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Principal’s MessageDear RBIS Community,

Earth Day is coming soon! The following is information regarding this special RBIS event:

Event Date: Saturday, April 21st

Time: 10:00am - 3:00pm

Tickets: Tickets will be available on Tuesday, April 17th. They ar ein the form of a sticker. Each child receives four tickets for family and friends.

Entrance: RBIS students and parents can enter via our school’s gate or the main gate. Please wear your ED sticker-ticket for free entry. Your friends can buy their tickets on Earth Day from the zoo’s main gate for RMB 40.

What to wear: In the spirit of Earth Day we encourage you to “dress up” in the clothes that represent your country or clothes that represent environmental awareness. Be creative and have fun!

What to bring: Yourself, friends, tickets, camera, video camera, picnic blanket and picnic set, hat, sunscreen and a reuseable drink bottle.

What to do: The best way to spend Earth Day is to relax on a picnic blanket with your family and friends and watch the stage performances. There will also be lots of fun games and activities organized by teachers, RBIS parents, and local charities/businesses.

Lunch: At our Earth Day celebration this year we would like to invite parents to bring food to share from their culture. In previous years, we have invited food vendors to the school. However, this year, due to new fire and safety regulations, we are unable to invite food vendors. Our school cafe will still be open and selling a selection of foods.

Tables will be set up inside the school for you to drop off your dish prior to the event. Please note, that dishes should not contain nuts or shellfish.

In the spirit of Earth Day, we ask parents to bring in reuseable picnic set to try to reduce the amount of plastic plates, cups, and waste.

Transport: Please walk, ride a bike, use public transport, or try and car pool.

Bad Weather: In case of bad weather, we will hold a smaller Earth Day festival inside our school for RBIS families only. On April 20th, please check our website for more information.www.rbischina.org

Earth Day Man vs. Trash ManIn the weeks leading up to Earth Day, keep a look out for our ED hero, Earth Day Man as he teaches us ways to protect our planet through sustainable living, recycling, reducing, and reusing. You may also catch him challenging our Earth Day villain who will be announced after the April holiday!

We look forward to seeing you on Earth Day!

-Rebecca Zipprich Principal Rainbow Bridge International School

Celebrating 15 years of building a community of life-long learners.

News and EventsAfter school enrollment forms due Feb. 10th.PYP Parent meeting Feb. 16th.Literacy Week happens Feb 20th - 24th.Page 2

Early Childhood Coordinator and Elementary CoordinatorThe Culminating Project--Student ExhibitionPage 2

Science, Library, and Technology

Page 3

Chinese, Music, and Art

Page 4

P.E. and RBIS Soccer

Page 5

Photo GalleryNicky Bingham--Storyteller, Movie NightPages 6-7

Rebecca Zipprich, RBIS Principal

Volume 5, Issue 4, April 2012

2381 Hong Qiao Road (Zoo's East Gate), Shanghai, China 200335 T: (86 21)62689773, 62684081 F: (86 21) 62691294 www.rbischina.org

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In your last year as a student in the IB PYP programme you will complete your final project, the PYP exhibition. This exhibition is a celebration of students learning and requires students to demonstrate their understanding of the 5 essential elements of the programme. One of the main purposes of the PYP Exhibition is to give students the opportunity to demonstrate the work habits and skills they have developed during their time in the P r i m a r y Ye a r s Programme.

The Exhibit ion provides us with a process through which we can see evidence of, among other things, how individual students organize their time & their materials, how they work with other students to achieve a common goal, the strategies they apply to resolve conflict in team situations, the process they select to develop an idea into a full project, and the steps they use to carry out an in-depth investigation.

This year our 5/6th grade class are beginning their 6 week exhibition on March 19th and will have their final presentation on May 16th.

Under the transdisciplinary theme Sharing the Planet, the students will be exploring the central idea, “Children worldwide encounter a range of challenges, risks, and opportunities. Using this, students will determine an issue in which they are interested and work collaboratively to determine the course of their inquiry. Students will be required to develop concepts, lines of inquiry and highlight student action to be taken. Each group’s journey will be documented in journals and scrapbooks which will be used to prepare a culminating presentation that utilises technology, multi-media and performance.

To support students in this momentous task, a selection of teachers will act as mentors. Mentors act as a guide and resource in the accomplishment of specific tasks during the exhibition process. Students will meet with their mentors to help guide them in their planning and also provide “expert advice”. For example, Ms. Melissa and Ms. Adrienne will support student in their research and

planning while Ms. Jennifer will be available to support students in the writing process. Throughout the unit, s t u d e n t s w i l l participate in daily, ongoing reflection and self-evaluation. Ms. Christina will also assess and monitor students in their journey.

This project reflects the synthesis of student’s learning. From Preschool to grade 6, students are continually developing and reflecting on their understanding of the five essential elements. We are extremely excited to see their final projects and share in this celebration of learning.

To learn more about the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program, please visit: www.ibo.org

A P R I L 2 0 1 2

C A L E N D A R April 10th: Author visit by Neil Griffiths

April 17th: Earth Day tickets sent home

April 18th: Family Gardening Day

April 21st: Earth Day Celebration inside the Shanghai Zoo

April 30th - May 1st: No School for Labor Day.

A N N O U N C E M E N T S

Congratulations Ms. Rebecca and Mr. Alex!

On April 3rd, Ms. Rebecca and Mr. Alex celebrated the birth of their second child, a healthy, beautiful boy, Vincent Lev Carroll. Ms. Rebecca will return form maternity leave in May. Please contact our Elementary or Early Childhood Coordinators with any questions.

News and EventsNews and EventsNews and Events

2381 Hong Qiao Road (Zoo's East Gate), Shanghai, China 200335 T: (86 21)62689773, 62684081 F: (86 21) 62691294 www.rbischina.org

Kate BensonElementary Coordinator

Linda MathewsEarly Childhood Coordinator

The Culminating Project – Student Exhibition

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ChineseStudents are experiencing various learning activities in Chinese class that make the language learning easy and interesting.

Elementary students love the “Bingo” game which deepens their understanding of pinyin and Chinese characters and will help to reinforce memorization of the characters and their meaning. The students are also role playing to practice sentences using appropriate tones in the appropriate context. Another activity that has caught their interest is “Act and Guess”. During this activity, students not only show their big talent for acting, they also are challenged to speak out the corresponding words in a limited time. This has proven to be a good way to help students remember new words and phrases.

Pre-K classes are inquiring about the “community”. Teachers introduced different job titles of different members of the school community and they were also introduced to new Chinese vocabulary that referred to the different locations in the school. Students took school tours to various destinations around the school gathering information and using their new vocabulary to identify roles and different areas of the school. Students presented their knowledge by role playing and matching games. For example, students in Ms. Sara’s class did role play in the library. The students were happy to act as librarian or a borrower of a book and had fun using their new vocabulary.

For preschool and early years students, singing songs is always one of their favorite learning activities during Chinese time. Big smiles are on their lovely faces when music starts and they are singing while dancing to the rhythm. Preschoolers are learning the names of family members at the moment. Some of them are really curious to the fact that the Chinese language has so many different names for “uncle” and “aunt”. They are having the opportunities to inquire into this very big name family through stories and handcrafts.

-Linda Zhang, Chinese Curriculum Coordinator

LibraryRBIS celebrated Literacy Week in February with a full slate of reading and writing activities for all our students. With over thirty different activities and events throughout the week, students were awash in reading and writing fun!

Highlights of Literacy Week included the Read-a-Thon during which students in first through sixth grade spent XXhours reading and earned XXXRMB for the Roots & Shoots Million Tree Project. Students also devoted significant time to writing during Write Your Heart Out when they dropped everything to write and illustrate stories. All students in first through sixth grades participated in Battle of the Books which tested their knowledge of children’s literature. Another bright spot was the Story Book Characters Parade in which students and teachers dressed as characters from their favorite books and paraded around the courtyard to share their love of reading.

Students were entertained by special guests Randy Girdner, author, illustrator, and creator of Boyd McCloyd; Singapore Storyteller Alex Goh; and Mo Willem’s Pigeon who appeared in a puppet show for early childhood students.

In addition to the activities at school, students attended Literacy Night and created puppets, their own writer’s notebooks, played literacy games, and participated in readers theater among still more activities.

Keep your books open and your pencils at the ready for more literacy opportunities from the RBIS library and the literacy committee!

-Ms. Adrienne

TechnologyThese past few months in the technology lab we have been learning about how the computer can be used as a tool for communication. The kindergartners began by making digital books to communicate their findings about simple machines and ways of transportation. Now that they are investigating how animals and people interact, they are sharing their knowledge with each other through VoiceThread. VoiceThread is a web application that allows students to share their thoughts and feelings about a set of pictures related to a common theme or topic. Students can communicate through typing, drawing, or recording their voice. The students’ comments are then saved as part of the picture presentation for everyone to read or listen to.

In third grade students have been exploring how to safely communicate online. Third grade has been using the online classroom site Edmodo to reflect upon their unit on marketing. Edmodo is a secure way to introduce students to social media tools. Through Edmodo students are able to learn how to respectfully communicate with each other and their teachers in a digital environment. Third graders have also taken advantage of the technology lab to look at and evaluate different types of advertising (television commercials, print ads, and web advertisements).

Fourth grade is also learning about how to be a good digital citizen. They are participating in a classroom blog to share their understanding of ancient civilizations. Through this unit, fourth graders will learn how present their findings online in a meaningful and respectful way. They are also examining the difference between communicating online versus communicating on paper. As we continue this unit, I am hopeful that these students will be able to see the immense potential of using social media tools to learn and share information, while at the same time understand the importance of keeping personal information private and respecting other people’s ideas and creations in a digital environment.

-Ms. Melissa

2381 Hong Qiao Road (Zoo's East Gate), Shanghai, China 200335 T: (86 21)62689773, 62684081 F: (86 21) 62691294 www.rbischina.org

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ScienceHave you ever wondered if you have the next big idea? Fifth and Sixth grade just completed their invention unit. They studied why inventions were created during certain time periods, possible future inventions, and designed their own invention.

During their Where we are in Place and Time unit, the students studied the Scientific Method. Investigations included how to make a radiometer spin, solid liquid or gas, hovercraft, and constructing a car that moves when a force is applied. The initial lesson included a question to investigate, the materials, and procedures. Students followed the procedures to make the radiometer spin. Slowly, students completed more of the scientific method on their own.

The next experiment was solid, liquid, or gas where students investigated the states of matter. Each lab group received a water bottle, vinegar, baking soda, one balloon, and safety goggles. The students completed the procedures to inflate the balloon. Ask a 5th or 6th grader how to complete this experiment.

Students made a simple hovercraft by using a CD, water bottle top, and a balloon. Each lab group tested the hovercraft and measured the distance it moved. They had the opportunity to change one variable before they tested again. The last experiment the fifth and sixth graders completed included using 2 straws, an index card, and any other materials to construct a car. Each group tested their car by giving a gentle push on a slide. You can ask Ms. Jennifer to see the pictures of the students testing their hypothesis.

While one grade studied inventions, the fourth graders studied energy during their how the world works unit. Students created simple circuits and explained how they work. Also, they studied how heat energy is turned into mechanical energy through the use of a radiometer. During the unit, they discovered there are many forms of energy that help us complete our daily activities.

-Ms. Jennifer

MusicThis past semester in music, students have been focusing on a ‘sharing the planet’ theme in the majority of the lessons. As Earth Day is fast approaching, elementary students, particularly those in grades 3 and up, have been looking at songs that support RBIS’s environmental cause.

Songs of this nature include, for example, “Big Yellow Taxi” by Joni Mitchell. Another class activity has been working on choreography that will be performed at Earth Day and Festival of the Arts.

Students in Kindergarten and below have been studying about animals we’re sharing our planet with. We incorporate rhythmical names for each of them and combine them in different ways to make new rhythms. We also have discussions as to how these animals share our planet, where they live, and how important they are to us. It’s a fun way for students to participate in music, but also gain awareness about the world they live in.

-Ms. Lindi

ArtPreschool and Pre-K have started learning about texture. Students had fun with the feely box where they had to describe the texture of the objects inside. We also discussed and differentiated between actual texture and visual or simulated texture. The students also went outside to look for an actual texture and change it into a visual texture by doing a textural rubbing using a crayon. Students placed the paper over an object and rubbed it to capture the texture.

Kindergarten students have learned how color corresponds with emotions by reading the book The Way I Feel by Janan Cain. We then discussed how colors and feelings are linked. The students further explored this link by creating expressive self-portraits. While listening to sad, happy, scary, groovy, or angry music, we made facial expressions to match the music and took pictures. Each photo was then modified into a black and white drawing effect so that the students could color it while determining what color to be used for each expression. 

First through second graders have been analyzing color and color theory. We determined what are primary colors and what makes them so special. We have dubbed them the super colors because of their ability to create other colors and no other colors are able to create them. We then looked at secondary colors, tertiary colors, and identified how to create shades and tints with white and black. Students were challenged to create at least 20 different colors from 5 different paint colors. The students were surprised they could create so many colors.

Third graders have been theatrical mini-sculptures and looking how to transform space through their narrative dioramas. Students had to create a story, with plot setting and characters, then they had to visualize the climatic scene that would be represented through their diorama.

Fourth graders are creating a group sculpture to honor our Earth Day Celebration. The sculpture was designed by the students and they will unveil it in the days leading up to RBIS’s Earth Day on April 21st.

-Mr. Alex and Mr. Romel

2381 Hong Qiao Road (Zoo's East Gate), Shanghai, China 200335 T: (86 21)62689773, 62684081 F: (86 21) 62691294 www.rbischina.org

R a i n b o w B r i d g e I n t e r n a t i o n a l S c h o o l

52381 Hong Qiao Road (Zoo's East Gate), Shanghai, China 200335 T: (86 21)62689773, 62684081 F: (86 21) 62691294 www.rbischina.org

Physical Education On March 4th, RBIS soccer teams had their first league matches of 2012 and everyone played excellent! The Under 10 team won their two games 6-1 and 7-3 and the Under 8 team tied two of their games 1-1, before going down 0-2 in a well contested match. The goal scorers were Daiki 3B (6), Rin 4A (4), Kevin 3B (2) and Bill 3B (1) for the Under 10 team and Joe 1C (1) and Markel 1A (1) for the Under 8s. But a big mention goes out to everyone who braved the rain and played fantastic!

On Sunday, March 25th, RBIS students played football/soccer in the sunshine at Shanghai American School. Our mighty under 8 team (1st/2nd grade) played 3 games, winning all 3 and scoring 18 goals and conceding only 1. The Under 8 team includes; Markel 1A, Jay 1D, Joe 1C, Kosei 2B, Berkley 2B, Alistair 2B, Sean 2A. Our Under 10 team (3rd/4th grade) are currently top of their league and played 2 games on

Sunday against SAS and YK Pao School, winning 2-1 and going down 2-4 despite playing the better football. The Under 10 team includes: Eway 3A, John 3A, Bill 3B, Willy 3B, Shani 3B, Kevin 3B, Daiki 3B, Corin 3B, Tommy 4A, Yu 4A, and Jenny 4A.

A big thanks to Mr. Mark who has given up his Sundays to help coach the Under 8 team! We couldn’t offer our kids these kind of activities without your help. Any teachers or parents who would like to help out or come along and cheer on the team are more than welcome!

Our RBIS Basketball team won our first ever game on the night of March 14th! The boys and girls from 4th, 5th and 6th grade traveled to YK Pao School and came back with a 25-21 victory. Woop! March was the month for Basketball; the Root and Shoots committee had their basketball tournament/Million Tree Project fundraiser event as well. Please add another date to your diaries: The RBIS YK Pao Basketball rematch at our school has been set for Wednesday April 11th. It would be great if you and your kids could stay behind and support the team and turn our gym into a mini fortress! See you there!

-Mr. James

Join us for Earth Day, April 21st inside the Shanghai Zoo

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Nicky Bingham, StorytellerRBIS students were treated to the amazing talents of Nicky Bingham who tells stories through oral narration combined with elements of acting and miming. Students’ minds and imaginations were activated by her vivid portrayal of characters in her stories.

2381 Hong Qiao Road (Zoo's East Gate), Shanghai, China 200335 T: (86 21)62689773, 62684081 F: (86 21) 62691294 www.rbischina.org

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Movie Night Over 100 RBIS students showed up to the Parent Committee and Roots and

Shoots sponsored movie nights to help raise money for trees in Inner Mongolia. Everyone had a ball watching their favorite movies and eating

popcorn and pizza.

2381 Hong Qiao Road (Zoo's East Gate), Shanghai, China 200335 T: (86 21)62689773, 62684081 F: (86 21) 62691294 www.rbischina.org

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Contact UsOffice of AdmissionTel: (86 21) 62689773, 62683121Fax: (86 21) 62691294Email: admissions@rbischina.orgWeb: www.rbischina.org

Rainbow Bridge International School2381 Hong Qiao Road(Zoo’s East Gate)Shanghai, China 200335

LocationRBIS is an inclusive learning community located inside the Shanghai Zoo, one of the largest green spaces in Shanghai.

The campus is just 5 mins. from Hongqiao Int’l airport and 10 mins. from the Gubei area. A Metro Line 10 station is located in front of the zoo’s main entrance.

To HongqiaoAirport

Hongqiao Lu

Hongzhong Lu

Hongjing Lu

Hongmei Lu

Huanxi Lu

Jinhui Lu

(3 km)

The Bund (17 km)

Zoo’s east gateShanghai

Zoo

Yan’an Lu

Ham

i Lu

Metro Line 10

2381 Hong Qiao Road (Zoo's East Gate), Shanghai, China 200335 T: (86 21)62689773, 62684081 F: (86 21) 62691294 www.rbischina.org