Moshi Campus News – 15 Feb 15

Tanzania’s national form four results were published yesterday, and ISM is now welcoming applications from very successful form four leavers to join our diploma programme on a full scholarship. We have two scholarships available again this year and are expecting a strong field of candidates. If you know of any form four leaver who has achieved a distinction in their examinations with a GPA of 4.4 or higher, please encourage them to consider this opportunity. Further details are given at www.uwcea.org/scholarship.

Once again we are hoping to enter a big Team ISM in this year’s Kilimanjaro Marathon on Sunday, 1st March. All parents, friends, staff and students are warmly invited to take part in either the 5km Fun Run or the Half or Full Marathon as a member of Team ISM. Details and an entry form can be downloaded from www.uwcea.org/marathon.

Primary Swimming Gala – Wednesday, February 18th, 10.35-1.00pm Parents are very welcome to join us for our annual Inter-house primary swimming gala. Please send your child to school in their House T-shirt. Our gala will be supported by our ISM PA who will be running a refreshment stand for parents. We look forward to a lot of fun as all our primary students will be swimming during this gala.
St. Constantine’s Swim Gala – Saturday, February 28th A letter /permission slip has gone home this week to our competitive swimmers who will hopefully be swimming in this gala in Arusha. In order for your child to participate, permission slips must be completed (with 15,000 Tsh for the bus if using school transport) by Wednesday, 18th February. After that date your child will be replaced by a reserve.

We have successfully completed 5 weeks of this quarter and boarders have settled well and continue with the boarding routine. Next weekend we will have the long weekend holiday. Classes end on Thursday, 19th February and resume on Tuesday, 24th February. Please note that students will not be able to leave school until after CAS activities finish on Thursday afternoon.
We plan to have a boarding trip to Pangani on Friday, 20th February,leaving in the morning and returning on Sunday, 22nd February in the evening The trip is free of charge for boarders. The trip is compulsory for all Primary, M1 and M2 boarders who are not travelling home for the weekend. It is optional for M3 to D2 boarders, but they are encouraged to attend.
Parents who wish to have their children come home for the long weekend are free to make arrangements. They will be allowed to leave on Thurdsday after school and CAS activities finish. No school transport will be available to take students to KIA before 5pm on Thursday. Kindly let the Head of Boarding know any travel arrangements and if your child will need transport to/from KIA.
The Arusha bus will depart on Thursday at 4:30pm.
Boarding students who travel home for the weekend are expected back to school by Monday 23rd February by 6.00pm Boarders who do not travel home or do not go to Pangani are free to stay in school for the weekend. Thank you, Rosemary Bango (Head of Boarding)

Memorial University from Newfoundland, Canada will be visiting ISM on Tuesday, 24th February and will be speaking to our M5 and diploma students. Memorial is a good university that appeals to many families because of its inviting tuition fee rates.

Last Monday we held a successful Languages Assembly with performances from classes from EC to D2!
 

 

The Music Program has the pleasure to announce dates for two upcoming performances, to which you are cordially invited:
Wednesday March 4, 2015, 6:30pm: Diploma Music recital Our students in the Diploma music classes have been working hard all year to fulfill their performance requirements. This will be an evening filled with music of a wide variety of styles and genres from five of our students. The performances will be give on the stage outside of the practice rooms between Karibu Hall the the music classroom. Feel free to bring lawn chairs, a blanket, some drinks or picnic dinner and join us for a relaxing evening of music.
Wednesday March 25, 2015, 6:30pm: Primary Music concert We will have an evening of celebrating the learning that is going on in the primary music classes and lessons. In addition to songs presented by each class from EC-P5/6, you will also have the opportunity to have a quick glance into what life is like in a typical music class at various grade levels. We’re calling it an “informance”, as you will hopefully be informed through our performance as to what goes on in music each week. As well, we will have performances by individual student musicians throughout the evening. We hope you can join us in Karibu Hall!
*Finally, a note to parents about MYP students in Music: nearly every week, students will have music homework to complete, and often complete instructions, materials and links are emailed directly to students, in the form of a Word document. Lately, there have been MANY students who are not completing homework in time for class. Often times, I receive an email the evening before the work is due in class saying that they do not understand what to do. Unfortunately, at that point, I can not help them. Please, could you remind your children to look ahead a few days and be sure they check what they need to do for music. If they need help, they know that I am free after school and during Guidance Hour on Tuesdays for help. Thank you for your support with this.
Susan Kellerman

The M1 class have been studying “Early Humans: why here?” and have so far looked at the significance of the Rift Valley as an archaeological goldmine. They have also studied the chronology of pre-historic discoveries of the earliest humans of the paleolithic and early neolithic era through viewing of BBC’s “walking with the cavemen” videos. This will help them in the interdisciplinary field trip combining I and S and Design to Lake Manyara this month scheduled for Wednesday 25th to Friday 27th February. They are really looking forward to this trip. The remainder of the quarter will focus on creation stories of various world religions.
M2 class on the other hand have been getting their hands dirty building castles as part of their unit project. They are studying “Medieval ages” and have studied how William I became King and kept control of his kingdom (feudalism, castle building) and are going to start on the plague and later the peasants revolt. The class would also like to appreciate all the help given by Miss Dagny, the student teacher from Norway who will be leaving at the end of the week.
M3 on the other hand have been studying “The Industrial Revolution”. The main focus is why it began in England, its causes and effects. The students conducted a survey attempting to find out any current drastic changes in our lifestyles by interviewing their parents, grandparents and others to understand the concept of change.
The temperatures have been soaring of late and the M4 class can explain the reasons why as they are appropriately studying “Weather and Climate”. They started off by identifying the elements of weather, conducted a field study in school on the specifications of a Stevenson’s screen and a weather station, factors affecting weather and are currently studying the causes and consequences of climate change. They watched Al Gore’s “An inconvenient truth” and reflected on the video.
M5 class have been studying the League of Nations to understand the ideas that helped to form the League of Nations by examining various historical sources related to the League of Nations. The sources being analysed are visual, written, oral and archaeological evidence. Students also worked on a write-up on the Rwandan genocide.

This week D2 has been focusing on practical work, students have designed and carried out their own experiments which will be internally assessed as part of the diploma programme. 24% of their final mark is based on the score achieved on the practical assignments, so it is important that students complete a strong portfolio of laboratory work. Students have chosen to investigate the oscillation of spring systems (time period and resonance), the stretch of elastic bands under different conditions and the descent rate of diverse parachute designs. Once we have completed the necessary practical work we will begin a revision programme of the entire syllabus in preparation for the final exams next quarter.

D1 hs recently started the topic of waves and oscillations. So far we have been studying Simple Harmonic Motion and looking at its applications in the real world, such as the damping effect of car suspension systems. Students have completed practical experiments analysing the oscillation of simple pendulum and spring systems, shown in the photograph. Over the coming weeks students will be studying different kinds of waves, looking in detail at sound and light waves. We will examine the properties of light and analyse its behaviour under different conditions, considering interference and diffraction and the uses and applications of LASER light.
Geoff Buck

The M5 visual artists are currently in the middle of their sculpture unit and are working towards meeting their deadline in the beginning of March. Their statement of inquiry, materials can be used in a variety of innovative and alternative ways to present art, has inspired the students to create their own bird sculptures using only recyclable materials that they have collected. In preparation of the summative task, the students learned about the history of sculpting in art and also investigated a Senegalese artist called Mamadou, who built bird sculptures using old mobile phone parts. Currently there is a lot of hammering, sawing and glueing happening and the structures and frameworks of their sculptures are developing nicely. The M5 Visual Arts students will also be looking at sculpture during their assessment week, in which they will learn to analyze art in more depth.
Anine Pier
 

Photo taken at last weekend’s basketball tournament at Orkeeswa.

D2 students continue in the coming weeks to progress through an array of remaining coursework assignments including Swahili, French, Dutch and English oral exams, Economics commentaries, as well as Theory of Knowledge (TOK) Presentations and essays on one of the six TOK Prescribed Titles. With the official May IB exams for the D2s less than three months away, the stress levels derived from the IB DP’s rigorous academic program cannot be underestimated. Parental support to D2s is now, more than ever, essential.
Similarly, D1s forge onward with their studies and the content reading and note-taking demands of the three higher-level courses always is a challenge students must balance. Higher-level history students this coming week will – for instance – write an analytical essay test on the start in 1948 of apartheid in South Africa with the election of the Nationalist Prime Minister Daniel F. Malan and whose party thereafter enacted hundreds of segregationist laws set the stage for the imprisonment of Mandela as well as the ensuing four-decade long anti-apartheid struggle.
The lives of our DP students are enhanced by their wise choices in terms of their diet, exercise, sleep and water consumption. CAS activities and fun boarding events such as this past weekend’s Valentine’s Special dinner/dance further make ISM such a neat place to study.
A collaborative effort by a team of DP educators at Arusha and Moshi are setting up an innovative educational plan for an early March two-day special Theory of Knowledge symposium that aims to deepen D1 students’ grasp of how one creates a knowledge question from a real-life experience such as experiencing a moving service learning visit.
Feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns. Sincerely, Rick Fitzpatrick – DP Coordinator

Unit of Inquiry
This week the children will continue making up their own ‘Sticker stories’ where they use stickers to make a picture as a prompt for writing. We have had some very creative stories so far. Some of the EC2 students are writing the stories themselves too and I can see great progress being made as they have become more confident to write independently.
This week our focus will be on a story told through music. The children will listen to ‘Peter and the Wolf’ by the composer Serge Prokofiev and find out how he uses different instruments to represent the different characters. We will also integrate art into our work and have the children imagine what the setting of this story would be like.
Other language activities EC1 students have now had an introduction to all letters of the alphabet and their sounds through Letterland. We will continue to group the children to work on sounds they are still unfamiliar with and concentrate on sounds in more depth with the younger students as well as the new ones. This week we will look at a and c made by Annie Apple and Clever cat. EC2 children will concentrate on the sound made by the letters th as well as revise sh and ch
Numeracy Last week the children sorted 3D shapes and we found out what they already know about them in terms of their properties. This week we will describe them in more detail and play shape lotto using real 3D objects that children see in their everyday lives. Don’t forget to point out these shapes at home (cereal boxes are cuboids, dice are cubes, Pringles boxes are cylinders, ice cream cones are cones, etc)
Number activities

• EC2 – What is subtraction? Taking away 1 from any number up to 10/20
• EC2 – Counting backwards using a number line
• EC2 – Using concrete materials to take away objects from 10 and say how many are left
• EC1 – participate in number rhymes and songs
• EC1 – explore number using concrete materials; counting objects with one to one correspondence, recognizing numbers, recording if appropriate

Information for Parents
Thank you for your help last week in making our Valentine’s party a success. The children really enjoyed bringing their cards in, and of course they enjoyed receiving cards as well. This week we will have our swim gala here at school on Wednesday. The children will all get a chance to swim and earn points for their houses. We will begin at 10:35, and of course you are welcome to attend. Please send your child’s swimsuit that day.
I wanted to let you know that Book Character Week is coming up in March. We are hoping that all of the children can dress as book characters, so please start thinking of a costume and start collecting items for it.
There will be no school on Friday and Monday, February 20th and 23rd. Please plan accordingly.
Literacy Focus for the Week This week we will continue to read every day in our reading groups. The Group 2 children will work with “ear” words, and the Group 1 children will work with CVCC words.
Maths Focus for the Week The Group 1 children will focus on subtraction this week, and the Group 2 children will be doing double digit addition.
Unit of Inquiry Last week we learned a lot about the properties of materials. We investigated whether objects sink or float, and this week we will choose the best materials to build boats. We will also be testing them to see how well they work.
What to Bring to School Children need a hat for playtime and a healthful snack every day.
Timetable Monday Library (we will choose new books) Wednesday ***SWIM GALA*** (please send swimwear) PE (wear PE shoes and a house T shirt) Thursday Swimming (please send swimwear) Friday No classes

In Maths this week we have been measuring distances around the school compound and problem solving, whilst the English sessions have been focused on how journalists write headlines and introductions using the facts: what, where, when and who. We have found so many Explorer-related articles to enjoy this week. During our Unit of Inquiry time, the children have researched their area of interest in regards to Exploration. They have thought more in depth at the Perspectives of different groups of people involved in Exploration; eg. the explorers’ versus the locals’ point of view.
Our special Thank you this week goes to Mr Isaac Foya who spent almost an hour with the P3 children talking to them about Mount Kilimanjaro. The children were fascinated in learning more about the mountain and by seeing what is taken up the slopes in the big rucksacks. Thanks so much.
Language focus for the week We will be reporters! With the swimming gala taking place next week, it gives us a perfect topic for investigating and reporting on. This will be a guided writing activity which will provide a model for more independent report writing the following week.
Mathematics focus for the week We will be measuring Perimeter. There will be lots of practical activities, such as measuring the distance around the pitch. Also, we will use our knowledge of measuring to help us make maps.
Unit of Inquiry Transdisciplinary Theme: Where we are in time and place. Central Idea: People explore their world; their methods and reasons are constantly changing. The children will be focusing more on their place/explorer of interest. We will be using lots of thinking, research and creative skills. The children will put together a factfile for their explorer, look at climate charts and will sketch maps of the journey.
What to bring to school Hat , Water-bottle , Communication book (everyday please).
Timetable Monday: PE Wednesday: Swimming Gala, 10:30-13:00 – Students should wear HOUSE T-SHIRTS for this day. Also: swimming costumes, hats, water-bottles, towels and sunscreen required. Thursday: Swimming and Library Friday: No school

Information for Parents Save the date! We have confirmed our P4/5 camping trip. We will be going to the Marangu Hotel on March 10th for a one night trip. We will be investigating the area and looking at the different types of plant life that can be found there.
We had a busy week with a trip to the fruit stand, a guest speaker, and several different food-based science experiments! We really enjoyed our visit from Ms. Laurel, who taught us how to use the best soil to care for our plants.


Language focus for the week We will be reading for information next week as we begin to plan which seeds to plant and how to prepare our garden. Students will read the directions on seed packets, and read articles on how seeds germinate so that they will understand the process.
Maths focus for the week We will focus on multi-digit multiplication. Students are doing well on knowing their basic facts. Memorizing these facts will make more complicated problems much easier, so please continue to review them with your child. We will also be looking at fact families and how division and multiplication are related.
Unit of Inquiry We have received some planters and soil this week, so next week we will begin to plant seeds. We have several food-related experiments that we will continue to observe over the next week as well.
What to bring to school: A hat for playtime and a healthful snack.


Timetable: Tuesday PE (wear trainers and a house shirt) Wednesday Primary Swimming Gala (Bring swimming kit. Gala will begin after break time.) Thursday Library (bring books) Swimming (Bring swimming kit)

We were excited to welcome Ms Marlies Gabriel (Donyo’s mother) into the classroom this week. She came to speak to us about the plight of Africa’s ‘Big Five’ and the need to help protect our precious wildlife. Amongst other shocking figures she told us that 96 African elephants die per day due to human greed, but that one elephant which lives for a full normal lifetime adds 1.6 million USD to the economy of that country. She brought in some useful resources which show us how different agencies are trying to persuade people to conserve these beautiful creatures for future generations. This fits in well with our unit on persuasion. I would like to thank Marlies greatly for her time and passion.
In maths this week the students have been making some unusual 3D shapes using net templates. These included tetrahedrons, octahedrons, dodecahedrons and icosahedrons! It was fiddly work but they all persevered. They will use their experiences to help them design a 3D package to fit in with our unit on persuasion. They have been learning how packaging is designed to appeal to a particular target audience.
In Information Technology the students have been learning about how to stay safe when using technology, e.g. mobile phones, social networking sites, email, search engines, games etc. This will help to prepare them for the present and the future when they are faced with outside influences which do not always have their best interests at heart.
In sport lessons the children have been getting excited about the Kilimanjaro marathon which is taking place in and around Moshi on 1st March. They have been practising their long distance running. Some were surprised to find they could manage more than expected. Many are now considering taking part in the 5km fun run. Their teacher will be running a (slow) half marathon!
Unit: The final week of the unit Transdisciplinary Theme: How we express ourselves Central Idea: People use many ways to influence others
The week ahead: Monday: Library session | Homework set Wednesday: Primary swimming gala from 10.35am Thursday: End of current unit | Homework due in Friday: Long weekend holiday

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