Moshi Campus News – 24 Aug 2014

This Monday, 25th August, we will be having a whole school assembly (Primary & Secondary) focussed on our school houses, Mawenzi, Meru and Kibo. Please ensure your child is wearing their house T-shirt as we will be grouping the students according to their house. House T-shirts can be purchased from reception.

Unfortunately there is a shortage of some sizes of Mawenzi (green) T-shirts at present. We expect to replenish stocks soon.

It has been a great first week of Sports at ISM. We are offering 32 different sports opportunities each week. Students have had the chance to trial their sports choices this week, but will need to make their final commitments by Monday August 25th. Please see attached for the most updated sports schedule.
Some of the teams this season will be competing at the varsity level, in tournaments within NTAA (Northern Tanzania Athletic Association). This season, those sports are U14 Boys Basketball, U14 Girls Basketball, U19 Boys Football, U19 Girls Football, and U14/U19 Track & Field. In these sports, representative teams will be chosen to represent ISM Moshi Campus at 4-5 tournaments. If your son/daughter is selected, there will be both a time and small financial commitment needing to be made, with more details to come.
Yours in Sport, Marika
We are sorry that the Bolton Wanderers Football Camp planned for this weekend had to be cancelled due to a low number of bookings.

Please note the change of dates for the M4 field study trip to West Kilimanjaro. It is now scheduled for 9th to 12th September.

Dear ISM Parents/ Guardians, My name is Ryan Sullivan and one of my roles at ISMoshi is the Personal Counsellor for students at the school. This involves helping students with the daily challenges faced by children and youth, as young learners whose lives are constantly changing, and who may need someone to talk to as a result. My role is unique at ISMoshi in that it provides students with the opportunity for social and emotional support, as part of the already existing framework of academic support that has been in place for some time.
Each child has unique strengths that they bring to our school community, and my approach is rooted in these attributes, building upon the already existing positive framework that exists within your child.
Students are welcome to drop-in to see me, students may be referred to see me for additional support by school staff, or parents may refer a student to see me through our school administrative team.
My wife, Jocelyn (a boarding parent in Kiongozi House), and our three-year-old son, Niall, are delighted to be in Moshi, and look forward to what seems to be a very exciting year ahead.

Last Thursday we began our weekly test preparation classes for D1 students. Most of our students are planning to go to university outside Tanzania and many universities (or immigration authorities) require students to take particular tests as part of their admissions process. We are offering classes in English language (in preparation for TOEFL or IELTS tests required for most of our students) and in preparation for ACT tests (for students planning to study in the USA). D1 students will register to take IELTS/TOEFL/ACT tests in the 4th quarter of this school year.

Bonjour à toutes et tous! A warm hello to all the parents of students in PYP3, 4/5, 5/6 and MYP2. My name is Ryan Sullivan (Mr. Sullivan) and I will be your child’s French teacher this year. Mrs. Sullivan and our three-year old son, Niall, are very happy to be in Moshi as a part of the ISM community. Here is a brief introduction to what each year group will be doing for their first units of inquiry in French.
P3 students will be developing basic vocabulary and greetings, attaching existing language skills in English to their French language equivalent. P4/5 will be developing basic vocabulary into an illustrated journal of their family and home. P5/6 will be working towards a similar project, with an added component of a written exercise (a letter) to synthesize the two areas of learning into a slightly more advanced assessment.
M2, as a part of their first unit, “En ville”, will be working towards researching and designing their own ideal city – starting with a project on their own home town, and moving towards a more creative expression of their own idyllic place.
Each unit will aim to render a piece of work that can be displayed in the classroom on behalf of each student, and this will bring the class alive by the end of the year! Please drop by Room 18 and take a look, or introduce yourself. À bientôt!
Ryan Sullivan

In PYP music this week, we have been focusing on two things: classroom expectations and singing voices. In all classes, we talked about how we can exhibit the Learner Profile traits in music, as well as what respectful behavior would look like. Students now have the chance to earn “notes” in class, for demonstrating any of these traits and behaviors. Once they earn 15 “notes” they get a prize! As well, we started learning many new songs that will be useful throughout the year, both in developing their musical ear and singing voices and in learning how to read and write music. If your child is in P1/2 or P3, ask them to sing for you our echo song “Charlie Over The Ocean”. P4/5 and P5/6 students learned a round in their classes, “Scotland’s Burning” (P4/5) and “Morning Has Come” (P5/6).
Susan Kellerman

MYP English Language & Literature M3 Our unit this quarter is entitled ‘Communities Under Threat’. Although we will ultimately be using Anne Frank’s Diary as a tool to understanding a community under threat during the second world war, this unit is also a vessel for understanding current threats around the world. These first few weeks we will be examining what threats exist in our current world. The MYP has recently changed our key concepts so that we use a wider range of concepts that will contribute to the study of language and literature via communication, creativity and perspective. Our Community Under Threat unit utilises the overarching concepts of understanding ‘global interactions’ and ‘how we react in time, place and space’; the students have come up with a list of threats that communities face which were poverty, pollution, disease, war, terrorism, racism, pollution, and natural disasters. By researching communities who are affected by these problems they are finding out more about how communities react in the face of a threat and what people do to support them. This week they have been presenting their community under threat through a power point presentation. Eventually they will use this information to produce some creative writing in the form of a diary similar to Anne Franks’ diary in an attempt to show empathy towards another person’s situation.
Totty Aris

The D2 higher level English literature group have been continuing with their study of William Blake over the last two weeks, focusing on the poem “A Poison Tree” and relating this to other poems they have looked at for their final examination by the same author.
Pre-reading, the group discussed the power of emotion, how we express feelings and the effects of unexpressed emotion. (We also used this as a springboard for discussion of emotion as a way of knowing within the Theory of Knowledge course). As part of their reading, students commented in particular on Blake’s use of metaphor and rhyme. Post reading, they put the words of the poem into dramatic form.
As a supplement to the study of the poem, we looked at extracts from other, longer, Blake poems and from his letters: “You say that I want somebody to Elucidate my Ideas… That which can be made Explicit to the Idiot is not worth my care… The wisest of the Ancients consider’d what is not too Explicit as the fittest for Instruction, because it rouzes the faculties to act.” (From a letter to Dr Trusler. Spelling and punctuation from the original).
Joe Wright

This week D2 students worked intensively on the final touches for their 4,000 word Extended Essay which had been assigned in January 2012. On August 27th the full draft is due. It is the first full draft. Thereafter, supervisors will provide feedback which will then be incorporated by the D2s in their writing of the EE final version.
D1 subject course selections appear to be nearly set. The three-week drop-add period-change period ends on September 1st. It is critical that D1 students select courses that match their ability to succeed.
DP students commenced CAS activities and the array of after-school options is impressive. Our new ISM CAS Coordinator Ingrid Chavez has created new opportunities and is revamping old ones to ensure they fully meet the IB learning-outcomes based criteria. The afternoon CAS activities follows hours of rigorous academic study and provides balance to the lives of our young adults in the DP. Moreover, we hope it prepares them for adulthood in terms of a life-long commitment to service and healthy living through exercise.
When you are in Moshi please stop by and visit. The DPC welcomes parent visits of DP student and this provided a great chance to link up with teachers.
Internationalism remains at the center of the IB’s mission and is evident across the spectrum of our courses. We DP teachers facilitate the students’ learning in these pivotal last two years of secondary school and we have the responsibility – among many – to prepare students for a globalized world.
Again, feel free to contact me should you have any questions or concerns about your child’s education in the ISM Diploma Program. Rick Fitzpatrick – DP Coordinator

Six broad Global Contexts give the MYP its distinctive core and reflect the programme’s focus on students’ intellectual and social development. These are not academic subjects and are not assessed but they provide a framework by which the students can connect their knowledge gained in the various disciplines to the real world and connect between the subjects. The Global Context helps students to engage in the cycle of inquiry and a process that leads students from academic knowledge to thoughtful, principled action.
These contexts are crucial to the teaching and learning process in the Middle school and we have to address them through the different levels of the MYP. By the end of the MYP, the student will be able to address and apply these Global Contexts in the personal project to show that he/she has understood them.
Identities and Relationships Students will explore identity; beliefs and values; personal, physical, mental, social and spiritual health; human relationships including families, friends, communities and cultures; what it means to be human.
Orientation in Space and Time Students will explore personal histories; homes and journeys; turning points in humankind; discoveries; explorations and migrations of humankind; the relationships between and the interconnectedness of individuals and civilizations from personal, local and global perspectives.
Personal and Cultural Expression Students will explore the ways in which we discover and express ideas, feelings, nature, culture, beliefs and values; the ways in which we reflect on, extend and enjoy our creativity; our appreciation of the aesthetic.
Scientific and Technical Innovation Students will explore the natural world and its laws; the interaction between people and the natural world; how humans use their understanding of scientific principles; the impact of scientific and technological advances on communities and environments; the impact of environments on human activity; how humans adapt environments to their needs.
Globalization and Sustainability Students will explore the interconnectedness of human-made systems and communities; the relationship between local and global processes; how local experiences mediate the global; the opportunities and tensions provided by world-interconnectedness; the impact of decision-making on humankind and the environment.
Fairness and Development Students will explore rights and responsibilities; the relationship between communities; sharing finite resources with other people and with other living things; access to equal opportunities; peace and conflict resolution.
Regards, Marika Farrell

It has been a busy and happy first week in EC. All the new children as well as returning children settled into the class extremely well and it has been a remarkably calm week, getting to know each other and the routines of the classroom. Many thanks to Ms Stephanie, a new middle school parent for baking delicious cookies with the class on Friday. The children loved the experience and we hope to welcome Ms Stephanie into our classroom on a regular basis!
Please check your communication book for a personal note about your child and the class timetable letting you know when PE and Library are. I will let you know when swimming starts, but until then we will have a regular PE lesson on Friday as well as Tuesday. Please make sure your child is wearing a House T-shirt, comfortable shorts or trousers (preferably not jeans) and PE shoes on these days. Boots, sandals, crocs or flip flops are not appropriate footwear for PE.
On Monday there will be a chance for the EC to meet the older students in their house and find out what being part of a house at ISM means. Please send your child to school wearing their house T-shirt. Meru – yellow Kibo-blue Mawenzi-green If you were unable to buy a PE T-shirt yet, then any T-shirt of that colour will be fine for Monday.
Unit of Inquiry Central Idea : We are alike and different in many ways Lines of Inquiry: The nature of the individual     Personal Preferences     Personal progress and development This week we will begin to set up our class museum. Everyone received a letter about this on Friday, but please let me know if you would like another copy. I would be very grateful if you could send in a large box for your child’s museum space as well as family photo(s) so that the children can talk about who is special to them. We would love to see extended family photos as well. We would like to keep these photos at school until the end of the unit so that each child can place it in their museum space. We will look after them.
Maths focus Last week we made 2 graphs connected to family information. This week the children will:

• Sort and count objects
• Order numbers
• Graph favourite colours – (we didn’t manage to get this done last week)

Information for Parents I was happy to start reading groups this last week. The children were excited to start, and they really like getting time to show me what they can read. I will try to always have a book in your child’s homework folder. The expectation is for your child to spend 5 or 10 minutes each day reading his/her book. There will also be a notebook in your child’s folder letting you know what we have read at school and how your child is doing. Please feel free to write comments about your reading at home in it as well. I appreciate your help with this.
Homework will go home on Monday. Again, please have your child complete a bit each night and have it ready to return to school on Friday. There will be a spelling list as well. The children will be expected to write the words on Friday. If you have any questions, please email me.
Please have your child wear his/her house shirt (or a shirt of the same color) on Monday. We will have an all school assembly, and the children will be sorted by house to play a game.
Literacy focus for the week We will continue to focus on handwriting this week. We will also continue to write in our journals. The P1 students will be working on letter sounds and reading short words. The P2 students will be doing a lot of reading and working on blends.
Maths focus for the week Group 1 students will work on numbers to 10. Group 2 students will work on addition strategies.
Unit of Inquiry We will continue to study “My Family”. We will finish learning about family trees. We will learn about birthday traditions in different countries around the world.
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 PE (wear PE shoes and a house T shirt) Thursday Swimming (please send swimwear)

Information for Parents This week we have been tuning into our “Who We Are” Unit of Inquiry by thinking about our physical appearance, and producing portraits, as well as reflecting and describing how we see ourselves within. We have been reading and discussing personal recounts in English. In Mathematics we have been thinking hard about patterns and have particularly enjoyed the number games we have played.
Language focus for the week We will be continuing to read recounts and give our own verbal recounts, remembering to include all the features covered so far. We will focus on verbs and using the past tense, as well as time connectives which will help to us sequence events in chronological order.
Mathematics focus for the week We will be recalling multiplication facts (2s, 5s, 10s); practise mental recall of addition and subtraction facts up to 20; and count forwards and backwards from 3 digit numbers (in steps larger than 1 if appropriate to level).
Unit of Inquiry The children will be looking into events that may shape a person. They will listen to others’ life-changing event recounts, and start to consider what their significant life events might be to date. If you as a parent have a life-changing personal story that you would be willing to share with the P3 class, please let me know and we can arrange a suitable time for this.
What to bring to school Hat Water-bottle Homework, Reading and Communication book (everyday please).
Timetable Monday: PE Thursday: Swimming and Library
Last week’s Information Evening If you missed this, you can see the slideshow that I presented at www.uwcea.org/p3_info.

Information for Parents Each week gets better and better in P4/5. The kids are getting used to the classroom routines and are settling into the new year. We are excited for the house assembly on Monday. Please make sure your child wears their house shirt and trainers. In reading this week we looked at a tall tale about how Minnesota came to be settled by learning about Paul Bunyan’s life. Be sure to ask your child about some of the hilarious exaggerations.
Language focus for the week Next week we will review genre and continue working on sequencing stories. We will also begin a narrative writing project focusing on our unit of inquiry.
Maths focus for the week Group 1 students will continue to develop their concept of place value. They will review writing various forms of numbers and comparing them. We will also begin to work on adding larger numbers. Group 2 students will focus on square numbers and roots as well as factors and multiples.
Unit of Inquiry Students have been examining areas of the world that are heavily populated and using atlases to find what types of physical features are common among settlements. We discovered that many settlements were developed around rivers, so that will be our learning focus next week.
What to bring to school: A hat for playtime and a healthful snack.
Timetable: Monday Please wear your house shirt and PE shoes for the assembly Tuesday PE (wear PE shoes and a house T shirt if you have one, I will inform new children which house they are in on Monday) Thursday Swimming (bring swim costume, towel, flip flops) Library (we will choose new books)

This week the students have continued to enjoy our novel Kensuke’s Kingdom by Michael Morpurgo. This fits well with our unit about personal histories as the main character recounts his boyhood story of becoming shipwrecked on a remote island.
The students have been considering their own personal histories and communicating aspects of this through drawing. They have also been learning about Action and sharing ideas about how they can have a positive impact on their community or environment.
Photographs of class activities and copies of written work have been added to our inquiry cycle noticeboard so that the students can notice and reflect upon the process of inquiry as we work our way through this interesting unit.
Information for the week ahead: Maths focus: writing numbers up to 99,999 in expanded form.
Language focus: contractions (e.g. did not = didn’t, should not = shouldn’t) and use of apostrophes.
Unit of Inquiry: Central Idea: Our personal histories affect our world view. The students will be considering who they are most closely connected to and how they have influenced their perspective on the world. (It was great to meet so many of you at the parent evening last week. As I said, please do let me know if you are able to contribute to our unit, e.g. by recounting your life experiences through a Q&A session with the class).
Monday: Homework will be set for the week | Library session Wednesday: Swimming lesson Friday: This week’s homework is due in | PE lesson
What to bring everyday: Please bring a bottle of water to keep on the desk. Bring a healthy snack for break time. Bring a hat for break time, lunchtime and sports lessons.

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