rbis highlights april 2011

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2381 Hong Qiao Road (Zoo's East Gate), Shanghai, China 200335 (86 21)62689773, 62684081 www.rbischina.org Volume 4, Issue 4, April Principal’s Message Dear RBIS Community, Earth Day is Coming Soon! The following is information regarding this special RBIS event. Event Date: Saturday, April 23rd Time: 10:00am - 3:00pm Tickets On Tuesday, April 19th. They are in the form of a sticker. Each child receives four tickets for family and friends. Entrance RBIS students and parents can enter via our school’s gate or the main gate. Please wear your ED sticker-ticket for free entry. Your friends can buy their tickets on the day from the zoo’s main gate for 40 RMB. What to wear In the spirit of Earth Day we encourage you to “Dress Up” in clothes that represent your country or clothes that represent the environment. Be creative and have fun! What to bring Yourself, friends, tickets, camera, video camera, picnic blanket and picnic set, hat, sunscreen and a reusable drink bottle. What to do The best way to spend Earth Day is to relax on a picnic blanket with your family/friends and watch the stage performance. We will also be offering walking tours of the zoo for those parents who have never had a chance to visit the animals. There will also be lots of fun games and activities organized by teachers, RBIS parents and local charities/ businesses. Lunch -RBIS Café, Bastiaan Bakery, B u b b a ’ s B B Q , Bukhara, Pete’s Tex Mex, and The Freshary will be selling food at Earth Day. -The food court will be inside RBIS. We ask that you buy your food and take it back to the zoo for a picnic while watching the stage performances. -In the spirit of Earth Day we ask parents to bring in a reusable picnic set to try and reduce the amount of plastic plates and cups waste. Of course if you forget then the food vendors will be able to provide you with a plate and we ask you to put it into the recycling bins. Thanks! Transport Please walk, ride a bike, use public transport, or try and car pool. Principal’s Message Continues on Next Page... Highlights News and Events News and Events April 18th Family Gardening Day April 19th ED tickets sent home April 23rd Earth Day Celebration _______________ ANNOUNCEMENTS Congratulations to Avani in Mr. Josh’s 5th/6th grade class for winning our yearbook cover art contest. Students voted for the image they liked best and her artwork received the most votes! Her art will be featured on the cover of this year’s yearbook. We need your recycled materials! Our Earth Day games and activities require many recycled materials. We kindly ask that you collect your recycled materials and give them to your child’s teacher for the next two weeks. Please do not send any glass materials, batteries, or electronics. Thank you!

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Rainbow Bridge International School's bimonthly newsletter highlighting our school's programs, curriculum, and events with contributions from our principal, coordinators, and specials teachers.

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Page 1: RBIS Highlights April 2011

2381 Hong Qiao Road (Zoo's East Gate), Shanghai, China 200335 (86 21)62689773, 62684081 www.rbischina.org

Volume 4, Issue 4, April

Principal’s MessageDear RBIS Community,

Earth Day is Coming Soon! The following is information regarding this special RBIS event.

Event Date: Saturday, April 23rd

Time: 10:00am - 3:00pm

TicketsOn Tuesday, April 19th. They are in t h e f o r m o f a sticker. Each child receives four tickets f o r f a m i l y a n d friends.

EntranceRBIS students and parents can enter via our school’s gate or the main gate. Please wear your ED sticker-ticket for free entry.Your friends can buy their tickets on the day from the zoo’s main gate for 40 RMB.

What to wearIn the spirit of Earth Day we encourage you to “Dress Up” in clothes that represent your country or clothes that represent the environment. Be creative and have fun!

What to bringYourself, friends, tickets, camera, video camera, picnic blanket and picnic set, hat, sunscreen and a reusable drink bottle.

What to doThe best way to spend Earth Day is to relax on a picnic blanket with your family/friends and watch the stage performance. We will also be offering walking tours of the zoo for those parents who have never had a chance to visit the animals. There will also be lots of

f u n g a m e s a n d activities organized by teachers, RBIS parents and local c h a r i t i e s /businesses.

Lunch- R B I S C a f é , Bastiaan Bakery, B u b b a ’ s B B Q ,

Bukhara, Pete’s Tex Mex, and The Freshary will be selling food at Earth Day. -The food court will be inside RBIS. We ask that you buy your food and take it back to the zoo for a picnic while watching the stage performances.-In the spirit of Earth Day we ask parents to bring in a reusable picnic set to try and reduce the amount of plastic plates and cups waste. Of course if you forget then the food vendors will be able to provide you with a plate and we ask you to put it into the recycling bins. Thanks!

TransportPlease walk, ride a bike, use public transport, or try and car pool. Principal’s Message Continues on Next Page...

Highlights

News and EventsNews and EventsApril 18th Family Gardening Day

April 19th ED tickets sent home

April 23rd Earth Day Celebration

_______________

ANNOUNCEMENTS

C on gr a t ul at ions t o Avani in Mr. Josh’s 5th/6th grade class for winning our yearbook cover art contest.

Students voted for the image they liked best a n d h e r a r t w o r k r e c e i v e d t h e m o s t votes! Her art will be featured on the cover of this year’s yearbook.

We need your recycled materials!

Our Earth Day games and activities require many recycled materials.

We kindly ask that you collect your recycled materials and give them to your child’s teacher for the next two weeks. Please do not send any glass materials, batteries, or electronics. Thank you!

Page 2: RBIS Highlights April 2011

2381 Hong Qiao Road (Zoo's East Gate), Shanghai, China 200335 (86 21)62689773, 62684081 www.rbischina.org

Early Childhood

This month we had an exciting author visit for the Toddler, Early Years and Preschool c l a s s e s . M o r g a n S c h a t z

B l a c k r o s e f r o m A u s t r a l i a came to the library to do story telling w i t h o u r youngest age

groups. Morgan writes her own stories, poems, raps etc. Her story telling is very animated, involves music and invites lots of audience participation. This was the first event of its kind for the Toddler and Early Years s tudents who thoroughly enjoyed the storytelling! Our Toddler and Early Years t e a c h e r s w e r e a l s o v e r y f o r t u n a t e t o a t t e n d a professional development session on story telling run by Morgan.

The Toddler Early Years groups have also been busy exploring insects in their environment u n i t . M s Theresa and M s J u n e ’ s c lass have been looking a t h o w insects look, m a t c h i n g insects and creating insect artworks!

For the past two moths the Preschool classes have been exploring their unit of inquiry “ O u r a c t i v i t y i s u s u a l l y connected to the earth’s natural cycles.” During this inquiry students have explored the earth’s natural cycles of night and day and seasons and how this impacts the activities that they can do.

In Ms Demaris and Ms May’s c l a s s s t u -d e n t s b e -came really interested in h o w t h e earth moves around the sun creating seasonal cycles. They also became fascinated looking at stars and constellations when focusing on day and night cycles.

Mr Steve and Ms Cherry’s class interest focused on activities that you can do in the day and the night but also on animals and the activities they do in the day and night. Their inquiry led them to discuss diurnal and nocturnal animals!

The Pre-k classes have been exploring their unit of inquiry “Journeys create change and can lead to new opportunities”. Students explored the types of journey’s people make, the steps necessary in preparing for a journey, and how they may have changed because of a journey they have taken.

In Ms. Wenjue’s and Ms. Jane’s c l a s s s t u -dents gave a presentation on a journey t h e y h a d taken with their family. S t u d e n t s worked at home with their f a m i l i e s t o c r e a t e t h e presentation and then they presented it to their class. This activity really helped encourage s t u d e n t ’ s c o n f i d e n c e i n speaking in front of a group and their language skills!

Early Childhood Continues on Next Page...

Principal’s Message Continued...

Bad WeatherIn case of bad weather we will hold a smaller Earth Day festival inside our school for RBIS families only. On April 22nd please check our website for more information www.rbischina.org

Earth Day Man vs. Trash ManIn the weeks leading up to Earth Day, keep a look out for our ED hero, Earth Day man as he teaches us ways to protect our planet through sustainable living, recycling, reducing, and reusing. You may also catch him challenging our Earth Day villain, Trash Man, to choose actions that are friendlier to our Earth. Congratulations to Ms. Jennifer’s 3rd grade class for creating, Trash Man, this years ED villain! You may contact Earth Day Man at [email protected] and Trash Man at [email protected].

We look forward to seeing you on Earth Day!

Rebecca ZipprichPrincipal

Page 3: RBIS Highlights April 2011

2381 Hong Qiao Road (Zoo's East Gate), Shanghai, China 200335 (86 21)62689773, 62684081 www.rbischina.org

Elementary

S p r i n g h a s s p r u n g t h e Kindergarten and Elementary classes into action! Students have been extending their inquiry out of the classroom and shared their learning with the whole school through literacy night activities, and whole school assemblies and fundraisers.

Kindergarten took a closer look at communities and the roles and responsibilities we take on in various groups including the classroom, the school and Shanghai. They hosted two very special visitors from Home Sweet Home, a community center working with individuals with special needs. Students e n g a g e d i n t h o u g h t f u l discussion on how we can support everyone in our community! Leading up to Earth Day, Kindergarten will shift their focus to the natural world as they explore habitats. We look forward to seeing their inquiry unfold as they learn more about Sharing the Planet.

First grade became weather investigators connecting their knowledge of geography and culture to climate. They were able to communicate their understanding of How the World Works through end of unit weather reports. They continue to investigate the natural world as they inquire about bodies of water and how we can protect them. Look for their interactive demonstration boards at Earth Day!

Second grade applied their understanding of How We Organize Ourselves to create a lively assembly for Pre-K through 6th grade and a whole school fundraiser for J.A.R., an animal rescue organization. The students raised …. RMB. They now turn their focus to sharing finite natural resources particularly mineral resources.

Third grade’s creative juices have been flowing as they explored advert is ing and product design. The class was hired by Ms. Adrienne to create the logo for Book Week which was prominently displayed on a b a n n e r l e a d i n g i n t o t h e Elementary Building. The students also conducted market research as they designed products that were later pitched to their parents and teachers. From homework helpers to board games, students products w e r e r e f l e c t i v e o f t h e i r audiences needs and wants. In

the first weeks of their new inquiry into How the World Works, students are applying their creative design skills to understand the forces and energy of air.

Fourth grade has brought eco-consciousness to another level at RBIS. Having completed an eco-audit in the school and surveying students about their concerns for the environment, the class has organized the collection of yogurt cups for Earth Day activities, posted reminders on every light switch about conserving energy and developed a campaign to end the use of plastic bags. Look for their reusable bag station at Earth Day!

Fifth and Sixth Graders are getting fashionable as they wrap up their inquiry into personal identity through wearable art. The class is also currently working on their Exhibition, the culminating event of inquiry for the most senior class at RBIS. Students will present their inventions and solutions to environmental and social problems. Look for their presentation boards at Earth Day and be sure to pick up the latest issue of the Megazine which is currently in production

Anne CrylenElementary Coordinator

Early Childhood Continued...

Students also took a “journey” to the local post office. They wrote post cards about their trip and sent it to their families!

Linda MathewsEarly Childhood Coordinator

Page 4: RBIS Highlights April 2011

2381 Hong Qiao Road (Zoo's East Gate), Shanghai, China 200335 (86 21)62689773, 62684081 www.rbischina.org

Computer and Technology

These past few weeks we have been very busy learning from and connecting with others in Technology class!

Preschoolers continue to hone their hand eye coordination with games that promote phonemic awareness, problem solving, and letter recognition. In addition, we have been working on differentiating between stories that are real and stories that are make believe.

Prekindergarten students have been exploring the idea that “Journeys create change and can lead to new opportunities.” Along those lines, we have been reading Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus and talking about all the places the pigeon might go. We even looked at some of the places we have journeyed to on Google Earth!

Kindergarten sent their emails and received quite a few responses. We got emails and photographs from a boat captain, a police officer, a scientist, a doctor, a pilot, an artist, and two farmers! The children really enjoyed hearing about the jobs and seeing pictures. We also talked a b o u t h o w jobs are con-nected to our o w n l i v e s a n d c o -mmunity.

First grade students have learned a lot about the weather. T o e x t e n d o n t h a t i n technology , the s tudents watched videos about weather and played weather related games to learn more about the water cycle. Afterwards, they used TuxPaint to create their own drawing illustrating how the water cycle works.

Second grade has been working hard to raise money for JAR, an animal rescue organization here in Shanghai. Students used their time in computer class to research JAR and various other NGOs in order to d e t e r m i n e f o r w h i c h organization they wanted to fundraise. Great job second grade!

The third grader students did a w o n d e r f u l job creating p e r s o n a l logos as well as logos for Book Week. S t u d e n t s m a d e s l i d e s h o w p r e s e n t a t i o n s detailing their creative process using Open Office presentation software.

Fourth grade conducted an eco-audit here at RBIS. In the lab, they learned how to enter data into a spreadsheet and also used their data to create a bar graph illustrating their survey results.

Fifth grade has been doing a ton of research this year. Ms. Adrienne and I continue to help students refine research skills as well as learn to evaluate online information. Currently students are using lab time to refine their information literacy skills while researching issues around poverty, water pollution and animal rights.

And that’s all from the Tech Lab!

Ms. Kate

Music

In Early Years music class, we learned how to i m i t a t e t h e movements of i n s e c t s w i t h music. Since t h e y a r e learning about

insects as part of their unit of inquiry, we sang some songs about insects, their most favorite being the "Eensy Weecy Spider". Ms. Melissa's EYA class has their own version of the song

singing from a small to a big spider that incorporates actions as well.

Preschool is exploring sounds that we hear around us. We learned and identified the sounds of animals and how their sounds compared to other animals. We also learned to identify sounds we hear from the street, from the playground, and in the zoo. We also made picture music and created our own sounds through the pictures. We also learned to sing some songs just by using vocables such as la la la, da da da or ba ba ba to familiarize the correct pitch and melody. In Elementary, for their current unit of inquiry in music class, students have opportunities to learn different Music Continues on Next Page...

Page 5: RBIS Highlights April 2011

2381 Hong Qiao Road (Zoo's East Gate), Shanghai, China 200335 (86 21)62689773, 62684081 www.rbischina.org

Library

Book WeekThis February R B I S w a s e n g u l f e d i n r e a d i n g a n d literacy events d u r i n g o u r a n n u a l B o o k Week. From the

Book Fair and Battle of the Books to Dr. Seuss crafts and Singaporean storytellers, Book Week held something for everyone! Evan from 3rd grade wrote a description of his favorite parts of Book Week:

Book Week was so fun! I love Book Week because there’s so many fun games and activities. My favorite thing was the Read In! Because you get to read so so much. And we got to eat snacks and bring pillows. Book Week also had other cool activities like Literacy Night where my class did two readers theaters. And Literacy Night had lots of fun games like computer games, Up Words, treasure hunting and so much more. My second favorite thing at Book Week was Character Dress-up Day where I was Ook from Ook and Gluk. I made my costume out of old pants. Then my mom sewed it up. Book Week was so so so so so so fun!

Read-a-Thon ResultsRBIS kindergarten and elementary students devoted eleven days to reading to raise money for the Roots and Shoots Million Tree Project. Students read for a total of 845 hours 33 minutes and raised enough money to plant 579 trees! Thanks to parents for all your support of this project.

Class WinnersKindergartenKB - Read for 33 hours and earned enough to plant 27 trees!KD and KE - Highest participation

Elementary5th/6th - Read for 298 hours 10 minutes!4th - Earned enough money to plant 65 trees!5th/6th 2B&2C - Highest participation

Student WinnersKindergartenJay, KA - Read for 13 hours 35 minutes and earned enough to plant 16 trees!Jay and Hun Son, KB- Read for 12 hours!Eileen, KD - Earned enough to plant 16 trees!

Elementary Zach, 5th/6th - Read for 56 hours 50 minutes!Victor, 5th/6th - Read for 56 hours 46 minutes!Aviva, 4th - Earned enough to plant 57 trees!

Special thanks go to our sponsors for donating fabulous prizes for Read-a-Thon and Book Week: Planet Laser Tag, MaMaMeYa Mom n' Kids Club, QinLe Pottery, Scholastic Book Club, and Beijing Star Kids Children’s Bookstore.

Author VisitsMath Man Stuart MurphyPrekindergarten through third grade students laughed along with American author Stuart Murphy as he read from his entertaining MathStart series. All of Mr. Murphy’s storybooks explain math concepts in fun, visual ways. Mr. Murphy spent time with students inscribing their books and answering questions about writing and math. Many students own Mr. Murphy’s books in Korean, Japanese, and Chinese. The library now has many Stuart Murphy books available to borrow; check one out today!

Morgan Schatz-BlackroseMorgan brought her storytelling talents all the way from Australia to share with Toddler, Early Years, and Preschool students. Morgan is an expert storyteller and incorporates music, sign language, and audience participation in all her stories. Our youngest learners were captivated by her Australian animal puppets and dramatic storytelling style.

Ms. Adrienne

Music Continued...

styles of music from different cultures of the world. A lot of classes are learning different ensemble music including, recorder ensemble, percussion ensemble and Earth Day Choir. The students demonstrated their abilities to read and write music notation includingmusic theory, music history and music elements. 3rd, 4th and 5th graders are also learning creative composition using melody and harmony lines. Some students will create their own pitch or un-pitch instruments using recycle instruments. The most exciting is the Earth Day Music Performances by students, musicians and parents!!!

Ms. Michelle and Mr. Glenn

Page 6: RBIS Highlights April 2011

2381 Hong Qiao Road (Zoo's East Gate), Shanghai, China 200335 (86 21)62689773, 62684081 www.rbischina.org

Science

Toddlers and Early Years are s t u d y i n g l i v i n g t h i n g s specifically how a seed becomes a p lant which bui lds an understanding of the life cycle. And for our Preschoolers, they are nurturing their curiosity about the seasonal changes.

For our Elementary students, Spring time means it is time to get busy planting; all students at RBIS have sowed seeds in our Organic Gardens! Students first prepared the soil by removing rocks and adding nutritious compost from our compost bin and worm farms. Students then examined how to read seed packet information to learn: how deep they should plant their seeds, how much s p a c e t h e y s h o u l d l e a v e between seeds, when their class plants would germinate, how much sun and water they need, if they need to thin out their plants, and how many days until the vegetable or fruit will be ready to harvest. Some winter crops such as lettuce and arugula were harvested and made into delicious salads that 3rd and 4th graders found scrumptious! P r e - K a n d k i n d e r g a r t e n students invested the concept of buoyancy as they conducted experiments with objects to observe if they would sink or float. Pre-K students then explored the world of magnets a n d t e s t e d o b j e c t s t o understand what kind of o b j e c t s a r e a t t r a c t e d t o

magnets. Students observed magnetic force as they made iron filing pictures, raced cork tack boats, and made paper clips magically dance above paper. As students progressed in the experiments and took mental note of the results, their hypothesis’s improved and they became skilled at predicting the b u o y a n c y a n d m a g n e t i c properties of different kinds of matter.

Kindergarten is now hopping to knowledge about habitats with their new UOI: “Many living things l ive together in a habitat.” We explored the Savanna Grassland habitat and discussed predator and prey relationships. Students played the “Are You My Dinner Game,” where predators had to identify their prey and hawk and squirrel predator/prey game where if you didn’t get enough to eat you ended up decomposing in the compost. Students then analyzed our classroom pet’s habitats and identified their needs. Students also went to the gardens and sketched their observations of a garden habitat.

Meteorologist in first grade finished up their unit of inquiry on weather by studying natural disasters. We discussed floods, s e v e r e t h u n d e r s t o r m s , h u r r i c a n e s , d r o u g h t s , s a n d s t o r m s , b l i z z a r d s , tornadoes and made a small model of a tornado in the classroom. After the tragic earthquake and tsunami in Japan, we became geologist and discussed the science behind what had happened.

Second grade is exploring the m i c r o s c o p i c w o r l d , i n particular microscopic germs! Students learned the different parts of a microscope and how to correctly use one. Students looked at prepared plant, animal, and textile slides and

sketched their observations. Then they created their own slides using newspaper and rabbit fur a s t h e i r s p e c -i m e n s . S tudents observed p h o t o -graphs of b a c t e r i a and viruses under microscopes and created 3D models of these germs. Students are now studying how germs spread and now really understand the importance of frequently washing your hands!

T h i r d g r a d e h a s b e e n investigating how the world works as they explore force, motion, machines, and air! T h e y e x a m i n e d h o w t h e steepness of an incline affects the distance a toy car will travel. They built a seesaw lever to observe how machines make work easier, and chart how the distance from the fulcrum to the paper clips impacts the number of paper clips needed to lift a ball of clay. Now students are working on their PYP unit of inquiry: “The forces and energy of air impact people and the environments in which they live.” Students went on an “air walk” to find evidence of air such as wind blowing leaves and the smell of lunch being carried in the air! In an air experiment students were amazed that they could lift a heavy table using only a few plastic bags, drinking straws, and compressed air! They excitedly pointed out other examples of compressed air in action like the wheels on a bike or car and discussed why it is so difficult to ride your bike when you have flat tires.

Fourth grade conducted an eco-audit to assess how

Science Continues on Next Page...

Page 7: RBIS Highlights April 2011

2381 Hong Qiao Road (Zoo's East Gate), Shanghai, China 200335 (86 21)62689773, 62684081 www.rbischina.org

Physical Education

In P.E. we have been working o n c o o r d i n a t i o n a n d sportsmanship. Our keywords have been responsibility and balance.

In Early Years Ms. Rowena has been focusing on their Unit of I n q u i r y w h i c h i s body control t h r o u g h gymnastics. The students h a v e b e e n p r a c t i c i n g their forward rolls, moving along the balance beam and manipulating their bodies in different ways. They have progressed well and most can

now perform a short routine with a little help!

In Pre K and K we have been f o c u s i n g o n a s i m i l a r gymnastics Unit of Inquiry. The students have mastered the f o r w a r d r o l l , t r i e d t h e backwards roll, can do an a s s i s t e d h a n d s t a n d o r headstand and can balance along the beam with obstacles in the way.

In Grade 1 we have done a mixture of gymnastics and badminton and Grade 2 have b e e n i m p r o v i n g t h e i r b a d m i n t o n s k i l l s t o o progressing from the small racquets to the adult ones. For all the grades in elementary we have been learning about how to be a better competitor, how to lose gracefully whilst trying our best, how to celebrate winning with a doubles partner and be a better competitor.

Little adjustments to our student’s routine in P.E. have helped them become better competitors and they have been able to be responsible for their own emotions under pressure. This was a big step for many

students who have in the past overreacted at a loss or b e c o m e angry when beaten. Now t h e y h a v e l e a r n t t o control those emotions and be more caring and responsible competitors. Games like badminton and cricket which are steeped in tradition and character can give great examples of how to behave on the field of play. We have tried to incorporate some of these good habits into our P.E. class with great success.

In other P.E. news the RBIS football and basketball teams h a v e b e e n p e r f o r m i n g extremely well. They have traveled to matches against WISS and YK Pao School around Shanghai and have shown great fighting spirit and although came away with defeats they have proved themselves great competitors and fast improving team players!

Ms. Rowena & Mr. Toby

Science Continued...

environmentally friendly RBIS is and work on their UOI: “Environmental concerns lead people to take social action which can lead to a sustainable future.” In their investigation they discovered many things RBIS does well, as well as, some places we can improve. One observation was that some of the sinks at RBIS are missing water aerators (device that adds air to the water to spread out water flow, so less water leaves the faucet). Students conducted an experiment to compare the amount of water used with and without an aerator. Results after having the sinks on for 10 seconds each yielded 1,000 ml on the sink with the aerator, and 1,975ml on the sink without. What a difference! Students then wrote persuasive letters explaining how installing this simple device can drastically cut down on the amount of water RBIS uses daily.

Fifth/Sixth grade took some time to investigate the cause of tsunamis, history and science of where tsunamis have occurred, how scientist can give early warnings, and how tsunamis impact people and wildlife. Students are also exploring properties of light. They learned that the sun gives off electromagnetic radiation, some kinds you can see such as visible light and others you cannot see such as infrared radiation. They built electric circuits to observe changes in light bulbs as they modified different parts of the circuit. Students learned that light travels in waves and experimented with reflection and refraction. Students also investigated how light is affected by concave and convex lenses, how the human eye works, and how glasses and contact lenses correct vision problems.

Ms. Heather and Mr. Richard

Page 8: RBIS Highlights April 2011

2381 Hong Qiao Road (Zoo's East Gate), Shanghai, China 200335 (86 21)62689773, 62684081 www.rbischina.org

Art

Lately we have b e e n s e e i n g things in three dimensions in the RBIS art s t u d i o . T h i s month, early c h i l d h o o d started to learn

what is sculpture and started to make their own sculpture as well. Toddlers and early years had fun playing and exploring legos and blocks to make 3D objects. Children experienced one of the methods which is assembling or attaching things together to make a three dimensional objects. In preschool and pre-k, we talked about sculpture and discussed the similarities and differences between sculpture and the other artworks. We red books to support the lesson, “ Sculpture “ by Karen Hosack and “ Art attack “ by Neil Buchanan.

Children also started to make their sculptures. First, they drew and colored the sculpture that they wanted to make, such as a dinosaur, castle, mask, rocket ship, pr incess , or flowers. The next step for the children was making it. We used scrap paper, cardboard,

tape, foam board, and styrofoam to create their sculptures.

Elementary Students have also been focusing on the medium of sculpture to exercise their creativity and to bring their imaginations to life. But, before we started molding, bending, carving, connecting, adding and subtracting.. We had to define what is and what isn't a sculpture. Kindergarten students created a 'drawing with objects' to help them determine what is 2D and what is 3D. The children read the story, "My Dog is a smelly as stinky socks" which is a collection of family portraits that were painted and then objects were added to help describe a particular family member. So, the author, when she said her 'dog is as smelly as stinky socks', used an real stinky, old pair of socks for the dog's ears on her painting. AJ, a student in KA, said his dad was a strong as Superman. After he painted a portrait of his dad, he created a Superman suit out of a plastic bottle and glued it onto his painting. Many students used lots of objects to construct their artwork blurring the line between a painting and something sculptural.

First grade and second grade worked on creating a definition for sculpture to use in the classroom. They first looked at many types of art and picked out attributes associated with what they thought

should be called sculpture. They ended up with a wide-ranging definition that encompasses lots of characteristics found in many different types of sculpture. They are now doing a series of s c u l p t u r a l ' s k e t c h e s ' , experimenting with different types of materials and different ways of making sculpture. This is in preparation of their final, larger sculptural project.

Don't be alarmed if you see third grade rummaging through the recycle bins at RBIS. They are just looking for the right materials and the most suitable found objects to create their recyclable animal sculptures. The students selected an animal to create in 3D by asking themselves: ..."If I were an animal, what animal would I be?" Taking in consideration their strengths, talents, and physical characteristics, students set off to the library to do research on their animal. These sculptures, when finished, will be a more metaphorical type of self-portraiture. Third graders are currently in the planning process trying to figure what materials they will need and how they will piece them together.

As part of their current UOI, Sharing the Planet, Fourth grade just finished up their environmental posters to be displayed for Earth Day. Each student picked an environmental issue: i.e., oil consumption, shark fin soup, vanishing wetlands, the endangered Right whale, the endangered zebra. Their task was to create a visually persuasive poster combining images with text that 'read quickly' and got the viewer's attention immediately. Check them out on display this Saturday at our Earth Day event! Next up for fourth grade: we will be taking excursions into the zoo to create land art!

5th/6th grade's UOI, How we Express Ourselves, has them looking at how people adorn themselves and how that influences opinions about their persona. To investigate this, we first categorized occupations with the type of dress associated with them. We looked at stereotypes and discussed if stereotypes all always accurate. To show how easy fashion can influence our opinions, the students chose and cut out a fashion model from a magazine. They then cut out clothes, jewelry, an other adornments to construct entirely different outfits for their model. Then, through the use of stop- motion animation, the students showed the evolution of their model changing form one identity to another. Next up for fifth grade: Creating our own wearable art with the intent to influence another's opinion about ourselves!

Mr. Alex and Mr. Romel

Page 9: RBIS Highlights April 2011

Photo Gallery Photo Gallery Photo Gallery

RBIS students observe a moment of silence for those affected by the earthquake and tsunami in Northeastern Japan, and

they help construct a “Peace Quilt” that will be sent to shelters in the Tohoku region.

Page 10: RBIS Highlights April 2011

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To HongqiaoAirport

Hongqiao Lu

Hongzhong Lu

Hongjing Lu

Hongmei Lu

Huanxi Lu

Jinhui Lu

(3 km)

The Bund (17 km)

Zoo’s east gateShanghai

Zoo

Yan’an Lu

Ham

i Lu

Metro Line 10

Office of Admission(86 21) 62689773, 62683121

[email protected]

Rainbow Bridge International School

2381 Hong Qiao RoadShanghai, China 200335

RBIS is located inside Shanghai Zoo through the East gate entrance.

The campus is just 5 mins. from Hongqiao Int’l airport and 10 mins. from the Gubei area. A Metro Line 10 station is located in front of the zoo’s main entrance.