By Graham Gardner - Middle Years Coordinator
Grade 6 students are currently studying a unit on Cells, Tissues and Organs in Science. Through this unit they have developed an expertise in using microscopes, naming the parts of a microscope, including two lenses, explaining the function of these parts and developing skills to use microscopes to observe cells. The unit will culminate with two significant events.
- The first is a dissection of an eye that students are looking forward to with curiosity, excitement and for some, trepidation. Performing a dissection is also a “rites of passage” marker in their transition from Primary to Middle school.
- The second event is a visit by a guest speaker Dr Bercovici from the ETH in Zürich who will talk about making lenses in zero gravity conditions during space missions and will work with the students to make lenses.
The MYP is also in transition. In 2027 a new updated programme will be launched by the IB called the “Enhanced MYP.” ICS is one of a number of schools already involved in the early adoption of some of the “enhanced” elements. These include changes to the ATL (Approaches to Learning) skills and Community Engagement. Both these elements can be seen in this Grade 6 science unit on Cells, Tissues and Organs.
The “enhanced” approach in ATL skills emphasises the use of strategies to fully ground the development of specific skills. In preparation for the eye dissection students have been investigating lenses and how they work. The photographs below show them measuring their “near sight” and measuring the focal length of a lens. They also met the term “infinity” (∞) in the context of optics. Their prior knowledge related to Buzz Lightyear’s catchphrase.
The science students have been developing Self-Management ATL skills, in particular within the context of science, how to organise data. Throughout the first semester they worked on a strategy for identifying key elements for their data tables and have applied this in recording data for their investigation into lenses and focal length. The learning intention is that once they are grounded in this skill they will be able to use it throughout their science career. They should also be able to transfer this skill to other areas of learning and life (we encourage you to test this out at home).
The visit of Dr Bercovici is an example of how Community Engagement is changing within the “Enhanced” MYP. Until now, this area focused on service. The changes will widen in scope to explore essentially any learning activity that engages with a community; from local communities to international communities. With Dr Bercovici’s visit, we will test the limits of this by going beyond the Earth to include the whole universe through the development of lenses in space astronomy. The key point is that through such experiences students will see their learning as being connected to the real world, whether through the local ICS parent community (Dr Bercovici is an ICS parent), or local science institutions (ETH) or international scientific communities (space agencies such as NASA and ESA). Having Dr Bercovici present in person makes that connection real where the students will be able to ask questions that go further than their usual classroom experience. To quote Buzz: “to infinity and beyond”!