Who We Are
What a great investigation into Who We Are! From learning about the differences between physical and mental health to taking a photography adventure, students have learned more about what makes us the way we are and the effects of our environment on our health. Here are some more details about what we have been up to in all subject areas so far this year!
Unit of Inquiry (UoI)
Central Idea: Our choices and environment contribute to our physical and mental health
Lines of Inquiry:
- Function - Physical health
- Causation - Mental health
- Connection - The relationship between health and external factors
Our central idea for this unit was about how our choices and environment contribute to our physical and mental health. In order to better understand the physical side of health, students created a life sized human body with explanations of body systems, organs, and detailed drawings of each of these. They also learned more detail about the brain and the multiple jobs it regularly performs in order to keep us alive. Students made a map of the human brain and detailed what each section is responsible and why it is important.
Mental health was the next topic we explored. Students studied the effects of bullying and how the people around you can affect you in positive and negative ways. Various phobias were explored and the different mental and physical effects that manifest because of them. Students were able to make connections between the environment and health such as a friend's influence, lack of sleep, and the effects of stress.
For our summative assessment, students created a Health Fair featuring everything they have learned throughout this unit: physical health, mental health, and the effects of the environment on each. Students worked in three groups to elaborate and present the details associated with their chosen topic. Each group created a digital component (slideshow) which was presented with a speech, a 3-D model made of clay, a brochure and/or poster of facts, and a game to help others learn about health. Games included a trivia match, a blindfolded human body sort, a board game about mental health, and a fitness card game that got everyone in motion.
Overall, students did a superb job showing off their knowledge and demonstrated critical thinking skills at every moment!
English
Students have been noticing more details about the world around them and applying this to their writing by using more descriptive words. By paying attention to all of their senses, students are better able to use words to paint a picture of where they are. To further get into writing mode, we took a photography walk where students took pictures of anything sparking interest, focusing on things that are often overlooked such as a rusted sign or a weed growing in the cement. We found a nice place to sit near the river and students honed their senses to write as completely as they could about their environment. Students have been adding new vocabulary to their writing as well.
In addition to descriptive writing, students have applying their knowledge of mental health to the problem of bullying by making a poster encouraging others to help prevent bullying. Reading more about other students who are victims of bullying helps give insight into how we can help.
Math
Lets learn about fractions! Fractions can be challenging but students have been working hard to master concepts related to adding and subtracting fractions, mixed fractions, and finding equivalent fractions. Understanding the order of operations is another important skill that students have been honing. We have also been dividing and multiplying decimals as well as practicing with long division with increasingly larger numbers.
It's not all paper and pencil work though as students apply their math skills to Kahoot games and other online games. We celebrated Math Day by creating math bracelets and finding challenge questions for all other primary grades to attempt to answer. Students also found some fun multiplication games that utilized the touch screen component of our new Smart Board. In order for the penguin to cross the icy path, students had to have the fasted time which only happened if they were masters of their multiplication facts. It was a fun way to enjoy math.
ICT
Technological skills are at work as students dig deeper into coding using Scratch! Students are creating their own zombie game in which zombies can attack while the player's character must escape and defeat the zombie to survive. In addition to creating their own video game, students have also been learning how to edit and render videos. They have been taking simple videos of themselves and editing them with splitting, merging, and adding both text and audio layers. After editing, students are ale to render and export the final video. Clipchamp is the platform that students have been using for this.
Music
We are happy to have Ms. Yuki joining our Abroad family! Students have been singing classic songs from the Sound of Music, Danny Boy, Bruno Mars, and many more in efforts to practice different styles of music. Drums, tambourines, and bells are being used to help students understand more about rhythm and percussion while keeping in sync with the song. Students have also been exploring the creation of their own music using an online song maker in which different notes and harmonics are input resulting in a unique song. Through this program, students are learning more about pitch, harmony, and rhythm as they analyze the structure of their composition.
Art
Starting the year off with a self-portrait, students have been developing their observational and creative powers using art. A self-portrait was created that used half of a printed photo of themselves and the rest was left to their artistic talents. Symmetry was particularly important. Watercolors have been used for painting throughout this unit including subjects such as flowers, healthy foods, and other still life observations. Pointalism was another skill that has been developed as students make colored dots on pieces of black paper to represent their subject matters. It has been quite the treat to watch students experiment with different stylistic choices and make bold color choices!
Physical Education and Teambuilding (P.E. and PSPE)
Playing games like soccer and handball are fun, but learning techniques on how to pass and better control the ball help make for more skilled athletes. Students have practicing passing techniques at the park to improve coordination and teamwork in soccer. Not only do students need to practice how to do the skill properly, they must also show control by using good form. Students all showed visible improvement while playing games as they were able to apply all of the small skills that they learned in practice to the matches.
During PSPE students have been inventing their own games such as Whisper Relay where students have to race around the park, overcome physical obstacles, convey a secret message to their teammate, and tag the next relay member to continue. The first team to finish with the correct password is the winner! Other teambuilding games have been Capture the Flag, Infinity Tag, Dodgeball, Find the Object Tag, and Cross Canada. On rainy days, kids have been playing some fun board games such as chess and One Night Werewolf that help develop both mental and social skills. To let off some steam, Twister, building with Legos, and Table Football have also been some nice stress relievers.
Whew! What a unit! With all that we've learned so far, I can't wait to see what students will do next.
