iLearn

Water provision

Pupils learn about the basic properties of solids, liquids and gases and produce a physical or digital model. They learn how to separate mixtures in order to complete the challenge of cleaning dirty water using scientific and everyday equipment.

Food

Pupils focus on the energy content in food; using food labels to identify the nutritional content in a ready meal and then creating their own. They design a pizza with exactly 600 kilocalories energy content. Pupils also research, plan and create appropriate meals that can be eaten in space.

Graphics

Pupils create a mood board, one point and two point perspective drawings and learn how to use Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop. They produce a space themed logo to print onto a mug / t-shirt.

Reproduction

Pupils learn about the male and female reproductive organs. They research the changes that the body undergoes during puberty and write a letter/ design a leaflet to their younger selves to reassure them about the changes they will go through. Pupils learn about pregnancy and take part in a debate regarding the issues surrounding IVF treatment.

Cells

Pupils learn about plant and animal cells and use their knowledge to build and present a 3D model of their chosen cell with key features identified and explained.

Energy

Pupils learn about different energy types and transformations which culminates in designing, building and presenting a Rube Goldberg machine (chain reaction machine).

Space

Pupils research facts about the solar system and make a scale drawing. They learn about how animals adapt in order to live in extreme environments. They then design and build an alien that is specially adapted to live on a planet that they have researched. Pupils take part in a debate on whether it is worthwhile spending money on space exploration.

Exercise

Pupils experience how exercise at different intensities affects their heat rate. They experience different methods of training and explain who may use particular training methods and why. They produce a training portfolio and gain evidence through the use of electronic fitness trackers. Pupils collate and analyse data before making recommendations for their activity levels.

Sleep

Pupils are introduced to the importance of sleep whilst leading a healthy lifestyle. Pupils produce sleep masks that depict a sleep deprived person and a sleep sufficient person.

Team work

Pupils focus on the social aspect of the health triangle. They link this to their relationships with their peers, teachers and parents. Pupils have the opportunity to research and practice being an effective team member and they are encouraged to have empathy and compassion for their peers.

Health

Pupils are introduced to the main issues surrounding health. They have the opportunity to analyse their own health as well as make recommendations for peers/teachers/family.

Number skills

Pupils encounter a variety of number skills (number relationships, negative numbers, managing money, percentages, fractions, decimals, ratio and proportion) and apply them in real life contexts.

Programming

Pupils research video games and learn how to program using Scratch, a free visual programming language designed to help young people think creatively, reason systematically and work collaboratively. They create their own game using the software.

Data skills

Pupils develop the skills needed when collecting and representing data. They start looking at statistical averages and decide on the most appropriate method to use in a variety of contexts.

Presentation tools

Pupils learn how to use and share presentation tools such as Google slides and Powerpoint.

They look into the design, development and marketing of their game, linking them to aspects covered in the skills part of the course.

Measuring skills

Angles, area and perimeter, measurement, scales and maps, as well as time, are studied then applied in real life contexts.

Geometry skills

Pupils learn then refine geometry skills by studying shape, symmetry and movement

To play or not to play

Pupils reflect on the ethical aspects of video games. They assess the reliability of a source and find articles related to video games from different perspectives: academic achievement, social relationships, wellbeing, skills development etc. At the end of the research, they debate the effect video games have on society.

How can I change the world?

Pupils examine a variety of current global issues. They develop a range of skills such as literacy, oracy and research. The final task involves groupwork where pupils create a campaign to raise awareness of an issue of their choosing.

Ethical food selection

Pupils explore the impact of their own food choices and of others. The work in this module links to our work as a Lead School in the Global Learning Programme Wales (http://glpw.globaldimension.org.uk/) and our application to achieve The International Schools Award (intimidate).

Rejuvenation

Pupils are challenged to rejuvenate Swansea whilst developing and refining the skills associated with research and oral presentation. The final outcome is a presentation based around a social, economic and/or spiritual rejuvenation of Swansea which reflects themes inherent in iThink.

Am I ready to learn?

Pupils are challenged not to see their ability as fixed; pupils are agents of their own development. Pupils are encouraged to understand that the path to success involves hard work, grit, failure, determination and perseverance. They create an ‘inspire your future self’ poster to counter attack any difficulties they may face and keep them on the path of learning.

Culture

Pupils explore different cultures through discussion activities. They examine their own culture as well as Spanish and Welsh cultures. Pupils produce different creative outcomes across the three subjects to represent what they have learnt about the different cultures.

Identity

In English, pupils explore the concept of identity and what makes us unique. Working as a group, they discuss whether identity is fixed. In Spanish and Welsh, pupils learn the vocabulary needed to talk/write about themselves and in Welsh they perform a brief presentation to the class. In English, pupils explore identity through the text 'Wonder', which raises ethical and moral issues.

Fairytales

Pupils examine a range of traditional fairytales and use one as inspiration for their own piece of creative writing. They turn their written outcome into a performance piece which competes with others to be performed in the Eisteddfod.

Festivals

Pupils learn about a range of festivals from around the world, developing their research skills and knowledge of other cultures. Pupils then work in groups to design their own festival and present their rationale to the class.

Billingual poetry

Pupils study a poem called 'Search For My Tongue' and explore the writer's attitudes to bilingualism in an essay.

Social Media

Pupils investigate the impact that social media has on identity and language, producing a piece of writing about this.

Language

Pupils consider how language has evolved over time by considering the influences of different languages and looking at extracts from different pieces of literature.

Diversity

Pupils are able to choose an area of study that reflects the work covered during the year. They decide which discipline to specialise in and go through a process of editing and refining their final outcome.

Tension

Pupils develop an understanding of how to create tension and atmosphere - visually, through physical theatre and through music. They explore shadow theatre and silhouette whilst ‘The Scream’ is used to help develop facial expression. Pupils watch scenes from film and understand how tension is built through music, colour, etc.

Movement

Pupils explore capturing movement through visual, audio and physical theatre. They investigate the Futurist movement and develop outcomes through photography and photo shop, using physical movement and music to generate images.

Hide and Seek

Pupils investigate the hidden details of youth through the creative use of toys, stories and song.

They discover how layers of meaning are embedded into film (using the Disney Pixar films Toy Story and Inside Out) and how this can be developed in different disciplines. Characterisation skills, musical motifs and observational skills are explored in depth.

Are you creative?

Pupils explore creativity through visual art, music and drama. They consider creativity in general and the tools and qualities needed to be creative such as taking measured risks and developing the confidence to perform.