It has been an incredibly vibrant week in the ABIS Music and Drama rooms! Building on the foundations we laid last week, our PYP students have been busy transitioning from “brainstorming” to “creating,” blending traditional performance with cutting-edge digital media.
Here’s a look at how our young artists have been exploring the world of sound and stage:
Early Years & Lower Primary: The Power of Expression
KG1 & KG2 have been diving deep into Drama Games. This week, we focused on using our bodies and faces to tell stories without saying a word. It’s amazing to see how much “noise” a silent room can make when students are fully engaged in imaginative play!
Grades 1 & 2 took this a step further by merging their drama games with the art of Mime. We explored “The Invisible Wall” and “The Heavy Suitcase,” learning that physical precision is key to making an audience believe in the imaginary.
Upper Primary: Motion and Mood
Grades 3 & 4 are currently in the thick of a thrilling crossover: Mime and Stop-Motion Animation. By understanding how to break down physical movements in drama, they are now applying those “frame-by-frame” concepts to create fluid, convincing animations.
Grade 5 has been bridging the gap between the visual and the auditory. As part of their Photography Unit, students have begun composing original Music and Soundscapes. They are learning that a single photo can tell a story, but the right layer of sound can give it a soul.
Grade 6 is also mastering the art of the Soundscape, specifically to accompany their own Stop-Motion projects. This week’s focus was on “Foley Art”—creating everyday sound effects from scratch to make their digital worlds feel real.
Learner Profile Focus
This week, our students particularly embodied two key attributes of the IB Learner Profile:
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Communicators: Whether through the silent language of mime or the digital language of multimedia, students are learning that communication isn’t just about speaking—it’s about choosing the right medium to express a specific idea.
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Risk-Takers: Stepping onto a stage to perform a mime or experimenting with complex new software requires a “give it a go” attitude. We saw so many students stepping out of their comfort zones this week!
A Note on Learner Profiles: We don’t just “do” music and drama; we use these subjects as a vehicle to develop the whole child. By focusing on being Communicators and Risk-Takers, our students are building confidence that will serve them in the science lab, the football pitch, and beyond.
🎹 Looking Ahead
As we move into next week, we will begin “polishing” our digital projects. Grade 5 and 6 students, please remember to bring your headphones for our editing sessions!