UWCSEA 9-10 Snapshots and Highlights (June 2024)

Dearparents,

Beforeanotheryearcloses,we’dliketosharesomeofyourchildren'slearningexperiencessinceourlastupdate inDecember.

Term 3 has been vibrant and invigorating! Assessment Week gave ourstudentsvaluableexampractice,from managingtheirrevisiontodemonstratingtheirskills,knowledgeandunderstandinginformaltimedconditions. Our Grade 9 students have had (or are about to embark on) their OED expedition - connecting with nature, makingnewfriends,andembracinglearningopportunitiesandchallengesunlikeanythingaclassroomcangive them(nextup,ProjectWeek!),whilstourGrade10shavejustreturnedfromWorldofLearning.Theweek-long placement was the exciting culmination of a year of preparation: composing CVs, researching and finding placementopportunities,writingapplicationletters,attendinginterviews,andlearninghowtoengagewiththe adultprofessionalworld Havingcheckedinwitheachoftheirmenteesduringtheweek,mentorshavefedback our students' overwhelmingly positiveexperiences,aswellastheirsenseofachievementandprideinhaving conducted themselves with suchmaturityandcommitment.ExhibitionWeekhasalsojusttakenplace,giving classesacrossmanycoursestheopportunitytoreflecton,curateandshowcasetheirlearningovertheyear We know that many of you enjoyed seeing some of your child's work through displays, presentations, and performances(evenIB‘taster’sessions)

It’snotonlythestudentswhohavebeenbusy.InHighSchool,wehavecontinuedtoseekwaystoimprovewhat we do by observing learning across the programmeandgatheringfeedbackfromteachersandstudents Our students continue to respond enthusiastically to a concept-based curriculum that is relevant and rich in knowledge and skills. They value creative and immersivelearningengagements,real-worldcasestudies,and greatervarietyandchoiceintheirassessmentexperiences Aspleasedaswearewithourstudents’progress,we didwhatwedoeveryyear,takingwhatwehavelearnedfromthefeedbackintoourannualDevelopmentWeek: five daysofdedicatedprofessionallearningforallHighSchoolteacherstoreviewandrefineourprogrammes andpractices.#We’reAllLifelongLearners!

Anyway, please enjoy the learning snapshotsandhighlightsthatfollow.Wehopethatyouandyourchildwill usethem,alongwiththeend-of-yearreport,todiscusstheirexperiences,progressandgoals

WewishyouallahappyholidayandlookforwardtoseeingyouinAugust. Toourfamilieswhoareleaving,we willmissyouandyourchildrenverymuchandwishyouallthebestforthefuture Pleasekeepintouch

Kate,DamianandTed

ContentsPage

CoreCourse

CriticalPerspectives

Languages

EnglishLiteratureandLanguage

EnrichmentEnglish

EnglishasanAdditionalLanguage

SchoolSupportedLiteratureandLanguage(SSL)

ChineseLiteratureandLanguage

JapaneseLiteratureandLanguage

ChineseAcquisitionAdvanced

ChineseAcquisitionContinuation

FrenchAcquisitionBeginners

FrenchAcquisitionContinuation

SpanishAcquisitionBeginners

SpanishAcquisitionContinuation

Humanities

EconomicsforSocialChange

Geography

History

SocialEntrepreneurship

Psychology

Science

IntegratedScience

Biology

Chemistry

Physics

ComputerScience

Maths

EssentialMathematics

EnrichmentMathematics

ArtsandDesign

Dance

DramaProcesses,DesignandPerformance

Film

FoodScienceandNutrition

GraphicDesign

InnovationEngineering

Music

ProductDesign

VisualArt

Furthercourses

TheUWCProject

WorldofLearning(G10)

WorldofLearning

Students take this method of analysis and apply it to c controversialissues Firstlythestudentsparticipatedingroupp looking at the complexity of the influence of religion: both malign. This wasanimportantpreparationforthe“BeliefSys Theissueschosenbystudentsthisyearincluded:cosmeticsur differences in parenting styles, and designer babies. Studen arguments around themes such as an individual'srighttocho government's responsibilities to its citizens. For example, on students looked at the perspectives of groups like Moms De and wrote about how personal experiences and culture perspective.

own side ofthecaseknowslittleofthat”

nts started to critically analyse differing with an exploration of the range of perspectives. These included cultural, ypes ThestudentsthendrewaMandala,

Theyearfinishedwith challengingideasaboutsystemsthinki looked at how FIFA tried to deliver QATAR 22 as a model of s using the three pillars: social, economic and environmental Students createdaudioreflectionsevaluatingthesuccessesandfailuresoftheWorld Cup.Thesystemsthinkingframeworkwasthenappliedtothecrisisofbiodiversityloss.Again,itislookedat through contrasting perspectives and the students reflect on their own views, with theculminationofthe yearbeingafirsthandexperienceofbiodiversity(seepicture).

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CriticalPerspectives-G10

G10CriticalPerspectives

The initial focus of the Grade 10 course is Human Rights. We considerbothhistoricaldevelopmentandproblemsarisingfrom theideaof‘universalvalues’.Educationisaright:butwhopays for it? Students choose case studies from the list ofNGOsthat UWCSEA already works with and try to understand the NGO’s perspective (how do they see the problem?) and how this influencestheircourseofaction Forexample,theCPAA(Cancer Patients Aid Association, see image le) fights legal battles to make key drugs cheaper and its “activism is evident in its dedicated efforts to combat tobacco addiction” (G10 Student) Students appreciate the CPAA takes aholisticapproachrather thanjustfocusingonsupportforpatientsandtheirfamilies

Th unitandapplies it t pingacourseof act understandthe co programmersat Sin rted the user’s em hool’swellness cen ydiversebutall ha onmental.

G9EssentialEnglish

EnglishLiteratureandLanguage-G9

Which storiesdo–anddonot–makethenews?Whatmakes some stories ‘matter’, andothersnot?Theopeningclassesof this module explored what makes stories ‘newsworthy’, introducingstudentstoGaltung&Ruge’s(1965)famous ‘news values’ (and a more recent iteration by Harcup & O’Neill, 2001), applying these totheirreviewofwhatmakesheadline news across the world. In addition to examiningtheissueof who funds thenews,identifyingbias,evaluatingvalidity,and exploringthefast-evolvingeffectsofAIonnewsreportingand consumption, this modulealsoexaminedhowwriterstellthe stories of others As part of our long-established Writers’ Fortnight tradition, students had a series of visiting guest speakers, where they met storytellers suchas journalistand activist Kirsten Han, Pulitzer Prize winning author and documentarymakerTomWright,lawyersfromNGOTransient Workers Count Too, faculty from UWC and student scholars LunaOrtegaandDengBul,allofwhomhadincrediblestoriestoshare.

Studentsthemselvesbecamestorytellersastheylistened,askedquestionsandengagedindebateaboutthe ethicsoftellingsomeoneelse’sstory,andhowtogetitright. Asthecontentioussubjectofthedeathpenalty was being debated in their Critical Perspectives classes, it was an opportune time for students to havean audience with writer Kirsten Han, who has become internationally known for her activism to abolish the deathpenaltyinSingapore.Studentsthenchoseasubject,topicorpersoninspiredfromthespeakerseries todevelopintoapublishablefeaturearticleoropinion-editorialoftheirown Therestofthismodulefocused on media discourses, examining the ways in which different mass communicationplatformsreportonthe samestory,resultinginaclosecomparativeanalysisofnewsreportage.

The final module was focused on visual storytelling, lookingathownarrativecanbeavisualconstruction. Beginningwiththesingleimage,studentsexaminedarangeofworksfromartistsfromthephotorealisttothe abstract tradition (16th century through to the 21st), analysing and unpacking their workclosely,drawing conclusionsabouthowimagesareconstructsthatencodemeaning,inabasicintroductiontosemioticsand theterminologyofgraphiclanguage TheydrewconnectionswiththeirworkonjournalismbyexploringThe New York Times column ‘In One Image’ and The Guardian’s ‘The Week Around The World in 20 Pictures’, looking at the ways in whichthevisualimageissuchanessential,profoundmediumthroughwhichtotell human stories TheythenprogressedtolookattheworkofartistShaunTanwhohascreatedentirenovels withoutwords,consideringwherethevisualplacesthereaderintermsofproximityandengagement,before finally exploring the relationship between the visual and the written through the work of ArtSpiegelman, whosemasterpieceMauswonthePulitzerPrizein1992.Weexploredtheconceptsofmetanarrative,allegory, memoir and anthropomorphism, examining the ways in which Spiegelman’s powerful work captures the horrorsofhumanexperienceandhistorythroughthegraphicnarrativeform

EnglishLiteratureandLanguage-G10

G10EssentialEnglish

Howhavepoetsthroughouttimeinnovatedtheverseform?Wetriedtoanswerthatquestionbygoingback totheAncientGreeksandRomans,bylookingatsomeofthefirstextantexamplesofthelyricandepicforms intheworkofSappho,HomerandOvid Wetookalyricaljourneythroughdifferentartisticmovementsover time to examine the ways in which poets from the Renaissance through to the Romantic, Modern and Postmodern eras have expressed emotion, resistance and protest in arangeofcreativeandunusualways. Students developed their knowledge of how to work closely with the conventions of language and verse, d he work of a range of poets and lyricists (Derek Walcott,ElizabethBishop,SimonArmitage,Lin ManuelMiranda,SeamusHeaney,SylviaPlath, William Carlos Williams, Pablo Neruda, Nick Cave, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, William Shakespeare,PhilKayeandSarahKay)through a range of responses: detailed annotations, short ‘mini-lessons’, oral discussions, close analytical essay writing and, finally, a comparative essay based on the work of two poets.

F der how works written centuries ago endureand become part of aliterary(andcultural)‘canon’.Howcananovelwritten200yearsagostillresonatetoday? We chose Frankenstein by Mary Shelley (1818 and 1831versions)asourcasestudy,workingcloselywith themes and characterisation in this famous work of gothic romanticism (we also explored what those terms mean!). This was a challenging novel with archaic, complex language and concepts, and students needed to acquire a knowledge of the socio-political and historical background of the writer’scontextinordertofullyunderstandthework They had the experience of close reading to understandstylisticconventions,aswellasdebating some of the provocative ethical and existential questions Shelley poses in her novel, such as: what part do ethics play in scientific and technological progress? Should the creators of new technologies, such as Mark Zuckerberg (who has been compared frequently to Victor Frankenstein in the media) bear responsibility for how their creations affect human society?Whatistherelationshipbetweensocietyandtheindividual?Ourexplorationoftheearlynineteenth century work showed thewaysinwhichwritersthroughouttimehaveraisedissuesthatresonateclearlyin ourownworldtoday

EnrichmentEnglish-G9

G9EnrichmentEnglish

From a genre study of sci-fi dystopiatoaninquiryintographicjournalism,theGrade9EnrichmentEnglish students have been truly critical and creative in their thinking this term. Aer reading Kazuo Ishiguro’s wonderfulgenre-bendingworkofspeculativefictionNeverLetmeGo,thestudentswentontoreadaclassic dystopiannoveloftheirownchoice(TheHandmaid’sTale,1984orLeila),aswellasshortstoriesbyauthors

including Ray Bradbury, Chen Quifan and Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah, a series of short sci-fi films, andtogether in class - the hilarious parody play Dystopia!The Hungry Maze Game of Divergent Death. We also visitedTheArtScienceMuseum’sexhibition:NewEdenScienceFictionMythologiesTransformedtolearnmore aboutt sianculturesandtraditionsandgenderrepresentation.

Through their analytical exploration of so many different works, they were able to answer questions including: How can you use characters, settings and events to create a believable and thought-provoking alternate reality? How do authors find inspiration for their dystopian stories? How and to what ends can authorsdrawanddeviatefromgenreconvention?

Ultimately,thequestionsdirectedthestudentstoplantheirownsci-fidystopianstorypremise,choosingto either write the opening to their story, create a key setting within the story, or devise some of the key ideologicalvocabularyoftheirworld,withadetailedrationalefortheirchoices.

TheyearhasfinishedwiththestudentsextendingtheirstudyofthegraphicnovelforminEssentialEnglishto aninquiryintographicjournalismandtheworksofjournalistsJakeHalpen(WelcometotheNewWorld)and PatrickChappatte:Howandwhydojournalistschoosetotelltheirstoriesincomicform?Whatcanwordsand imagesdotogetherthatwordscan’tdoalone?Havingformedtheiranswers,theythenhadtheopportunityto w Nurul Mohamad Hafiz to produce their own one-page j

EnrichmentEnglish-G10

G10EnrichmentEnglish

Thepasttwomoduleshavebeenatrue‘deepdive’intotheworldofliteratureand,tosome extent,visualart forGrade10Enrichmentstudents Thefirstmodulefocusedonthepowerofpoetry,choosingtheworkoftwo poets, British-Pakistani contemporary poet Imtiaz Dharker, and the late eighteenth century English poet William Blake. The poetry andvisualartof thesepoetspresentsimilarsocialandpoliticalissuesandconcerns Bothare deeply connected with the place of the spiritualanddivineinthehumanworld,and both are sympathetic to the plight of the dispossessed, the unheard and the marginalised Their artcapturesthetimesin which they were written and, despite being over two hundred years apart, their works speak to each other, and us, in sympathetic conversationaboutthebeautyandsorrowof thehumanworld Students’finalworktooka range of forms: some wrote excellent academic essays on a particularconceptorissueoftheirchoice,onewrote an outstanding imaginative letter from Dharker to Blake, another wrote a transcript from a literary ‘podcast interview’ with Blake, re-imagining his finalmodule,welinkedbacktoouropeningmodule ear,wherewere-examinedtheconceptofmythology, dering the ways in which literature from ourmodern aptures the ‘new’socialandculturalmythswhichare generatedinourtime.Forthisexploration,wechose American early twentieth century novel The Great y by F. Scott Fitzgerald. We looked first of all at the tionofthe‘AmericanDream’andrecentdefinitionsin can media, then we explored in detail how this is ptualised through the novel’s characters, narrative perspective andunreliablevoice Weaskedquestionssuch as ‘How can literaturechallenge–orperpetuate–enduringandpervasiveculturalmythologies’?Wefound someresonancewithSingapore’snewlyappointedPrimeMinisterLawrenceWong’sinauguralspeechinMay 2024, where he referred to the “Refreshed Singapore Dream” of a youngergeneration,andconsideredthe ways in whichthe‘modernAmerican’mythologyoffreedom,equalityandopportunityhasbecomeamore globalisednarrativeforgenerationsacrosstheworld

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G9EAL

This term we learned and inquired about celebrity culture in order to develop both linguistic skills and cultural insights. We asked several questionsabouttherelationshipbetweencelebrities,theirfansandthe media Thesequestionsincluded:

● What simple and complex ways dofansandcelebritiesinteractwitheach otherandhowdoesthisimpactbothgroups?

● Howcanthemediahavepositiveandnegativeimpactsoncelebrities?And, destalthatweoenputthemon?

Aer reading and watching several news and feature stories about celebrities, students took on the job of writing a feature article that looked at celebrity culture through the lens of one of the first two questions above During this task students had the opportunity to practise writing a feature article focusing on theelementsof structure, language and purpose, and then identifying the connectionbetweenthesethreeelements Asapartofthistaskwereadseveralfeaturearticlesandlooked for these elements in the articles. Together, we co-constructedascaffoldthatstudentsusedtohelpthem write their own article We also engaged in a Socratic style discussion through which we explored and attemptedtoanswerthefinalquestion:whethercelebritiesdeservedtobeputuponapedestalbysociety. Duringthediscussionstudentspractisedquestionandanswertechniquesandputtheirskillsofpersuasionto thetest

G10EAL

InG10EAL,ourdiscussions-andlanguageuse-dugalittledeeperaswetalkedaboutwarandconflict.With referencetoourcommontextTheBookThief,wetalkednotonlyaboutthefutilityofwar,butaboutwhether itwouldeverbecomeavoidable.WetookacloselookateverycharacteronHimmel(Heaven)streetandwe could see not only a cross-section of the humanexperienceingeneral,butofthespectrumofexperiences andperspectivesofGermanpeopleinWorldWarTwo.Thisledustoreflectionsabouthowweperceivewar todayandthewarhistoriesofourowncountries.Welookedatextractsfromotherbooksaboutthewarand at visuals taken in 1940s Europeofthewarexperience,whichculminatedinwrittenreflectionsandanoral assessment on reflections of the novel and of military conflictingeneral.Thisallowedthestudentstouse theirlanguageinexpressingideasonadeeperlevelandaboutmorecomplextopics Welookedatquestions like:

1. Doyouthinkthatwarisnecessary?Whyhasitalwaysbeenapartofthehumanexperience?

2. Why do different countries have different perspectives on who causes wars and what are the outcomes?

Studentsalsodidreadingandwritingassessmentsunderthistopictodemonstratetheirlanguageskillsand toconnectthetopictoalloftheseskills Throughoutthisunit,westudiedverbtensesanddiddifferentiated grammarworktotargeteachindividualstudent.Finalassessmentswereheldinallfourlanguageskills,along withadiarywritingassessmenttoconcludetheyear.

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SchoolSupportedLiteratureandLanguage(SSL)-G9

G9SSL

While studying song lyrics, the Grade 9 students have reflected onauthors’choicesandthewaysinwhich songs can impact us They have explored how songs can develop empathy, raise awareness, and inspire thoughts,actionsandemotions. Theyalsocraedapoemononeoftheirpassionsandconsideredtheways inwhichsongsandpoetryareconnected.DuringExhibitionWeek,theyaretakingpartinapoetryworkshop focused on the idea of cultural identity They chose between leading an interactive session for their classmates,sharingtheirknowledgeofapoetandcreatingtheirownpoem.Presentationswillbedeliveredin English,sothateveryonecanbeincludedandlearnaboutalltheculturesandlanguagesrepresentedinthe class.Whatafunwaytoconcludethis year’slearningjourneyinLiteratureandLanguage!

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SchoolSupportedLiteratureandLanguage(SSL)-G10

G10SSL

Whilestudyinganautobiography,theGrade10studentshavereflectedonwriters’choicesandwhatittakes to share with the world what they went through and who they have become. They have developed their appreciationofhowautobiographiescandevelopempathy, raiseawareness,andinspireothers. Inthisunit, thestudentsconsideredthewaysinwhichtheirowneducationaljourneyhasshapedtheirvalues,beliefsand ways of being. During Exhibition Week, they presented their own autobiographical project to their peers, togetherwithaposterdisplayingwordsintheirlanguage,andvisualsrepresentingtheiridentityandgrowth overtheyears.PresentationsweredeliveredinEnglishsothateveryonecouldbeincludedandlearnaboutall the cultures and languages represented in the class. Students were encouraged to dress as their younger selvesanduseobjectsthathavecarriedspecialvalueormeaningthroughouttheiryearsofdevelopment A fantasticwaytoconcludetheirlearningjourneythisyea

ChineseLiteratureandLanguage

G9ChineseLiteratureandLanguage

During term 3, Grade 9 students have explored the relationship between individuals and society, gaining an understanding of how individuals' values, growth, and lives are influenced by social contexts as represented in a novel Students explored the concept of growth, including the development of self-identity, the struggle against adversity, conflicts between adolescents and adults, and the formation of beliefs and values, to gain the conceptual understanding that stories are constructs that reflect, represent, and explore the human experience Students explored literary conventions such as setting, characterization, and plot, to understand how they create meaning in texts and engage readers Students also reflected on their understanding of the concepts in their selected creative ways.

G10ChineseLiteratureandLanguage

This term, Grade 10 students were first engaged in the unit ‘Multimodal Presentation’ and explored how global issues can be represented through movies, photos, and documentaries They have learned the visual techniques used in movies and worked on a creative group project to devise movie scripts, documentary drafts, or dramatic scripts based on selected global issues, subsequently producing a micro movie or documentary Students enjoyed the project very much, as it provided them with a great opportunity to showcase their creativity, develop collaborative skills, and apply literary techniques in practice The project culminated in a showcase of their work and peer assessments. Students continued to explore global issues by studying a novel and conducting an intertextual study with non-literary texts, delving into immigration issues in an interdisciplinary way by examining this humanity topic from different literary perspectives and through varied representations.

JapaneseLiteratureandLanguage-G9

G9JapaneseLiteratureandLanguage

This term Grade 9studentshaveexploredthesocialproblemofpovertyinJapanandread3typesoftexts: novels, critiques and news articles. While deepening our understanding of how people are suffering, the causesoftheproblemsandhowthesituationmightbeimproved,wealsolookedintocharacteristicsofeach texttype.Asafinalexam,thestudentsreadanarticleaboutawomanwhohadlostherbabyandwaspoor and lonely, and wroteanempathicstoryfromherpointofview,imaginingherfeelingsanddescribinghow hersituationcametobe.

For Exhibition week, the studentslearnedabouthaikuanditsfeaturesandwentontocreateonehaikufor eachseason,reflectingonJapanesenatureandtraditions,aswellasourschoolyear,tocelebrate Weshared allthehaiku h toillustrate.

JapaneseLiteratureandLanguage-G10

G10JapaneseLiteratureandLanguage

Grade 10 students have continued with the literary appreciation unit,studyingthreeforms:drama,poetry andmanga.Themainthemesofallthetextswereegoandconflicts,whichthestudentsanalysedbyfocusing ontheauthor'sintentionsandtheuseandeffectsofrhetoricaldevicesinshowingthecrueltyandsufferingof war.

The class also enjoyed a short unit about global citizenship and the role of the media The students investigated how the authors’ intentions and a company’s relationshipwithpoliticsandpowerbothaffect and shape the information that we receive. As an assessment,theywroteanargumentativeessayabouta globalissuerelatingtothemedia

ForExhibitionweeklastweek,theycreatedapoemaboutwarandconflict,whichtheythenusedtocreatea posterandavideo,andpresentedittotheclass,torememberhowwarhasaffectedpeopleinthepastandto endeavourtoavoidmakingthesamemistakesinfuture.

ChineseAcquisitionAdvanced

G9ChineseAdvanced

Grade 9 students have explored the theme of‘Community’,engaginginactivitiesdesignedtodeepentheir understandingofsocialstructuresandrelationshipswithinSingaporeandbroadentheirlanguageuse:

● Conductedin-depthresearchonvariouscommunitiesinSingapore,examiningtheirunique characteristicsandcontributionstosociety

● Analysedcontemporaryissuesandchallengesfacedbythesecommunitiesthroughmultimedia sourcessuchasarticles,documentaries,andinterviews

● Participatedinadynamicperformancetask:asimulatedelectioncampaignwherestudentsworked topresentacommunity-focusedspeech,outliningkeyissues,proposedsolutions,andtheimpactof theirplansonthecommunity

● Gainedpracticalexperiencebywritingapersuasivecampaignspeechanddeliveringitinfrontof theirpeers,honingtheirpublicspeakingandrhetoricalskills

G10ChineseAdvanced

Interm3, Grade10studentshadtheopportunitytodiveintoauthenticlanguagelearning throughengaging activities focused on ‘The Changing World’ and how science andtechnologyhaverevolutionisedourlives, bringingbothpositiveadvancementsandchallengingimplications:

● Exploredthetransformativeimpactofscienceandtechnologyondailylife

● Analysedcontemporaryadvertisementsandblogstounderstandcurrenttrendsandsocietalchanges

● Participatedinahands-onperformancetask:ajobfairsimulationwherestudentsworkedingroups to presentajob,detailingitsdescriptions,requiredskillsandqualities

● Gainedpracticalexperiencebywritingacompellingletterofapplicationandparticipatinginamock interviewforthe chosenjob

ChineseAcquisitionContinuation

G9ChineseContinuation

In term 3, Grade 9 students have expanded their learning beyond theclassroomtotheirlocalcommunity. Theyinteractedusingvarioustexttypeslikesocialmediagroupchats,dialogues,advertisements,blogs,etc, honingtheirlanguageskillsinreal-lifesituations. Consequently,thevocabularyandsentencestructuresthey acquired have empowered them to describe their living environment with confidence. As a finale to their studies,theypresentedtheirdailyjourneyfromhometoschool,whichalsofeaturedaquizforpeerstoboost engagement.Applyingtheirlearningineverydaylifehaslethestudentsfeelingaccomplishedandgratified.

G10ChineseContinuation

Aerthespringbreak,ourstudentssuccessfullycompletedanengagingpresentationontheChineseDragon Yearcruisetrip.InTerm3,weembarkedonthefourthunitofstudy,whichfocusesonthecrucialrelationship betweentourismandenvironmentalprotection.Thisunithascaptivatedourstudentsfortwomainreasons: firstly, with summer vacation approaching, many families are planning long-distance travel; secondly, our students have shown a deep commitment to environmentalissues,withmanyactivelyparticipatinginthe school’senvironmentalinitiativegroups

Studentsexploredhowdifferentmodesoftransportationimpactcarbonemissions.Wealsodelvedintothe significantissueofplasticwaste,whichhassurgedwiththeriseoffooddeliveryandonlineshopping,making wastesortingmoreurgentthanever.StudentswatchedinformativevideosonChina’sadvancementsinwaste sorting and engaged in discussions on how Singapore can enhance its own waste sorting practices to promoterecyclingandreuse

Thevocabularyandsentencestructuresinthisunitweremoreadvanced,includingnumerousenvironmental terms Despitethesechallenges,ourstudentsexpandedtheirvocabularyandmasteredcomplexgrammatical structures.Additionally,newtexttypeswereintroduced,suchasguidelines,broadeningtheirunderstanding andapplicationoflanguage.

This year’s end-of-year exam was a rigorous test oftheirskills,requiringstudentstocompletetworeading passages and one writing piece within 90 minutes. This challenged their time management abilities and comprehensively assessed the knowledge they had gained throughout the tenth grade Ourstudentstook theirpreparationsseriously,creatingpersonalisedstudyplansandactivelyseekinghelpfromtheirteachers when needed We proudlyreportthatmanyofourstudentsachievedoutstandingresultsinthefinalexam, demonstratingtheirhardworkanddedication.

Overall, webelievethelastunitnotonlyenhancedourstudents'academicskillsbutalsofosteredadeeper understanding and commitment to environmental stewardship, preparing them to be thoughtful and responsibleglobalcitizens.

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FrenchAcquisitionBeginners

G10FrenchBeginners

Students learntopresenttoanaudience of French-speaking peers, introducing themselves and discussing their personalities, identities, and passions. They also acquire the skill of writing a reporttotheprincipalabouttheirschool trip,highlightingthepositiveaspectsand suggesting improvements Additionally, they study an audio piece and a short story in easy French, exposing them to authentic idioms and contexts. Over the past weeks, their receptive skills have significantly improved Their speech and presentationproductionwereoutstanding and students demonstrated the ability to improviseinfamiliarsettings

FrenchAcquisitionContinuation-G9

G9FrenchContinuation

Grade 9 Students explored the concept of well-being,learningabouthealthybehaviours, dietary choices, and cultural practices They compared French culture with their own in terms of well-being. Additionally, they delved intotheFrencheducationalsystem,examining how it differs from their own. They also learned towriteablogentry,areport,andan email,understandingtheformat,conventions, and characteristics ofeachtexttype.Overthe past units, they studied all major tenses and now masterthemajorpast,present,andfuturetensesin French

A significant milestone for thestudentswaswriting theirspeechesascandidatesforclassrepresentative elections.Theydesignedtheircampaignpostersand delivered persuasive speeches to their classmates, aiming to secure their votes The outcome was outstanding, as the students truly demonstrated creativewritingandthinkingthrou

performance to showcase.Eachpresentation was centred around a photograph, which serves as a visual aid. They wererequiredto explain the context of the image, describe their activities, articulate what theyenjoyed, and reflect on the lessons they learned.This exercisenotonlyenhancestheirpresentation skills but also allows them to connect personal experiences with broader learning outcomes.

Furthermore, they covered crucial linguistic concepts such as context,audience,variation,andmeaning,whichareessential for writing text types with appropriate conventions and register.Thisstudyprovidedanexcellenttransitiontothenext unit, which focuses on future plans and students' aspirations for their lives. Students are tasked with preparing detailed personal presentations that delve intoacherishedexperience from their lives They also choose an aer-school activity or

FrenchAcquisitionContinuation

G10FrenchContinuation

Withafocusontheenvironmentandhowtobearesponsiblecitizen,ourG10studentshadtheexperienceof applying for the role of environmental delegate for the class. Having learned about the conventions of a speech, they wrote their own speeches, elected the best within their group, shared the best ideas and vocabulary, and ultimately decided on who would run for real in front of the whole class It was an opportunity for a lot of vocabulary learning but alsoareflectiononourschoolandclassenvironmentand how to make it more sustainable It hasresultedinlessprintingandevenabetterawarenessoftheuseof electricityintheclassroom!

hichwonseveralawardsincluding the Cannes Festival Pa ugglesofahighschoolclassinan underprivilegedsuburbofParis,asplayedoutinthefriendshipsbetweenthestudentsandtheirrelationships withtheirteachers.Thefilm’sexplorationofthefragileyetfundamentalnatureofrespect,andofthepower oflanguage,ledustosomefascinatingclassdebatesaboutschoollifeandrules Theoutcomeoftheunitwas the challenge of writing a formal letter explaining disciplinary measures against a student as well as the creationofadialoguebetweentwocharactersfromthemovie,whichtheyperformedfortheclass

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SpanishAcquisitionBeginners

G9SpanishBeginners

Thisterm,Grade9beginnershavepreparedtobecomerepresentativesof12Hispaniccountries.Theygave presentationsaboutwhattheirassignedcountryoffers,andparticipatedinanexhibitioncalledFITUR,where theypresentedtheirHispaniccountrytotherestoftheclass

G10SpanishBeginners

Thisterm,Grade10studentshavecreatedtheirownpodcastaboutafamousHispaniccharacter.Theyhave writtentheirownscripts,conductedresearchabouttheperson,andusedthetwopasttenseswehave learnedinrecentunits Theyhaveevenselectedthemusicfortheirpodcastandrecordedit!

SpanishAcquisitionContinuation-G9

G9SpanishContinuation

Grade 9 Students have expanded their knowledge this year with the units ¨Mi mundo y yo ¨ , ¨¿Dónde vivo? and ¿Quéhagoenmitiempolibre? .Thisterm,fortheunit¿Quéhacesestefindesemana?,theyhave recorded videos describing different outfits theywearduringtheweekendandtheirschooluniforms.They have also described what they liketowatchanddointheirfreetimeusingdifferentgrammaticalconcepts andtenses.Theywereabletoapplyavarietyofwritingformats,suchasamoviereviewandadiarypost.

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SpanishAcquisitionContinua

G10SpanishContinuation

Grade10studentshaveextendedtheirknowledgethisyearby discussingtheirwell-being,thefutureofourplanetand describingholidays Theyhadtoreflectontheirlifestyleand actionstotaketocarryahealthierlife.Wediscussed environmentalproblemsandactionswecantakeathometohelp. Whilstduringthislasttermwedescribedourholidaysand plannedforatriptoaSpanishspeakingcountry.Thestudents haveengagedwellwithtopicsintegraltotheirlives

This year’s end-of-year exam was a comprehensive test of their languageskills,requiringstudentstoreadseveraltextsanddemonstrateunderstandingthroughavarietyof exercises,includingtheproductionofa200wordswrittenpieceapplyingtheconceptsandvocabularylearnt sofar.Theyalsocompletedalisteningtaskandanoralgroupactivity.

Thetermhasfinishedwithstudents doing presentations about Spanish speaking countries where they would like to go for aProjectWeek trip. They planned the flight from Singapore, landmarks to visit, food anddrinkstotryandthingstodo. BacktoCourseMenu

EconomicsforSocialChange-G9

G9EconomicsforSocialChange

Grade 9 Students have continued theireconomiclearningjourneyandcompletedtheirlastunit,Improving People's Lives, this year. The unit has allowed studentstoexplorehowgovernments,businessesandother organisationscanreducepovertyandimprovethewell-beingofallcitizensinsociety

Theyhavefinishedtheyearbyproposingandpresentinganeconomicdevelopmentplanforaregion,stateor community in a country of their choice. This task has allowed students to draw on all the Economic knowledgeandconceptswehavecoveredovertheyear

EconomicsforSocialChange-G10

G10EconomicsforSocialChange

Our Economics for Social Change course has recentlycompletedanengagingunitontheGlobalEconomy, focusing on international trade and exchange rates Grade 10 students explored the intricacies of global markets nderstandingho tradeimpactseconomiesandthesignificanceofc rrenc fl ct ations

Additionally,ourimmersivelearningtriptotheMonetaryAuthorityofSingaporeprovidedstudentswith valuableinsightsintothecountry'sfinancialregulatoryframeworkandhelpedreinforcethetheoryand conceptswecoveredduringaunitonEngineeringEconomicGrowth.ThevisittotheMaritimeMuseum complementedthisexperiencebyhighlightingSingapore’sroleasaglobaltradinghub.Theseexperiences havedeepenedtheirunderstandingoftheglobaleconomy'sdynamicsandSingapore'spivotalrolein internationaltrade.

G9andG10Geography

ClickheretoseetheendofyearGeographynewsletter

G9History

The last unit of ou

tshavelookedat differentcasestudi ntintheUSAand thestudentprotestsinMay1968inFrance Wediscusseddifferentwaysandformsofprotests(eg violentvs non-violent), as well as the ways in which the form of a state (authoritarian ordemocracy)influencedthe options for protests. Students experimented with differentwaysandformsofshowingtheirunderstanding throughouttheunit.Somewrotetheirownpeaceprotestsongs,othersresearchedoneofthemanyfamous peaceprotestsongsofmusichistoryandpresentedtheirfindingstotheclassroom.

Studentsexploredthepowerofimagesthroughthecreationofaphotoessayregardingthestudentprotests ofMay1968inFrance Hereisanexampleofoneofthosephotoessays:

Attheendofourmo de10students toresearchNGOsw ccess/failures. Whilstpeaceinthisregionlooksfurtherawayrightnowthanithasformanyyears,wedidnotwantour studentsleavingtheunitthinkingthatitwasunobtainable.Oeninthedarkesttimes,wecanstillsee glimmersofhopewherehumansshowtheirbetterside.Herearesomepostersthatstudentscreated: BacktoCourseMenu

SocialEntrepreneurship-G9

G9SocialEntrepreneurship

We started the year askingsomefundamentalquestionsaboutthepurposeofsocialentrepreneurshipand how we can collaborate to explore solutions to complex problems. We asked why and how social entrepreneurs can meet the needs of potential and existingcustomers,whilstoperatingwithinalegaland ethicalframeworktoensurewehavepositiveimpactsonsociety.

Oneofourfirstpracticaltaskswascompletinga‘SpeedEggDropChallenge’inonly1lesson-workingwith newfriendsandcollaboratingunderpressure;therewassomesuccessfrom10metresuponthebridge.

TheBusinessPlan

Oneconceptualunderstandingrunningthroughthecourseandincorporatingarangeofassessmentoutputs was‘Businessplanninginvolvesadynamicprocessthattakesintoaccountthechangingneedsofthebusiness’ Studentsworkedthroughvariousunitstoincorporatekeybusinessskillsintocreatingmarketingplans,logos andbranding,productplans,SWOTanalysis,marketresearchandfinancialbudgets

Theculminationofresearch,applicationoftoolsandassessingtheirbusiness'shealth,sustainability,and capacitytogeneratevalueforitsstakeholderswaspresentedin5minutesummaryvideoswhichwereshown ineachclass. Studentsandteachersaskedmanyquestionstofinishoffeachpitch.

SocialEntrepreneurship-G10

G10SocialEntrepreneurship

Grade 10 Social Entrepreneurship students have engaged in a variety of learning experiences designed to develop their understanding of entrepreneurship, social issues, and how businesses can create a positive socialimpact Theseexperiencesinclude:

HRplanningtasks:Studentswrotejobadvertisementsforrolesintheirsocialenterprises.Theyalsocreated employment contracts, induction training plans, researched employment law considerations specific to operatinginSingapore,andconductedmockinterviews.

Businessplandevelopment:Studentslearnedtocreatecomprehensivebusinessplans,includingaspects suchasmarketresearch,financialplanning,andmarketingstrategies.

Pitch videos and judging panels: Students presented their social enterprise ideas to a panel of judges, receivingvaluablefeedbackandsimulatingtheexperienceofpitchingtopotentialinvestors

Casestudies:Analysingsocialenterpriseshelpedstudentsunderstandvarious real-worldsocialenterprisemodelsandtheirimpact

Guest speaker: Chin Hock Tan from Holding Hands Studio shared his experiences of operating a social enterprise that provides photography workshops, skills, and competitions for migrant workers, offering students real-worldinsightsandinspiration.

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Psychology

G9 and10PerformancePsychology

Students recently completed two applied projects demonstrating their growing knowledge and understanding of Psychology concepts and theories. The first was a project in which students, amongst severalmodalityoptions,wereabletoapplytheirknowledgeofstressandanxietytotheirdailylives Several chose an option for which they created a board game to put these principles into practice with fantastic results!

Anotheropportunitywasthecreationofasummativeresearchproposalthatintegratedalloftheresearch methodslearningandsubjectareatopicsthroughtheyear Someofthemostengaginginvestigations focusedontopicssuchasTheEffectsofNatureonHappiness,RelationshipBetweenVideoGameUsageand StressLevels,theRelationshipBetweenScreenTimeandWell-Being,andTheEffectsofSleepDurationon Happiness(MM).

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IntegratedScience

G9IntegratedScience

In our most recent unit, Grade 9 students learned how the conditions of chemical reactions can be manipulated to achieve desired outcomes that are both economically and environmentally beneficial to society In these photos, students are manipulating materials to measure the rate of a chemical reaction, focussingonchoiceofequipment,developingprecisemethodologiesandconnectingpracticalobservations toscientifictheory.

G10IntegratedScience

Grade10Studentshavebeenmodellingthestructureandfunctionofenzymesinaunitaboutbiomolecules and how they intricately control and regulate biochemical pathways and metabolism to shape life as we know it. They deepened their learning by drawing interesting comparisons and connections between the waysinwhichcatalystcontrolledreactionsoccurin BiologyandChemistry

Biology-G10

G10Biology

Grade10Biologystudentshavebeenexploringbodysystems,nucleicacids,inheritanceandbiotechnology.

AspartoftheirstudiesoftheImmuneSystem,studentshavebeenlearningmicrobiologytechniques, investigatinghowbacterialgrowthcanbeinhibitedbycommonchemicals.

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Chemistry-G10

G10Chemistry

Grade 10 chemistry students have been exploring the contributions of chemistry to the medical field, specificallyfocusingonthepharmaceuticaldrugdevelopmentprocess.Theyhavebeenlearninghownatural compounds from plants are carefully analysed and improved to enhance their therapeutic benefits and reducetoxicity.

Bymeticulouslydesigningandsynthesisingthesedrugs,chemistsensuretheyarebotheffectiveandsafefor medicaluse Aspartoftheirstudies,studentshavebeenextractingsalicylates(aformofaspirin)fromplants todeterminetheirconcentrationandhavebeencreatingtheirowndelayed-releasepillsusingpolymerswith differentproperties.

Physics-G10

G10Physics

G10Physicistshavebeenseekingconnectionsbetweentopicsofstudyonelectromagnetismandimagining throughtheir“ScienceFair''projects StudentstookinspirationfromideaswithintheG10Physicscourseto pursue personal areas of interest and work on their scientific communication - producing inspiring presentationsontopicsincludingalternativetransport,renewablefuelsandoptics

Inthe , g xplorenuclearphysicsandengagewithanextendedpieceofwork on the Standard Model and particle accelerators Studentswereabletoobservethemovementofcharged particlesthroughacloudchamberandthenattemptedtoorganiseandclassifysub-atomicparticlessuchas leptons,quarks,mesonsandbaryons.

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ComputerScience

G9ComputerScience

G9ComputerScienceStudentshavebeenlearninghowtocreateGUIsinPythonaswellascompletingtheir personalprojects,bothofwhichhaveinvolvedprogrammingtheirowndesigns.Studentswillbeabletoshow evidenceoftheirsuccessintheirportfolios,andwillnowhavearealisticideaofwhataself-directedIAislike inGrade11.

G10ComputerScience

G10 Computer Science Students havebeenlearningaboutArtificialIntelligenceanddoingadeepdiveinto the technology behind ChatGPT and other Large Language Models (LLMS), namely the Transformer architecture,NLPandNeuralNetworks.AllstudentsarenowawareofthereasonswhyAIcanmimichuman conversations so well and at times seem to be alive All students have created programs which retrieve information from an AI model and some have trained a model to perform specific tasks such as recommendingsongsorphotosbasedonpastlikes

EssentialMathematics

EnrichmentMathematics

Dance-G9

G9Dance

In March, our Grade 9 students performed in our annual dance showcase“Reflect”,presentingtheirtalent acrossavarietyofgenres.TheyperformedaJazzpiecetitled“LeJazzHot”inspiredbytheworkofBobFosse. They also performed a contemporary piece exploring the concept of women and their connection to the traditionofweaving.Theirlyricalworkwastitled“Mirrorball”andexploredthevisualstimuliofamirrorball reflectinglightwhilstalsobeingfragileanduncertain,expressingawillingnesstoadaptandchangetofitthe expectationsofothers.Inthesecondpartoftheyearthestudentsworkedondevelopingtheircomposition and analysis skills. They created their own personal compositions and explored a number of seminal choreographicworks.

Dance-G10

G10Dance

Our Grade 10 students had the opportunitytoperforminourannualdanceshowcase“Reflect”,presenting twoexceptionalworksinthestyleofmusicaltheatreandlyrical.TheirLyricalpiecetitled“SignoftheTimes” exploredtheideaofourownpersonalreflectionandthewaytheworldaroundusimpactshowwefeeland react in particular situations. For their musical theatre work they hadtheexceptionalopportunitytowork with the Chamber String Ensemble to create a La La Land medley. Not only did this give the students an authenticmusicaltheatreexperienceofworkingwithaliveorchestra,buttheyalsowereabletoembodythe dynamicsofthemusictoenhancetheirperformance.

OurstudentsalsoengagedinawonderfulworkshopwithEpicArtswhowereinSingaporeonaServicevisit EpicArtsisaninclusivedancecompanythatadvocatesbuildinganinclusivesocietywhereeveryperson, includingthosewithdisabilities,inCambodiaandbeyond,isnotonlycountedbutalsocelebratedfortheir uniqueness.ThestudentsengagedinsomeimprovisationtasksandlearntsomeCambodiansignlanguage. Thiswasafabulousexperienceforourstudentparticularlythinkingaboutcommunicationinnon-verbal ways

DramaProcesses,DesignandPerformance-G9

G9DramaProcesses,DesignandPerformance

Interm2,Grade9Dramastudents were introduced toBerkoff’sphysicaltheatrestyle,designanddirecting ofascript.Theyworkedinall3rolesofdesigner,directorandperformerandcreatedstunningperformances foranaudienceandwereassessedontheprocess,performanceandevaluation. BacktoCourseMenu

DramaProcesses,DesignandPerformance-G10

G10DramaProcesses,DesignandPerformance

Grade10Dramastudentsh maGreekplay.

Questionsaskedofthemwere:

● HowcantheGreeksberelevanttotoday'sgeneration?

● HowcanTheatreaddresscontroversialissueslikethemanipulationoftruthandsilencing?

● Howcanthechorustakeondifferentfunctionswithintheplotandunderpin,enhancingand revealingthenarrative?

● D nce?

Theycouldchoosetodesignand/orperf wereassessedontheir process,presentingandevaluations.Seemorephotosonnextpage

Film

G9Film:FilmmakingandAnalysis

Grade9Filmstudentshavebeendevelopingthelanguageoffilmandbuildinganappreciationoftheprocess offilmmaking,bylearninghowtowrite,produce,andedittheirownfilms,andimplementing theproduction cycle

G10Film:DirectingtheFrameandCreatingtheStoryworld

Grade 10 Film students have craed genre specific films, learning about Genre Theory, Auteur Theory, subjectivityandproxemics, whilecreatingtheirownfilmstyleandhoningtheirproductionskills.

FoodScienceandNutrition

G9FoodScienceandNutrition

Grade 9studentshavegainedastrongunderstandingofhowthefoodchoicestheymaketodaycanimpact their long-term health. This holistic approach empowers them to becomemoreinformed,competent,and proactivewhenitcomestomaintaininganutritiousdiet.Byplanningnutritiousmenusandcookinghealthy meals, students can develop important life skills and make choices that support their overall health and wellness The Grade 9 program provides challenging and stimulating lessons to foster enjoyment and satisfactionfromthehands-onlearningexperiences.

AspartofexhibitionweektheGrade9studentshadtheopportunitytocollaborateingroupsandreflecton thetopicsandprojectsthatinterestedthemmostthroughouttheyear Eachgroupselectedafocusarea, identifiedtheirkeyhighlightsandlearnings,andpresentedtheirreflectionstotheclass.

G10FoodScienceandNutrition

G10 students have diveddeeperintothescienceofnutritionanditspracticalapplications,andcontinueto learnaboutthenutritional,physical,chemical,andsensorypropertiesoffood.Theyhavebeenintroducedto how diseases andillnessesarecausedbypoordietarychoice,malnutrition,foodallergies,andintolerance More importantly, students have learned to make responsible decisions andchoicesonhowtomaintaina balanceddiettoensureoptimalhealthandwellbeing

GraphicDesign-G9

G9GraphicDesign:Foundations

Grade 9 Graphic Design students have been craing theiruniquelogodesignsaspartoftheIconunit The creative process starts with preliminary sketches on paper, then moves to the digital realm with Adobe Illustratorforfine-tuninganddigitalapplication,andwrapsupwithlaser-cutpiecesthataremeticulouslyput togetherandspraypainted.

Thehands-onapproachtolearning,frompencilandpapersketchestodigitaldesignandph sicalcreationof thelogo,providesanintegratedlearningexperience. he creative process, reinforcing the connection betw ct realisation.

GraphicDesign-G10

G10GraphicDesign:AdvancedPractices

Grade 10 students studied packaging design, learning howelementslikecolour,shape,andmaterialaffect consumer interactions and perceptions. They examined how design can convey messages and target audiencesbyunderstandingtheirneedsandpreferences

Desi expl othe encouragingexperimentationandrisktakin

InnovationEngineering-G9

G9InnovationEngineering

The Grade 9 students have beenimmersedinavarietyofprojectsthatdemonstratetheirunderstandingof mechanical,electronic,andIoTtechnologies.Keyprojectsinclude:

1. Mechanisms and Gear Spirograph Machines: Students are working on building complex mechanisms and gear spirograph machines, showcasing their skills in mechanical design and engineering.

2 Developing IoT Products: Some students are creating IoT devices that enable data transmission betweenhomeandschool,illustratingtheirabilitytoworkwithsmarttechnologyandconnectivity.

3. Elastic Band Gun: A project involving the design and creation of anelasticbandgun,highlighting students'creativityandmechanicalskills.

4. Candy Vending Machine: Students are also developing candy vending machines, demonstrating theirunderstandingofautomatedsystemsandproductdesign

5. Investigating Electronics and Sensing Circuits: Several students have focused on electronics, creating various sensing circuits that explore the fundamentals of electronic components and sensors.

6. CookieDunkingMachinesandColourSensingRobots:Additionalprojectsincludecookiedunking machinesandcoloursensingrobots,showcasingablendofcreativity,electronics,andprogramming.

Every project aims to produce a functional and impressive result, reflecting the students' dedication to innovationandtechnologicalexploration

InnovationEngineering-G10

G10InnovationEngineering

Students have been engaged in a diverse rangeofprojectsthatemphasisecreativity,practicalapplication, andcutting-edgetechnology.Keyprojectsinclude:

1. Converting Petrol Vehicles to Electric Vehicles: Studentsareworkingontransformingtraditional petrol-powered vehicles into electric ones, showcasing their skills in sustainable engineering and automotivetechnology.

2 Developing IoT Products: Some students are focused on creating Internet of Things (IoT) devices capableofsendingandreceivingdataglobally,illustratingtheirproficiencyinnetworkingandsmart technology.

3. Designing a Bat Shelter with Live Streaming: A pairofstudentshavedesignedaninnovativebat shelter equipped with photovoltaic cells on the roof to power a live streaming system, allowing real-timeobservationofbatsonline.

4. Creating anECGMonitoringDevice:OnestudenthasdevelopedaportableECGmonitoringdevice for a teacher to track stress levels, highlighting their capabilities in biomedical engineering and coding

5. Object Recognition in Drones: Other projects include using drones with object recognition technology,demonstratingadvancedskillsinaerialroboticsandartificialintelligence.

6 Micro Scaled Mechatronics: Students are also working on micro scaled mechatronic systems, showcasingtheirabilitytodesignandbuildintricatemechanicalandelectronicdevices.

Everyprojectundertakenbythestudentsaimstodeliverafunctionalandimpressiveoutput,reflectingtheir dedicationtoinnovationandtechnologicaladvancement.

G9Music

Practical music making is at the heart of theUWCMusiccourse,andconcerts,performances,collaborative music making and events, both in and outside the community, enhance the programme with authentic real-worldexperiences.

The Grade 9 students had a great experience during the Music Tech Night, developing their skills and confidence performing with music technology. The success of their practical work then evolved into individual composition projects More recently,thestudentshaveexploredtheconnectionsbetweenvisual artsandmusicwithafocusonprogrammaticmusicmaking.

G10Music

IntheUWCMusicprogramme,Grade10studentshavedevelopedtheirunderstandingoftheresponsibilities of musicians to celebratediversity,encouragerepresentation,engagewithavarietyofmusicalandcultural perspectives,andultimatelyusemusictocreatepositivechange.

FortheirFireandWaterconcertattheVOSstudiosatCapitol,thestudentsworkedonthemes,programming and diverse repertoire. The event was an excellent end to a year of learning, with the students taking ownershipovereveryelementoftheconcert:atruedemonstrationofstudentleadershipandagency,witha clearfocusonrepresentingunheardvoicesintheworld ofMusic.

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ProductDesign-G9

G9ProductDesign

Grade9ProductDesignstudentshavebeenengagedinadesignprojectfocusedoncreatingafunctional,1:1 scale,physicalprototypeofanaccessorythatcanberetrofittedtoaride-sharebike.Throughouttheprocess, studentshavebeenencouragedtoempathisewithpotentialusers,considermaterialproperties, functionality,andperformanceoftheirdesigns.Duringtheideationandmodellingphase,studentswere encouragedtogenerateawiderangeofsolutionsingraphical,physical,anddigitalmodelsoftheirconcepts

Inthedevelopmentandrefinementstage,studentsfollowedaniterativeprocessoftestingandrefiningtheir prototypestoenhancefunctionalityanduserexperience.Studentsweretaskedwithpresentingtheirfinal designs,includinganexplodedviewtoshowcasekeyfeaturesandtheirunderstandingofmaterialproperties.

Throughthedesignprocess,studentsgainedexperienceinproductdesignanddevelopment,honingtheir creativeproblem-solvingskillsandunderstandingofmaterialpropertiesinreal-worldapplications.

ProductDesign-G10

G10ProductDesign

Whatelevatesadesigntoiconicstatus?Howdoesadesignstylecometobe?Grade10ProductDesign studentsbelievethatdesigniconspossessthefollowingcharacteristics:

● Beinstantlyrecognizableandhavetimelessappeal

● Leavealastingimpressionandimpactsocietyonsomelevel

● Beindustriallyproducedandoenserveasasourceofinspirationforotherdesigners,leadingto imitationandreplication

● Holdasignificantplaceinhistory,potentiallyevenshapingoralteringhistoricalnarratives

● Beintertwinedwithstatus,cultureandsymbolism

● Endurethetestoftime,maintainingpopularityandrelevanceacrossgenerations

● Establishnewbenchmarksintermsofquality,functionality,andstyle

● Evokeemotionalresponsesinpeople,includingnostalgiaandsentimentality

Theexplorationintoiconicdesignsservedasaspringboardforstudentstocreatea“designclassicremix”ofa practicalhouseholdproduct.

VisualArts-G9

G9VisualArt

Grade 9 students haveembarkedonanartisticjourneyencompassingthecreationofmultimediaportraits, theexplorationofrepeatedpatternstoproduceceramictiles,andthecraofusingmasksandstencils.Each unit has required them to initiate an inquiry into renowned artists, critically analyse their work, integrate elementsoftheseartists'practicesintotheirowncreations,andcompileacomprehensivedigitalportfolio.

VisualArt-G10

G10VisualArt

Thisyear,Grade10VisualArtstudentsembarkedonadynamicandmultifacetedartisticjourney,delvinginto amultimedia-baseddrawingandprintingunitdesignedtohelpthemcreateemphaticandimpactfulstories. Thecurriculumbeganwithstudentshoningtheirdrawingandprintingtechniques,utilisingvariousmediato expressnuancednarrativesandemotionsintheirwork.

AhighlightoftheyearwastheUrbanCardboardProject,wherestudentsexplored thelandscapeofSingapore.Thisprojectincludedaninspiringfieldtriptodifferent urban locales in the city, providing students with firsthand experience of Singapore’s vibrant and diverse environment. Their exploration was further enriched by a visit from the renowned artist Damian Siqueiros, who shared his unique perspective and techniques Inspired by theseexperiences,studentsthen conceptualised and recreated the urban environment through innovative cardboardsculptures,showcasingtheirabilitytotransformeverydaymaterialsinto profoundartisticstatements.

In addition to their work with cardboard, students have been developing their oil painting skills in a dedicated painting workshop This segment of the course focuses on exploring and conveying emotion through portraiture. Students are learning to manipulate oil paints to capture the subtleties of human expression,bringingtheirsubjectstolifeoncanvas.Theworkshopemphasisesnotonlytechnicalproficiency butalsotheemotionalandpsychologicaldepthofportraiture,encouragingstudentstoconnectmoredeeply withtheirworkandtheiraudience.[cont.nextpage]

Throughout the year, students have demonstrated remarkable creativity and growth. By engaging with various media and techniques, they have developed a rich understanding of how to convey stories and emotions through art. Their projects reflect a thoughtful andsophisticatedapproachtovisualstorytelling, settingastrongfoundationfortheirfutureartisticendeavours.

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I rom

t not o ilise t ysed and aveapproachedthiswork, learningfromboththeir succe esofinspirationasstudentsconsidertheirpurpose, audi planforchange

In their action plans, students are tackling arangeofissuessuchas foodwaste,lonelinessinhighschool, fraud schemes that target migrant workers, teen stress, mobile phone addiction, LGBTQ+ identity concealment,andrecidivism-justtonameafew DuringExhibitionWeek,theysharedtheirlearningjourney with their parents and peers, celebrating their incredible achievements andtheirplanstocarrytheirwork intothefuture. Youcanreadmoreabouteachstudent’sworkthroughourUWCProjectportfoliosite.

WorldofLearning-G10

G10WorldofLearning

Throughout the year, the Grade 10 students have been guided through a process that began with them thinking about thesortofcareertheymightliketohave,andtheskillstheywouldliketouseanddevelop. Students were then given guidance onhowtowritetheirownCVandcoverletter,andencouragedtofind themselves a placement in a field they might be interested in pursuing. More recently, we explored expectations of the workplace, how it might differ from those in the school environment, and roleplayed whattodoinawkwardorchallengingsituations.

Students found themselves a variety of placements, from working with blackflylarvaeandfoodwaste,to experiencinglifeinamusicstudioorhospitality Seehereformoredetails.

DuringtheweekofWorldofLearningitself,mentorscheckedinwithallstudentstoaskabouttheirlearning and check their well-being too Itwasexcitingtoseethemalloutsidetheclassroom,intheirworkclothes; theyallseemedalittlebittaller!

Alongsidementorcommentsinthereports,youwillfindyourchild’swrittenreflectionontheirlearningand theskill-setstheyhavedevelopedthroughtheirplacement.