EY ES NEWS

ES Literacy Day Celebration
Written by Mr. Robert & Mr. Marc

Whisks of excitement filled the air as our elementary students celebrated Literacy Day with a scrumptious twist! The library transformed into a literary feast at the much-anticipated Book Buffet. Imagine tables adorned with colourful tablecloths, paper plates, and of course, exciting book covers guiding young readers on a literary adventure. With each book as a delectable dish, students tasted various genres, savouring tales from mystery to fantasy. Our young bookworms left with satisfied minds and hungry for more!

Laughter and intrigue filled the Piazza as Literacy Day came alive at our school. Students put on their thinking caps for a thrilling round of 'Guess the Book/Character.' Mr. Robert displayed mysterious character images, and our young literary detectives sprang into action. With enthusiasm and quick wits, they cracked the code of beloved books and characters, celebrating the magic of storytelling in style. Our elementary students truly know how to make literacy an unforgettable adventure!

Toddler - Understanding the World

Written by Ms. Mary Ann

In this term's "All About Me" theme in Understanding the World, the children have been actively participating in a variety of engaging activities. One such activity involved a game where the students used bean bags to point to different body parts, promoting a fun and interactive way to learn about the body parts.

In another engaging experience, the class sampled various foods to explore different tastes, smells, and textures. This activity allowed them to observe and express various facial expressions as they tasted the diverse food samples, enhancing their understanding of sensory perceptions.

Furthermore, the children utilised their hands and feet to explore and interact with sensory items provided for them. This hands-on approach allowed them to engage their senses, fostering a deeper connection to the materials and promoting sensory awareness.

The emphasis has been on interactive and experiential learning, encouraging the students to actively participate and immerse themselves in the world of self-discovery and understanding.

Nursery - Chinese Language

Written by Ms. Bi Qin

  探索身体奥秘，学习健康习惯！本学期，Nursery小朋友们将一起学习认识自己的身体，养成良好的生活习惯。通过唱歌、跳舞，和做手工等多种方式，幼儿们将在愉快的氛围中既玩乐又学习。

精彩活动包括：

• 用橡皮泥捏眼睛、鼻子和嘴巴，将它们贴在头部轮廓上，玩出五官的有趣形状！

• 通过模仿哥哥姐姐，用小牙刷刷刷，学习正确刷牙的方法。

• 玩“五官贴贴”游戏，认识面部五官，学习轻松有趣！

"Explore the Secrets of the Body, Learn Healthy Habits! This term， Nursery children learn about their bodies and develop good life habits together. Through singing, dancing, and engaging in various arts and crafts activities, the children will play and learn in a joyful atmosphere. 

Exciting activities include:

• Creating interesting facial shapes using clay for eyes, nose, and mouth, and pasting them on the outline of the head!

• Learning the correct way to brush teeth by imitating older brothers and sisters using a small toothbrush

• Playing the 'Facial Features Pasting' game to recognise facial features and make learning fun and relaxed!

PreK - Indonesian Language

Written by Ms. Valerina

Words have a lot of power in establishing goodwill and ourselves as well-meaning individuals in any social setting. Speaking softly and using polite words are qualities appreciated by all. When young children reflect on this, everybody is pleased and appreciative of them. 

Pre-K’s Bahasa topic was about the 4 Magic Words. The teacher invited the students to gather on the mat and see a simple magic trick to introduce the magic words; furthermore, they learned a new song entitled "4 Kata Ajaib" (4 Magic Words), these words are Maaf (Sorry), Thank you (Terima kasih), Please (Tolong) and Permisi (Excuse me). 

When children use polite words they are more likely to be invited to engage in social activities. It increases their socialisation and builds their interpersonal skills which are absolutely essential for their growth and development into healthy respected adults. The golden words for kids also elicit a positive response from the other person which would result in a better conversation or interaction overall.

K1 - PE

Written by Ms. Sherly

Our K1 students began their PE adventure by focusing on fundamental locomotor movement skills. They eagerly engaged in activities like running, skipping, and galloping. These activities not only promote physical fitness but also help children develop coordination, balance, and spatial awareness. Through these movements, they laid the foundation for more complex physical activities. Incorporating these locomotor skills, our K1 students dove into the world of interactive games. One of their favourites was "Freeze Tag," a classic game that encourages agility, speed, and teamwork. This game not only thrilled our young learners but also taught them important social skills like cooperation and sportsmanship. It was heartwarming to see their faces light up with excitement during these activities. 

To ensure the safety and well-being of our K1 students, they were introduced to the importance of warming up and stretching before and after physical exercise. These routines are designed to prevent injuries and promote flexibility. We are proud of our K1 students and can't wait to see them grow physically, mentally, and socially as they embark on this active journey. Here’s to a fantastic year filled with movement, learning, and fun!

K2 - Literacy

Written by Ms. Klara

Kindergarten 2 Superstars Shine in Term 1 Literacy Adventures!

 Ahoy there! Our amazing Kindergarten 2 students have been on quite the Literacy adventure this Term 1. They've achieved some incredible milestones, and we couldn't be prouder! 

Word Wizards in the Making!

Our young word wizards have been using all sorts of cool tricks to figure out tricky words while they write. They're like word detectives, drawing from the words they already know. 

Sentences Take Flight!

We've got some sentence superstars in the making! They're not just writing sentences; they're doing it with capital letters at the start and a fancy full stop at the end. 

Champion Listeners and Speakers!

Our kiddos are fantastic listeners and speakers. They take turns like pros during discussions, making sure everyone has a chance to talk. 

Reading Rockstars!

These little bookworms are reading simple words like champs! And when they stumble upon a tricky word, they do not give up. They use pictures to crack the code! 

We're thrilled to see all these accomplishments and can't wait to see what other exciting adventures await in the next term. Stay tuned and keep cheering on our Kindergarten 2 superstars! 

Welcome our SWA Baby Macan

At the ES Assembly, our talented students joined forces, putting their creative minds together to bring to life the SWA Macan stickers. Everyone submitted their ideas and after an exciting round of selection and fine-tuning, we are thrilled to unveil the complete SWA Baby Macan sticker collection, now ready for use anytime!

Grade 1 - Science

Written by Ms. Evi

Grade 1 students learned about useful and harmful animals and plants through additional activities that deepened their understanding and allowed them to apply the concepts they had learned. The process skills applied during these lessons included analyzing, communicating, evaluating, generating possibilities, inferring, and observing. 

We also celebrated Literacy Day by reading library books about plants, covering topics like photosynthesis, plant parts, forests, and plantations, among others. After finishing their reading, the students were tasked with writing 2-3 sentences to summarize what they learned from the book. Additionally, they were asked to create a drawing related to the plants they read about in their books. 

For the Term 1 project, Grade 1 students conducted a gardening project by planting various bulbs, including garlic, shallots, and onions. This project demonstrated the basic process of new plants emerging from bulbs under favourable conditions, including the presence of water. 

Planting bulbs and observing their growth can be integrated into various subjects, including science (life cycles and botany), Math(measurement of plant growth), and language arts (writing and discussing observations). EMS (English Math and Science) teachers encourage them to document their observations through drawings, journals, or photographs, allowing them to express their creativity and develop their communication skills. Students can closely observe and track the progress of their plants, providing a valuable hands-on learning experience. 

Witnessing the results of their efforts, such as the emergence of plants from bulbs, gives students a sense of accomplishment and pride. It reinforces the idea that their actions and car

Grade 2 - Indonesian Studies

Written by Ms. Marcel

In our Indonesian Studies class, we delved into the concept of “neighbourhood.” Our lesson began with a captivating indoor activity where students eagerly searched for neighbourhood vocabulary flashcards in the classroom. This interactive start sets the stage for an immersive learning experience.

The highlight of our class was the outdoor exploration that followed. Armed with paper and pencils, we ventured beyond the classroom to discover our school surroundings. This hands-on experience bridged theory and reality as we observed, interacted, and learned about surroundings. 

As we wandered around the school, we closely observed details, from the school buildings to the landmarks around the school. Our task was to make a simple school map, describing the locations of different landmarks. Through this activity, we developed a newfound appreciation for our neighbourhood’s significance in our lives.

Grade 3 - PE

Written by Mr. Dominic

Grade 3 Students Soar to New Heights with Ultimate Frisbee in PE!

In a whirlwind of laughter and excitement, grade 3 students are taking their physical education classes to new heights by embracing the world of Ultimate Frisbee. This thrilling and inclusive team sport has been introduced to the curriculum, and it's making quite a splash among our young athletes.

The students are learning the basics of Ultimate Frisbee, from proper throws and catches to the exhilarating feeling of scoring a point. What makes this sport truly special is its emphasis on teamwork and good sportsmanship, fostering a sense of camaraderie among the students. With each toss and sprint, they're not just improving their physical fitness, but also honing valuable life skills that will serve them well beyond the playing field.

Ultimate Frisbee has proven to be a hit with these grade 3 students, combining fun and fitness in one swooping motion. As they continue to build their skills and teamwork, who knows what heights they will reach in the world of sports? The sky is the limit, and with Ultimate Frisbee, they're well on their way to soaring high!

Grade 4 - Music

Written by Mr. Freddy

This term, the Grade 4 Music students are learning about rhythm in various patterns and the understanding of the time signature and the tempo. They practised determining the time signature through listening and sightreading, writing notes in a correct rhythm and time signature, and applying them throughout their pianica practice, too. 

The students are currently preparing for their first-term project, which involves playing in a pianica ensemble and singing a Chinese mid-autumn festival-themed song entitled '花好月圆夜' (Hua Hao Yue Yuan Ye). They will play the pianica in C Major and sing in B minor and D minor keys, based on this unique and beautiful arrangement. This song will be performed during the ES Mid-Autumn Assembly at the end of September 2023. It's a collaborative project between the Music and Chinese subjects, as students not only learn music but also read and sing Chinese words. Through this project, students will enhance their musical skills, collaborative abilities, focus, and confidence.

Grade 5 - English

Written by Mr. Marc

In the dynamic world of education, ensuring that students have a solid foundation in English is really important. Grade 5 marks a critical point in a student's learning journey and we need to get them ready for what's coming next, like the Cambridge Checkpoint exams. To achieve this, a comprehensive approach is required, focusing on complex grammar concepts, fiction text features, and sentence structure.

Firstly, Grade 5 students delve into more advanced grammar concepts. They move beyond basic sentence structure to explore complex rules, such as how sentences can be connected, different verb tenses, and the placement of punctuation marks. This equips them with the language skills to express themselves fluently and accurately.

At the same time, students work on understanding stories better. They learn how to break down a story, spot things like metaphors or descriptions that make a story interesting, and understand character development and plot structures. This not only enhances their reading comprehension but also nurtures their creativity as they begin to craft their own stories.

Lastly, we provide brief lessons on structuring sentences. Students learn how to vary sentence lengths and structures to make their writing more engaging. This practice not only boosts their confidence in expressing ideas but also establishes a strong foundation for their future writing projects.