As the semester came to an end, our children made incredible improvements. They have engaged in a range of inquiry activities related to self-knowledge, self-understanding, and self-development as part of the "Who we are" transdisciplinary theme. Throughout the inquiry process, we integrate subject knowledge, establish connections with real-world scenarios, make learning visible, encourage children's curiosity about learning, and support them in improving themselves. Let's recall these amazing moments together now!
Central Idea:
Family relationships contribute to shaping our identity.
The exhibition was a remarkable culmination of the efforts out forth by the Grade 1 students as they enthusiastically participated in a SHOW AND TELL, sharing artifacts that held a special place in their hearts. Their commitment and practice in refining their presentations truly shone through, making the event are sounding success.
At its core, the exhibition was a celebration of the profound role that family plays in our lives. Each student’s presentation served as a heartfelt expression of gratitude and appreciation for the influence and support provided by their families. The event was not just a showcase of artifacts, it was a testament to the intricate tapestry of family bond.
The unit “who we are” was carefully designed to instill a sense of awareness and understanding of the diversity within the student’s backgrounds. The goal was to encourage an appreciation for the unique qualities that make each family special. Through this exploration, students gained insights into the various form of diversity present within their own families, recognizing the impact these differences have on their individual growth.
In essence, the event was a rich tapestry of stories, artifacts, and family connections, contributing to a deeper understanding of the students’ identity and the diverse threads that weaves through their lives. The “Who We Are” unit successfully fulfilled its purpose by nurturing a sense of appreciation for the individuality within each family and fostering an environment where diversity is celebrated as a source of strength and enrichment.
Central Idea:
People’s choices of lifestyle affect personal health.
What an excellent exploration of the third unit, “Who We Are” students worked tirelessly to communicate about the responsibility we have to take care of our bodies and how to maintain good habits. I’m proud to say students wonderfully utilized their thinking skills by researching different cultures, learning how to live a healthy lifestyles,differentiating bad habits from good habits, while creating a fundamental lifelong skill consisting of self-management which helps them stay organized.
Throughout the unit we connected various subjects including; social studies, physical education, geography, and science. Ultimately G2 chose to successfully showcase their, “I Am What I Eat,” healthy choices healthy lifestyle exhibition which provided the ASJ community with information pertaining to a plethora of essential foods their connection to the body, and the benefits they provide for specific major organs such as the heart, brain, digestive system, as well as skin and bones.
Overall, we were pleased with the results and will use this opportunity to consistently reflect on how to create a healthy lifestyle.
Central Idea:
People establish and maintain relationships through social interactions.
Excitement! Adventure! Joy! Joy is the most important and it's also what the kids were feeling when they gave a strong effort for the Unit 3 Exhibition.
We improved communication skills in this unit learning: through family, through relationships, through drama, through body language, through bullying, through peer pressure, and even through the body.
With beautiful designs, games and stories created by the creative kids, they have shown that it's a work of art AND a work of heart! The audience was engaged, captivated and compelled to inquire more into the topics that students presented and found themselves having a fun time with the lovely activities on display. One teacher found themselves in a fake wedding, another teacher was going through the diagrams of the human body, and a different teacher was blindfolded and made to rely on communication to navigate a maze of paper crafted relationships!
Truly, education is really the force that brings change to the world, starting with the lives of the individuals who took part in our exhibition. The feedback gathered from several members was all smiles and sunshine. Several students learnt that smoking is so dangerous, something they should avoid. A teacher commented that they wanted to find out more about how different countries communicate, and yet another said they never realised how different family compositions were. We all took something home after that exhibition, and planted the seeds for future awareness and learning. Good job everyone!
Central Idea:
Structure of the body consists of systems and parts that are interdependent.
Unit 3 was a beautiful introduction to the biology and the scientific inquiry into the human body and the different systems making up the human body like the skeletal, nervous, muscular, circulatory, digestive, respiratory, as well as immune systems.
This was accompanied by the social aspect of the inquiry where students learned about the connection between a healthy lifestyle, healthy living, and the needs of the different parts of the bodies which carry us daily! The future biologists and scientists embarked on an inquiry process by joining a parent sharing class hosted by a grade 2 parent. The lecture focused on maintaining a healthy body and mind. The lesson was filled with practical and fun activities which caught students’ attention and assisted their research skills and contributed to them deepening their understanding of the human body. The process was filled with funny and yucky discoveries like how “poop” really works to how the bone structure helps us move! The out of class activities to measure heartbeats and BPM’s were filled with giggles and fact discovery!
The end of unit action was a collaborative action with the art department where students created human body models and used their voices to share scientific and health-based information focusing on the different forms of the body systems, how the different systems work, as well as how different systems are interconnected for the full function of the entire human anatomy! The learning community which attended the display was mind blown by the thorough descriptions of all the body systems, the creativity with which the students shared their information was a work of scientific art!
This end of unit celebration also displayed a comradery between the students as they collaborated and assisted each other to put their best feet forward! The display even had funny edutainment videos which were aimed at teaching about things to avoid to keep the body systems healthy and fully functional. Our future biologists and scientists also proved to be creative and tech savvy! Another proof that inquiry-based learning is not just schooling, it’s a wholesome learning process for the entire ASJ community!
Central Idea:
Traditions and cultures give people a sense of identity.
Being internationally minded without losing your fundamental traditions and culture.
Unit 3 was an amazing inquiry focused on social aspects where students inquired into various cultures, their origins and how traditions and cultures have transitioned over time with globalization and international mindedness which shows humans are more connected than they are different. Students brought in their own perspectives through articulation of responsibilities each generation has in the preservation and development of culture. The process was marked with sharing classes and opportunities to interview the teachers from different countries!
In this inquiry inquiry cycle G5 students took us on a virtual around the world tour which took us through a variety of cultures within the ASJ community and compared the similarities and differences.
The final action was a variety of displays which displayed students’ own voices and choice as they chose their own actions based on where they were with their understanding at the end of the unit. Some learners went with the pledge and petitions discouraging discrimination and ignorance regarding cultures outside of ones own. Some went with awareness actions where they encouraged the learning community to know about the cultures and traditions of the PYP international teachers. These displays were enhanced by the students displays of their own Chinese culture from Chinese regal traditional dresses to the tea culture and food displays! The end of unit celebration was really a culmination of the deep inquiry process where students outdid themselves researching into their teachers’ origins to a point of sharing more information than the teachers knew about their countries!
Ms Olya, a kindergarten teacher from Khazakstan was amazed by how much information the students knew about her country before she even conducted the sharing class with the. Even their own UOI teacher was amazed by how much the students knew about her country, from historical facts to the minerals buried under the beautiful South African shores!
The authentic display of the both the inquiry process and the actions based on the process was indeed a cause for celebration!
Central Idea:
The choice of role models reflects the beliefs and values of individuals and societies.
Our exhibit, "Role Models," explored the idea of role models and how they influence personal goals and societal standards.Our students introduce their role models to visitors in different ways.
Through passionate sharing, students demonstrated how the selection of role models is closely linked to personal identity and societal values. Attendees were encouraged to think about their own role models and consider the impact they have on shaping our shared values and beliefs.
Visitors to the exhibition enjoyed an interactive experience, participating in informative presentations and engaging activities that encouraged discussion and self-reflection.
The exhibition is not the end of inquiry, and the children's inquiry-based learning will continue. Let's look forward to the children's newfound brilliance and surprises at the next UOI!
