Lower School Publications Staff
Through the After-School Activity (ASA) “Publications,” students in Grades 2-5 at SCIS Pudong Lower School have come together to explore the art of storytelling, photography, and publishing. The first issue highlights their creativity, collaboration, and dedication—showcasing their unique perspectives and talents for the entire SCIS community to enjoy.
The Birth of Lower School Publications: A Journey of Creativity and Collaboration
Behind the Scenes of The Lower School Flame
After months of planning, writing, and teamwork, our students are thrilled to unveil the first edition of The Lower School Flame. They captured vibrant moments of school life, combining their storytelling and photography skills to bring the publication to life. They worked together to write articles, select images, create comics, and finalize the layout—each step offering a valuable hands-on learning experience.
Angela, our Student Editor, played an instrumental role in reviewing articles and ensuring the publication's overall quality. We also extend our gratitude to Hyewon, a Grade 12 student and Upper School Yearbook Liaison. Her expert guidance in photography and publishing has been invaluable, and her collaboration with the Lower School team has helped foster connections between our younger and older students.
Student Voices: A Look Inside The Lower School Flame
The Publication Staff is excited to share their experiences. Below, they reflect on how they came up with their article ideas, the challenges they faced, and the teamwork involved in bringing it all together. They also share what they are most proud of.
Angela (Grade 5): " I have two pet dogs, so I wanted to write about how great pets are. It was a lot of work, but I’m happy with my article. Editing was especially hard, and I had to read every single part carefully to make sure I didn’t miss any mistakes."
Aram (Grade 3): " We worked together as a team, and I wanted to share what we do—like our agreements and what we’re working on. The toughest part was making my article make sense, but I’m really pleased with how it turned out."
Gia (Grade 4): "We decided to write about an upcoming event, which gave us a lot to cover. The first paragraph was tricky because we hadn’t written it down, but I’m happy to share my piece with everyone."
Yu Vern (Grade 4): " I wanted to share what we’re doing as a team and how we’re working together. It was hard to think of an idea at first, but I’m glad to be part of the newspaper.”
Shaked (Grade 5): "I like pets, and I wanted to write about how people need to respect pets like humans. It took a lot of time, but I’m happy with how my article turned out. The design of the newspaper also looks amazing."
Isabella (Grade 3): "I thought it would be nice to write about games people can play at recess, so they could get ideas. Finding the right games was a bit tricky, but I’m proud of the result.“
Lea (Grade 2): "I like recess, so I decided to write about it. It was hard to figure out the words, but I’m happy with how it turned out."
Kylie (Grade 2): "I decided to write about recess because it’s something I know well. The hardest part was typing everything, but I’m proud that I finished it."
Olivia (Grade 2): "At first, I was going to work with Lea and Kylie, but then I decided to write my own article. Typing it out was hard because I had to think a lot, but I’m proud of it now."
Alexander (Grade 5): "I found a template for my comic. It was hard to find one that fit my idea, but I’m excited that our newspaper is being published!"
Luc (Grade 2): "I like cats, so I drew a comic for Dr. Myers, and I’m really happy with how it turned out."
Miss Malika Meidinger has observed remarkable growth in the students’ executive functioning skills.
"It’s been amazing to see the skills that they are learning in class are being applied in this context. I loved overhearing students talk about the research they were doing in class for writing and how they needed to structure their newspaper articles with an opening and closing. They broke down large tasks into manageable parts, stuck to deadlines, and collaborated effectively.
Miss Meidinger with some of the Lower School Publications team
Miss Meidinger also shared a special moment of collaboration: "Mr. Matthews, our Lower School Music Teacher, has been working hard behind the scenes for the Music Concert. He wanted students to create the flyer for the concert, and after being impressed by their Canva skills, he decided to learn how to use it himself. He joined our meeting and worked with students to co-create the presentation."
As the students continue to hone their writing, photography, and editing skills, we are confident that their future publications will showcase even greater creativity and teamwork. With each edition, they will continue to grow as storytellers and as individuals, sharing their unique perspectives with the SCIS community. We can’t wait to see what the next edition of The Lower School Flame will bring and celebrate the accomplishments of these young journalists!
SCIS. Igniting Creativity, Shaping Stories.
