Hello Parents and Students,
It has been a week of high energy (literally) and high-level thinking in the Science and Math departments. Here is the breakdown of what we’ve been up to before I head off into the wild next week!
⚛️ Physics: From Toast to Torques
Grade 11 SL (Energy Exchange):
We kicked off a fascinating new unit on Energy Exchange. The highlight? A mind-blowing fact to share at the dinner table: Butter actually has a higher energy density than coal.
(Disclaimer: Please do not attempt to power the family car with a stick of salted butter, and please do not spread coal on your toast. We discussed the physics of why, not the culinary applications!)
Grade 11 HL (Rotational Motion):
The HL students are getting dizzy. We started A.3 Rotational Motion. We are moving away from things sliding in straight lines and looking at how things spin, roll, and tumble.
Grade 12 HL (Mock Prep):
We are strictly in Revision Mode. We are dissecting Past Papers to prepare for the Mocks. The focus now is on exam technique—translating their knowledge into full marks.
Grade 10 Science:
We are officially wrapping up our unit, “May the Force Be With You.” The students have a solid grasp of Newton’s laws now. I am happy to report the Force is strong with this group.
➗ Mathematics: The Expansion Pack
Grade 11 AASL & AAHL (The Binomial Theorem):
Both Math classes have synchronized on a similar topic this week.
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AASL moved from Exponents into the Binomial Theorem.
- AAHL is tackling the deeper complexities of the HL Binomial Theorem.
In plain English? We are learning the shortcuts for multiplying huge brackets like $(a+b)^{12}$ without spending three hours writing it out on paper. It’s a powerful tool for probability and algebra.
Grade 12 AASL & HL:
Much like their Physics counterparts, the Grade 12s are in Past Paper Revision. We are also doing Syllabus Checks—essentially an audit of their knowledge to ensure there are no gaps before we hit the Mocks.
⛺ Important Note: I’m Going Camping!
Next week, I will be away from school.
I am trading my whiteboard markers for a sleeping bag to join the Grade 7s at Sifah Camp.
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For my students: Don’t celebrate just yet! 😉 Work has been assigned for all classes to ensure momentum doesn’t drop.
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Communication: While I won’t be in the classroom, I will be available via Google Chat if anyone has urgent questions about the assigned work (signal permitting!).
I’ll see everyone when I return, hopefully without too many mosquito bites!