Welcome to the first entry from the Tenby International School, Miri (TISM) English Department. The students will be studying a variety of exciting and challenging texts and topics this term. Have a look at the Year Seven and Year Eight Curriculum letters for more details.

As a part of the Cambridge International Education curriculum for English, the students will continually focus on 5 main areas of content. These are ‘Phonics, Spelling and Vocabulary’, ‘Grammar and Punctuation’, ‘Reading’, ‘Writing’ and ‘Speaking and Listening’. These five areas will be developed throughout the year. ENGLISH Curriculum letter – First Term

Based on the poetry stimuli “London” by William Blake, the P8 girls were set the task of writing a poem based on a modern city. With many of them having just been away during the holidays they started by creating a 50 word wordbank describing the city. In a similar fashion to how William Blake wrote, the girls were encouraged to focus on particular details, but also to build up the piece in a way that suited their style of writing.

Their poems and their peer evaluations will follow below.

Open up the copy of the opening from Macbeth. We will use it in our English lesson on Monday.03 The Opening of Macbeth

Alternatively copy and paste into Word from below.

The opening from Macbeth

Thunder and lightning.

Enter three WITCHES.

First Witch
When shall we three meet again?

In thunder, lightning, or in rain?

Second Witch
When the hurly-burly’s done,
When the battle’s lost and won.

Third Witch
That will be ere the set of sun.

First Witch
Where the place?

Second Witch
Upon the heath

Third Witch
There to meet with Macbeth.

First Witch
I come, Graymalkin

Second Witch
Paddock calls.

Third Witch
Anon.

ALL
Fair is foul, and foul is fair:
Hover through the fog and filthy air.

Exeunt

Yesterday we had a day of trekking through the rainforest. We each carried packs full of food, water, clothes, bedding, tent equipment and essential supplies. The trek took roughly one and a half hours. It was hot, hard work but we sang all the way! Our guide cleared our path with a parang as the rainforest was too overgrown in places!
When we got to the camp site we were situated next to a clear, shallow river. We selected flat ground to build our own tents and then went to gather firewood. We learnt which wood burnt well, which just smokes and even which one explodes in fire!
In the evening we washed and prepared our meals and cooked rice, chicken, fish and vegetables!
We played a few games and told a few scary campfire stories before we headed to bed! 
This is what we thought of the camping…

“I liked camping in the jungle because it improved my independence and communication with others” Kalli

“when I was camping in the jungle I realised how lucky I was to have eeryday facilities such as showers, clean toilets. Even when everyone else around me started complaining, I tried to stay positive by remembering this.” Ema

“in the jungle you have to do things by yourself. You realise that you’re often alone to do things unless you cooperate with others an use teamwork to get things done” Faith

“You need to work together to get things done. Cooperate and you will succeed. Jemi

Greetings from the KK School Trip! We arrived safe and sound yesterday and have been settling in to our beautiful surroundings, enjoying all the fun activities already! 
The children in P8 and P7 have been surprised by having to do their own washing up, making their own beds and tidying their own dorm rooms for daily inspections! They’ve taken to it brilliantly and all with very little  complaint…so far!
My most exciting quote of the day was “Mr T, come quick! There’s a monkey in the washing up room!” 
Here are some of P8′s favourite things so far…
“I enjoyed the kayaking because it allowed me to develop my teamwork skill, with not just friends – with everyone!” Kalli

“I loved doing the rock climbing because it was challenging and it made me feel like I could achieve anything I set my mind to.” Ema

“The Kayaking down river was very challenging and my arms ached! But it was good and I felt good!” Faith

“I’m enjoying learning how to support and be supported by my friends. I’ve enjoyed the games we’ve played!” Jemi.

We’ll keep you updated as the week progresses!

We looked at the Prologue of Romeo & Juliet this morning in English. It’s written in Iambic Pentameter and is an example of a Shakesperean Sonnet. Using the cut up pieces of the prologue that you’ve put together, rewrite the sonnet in your own words (modern English). Write it using your fountain pen on A4 paper and on Friday I wish teach you how to age the paper and make it look like an authentic piece of Shakesperean history!

The girls were set the task of reading the Charles & Mary Lamb version of “Romeo & Juliet”. Tales from Shakespeare was an English children’s book written by Charles Lamb with his sister Mary Lamb in 1807, written with the idea of making the plays more accessible to children.

The P8 class have been set the task of writing a summary of their understanding of the story. It has a minimum of 150 words. They can include any extra research that they may have done on the play. They can include their own opinion as long as it is backed up with evidence from the text.

They will be submitting their summaries below.

An 1870 oil painting by Ford Madox Brown depicting Romeo and Juliet's famous balcony scene

Dear Parents

Welcome back and we hope you had a well deserved holiday. Over the next 8 weeks the children in P8 will be learning about development through our IPC topic ‘What Price Progress?’ The children will work towards achieving the learning goals in the following three areas:

• The subject learning goals.

• Personal development goals to help the children become responsible, independent learners.

• International goals for the children to develop a sense of their own country as well as understanding they are part of a global community.

During this unit we will be focusing on Technology, History, Art, ICT, Society, Music, Science and International aspects.

In Technology the children will be:

• Evaluating technology
• Assessing its impact on everyday life
• Designing and making products

In History we will be:

• Finding out about technical innovations which changed society
• Finding out about different ideas and beliefs about society and nature
• Finding out about famous people whose ideas caused social change

In Art we will be:

• Finding out about the responses of artists to technological progress in the early 20^th Century
• Using paintings to gather information about society and technological progress through history
• Painting and producing our own pictures and collages

In Music we will be:

• Listening to classical music
• Responding to music by different composers
• Composing our own expressionist music
• Finding out about the development of musical instruments

In Science we will be:

• Finding out about historical and modern scientific ideas and processes
• Finding out about the positive and negative effects of scientific developments
• Identifying evidence and opinions
• Debating scientific issues

In ICT we will be:

• Surveying how much of an impact ICT has on our lifestyles
• Finding out how much impact ICT on our parents’ childhoods
• Using ICT for research and communication

In Society we will be:

• Finding out about the effect of progress worldwide
• Finding out how lifestyles in developed and underdeveloped countries are linked
• Finding out about how developments have good and bad effects

In International we will be:

• Finding out about sustainable ways of living

In P.E we will be:

• Performing individual and group gymnastic sequences using the floor and apparatus
• Improving our cross-country running skills over 3km using the fun run route

In addition to this we will be continuing to follow the Secondary Framework for English and  Maths.

In English we will be:

• Conducting Non Fiction research. Becoming an expert in a specific field, creating guides and handbooks.
• Developing independent reading – including reflecting and reviewing of a range of literature.
• Studying Shakespearean plays, poems and sonnets. Performing and analysing texts.

In Maths we will be learning:

• Statistics, Data handling and solving probability.
• Number – Fractions, decimals, percentages and ratio.
• Measures – Place Value, Calculations, Calculator methods and measuring skills.
• Algebra – Equations and formulas. Integers, powers and roots. Sequencing, functions and graphs.
• Geometry – Reasoning, lines, angles and shapes. Construction.

Finally, during this term children may have research to undertake as part of their homework. If they need support please help them but without actually doing the work for them. It would also be beneficial for your child if you discuss what they have been learning as the term progresses and let them teach you if they can.

Many thanks

Mr Trevor

What Price Progress Curriculum Letter

In English over the next 2 weeks you will be learning about making a non fiction booklet and presentation.

You will be “Becoming an expert” in the life and works of William Shakespeare.  To help you find out the information I have posted some questions for you to research on the internet or using books. Bring the answers to school and use them within your project. Later on in the week you will get the rare chance to ‘interview’ William Shakespeare himself…! So make sure that you have lots of information about him. That way you can make sure that it’s really him – and not some cheap imposter!

To be or not to be? Get your questions ready to interview him next week!

WALT: Investigate and research for a non fiction text.

TASK: You must research into the life of William Shakespeare. Using books and the Internet, find the answers to the following questions.

1. Apart from writing plays, what else did Shakespeare write?

2. Where was Shakespeare born?

3. Which date is celebrated nowadays as Shakespeare’s birth date?

4. What is special about Shakespeare’s birthday and the day he died?

5. What was William Shakespeare’s father and mother’s name?

6. Shakespeare’s father came to be prosperous and influential in his home town

of Stratford. What office in local public affairs did he hold?

7. What was Shakespeare’s wife’s name? How much older than her husband was

she?

8. William and his wife had three children. What were their names and when

were they born?

9. What natural disaster struck London between June 1592 and June 1594 which

virtually closed down all the playhouses in London?

10. In 1594 Shakespeare joined a famous group of actors in London. What was the

group known as?

11. Name two of the London theatres operating in Shakespeare’s time?

12. Name five well known plays which William Shakespeare wrote?

13. How many plays did he write altogether?

14. Shakespeare bought a fine house, ‘New Place’ in 1597. Which town was this

home in?

15. When did Shakespeare die and how old was he?

As a part of their High School Experience lessons, P8 students have been given a glimpse of life as an entrepeneur! They were given the task of raising money for a charity of their choice, choosing and designing a product that they could easily create and selling and marketing their product effectively. Firstly they came up with a company name. May I introduce…Connect 4 Business!

During their Maths (Data Handling & Statistics) lesson, the girls conducted their market research and created Frequency tables, Pie charts and Bar graphs to support their choices.

In English the girls are studying Persuasive language and are working on their ‘sales patter’ speeches! They were NOT impressed with Mr T’s Romford Market (A famous fruit/veg market in England) sales technique and have been given him a few pointers! They’ve also created Persuasive posters to target their buyers attention.

So what product did the girls decide on?                                                                                                      The Piasau School Class Calendar 2011! They have visited classes around the school and organised the children into a class pose. They then took the class photo – editing and selecting their own best shots! This is no mean feat! Just ask any school photographer who has ever tried to get 5 year olds to smile nicely for the camera!

Next up they had to use their ICT skills to upload the photo’s from the camera to their desktop. They then had to use publishing software to create their Calendar page.

Lastly, that market trading enthusiasm came in useful – it was time for them to sell!  They set up their stall outside the front of school. They had their prototypes to entice buyers (and to ensure that they didn’t make surplus products), their order books in hand and they SOLD, SOLD, SOLD! So far the orders have rolled in and the girls have the next stage of production. They have promised to have all orders out before the school break, so if you’ve not made your order yet – speak to a member of Connect Four Business!

Watch out Lord Alan Sugar & Donald Trump…the P8 girls are after your jobs!