Our final unit of inquiry of the year is up and running.
The central idea is:
An ecosystem is a community of organisms interacting with one another and the environment
During this unit we will be inquiring into:
What makes up an ecosystem.
How ecosystems maintain balance.
The human responsibilities towards maintaining ecosystems.
We have already had one very successful field trip to the WWF house in Vernier. We dug in compost heaps, dipped in the pond and collected bugs from the bushes. It was a great opportunity for the students to see how organisms are able to interact even in the smallest of environments.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Monday, April 20, 2009
Local History
Our new unit of inquiry falls under the theme:
"Where we are in time and place"
The Central Idea is:
To understand who we are and where we are going, we need to explore and learn from the past.
Lines of inquiry:
During this unit we do hope to be taking a trip to a nearby town to examine some historical artefacts (more details to follow). Once again we would like to appeal to any parents who are either experts in this field or who knows someone who could help the students with their inquiries.
"Where we are in time and place"
The Central Idea is:
To understand who we are and where we are going, we need to explore and learn from the past.
Lines of inquiry:
- How the past shapes the present
- The history of the Lake Geneva region
- The study of specific periods in local history
During this unit we do hope to be taking a trip to a nearby town to examine some historical artefacts (more details to follow). Once again we would like to appeal to any parents who are either experts in this field or who knows someone who could help the students with their inquiries.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Forces and Motion
Our new unit of inquiry is called Forces and Motion.
The central idea is:
The physical laws of forces and motion affect all matter.
As usual, if you have any suggestions for visits or know of anyone who is an expert in this field and would be willing to talk to the students, please contact the year 5 teachers.
The central idea is:
The physical laws of forces and motion affect all matter.
As usual, if you have any suggestions for visits or know of anyone who is an expert in this field and would be willing to talk to the students, please contact the year 5 teachers.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Art and Artists
We have given out the final assessment task information to the students. This is so that they can start to plan what they want to do and to gather ideas and inspiration for their work throughout the duration of the unit.
We have already had visits from a sculptor and musician and look forward to welcoming a photographer and opera singer to talk to the students about their chosen medium of art.
Artists express ideas, emotions and personal experiences through their art.
Summative Assessment Task
1 Plan and create a piece of original artwork using any medium of your choice.(for example, painting, dance, music…) Your art must be displayed or performed to the rest of the class, depending on the medium you choose.
2 Include 3 paragraphs of writing to explain the following:
Paragraph 1: What are you trying to express and why did you choose to express this
Paragraph 2: How were you inspired? Did the work of any other artists inspire you?
Paragraph 3: Why did you choose this particular medium of art? Were there any difficulties along the way? If so, how did you overcome them?
You must provide evidence of the planning that has gone into your project. Your “Inspiration Book” must include any lists of equipment required, brainstorms, sketches, photographs etc.....your plans should be turned in along with your written report in a plastic folder.
Extra Credit: Choose one piece of work from a famous artist of any genre (music, art, dance, writing) Write a short report on the work you’ve chosen and what you think the artist was trying to express thorough his/ her work. Include a copy of the work you are writing about.
We have already had visits from a sculptor and musician and look forward to welcoming a photographer and opera singer to talk to the students about their chosen medium of art.
Artists express ideas, emotions and personal experiences through their art.
Summative Assessment Task
1 Plan and create a piece of original artwork using any medium of your choice.(for example, painting, dance, music…) Your art must be displayed or performed to the rest of the class, depending on the medium you choose.
2 Include 3 paragraphs of writing to explain the following:
Paragraph 1: What are you trying to express and why did you choose to express this
Paragraph 2: How were you inspired? Did the work of any other artists inspire you?
Paragraph 3: Why did you choose this particular medium of art? Were there any difficulties along the way? If so, how did you overcome them?
You must provide evidence of the planning that has gone into your project. Your “Inspiration Book” must include any lists of equipment required, brainstorms, sketches, photographs etc.....your plans should be turned in along with your written report in a plastic folder.
Extra Credit: Choose one piece of work from a famous artist of any genre (music, art, dance, writing) Write a short report on the work you’ve chosen and what you think the artist was trying to express thorough his/ her work. Include a copy of the work you are writing about.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Welcome Back
Unit of Inquiry
We have just begun our new Unit of Inquiry called: Art and Artists
Central Idea: Artists express ideas, emotions and personal experiences through their art.
We will be inquiring into:
• How artists can express thoughts, feelings and ideas through art.
• The different forms of artistic creativity.
• How an artist’s life experiences influence his / her work.
We intend to use the word ‘artist’ in the widest of terms and are currently arranging for speakers to come in and demonstrate to the children how they express themselves through their particular art form. If you think that you have any relevant skills or knowledge that could help us with this unit, or know of someone else who does (a dancer, musician, poet, author or photographer for example) please let one of us know. The students gain much from guest speakers and we would welcome the opportunity to have contact with professionals in the different artistic disciplines.
We have just begun our new Unit of Inquiry called: Art and Artists
Central Idea: Artists express ideas, emotions and personal experiences through their art.
We will be inquiring into:
• How artists can express thoughts, feelings and ideas through art.
• The different forms of artistic creativity.
• How an artist’s life experiences influence his / her work.
We intend to use the word ‘artist’ in the widest of terms and are currently arranging for speakers to come in and demonstrate to the children how they express themselves through their particular art form. If you think that you have any relevant skills or knowledge that could help us with this unit, or know of someone else who does (a dancer, musician, poet, author or photographer for example) please let one of us know. The students gain much from guest speakers and we would welcome the opportunity to have contact with professionals in the different artistic disciplines.
Monday, November 24, 2008
Unit of Inquiry Update
Our human body unit is progressing well. We have had a fantastic talk by a visiting expert about the brain and the nervous system and we are looking forward to a physiotherapist coming in to talk about the spine.
Did you know that the brain cannot feel pain? This was one of the many amazing things we learned.
The students are almost ready to start the summative assessment task which you can see below. We have given them the outline of the task already so that they can begin to think of questions and follow the areas in which they are particularly interested.
Unit of Inquiry: Human Body Project Assignment
For this project you and your partners will design and carry out an experiment OR construct a model that will demonstrate your understanding of the central idea of this unit:
Though we may look very different on the outside, all human beings share the same physiology.
You will need to present your experiment or model during our Open House. You must include a written report which includes the following:
• A title in the form of a question (eg. What happens in your body when you eat an apple? )
• A summary of what you are demonstrating
• A description of which systems are involved in your experiment/ demonstration
• A description of how this would be the same or different for different people
• A labelled diagram to help explain about your model / experiment
PE Kit Reminder
Please help us to reduce the amount of lost property by clearly naming all PE kit. Please also ensure that the students are equipped for both indoor and outdoor PE on Tuesdays and Fridays.
Thank you.
Did you know that the brain cannot feel pain? This was one of the many amazing things we learned.
The students are almost ready to start the summative assessment task which you can see below. We have given them the outline of the task already so that they can begin to think of questions and follow the areas in which they are particularly interested.
Unit of Inquiry: Human Body Project Assignment
For this project you and your partners will design and carry out an experiment OR construct a model that will demonstrate your understanding of the central idea of this unit:
Though we may look very different on the outside, all human beings share the same physiology.
You will need to present your experiment or model during our Open House. You must include a written report which includes the following:
• A title in the form of a question (eg. What happens in your body when you eat an apple? )
• A summary of what you are demonstrating
• A description of which systems are involved in your experiment/ demonstration
• A description of how this would be the same or different for different people
• A labelled diagram to help explain about your model / experiment
PE Kit Reminder
Please help us to reduce the amount of lost property by clearly naming all PE kit. Please also ensure that the students are equipped for both indoor and outdoor PE on Tuesdays and Fridays.
Thank you.
Monday, November 3, 2008
The Human Body
Our new unit of inquiry is all about the human body.
The central idea is:
Though we may look very different on the outside, human beings share the same physiology.
The students will be inquiring into:
the systems and organs of the human body and
the factors that determine our physical similarities and differences.
We do have one guest speaker already organised for the students who will come to talk about the brain and the nervous system. If you know of anyone or of any trips which may be useful for the students during this unit please let us know.
The central idea is:
Though we may look very different on the outside, human beings share the same physiology.
The students will be inquiring into:
the systems and organs of the human body and
the factors that determine our physical similarities and differences.
We do have one guest speaker already organised for the students who will come to talk about the brain and the nervous system. If you know of anyone or of any trips which may be useful for the students during this unit please let us know.
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