Dear Milky Way Families,
Warm greetings from Milky Way! We hope you are having a wonderful week. Our learners have been busy exploring new ideas, sharing their thinking, expressing their creativity, and learning from one another. Let’s take a look at some of the exciting experiences and discoveries that made our week special!
We began our week with a joyful birthday celebration! All the classes gathered in the Music Room to celebrate the learners born in October. Although no one from Milky Way was celebrating a birthday this month, we were delighted to enjoy a magical performance by Ms. Sayuri. The room was filled with excitement, wonder, and cheerful giggles as the learners watched her amazing magic tricks with wide eyes and curious smiles. Everyone was so fascinated that we wished the magic could continue a little longer! A heartfelt thank you to Ms. Sayuri for sharing her wonderful talent with us and making the celebration extra special. Your performance brought so much joy and amazement to our learners, giving them a beautiful experience to remember!
For our Unit of Inquiry (UOI), we continued exploring Line of Inquiry 1: Different ways of telling a story. This week, we discovered how stories can come to life through dioramas. After watching a video demonstrating how to make one, the learning facilitator asked, “Would you like to make your own diorama?” The learners enthusiastically answered, “Yes!” and were ready to turn their ideas into something creative. The class was divided into four groups, and each group collaborated to choose a theme, identify the characters, and plan the materials they would need. Their imaginative themes were Ocean, Space, Safari, and The Lion King. Once their plans were ready, the learning facilitator provided the materials they needed, while the learners prepared to use classroom tools such as glue, scissors, and colored pencils. With 30 minutes on the clock, the groups began bringing their stories to life! Throughout the process, the learning facilitator encouraged them to think about important questions: “What is your story called? Where does it happen? Who are the characters? How big should your characters be? What happens first, next, and at the end?” It was wonderful to observe the learners communicating, negotiating, and sharing responsibilities. We heard enthusiastic exchanges such as, “Hurry, it’s almost time!”, “I will draw this. Can you cut that?” and “Let’s work together!” These moments showed how they were developing their communication and collaboration skills while working toward a shared goal. We were especially amazed by their imagination as they created and narrated their own original stories without relying on a prepared script. Each group brought its unique ideas to life, demonstrating creativity, independence, and confidence!
After the presentations, the learning facilitator invited the learners to reflect on the important parts of their stories by asking, “What parts can we find in a story?” The learners identified the characters, the place, and the story itself. This discussion naturally led us to our second Line of Inquiry: Stories have elements. The learners began making connections between their own creations and the essential parts that help a story make sense. To deepen their understanding, they completed a Diorama Story Worksheet, where they drew their characters, setting, and the beginning, middle, and end of their stories. This reflection helped them organize their ideas and recognize how different parts connect to form a complete story. We also explored another way of telling a story through video by watching The Lion King, which is the story our Milky Way learners will bring to life in their upcoming Winter Show. Through this experience, they began connecting different storytelling forms and thinking about how stories can communicate ideas, emotions, and experiences to an audience.
Our creative learning continued with a fun Halloween activity as the learners made their very own spiderweb crafts! They began by coloring the rims with crayons before carefully weaving yarn through the holes to create a crisscross pattern. As they continued weaving, their webs became fuller and more detailed. To complete their creations, they made little spiders and attached them to their yarn webs. It was lovely to see the learners exercise patience, concentration, and fine motor control as they worked through each step. They also had the opportunity to make choices about their designs and take pride in their finished work. Their spiderweb crafts are now ready for display, adding a delightful touch of Halloween creativity to our learning environment!
During our writing and phonics sessions, the learners continued strengthening their understanding of consonant digraphs: sh, ch, th, wh, ck, and ng. They practiced writing words containing these letter combinations, paying careful attention to correct letter formation, spacing, and neatness. Using the IB PYP approaches of seeing, thinking, and wondering, the learners explored which digraphs appear at the beginning or end of words and which can appear in different positions. They observed word patterns, thought about the sounds they heard, and made connections between letters and sounds before putting their ideas on paper. It was encouraging to see them approach each word thoughtfully rather than simply copying it. Their handwriting has also shown remarkable improvement, with many learners demonstrating greater care, control, and confidence in their writing. We are proud of the effort they continue to put into developing their literacy skills!
Next week will be another exciting week for our Milky Way learners! We will participate in a fire drill to practice how to stay safe in an emergency, visit the library as part of our Unit of Inquiry, and enjoy a fun-filled Halloween party together!
We are looking forward to another week of meaningful learning, exciting discoveries, and joyful moments with our friends.
As we wrap up this week, we hope everyone has a wonderful and restful weekend! May your days be filled with warmth, laughter, and precious moments with your loved ones. Thank you for your continued support, and we look forward to seeing our little stars again next week, ready for more adventures in learning!
Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!
