Space Week

Dear Parents and Students,

This week we have been reflecting on the vastness and beauty of our universe during international space week. Space week is defined as World Space Week is officially defined as "an international celebration of science and technology, and their contribution to the betterment of the human condition’. During Space Week we played the music from the film 2001: a Space Odyssey.

All of our programmes incorporate science and technology in their curriculum. Sciences nurture the natural curiosity of our students, develop essential critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills, and prepare them for a technologically advanced world. Science education provides the tools to make evidence-based decisions, evaluate information critically to combat misinformation, and fosters an understanding of the world and their place in it.

In Montessori education, science is taught as an experiential journey of discovery, emphasizing hands-on activities, real-world observation, and experimentation to foster a lifelong love of learning. Students explore various scientific topics including astronomy to develop their knowledge and understanding. In Waldorf also students learn about scientific theory through experience with the natural world, direct observation and inquiry. Science is an integral part of the IB curriculum across all programmes. In the Primary Years Programme (PYP), scientific inquiry is embedded within the transdisciplinary themes, encouraging young learners to explore the natural world through observation, questioning, and experimentation. Furthermore, one of the main groups of mandatory study at MYP, CP and DP is the sciences incorporating Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Computer Sciences. Students learn through experimentation and socratic style study, carrying out experiments and research to validate their hypotheses. Exploring and analysing knowledge related to science is also incorporated into the DP Theory of Knowledge course.

We have 6 specialist science teachers working in our secondary school and four specialist design and computer science teachers. These teachers are from different countries including Russia, Serbia, India, UK and Cyprus and have a vast amount of qualifications and experience to offer to our students. This year additionally we have asked one of our science teachers to coordinate science in primary IB also and bring his additional expertise as a scientist to our primary classrooms.

In secondary assembly our Physics teachers inspired students with a presentation on space exploration entitled ‘We Are Stardust: From Supernova to Planet to People’

This experiential event beautifully integrated science, creativity, and the IB philosophy of holistic learning. Students were welcomed with personalized flyers connecting elements from the periodic table to the IB Learner Profile, prompting reflection on personal growth. Under the guidance of mentors representing the Core, Mantle, Crust, and Life Elements, participants transformed into a living model of planet Earth — a striking visual representation of how cosmic matter evolves into life itself. The assembly opened with a captivating supernova video and the uplifting chorus “You’re a Star,” symbolizing the shared origins of all matter in the universe. The session culminated in a unique live experiment: students collectively voiced their chosen Learner Profile attributes to generate a measurable sound wave on a decibel meter, celebrating unity through science and self-expression. This interdisciplinary experience fostered curiosity, collaboration, and reflection — reminding every learner that we are, indeed, made of stardust and connected through the vast story of the cosmos.

Grade 6 students have been working on their first full independent scientific investigation: How does exercise affect heart rate? They planned, designed, conducted, and evaluated their own experiments. If you noticed some enthusiastic sixth graders running around with pulse meters on their fingers, that was all for the sake of science! Next week, they will present their findings.

Grade 8 completed their Energy Audit projects, where they explored various energy-saving tips and analyzed how these could be applied in their homes and at school. Their printed posters were displayed in a mini “poster conference,” encouraging discussion and reflection. The class has now moved on to studying simple machines, levers, and fulcrums, and will soon conduct experiments on heat as a form of energy.

Grade 9 focused on physics experiments involving accelerating balls and evaluated their findings as part of their Science Experimental Task (SET).

It’s been a productive and engaging week of scientific inquiry and hands-on learning across all year levels.

This week students in Grades 2 and 3 have also enjoyed educational visits to the Cyprus Theatre museum and a Cyprus symphony orchestra performance. Many thanks to our Arts department and wonderful homeroom teachers for planning and organising these important visits which brings children to the real world to explore their curriculum more extensively.

This week members of our Jewish community have also been celebrating Sukkot, which is a festival of thanks for the fall harvest. We wish everyone celebrating a blessed time with family and friends. Next week we will continue with the harvest theme and to start to adapt to the change of season in Cyprus and the cooler weather.

Have a wonderful weekend stargazing!

Best Regards
Deborah Economou
The Head of School