The Parent Teacher Group is organising movie events for PYP and MYP students. Buy your tickets after school today!
PYP Movie Afternoon: The Secret Life of Pets, 3.20 pm MPR (parents need to stay)
MYP Movie Night: Here Comes The Boom, 6 pm MPR
See you on Thursday!
The Strasbourg Short Story Competition is coming to an end. Native and non-native English speakers, both adult and children have been encouraged to enter the short story competition. The only condition for this time’s competition is that the story should be in English. You are free to choose any storyline for your story. If you love writing, you still have until 4 February 2017 to finish up your entry. There will be prizes for winners. If you are interested check out for details and to enter. http://sxb-write-a-story.org/
Text by Nasya
This semester, Grade 8 has been reading and studying poetry and other creative writings as their English unit. Through this study, they have read The House on Mango Street and have made a book that follows after the book in a vignette style. This book, The School on Wieblinger Weg, is a collection of short stories about the school, from the first day to waiting at the tram stop. This book will soon be available in the H.I.S. library and is a perfect way to see the good, the bad, and the ugly in the school on Wieblinger Weg!
Matt, Grade 8
This year H.I.S is encouraging students and teachers to participate in the 2017 Reading Challenge. All you have to do is set a goal and aim to read between 1 and 25 books that fulfill some requirements. You have to read at least one book for each of the following requirements:
1. A favorite book you have read in the past five years
2. A book someone recommended to you
3. A book that has won a major award
4. A non-fiction title
5. A book/movie combo
6. A book published in 2017
7. A classic
8. A book recommended by your librarian
9. A science fiction novel
10. A novel that deals with diversity
11. A book set in your favorite season of the year
12. A book in verse or a book of poetry
13. A book found on your current recommended reading lists for your state
14. A book an adult you admire loved to read
15. A historical fictions novel
16. A graphic novel
17. A book with a reputation as tear jerker
18. A book you chose because of the cover
19. A book by a debut author
20. A short story collection
21. A retelling of a fairy tale, myth or classic story
22. A book on the ALA Banned books list
23. A book you would recommend to someone
24. A book that is likely to make you laugh
25. A book you found on the YALSA’s current recommended and so on.
The books you choose have to be age appropriate meaning no kids’ books are allowed. You have 12 months to complete this reading challenge. If you have no idea what books you would like to read, resources are listed in the library’s catalog’s Symbaloo. We hope you participate in this reading challenge. Enjoy!
Text: Nasya, Grade 7
Do you feel like spending an evening laid back, with a glass of some beverage, listening to some live jazz? Then you’re in luck! Three of the biggest big bands from the Baden-Württemberg region are performing soon in Speyer. Grade 10 student, Remus, is the core piano player in Jazz Attack, the band conducted by Frank Runhof. One of Jazz Attack’s most remarkable accomplishments is the Skoda prize in 2009.
Teachers Learning From Students…![DSCN1035[1]](http://his-makingadifference.de/wordpress_his86400/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/DSCN10351.jpg)
Students can be teachers too, and often teachers are pleasantly surprised by the many inspiring and interesting lessons their students share. Today, after having lots of students out sick, Grade 6 had a full and healthy house for morning Homeroom. We took this opportunity to take a quick class snap, and students were happy when it was agreed we could all pull “the dab” dance pose. Grade 6 were pleased to have shared their knowledge of this new craze with their teacher… Perhaps it’s not the most important or inspiring lesson, but it definitely is a sign of fun we have along the way as we learn together!
text & photo: HP and Grade 6
Grade 10 have started working on the topic of GIVE (Genetics, Inheritance, Variation & Selection).
Students have studied the structure of DNA in class and were then asked to use their knowledge to build a model DNA.
Each group was given a tray filled will a different set of “goodies” including gummi bears and marshmallows as well as a selection of Styrofoam balls, beads, pipe cleaners and toothpicks. With this they had to build their own model of DNA and justify and explain why they had chosen each particular material to represent the different parts of the DNA structure.
Following this the students spent a lesson extracting DNA from kiwi fruit and their own saliva to understand how the process is done and how it is used in DNA profiling.
The students will follow this up with an evaluation of their models, reflecting on the process and more importantly their selection of materials to represent the different parts and consideration of how their models could be improved if they had to do it again with the same materials.
text & photos: SAB
While I was on recess duty this morning, I watched with interest as the entire Grade 5 class gathered together to play a game. I snapped a few photos and asked the kids to tell me what was going on. Here’s how Katherine described it:
“Grade 5 came up with a game today on the playground that a few of them have seen before. It is called “Carrots” and they decided to play the game at break time. The game goes like this…..first, everyone who is playing places his or her foot in the middle, and then you say the bubble gum, 
bubble gum in a dish rhyme to decide on 2 pullers. These people are the ones who pull the carrots out. Next, everyone who isn’t a puller, gets in a circle (laying on the ground facing each other) and holds hands really tight. Then the pullers start pulling on someone’s leg until his or her grasp comes loose. It is important that the pullers not pull someone over another person being pulled. The person who loses grasp then must become a puller. Once you reach the final two people in the circle, then you say that both of them win, or you have a pull-off where half the pullers pull on one person and the other half pull on the other. The person to lose grasp wins! (This is not so easy to figure out!)”
I think it’s amazing that these kids not only made up their own game, but all played together and had fun together! Way to go, Grade 5! What a team!
Pam Clower
In Grade 6, we’ve been thinking! Recently, some posters have been displayed around school relating to the use of social media. The posters encourage students to THINK before they post something on line or via social media.
This means asking:
T– is it true?
H – is it helpful?
I – is it interesting?
N – is it necessary?
K – is it kind?
Since grade 6 have been exploring digital citizenship, these posters made for an important talking point. We looked at the meanings of these words and brainstormed some synonyms and antonyms. The students then had to reflect on how they’d like to be perceived. Not surprisingly, we all agreed that we would want to be described as honest, helpful and kind people. When imagining being described as the opposite, a mean, boring and dishonest person, students were challenged to think about the choices they make on social media. Here is the slide we created in class:
text & slide: HP, Grade 6
…wonderful winter weather is coming to an end, what a treat it was to have sunshine at break time each day.
Early Primary students went on a journey to the forest, which turned out to be a fabulous adventure for the them. They made the most of the beautiful winter conditions, which had turned the forest into a frosty wonderland for them to explore.
Keep warm and have a great weekend.
text & photos: AS