December 8, 2014
Dear Middle School Parents,
We are heading into the winter break at the end of the week! What a wonderful weekend of events with the Middle School Prizma Day and the All School Clothes Sort (see photos below). We had over 40 AISB Middle School students participating in the Prizma Day! They had a great time making new friends with the visiting Prizma students while playing in the bouncy structure, on the slide, driving cars, face painting or just hanging out. Many thanks out to the PSA parents who also participated in the Prizma Day with helping out at the Arts and Crafts station. We also want to thank the school cafeteria staff for providing lunch and staff to serve all of us lunch on this day.
Dear Middle School Parents,
We are heading into the winter break at the end of the week! What a wonderful weekend of events with the Middle School Prizma Day and the All School Clothes Sort (see photos below). We had over 40 AISB Middle School students participating in the Prizma Day! They had a great time making new friends with the visiting Prizma students while playing in the bouncy structure, on the slide, driving cars, face painting or just hanging out. Many thanks out to the PSA parents who also participated in the Prizma Day with helping out at the Arts and Crafts station. We also want to thank the school cafeteria staff for providing lunch and staff to serve all of us lunch on this day.
We are going to have a busy week as we head into winter holiday. Students are working on numerous activities, projects and assignments as we all try to get back on track from the ice days after Thanksgiving. We will close out the year (calendar) with our traditional Middle School Holiday Assembly on Friday at 2:30-3:30 in the theater.
(PE Update; Parent Portal on FinalSite)
Hour of Code Week (Link)
We want our students to be problems solvers who are capable of being innovative, creative and caring people who make the world a better place one person at time, people who are curious about learning and are willing to take risks and try things and are willing and able to keep going after hitting obstacles. Today and the rest of this week are the celebration of this type of thinking and learning in what is being called "Hour of Code."
The teaching of computer coding to students is a movement started in schools over the last couple of years. The learning that transpires in students who are involved in coding is deep and intense, as they are involved in problem solving and real world learning in a way that is difficult to replicate. It is amazing to see the growth of technology in the lives of our own children let alone in our own personal and professional lives. I encourage you to watch one of the videos or to seek out additional information on your own regarding this movement and to think about the implications for our children. It is so exciting, encouraging and empowering for the students and teachers alike.
New Opportunities for Creativity and Problem Solving at AISB!
By Bill Farren
The American International School of Budapest is starting a maker club this winter for middle school and fifth grade students. The goal is to give students opportunities to experience what it's like to create and problem solve using tools and materials that they would probably not encounter otherwise.
Students will be given ideas about what kind of projects they might want to work on. Freedom and choice are important. Some examples of technologies we will be using are computer aided design (CAD) to be output to a computer controlled cutter or 3D printer, prototyping with Lego Mindstorms (programmable machines), working with Arduino micro-controllers and Raspberry Pi micro-computers, woodworking, sewing, etc.
With the removal of "shop class" and home economics classes from most college preparatory programs, students today have fewer opportunities to make, repair or tinker with the tangible world. A maker space is a great way to help students be creative and to experience real, authentic problem solving. Maker spaces give students a reason to develop their math, science, arts, tech and entrepreneurial skills through real-world application. Creating in these environments allows students to learn from one another and to see new possibilities.
This is the first year we are doing this at AISB. No doubt, everyone involved will learn a lot, and in keeping with the maker ethos, even when we fail, we will have learned what doesn't work.
Check out the Web site
Vacation...Read, Read and Read!
We hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday period connecting with one and another and spending time together. The vacation is also a wonderful opportunity for you and your children to send some time doing something old fashioned, reading a book! Please come by our library or stop by your local bookstore and pick up a couple of books over the holidays.
There are numerous tools for reading online but I am suggesting reading a book, magazine or newspaper and put your device aside to spend some quiet time with a book. If you can come to our assembly on Friday, come a little earlier and go to the library to sign out some books for the holidays.
Check out this link for some interesting data and research behind reading fiction.
Weekly Schedule of Events after School-Clink on this link to view
Photos of Prizma Day and All School Clothes Sort:
Prizma
Vacation...Read, Read and Read!
We hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday period connecting with one and another and spending time together. The vacation is also a wonderful opportunity for you and your children to send some time doing something old fashioned, reading a book! Please come by our library or stop by your local bookstore and pick up a couple of books over the holidays.
There are numerous tools for reading online but I am suggesting reading a book, magazine or newspaper and put your device aside to spend some quiet time with a book. If you can come to our assembly on Friday, come a little earlier and go to the library to sign out some books for the holidays.
Check out this link for some interesting data and research behind reading fiction.
Weekly Schedule of Events after School-Clink on this link to view
Photos of Prizma Day and All School Clothes Sort:
Prizma
