Term 2 Week 12 - Online Learning

Central Idea:  Present-day societies are built upon the systems and technologies of past civilizations. (Science & Thai Link).

Line of Inquiry: The connection between past and present  

This week we teachers have been teaching without actually meeting our students face to face! For Year 7 this meant doing learning via Google Meet and Google Classroom. Both students and teachers have been getting used to doing things differently. The learning has still gone on, although in a different format. Here's an overview of our learning.

Science- this week we looked at the six kinds of simple machines. The challenge was to take some of these and develop them into a toy. This gave students something active to engage in during the time that they were unable to go out. Next week we will learn about gears and consider how our toys or devices could be improved by adding gears.

English - our focus this week was on reading about a civilization of the past and researching either education, healthcare or government worked at that time. The task was then to take the notes and present them as an information report with an introduction, paragraphs and a conclusion.

Next week there is going to be a particular focus on reading. We are going to read about how historians work and look at some examples of things they might read. The writing focus is going to be on persuasive writing.

Maths

We have come to the end of our first week of online learning! Although some students have found this transition more difficult than others, we have managed to gain a better understanding about the Google Classroom, Google Calendar and Google Meet.

Please note:

• Maths work is available on Google Classroom from 7am every day with a deadline of 6pm. (If the students require an extension, I will need a valid reason in order for this to be considered.)
• A maths meeting takes place on Google Meet with myself and Mr.Golf from 10am until 12pm. This is an opportunity for the students to join us and discuss the maths work of the day. This is not mandatory, but based on the marks the students have been getting on their first attempt of their work, I would encourage it.
• 'I did it in my book' - this comment is frequently popping up on the students submissions. Firstly, I love that they are doing their calculations in their maths book! However, please encurage them to take a photograph of this work and upload it to the slide. This can have an impact on their mark and also allow me to see where they may need help.

On Monday 30th March 2020, the students will complete their Fractional Thinking assessment in the form of a quiz assessment on Google Classroom. This will be the only work they complete, giving them time to do additional revision for the assessment. The assessment will be available from 7am and the deadline will be 12pm. This will allow time for marking and feedback in the afternoon. Myself and Mr.Golf will be available from 10am to 12pm as usual for if any of the students need some support with reading the question or requesting a Thai translation.

Our next topic is 'Lines and Angles', which has two subtopics. The first subtopic we are working on is 'Constructing, measuring and using geometric notation'. The learning next week will include:

Letter and labeling conventions

Draw and measure line segments

Angles as a measure of turn

Classify angles

Further to my previous recommendations, in order to ensure these lessons are completed effectively, I would advise the students to invest in a geometry set. A few of the students already have their own and they agreed it has proven useful to have their own.

In the meantime, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. Please ensure that the students are submitting their work and completing any maths corrections they may need to do. : )