MESSAGE FROM THE PYP CURRICULUM COORDINATOR (PYPCC)

As we reflect on Term 2 at Acorns, this has been a term which has been filled with curiosity, inquiry and fun!  Students have been engaged in their classrooms working hard towards achieving their personal best and developing the skills and concepts that are gained throughout PYP.

A large proportion of PYP staff have successfully completed IB professional development training throughout the term, they are excited about implementing their newly found knowledge in the classrooms, as well as sharing with the rest of the teaching community to help us develop our teaching and learning strategies.

Next term, there are plenty of things we are looking forward to.  We have the final MAP assessments of the year, and we are eagerly looking forward to seeing the students progress.

PYP4s are going to host the final Unit in Action of the academic year with an Economic Fair, as they transfer what they have been learning in class into a real-world situation.  We also have the PYP6 exhibition and graduation, as well as the culminating event to celebrate all the learning that has happened throughout the year, Celebration of Learning!

Jamal Makki
PYP Curriculum Coordinator
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Email: [email protected]

OVERNIGHT TRIP

STUDENT FOCUS

We are ecstatic to share our immense pride in Manav Joshi, a PYP5 student, who recently participated in the First Lego International League challenge held in Rwanda as part of a team representing Uganda. Their outstanding performance led them to secure the 2nd place, a remarkable achievement that fills both our nation and our community with immense pride. The team’s success was celebrated with the awarding of medals, symbolizing their dedication and hard work. As a token of appreciation, the President of Rwanda also gifted learners a Lenovo laptop.

Well done, Manav! Onward, full STEAM ahead!

STUDENT-LED CONFERENCES

The Student-led Conference was a resounding success as students exemplified the ‘Communicator’ Learner Attribute. They confidently conveyed their learnings from Term 2 to their parents/guardians. We extend our gratitude to all who attended.

UNIT IN ACTION

PYP 1

Students conducted the “Space It’s a Place” initiative, showcasing their dedication to environmental issues through activities like recycling, cleaning drives, and tree planting. They aimed not only to address immediate concerns but also to raise awareness of sustainable practices. Exploring threats such as deforestation and pollution, they grasped the interconnectedness between human actions and the environment. Their commitment extended to spreading awareness through posters and models like rainwater harvesting. Positive feedback from parents and the community underscored the initiative’s impact, emphasizing the importance of nurturing environmental values early on. Their actions exemplify the power of collective effort in safeguarding the planet’s health and sustainability, serving as an inspiration for future generations. Thanks to all the parents who came to support the students!

PYP2

On March 7, 2024, our PYP2 Unit in Action event centred on the transdisciplinary theme of How the World Works, focusing on inventions, discoveries, and forces under the unit named Eureka. Each of the three PYP2 classes explored one of three lines of inquiry: Fabulous Forces, Simple Machines, and Incredible Inventions. The Gorillas focused on Forces, the Lemurs on Simple Machines, and the Chimpanzees on Inventions. The event showcased each class’s findings through DIY experiments and visually appealing posters, covering topics from the evolution of human creativity to fundamental scientific principles like gravity and magnetism. Students engaged the audience with insightful experiments, promoting active participation and learning. The event emphasized student agency, allowing them to choose topics, design experiments, and create presentations. The turnout of parents, guardians, and teachers was good, supported by the administration’s resources. Overall, it was a highly successful and enriching experience. Thank you to all the parents for their continued support.

MESSAGE FROM THE PYP COUNSELLOR

Anti-Bullying Week was fun and an eye-opener for many of the children. There is a feeling amongst some of the children that they are bad children. During the Week, the focus was on being the good we are inside of us. We took erasers, wrote affirmations and hung them up in the anti-bullying room we used for that week. The analogy was when we erase the bad things we do, we are left with the good that is within us. The children throughout lower and upper primary picked up on the context. They also did various activities that were to remind them of their invaluable and intrinsic goodness and focus on being better children without losing the core of what makes them special. Kindness and respect were the themes of the week and the idea is to carry it forward by reminding the children of the pledges they made that week. To cement this, it would be wonderful for parents to continually encourage the children, when at home to always pursue truth, kindness and respect first and good behaviour towards others will easily fall in line.