Science and Humanities Theme Round-up
The theme for the first half of the Summer term 2023 was Science and Humanities. This was a fantastic theme block of learning for students with a variety of classroom activities, yard time activities, and assemblies taking place over a seven-and-a-half-week period. For the Science and Humanities events, the team members went with the idea of theme weeks. The theme weeks further boosted the number of opportunities our students have had in these topic areas. These weeks have had positive impacts on our students and their learning journey this term.
The schedule was as follows:
Theme Events Weeks
Week 1 – Space Week
Week 2 – Earth Week
Week 3 and 4 – Geography weeks
Week 5 and 6 – STEAM Theme
Week 7 – History Theme
Week 8 – Art week
“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”
– Dr. Seuss
Space Week
Space Week was celebrated with a focus on the International Day of Human Space Flight celebrated on 12th April 2023. Throughout this week our students had the opportunity to watch and listen to informative videos and further test their knowledge by completing a quiz related to Human Space Flight.
International Day of Human Space Flight – 12th April 2023
The United Nations has designated 12th April as International Day of Human Space Flight, to celebrate the beginning of the space era for humankind. It was on this date in 1961, that Yuri Gagarin completed the first successful human space flight, beginning the exploration of space by people. Barry Butch Wilmore and Pilot Suni Williams launched a ULA Atlas V Rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on 12 April 2023, In the CST-100 Starliner spacecraft.
Our younger children enjoyed many open-ended activities related to astronomy, space and the solar system.
“Uranus is my favourite planet, it is light blue with a ring, and it is the seventh planet from the sun.”
– Mohammed in NKK
Space Week ended with a sense of curiosity and wonder. Our students were fascinated by the vastness of space and the universe which introduced many inquisitive conversations around the solar system and planets.
Earth Week
Earth Week ran from 16 April to Earth Day, 22 April. The Earth Day theme for 2023 was ‘Invest in Our Planet’. It highlighted the need for governments, businesses and individuals to develop and use green solutions to combat climate change. Students spent time learning about the environment and the problems we face.
“We have a duty to protect the environment, preserve natural resources, conserve biodiversity, and ensure the survival of the planet for our children.”
– Yvo de Boer
Earth Week was a week for all of us to pause and reflect on the state of our planet. It was a week to recognize the problems we face and take action to protect and preserve our Earth. This year, students across the globe have come together to learn about the environment and pledge to make a difference.
Throughout Earth Week, students have completed a range of activities to spread awareness about environmental issues. They have created digital posters, made pledges on how to protect the Earth, produced artwork, debated and written essays, and even participated in early morning quizzes. All these activities aimed to raise awareness and educate others on the importance of environmental protection.
During yard time, students participated in a variety of exciting activities. Early years went on an Earth Day scavenger hunt, while others unscrambled words associated with Earth Day and sorted recycling items into respective containers. These activities not only engage students but also instill lifelong values of protecting the environment.
Sofia and Minha, both year 6 students, who helped run the yard time activities were very impressed with our student’s knowledge of how to protect the environment.
“I loved the curiosity, dedication, critical thinking, and communication from the children during the scavenger hunt, the students were really engaged in the activities.”
– Sofia
“We can stop using plastic to save the turtles!”
– Bader from RAG
“All of the children had many wonderful ways to help the earth, some students said they would use the three R’s: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Some students wanted to help by having more beach clean-ups so no more plastic goes into the ocean. It was a wonderful opportunity to learn about the Earth.”
– Minha
Throughout Earth Week, students have shared their ideas on how to help our Earth. UKS2 and KS3 students have been brainstorming ideas to tackle global warming. They believe that even small steps towards green initiatives, such as conserving water, reducing energy consumption, planting more trees or supporting clean energy will go a long way.
One of the most inspiring aspects of Earth Week celebrations is the rallying of individuals who care deeply about the environment. As Mahatma Gandhi once said, “The Earth, our mother, is supporting us. Why shouldn’t we support her?”. Each and every one of us can make a change to protect our planet, and together, we can create a brighter future for the Earth and its inhabitants.
A huge congratulations to our Year 6 students for their Earth Day assembly. The students prepared, designed and delivered an outstanding assembly for Earth Day. It was a fantastic production incorporating many of our 8Cs. Confidence was seen in abundance as the students performed a poem, song and spoke in front of a delighted audience. Creativity was displayed with the range of computing skills on show. The students created a Flipgrid movie to discuss class projects. They also created a WeMovie to display their Pixel Art. Google Slides were used when putting everything together. It was a collaborative student-led project completed by both Year 6 classes.
“Year 6 were delighted to host an assembly about Earth Day and teach students about the importance of taking care of the Earth. We were also thrilled to design quizzes for all year groups and showcase the learning that we did in class, such as our pixel art and our 3D animations (Toontastic) during our recent computing block.”
– Juhaina: Student Council Chairperson
In conclusion, Earth Week is not just a week, but a reminder for us to be mindful of our planet and take action towards its protection. As responsible global citizens, let us make our planet a better place to live in, and ensure that the Earth and the life it harbours, continue to thrive for generations to come.
Geography Weeks
The Geography focus provided students with an opportunity to recall their prior knowledge of countries, terrains, continents and oceans. Students were able to continue with their Earth Week focus by learning more about the negative impact of deforestation. Students took part in debates and were tasked to research and take on the role of different perspectives.
Arbour Day was celebrated with a special whole school Tree Planting event. Each year group planted a sapling in a special ceremony and received a certificate of participation. This event created special memories for the students whilst promoting the importance of planting more trees. Each sapling planted will be taken to our fantastic new campus to grow and flourish alongside our students. The saplings include cuttings taken from our current site, such as Fig and Mango.
These are the saplings which each year group planted.
Nursery – Jackfruit
Reception – Mango
Year 1 – Avocado
Year 2 – Mulberry – known locally as ‘Toot’
Year 3 – Curry leaf – known locally as ‘Murraya’
Year 4 – Tecoma – known as ‘Yellow Bells’
Year 5 – Black plum – known locally as ‘Jamun’
Year 6 – Papaya
Year 7 – Fig
Our second week of geography provided our students with plenty of learning opportunities about the world in more depth. In EYFS/KS1, students took part in fun playground activities by putting together puzzle pieces to complete the world map. In class, they explored the world through Google Earth and located Bahrain and their home countries. Our LKS2 students completed quizzes about the capital cities around the world and created brochures about a country of their choice. During this process, they had to research their chosen country and learn about its history, culture and geography to create exciting, informative brochures. Our UKS2 and KS3 conducted in-depth research about Bahrain, its geography, civilisations and wildlife. They used their research findings to create informational flyers using Canva. This was an opportunity for our students to recognise Bahrain and its place in the world and celebrate its history and culture.
STEAM Weeks
STEAM is an innovative approach to learning that uses Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics. It helps the pupils at Nadeen develop all aspects of our 8cs. It is a really fun way to learn and explore problems and tasks in a collaborative way. This term’s STEAM focus has been ‘STEAM in the Wider World’.
EYFS have explored this theme through upcycling resources to create collages of animals from the rainforest and different animal homes. KS1 have been researching and creating their own birds.
“First, we learnt about different types of birds, we discussed birds which live in Bahrain. Our favourite is the Hoopoe which is called a ‘Hudhud’ in Bahrain. It has cool feathers and a different song. In our CCS books, we wrote down facts about the bird’s habitat and diet. Then we sketched our bird and wrote down what materials we would need to make a 3D bird, things like pipe cleaners, feathers and a toilet roll tube. It was really good fun making the 3D bird and adding lots of decorations! It was a little bit hard to stick some bits together so we helped each other.”
– Haitham and Hailey from 1SS.
LKS2 explored the wider world by looking at the theme of friendship and has been making origami friendship quilts.
UKS2 and KS3 have been focusing on designing a new area for the new school by drawing sketches and making 3D models. The collaboration and creativity have been outstanding across all phases.
“The best part of this project has been working with my friends on a task. I like collaborating with others.”
– Scott in Year 6
“I really enjoyed getting to paint my STEAM project with my group.”
Evelina, a new Year 7 student at Nadeen this year
History Week
Children participating in the Science and Humanities learning theme were treated to an exciting journey through time, focusing on the history and developing their skills in chronology. The week-long program aimed to help them identify how common items and places around them have changed over the years. The children’s enthusiasm soared as they delved into a variety of captivating images and engaged in purposeful discussions.
Immersing themselves in the study of history, the students eagerly explored the evolution of everyday objects and familiar locations. Through analysing a diverse range of images, they pieced together the chronological puzzle, unravelling the transformations that have shaped their world today.
One of the highlights of the learning week was the opportunity to examine historical images. With their curiosity piqued, the children discovered the stories behind the photographs, sparking thought-provoking discussions guided by their teachers. This enabled them to develop critical thinking skills and ask insightful questions about the past.
The children also revelled in exploring their own communities through a historical lens. Equipped with cameras, they embarked on a quest to document the changes that have occurred over time by taking a look at their own school and how it has changed.
As the week concluded, the students left with a newfound passion for history, enhanced chronological skills, and a greater understanding of how common items and places have evolved. This engaging Science and Humanities learning week not only allowed the children to connect with the past but also empowered them to see the world around them through a historical perspective.
Art Week
Art week was celebrated in our final week of the Science and Humanities theme block, with a focus on a competition to design an Eco-Bag. The theme was created by the planet protectors and was supported across the whole school during this week. The idea was to design a bag which could be made out of recycled plastic or fabric and used multiple times, ensuring it was sustainable and eco-friendly. The students were required to incorporate the Nadeen school logo and either hand draw or create a digital design on landscape A4 paper. All of the bag designs needed to represent the theme of recycling, keeping the environment clean and sustainable. The students created some fantastic designs and were very excited about the possibility of the chosen student-designed bags being sold at school during morning drop-off. The idea of selling the winning designs at school is an excellent way to promote the use of reusable bags, reduce plastic waste and encourage responsible environmental practices in young people. Well done to the planet protectors and all the students involved who created designs for the competition.
The Science and Humanities Theme finished with a video created by three students from 6GA, Minha, Juhaina and Ananya. It was a detailed summary of the fantastic tasks and activities completed by all our students during the Science and Humanities theme. It highlighted how much everyone had achieved and learned during these topics. The Science and Humanities team members would like to say a massive thank you to all the teaching staff for their encouragement and support throughout the theme block. Students enjoyed the diversity of activities across the Science and Humanities Theme where they were encouraged to think creatively and solve problems in innovative ways.
