Interdisciplinary Lessons
Just like in previous years, the week before Christmas means interdisciplinary learning for our students. The goal of this special week is to give them a possibility to approach a topic from many different perspectives, establish connections between individual subjects and to tackle big issues holistically.
Each grade level deals with one complex topic. The fifth graders’ topic is ‘Water’, our sixth graders deal with ‘The Forces of Nature’ and the students in grade seven explore ‘Traditional Christmas Customs from Around The World’. Our eight graders get multiple insights into ‘Energy Resources and a Healthy Lifestyle’ whereas students in grade nine work out strategies for their subsequent professional career such as being able to successfully pass an English job interview. The tenth graders get a first impression of what studying at a university is like by studying the basic principles of bionics such as the lotus effect.
A week like this would not be possible without the additional support of organizations and individuals from Pirna and surroundings. Thank you very much for all your valuable support and commitment.
Grade 5
This week, water plays a major role no matter whether it occurs in myths and legends, in the arts or just for fun. Water is universal, and the students can experience the element with all their senses. The main focus is on the artistic approach in the form of short poems the students create themselves. Fishes, frogs and a lot more marine fauna arise from the children’s imagination and appear in little works of art such as haikus. Of course, there are also legends and fairy tales about the water. ‘The Frog Prince’, for example, is the basis for a thorough study of the topic. In order to deepen their understanding of the subject matter, the students explore the nearby countryside and take a look behind the scenes of Geibeltbad, Pirna’s public swimming pool where they learn interesting things about the use and treatment of the water before they may go for a swim themselves.
Grade 6
For the students in grade six this week means a lot of noise and smoke. The “Forces of nature’ challenge every single one of them as the elements alternately show their power. To demonstrate the powers of nature all of the school’s available technical resources are used. It all starts with tsunamis which the students explore thoroughly. Water is followed by fire. The students make model volcanos and even bring them to life. To deal with the forces of nature is only for the bravest.
Grade 7
Roaring bass and abundant flow - these are the ingredients the students in grade seven put in their Christmas rap. Having access to professional equipment and being under expert guidance the students prepare to dethrone self-appointed elite rappers. ‘Stollen’ and turkey, gingerbread and eggnog blend together in their beat, and Father Christmas has something to nod along.
Others deal with Christmas in English-speaking countries and meet Santa Claus and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. They also record themselves reading out a Christmas story and so make their own audio book. The range of their activities is completed by writing and performing their own Christmas scenes.
Grade 8
How many push-ups can I do utilizing the energy of one banana? This is one of the questions students in grade eight deal with. In order to find answers they conduct a lot of experiments and chemical tests. They also list points that are important for a healthy lifestyle and that can guarantee an optimized energy utilization and a slim waist.
Regular exercise is just as important as a healthy diet for a fit body. Therefore the students take part in a muscle-building training in the new gym or test their stamina on a rowing ergometer in the local rowing club.
Grade 9
The students of grade 9 can be found in the hallway of the second floor where they form a slightly excited crowd. All of them are holding notes with previously worked out guidelines for how to do well in a job interview. What is special about this interview situation is that they didn’t really have a chance to practice beforehand. And what’s more, it is in ENGLISH. The positions that they have chosen to apply for range from being a nurse in New York or a flight attendant to a manager for Google.
Before the actual interview with an American native speaker, the students took part in one of several workshops in order to activate their English skills and their knowledge about job interviews. After all, the only thing that matters is to ‘keep calm and speak English’.
Grade 10
‘Never having to shower again thanks to the lotus effect of your skin.’ ‘Lift more with an exoskeleton.’ These are the slogans you’d probably hear inside the rooms where the students of grade ten are busy working on artistic projects displaying the ‘bionic human being’. They examine the influence of bionics on humans and find out what kind of amazing inventions the future holds. They also visit the Dresden Transport Museum in order to find out what a blackbird and a plane or a sperm whale and a submarine have in common.