RIS Parent Newsletter - December 2011

For A Bright Future!

December Newsletter

RAINBOW International School SEOUL

December 5th, 2011

Volume 4 Issue 1

2-32 YANGJAE 1-DONG, SEOCHO-GU, SEOUL, REPUBLIC OF KOREA 137-886 PHONE + 82 2 571 2917 FAX + 82 2 572 2916

Rainbow International School Mission Statement Rainbow International School enables students to achieve academic excellence while being encouraged to be global leaders who promote global peace through equity, innovation, diversity, integrity, community, care for the environment and self-respect.

Principal`s Message Greetings RIS Family Members!

Can you believe that the school year is half over! And it’s hard to believe that the holidays are upon us. The start to this school year has been fantastic. The students should be recognized for their hard work and dedication.

One Important Reminder: Please be sure to send your child to school with warm clothing, hats, scarves and gloves, and snow pants and boots for snowy days December is a great month here at Rainbow with many fun and exciting events occurring.

Our Middle School Head Teacher, Ms. Jones and the students in the journalism club worked so hard. The first ever RIS newspaper has been published! Enjoy it!

Looking ahead, we will have our winter concert and I hope you will all be able to attend RIS Winter Concert on Friday, December 16th from 1:00 - 3:00pm. RIS Art teacher Ms. Kim and students are preparing parents` invitation cards for

In this issue! the concert. It will be a fun day for everyone in your family and will also include performances by our students.

Also, you will be able to get 1st semester`s Report card.

Our Winter Break begins on Friday, December 16th through Monday, January 9th. Students return to school on Monday, January 9th.

Please check the RIS website for important dates and events in December and January.

In closing, thank you for all your support in sending your child to school every day, listening to him/her read, following his/her progress on daily basis, contacting teachers, and attending a parent teacher conferences. Your support is so important to the success of your child.

We embrace all students, all cultures and all traditions here at Rainbow, and we extend our best to all of you for a wonderful winter break and a safe and joyful holiday season.

Principal`s Message ... 1 News From The ESL ..... 2 RIS Teachers ................. 3 Art .................................. 4 Grade Five .................. 5 Healthy Kids ................. 6 A Day in Seoul ............. 7 The End ......................... 8

Dear RIS Parents, The first ever RIS newspaper has been published! If you didn't get a hard copy, you can read the PDF version by clicking on the link below:

Chronicle November We hope you enjoy it!

Principal`s Coffee Please join RIS Principal, Emin Huseynov, in the cafeteria for 1 hour of open dialogue about what is happening at the school. The next coffee talk session will be on December 9th at 10am. We look forward to meeting with you.

UPCOMING EVENTS! ∫Principal`s Coffee/School Cafeteria/12.09.2011

∫Winter Concert/Auditorium/12.16.2011

∫Report Cards/12.16.2011

News from the He

ESL

“We Love Writing!”

respect

~ESL 1-3: By Ms. Ross Hello everyone! It’s an exciting time in ESL 1-3! Winter break is on the horizon, and we have many special projects and academic undertakings on the go!

During the first two weeks of December, ESL 1-3 students will dedicate themselves len Peters to the art of writing by hosting a special in-class event, “Writing Workshop.” We will focus on many different aspects of writing. Our students will learn about different genres, choose their favorite, and then write independent stories based on a winter theme.

Our students will learn about the writing process in a step by step manner, and they will also have special classes concentrated on writing mechanics, grammar and phonics. The goal of the “Writing Workshop” is to give students an opportunity to write in a fun and creative way and to help foster a love of writing! At the end of the writing workshop, we will gather our stories and construct a giant book titled, “Winter Tales from RIS.” During the month of November, ESL 1-3 Students learned about Personal Narratives. Here are some examples of their work!

“Lotte World” “Zoo” ~By Fahad (Grade 3) ~By Mohammed (Grade 3)

“Trip to Japan” “Happy School” ~By Yuna (Grade 2) ~By Waleed (Grade 3)

“Jeju Island” ~By Ghadah (Grade 3)

integrity

caring character building

“The Zoo” ~By Layal (Grade 2)

“Shopping in the Market” “Disneyland” ~By Saadat (Grade 2) ~By Mamdouh (Grade 3)

ESL 1-3: “Personal Narratives”

2

The quieter you become, the more you can hear.

Ram Dass

RIS DEDICATED TEACHERS I can no other answer make, but, thanks, and thanks.

William Shakespeare

DEDICATED

PASSIONATED

THANKS! WORKING AS A TEACHER IS NO EASY FEAT. THIS YEAR OUR TEACHERS ARE FACED WITH EXTRA CHALLENGES AS WE IMPLEMENT MANY NEW EDUTATIONAL AND TECHNOLOGICAL INITIATIVES AS WELL AS AN ENTIRELY NEW EVALUATION SYSTEM. THEY WORK TIRELESSLY TO ASSURE THAT THEY ARE PROVIDING QUALITY INSTRUCTION FOR ALL STUDENTS. PLEASE, TAKE A MINUTE TO LET YOUR TEACHER KNOW HOW MUCH YOU APPRECIATE THE WORK THEY DO!

THE WORLD NEEDS MORE MEAN TEACHERS! ( MEAN = Making Excellence A Necessity ) A MEAN teacher insists that each student do the best she or he is capable of doing A MEAN teacher insists that student hand in their assignments on time and takes off points for late assignments A MEAN teacher does not accept incomplete assignments A MEAN teacher requires each student to think carefully and to make her or his own decisions

QUALIFIED

Professional Development Day of Teachers!

As the RIS school year continues it has become clear that our teaching team is made up of exceptionally well trained and qualified teachers.

Our teachers are using a variety of great teaching techniques, practices, methods and strategies that have been proven to work for our RIS student population. Just as we teach our students that learning is a lifelong process we as teachers must also continue increasing our knowledge to better our students. On Monday, November 21st, RIS teachers participated in our very first teacher lead professional development day.

Throughout the day teachers collaborated together to share their teaching strategies, classroom management techniques and information on the integration of educational technology into the classroom.

During the workshops teachers were also able to experience first had exemplar lesson as they became participants of other teacher’s lessons.

It was an excellent opportunity for our staff to see firsthand how our coworkers are integrating the schools technology, classroom space, and educational resources to best teach our students.

A MEAN teacher holds each student responsible for her or his own behavior A MEAN teacher make students keep the classroom, themselves, and their belongings neat and clean A MEAN teacher does not allow free time in class until all class work is done A MEAN teacher gives homework regularly, sometimes even on weekends A MEAN teacher calls on students who don’t raise their hands to answer the question A MEAN teacher requires all students to treat each other with respect A MEAN teacher makes life miserable for students by insisting that they always tell the truth A MEAN teacher produces students who are respectful, responsible, and successful

Teacher appreciation makes the world of education go around.

Helen Peters

3

LET’S ENJOY

CARNIVAL OF VENICE WITH GRADE EIGHT! MS.KIM

Carnival of Venice is one of the most wonderful Carnival events of the year and you will certainly enjoy the discovery of the different Venetian masks produced by artisans in Venice, the costumes worn

by Venetian during Carnival week and other traditions that come with this exceptional holiday.

Now, are you ready to make your own carnival mask?

Here we are going to cover the different ways to make a Venetian mask at home. When it comes to Venetian masks (or whatever other masks), there are four options to choose from:

Make a Venetian paper plate mask 1. Take a paper plate 2. Cut out holes for the eyes, the nose and the mouth 3. Punch two holes on the extremities of your paper plate to attach ribbon 4. Decorate the paper plate the way you wish.

Grade Eight students made their own Venetic masks during art class. It took three double periods to finish completely. All the masks are beautiful and stunning!

Making a Venetian construction paper mask 1. Draw the shape of the mask, the eyes, nose and mouth on a sheet of construction paper 2. Cut out the shape, the eyes, nose and mouth 3. Decorate the mask in the way you want 4. Punch two holes on the extremities and attach a ribbon to each of them

Dear Parents, You are cordially invited to the Rainbow International School Winter Concert. The concert will take place on December 16th, at 13:00 p.m. in the RIS Auditorium.

We are looking forward to putting on a great performance!

We hope to see you all there!

Becoming a Doctor Written by Amina- Grade Five My name is Amina and I am in grade 5 in Korea. My hobbies are to write, draw, dance and like to play sports. My goal is to be a doctor in Korea or my own country. There will be many challenges I will face.

I think being a doctor is really a good thing because if we are doctors we can help people that are sick. In some countries there are wars so we can help them to feel good and happy, not mad. There are challenges to becoming a doctor. We would need to learn the tools. We need to study hard and learn new things. It might also be fun because it is my dream. I will get to wear doctor clothes! It will be more fun to move to different countries to study. I think it is a good for me to follow my dream of becoming a doctor because doctors are helpful, nice and caring and I’ll feel I will be helping myself reach my goals!

4

It’s not how good you are. It’s how good you want to be.

Paul Arden

Give it All

You`ve Got!

The grade 5 language arts students have spent the past few weeks exploring the theme “Give it all you’ve got”. Our lessons focused on readings about people who have shown courage in the face of challenges and who have demonstrated the ability to never give up. After reading a variety of stories we decided to write our own personal narratives about challenges we face in our own lives. Students learned that an essay that explain a writer’s opinions about something and give reasons to support their opinion is called a personal narrative. Please take your time and read some of our own personal narratives. We hope you enjoy and don’t forget you should never give up!

Airplane Fright

Losing a Pet is Sad

Moving to a New Place

Written by Joshua When I first rode an airplane I was scared. I didn’t be live that I was in the air. I had the goose bumps. I thought we were going to crash. But later I knew there was TV. I could watch movies. I could even play games. The women who were in uniform gave me snacks and food; even drinks. The bad part was that I couldn’t sleep well. People were snoring.

Some people were opening windows. It was loud and most of all I had to sleep in seats. When I went to the bathroom it smelled bad. In the sink you have to push a button to let water out. Now I am ok with all that. I like it when I go in the air.

But I have a question; why does it take a lot of money for all that stuff??

Written by Shahad My name is Shahad and I am currently a fifth grader in Seoul, South Korea. There are many things I like to do such as reading, writing, swimming, dancing, and singing about my feelings and about animals. I think losing a pet is sad because you always remember the days you have spent with them. My goal is to become a zoo keeper and animal doctor.

I think losing a pet is sad because they are part of your family and family means love, love means nobody gets behind or forgotten. I think having a pet is lots of fun, but you need to take lots of care for them like how you take care of babies. It takes lots of work especially for dogs and puppies.

Becoming a zoo keeper is hard because you have to study and studying is hard because you have to be away from your family, but it is fun because spending time with animals is like if is like spending time with your family. Just like you play with you family you can always play with animals, also just like you feed your baby sister and brother you can feed animals.

Having a pet is fun but it’s sad if you lose them. I love having a pet!

Written by Juliana My name is Juliana and I’m a fifth grader in Seoul. My dad is coaching the Korea national soccer team. Because of my dad’s job, I move a lot and each year is a challenge.

The most difficult challenge is learning a new language. Learning English i easy, but learning Korean and Arabic is hard.

I have been here in Korea for three years and it’s been difficult to learn Arabic. Not being able to understand people is frustrating.

Another challenge is when my family move to a new school. I moved to new schools many times and it’s hard because you have new teachers, new friend and new classes.

Finally, I think moving can also be a good thing. Making new friends is fun because I will have friends from many countries!

Learning a second language Written by Mohammed My name is Mohammed and I’m grade five. I like to play sports and there are many other things I like to do such playing with my brother. I think it’s a challenge to learn a second language, but I also think it’s important. I think it’s important to learn a second language because I can understand others, for future jobs and when I travel it will be easier.

I think it’s hard to meet new friends because I can know their language so I can’t play with them and talk with them. School can be difficult because I can’t read the books and it’s hard to talk with my teachers and friends. It’s also difficult to read sings in another language.

I feel lucky to have learned another language. I know if I learn a second language my life will be easier!

5

Becoming a Designer Written by Jeny Kim My name is Jeny Kim and I am currently a fifth grader in Seoul. There are many things I like to do such as piano, play basketball, swimming, drawing, and skating. When I grow up I want to be a designer.

Becoming a designer will be a challenge! I need to learn how to draw. I want to go to a school or a teacher to show how to learn to draw well. To be a good designer I have to be able to use my time to think of creative things.

In the classroom or in school I have to learn how to make colors combinations . So I must learn colors one by one and study hard to know everything about designing.

I think becoming a designer is good because I like draw and to create new things!

My future Written by Yura Hello, my name is Yura. I was born in Japan. When I become an adult, I want to be a designer, because I love to create new things, and creative ideas. I want to design clothes, things, places, and also blogs!

I love to be creative with paper or boxes that were already used by someone. I like to create new ideas. In my home, there are some paper dresses that you can put clothes on a paper person. Yuna, my sister, and I made them. It is fun to make something creative.

I have many kinds of creative things that I have made over the years, including a vase made with dirt that I made in kinder garden and a bracelet that I made with beads.

I feel so good when I have new ideas for design, so I want to be a designer. When I design creative things people will be happy. I don’t want to give up being a designer because I want to show my creative designs to people. I will be famous and in the limelight!

I want to design everything!

RIS December newsletter

HEALTHY KIDS HEALTHY FUTURES! BODY DEFENSES and DISEASE!

Have you ever wondered about that “who has the most powerful and well organized army in the world?” No, answer is not a country, it's you, and your body has an incredible defense mechanism against microorganisms, germs and pathogens around you. Here you will find an answer for the question “why do we get sick?" and also some interesting facts about pathogens, diseases and your immune system.  One of the most vital systems in the human body is the immune system, which is a network of specialized cells, tissues and organs that protect our bodies from potentially lethal invaders such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, microorganisms, parasites and other pathogens. The human body is constantly waging war against a barrage of invading microorganisms.  Dieting reduces the number of killer cells, which leads to a weaker immune system  It is very important to get your beauty sleep for at least 8 hours as less than 5 hours of sleep can significantly depress the immune functions.  When the immune system attacks a harmless substance or chemical in the body, it leads to an allergic reaction.  Some species of bacteria can reproduce every 20 minutes.

Given unlimited resources, one bacterium could produce 1 million kilograms of bacteria in a day.  Vaccine works just for viral infections like common cold and flu…etc…However antibiotic works just for bacterial infections like strep throat.

 The immune system accounts for one percent of our bodies' 100 trillion cells. The brain does not control the immune system.  The number one way to boost the immune system is to reduce stress.  Dieting decreases natural killer cell functionality, therefore it reduces the power of the immune system.  Toxins such as air pollution, pesticides and even secondhand cigarette smoke can affect your body's natural defense system.  Studies show that people who lack humor in their lives tend to have less protective immune responses  Coughing and sneezing are part of the natural immunity system where the body is trying to eject pathogens and irritants from the respiratory system.  Saliva, tears and breast milk contain antibacterial enzymes to help fight off harmful bacteria.  The lungs and intestines secrete mucus, which can trap microorganisms, preventing them from entering the bloodstream and tissues.

Our body has a defense mechanism that is stronger, more organized and more efficient than the strongest armies in the world. In order to keep your body's defense system impregnable, pump your body with vitamins and minerals following a healthy diet. Exercise regularly and keep away from tobacco, alcohol and narcotics. Stay stress-free and keep laughing for a stronger immune system.

"You're going to the doctor," your mom tells you. But why go to the doctor when you're not sick? Regular checkups are a smart idea for kids.

These visits happen when you're feeling fine and are sometimes called "well-child" visits because you're well. Get it?

It's a chance for the doctor to see that you're growing and developing normally. It's also a chance for your parents to talk with the doctor about any issues, such as safety or nutrition, so they can help you stay healthy.

And it gives you a chance to ask any questions you might have about your health. You might wonder when you will grow taller, for instance, or if you weigh the right amount.

6

The greatest wealth is health.

Virgil

A day in SEOUL Winter vacation is approaching fast so I listed three hot spots in Seoul where you could pay visit with your family.

N Seoul Tower, a landmark of Seoul

Foreigners voted the N Tower as the best observatory space in Seoul. In N Tower, you can enjoy the exuberant panoramic scenery of Seoul from the highest place in Seoul. N Tower has a different charm if you visit at night since the colors and patterns of Tower change every minute. There is a café, restaurant, and even a teddy bear museum so the time will fly once you are there. N Tower became the symbol of Seoul and it was since 1980 that it was opened to public. N Tower was the first total electric wave tower to send TV and radio broadcast in Seoul metropolitan area in 1969.

Address: Namsan mountain. 1-3 Yongsandong Yongsangu Seoul.

Tel: 02-3455-9277 Gyeongbok palace

You can enjoy the Korean heritage in the heart of Seoul. Majestic architectures will make you feel like you are in the Joseon Dynasty. The name of the palace, Gyeongbokgung, translates in English as “Palace of Shining Happiness.” If you walk around the five exquisite palaces it will take your mind off for sometime from the bustling city. They also provide free English guided tours and open gallery to all the tourists. Tickets for Gyeongbok palace are also valid at the National Palace Museum and the National Folk Museum.

Address: Gyeongbokgung. 22, Sajikno, Jongno-Gu, Seoul.

Tel: 02-3700-3900 World Cup Park (Hanuel Park) There are four vast grassland parks around the World Cup Stadium and Haneul Park is famous for its eulalia, cogongrass, and buckwheat field. Haneul(sky) Park is located in the highest place within the World Cup Park. A view point is available from which visitors can look over Seoul’s great scenery such as Mt. Bukhan, Mt. Namsan, and the Han River. If you walk through the park you will find really relaxing path where tall metasequoia trees are planted on either side of the path. It would be really refreshing if you go for a bicycle ride with your family along the splendid metasequoia path.

Address: World Cup Stadium. 482, SangAmdong, Mapogu, Seoul.

Tel: 02-300-5500

7

Sports & Health

SSPORTS

Ways to be Active When the Whole Family Gets Together for the Holidays The holidays are full of delicious feasts and tempting sweets left and right. Add on top of that the inherent sense of laziness that comes with vacation, and finding a chance to exercise feels impossible and nearly useless.

Just 30 minutes of activity each day can keep your weight gain under control.

Exercise also relieves stress, which you might be experiencing a lot of during the holidays, and makes you feel better about yourself. But exercise doesn’t have to be something exhausting or strenuous, and there are plenty of fun ways to keep yourself and the kids active during the holidays.

Making Time During the holidays, it’s easy to find your schedule full of activities. For those with busy schedules, the best plan of action is to make exercise the first thing on your agenda.

Working out first thing in the morning helps make exercise a priority. Working out in the evening can prove difficult because you have places to go and people to see— and plenty of time throughout the day to come up with excuses for why you can’t exercise.

Remember, just 30 minutes a day is enough to keep in shape. If you have trouble finding time, try to spread those 30 minutes into three 10-minute workouts over the course of the day. Ten minutes is enough for a simple workout routine that includes jogging, jumping jacks, jump rope, or weights.

Don’t Be Too Hard on Yourself As important as working out is, understand that the holidays are here, and that means wspending time with your family and friends. When it comes to your well-being, it’s important to keep a proper balance between your social activities and your physical care. Be sure to squeeze in some fun physical activity, but make sure you enjoy every moment of the holiday season, too.

RIS December newsletter

FOR A BRIGHT FUTURE! DECEMBER MATH QUESTION: First Day at School It was Karen's first day at school. The teacher suggested that it would be a good idea for each child to meet every other child in the class. The teacher said, "When you meet, please shake hands and introduce yourself by name."

If there were 11 children in the class, how many total handshakes were there?

1.

2.

3.

4.

STEP: FIND THE ANSWER STEP: WRITE YOUR ANSWER SMALL PAPER WITH YOUR NAME. STEP:GIVE YOUR ANSWER MS.RUKIYE STEP: SHE WILL CHECK YOUR ANSWER THAN NEXT NEWSLETTER YOU WILL SEE WINNERS. 5. STEP: AND YOU WILL WIN SURPRISE PRIZES.

The Young

SCIENTISTS!

RIS Science Project Olympiad Teams hada trip to KAIST University in Daejeon the last weekend. They met Researchers and continued preparations for next year's competitions in Istanbul and Houston.

2-32, Yangjae 1-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul Republic of Korea 137-886

8

www.rischool.org

REMINDER Winter is upon us! Please make sure your child dresses for cold weather and brings a coat to school every day. Don’t forget the hat and gloves!