Newsflash: May 3, 2024

Principal’s Corner

by Ms. Maureen Juanson, Elementary  School Principal

PYP Exhibition Showcase

This morning, the Grade 5 PYP Exhibition culminated with a special assembly and in-person showcase, delving into a range of passions and issues they’ve explored over the past eight weeks. From reading, coding, and gaming to fashion, art, and sports, these students demonstrated not only growth in their research, thinking, and communication skills but also development in their character as they became more resilient, empathetic, responsible, and collaborative throughout the process. 

Each student presented their journey, connecting their interests to global and local issues. They articulated causes and effects and proposed responsible actions, inspiring others to take part.

As they conclude their showcase, let’s remember the messages from the song “Paraiso” and “Fight Song.” Just as they sang about flying high and reclaiming their life song, let’s embrace change and stand together in making a positive impact.

The Grade 5 PYP Exhibition marks not just an end of their PYP journey but a beginning of greater opportunities to becoming empowered citizens who can make a difference wherever they go. 

Congratulations, Grade 5s!

Upcoming events of note

• Apr 24 – May 16: IBDP Exams
• May 6-10: Arts Week
• May 11: Touch Rugby
• May 18-19 & May 25-26: MFC x CIS Friendship Cup
• May 23: Last of ASAs (After School Activities)
• May 24: G12 Graduation (no classes in PM)
• May 28: Parent Coffee Morning (last meeting for SY)
• June 6: Moving-Up Ceremonies (students on half day) / Last day of School
• June 10-21: Summer School Activities

Please refer to the CIS Event Calendar for the complete calendar of school events.

Elementary: Media Literacy

by Ms. Mary Jean Cordova, Media Literacy Teacher & Media Center Coordinator

As the Grade 5s concluded their 8-week PYP Exhibition journey, they demonstrated strong research skills by delving deeper into their passions. Students began their inquiry by identifying possible questions they wanted to investigate about each of their passions. These inquiry questions guided their PYPx journey as they explored the issues and opportunities related to their passions and took action to make a difference in their community. To gather information relevant to their research questions, Grade 5 students utilized the MISO (Media, Interview, Survey, Observation) method.

Students put their research skills into practice by utilizing lateral reading to find reliable sources online. They also leveraged AI to curate multiple sources of information beneficial to their research. With this approach, they effectively analyzed and synthesized the information they gathered, gaining a deeper understanding of their chosen topics. To ensure the accuracy of the information collated by AI, students critically examine each source and utilize the information they find there. They also ensure proper acknowledgment of the information’s creators by citing their sources in MLA format.

To delve deeper into their passions, students conducted interviews with individuals to gain perspectives and insights into the real-world applications of their chosen passion. They had the opportunity to interview reliable experts within their field of passion, asking specific questions to enhance their understanding. Not only did students interview individuals within the school community, but they also reached out to people beyond the school, ranging from family friends to the General Manager of Zara. This experience helped them bridge classroom learning with real-world applications, fostering a deeper appreciation for their passions and their significance beyond academic settings. Moreover, interacting with individuals from diverse backgrounds helped improve their communication skills and critical thinking skills, preparing them to navigate complex challenges and opportunities within their chosen fields.

The grade 5 students delved deeper into understanding their passions by actively seeking the perspectives of their fellow students in school. They created a survey and sent it throughout the school, gathering a wealth of information about what their peers knew about their passions. As they analyzed their survey results, they were able to gain more information and identify some challenges that students experienced. Through this process, students were able to identify opportunities to take action and promote their passions within the learning community.

To learn more about the Grade 5s’ passions and their learning journey, watch their Virtual Showcase on Monday, May 6, 2024. The PYPx Website will be live starting next week. Take some time to explore their websites and see how the Grade 5 students took action through their passions!

DP Biology Class

by Ms. Rebecca Devadoss, DP Biology Teacher

During STEM week, both the grade 11 and grade 12 biology students had the opportunity to have elementary students as their lab partners. The experiments done were simple, colorful, and engaging. It helped even the younger ones understand some biological concepts.

Grade 11 students experimented with the concept of surface area to volume. Using agar cubes infused with phenolphthalein indicator (pink dye), they witnessed a captivating transformation as the cubes immersed themselves in acetic acid. Through keen observation, the students were able to visualize that the smaller cubes discolored faster than the larger ones. This hands-on exploration reinforced the understanding that smaller cells are more efficient in transporting materials both into and out of the cells.

Set-up

Experiment in progress

The outcome of the experiment

Student’s with their lab partners

Grade 12 students, did an experiment on paper chromatography. Photosynthetic pigments play an important role in the process of photosynthesis by capturing different wavelengths of light. Separating the pigments in the leaves was done with the early years students as lab partners.

Grade 12 students have chosen various biological processes for their internal assessment investigation. Most of them experimented on various factors influencing plant growth

Here are some graphs generated by the students after they completed their investigations. The trends seen were helpful for them to arrive at a conclusion for their research questions.

College & Careers Counselor Corner

by Ms. Jenny Basa, College Counselor

What is the Group of 8 (Go8)?
In prominent world rankings Go8 universities are consistently the highest ranked of all Australian Universities. For more information, you may refer to the Go8 Facts of Distinction.

Are you interested in applying for a full scholarship at the University of Sydney?  Here’s a link to the U of Sydney International Undergraduate Academic Excellence Scholarship which outlines the application process, eligibility and requirements

Australian Student Visa Update
As part of the recent migration review, the Australian Government has replaced the Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE) requirement with a Genuine Student (GS) requirement when applying for a student visa, effective for student visa applications lodged on or after 23 March 2024.  Refer to this link for more information.

SAT Update

2023–24 School Year Test Dates

To register for the SAT, you may click on this link.  If you need assistance or have any questions, please feel free to email Ms. Jenny Basa at jbasa@cis.edu.ph.