MYP Newsletter - December 2022 - Issue 2

MYP Newsletter

Well, what a first term it has been!

Raha has always been a busy place, but this first term has seen us doubling our efforts to ensure that our students have the support, challenge and variety of experiences that they need to be successful in the MYP and enjoy their school life.

As highlighted in the pages below, our students have been consistently engaged across the curriculum, putting their skills to work in the construction of their own learning. It has been wonderful to see students and teachers getting out into the community together this term. The notable success of our basketball teams at the World School Games at NYU and competitive involvement across the school in netball, volleyball, rugby, cricket, water polo, triathlon, swim squad and a variety of extra curricular activities has brought back the rich school experiences that we have missed.

November has been a wonderfully action filled month. MYP 4 and 5 (Grades 9 & 10) students have begun to consider subject choices for next year. Curriculum wise, there have certainly been a few busy weeks where assessments seem to come thick and fast, with students’ ever developing organisational skills being put to good use!

The rich learning going on in our classrooms is of course the highlight for me; however, there is so much more to celebrate and share, whether it be on the stage, battling it out in various sports, or in teacher’s rooms in the afternoons experiencing a multitude of creative extracurricular activities.

The campus was absolutely buzzing when we welcomed parents for in person three way conferences after a couple of years. The annual MYP Curriculum Student Survey is in the process of being completed by our students; this year’s edition includes a number of suggestions from a group of Grade 9s. We look forward to analysing all the feedback as we continue to embrace student voice in curriculum decision-making wherever possible.

One of my favourite annual events, the Raha UAE National Day celebration, capped off the calendar year, with the anticipation of our International Day festivities just around the corner in February.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your support of what has been an exceptionally busy time for us. Wishing you all the best over the break ahead, whether travelling overseas or enjoying the beautiful UAE winter weather.

Best wishes,

Unfortunately, November has also seen us bid farewell to Ms Nourin Akbar, who is moving on to new, exciting challenges. Nourin has been the Assistant to the PYP & MYP Coordinators for the past three years, and is one of those rare individuals who can maintain calm when the to do lists seem to grow exponentially! She will be hugely missed.

Season’s greetings to all!

MYP CURRICULUM

HEAD OF SECONDARY

Paul Ede

DEPUTY HEAD OF SECONDARY

Vaughan Kitson

Experimenting with sugar in the Science lab

VISUAL ART,

IN

students have created their own cultural masks reflecting who they are as individuals.

In INDIVIDUALS & SOCIETIES…

We are investigating the impact of natural disasters on human geography. Mustapha and Hannah are showing an example of their skill development in formulating focused research questions that will enable them to produce evidenced arguments on their selected case studies.

F1 Product Design Unit

Students had the opportunity to visit the Yas Marina Circuit to get a behind-the-scenes exclusive look at the teams trying out new designs, tyres, and even drivers as part of their winter testing. The students then took a more detailed look at some aerodynamics in action when they got to test their reactions and race against their friends on the 20 metre F1 in schools track at the venue. Seeing the race cars and smaller scale models up close will massively benefit the students when completing their Product Design unit this year.

GRADE

POETRY SLAM 2022

Students have been stepping out of cosy comfort zones, and into the wonderful world of live poetry, with the sound of Haikus, Sonnets, Limericks, Acrostic poems, Elegy and more emanating from F-block classrooms!

SILENT MOVIES

Grade 8 students have finished their first course in the Arts Carousel, so we already have the first silent films produced entirely by them within the Drama - Media unit as a result of their learning process. They know how to produce a silent film and how to perform different characters in a slapstick comedy.

GRADE 9

In recent weeks, our Grade 9 students have enjoyed participating in Osrah competitions. The students have come together to support one another and cheer on our football players. Congratulations to all involved and thank you to our students and advisors for your effort, energy and enthusiasm! Thank you to our Grade 9 Purple Falcons for the photograph!

In skills classes, Grade 9 students are working collaboratively to develop new skills in Design. Recently, students have been working on sewing, crochet, pyrography, 3D modeling and coding.

GRADE 9

A note from Ms Aoife

Since our last publication, our Grade 9 students have enjoyed participating in sporting events, ECPs and a variety of activities while in their classes. For example, selected comics created by Grade 9 students as part of their first English summative assessment will be entered into a competition. These comics will be viewed by the larger school community and a winner will be chosen. This is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate student achievement – congratulations to all selected students!

In Media Arts , Grade 9 students are investigating the effects of shot types and camera angles on the meaning that can be conveyed through a photograph. They will be transferring these skills into video productions later in the year. Thank you to Ms Lise and the Media Arts team for the photographs – can't wait to see what these creative students produce!

Individuals & Societies

Russian Revolution –

Students have been analysing historical political cartoons, using factual evidence of 1905-1916 to determine the impacts on Autocratic rule in the Tsarist Romanov 300-year time period.

Geography: Urbanisation - Students have recently begun a new unit regarding the creation of cities, and will choose a city to research the function and features whilst looking for innovative city plans for future development.

G10 Media Arts have just started their unit inquiring into advertising through the lens of fairness and development. At this early stage they are learning to analyse the elements, techniques and context of different forms of advertisements.

GRADE 10 Language & Literature - ENGLISH

As part of our Podcasts on Blast unit, students created their own original podcast episodes, demonstrating their awareness of the key stylistic conventions of podcasts, refining their editing skills and producing engaging content aimed at niche audiences within the Raha community.

Please tune in to some of the episodes below!

Psychnology

One

at

produced by Hannah Mai Kelly, Nadia Wojcik and Julita Tomczuk (10F)

Step

a Time produced by Eva Dobrescu, Lucia Patino Medina and Sarah Tremblay-Vieira (10B)

Flag Day

Women in STEM

Students from the F1 in schools ECP had the opportunity to visit the Yas Marina Circuit to get a behind-the-scenes exclusive look at the teams trying out new design, tyres, and even drivers as part of their winter testing.

The students then took to the track themselves (albeit much smaller and much less dangerous) to test out their own aerodynamic designs, as well as some of last years best examples.

This testing experience will be a huge benefit to our students when competing in the National Finals next June.

Creations by Zoya Siddique, Grade 7

Pyrography

One of the many ECP offerings

MYP students shining in the Senior (U19) Cricket and Football teams

The U19 cricket team qualified for the final stages of the Super-sixes tournament. With a few of our super-stars unavailable, a couple of our MYP students stepped up to shoulder the burden.

RIS U19 Football Players competed for ADISSA Glory on Saturday 26th November, reaching the semi-finals and unfortunately losing on penalties. The team did not lose a game through normal time and were fiercely competitive throughout. All 13 players worked tirelessly and represented the school in a positive way. Well done to them all and we look forward to the next challenge in 2023.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Yahya Hamood of Grade 9 dominated the bowling of BSAK and Merryland, with some stylish left-handed Lara-esque cuts and pulls.

27th. The girls had trained every lunchtime that week as girls’ basketball does not start until term 2 but this was an opportunity we could not miss! Nearly all the other schools had Grade 8 teams. This did not phase our tenacious Grade 6 and 7 girls, who played with enthusiasm and determination. Many of the referees and coaches complimented our girls on their teamwork and positive attitudes!

The Under 13 Girls basketball team took part in the JNR NBA League tryouts on Sunday

Basketball CHAMPIONS

Mr Walter’s very special U13 boys’ team swept aside schools

from across the region at the recent World School Games international tournament. This took place at NYU. Apart from achieving 1st Place, there were also individual honours, with Minchan named in the All-Tournament Team and Jash awarded the prestigious Tournament MVP trophy.

Bronze participants were completing their practice adventurous journey over the National Day weekend in RAK.

They practised putting up their tents and cooking using the camping stoves in preparation for the big challenge…

Students were completely self sufficient, carrying all their equipment and food required for two days. Each day students hiked over 10 km carrying all their kit, and they camped in the wild.

Challenges were faced and overcome! Well done, what an achievement.

Thanks to Ms Tania and Ms Roisín for accompanying the intrepid hikers

51st National Day celebrations