The World - our K1 Meta-Project...

Our class has been sharing what we know about animals of the world. I have so enjoyed hearing the children's prior knowledge, and the confidence and enthusiasm with which they are volunteering information!

The children have also been thinking about what they would like to know about animals, and brainstorming how they might find out. We have had wonderful sessions with non-fiction books, discovering how we can use them to find answers to our questions, some of which are below...

"Why do sheep and cows and goats make milk?"
"Why do butterflies have antenna?"

"What do kangaroos eat?"

"Why do wolves have light eyes?"

"How do dolphins jump?"

It was also great to see some of our class answering their friend's questions - simultaneously sharing and increasing understandings.
In further exploration, some children have enjoyed creating animal habitats with animal figures, blocks and natural materials, classifying and patterning animal pictures, and investigating life-cycles.

Some children have been wondering about what is around and next to planet Earth. Water, space, rainbows and clouds were suggested, with particular discussion about what clouds are and what purpose they serve.

"Clouds come from fire.'
"Clouds are from China."
"Clouds make the thundery rain."

The children all contributed their thoughts to a survey about clouds, and some engaged in a provocation in the Art Centre, resulting in cloud printing using cotton balls, shaving cream and paint.

Many children have shown interest in the maps and globes displayed in the classroom. Blocks and transport vehicles have been used by some children to represent their thinking about, and experiences of, Singapore. Other children are showing how they see the Earth through making marks and drawing pictures on circular shapes.

During our Discovery Times, the Music room has been open to the children. They have had the opportunity to explore dark and light, and correspondingly night and day, by experimenting with different materials on the overhead projector.

This week we shared a non-fiction big book What is an endangered animal? The children were very engaged by the information and illustrations regarding animals of the world at risk, and had thoughtful comments to share. One child's comment below may very well indicate a direction which our children could show an interest in following...

"People should stop and do something."

Do check in to this blog's next post in a fortnight's time to see where the children's inquiring minds will lead them!

The first 2 weeks...

It has been wonderful to see the children's happy faces as they arrive each morning. MZa has been busy learning routines, establishing relationships with their teachers, and making friends. Please look out for the class photo list coming home in blue folders soon, which will help your child with remembering his/her new friends' names.

               Thank you to all parents who met with me for Student /                                  Teacher conferences. It was great to be able to chat with you.

 

                                                                                 

‘The World.’ – our K1 Meta-Project…

MZa has been thinking about 2 questions over the past couple of weeks…What does ‘world’ mean?  and  What is your world? The children have shared many interesting thoughts and ideas…

What does ‘world’ mean? 

·            “The whole city where people live.”    

·            “Sharks.”

·            “The whole earth.”

·            “Knights.”

·            “Countries with trees, sea, beach.”

·            “Earth, and all the different countries on the sides of the earth.”

·             “Zebras.”

·            “Unicorns.”

·            “Lion and tiger.”

·            “The moon and space around it.”

·            “Butterfly.”

·            “Snakes.”

It seems as though MZa are very interested in animals!

In the following weeks, we will be exploring what we already know about animals of the world, what else we would really like to know about them, and how we can find out!

Some responses to the second question “What is your world?” were…

·             “All the countries.”

·            “The sky and grass and people.”

·            “The whole school.”

·            “Mum and Dad inside the world, and Aunty.”

·            “Where I do things.”

Thank you to everyone who has filled in with their child, and returned, the sheet sent home which poses the question above. I have enjoyed reading the responses, and am looking forward to working with the children to explore their interests.

Please keep checking in with our class blog, to see our children researching, building on existing ideas, and developing further understandings about the world.