Grade+6+parents


 * This week in science:**

Students are now inquiring on a new unit: Repent or perish! This unit encourages students to investigate on the global issues of the rapidly depleting fossil fuel and global warming and inquiring on renewable energies as solution to the issues. I'm away from 10th to the 14th of May for the birth of my daughter Isabel. Brian is the science substitute.

Students are completing their multimedia presentation. They will be handing in their essay and multimedia presentation this week. A sample is available below: media type="file" key="How painkillers work.m4v" width="300" height="300"

Next, we'll be going into a new unit called ' Renew or perish'. In this unit, students will be learning renewable energies such as solar power and inquiring answers or solutions to 'Why and how humans must move on quickly from **fossil energy** to **renewable energies**?'

We are now working on an essay " How science and it's application have enabled us to adapt better to our environment and become more competitive ?" This task aims to have students understand the relationship between science and adaptation to our environment.

We were working very hard on our report, editing, assessing and improving our report. Criterion D and E were being used. The report assignment is officially completed this week. Students struggled with writing scientific explanations for their hypothesis and conclusion.

What's exciting this week is the introduction to the new and improved MYP science rubrics. You can support the new rubrics by going through it with your child. By going through, I mean helping your child use the rubrics' checklist or setting a target together.



Students will be uploading their work in progress report in their wikispace. To access their wikispace, you need to be a member of it and ask your child for member inclusion. The following will be articulated to your children - Draft report to be sent in for an initial assessment by **Monday (15 Mar)**

Are you interested to discuss what you could do to help your child improve? I have suggestions...
 * 1) Set targets together. E.g. Matti, what's your target for criterion D for the mealworm expt? Can you show me why you think you are at a 4?
 * 2) Assess their work. It's not an easy task but if you would like to learn how, let me know. An assessment workshop for parents is possible.
 * 3) Together with your child, design a task timeline so your child is clear of all the due dates given by teachers.
 * 4) Clarify if due date means due date for assessment or due date for discussions.
 * 5) Remind your child that due dates can be flexible and students can negotiate for an extension for good reasons, like I need more time so I can hit a 6.

At the final stage now, students are collating and making sense of their experimental data. Generally, I have observed students performing at a higher level and controlling the experiment well.

Students are approaching the final stage of the meal worm experiment. The focus are experimental skills and concepts of adaptation. Students are displaying better experimental technique - e.g. use of retort stand to control the variable of light. Mike, Alexis and Felipe are working in a dark room because they think the classroom light might affect the experiment.