Table of Contents

Table of Contents
@GIBS .....................................................3
DEUTSCH ..............................................12
ENGLISH ................................................23
FRENCH.................................................32
SPANISH ................................................39
BIOLOGY ...............................................45
HISTORY ................................................47
FACHBEREICHSARBEITEN..................48
EVENTS .................................................49
CRAFTS .................................................61
ARTS ......................................................68
TRIPS & OUTINGS ................................74
SPORTS .................................................83
MATURA.................................................92
STAFF ..................................................101
CLASSES ............................................. 110
Impressum
@gibs
Redaktion: Ulli Saringer, Agni Psilinakis, Jörg Speer, Eveline Rieger, Diane Herrick, Laurel Scofield
Martina Pfistermüller-Czar
Cover: Thiemo Gillissen, Diane Herrick
Layout: Ulli Saringer, Eveline Rieger, Agni Psilinakis
Advertisements: Martina Pfistermüller-Czar
Herausgeber: Graz International Bilingual School,
Marschallgasse 19-21, 8020 Graz
Druck: Druckerei Dorrong, Kärntner Straße 96, 8054 Graz
3
@GIBS
High Achievers and Strong Commitment
2008-2009 has been a strong year of excellent
results not only in language tests but also in mathematics, sports and creativity.
External Language Exams
In several external language exams students achieved extraordinary scores:
In the IELTS (International English Language
Testing System) they reached C1 (approximately 50%)
and C2 (approximately 50%) – they by far excelled the
Matura-level of B2.
Diplôme d’Etudes en Langue Française (DELF).
Diploma de Español (DELE).
External Mathematics Test
 In the Kangaroo Mathematics test the absolute
Styrian and Austrian champion in her age group is a
GIBS student. Some others did extremely well, too.
 They did very well in the Maths Olympics.
Sports Awards
 In sports students earned awards in Orienteering,
Basketball (boys: Styrian champions, girls: 3rd),
Swimming, Table Tennis, Soccer and Gymnastics (2
Styrian gold medals, 1 silver) and many more.
 Another recent highlight was the cross-curricular
project Rock me, Scarabäus. While learning to ap-
preciate Egyptian history our students demonstrated
their creative talents in Art, Crafts and Music.
Move to Eggenberg
Another excellent achievement has been the signing, at last, of the contract for the PädAk that will
provide a new and larger home for GIBS.
The move to Eggenberg is planned for the school
year 2010/11 and I look forward to the new challenges
awaiting us there. This issue has understandably been
an overriding concern of ours this year. The expansion
of GIBS into three parallel classes has taken place
largely in recognition of the fact that we had been
receiving over three times as many applications as we
were able to accept, which puts a lot of pressure on the
administration. Last year, 190 children applied for 75
places. However, to give more children the opportunity
to study at GIBS naturally creates many pragmatic and
logistical difficulties that cannot be ignored.
The PädAk premises provide us with the necessary
facilities for a school with 24 classes and offer many
advantages to GIBS students:
 An actual campus with open spaces for kids to spread
out, move and run around between class time.
 Lots of room for group work (one of the highlights of
GIBS methodology!) in front of every classroom.
 More time for sports and swimming by reducing travel
time to and from Eggenberg and ASKÖ.
 Lots of space for ACE inside and outside the building
 A big hall on the premises for ceremonies (it will not
belong to us, yet it can be rented)
 Ample opportunities for expansion, in case we want
to install a bilingual upper school class for 14-18 year
olds in the future, for which there is already a great
demand in the region.
Nevertheless, there are important aspects that still
need to be negotiated:
 More grassy areas for break time and spare time
 A third computer lab
 More flexible laboratory space for the sciences
Within the boundaries and limits of the Austrian curriculum we want to strengthen the science program at
GIBS for the benefit of our students’ future careers.
A big “Thank You” to all the parents and teachers who
worked in the “Erweiterungsgruppe/Expansion Group”
4
for the past 3 years and contributed in many ways to the
realization of the new premises; to LSR President Erlitz
and LSI Liebscher who have always supported us; to the
Industry Association and the high tech companies who
have strongly emphasized the necessity of a bilingual
school in Graz to improve the infrastructure of Graz and
Styria for international employees and their families; to
all students and teachers for representing our school so
well during public interviews.
As the end of this school year approaches, I would
also like to thank all of our staff and students for their
commitment to keep up the high level of achievement.
We are all most grateful for their stamina, their motivation
to take on the tasks at hand and their ability to see the
work through to its completion. Commitment, motivation
and ability are, after all, the fundamental elements for
achieving excellent results, such as those which we have
seen during this past year.
Enjoy your holidays!
Elisabeth Fleischmann
Principal
In memoriam Benedict Loidl and Daniel Karácsonyi
Wo Worte fehlen,
das Unbeschreibliche zu beschreiben,
wo die Augen versagen,
das Unabwendbare zu sehen,
wo die Hände das Unbegreifliche nicht fassen können,
bleibt einzig die Gewissheit,
dass du für immer in unseren Herzen weiterleben wirst.
Benedict Loidl
Du bist nicht allein und unsere Tränen wünschen dir Glück.
Marius, Benny, Navi, Jaesoon, Mazi, Thomas, Benno, Oliver, Paul, Manuel,
Ana Inés, Klara, Fe, Jasmin, Katrin, Sophie, Schima, Olivia, Andrea, Angi,
Susanne, Theri, Leni, Julia, Vroni, Jessi,
und Helmut Lambauer, Klassenvorstand 8A
sowie
die Schulgemeinschaft der GIBS
Elisabeth Fleischmann für die Direktion und das LehrerInnenteam,
Schülerinnen und Eltern
@gibs
So nah, egal wie fern
Es könnte nicht stärker von Nerzen kommen
Ewig auf das vertrauend, was wir sind
Und nichts anderes zählt
Noch nie habe ich mich selbst so geöffnet
Das Leben gehört uns, wir leben es auf unsere Weise
All diese Worte, die ich nicht einfach so sage
Und nichts anderes zählt
Vertrauen suche und finde ich in dir
Jeder Tag ist etwas Neues für uns
Offen für eine andere Sichtweise
Und nichts anderes zählt
Niemals gekümmert um das was sie tun
Niemals gekümmert um das was sie wissen
Aber ich weiß…
So nah egal wie fern
Es könnte nicht stärker von Herzen kommen
Ewig auf das vertrauend, wer wir sind
Und nichts anderes zählt
Niemals gekümmert um das was sie tun
Niemals gekümmert um das was sie wissen
Aber ich weiß…
Noch nie habe ich mich selbst so geöffnet
Das Lben gehört uns, wir leben es auf unsere Weise
All diese Worte, die ich nicht einfach so sage
Und nichts anderes zählt
Vertrauen suche und finde ich in dir
Jeder Tag ist etwas Neues für uns
Offen für eine andere Sichtweise
Und nichts anderes zählt
Niemals gekümmert um das was sie sagen
Nemals um die Spielchen gekümmert die sie spielen
Niemals gekümmert um das was sie machen
Niemals gekümmert um das was sie wissen
Denn ich weiß…
So nah, egal wie fern
Es könnte nicht stärker von Nerzen kommen
Ewig auf das vertrauend, was wir sind
Nein, und nichts anderes zählt.
5
International English Language Testing
After a semesterSystem
of preparations with Mr. Hois and Mrs. Pölzleitner ALL the students of year 8
Exams
IELTS
have taken the IELTS exams and passed with flying colors.
After a semester of preparations with Mr. Hois, Mrs.
Pölzleitner, and Mr. Wardell ALL the students of year
8 have taken the IELTS exams and passed with flying
Exams:
Congratulations 8a and 8b!
colors.
Currently IELTS is the most widely accepted International English Language Testing System.
It measures ability to communicate in English across all four language skills – listening,
reading, writing and speaking – for people who intend to study or work where English is the
language of communication. IELTS opens doors to universities and professional organizations
around the world.
Congratulations to 8A and 8B!
The following table shows our students’ results in
comparison
other
well-known
language
and Our students
At GIBS we havetoopted
for the
most advanced IELTS
test, the exams
academic module.
that they can really be proud of.
tohave
theachieved
level excellent
of the results
Austrian
Matura.
The following table shows our students’ results in comparison to other well-known language
exams and the level of the Austrian Matura.
Congratulations to you all!!!
The Cambridge, IELTS, and TOEFL compared for
equivalences:
The Cambridge, IELTS, and TOEFL compared for equivalences
Common
European
Framework*
Cambridge
C2
Proficiency
After a semester of preparations with Mr. Hois and Mrs. Pölzleitner ALL the students of year 8
theflying
most widely
have taken the IELTS Currently
exams andIELTS
passediswith
colors. accepted Interna-
C1
tional English Language Testing System. It measures
Currently IELTS isthe
the most
accepted International
English
Language
abilitywidely
to communicate
in English
across
all fourTesting System.
It measures ability to communicate in English across all four language skills – listening,B2: Austrian
language skills – listening, reading, writing and speaking
Matura Level
reading, writing and speaking – for people who intend to study or work where English is the
–
for
people
who
intend
to
study
or
work
where
English
language of communication. IELTS opens doors to universities and professional organizations
B1
around the world. is the language of communication. IELTS opens doors
A2
to universities and professional organizations around
A1
At GIBS we have opted for the most advanced IELTS test, the academic module. Our students
the world.
have achieved excellent
results that they can really be proud of.
Advanced
First
PET
KET
IELTS
Results of
GIBS
Students
Band 9
600/250/100
Band 8
2x 8,5
18x 8,0
Band 7
16x 7,5
9x 7,0
Band 6
1x 6,5
Band 5
TOEFL
paper /
computer /
internet
550/213/80
500/173/61
Band 4
Band 3
450/133/45
Band 2
Band 1
E. Pölzleitner
At GIBS we have opted for the most advanced IELTS
The following table shows our students’ results in comparison to other well-known language
the
academic
module. Our students have achieved
exams and the leveltest,
of the
Austrian
Matura.
excellent
Congratulations to you
all!!! results of which they can really be proud.
IELTS_Results / 2009-06-14 / Page 1 of 2
Elisabeth Pölzleitner
The Cambridge, IELTS, and TOEFL compared for equivalences
Common
European
Framework*
Cambridge
IELTS
Results of
TOEFL
Students
computer /
internet
paper /
GIBS Experts
The Real Computer
ECDL 2009
C2
Proficiency
C1
Advanced
Band 9
600/250/100
Band 8
2x 8,5
18x 8,0
Band 7
16x 7,5
9x 7,0
550/213/80
6,5 school (mainly 5AB)
Band
6
Thirty GIBS
students
of1xupper
Band
5 140 modules of500/173/61
passed more
than
the European
First
Band 4 license. Many of them have even
Computer Drivers
passed all 7Band
required
modules and will
receive their
3
450/133/45
PET
certificates Band
by the2end of this school year.
B2: Austrian
Matura Level
B1
KETWe
Band
would
like1to congratulate everyone on their
outstanding performances.
A2
A1
First Aid Course
More than 35 Students participated
in the annual First Aid Courses. The
16-hour course enables our students
to react to minor and major accidents
properly according to the latest findings in first aid
research. Furthermore, the certificate is valid for the
driver’s licence.
Our students did particularly well in the final presentations when they had to prove their previously acquired knowledge on several important topics in theory and practice.
Congratulations to all of you - you did a great job and
really participated actively in the course.
IELTS_Results
2009-06-14
Requirements and the syllabus
can be /viewed
at / Page 1 of 2
www.edu.ecdl.at
E. Pölzleitner
Florian Lassnig and Heinz Knasar
6
Florian Lassnig
Gesunde Luft in den Klassenräume
In diesem Schuljahr konnten wir den Schülern das
Thema „Gesunde Luft in den Klassenräumen“ durch
Messung der verbrauchten Luft mittels eines vom
Steiermärkischen Landesschulrates zur Verfügung
gestellten CO 2 Messgerätes, in anschaulicher Weise
näher bringen.
CO2 (Kohlenstoffdioxid)Werte unter 1000ppm zeugen
von einem Raumklima, das
aufmerksames Zuhören und
Mitarbeiten fördert.
Bei Werten über 1500 ppm
ist dringendes zum Lüften über Fenster und Türen
(Querlüften) zu empfehlen, um einen entsprechenden
Luftaustausch zu ermöglichen und die Luft mit O2
(Sauerstoff) anzureichern.
In der Praxis sah das so aus:
In den 1. und 2. Klassen wurden bereits ab der 2.Unterrichtsstufe höchste Werte (über 2000 ppm) erreicht.
Abhängig vom Ausgangswert konnte durch Querlüften
die Luftqualität während einer Stunde in den gelben
(1000-1500 ppm) bzw. grünen Bereich (unter 1000 ppm)
gebracht werden.
Da es aber Mitte März
war, wurde es dadurch
den Schülern und Lehrern zu kalt.
Im Computer- und Musikraum, wo anscheinend
regelmäßiger gelüftet
wird bzw. der Raum nicht
jede Stunde besetzt wird,
lagen die Werte im grünen Bereich.
Auch im Containerklassenzimmer war anfangs der
Sauerstoffgehalt der Atemluft gut, die Werte stiegen
jedoch mit Zunahme der Belegung (ohne Schüler 645
ppm, mit Schülern bereits nach einer viertel Stunde) auf
den doppelten Wert an.
In sämtlichen Räumen des 3. Stockes (BIO, CH,
PH, Arts, Crafts, Musik und PC) entstehen Probleme
bei Regen und erhöhter Luftfeuchtigkeit außen, denn
dann lassen sich die mit Regensensoren ausgestatteten
Fenster nicht mehr öffnen und die CO2-Werte liegen im
gelben und roten Bereich. Ein Lüften ist nur mehr über
die Gangtüre möglich.
Paradoxerweise wurden dadurch im Chemiesaal
schlechtere Werte erzielt.
Für die Schüler war natürlich am lustigsten zu sehen,
dass das direkte Ausatmen in das Gerät den Messwert
auf gigantische Höchstwerte bringen konnte.
Wir konnten feststellen, dass Lüften über das Fenster
den CO2-Wert binnen einer Stunde um 500 ppm, bei
Querlüften um 1000 ppm senkt.
Nur ausreichen Sauerstoff in der Atemluft verhindert
Schleimhautreizungen, Kopfschmerzen und Müdigkeit
und fördert ein gesundes Klassenklima.
Ich wünsche euch erholsame Ferien an der frischen
Luft!
Eure Schulärztin Dr. Isabella Kronegger
Winter Sports Day
@gibs
This year, for the first time in GIBS history, years
4 to 8 enjoyed a day ofwinter sports. The students
and members of staff went to Kreischberg and
ejnoyed the perfectly groomed slopes on a marvellous
and sunny winter`s day.
Many thanks to Mrs. Berger and her team for organizing this wonderful event.
Heinz Knasar
7
The “GIBS School Project 08/09” – Darwin’s Other Nightmare
• The “Good News”: “Contrary to evolution, GIBS
School projects start with creativity”1)
• The “Bad News”: “Contrary to evolution, GIBS School
projects evolve from creativity to chaos”2)
In the Beginning I
In the introduction to the book “A Brief History of
Time” by Stephen
Hawking, Carl Sagan
says, “We go about
our daily lives understanding almost
nothing of the world.”
In order to change
this unpleasant situation “educated
communities” have
implemented “School
projects”. GIBS teachers and especially students thrive
on creativity – a currency that by itself doesn’t seem
to undergo any crisis at our school. And still, creativity
invested in the preparation day of March, 4th has created (- can creativity also be destructive?) a formidable
crisis, called action days or even more popular among
some teachers, chaos days. “But this is unfair!”, as the
British would say. Just look at the vast variety of topics,
activities, the spit and polish put into it, ...as exemplified on the GIBS homepage. Most, if not all, students
enjoyed themselves – and that’s what education is all
about nowadays, isn’t it? The pages of this book would
not suffice to cover the wide range of experiences
the students have had, so let’s check the hard facts.
Nowadays, hard facts are virtual. So check http://www.
gibs.at/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=blog
category&id=134&Itemid=221
(This translates to: 1. go to the GIBS homepage, 2. find
the word “Navigation”, 3.find the word “Projects”, 4. click
“Projects”, 5. find the words “School Project 08/09” and
6. click them)
Year 1 – Play the Game (with KVs, i.e. homeroom
teachers). The KVs took a lot of time for their students.
Year 2 – Trash
world (Subjects
involved: Arts, Religious education and
Music – ARM)
At GIBS all types
of trash are being
recycled – wow!
8
Year 3 – Around the world in two days (Subjects
involved: Geography and History) An exhibition on
different countries on one floor.
Year 4 – Glimpses at
Science (Subjects involved: Biology, Physics and
Chemistry) From aeroplanes to robots, anatomy to
pharmacology and other
parts of the scientific universe
Year 5 – ARM - Reaching out (Subjects involved:
Arts, Religious education, Music and Computing) One
dance – two films – free hugs – many cooks - ....
Year 6 – All-Ways (Humanities: Psychology, Geography
and History)
Hilmteich-Basilika Maria Trost - Social projects (Frauenhaus, weißer Ring) - Lebenswege – Pierre, Umwege
zum Glück - Stadtführer für Austauschstudenten – GIBS,
Quo vadis?
Year 7 – Maths and other Sciences
With a slight emphasis on mathematics a big array
of scientific fields was covered: Junior University - Math
project: Complex examples (as for final exams)- Cryptography and Mathematics - Dissection - Pharmacy and
Homeopathy- Excursion to Austria Microsystems
Discourse on “From Creativity to Chaos”
(“Oops, we did it again”)
The “original” idea was that pupils of the same year
find their topic area for their school project within a
subject group. The “real subjects” (see above) should
be augmented by letting students focus on contents, not
on modern languages (like these cheap waste products
of Latin) and trendy sports. These subjects get their
share anyway!” (Quote from “Letter to the Editor”3) by
undisclosed sender).
“In the Beginning” or “how it all began” is harder to define than this “Never ending Story of a Project”, another
commonplace, which in trivial terms boils down to the
question “Why on Earth did we do a School project this
school year?” I will not attempt to answer this question
with my own words, the pictures and information given
on the homepage speak for themselves. But I try to
answer the next question: “What have we learned from
this project?” in the following excerpt from the series “The
Cornered Teacher”4), unless quoted otherwise.
Back to the Future or “When will they ever learn?”
(Quote from the song, “Where have all the flowers
gone?”)
The short answer is: We have learned what we learn
every year from a project.
1. We need to get started early enough and agree on
the dates for preparation and action days - at the
beginning of the school year.
2. The right time for a school project simply doesn’t exist
(- note the contradiction to insight 1) - because hundreds of projects are taking place all the year round
anyway. Just check the homepage once more.
3. “Back to the future”:
The following scenarios could be drawn for the years
to come:
a) The “school project” goes extinct as a consequence
of a revolution instead of an evolution.
b) The living fossil of an “ordinary” project is nourished.
Highly improbable, the chances are 1 to 1080.
c) The school project further develops: (By some regarded as a threat: “As humans have become the biggest
threat to creation so has the “Developed School Project” become the major, if not sole predator/competitor
to organised teaching.”5))
d) Preventing the “Horror vacui”, i.e. the giving of
instructions by principalities culminating in the implementation of project groups, because “something
must be done”6). Not always the best solution, but
astonishingly enough, it works!!
e) Actually, someone had another idea (“Forgive the
person, he doesn’t what he is doing”)
We could have 2 or so days during the year where all
classes go on outings/excursions at the same time!
This is our project! We would only need to agree
on 2 dates at the beginning of the school year and
coordinate who is taking which class. Which takes
us to point 1, unless
f) students come up with a new idea. So, students, be
creative once again!
Summary
The School project was a great success, just check
the homepage and ask the students.
“Projects are an immeasurable contribution to the
education of young people and teachers!”7)
“But, when will they ever learn?”8)
Roland Stierschneider, Pro-Co h.c.
Quotes 1),4),7) from “The Evening Teaching Stars”, published
by ORF?? (not confirmed)
Quotes 2),3),5),6),8) taken from
the unabridged Austrian Edition of “The Mourning Teaching
Standard”, published by AFTUC
– Austria’s First Teacher Union
Club (Founding member still alive, but sadly enough he doesn’t
teach any more)
@gibs
In the Beginning II
9
Play the Game
Welcome to year 1’s contribution to the GIBS school
project 2009. We spent three relaxing days with games
of all kinds from board games and card games, to
social games and math games! We certainly enjoyed
ourselves!
During these days, students had the perfect opportunity to socialize and to get to know each other better.
They figured out what sort of “game-boy” or “game-girl”
they were and became adept in discussing the benefits
of games played. It came as no surprise that they actively
participated in an outing to Ludovico, an organisation
specialised in choosing exciting games. During our visit
to Ludovico, the Homo Ludens in us broke loose and
the students roamed the city to unravel mysteries and
find hidden clues. As part of the fun, they also packed
an egg and threw it off a balcony, in the hope of a safe
landing!
So what did we all learn from our project? Playing
games can be a lot of fun and helps you to find out a
little bit more about yourself!
Martina Pfistermüller-Czar, Diane Herrick,
Lisi Begander, John Broomfield,
Heidi Eiwegger, Edda Berger-Cian
The First Day
Hello! I’m from 1B. For the Project Days our project
was “Play the Game”.
On the first day (Wednesday the 4th of March) we
played a game called “Sheep and Shepherds”. One
third of the class were sheep, one third were shepherds
and the others watched. The sheep were told to do only
what the shepherds told them, if they were nice to the
sheep. The shepherds were told to round up the sheep
into the corner. They were given rolled up newspaper,
but weren’t told what to do with it. The rest of the class
were given cards that told them what to look out for. At
first the shepherds were beating the sheep, but when
they realized it didn’t help they tried being nice and it
worked. After all the sheep had been rounded up the
people who had watched had to say what they saw.
Afterwards we got into groups and were given a
packet of straws and a meter of sticky tape. We were
supposed to build a tall and stable structure. We had
five minutes to talk and then we had fifteen minutes to
work without talking. The winning one had to be stable
and tall.
Then we all were put into different groups and played
the games we had brought from home.
The Second Day
On the second project day (Tuesday the 17th of
March) we went to Ludovico. Ludovico is a game-library
in Herrengasse, where you can borrow games. First we
did a rally through Graz, which was like a quiz, where
we had to walk through Graz to find the answers
before the other team did.
When we got back we had some time to play
some games they had at Ludovico.
After that we played some class games which
were difficult. For example, we had to get over a
“small river” with a rope while making sure the
whole class helped. In the end we split up and
grabbed both sides and then Caterina Wasserfaller walked across.
We also had to stand on in the middle of a
blanket and hold the edges up and pretend it was
a hot-air-balloon basket. We had to try and get
out of it without moving the basket down. It was
10
Live dabei
auf einen Klick
difficult, but we did it by pushing people over the side,
who then grabbed the blanket edges from the outside.
Then we could go home.
The Third Day
On the third project day (Wednesday the 18th of
March) we played the games we had brought in the first
project day and another game.
We voted on the top four games:
Kuhhandel (card game, strategy)
Wanted (card game, concentration and reaction)
Uno Flash (card game, concentration and reaction)
Ratatouille (chain reaction game, board game)
We all went and watched the presentations on what
the others had done and then we went home.




IT WAS GREAT!
@gibs
Nell McComb, 1B
���������������������������������������
���������������������������
�������������������������������
���������������������������������
�������������������������
���������������������������������
������������������������
Meine Kleine.
11