options in grade 9, and we’ll use this form to help students understand the differences between the three courses and determine the best fit. Please support your child through this process by encouraging thoughtful self-reflection and goal setting.

In the coming days, we’ll transition to learning about functions and volume. We’ll work with relationships that are familiar from previous learning (perimeter formulas, proportional relationships, linear relationships), expressing them as functions. Students will then learn formulas for volumes of cylinders, cones, and spheres. They’ll express functional relationships described by these formulas as equations. They’ll use these relationships to reason about how the volume of a figure changes as another of its measurements changes, transforming algebraic expressions to get the information they need. Throughout our learning, we will continue to emphasize the value of struggle, making mistakes, and learning with a growth mindset. 

If you would like more general information about our Math 8 course, please read this course overview. Additionally, unit overviews, glossaries, and family resources are available here.

In Quarter 3, students engage with the question: “What’s up with the weather in Indonesia?” In this Earth Science unit, students will grapple with data on the motions of masses of air and water, using it to investigate weather, and learn how we can apply an understanding of thermal energy to explain and make predictions about weather and climate. Learners will use the concepts of ‘systems’ and ‘cause and effect’ as well as the JIS dispositions of resourcefulness, relating, and reflectiveness as they build science skills using the practices of asking questions, analyzing data, planning and carrying out investigations, and developing models. 

Students will explore the question: "How can businesses solve problems and create positive change?" In this unit, learners will discover that profit and purpose are not mutually exclusive: businesses can generate sustainable revenue while addressing real social challenges. 

Through examining successful social enterprises from around the world, students will analyze which business models might be most effective in addressing problems here in Indonesia, connecting global entrepreneurial thinking to our local context.

Using the Business Model Canvas as their primary framework, students will learn the fundamental components of building a viable business, including understanding costs and revenue streams, developing marketing and pricing strategies, analyzing customer segments, and crafting compelling value propositions. 

Students will use the lenses of 'cause and effect' and 'systems thinking' as well as the JIS dispositions of resourcefulness, relating, and reflectiveness as they develop skills in market analysis, strategic planning, and persuasive communication.

The summative assessment will challenge students to work collaboratively in groups to develop their own social enterprise concept and deliver a pitch Dragon's Den style to a panel of judges. Through this process, students will practice the art of crafting and delivering compelling presentations that communicate both the social impact and business viability of their proposed ventures.

During quarter 3, all students will complete the ‘Groovy Greens’ unit. This unit delves into how to play target games effectively. Students will explore two versions of golf - standard golf, where students learn how to effectively hit a ball with a range of golf clubs, and disc golf, where they learn to throw a frisbee effectively as they complete a ‘golf style’ course

Depending on their class schedule, students will also either complete the ‘symphony of strokes’ unit or the ‘wanna have a catch’ unit. 

• The ‘Swimphony of strokes’ unit focuses on developing aquatics skills, particularly effective stroke technique and snorkelling so that students are equipped to fully enjoy their upcoming ESP experience.

• The ‘Wanna have a catch’ unit focuses on developing skills to play striking and fielding games, such as softball. Students will learn how to bat, pitch, and field effectively, and they will also learn how to use game strategies and tactics within their teams.