CURRICULUM
CHALLENGE: READING
Battle of the Books engages readers
Autumn 2014
JUGGLING IT ALL
Students share interest
We have been running a juggling student-run CCA for the first term this year. This activity is inclusive of students from both primary and secondary, with participants from Years 6-9. We learned juggling in a PE unit last year, and we thought it would be beneficial to pass on this knowledge to those who are interested. In the PE unit, we had the opportunity to experiment on our own to figure out different ways in which we could learn how to juggle and understand the juggling techniques. This allowed us to gain knowledge on the different processes involved as well as understand areas where we struggled and how we overcame the challenges. Understanding our own experience helped us to apply that knowledge to our teaching. Juggling is a good skill to learn as it helps improve hand eye coordination and concentration, plus you can impress your friends! Chloe Choy, Victoria Bird, Ewan Jones, and Jacob Panons Year 11 Students
In Battle of the Books, a new CCA at Discovery College this year, we read a set list of 20 books by a variety of authors from different genres between the start of the school year and the beginning of May. There are close to 30 students from Years 7-9 in this CCA and we meet every Thursday at lunch time. We begin each session with 15 minutes of silent reading which is then followed by mini book talks, sharing sessions, and presentations by students. Once we finish each book, we create a list of 10-15 questions about that book and use these questions to quiz each other on the books we have read to see how carefully we paid attention to what we were reading. In May we will be competing against other schools around Hong Kong that also have a Battle of the Books group. This will be our chance to come together and work as a team in the Battle of the Books competition. We think that BOB (Battle of the Books) is a great way to educationally develop and expand one’s range of books. Reading more books can expand vocabulary and strongly improve our presentation skills in a wide variety of subjects. The CCA is about reading many books, and mostly remembering their content. The latter is good for many students, as many forget what message the books give them. BOB is also a great way for
book lovers to come together and read. This CCA gives students a chance to read a wide variety of books for competition. So, all in all, we strongly encourage students to join this wonderful activity. The list of books that we must read by May 2015 includes: The Giver by Lois Lowry, Counting by 7’s by Holly Goldberg Sloan, Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson, A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula LeGuin, The Lions of Little Rock by Kristin Levine, The Weight of Water by Sarah Crossan, Witch Child by Celia Rees, Habibi by Naomi Shihab Nye, Tiger, Tiger by Lynne Reid Banks, Dovey Coe by Frances O’Roark Dowell, The Kite Rider by Geraldine McCaughrean, The Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke, Maggot Moon by Sally Gardner, Navigating Early by Clare Vanderpool, Witness by Karen Hesse, Mortal Engines by Philip Reeve, Splendors and Glooms by Laura Amy Schlitz, The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness, When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead, and Genesis by Bernard Beckett. Keira Higgins, Krijn Toor and Hannah Ward Year 7 Students
SING ALONG
Chinese singing CCA In the Chinese Singing Club, students sing and learn Chinese with well-known and current Chinese songs. Learning to sing songs is a great way to learn a language. This method is successful because it is low-pressure and easy to follow along. The singing club provides great entertainment for students, and makes the challenge of learning a language more fun. The club has selected more than 40 traditional or popular Chinese songs at different language levels. The teachers provide the lyrics and explain the meaning of the songs, then students learn the vocabulary with online flashcards. Once the students are familiar with the songs, a Karaoke-style online music player is used so students can fully enjoy singing along. Some of the songs include “对面的女孩看过来 (The Girl Over There)” and “朋友 (Friends)”. We are also learning songs by SHE and many other pop singers. This CCA is designed for students in all Chinese Pathways, and is one that the students enjoy participating in. Debbie Tai Primary Chinese Team Leader CHALLENGE: READING
19