While I breathe, I explore, I hope

We consider ourselves very lucky at TWIS, while others celebrate Earth Day once a year, we can have Earth Day literally every day. How so? Amidst our modern campus and technology, we have our own farm where students can commune with nature at any time of the day.

Recently inaugurated, the TWIS Farm is an initiative of the academic staff who put forth a proposal to the board outlining the many benefits of having our own farm. Our farm has opened up many transdisciplinary and interdisciplinary teaching experiences to enhance our curriculum. 

对于一年级的班主任Ms. Keisel来说，生物园是一个学习生命周期和食物链知识的地方，比如我们可以看到蝌蚪变青蛙、母鸡下蛋等。

For Grade 1 homeroom teacher, Ms. Keisel, the farm is a place to learn about life cycles, such as tadpoles turning into frogs. Grade 1 learns about food chains; and will be able to make connections that when hens lay eggs, we can have scrambled eggs for breakfast. 

在科学老师Ms. Lesli和Mr. Cherlito看来，生物园给学生们提供了第一手的学习材料——观察动物和植物之间是如何相互联系和相互依存的。学生们该可以观察在动物的栖息地观察它们的行为、互动方式和生存技能等。

For our science teachers, Ms. Lesli and Mr. Cherlito, the farm gives students a first-hand learning experience to observe how the animals and plants are interrelated and dependent on each other. All students can observe the behavior of animals in their own habitat, their interaction, and their survival skills. 

例如，科学课中有一项关于蚯蚓堆制处理的知识，学生们利用生物园的材料，通过团队合作与调查，让他们明白了天然肥料对生物园植物的重要性。

For example, students are creating vermicompost. They have to work collaboratively to make this happen as their inquiry led them to understand the importance of natural fertilizers for our plants in the farm.

对于艺术老师Mr. Esteban来说，生物园是年轻艺术家的灵感来源，就像是我们拥有真实的模特，得以学习动物的组成结构。

For Mr. Esteban, the arts teacher, the farm is a source of inspiration for young artists. It’s like having live models all the time to learn about animal anatomy. 

五年级的班主任Mr. Oliver认为，生物园为研究农业革命期间发展起来的各项发明提供了可能性，特别是畜牧业和营养学。

For Grade 5 teacher, Mr. Oliver, the farm opens up possibilities of investigating different inventions that developed during the Agricultural Revolution to facilitate farming, particularly animal husbandry and nutritious diets.  

TWIS生物园不仅是我们可以获取知识、学问和新技能的地方，还是一个可以展示IB学习者属性和TWIS价值观的自律、责任、道德和同理心的地方。TWIS的学生拥有很多机会成为勤于思考的人和知识渊博的探究者。

The farm is not only a place where we can acquire knowledge and understanding, or learn new skills BUT it is also a place where we can demonstrate the IB learner profile attributes and the TWIS STRIVE Values of self-discipline, responsibility, integrity, virtue & empathy. There are so many opportunities for our students to become thinkers, and knowledgeable inquirers.

更重要的是，学生练习着成为一位“懂得关爱的人”（caring）。生物园是动物和植物的家园，由此学生在园中学习着如何不给它们的环境带来过多的行为和声音的干扰。同时，遵循生物园的防疫、卫生和安全准则，学生也有机会成为一个“有原则的人”（principled）。

Our students learn how to be CARING: the farm is the home of animals and plants so we have to be careful not to disturb them too much. We learn to be PRINCIPLED by following the safety and security guidelines when we go to the farm. 

在这里，学生可以运用我们在课堂上谈到的一些情绪处理技能，比如练习处理失望和未达到期望的情绪——我们不能强迫兔子在它们不饿的时候进行喂食。TWIS拥有自己的生物园，可以让学生辨认出每一个生物，也可以看到更为包容和开放的学校是如何与世界建立联系的。

It is a place where we can practice using some of the affective skills that we talk about in our classes such as practice dealing with disappointment and unmet expectations - we cannot force rabbits to eat when they’re not hungry. Having our own farm allows our students to identify with each living creature, and thus seeing how the school community is more inclusive and open to world connectivity. 

是什么如何建立联系的呢？不妨也一起来看看学生们对于地球日的反馈吧！

How? Why don't we have a look at some of our students' feedback from Earth Day: