States Of Year 5
We all know that our children matter. What the Year 5s have been learning recently is that they are also MADE of matter.
We have been looking at the particle model and states of matter in Science, and the students have explored the topics in a variety of different ways. They have used their textbooks to learn independently and peer-teach each other about processes like boiling and melting, practising the skill of reading information to pick out salient points, as well as their communication skills (and producing some useful posters for the classroom walls in the process).
They observed what happens when a solid is dissolved in water and described the process on the particle level, while reminding themselves that while you may not be able to see the salt in salt water, you would definitely know it’s still there if you tasted it.
They practised their Science enquiry skills by looking at available equipment and figuring out how to test the effect of temperature on the rate of dissolving, writing a practical report to systematically record their findings.
Now they are turning their hand to some research, using the iPads to look up some information about the properties of water.
Throughout the topic, I have been impressed by the students’ willingness to jump into the world of Science and test things out, whether it be research skills, observation skills, or designing a fair test. It would be fair to say that the students have been vibrating with energy – much like their particles!
Hannah Kirkaldy
Year 5 Teacher
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Exploring Intaka Island
A very excited group of Year 1 students left school to visit Intaka Island on Thursday, 25 August. After a brief introduction to the origin of Intaka Island and the eco system found there, the students set off in groups to explore this small island in the middle of our busy city. Intaka Island’s wetlands and canals demonstrate how engineering and natural processes can be used to improve the conservation of water.
The students took a walk around the island learning about the medicinal plants and seeing how many animals and birds they could spot from the ‘hide’. We were extremely lucky to walk past a freshwater crab and to spot a Pied Kingfisher and a Malachite Kingfisher.
A highlight for the students is the boat ride on the canals, spotting the birdlife and some pets in the gardens of the townhouses.
Intaka island is a wonderful example of sustainability. They use solar power energy, energy through the use of a wind turbine and various bio digestive systems to supply their own gas and wormery’s to create their own compost and liquid fertilizers. The students learnt all about recycling, compost and the importance of sustainable living. The students also learnt how Intaka Island uses their own grey water and black water system to sustain their building and plant life.
It was a fun, interactive and very informative outing, which you can see from our photos!
Ann Cordner
Year 1 Teacher
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Looking After Our World
For Global perspectives in Year 1 this term, we have been learning about ‘Looking after our world.’ As part of the topic, we have been looking at the problem of ‘litter.’ The list of social problems caused by litter and rubbish is extensive.
Litter creates safety, fire, and a variety of human health hazards because of the organisms attracted to it. Oprah Winfrey says, “If every person picked up just one piece of litter today, there would be over 300 million fewer pieces of litter.”
The Year 1 classes have been on litter walks around the school grounds and picked up litter together. We have also made a classroom display from some of the litter we have found and the class have worked together to raise awareness about litter to educate others in our school. They’ve created some fantastic, colourful and interesting posters to raise awareness about litter in our school environment.
If you would like to view some of their work, it can be found in the Year 1 classes!
Charlotte Cronje
Year 1 Teacher
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Observing The Weather Using A Wind Vane
Our budding Year 5 meteorologists (a physical scientist who observes, studies and forecasts the weather) have been learning all about the wonders of the weather in Geography this term.
They started by learning about the four main elements of the weather (temperature, wind, rainfall and cloud cover) and how these can be used to describe the weather. They are currently completing a 2-week weather project, where they need to observe and track the weather on a daily basis. These observations require the use of various weather instruments, such as a thermometer for temperature; a rain gauge to measure rainfall and a wind vane to measure wind direction. Using these instruments accurately is a skill they need to master and demonstrate over the course of the project.
But we can’t accurately measure wind direction without an instrument to help us, so, the Year 5 students started the project by designing and making their very own creative and colourful wind vanes! The idea behind making these weather instruments was that they could then be used by each student at home when making their observations on the direction of the wind.
Great fun was had by all when they put their wind vanes to the test outside on the school field! The direction of the wind (moving air) is the compass direction that the wind blows from. On the day the Year 5’s did their test, the wind was blowing in a northerly direction. They knew this because they had first accurately plotted the 8 compass directions on the ground, using a compass.
We are looking forward to seeing the results of their investigations on weather at the end of this exciting project!
Cindy Drury
Year 5 Teacher
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Year 12 Cultural Outing
On Friday, 12 August, the Year 12 Art students braced the winter cold and headed out to explore the cultural aspects and art galleries in the Tygerberg area.
We visited the Art.b gallery at the Bellville Library Centre, the Sanlam Art Collection at the headquarters of Sanlam, and a collection of international ceramics and mosaic artworks.
“Uncle Clive” drove us around in a BIS minibus and returned us safe and sound to BIS.
Art.B gallery
https://www.artb.co.za/vuleka-2/
Art.b, the Arts Association of Bellville, is an innovative, community–orientated organisation, sensitive to new ideas and supportive of established and emerging artists from all cultural backgrounds. Art.b, through its vibrant art gallery, creates a platform for and showcases visual art and artists in the Western Cape to raise public awareness of art.
The Arts Association of Bellville is the Western Cape branch of the South African National Association of Visual Art. It is a non-profit membership-based organisation open to all. The gallery is maintained and managed with the support of the City of Cape Town.
https://blog.sanlam.co.za/her-sanlam-art-gallery-bellville/
The Sanlam Art Collection came into being on 9 March 1965 when the Sanlam Board approved the acquisition of 12 paintings by well-known artists for the production of a prestige calendar in the coming year. The collection has grown considerably since and has proved to be a good investment, with the current valuation of the collection exceeding twenty times what it has cost to acquire.
The collection is seen not only in Sanlam offices but also in touring exhibitions across South Africa. Sanlam continues to acquire significant images from established and emerging artists in South Africa and this Centennial exhibition reaffirms its commitment to supporting the visual arts for generations to come.“Her… An exhibition of painting, sculpture, and printing from the Sanlam Art Collection celebrating South African Women Artists.”
Sanlam Art Gallery, Bellville 4 August – 22 October 2022
The present exhibitions in the Sanlam Art Gallery, Bellville, and Sanlam Art Lounge, Bellville celebrates the artistic talents of South African women artists from the early twentieth century to the present. The images by a diversity of women in different media allow for a multiplicity of themes to emerge pertinent to the concerns of women artists over the past century. The exhibition ranges from the capturing of mood and beauty in flowers, the domesticity of daily life and motherhood to the reflection on discrimination and violence against women.
Rust-en-Vrede Gallery, Wellington Rd, Durbanville
The well-established Rust-en-Vrede Art Gallery showcases works of art by established and emerging artists. There are three exhibition spaces at Rust-en-Vrede.
The main gallery consists of two rooms and is referred to as Salon A and Salon B. Salon C is in the entrance room, which is a more informal space used for small solo- or group exhibitions.
Gallery Hours are Monday – Friday 09:00 – 16:00 and Saturday 09:00 – 13:00. The exhibitions change monthly and are freely open to the public. Artists who wish to exhibit at Rust-en-Vrede are requested to submit work and a short proposal to Gallery Management.
The members serving on this committee are nominated at the Annual General Meeting in August. They meet monthly to assess new applicants for exhibitions with the curator.
PIET-MY-VROU MOSAIC STUDIO
27 July ’22
An exhibition of mosaics by the students of Piet-My-Vrou Mosaic Studio. Exhibition opens on Saturday 30 July 2022 at 11 am.
Riaan Vosloo
IGCSE, AS and A Level Art and Design Teacher
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BIS Performs At The Baxter Theater!
A few of our High School students had the experience of a lifetime on Wednesday, when they got perform to a very large audience on a professional theatre stage. BIS participated in the annual Shakespeare Schools Festival, which since it’s inception, the festival has become Africa’s largest Shakespeare youth drama program and has worked with over 490 schools, 9000 youth, 670 teachers across the Western Cape, Gauteng, Kwa-Zulu Natal and the Eastern Cape.
About the play:
The play is a modernised version of the “The Scottish Play” Macbeth by William Shakespeare. It is a spin off that takes place in an all-girls’ school, Dunsinane High, and instead of aspiring to be king or queen, Macbeth wants to be Headgirl. “Lady Macbeth” in this version is Bethany. The decision to modernise the play was made in order to help the students connect with the characters.
BIS took A Midsummer Night’s Dream to the Shakespeare School’s Festival in a previous year and we enjoyed it so much; that it was decided to make it an annual endeavour. This helps to allow our students the opportunity to develop their talents and passion and to perform on a professional stage. Though we were rehearsing intermittently for some time, the script change was only complete about a month ago.
I am so proud of the entire cast and crew members, many of whom were on stage in this capacity for the first time. They were extremely nervous, but did their utmost. Thank you to everyone who came to support our performance at the Baxter Theatre.
We look forward to our performances at school tonight at 18:30 and again at 19:30.
Tickets are only R40 and will be sold at the door.
High School Performing Arts and English Teacher
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Showtime
Last week KS2 put on the Disney Jnr play, Aladdin. We spent a total of 80640 minutes, which is equivalent to 1344 hours or better yet 56 days rehearsing, preparing and setting up for this spectacular event.
A lot of hard work, long hours and dedication was put into making our KS2 concert a success. Today when I look back I do not think of the challenges or the long hours, the stress or the worry in the details. I remember the fun moments we all had during our shared time. I remember the laughs, jokes and even the mishaps that made the show even more memorable.
The cast was phenomenal. They are certainly stars in the making. I admire their dedication and tenacity. Without them we would not have had this amazing play. I have seen them grow in confidence and independence. Many of them began very shyly and quietly however by the time we ended those very same actors displayed admirable traits of fortitude, bravery and confidence. It is a true reminder to us all how remarkable our children are.
As Augusto Boal said, “We must all do theatre, to find out who we are, and to discover who we could become.”
It was a tiring 4 day event and even though there was a lot of relief in its success, the evening of Day 4 left us with an empty space as we all shared the same sentiment, “What will we do with our time now?”
Comments from the cast…
“It has been a dream come true to play the part of Genie”
“I will miss the time with everyone”
“It was so much fun, thank you for giving us the opportunity.”
The KS2 concert has shown us that not only is academics important in a student’s life, but the cultural aspect is needed to nurture a well-balanced, diverse student.
Until the next show, let us share the written words of Shakespeare when he said, “All the world’s a stage.”
Nadia Mahomed
Year 4 Teacher
Watch our KS2 students sing at assembly to celebrate a successful concert:
The Day The Teachers Became Penguins
The Year 2 classes had visitors yesterday! Educators from SANCCOB came to tell us all about penguins and sea birds. The students thoroughly enjoyed watching videos about all the ways SANCCOB helps injured seabirds and penguins. Did you know that glass takes 1,000,000 years to break down? Plastic takes 200 years to disintegrate. The students were horrified to see some of the photos of how litter could harm these gentle creatures.
There were fun activities as well. In groups, we had to identify good foods and bad foods for seabirds and penguins. However, the highlight of the morning was the dressing up of three teachers in penguin suits! Mrs. Coetzer, Miss Hendry and Teacher Angelique were then ‘assisted’ by groups of students, leading them through the different rehabilitation stages. This included, x-rays, food-giving, receiving medication and finally, gently helping the ‘injured penguins exercise.
Great fun was had by all, even the teachers.
Kim Coetzer
Year 2 Teacher
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Skills Programme – Online Etiquette
The Year 6’s have been focusing on Online Etiquette during their skills programme and how to conduct themselves in a respectful manner online. Online communication can be challenging at times for children. Not being able to read one’s body language or listen to their tone of voice can make it difficult to understand the meaning of a message.
During our skills lesson, we started by watching students act out a scenario. There could be no sounds or movement, just a still image. We then discussed what we thought was happening and what each person was feeling. The students started to notice that it was difficult to read the scenario without there being any context, sounds or movements.
We went on to watch a video that involved a message being misunderstood and discussed the meaning behind the video, how the students would have dealt with the scenario and what would have been the best way to deal with the issue. The students also spoke about “Why are people sometimes less respectful online?” and they were also able to explain the importance of always turning to a trusted adult when they are in a position they do not understand, makes them uncomfortable or nervous.
Finally, the students worked in groups to create rules for when they are online. With minimal guidance from the teachers, they all got into groups and began making their list of rules.
The Year 6’s have impressed us with their online rules as well as showing maturity and respect when creating them.
Brittney Hakime
Year 6 Teacher
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Year 2 Fun In Music Class
Music ignites all areas of child development and skills for school readiness, including intellectual, social-emotional, motor, language, and overall literacy. It helps the body and the mind work together. Exposing children to music during early development helps them learn the sounds and meanings of words.
Because of music:
- I can be a singer
- I can be creative
- I can be smart
- I can be a reader
- I can be active
- I can be a learner
- I can be joyful
- I can be a thinker
- I can be a listener
- I can be a team player
- I can be aware of others
This week our Year 2’s had some fun in Music class with their teacher, Mrs Du Plessis. The students practiced learning some clapped & repeated rhythms and then followed that with playing some of these rhythms on various instruments along with listening to different songs. They also enjoyed identifying various sounds together. The Year 2’s absolutely love going Music class each week – a chance for them to enjoy and express themselves individually whilst still having a great time together as a class.
Siobhan Hendry
Year 2 Teacher
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