EYES NEWS

EARLY YEARS

EY Literacy Day

Written by Ms. Klara

Early Years Literacy Day: "Language Fun: Reading, Sharing, and Caring"

Celebrating the Joy of Reading and the Power of Language

Our recent Literacy Day was a heartwarming celebration of stories, language, and the joy of reading. Centred around the theme "Language Fun: Reading, Sharing, and Caring," the event highlighted the importance of language in fostering understanding, empathy, and community spirit among our youngest learners.

Activities that Brought Stories to Life

• Story Reading for All Levels: From our Toddlers to PreK, every child engaged in the magic of stories. Each class participated in story reading sessions, followed by sensory explorations and fun crafts that brought their favourite tales to life.

• K1 and K2 Storytelling and My Favourite Word Activity: The K1 and K2 students began with storytelling sessions, delighting in sharing stories with their classmates. They then transitioned to the "My Favourite Word" activity, where they explored and shared words that made them happy, curious, or inspired, showcasing the beauty of language through their eyes.

• Peer Reading with Elementary Students: One of the highlights of the day was the peer reading session where elementary students paired up with our early years students. Together, they read stories, building bonds and sharing the joy of books across different age groups.

• Mystery Storytellers: A delightful surprise awaited our young readers as Aarohi and Jennifer, our mystery storytellers, captivated everyone with "The Lion and the Rabbit." This charming tale taught the children valuable lessons about kindness and caring for one another.

A Day of Learning and Connection

The Literacy Day celebration beautifully captured the spirit of our theme. It was a wonderful reminder of how reading, sharing, and caring can unite us, fostering a love for languages and a deeper sense of empathy in our children.

Thank you to all the teachers and students who made this day so memorable. Let’s continue to nurture the joy of reading in our little ones, one story at a time!

Infant Literacy

Written by Ms. Mary Ann

Our youngest learners, the Infant class, have been immersed in a world of discovery as they explored the wonders of sea creatures this term. Through thoughtfully designed activities, the children engaged their senses while interacting with various textures, which helped develop their tactile awareness. Along the way, they were introduced to exciting new vocabulary, including words like "turtle," "lobster," and "jellyfish." Storytime with books such as “The Rainbow Fish” further enriched their language development, enhancing both their listening skills and comprehension in a fun, interactive way.

In addition to their growing language skills, the infants were actively involved in activities aimed at improving their fine and gross motor abilities. Tasks like pulling, squeezing, and climbing not only provided physical challenges but also encouraged the development of coordination and muscle strength. These purposeful, hands-on experiences combined sensory exploration, language learning, and physical development, creating a holistic and enjoyable learning environment for our little adventurers.

Nursery Mathematics

Written by Ms. Jill and Ms. Jillian

In the Nursery class, our little learners set off on an exciting adventure into the world of shapes, focusing on circles and squares. We kicked off the lesson with a burst of energy, tuning into the upbeat "Dance with Shapes" song. The kids couldn’t help but move and groove, their dancing and singing reinforcing their understanding of these fundamental shapes in a fun and lively way.

Their creative journey didn’t stop there! The children took their newfound shape knowledge and crafted delightful self-portraits using an assortment of shapes. Each child created a unique representation of themselves, using various shapes for faces and features like eyes, ears, noses, and mouths. This activity showcased their imagination, blending creativity with their understanding of shapes in a personal and engaging way.

Playdough play was another activity of the week. The kids eagerly squished, rolled, and shaped colourful dough into circles and squares, transforming abstract concepts into tangible, hands-on creations. 

Adding an extra layer of fun, the children explored patterns with magnetic tiles. They connected the vibrant tiles to form AB patterns, honing their pattern recognition and spatial awareness while enjoying this engaging and interactive activity.

Overall, this week was a fantastic mix of music, art, and tactile exploration, creating an engaging and enriching maths experience for our nursery class as they discovered the wonders of circles and squares.

PreK Understanding The World

Written by Ms. Joy

Families are like warm blankets, wrapping us in love and a sense of security. Our Pre-K children had a wonderful time sharing pictures of their loved ones. We enjoyed hearing about their holiday adventures and special celebrations, and we smiled warmly as they showed photos of their baby siblings. Additionally, we engaged in make-believe play with baby dolls, focussing on gentleness, which aligns with this month's EY value of caring. It was a heartwarming experience as we learned together and realised that we're all growing up and becoming big kids!

These activities helped our children develop communication and social skills while fostering a strong sense of belonging. We're thrilled to see that they have a supportive family both at home and at school. This connection between home and school reinforces the importance of community, ensuring our children feel loved and valued in all aspects of their lives. Through these shared experiences, we are nurturing not just their development but also the bonds that tie us all together.

K1 Indonesia Language

Written by Ms. Asti

It’s Bahasa time!

Let’s do our magic password: touch your nose👃 , roll your hand 💪🏻, and clap-clap-clap👏🏻!

Great job! Now that we’ve unlocked our special powers, we’ll be speaking Indonesian for the whole class. Let’s start with a fun dance to wiggle and giggle, and then we’ll sit like superheroes on the carpet.

“A says ah ah ah, like when you see a yummy apple! E says eh eh eh, like when you spot a cute elephant! I say ih ih ih, like when you find an itsy-bitsy insect!” 

Today, our K1 friends are on a mission to learn the vowels a, e, i. They’re practicing how to write them, discovering their sounds, and finding cool objects that start with these letters. We’ll explore all this through exciting stories and fairy tales that pop up in our everyday adventures.

Let’s turn learning Indonesian into a super fun journey together!

K2  PE

Written by Mr. Victor

In our K2 Physical Education class, we focused on practising proper running form by keeping our eyes forward and swinging our arms in coordination. This helps establish good habits for safe movement, reducing the risk of tripping or colliding as we travel along our path. To make the activity more engaging and fun, we added obstacles that the children had to jump over and weave around, encouraging them to apply their new skills playfully. Through this, we aim to help our children navigate their environment confidently and safely while enjoying physical activities.

ES

Grade 1 Science

Written by Ms. Evi

In Grade 1 Science, students are introduced to the properties of materials and why different materials are used for specific purposes. They learn that some materials occur naturally, like rocks, while others are manufactured, such as plastic. 

Through hands-on demonstrations, students test various materials to determine their properties. They explore the strength of materials by seeing which ones can hold weight, and hardness by scratching different surfaces. To test waterproofing, students compare paper and plastic to see which one resists water better. Flexibility is demonstrated with a plastic ruler, and elasticity with a rubber band. These activities help students understand how the properties of materials make them suitable for different tasks. Additionally, the lesson covers how rocks are extracted from the earth, helping students understand the natural world. 

Finally, they are introduced to the idea that human activities, like mining and manufacturing, can impact the environment. This encourages early awareness of environmental responsibility. The students also explore the properties of rocks they collected from their own gardens. They record their observations in a table, noting details such as whether the rocks are rough or smooth, dull or shiny, and identifying features like spots, lines, or crystals. Students also draw the rocks to capture their unique appearances. To test hardness, they use a nail to scratch each rock and observe how deep the mark is. It is really great to see the enthusiasm of all Grade 1 students as they answer questions and demonstrate their critical thinking.

Grade 2 Bahasa Indonesia

Written by Ms. Ayu and Ms. Farah

In Indonesian Language and Literature (ILL), the students learned about the various ethnic groups and cultures in Indonesia. They were very excited to learn about the many different ethnicities of Indonesia. The students also shared information about their own backgrounds through self-introductions and spoke a little in their regional languages.

Grade 2 ILL students also learned how to gather information from a reading and categorise it. This is very useful when they conduct online research, as it makes it easier for them to find information. This activity was immediately practised by them in the ICT room while conducting online research for their project.

Stories and Hopes from ILA Students

In the Indonesian Language Acquisition (ILA) subject this week, Grade 2 students focused on expanding their vocabulary by learning 10 new words related to different professions. Through engaging activities, they explored terms like "dokter" (doctor), "guru" (teacher), "penari" (dancer), and more. This vocabulary-building exercise not only helped students grasp the variety of occupations but also encouraged them to think creatively about their future aspirations.

As part of the lesson, the students expressed their dreams by creating posters about what they wanted to become. Using the sentence "Aku ingin menjadi..." (I want to become…), the children shared exciting ambitions such as becoming a YouTuber, a dancer, or a teacher. These creative posters showcased their personalities and interests, filling the classroom with colourful artwork and unique visions for the future. It was a wonderful way to blend learning with imagination, sparking joy and inspiration among the students!

Grade 3 PE

Written by Mr. Victor

In Grade 3 PE, we began with an introduction to the PE Project, where students learned about the upcoming assignment that will require them to apply their creative skills. We then continued with fitness testing, focusing on the standing broad jump test to measure their explosive leg power and lower body strength. The class moved on to practising frisbee skills, working on improving throwing accuracy and catching techniques. We challenged ourselves to catch the frisbee without dropping it 10 times! This session successfully combined assessment with skill development, aiming for a holistic approach to everyone’s growth in PE.

Grade 4 Music

Written by Mr. Freddy

Grade 4 marks an exciting phase in our upper elementary music program, where students encounter new challenges and opportunities for growth. As they progress, the complexity of musical skills and instruments increases, encouraging them to become more independent learners. We support their development by fostering maturity and independence, helping them refine their abilities in every aspect of music.

This year, we eagerly await for all students to get their hulusi instruments, which will serve as the primary instrument for our Grade 4 music class. While we wait for all students to get their hulusi, our first project will involve the pianica, an instrument they are already familiar with. In collaboration with the Chinese subject, the students are preparing a performance for the Mid-Autumn Assembly on September 20th. They are learning the classic Chinese song 明月千里寄相思, which they will perform in a re-arranged pop-jazz style, combining singing in Chinese and playing the pianica.

This project also ties into our Term 1 curriculum, where students are learning about dynamics in music. As they rehearse, they analyse the song to correctly apply dynamic markings, enhancing their understanding of how dynamics shape a musical performance. Through this process, they are making steady progress, gaining confidence, and preparing to deliver a memorable performance that celebrates both music and cultural heritage.

Grade 5 English

Written by Mr. Marc

Grade 5 has gotten off to a great start. Students just completed a big assessment in English Language Class and scored a class average of 84. Students are enjoying dynamic activities while learning through the Oxford International English Student Book and curriculum. 

The class started their big Term 1 Project, with different elements of learning being conducted and coordinating in the different subjects.

Grade 5 students are also working on their organisational skills. During class, students organise their books, make plans for the week, prioritise their responsibilities, and clean up.

During English class recently, students enhanced their English reading and speaking skills by sharing books with younger students and teaching students new words during English class.

Overall, it’s been a positive experience and a productive part of the Grade 5 journey. The students are especially excited about reading Raz-Kids to win the Raz-Kids Reading Competition held 6 to 12 September in the Elementary School.

Off to a great start!