AN IB WORLD SCHOOL

Academic News

The 7th and 8th graders spent a day in May driving to Republic and searching for fossils (and finding some) at the Stonerose quarry.  See a Photo Gallery of these rockhounds chipping away in search of a prize.

The 3rd graders spent a recent morning using GPS units to find their way around the woods above campus.  See photo galleries of them Navigating the Woods with Outdoor Director Melanie Mildrew and then Running Down the Sandhill before calculating the height of the hill.

CAS Project: Our full IB diploma students complete CAS (Creativity, Action, Service) projects that are part of an 18-month portfolio, including reflections on their experiences.  Junior Chase Foster’s CAS Project is to collect donated items for students in the West African nation of Liberia.  The items – warm weather clothing, new and used shoes, sports equipment, children’s book, and school supplies – will be sent to Liberia through the Lutheran Church this summer and distributed by Chase’s grandparents when they arrive in November to build schools in that country.  See Chase’s Liberia Donation Flyer for more details on the items he’s collecting, which can be dropped off in the green bucket by the Upper School courtyard stairs through Friday, May 21.

CAS Experience Highlights: CAS experiences for all of our Upper School students (in the US and in China) include helping sick animals, making meals for grandparents, working in the yard, running, walking, and playing basketball.  

CORE Update: The juniors are working on Extended Essay outlines and getting ready to do some writing of their EE before the end of the year. In Theory of Knowledge, the students are exploring theme of knowledge and politics to continue their quest for TOK in the real world around us.  They are also preparing for their final exhibitions, which they will share with sophomores on May 20.

IB Question of the Week: Who is the new Director General of the IB?  Olli-Pekka-Heinonen was just named the 8th Director General.  You can see a video here: https://vimeo.com/543632524/10d9a0d5f3

IB Overview:  The Diploma Programme (DP) curriculum for grades 11-12 is made up of six subject groups and the DP core, comprising Theory of Knowledge (TOK), Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) and the Extended Essay (EE).  Please refer to our IB webpage and to the IB Resources page in PowerSchool Learning for detailed IB information.  

Congratulations to the following Upper School students who received honors and awards at the US Awards Ceremony on April 28.  See a Video of the Full Ceremony (82 minutes long), which had limited seating due to social distancing requirements.  Some of these awards, noted as from 2020, are from last year when the school was not able to hold an Awards Ceremony.
 
Lydia Bade: Excellence in Sports Exercise & Health Science
Cassie Benson: Excellence in English, Frederick Douglass and Susan B. Anthony Award in the Humanities & Social Sciences
Sydney Bledsoe: Clare W. Gilbert Art Award, Cum Laude, 2020 Excellence in Art
Stella Brown: Excellence in World Language - Spanish, Harvard Book Award, Cum Laude
Alec Bunn: Alexander R. Mackay Science Award, Cum Laude, 2020 Excellence in Science
Gabi Cunningham: Hannah L. Joss Social Studies Award, Cum Laude, 2020 Wellesley Book Award, 2020 The Michael M. McCarthy Speech and Debate Award, 2020 Excellence in World Languages - Spanish
John DeForest: Cum Laude, 2020 Excellence in Economics
Alli Dixon: 2020 George Washington Book Award
Anna Field: Gertrude W. Cadzow Music Award
Chase Foster: Excellence in Art , 2020 Kindness Award, 2021 Kindness Award
Mason Foster: Tammy Dix Jensen Physical Education Award, 2021 Kindness Award
Lilly Glennie: 2020 Tammy Dix Jensen Physical Education Award, 2020 Kindness Award
Jake Gliniak: Cum Laude, 2020 Rennselear Polytechnic Institute Gold Medal Award for Excellence in Math and Science
James Gunn: Excellence in Economics
Alex Gustafson: 2020 George Washington Book Award
Reagan Ivey: 2020 & 2021 Katy Reeves Performing Arts Award, Corlin I. Cullen Foreign Language Award, Athlete of the Year
Anna Klim: Excellence in Biology
Tristan Krzyzanek: 2020 Engineering Inspiration Award
Maggie McLaughlin: Excellence in World Language - Chinese
Dana Mogensen: Jonathan McClain "Die Hard" Award
Nico Morales: 2020 Williams College Book Award
Jack Morris: Williams College Book Award
Chaitanya Nalluri: Elisabeth H. Gemberling English Award, Cum Laude, 2020 Excellence in English
Steph Pan: 2021 Kindness Award
Erika Piotrowski: 2020 Frederick Douglass and Susan B. Anthony Award in the Humanities & Social Sciences
Tariq Ravasia: Michael M. McCarthy Speech and Debate Award, Cum Laude
Aidan Reichel: 2020 Michael I. Poutiatine Award for Excellence In Outdoor Pursuit, 2020 Kindness Award, 2021 Kindness Award
Cambrie Rickard: Athlete of the Year
Max Rickard: Excellence in Sports Exercise & Health Science
Zadie Rigsby: 2020 Bowdoin College Book Award
Maddie Roberts: Community Service Club Award, Excellence in History, Wellesley Book Award
Beth Swartzwelder: Excellence in Chemistry, Bowdoin Book Award
Nick Watkins: Athlete of the Year
Carol Wolff: 2020 Community Service Award
Finley Wolff: Michael I. Poutiatine Award for Excellence In Outdoor Pursuit, Excellence in Art, Excellence in Physics
Ethan Wu: Engineering Inspiration Award, Rennselear Polytechnic Institute Gold Medal Award for Excellence in Math and Science, 2020 Excellence in Music
Winnie Wu: Cum Laude, 2020 Excellence in History
Henry Xu: Cum Laude, 2020 Excellence in Math
Yoyo Yang: Cum Laude
Alyssa Zhao: Cum Laude, Excellence in Music
Celia Zhao: Cum Laude, John A. Hern Jr. Mathematics Award, 2020 Excellence in World Language -English Learner, 2021 Excellence in World Language -English Learner

Upper School students complete Creativity, Activity and Service (CAS) projects and reflect on them.  This week there were a variety of CAS projects that students engaged in.

CAS Experience Highlights: CAS experiences for all of our Upper School students (in the US and in China) include helping with the Joya penny drive posters, snorkeling, playing tennis, doing a photo overnight, participating in the Day of Silence, tutoring, making Day of Silence ribbons, volunteering at the Better Living Center, Helping with Casino Night, helping plant the storm garden, going surfing, making blankets, going skiing, house sitting, and team training activities.  

IB Overview:  The Diploma Programme (DP) curriculum for grades 11-12 is made up of six subject groups and the DP core, comprising Theory of Knowledge (TOK), Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) and the Extended Essay (EE).  Please refer to our IB webpage and to the IB Resources page in PowerSchool Learning for detailed IB information.  

Three SGS seniors learned they will receive scholarships from the Spokane Scholars Foundation during its virtual celebration on April 19.  Out of more than 150 seniors nominated by local high schools, Chaitanya Nalluri was 3rd overall in English, earning a $2,000 award.  Reagan Ivey was 3rd overall in Fine Arts, also earning a $2,000 award.  And Henry Xu was 4th overall in Math, earning a $1,000 award.  Congratulations as well to Gabi Cunningham, John DeForest and Winnie Wu, who represented Saint George's in the categories of World Languages, Sciences and Social Studies respectively.  A full recording of the event will be posted on YouTube in a few days for viewing.  Go Dragons!

The SGS FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) robots competed in a multi-round event on April 20.  See videos of Team #7935 and Team #6128 in action that day in the Upper School Courtyard.  These were rounds where the first 30 seconds was in autonomous mode (pre-programmed) and the remaining 2 minutes was controlled by a pair of students.

IB Question of the Week: What do English A Literature exam questions look like?
The IB English A Literature exam requires students to answer just one essay question, basing their answer on at least two works that they have studied.  How well could you compare and contrast two literary works in response to these questions:
 
Drama
1. Explore the techniques used by at least two playwrights you have studied to portray characters constrained by social expectations, and the effects created. 
2. In the works of at least two playwrights you have studied, compare the ways in which plot and structure are used to engage the audience.
3. Explore the techniques used to interweave elements of comedy and tragedy in the work of at least two playwrights you have studied.
 
Poetry
1. In the work of at least two poets you have studied, compare the techniques used to reveal the speaker, and the effects achieved.
2. With reference to the work of at least two poets you have studied, compare in what ways and to what effect language has been used to create intense and/or unforgettable moments.
3. Some poets shine a light on particular issues, while others criticize explicitly. Compare these different approaches in the work of at least two poets you have studied. 
 
Prose: novel and short story
1. Compare the different approaches to narrative that are used to create suspense in the works of at least two authors you have studied.
2. Some works end with a neat resolution; others are less clear cut. With reference to the work of at least two authors you have studied, compare the techniques used to create such endings and the effects achieved.
3. With reference to the works of at least two authors you have studied, compare the ways in which trapped or confined characters are used to highlight social issues.
 
Prose other than fiction
1. How and to what effect are seemingly minor details resulting in major consequences presented in the work of at least two authors of prose other than fiction you have studied?
2. With reference to the works of at least two authors of prose other than fiction you have studied, compare the techniques used to portray misunderstanding and its effects.
3. In the works of at least two authors of prose other than fiction you have studied, discuss the creation of setting and its role in providing an emotional landscape for the reader. 
 
CAS Experiences Highlights: CAS experiences for all of our Upper School students (in the US and in China) include planting trees, riding a camel, participating in track, meditating, cooking Lobster Marinara, participating in community service club, holding a RELAX group meeting, and helping vaccinate livestock.
 
IB Overview:  The Diploma Programme (DP) curriculum for grades 11-12 is made up of six subject groups and the DP core, comprising Theory of Knowledge (TOK), Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) and the Extended Essay (EE).  Please refer to our IB webpage and to the IB Resources page in PowerSchool Learning for detailed IB information.  

The 1st graders have been learning all about penguins, including painting a life-size version of their penguin species.  So they were excited when they found the penguins they had been studying had been made into "pillows" and were waiting for them in their own seats!  View a Photo Gallery of the kids playing with their penguins, and watch a Video of them naming their penguins too.  Did you know that there are no penguins north of the equator...  except in zoos!

The 8th grade English students were filming short stories on April 14 using Shakespeare's sonnets as their dialog.  As for the story's plot and characters, they were just told to be creative!  See a Photo Gallery of several of the teams filming their sonnet-stories.

 


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