At BIS, from Early Years to Secondary School, learning comes to life in meaningful contexts, where creativity and critical thinking grow in every classroom. This week across the campus, our youngest learners transformed recycled materials into imaginative creations, primary students connected knowledge through rich cross-curricular experiences, and secondary students deepened their understanding through application and practice—different stages, the same focus; different pathways, shared growth.
Written by Ms. Lenka, April 2026This week in our Chinese class, our theme was “Loose Parts – Man-made Materials.” In our daily lives, we are surrounded by the products of human creativity; these man-made items enrich our lives and provide convenience, but they can also cause significant environmental pollution, so we explored what we can do with discarded materials. In class, the children enthusiastically collected various man-made materials from around the classroom—some found colorful straws, others picked up pom-poms, and some discovered glass-like decorative gems—and we used these items to brainstorm what they could be assembled into: robots! Each child used their creativity and imagination to design and build a unique robot from these recycled materials, resulting in creations full of charm and originality. In addition, we learned the Chinese stroke “斜钩” (slanted hook) and practiced the characters “我” (I/me) and “找” (to find/look for), and the children also enjoyed playing word-building and sentence-making games to reinforce their learning.
Year 5: Buongiorno Italy!
Written by Ms. Rosie , April 2026
Buongiorno from Year 5!
Get ready for International Day! Our stall celebrates Italy, and Year 5 is buzzing with creativity and high energy.
In Maths, we’ve researched Italian tourism data, creating waffle diagrams, dot plots and tally charts. In English and Global Perspectives, we’re learning about Ancient Rome – from gladiator stories to aqueducts and the Colosseum – and preparing an educational play.
We’ve also been learning Italian in class! Don’t be surprised if you hear “Ciao, signore!” or “Ciao, signora!” as our friendly Year 5 students call out to welcome you to our stall.
This cross-curricular learning has been so important – it connects every subject to a real purpose, which has made the children truly enthusiastic about the project. We also believe that diversity is a great strength, and learning about other cultures helps us grow into thoughtful, open-minded citizens.
Come visit our Italian stall on International Day. We can’t wait to share our hard work with you!
Arrivederci!
AEP Learning in Practice: Knowledge, Skills and Application
Written by Ms. Moi, April 2026
In recent AEP lessons, students have engaged in structured and practice-based learning activities across Biology and English, focusing on different learning objectives.
In AEP Biology lessons, building on the previous unit on ecosystems, all AEP Biology classes participated in an extended practical activity. Students used lightweight clay to construct models of ecosystem components, incorporating both biotic and abiotic elements, as well as representations of human impact on ecosystems. Upon completion, students explained their models using their own words and presented their ideas to the class. This activity aimed to strengthen students’ understanding of ecosystem structure and human influence, while also developing their academic communication and conceptual integration skills.
In AEP Year 9–10 Biology, students explored the topic of a balanced diet. Working in groups, they designed a full day of meals and calculated the total calorie intake based on reference data. The class then analysed and evaluated each group’s plan, determining whether it met the criteria of a balanced diet and suggesting possible improvements. This activity supported students in applying theoretical knowledge to real-life contexts, while developing data analysis and scientific thinking skills.
In AEP Year 11 English, a small-group teaching approach was used to provide differentiated learning support. Students first engaged in targeted foundational skill practice based on their individual learning needs, including handwriting practice for those improving written clarity and vocabulary consolidation for those strengthening core language knowledge. This was followed by further language learning tasks. This structure aimed to consolidate foundational language skills, improve learning precision, and support steady individual progress.
Written by Ms. Aurora, April 2026In a Grade 12 Chinese lesson, Aurora guided international students studying HSK5 through a task-based learning activity centered on the theme “A Three-Day Tour of a Chinese City.” Students took on the role of tour guides, applying the vocabulary and sentence structures they had learned to design and present their travel plan PPTs.
Before the task, Aurora helped students organize their ideas and introduced useful expressions for itinerary planning, sightseeing descriptions, and making recommendations. During the task, students worked collaboratively in groups, completing their projects step by step from selecting destinations and planning routes to structuring their language. Afterward, they presented their work in Chinese, using the language in a meaningful and authentic context.
Throughout the process, students demonstrated clear progress in their Chinese learning. They moved from relying on fixed patterns to expressing ideas more naturally, showing improvement in accuracy, fluency, and confidence. Their well-designed presentations brought cities such as Lijiang, Shanghai, and Beijing to life, showcasing the richness and diversity of Chinese culture.
This activity not only strengthened students’ ability to use Chinese, but also enhanced their intercultural understanding and practical communication skills. More real-world, task-based learning experiences will continue to be integrated into future lessons, allowing Chinese to be truly “lived” and used.
Post time: Apr-21-2026
