november 2014 vol. 7 / issue 4 life at ois ay 2014 -15...you can click on the multiple ... modeling...

Our Core Values…. Knowledge Respect Social Responsibility Creativity Celebration

LIFE AT OIS The Month That Was…..

Tech Integration at OIS

Today's kids are born digital - born into a media-rich, networked world of infinite possibilities. But their digital lifestyle is about more than just cool gadgets; it's about “engagement, self-directed learning, creativity, and empowerment” (www.edutopia.org). When we (most of us) went to school, we went to one classroom, and waited for our professor to show up. The professor showed up, delivered the same content for all forty kids in the class. After class we went back home and read the book from chapter 1 to the end. Everything was linear. Now let us think of Wikipedia. You can click on the multiple hyper links in a simple search and quickly go in a dozen different directions. It is like peeling an onion. This typifies how today’s ‘digital youth’ think.

“When I read an online newspaper, if I do not know a word, I can click on it and find out what it means. When I read an article about a ship trapped in the Atlantic ocean, I can find out why, and find the exact location using Google maps. This is not possible on a printed newspaper.”

-An OIS 10th Grader

NOVEMBER 2014 VOL. 7 / ISSUE 4

Puja Srivastava IT Director


CORE VALUE OF THE MONTH: CREATIVITY PAGE 2

setting....Effective integration of technology is achieved when students are able to select technology tools to help them obtain information in a timely manner, analyze and synthesize the information, and present it professionally. The technology should become an integral part of how the classroom functions—as accessible as all other classroom tools.”

As you look through the following examples of tech integration here at OIS, see if you can identify the various aspects of this definition in what we are doing. For more information on our tech integration program, please see http://www.techois.wordpress.com.

Special thanks to Prf. Barry Price for her insights on digital natives and bridging the digital divide. Grade 9 biology students expanded their knowledge of a healthy diet by making magazines using Lucid press. The project also integrated with Google Drive, making it easy for the students to collaborate.

Most of our students today are digital natives, whereas most of us adults are “digital immigrants.” They just have different approaches to learning than we do. We might have had these tendencies to explore, but early in our educational experiences, we learned that to be successful in that system, we had to focus our efforts on what was expected of us. And, probably, we can whip these digital natives into our linear images, if we try hard enough. They can learn to sit, take notes, take tests, write papers and such during school, only to rush home to use the technology at their fingertips (literally) to explore the world. With this in mind, a better approach for us all, is to learn how to allow and encourage our students to use their natural tendencies to seek, create, share and present information using technology, which is why OIS focuses such a great deal of time, money and effort into our technology integration programs.

The International Society for Technology in Education’s (ISTE) National Educational Technology Standards says about technology integration:

“Curriculum integration with the use of technology involves the infusion of technology as a tool to enhance the learning in a content area or multidisciplinary

www.edutopia.org

http://www.techois.wordpress.com/

integration/Grade 9 Biology/Magazine.pdf



All grade 6 students created a blog to reflect upon the Pench trip. Students are working on their blogs to share their experiences on the blog and comment on two blog posts of their peers. Here are a couple of the blogs created during this project:

Ruchi's blog Neil's Blog

Students of grade 9 Physics used a modeling tool called Algodoo to create animations showcasing their understanding of the concepts covered in their Mechanics lesson. Grade 1 students began the unit by exploring and learning as much as they could about the various processes that food undergoes on its journey from field to table. They were able to use Google Chrome or Safari to find information and photographs online, and then save them to their iPads for future use. In some cases, students had a difficult time finding relevant information on a process of their choosing, so the teacher curated several sites and then created QR codes out of them. This allowed students to access the websites more easily; with an iPad they could scan the code and view it immediately.

In order to understand the relationship between the different stages, the students were asked to create flowcharts or mind maps of different processes. They did this using two apps: Grafio and Popplet.

http://mylife-ruchivipulishagala.blogspot.in/



http://master650.blogspot.in/



The UOI summative assessment was completed on the iPads as well. The multi-part goal was as follows: first, the student would create a fictitious food plate with multiple items on it; second, students would choose one food from the plate and explain the entire process that it undergoes from field to table, complete with photos off of the internet; lastly, students choose a single step in the process mentioned above, and outlined the consequences incurred if that step was missing. OIS is also using the Google Apps for Education Environment (GAFE) (Google Apps for Education) and as such, both students, staff and teachers have a wealth of (free!) tools available. So, in a nutshell, what is in the Google box?

• Tools to research, to create, to communicate, to share and collaborate. • Tools to present, make data more visual, analyze trends and discover. • Tools to connect with others, with Mail, Video communication and more.

Tools to create content, store it long-term, and publish to others. • Tools to work in different languages, have tools for people with handicaps. • Tools to code and program, to import/export data, connect other tools and software too. • Tools to go mobile, work in the Cloud and have everything backed-up all the time!

It is no surprise that worldwide, the amount of schools and students using GAFE is growing fast. The numbers recently increased to a stunning 100% growth every year.

And, that is also due to the fact that there are new tools available for teachers (and administrators) as well. In fact, there are so many new features available, that Google organizes “Summits” where experts showcase many of the tools, such as the one many of our staff attended here in Mumbai last week (Summit).

Special thanks to the Tech Integration team for their contributions to this article: Marcel Idler, Vijay Wagh, Nikita Shah and Alex Johnson!

https://www.google.com/edu/products/productivity-tools/

http://in.gafesummit.com/



Grade 3 Field Day Reflection The day started off with respective cheering calls from all the ends and stations. Parents, guardians, teachers, students and staff filled the OIS greenery. Shamianas, podiums, tracks, winning posts were waiting to be occupied and ravaged by the scathing sprinters. The positive attitude and the sportsmanship spirit guided us to show our best in the field.

The opening ceremony was sparked with the encouraging words by Dr. Vladimir, followed by the national anthem. With the blow of the whistle, we marched with tremendous zest to our first station – the water relay. After seven minutes, we were drenched but had our victory smiles on. Infectious energy dominated the air as the teachers and the parents cheered their little ones.

We carried on to the other stations of hurdle race, tug of war, sponge water relay and ended with the sack race. The day went by in a breeze as we hungered on for more excitement. We all felt united as risk takers as we triumphantly concluded our day.

To sum up our feelings, our class cheered:

“We are all queens and kings of 3C! Fast as Milkha Singh!”

OIS held its annual Field Days on November 24th, 26th and 28th for the Early Years, Primary and Secondary sections this year. Fun and exercise were combined again as homerooms competed against each other to see who could carry the day! More importantly, students were reminded that the outcomes of these activities are less important than the fun that was had, the friendships made and the satisfaction one gets from having done their best. One thing is for sure, the students, teachers and parents who participated all had a great time!

FIELD DAYS AT OIS!



Access Water on November 5, 2014 Guest Speaker : Liv Arnesen

Liv Arnesen is a world-renowned explorer who has travelled to both poles. She is an educator, cross-country skier, adventurer, guide, and motivational speaker. During the two sessions she gave at OIS, Liv spoke to Grades 3 to 12 about her educational programme for conserving our planet's water resources. The programme teaches children ages 5 and above about what they can do to conserve water. It encourages students to become role models by making a difference. She narrated incidences of her skiing expedition to Antarctica, and other such experiences which have connected her to more than 3 million people across 16 countries. She shared a total curriculum for water conservation and invited our students to support the current efforts to save the Ganga/Ganges River.



Mental Health Week 2014



They maintain a class garden journal to record the progress of our garden throughout the year. This helps children to observe closely, recall what they have done, see where they are going and look back afterwards; it reinforces learning and makes them aware of the significance of events. While working in the garden, children experience the satisfaction that comes from caring and learning about the great cycle of life. It is thus a family project that involves students, parents, teachers and our OIS gardeners who look after the plants everyday. It is gratifying to watch students’ interest and self-esteem grow as the gardening efforts continually yield good results! Soon there will be vegetables for all!

The OIS Learning Garden

Enthusiasm and excitement have engulfed our little kindergarteners with the buzz of having this garden activity. We have commenced with the new unit of inquiry ‘Plants’ and are all geared up to be little farmers. Parent volunteers have also been amazing facilitators for our young learners. Parents came in to speak about the OIS gardening project to students. They began the session by showing students a lovely PPT on plants and the process of germination. They asked questions to the students about what a plant is, and how we can help a plant grow. We go together weekly to the field all set with garden tools. Our little natural gardeners like to learn by doing, and love to play in the dirt. They were very excited to see the bed of plants and heap of soil and compost. They were guided to fill the pots and get and all messy by filling the pots with soil, compost and manure. Students were given seeds of cucumber okra, basil, tomatoes, marigold and sunflower to sow in their individual beds.

FROM THE EARLY YEARS



Check Out the Grade Level Blogs!

Don’t forget that updates for the Primary and Early Years are put on your child’s grade level blog each week. They are representative of all of the classes in each grade level and are authored by all of the grade level teachers. The blogs are one of the main methods of communication we use, and we encourage all parents to visit their child’s grade level blog regularly, as it provides insight and awareness of what is happening in each grade. The blogs provide useful information so parents can ask their children about what is happening, and if parents have questions, they have a better idea of what they might want to ask teachers. Every week our teachers contribute, as do the specialists every other week. You can access the blogs through MySchool or by contacting your child’s homeroom teacher. So take a look at our wonderful blogs to find out about all the great learning experiences your child is having at OIS!

FROM THE PRIMARY

Michael Bailey Head of Primary



Grade 3 Goes to Karjat!

Exuberant, exciting, exhilarating… our words still fall short in describing our Karjat field trip. Grade 3 students embarked on their journey of applying independence and responsibility through their first overnight residential trip. They visited the Magic Bus Camp site to culminate their understanding of their two previous units of inquiry: explorations and role models, in which they learned about being risk-takers, open-minded, caring and principled. These were evident during their participation in various activities, such as the Jacob’s ladder, low ropes course and a treasure hunt. These activities provided students with several opportunities to apply their self-management, thinking and social skills, along with their attitudes of confidence, co-operation, empathy and enthusiasm.

The morning of the second day started with the sweet chirping of birds, earthy smells, and the beauty of the world as the students set out to explore nature in its raw form. This nature trail activity helped students tune in to their upcoming biodiversity unit by helping them to develop curiosity, tolerance and respect for everything around us.

They experienced the rural lifestyle and systems through their visit to the village of Abre. Students experienced empathy when they had an interaction with children there. With an immense feeling of gratitude towards all they have and a commitment to contribute, students were overjoyed during the entire trip and hungered for more.

Teachers also had a wonderful opportunity to build on their relationships with their students in an environment where they are at their best in applying life skills. For the first time teachers felt that the trip could have been a two night trip as students were demonstrating readiness for the same.

Grade 3 extends its gratitude to all those involved in making this trip a success and an exceptional learning experience for our students!

Hetal Patel Grade 3 Homeroom Teacher and Grade Level Leader



“After our trip I found out that I had grown. I had gone for a four day trip alone with teachers and friends. I became more independent because I organized myself with my parent's support. I was also a communicator because there were many group activities and I think I communicated to others well. I liked all the activities, especially the scavenger hunt.” – Nikhil, Grade 5E “Garudmachi was a fun, amazing, awesome, adventurous, rocking and epic trip! I learned a lot about myself. I realized how I used many of the profiles and attitudes in the choices I made. I have become more independent!” – Meher, Grade 5E

Grade 5 Goes to Adharwadi Village! The Adharwadi Village is located in Garudmaachi, near Pune. It’s a small village, but the villagers have adapted and have overcome a lot of challenges. Every house has about three to four people and each person owns at least one animal. There are dogs, cows and chickens. Chickens are used for laying eggs, dogs are used for guarding the villagers’ homes and cows are used for milk. No animals are used for entertainment, which makes the villagers quite caring and cordial. There are two schools: one for children from ages one to six, and the other for children from grades one to four. The schools aren’t big; only one room, all used for the cafeteria and the classrooms. The bathroom isn’t joined- it’s across the field. The villagers get water from underground. They’re very clever. They know exactly where to dig to put the hand pump, and the water is filtered and checked by a nearby laboratory in Pune. Once filtered and checked, the water is sent back to the villagers, ready to drink. Even though it’s a small village, Adharwadi’s villagers have adapted to it and have made it a bigger and better village.

-By Ashni Sheth



Is Play on its Way Out? By Rose Garrett

Most people would say that play is an essential part of childhood. Romping around the house, building imaginary worlds, and exploring the outdoors are all elements of play that most adults remember from their childhoods. But for an increasing number of children, play just isn't taking place, and the consequences for child development may be severe.

“Play has largely disappeared,” says Joan Almon, co-founder of the Alliance for Childhood, an organization that promotes healthy child development and learning. “It's pretty shocking how little time children spend on their own child-initiated play.” By “play,” she says, we're not talking about organized sports or video gaming. “What we're thinking about is play that the child themselves initiate and direct,” she says.

According to a new report from the American Academy of Pediatrics, what children really need for healthy development ismore time for old-fashioned play. But they're simply not getting enough of it. “This deprivation affects mental and physicalhealth as well as cognitive and social capacities,” says Elizabeth Goodenough, PhD, who teaches in the emerging field ofchild studies and helped develop a forthcoming PBS documentary, “Where Do the Children Play?” Child-initiated play can develop social skills, problem-solving, creative thinking, self-awareness and confidence, as well as providing an opportunity for healthy exercise. So, what's stopping kids from getting the goods?

“There are a lot of different factors contributing to the loss of play,” says Almon. Among these, she says, is an increasing pressure for children to achieve and accomplish things at ever younger ages, and according to adult standards. A consequence of this is a lack of free time that results from an abundance of scheduled activities, such as music classes, sports practice, and academic tutoring sessions. Another major player is “stranger danger";; the perception by parents that the world is a dangerous place where children are best kept indoors. “Very few parents will give children the kind of freedom that they used to have,” says Almon, although she points out that, according to FBI statistics, children today are far safer than they were 20 years ago. But perhaps the biggest obstacle to play today is the increasing prevalence of electronic media in children's lives. Screen time, says Almon, takes up an average of 4-6 hours a day for children, leaving precious little time or motivation for play.



So what's a family to do? Fortunately, it doesn't take much to turn things around, and the solution is fairly simple. Here's what Almon and Goodenough suggest:

• Make the outdoors a must. “In most neighborhoods, it's safe to go out,” says Almon. So do it! At the very least, she recommends a short walk everyday.

• Don't overschedule them with adult-directed activities. “I would say most elementary-age children need an hour or two of playtime a day,” says Almon. And that means no adult-imposed schedule!

• Limit television and computer access. Almon suggests doing an assessment of just how and when your family engages in screen time. Is it for half an hour as a family? Or are your children watching television or using the computer incessantly? “Make decisions about whether it is getting in the way of life,” suggests Almon.

• Create a community. Become a promoter of play by organizing a community group or event to raise awareness of the importance of play. Goodenough suggests collaborating “in a performance, installation, library exhibition, public reading, conference activity outdoors or special event” to get the message out. Get creative!

Above all, parents should remember that play is not just a diversion for children from more important matters. Says Goodenough: “This process of self-discovery deserves to be treated with as much care and respect by educators and families as the cultivation of literacy and the mastery of mathematical skills.” So clear your schedule, and get playing!

Source: Education.com May 21, 2014

Submitted by David San Juan Deputy Head of Primary



The food drive was advertised in a high-school assembly through the use of a video, which was made by Sidhaant Murarka from Grade 10. Furthermore, there were posters put up all across the school to make people aware of the problem and persuade them to donate more food. In the first 3 days, only 30 kilos of grains and 20 packets of biscuits had been collected. This did not seem like a presentable amount to give to an NGO which worked which a large number of people. This is why repetitive emails were sent out to the student body urging them to bring in more food, and this effort paid off! More and more food kept coming in. By the 26th, 110 kilos of grains and 60 packets of biscuits had been collected, which is a huge leap from the previously discouraging figures. The OIS food drive was a first of its kind and luckily, a fantastic success! There was a total collection of 150 kilos of food and 5 cartons were needed to transport the food from the school to the NGO’s office. The drive will, hopefully, make a huge impact to the hunger problem while OIS students’ passion will definitely touch needy people’s hearts citywide. By Sidhaant Murarka Grade 10C

OIS Food Drive

In Mumbai, more than 50% of people live under the poverty line. This means that at least 5 million children citywide do not have access to healthy food. Luckily, several NGOs such as the “Hamara Foundation,” “NASEOH” and “Give India” are working to eradicate hunger from the streets of the city. However, all of these NGOs obtain their resources and funds from donations of various types. This is why the OIS food drive was carried out. It was an initiative that was aimed at making an impact on the hungry population of the city. The idea originated from a Global Perspectives class project about world hunger, which belonged to Sidhaant, Isha, Mishika, Aashna, Harvansh, Nikhil and Ansh from grade 10. However, eventually the driving force of the food collection became solely a passion. It was initially planned to start on Wednesday, the 19th of November and end on Friday, the 21st. However, due to the request of several people from the school community, the drive was extended to Thursday, Nov. 27th. A large number of students had the desire to make an impact and gather a substantial amount of food to give to starving children citywide. The food collected was donated to “NASEOH,” which is an NGO working for handicapped street children in Mumbai.

FROM THE SECONDARY



6TH GRADE GOES TO PENCH NATIONAL PARK!

Eighty-four OIS 6th grade students and six faculty members travelled to Pench National Park for five days and four nights of learning, fun and discovery! They saw many wild animals, played team- building games, visited a local school to volunteer with the students there, and spent time at a pottery village to see the art in action. Overall, it was a fantastic trip that was enjoyed by all!



The Dream Project was so much more than just the dream of four drama students. It went from a small dream to a big dream that encompassed more than 120 students. Every step, every obstacle that we faced was worth it when the final performance went up. There was always an issue, always something that stood in our way, but we succeeded and put up an amazing performance in under two months. The journey was beautiful, as we met so many different people, had so many ideas and we came up with a performance that delighted all. What did I learn from this? I learned so much more that just ‘theatre’; I learned teamwork, friendship and, most importantly, caring about others (and of course…stress management). I truly hope that the Dream Project becomes an annual event at Oberoi. Submitted by Nishka Dhawan

The OIS Dream Project



OIS Faculty and Staff Participate in Movember

The Movember Foundation is the leading global organization committed to changing the face of men’s health. The Movember community has raised $559 million to date and funded over 800 programs in 21 countries. This work is saving and improving the lives of men affected by many forms of cancers and mental health problems. The Movember Foundation challenges men to grow moustaches during Movember (formerly known as November), to spark conversation and raise vital funds for its men’s health programs. To date, 4 million moustaches have been grown worldwide, but we won't stop growing as long as serious men’s health issues exist. Many members (pictured above) of the OIS faculty and staff participated in Movember again this year, and the funds raised will be donated to the Indian Cancer Society. For more information on Movember, see http://us.movember.com/.

http://us.movember.com/

http://us.movember.com/



STUDENT ACHIEVEMENTS Congratulations to Mihir Deshmukh, who recently represented the Mumbai District in the 42nd Maharashtra State Judo Championship and was declared the champion at the state Level!

Congratulations to swimmer Armaan Sikka who won several medals at the MSSA Championship in the Under 12 category. His results were as follows:

100mtr Free Style - Gold 100mtr Butterfly - Gold 200mtr Individual Medley - Gold 100mtr Backstroke - Silver 100mtr Breaststroke - Bronze

As a result, he was named the overall boy’s under 12 Individual Champion!



OIS IN THE NEWS!



IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS: All Semester 1 ECAs end during the week of December 8-13th.

The OIS musical, Sunshine of Leith, will be at 5:30 PM on December 3-5. Tickets are on sale in the Admissions Office.

Winter Break starts on Friday, December 19th! There is no school on this day.

The first day back to school after Winter Break is Monday, January 5, 2015.

november 2014 vol. 7 / issue 4 life at ois ay 2014 -15...you can click on the multiple ... modeling...

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