EAGLE TRACTS
CORNERSTONE INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY
Dear Eagle Family,
I am delighted to present you the May edition of the Eagle Tracts.
As we approach the end of the school year, I want to take a moment to congratulate you on your hard work and achievements. You have demonstrated resilience, perseverance, and dedication in the face of numerous challenges, and you should be proud of all that you have accomplished.
In the month of May, members of the school community will be exhibiting the IB Learner Profile ‘thinker”. As a school, we believe that the "thinker" attribute is crucial not only for the students but also for our entire school community. A thinker is someone who applies creative and critical thinking to approach, analyze, and solve complex problems. Additionally, it means having the ability to make reasonable and ethical decisions when there is a need to do so. Being a "thinker" involves addressing issues and difficulties with a curious and open mind. It entails asking questions, searching out diverse points of view, and experimenting with innovative solutions. By honing this skill, we will better grasp the world around us and devise creative solutions to the problems we encounter.
We are excited that our fifth graders have started their PYP Exhibition journey. The exhibition is an authentic process for students to explore, document and share their understanding of an issue or opportunity of personal significance. The whole learning community shares and celebrates this culminating event in the journey students have experienced through their PYP years. We hope to climax this year’s exhibition with wonderful and creative solutions.
I would like to take this opportunity to remind our students of the importance of being on time for class and arriving prepared and ready to learn. We have noticed a significant number of students arriving late to school, and I want to emphasize the importance of being punctual. We ask that parents also support their children in developing good habits around time management and punctuality.
As we look ahead to the next school year, we are committed to providing an exceptional learning experience for our students. We will continue to prioritize their academic growth, social-emotional development and well-being, and we will work tirelessly to create a safe and supportive learning environment for all.
I wish you healthy and successful moments in the upcoming days.
Semper Fidelis, Always faithful!
Sincerely,
Ms. Esther Osei-Nkansah
Vice Principal
Kindergarten students visited the Accra Zoo on April 18 and 19, 2023 in relation to their fourth unit on animals. The educational trip gave students the opportunity to observe and inquire more about different animals discussed as part of their learning in their current unit. The trip also offered the opportunity for students to be courageous as they interacted with different animals.
To celebrate the unit on "Solar System", students shared their reflections on the unit and took action in various ways by modelling space technologies with recyclable materials. Projects such as poster making, poems, story writing, etc. were included. The unit celebration was a spectacular sight to behold as students engaged in activities such as a puppet show on the solar eclipse and other games.
Fourth Grade Field Trip to Adjiringanor Community Park
Our Journey towards the PYP Exhibition 2023
WORD AND QUOTE FOR THE MONTH OF MAY
OUR THOUGHTS, FEELINGS AND OUR BEHAVIOUR
Thinking plays a key role in our daily lives. Being a thinker means having a deep thought about the next action to take in order to achieve the best results. Most people are often unaware of the impact our thoughts have on our feelings and behaviors in situations. When we think positively, it influences our feelings and behaviors which in turn influence how we relate to people and our environment.
According to Aaron Beck in 2008, changing our behavior begins with how we think and what we think about. Thought could be in the form of wishes, hopes, plans, predictions, judgments, memories, perceptions among others and these are invisible but go on in the background, helping us make decisions and carry out many tasks automatically.
We have the sole responsibility as children, parents, teachers, and guardians to think positively about our next action before we react. It is our responsibility to weigh the possible consequences of our actions before we roll out the plan in mind because our good mental and psychological health are tied to these consequences.
To train your mind to think positively;
· Focus on the good things he or she has and practice gratitude or keep a gratitude journal
· Practice positive self-talk and move away from negative provoking situations
· Have enough rest/sleep in order to have your emotions in check every day
· Ask for guidance from an adult if you are a child
· Open yourself up to humor
· Surround yourself with positive people
Mr. Samuel G. Panti
School Counselor
Reference
Beck, A. T. (2008). The evolution of the cognitive model of depression and its neurobiological correlates. American Journal of Psychiatry, 165, 969–977.
LAUNCH OF MATH MATRIX
On Wednesday April 26, 2023, the second season of the Math Matrix competition for the 2022/2023 academic year commenced.
The initial stage of the competition consisted of 50 multiple-choice questions that has to be solved in five minutes. The next level of the competition will involve operations such as multiplication, addition, subtraction, and division.
We wish all the students the best of luck as they progress through the upcoming stages.
The DEAR (Drop Everything And Read) Programme, is an MYP initiative with the goal to increase students’ consciousness and raise awareness of the social, political and economic crises that the African continent is facing.
The DEAR Programme aims to develop fluency in reading and spelling, comprehension, vocabulary and expressions. Thus, the programme provides a wide range of activities to ensure students benefit positively in areas of English literacy.
This two-week programme gives students in a homeroom the opportunity to select their own books and read within the period.
Currently, the DEAR Programme is in its final week of implementation with students setting up their homeroom windows with information about the books each homeroom is required to read.
The DEAR Programme climaxes on Friday, May 5, 2023, with performances from each homeroom.
CHARACTERS AND COSTUMES
"I am proud of my heritage and my culture, but I also recognize the need to evolve and adapt. We cannot stay trapped in the past, we must embrace the future with open arms and an open mind."
- Naa Adjeley Adjei
(Edmonia Lewis)
In this unit in Performing Arts, students are learning about theater design with a focus on costume design. All students were tasked to read a book with their character in mind and accompanied by the right costumes to match the role.
The lab experience
A group of students in the lab conducted an experiment to observe the endothermic process of melting using shea butter as a sample. Students studied how heat can be used to change the nature of materials.
In the unit, students learnt about matter and its properties. They explored the three states of matter and learnt how matter can change from one state to another. Students also explored the composition of matter, including atoms and their subatomic particles. They studied the properties of matter such as mass, volume, and density, and how these properties can be used to identify different types of matter. Additionally, students learnt about the physical and chemical changes that matter can undergo, and how these changes can be observed and measured.
Eco Helpers is a group of MYP students who started an advocacy system. They educate people across the globe about why we need to take better care of the Earth and our environment. They consist of six members: Eden-Victoria Garvey, Chinonyerem Onuma, Sedinam Ocloo, Jason Bram, Afua Ampaw, and Nhyiraba Aninakwah.
The main goal of the group is to spread awareness of pollution-related issues on the Earth and suggesting fun and innovative ways we can contribute to this Earth's cleanliness.
According to the students, one thing they realized was that they cannot clean this Earth for everyone. Even if they did, people would not appreciate it, messing it up again. Instead, they have concluded that if they help people clean up their own environment, the Earth would be cleaner.
They have begun promoting their cause on various social media platforms. For example, on YouTube, they create weekly videos talking about issues pertaining to earth's cleanliness and On Spotify, they have created a podcast suggesting creative and innovative ways to make cleaning up more fun for younger audiences.
In the future, the Eco Helpers plan to extend their advocacy to public billboards, YouTube ads, and various large posters and campaigns across the globe. Creating and selling recyclable products is also something they want to accomplish as well as get multiple employees across the globe to further their advocacy.
GET IN TOUCH
Email: correspondence@mail.cia.edu.gh
Website: https://www.cia.edu.gh
Phone: 0265055439 0202068221
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cia.pyp.5/
Twitter: @CIA_Ghana