A Porridge Success!

This week was an exciting one as our students took to the stage for our production of Porridge. After months of rehearsals, learning lines, practicing songs, and working together, the performance was a wonderful success.

The students demonstrated courage, commitment, and teamwork throughout the process. From remembering cues and supporting one another backstage to performing confidently in front of an audience, they showed how much they have grown. It was especially rewarding to see students step outside their comfort zones and embrace new challenges.

A musical production is much more than a performance. It provides opportunities for students to develop communication skills, collaboration, resilience, and responsibility. Throughout the rehearsals, students learned the importance of preparation, perseverance, and working towards a common goal.

We are incredibly proud of the effort every student put into making Porridge a success. Thank you to all the families who supported their children throughout the process and joined us to celebrate their achievements.

As we move into the final weeks of the school year, we look forward to carrying this same enthusiasm, confidence, and teamwork into our learning.

Have a wonderful weekend to all of you.

Your homeroom teacher, 

Ms. Pam

Rehearsals and More!

This week, the classroom has been filled with music, movement, and many repeat runs of scenes as students continued preparing for the upcoming musical. Rehearsals focused on learning cues, strengthening stage presence, and becoming more confident with songs and dialogue. Students are beginning to see how all the different parts of a production come together.

In both our Unit of Inquiry and writing lessons, students have been exploring migration through the lens of different perspectives. As part of their preparation for balanced argument writing, students conducted interviews and gathered opinions connected to migration-related issues and experiences. They practiced asking open-ended questions, listening carefully, and identifying how viewpoints can differ depending on a person’s background or experiences. These conversations will support students as they begin developing balanced arguments supported by multiple perspectives and evidence.

Next week, we will also begin introducing a pens only system for Grades 5 and 6 during selected classroom tasks. This is intended to help students build confidence in drafting, editing, and taking ownership of their work without relying on erasing mistakes. We will continue guiding students through this transition gradually and supportively.

Thank you for continuing to support students through their learning and I look forward to seeing you in our musical next week.

Have a wonderful weekend to all of you. 

Your homeroom teacher,

Ms. Pam

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Reminder:

Please let your child bring a hat everyday, even if it is cloudy. We will continue to implement the no hat, no play policy for the remainder of the school year.

Migration and Musical

This week, the Grade 5/6 class continued the busy rhythm of preparing for the musical, with rehearsals taking center stage. Alongside this, we introduced a new unit on migration, and the shift in focus added a deeper, more reflective layer to the week’s learning.

The unit began with an activity called Unpacking Migration. Through a popcorn talk format, students responded to the word “migration” and shared connections, questions, and ideas. The responses ranged widely—some linked migration to family movements, education, and new opportunities, while others brought up more difficult realities such as war, climate change, and displacement. As the board filled up, it became clear that migration is not a single experience, but a complex idea shaped by many different circumstances and emotions.

This was followed by the Would You Leave? decision activity. In this exercise, migration scenarios were read aloud and students physically moved to different parts of the classroom to indicate whether they would stay, leave, or feel unsure. Each scenario challenged students to think more deeply about real-world situations. Some prompts involved better job opportunities abroad, while others included serious issues such as war, drought, flooding, or restrictions on freedom. After each decision, students discussed their reasoning by considering questions such as why they made that choice, what would be difficult about it, and what might be gained or lost.

What stood out during this activity was how varied the responses were. In situations involving safety, many were quick to choose “leave,” while scenarios involving family, friends, or opportunity often created uncertainty. The discussions highlighted that migration decisions are rarely simple, and are often shaped by a mix of emotional, practical, and ethical factors.

The final activity, Pack Your Bag, brought the idea of migration even closer to personal experience. Students imagined having to move to another country the very next day and were only allowed to pack a small backpack with ten items. As different constraints and scenarios were introduced, the challenge became even more difficult. Choices had to be made between essentials, personal belongings, and items that provided comfort or connection to home. The activity emphasized how limited space forces difficult decisions, and how quickly priorities can shift in situations of uncertainty.

Overall, while the musical continued to demand focus and energy, the introduction of the migration unit added an important shift in perspective. Through discussion, movement, and decision-making, students began to see migration not just as movement from one place to another, but as a deeply human experience involving risk, sacrifice, opportunity, and change.

Have a wonderful weekend ahead. 

Your homeroom teacher, 

Ms. Pam

Welcome Back!

 This week was a short but busy one as we returned to school after the Golden Week break. It was nice to see everyone again after the long holiday and catch up with friends and teachers. Although we only had two school days this week, we quickly got back into our routines and started preparing for the weeks ahead.

Most of our time was spent practicing for our musical, Porridge by Craig Hawes. We worked hard during rehearsals, practicing our songs, lines, and stage movements so that the performance will go smoothly. Everyone showed great teamwork and enthusiasm, and it was exciting to continue preparing together.

We also spent time getting ready for our upcoming Cambridge assessments. We reviewed important topics, practiced different skills, and made sure we understood what to expect in the assessments. Even though the week was short, it was a good start after the break and helped everyone settle back into school life.

Have a wonderful weekend to all of you.

Your homeroom teacher, 

Ms. Pam