the Blazon | 3rd Edition 2026

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EDITORIAL NOTE

by Joana Braga dos Reis

Dear Astoria Community, It is with great enthusiasm that we welcome you to another edition of The Blazon, a publication that proudly reflects the vibrant spirit, creativity, and sense of community that define life at Astoria International School.

This edition reflects the energy, creativity, compassion, and international spirit that make our school community so unique. Each article tells a story of discovery, participation, and meaningful connection—inside and beyond the classroom.

In Arts & Culture – Culture Week, we relive the excitement of our unforgettable adventure The World in 4 Days. Throughout the week, students explored the five continents through hands-on activities linked to art, gastronomy, history, sports, music, and environmental awareness. The presence of special guests, including athletes, artists, musicians, and professionals from different fields, made the experience even more inspiring and enriching. The week concluded with a vibrant Nations Parade and international market, celebrating diversity, creativity, and the importance of coming together as one community.

Our students’ imagination and scientific curiosity also shine through in Project Area – Os Planetas. By exploring the mysteries of space and the solar system, students engaged in meaningful research and creative projects that encouraged critical thinking, collaboration, and a deeper appreciation for science and discovery.

Language learning continues to be an essential part of our educational journey. In English is Contagious: English Club, students embraced English through interactive and enjoyable experiences that strengthened both

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communication skills and confidence. Meanwhile, Getting Ready for Success: Our Students’ Exam Journey highlights the commitment, perseverance, and positive attitude our students are demonstrating as they prepare for important academic challenges.

In Our Events – Happy Mother’s Day, we celebrate the beautiful moments shared between mothers and children during a very special day at school. By joining classroom routines and participating in activities alongside their children, mothers experienced the caring and joyful atmosphere that makes Astoria such a special place. It was a meaningful celebration filled with affection, laughter, and togetherness.

Finally, Giving Back to Others: Visita ao Lar reminds us of the importance of compassion and social responsibility. Through visits and moments shared with members of our local community, our students continue to learn valuable lessons about empathy, respect, and the positive impact that small acts of kindness can have on others.

Every article in this edition reflects the values that guide our educational mission: excellence, creativity, cultural understanding, collaboration, and care for others. At Astoria, we believe that education is about much more than academic achievement—it is about preparing young people to become thoughtful, confident, and compassionate individuals ready to contribute positively to the world.

We hope you enjoy reading this edition of The Blazon and feel as proud as we do of all that our students and community continue to accomplish together.

With kind regards,

* Astoria International School

Arts & Culture: Culture Week

by Joana Braga dos Reis

Last week, our school community embarked on an unforgettable adventure during this year’s Culture Week: “The World in 4 Days.” Over the course of four inspiring days, our students travelled across the five continents through a wide variety of enriching activities celebrating arts, cooking, history, sports, music, and environmental awareness.

and community spirit. Families and students enjoyed live performances, traditional foods, game booths representing each continent, and a remarkable exhibition of sculptures inspired by famous monuments around the globe. One of the highlights of the event was the auction of our students’ artwork, proudly created throughout the week.

Throughout the week, our students had the privilege of welcoming several special guests who generously shared their talents and experiences with us, including a judo coach, a basketball coach, a children’s books illustrator, a biologist, a saxophone musician, and the coordinator of Orquestra Geração. Their visits brought learning to life and helped our students discover new passions and perspectives from around the world.

At Astoria International School, we are deeply proud of the enthusiasm, creativity, and solidarity shown by our entire educational community. Most importantly, all funds raised during the event will be transformed into essential goods to support our local nursing home, Sociedade Espanhola de Beneficência de Lisboa.

Culture Week concluded with a joyful Nations Parade and a vibrant international market filled with colour, music, creativity,

Culture Week was not only a celebration of diversity and learning, but also a powerful reminder that together we can make a positive difference in the lives of others.

Project Area - Os Planetas

by Sofia Santos

No Astoria International School, o nosso projeto sobre o universo nasceu de uma simples conversa sobre estrelas, que rapidamente despertou a curiosidade e o entusiasmo das crianças. A leitura do livro How to Catch a Star marcou o início desta aventura, levando o grupo a explorar o mundo das estrelas e a descobrir a fascinante profissão de astronauta.

Ao longo do projeto, vivemos momentos muito especiais, como a observação de excertos da missão Artemis II e a descoberta do histórico primeiro passo de Neil Armstrong na Lua. Inspiradas por estas descobertas, as crianças mergulharam na exploração do espaço, investigando planetas, galáxias e dando asas à imaginação através de atividades criativas, onde

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* Astoria International School

English is Contagious: English Club

by Damla Paksoy

In our extracurricular English course with Miss Damla, we try to keep things relaxed and enjoyable. Since we spend the whole day learning, this time is a chance to learn English in a more comfortable and balanced way.

In both classes, 73 and 86, we include a mix of activities. In class 73, we focus more on games, while in class 86, we combine coloring, simple activities, and games alongside some paper-based tasks. This helps keep the lessons engaging without feeling too tiring. Sometimes we add a bit of competition through games, and other times we take it slower. We also spend time in our reading corner, where we read English books and talk about the parts we like most. We also focus on developing all language skills such as listening, speaking, reading, and writing - and gradually expand our writing skills through simple and enjoyable activities. We occasionally use Milton platform in our lessons, and after learning something new, we might do some coloring to relax after learning something new.

Overall, our English course is about balance - learning, playing, and taking breaks—while improving little by little along the way.

Getting Ready for Success: Our Students’ Exam Journey

by Teresa Viscusi

At our school, learning is always an adventure and preparing for exams is no exception! Over the past weeks, our students have been working hard (and having fun!) as they get ready for their upcoming English exams.

Our Cambridge Starters and Flyers students have been diving into a variety of activities to build their confidence. From completing multiple mock tests to practising key skills, they are becoming more familiar with the exam format every day. For our younger learners, vocabulary revision has been anything but boring — the much-loved Spelling Bee game has been a big hit, turning learning into an exciting challenge full of energy and enthusiasm.

Students preparing for the A2 Key for Schools exam have also

been putting in great effort, working through practice papers and strengthening their reading, writing, and listening skills.

Their dedication and focus have been truly impressive.

Meanwhile, our Trinity GESE Grade 2 learners have been developing their speaking skills through interactive and dynamic activities. Flashcard games, board games, and engaging tasks on the Milton Platform have helped them practise vocabulary and build confidence in a fun and supportive environment.

Across all levels, it has been wonderful to see students so motivated and committed. Their hard work, combined with a positive attitude, is setting them up for success - and we couldn’t be prouder!

Keep up the fantastic work, everyone!

Our Events: Happy Mother's day

by Joana Braga dos Reis

At Astoria International School, Mother’s Day was celebrated with warmth, joy, and many special moments shared between mothers and their children. Throughout the day, mothers joined their children in different classroom activities and daily routines, creating beautiful memories together in a sweet and caring environment prepared especially to honour all mothers. Laughter, smiles, and affection filled our school as families enjoyed quality time together, strengthening the special bond that makes our community so unique. It was truly a heartwarming celebration dedicated to the love, dedication, and care of all mothers.

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* Astoria International School

Giving Back to others: Pequenas Ações, Grandes Corações! - Visita ao Lar

by Joana Azevedo A nossa escola viveu um momento verdadeiramente especial com a visita dos alunos do 1.º ano a um lar de idosos. Este encontro foi marcado por muita alegria, partilha e emoção, proporcionando uma experiência única tanto para as crianças como para os residentes.

Durante a visita, os alunos tiveram a oportunidade de interagir diretamente com os idosos, criando um ambiente acolhedor e cheio de afeto. As crianças cantaram canções, recitaram pequenas rimas e ofereceram desenhos preparados com muito carinho.

Cada gesto, por mais simples que fosse, trouxe sorrisos e iluminou o dia de todos os presentes. Foi especialmente bonito observar a ligação que se criou entre gerações. Os idosos mostraram-se muito felizes e emocionados com a presença das crianças, partilhando histórias, palavras de incentivo e até algumas gargalhadas.

Esta atividade revelou-se extremamente importante para o desenvolvimento pessoal e social das crianças.

Para além de praticarem a comunicação e a expressão oral num contexto diferente, os alunos aprenderam valores essenciais como a empatia, o respeito, a solidariedade e a importância de cuidar do outro.

Estas vivências contribuem para a formação de cidadãos mais conscientes, sensíveis e atentos às necessidades dos outros.

O ambiente vivido foi de verdadeira alegria e ternura. Os sorrisos, os abraços e os olhares cúmplices mostraram que, apesar da diferença de idades, a linguagem do carinho é universal. São momentos como este que reforçam a importância de aproximar as gerações e de valorizar o papel dos idosos na nossa comunidade.

No final, ficou a certeza de que esta foi uma experiência inesquecível para todos. As crianças regressaram à escola com o coração cheio e os idosos ficaram com a alegria de um dia diferente e muito especial.

Sem dúvida, pequenos gestos fizeram uma grande diferença e deixaram memórias que perdurarão no tempo.

Fun and Games

Help Mr. Robot reach the battery.

EXIT

I’d tell you the joke about the jam but you would spread it

Q: Why do you put bulbs on the ground?

START

A: So the worms can see.

Q: Why can’t the music teachers start his car?

A: His keys are on the piano.

Upcoming Events End of School Year Party

COLLEGE LONDON Registered Exam Centre 53748

the Blazon 1 third Edition 2026

* Astoria International School