Stories of Learning: Bread Tasting, Year 6 Science, Anna Wood

One of the wonderful benefits of being Head of Middle and Senior School at AISM is the opportunity to step inside some of our classrooms in MSS and witness some of the amazing learning that takes place.

On Wednesday 23rd February I was delighted to be invited into a Year 6 Science class led by teacher Mrs. Anna Wood.

Mrs Wood had prepared a wonderful lesson of thinking (and tasting) for her students. Students were first invited to view recipes for two types of bread: a sourdough, and a second loaf made in a breadmaker. After looking closely, they then offered their thoughts on the similarities and differences between the recipes, making a number of interesting observations. For example, one student noted that there was no sugar in the sourdough, another that there was 200g of ‘starter’ in the sourdough but not the other, another that there was no dry yeast in the sourdough recipe, another that there was butter in the breadmaker loaf but not in the sourdough. I noticed lots of thinking going on even at this stage: looking closely and observing, making comparisons, speculation, exploring complexity.

After this, students were cast in the role of food critics and asked to taste both breads, making comparisons using all of their senses. Amongst their observations, students noticed the hard crust of the sourdough, along with air pockets, a sour smell, a stickiness, a crunch on the outside, and a certain saltiness. In contrast, for the breadmaker loaf, they noticed a different texture, like it had been ‘dipped in milk’, a sweeter taste, a buttery texture, a softness, and a more subtle flavor. In the main, they preferred the breadmaker bread, although my favorite was certainly the sourdough! It was wonderful to see these young students thinking like scientists, making thoughtful observations, and beginning to hypothesize about why this might be.

What a pleasure it was to see a culture of thinking in action in this classroom. Thank you to Mrs. Wood and her students for the opportunity to join them for this rich learning experience. I look forward to hearing more about where they go next with their learning, as they dig even deeper into the science behind the process of breadmaking.

MSS Subject Outlines & Assessment Calendar

The Semester 1 Subject Outlines & Assessment Calendar are now live to parents on the AISM website, via the parent portal. You will find these documents organized in folders by Year Level and Subject.

These documents overview the content and assessment details for the first half of 2022, for each subject from Year 6 to Year 12.

Love is in the air! Valentine Serenade

In week 4, Year 12 have been busy donning Cupid’s arrow and sharing the love with teachers and students alike.

To celebrate Valentine's day and raise money for AISM’s community Matilda Project which seeks to assist Chin Refugees, some of our Year 12 students have been spreading love and gratitude by delivering chocolates, teddies, and serenades!