Tuesday 26 September 2017

ITGS Newsletter

Grade 12 IB students have started their internal assessment which focuses on providing an original IT solution for a client. The internal assessment component, as well as being interesting, practical and productive, forms an important part of the assessment of the ITGS course.
Students did interviews with their clients and collected data to analyze the current IT system and its inadequacies. The initial consultation and investigation documents are completed.
Grade 12 non-IB students have worked on producing a commercial video. Students are expected to demonstrate their filming and video editing skills; as well as teamwork.

Sunday 24 September 2017

Grade 12 September and October Newsletter

Dear Grade 12 parents and students,

This month in English, we have focused on the following skills:
- reviewing our definitions of language and culture
- note taking in structured lectures for university preparation
- creating, presenting, and reflecting on our own media creations
- understanding terms and concepts related to mass media and communication (media literacy, convergence, media convergence, remediation, linguistic attributes, genre, sub-genre)

Moving on through September and into October, we will be focusing on our unit on Media Bias. During this unit, students will focus on understanding the following questions through analysis and discussion of various forms of media.

1) What is bias? What does biased media look like?
2) How can we learn to identify biased language/media?
3) How does the context of a text help us understand its biased use of language/media?
4) What are the effects of bias?
5) Is it even possible to avoid bias?

Thanks for your time and attention. All homework, resources, and course information is on our shared Google Classroom website which we have been using since the start of September.

As always, if you have any questions, thoughts, or concerns, please feel free to email me at chepburn@horizon.ac.jp

Regards,

Mr. Chris

Friday 22 September 2017

G12 Japanese A Newsletter in September


Dear G12 Parents,

I hope you have been good in the nice season after hot summer.
And in the next month, there will be held Sports Day.
I hope we can meet and talk at the event.

In September, there are the topics which students learned in this month below.
-Introduction
All students already know routines  and class rules in my class. So JNL class goes very well.
-What's Mass-media & Mass-communication
They discuss about mass communication and how we can define "mass communication". Also they search how languages are spreading and growing
-Language and Mass communication: Persuasive words
They learn what language effects mass media, and how words work for people on a poster.


In October, they will learn some a topic of Part2 below
- Language and Mass Communication: Persuasive words (CM, Speech, Song, Propaganda)

Many students are adjusting in a new G12 environment.
Sometimes they might be very busy or (and) confused because of it.
At the school, we all encourage them to adjust.
Also I really appreciate you for your everyday support.
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me.


Best regards,
Mr. Higa

Friday 15 September 2017

JAL Newsletter

Hi,  I am happy to be the Japanese B teacher of G12 class this year, too.
We have Kanji test every Friday in this year.
And we’re going to have preseantation of news for three minutes.
It is for us to get the sense of time for speech.

In this term topic is Global Issues.
First 3 weeks we read essay about Global warming and how to use resources.
We think that “what kind of easy do our countyr use?”
And we’re making a written assignment about social relationships.

We will have many assessments.
Let's keep working hard together in your last school year!!

Friday 8 September 2017

Art Updates - September

Grade 12 artists have been learning about intellectual property rights and how appropriation and fair use applies to their work.  We hope to have art to share with you here soon.  In the meantime, this Tuesday, September 12 we will have a college presentation from the Savannah College of Art and Design.  It will take place from 3:15-4:15 in the grade 12 classroom, and is open to all high school students.  If you like art and think you might be interested in studying an art-related career path, this is a great opportunity to learn more.

Drawing Contest Announcement!  The Nakamura Keith Haring Collection is sponsoring their 9th annual International Children's Drawing Contest. It is open to students up to 17 years old, and submissions are due September 30th, so you'll need to get right to work.  The theme for this contest is "Harmony: a beautiful state of being when sounds, colors, people, or nature come together as one.  What is your version of harmony?"  Your work should be no bigger than A4, and may be any material as long as it's 2D.