Sharing the experiences of lifelong learners…
Student-led conferences are a celebration of learning that involves the student and the family. On this day, students take ownership of their learning and share their learning journeys and progress with their families. The SLC’s encourage students to think and talk about their learning with knowledge and confidence. Students use a Student-Led Conference Passport, to help them navigate through the day.
Sungjune, a Grade 9 student reached out to K2A to ask if he could build something for us as he was engaged in a product design exploration. As the children would often struggle to sit around the rectangular table that we have in the classroom, the teachers suggested a table for Lego projects.
After a few days, Sungjune shared 3 draft plans for the table. The drafts were presented to the children for feedback and questions.
As the children discussed the designs, we noticed that they were considering the shape, space and purpose of the table. Finally, they voted for the table they preferred the most.
The children’s preferences have now been shared with Sungjune. As we know that the children are always curious about building and making, we wonder what they might learn from observing Sungjune’s process of building the table.
The teachers noticed that a group of children had been interested in making their games during inquiry playtime. They often used recycled paper and cards to design and create their games.
Recently, the Grade 4 students visited K2, to ask the children about the arcade games. This was connected to their Unit of Inquiry ‘How We Organise Ourselves’.
First, the Grade 4 students conducted a survey, to learn more about the younger children’s interests in games. Then, they returned to create a list and gather feedback to learn “What might make the game fun?”.
We noticed that the children continued to refer to the ‘rules’ in a game. We wondered if the children were making connections with the games they play in their P.E. class, as conversations at the end of the lesson highlight important behaviours that make games fun and engaging. The teachers decided to dig deeper, to learn more about the children’s thinking. The teachers decided to ‘use the discussion to generate new ideas and investigations’.
Why do we need rules in the game?
The children highlighted the ‘function’ of rules in the ‘organisation’ of a game. Then, the children drew the games they liked on large chart paper. We noticed that many of the games had mazes. Was this something that interested the team?
We discussed the kinds of games the team would like to make for the other children in the EY. We wondered…
The team gathered to discuss their next steps. Could we use a survey or draw some graphs to show our findings?
Oxford chose to create a survey that included three games. He planned to ask the children in the EY to choose their favourite game, to help him decide which game he was going to finally make. The three games to choose from were ‘Whack-a-Mole’, ‘Maze’ or ‘Treasure Hunt’.
Motong chose to create a survey with three choices of games for children in the Early Years. His games were ‘Car Race’, ‘Solider Game’, ‘Code Guessing.
Jeongyoon chose to use the maze game and decided to write some questions that would help him find out how he could make his game fun for the children in the EY.
We have noticed the children playing and experimenting with the PVC pipes.
A group of K1 children wanted to borrow the ramps during indoor playtime. The teachers paused to observe and document (video) a group of children from different classes building and testing new designs.
They collaborated with each other, sharing the materials and using their imagination to extend their play.
The next day, we watched the video and discussed their structure.
What did we notice?
What theories do we have?
The children shared their theories about speed, height, distance and obstacles.
How might they use their insights as they build and create their new structures?
@O and @L were our classroom representatives, working with Ms. Hannah and Ms. Eileen on the ‘Garden Project’.
On their return to class, they presented their ideas to K2A.
They explained the ideas they had discussed, sharing their drawings where they had documented their suggestions for improvement.
The Gardening Team have decided to:
The children were excited to be part of the Garden Project.
We look forward to their next steps!
The team of researchers investigating ‘slides’ collated their drawings to make their own books about slides. On the cover, they decided to draw the most exciting slide! The designs were creative and complex.
Mr. Lewis, a teacher working in Hong Kong, visited us a few weeks ago and shared his excitement about the slide project. He told us that his class were also very interested in slides. He offered to share photographs of the slides they had made. On his return to Hong Kong, he shared them with us.
The children discussed the ideas presented in the images.
The children recalled having many of the same materials in their own space. They were excited about the different designs and were inspired to create more ‘slides’.
What more can we learn about slides?
Next, we read a book about slides to help the children expand their ideas further. The book had many examples of ‘slides’ which were referred to as ‘ramps’. Over the next few days, the slides in the block space evolved. The children explored new ideas, creating cities and maps with a range of materials. More children entered the play spaces with conversations around the structures becoming more animated and complex.
We decided to offer the team a new opportunity to create ramps. For this, we revisited the team’s drawings created for the book covers.
What do designers and engineers need to consider when creating?
We reached out to Ms. Jo to plan this experience. The team went off with Ms. Eileen and Ms. Jo to begin their work on the structures. They have created a plan and discussed the materials they would need to make their ramps. In the next few weeks, we will learn more about their process.
Our research into ramps has resulted in a collection of chart papers that include brainstorms, Venn diagrams and drawings. We decided to move some of the documentation into a central location, a bulletin board in the corridor. As we sat back to reflect on the documentation, we asked the children why learning about slides was important to them.
We heard the children talk about the attributes and properties of shapes. We noticed that they were exploring concepts about ‘speed’, ‘height’, ‘distance’, ‘forces’ and ‘energy’.
The discussion about the display led us to wonder if other people also like slides. How could we find out?
– Eli “We can ask people!”
We decided to post a paper to ‘ask’ the community if they like slides. The children suggested two options for the chart.
– Oliver “I like slides should be in green and I don’t like slides in red.”
We decided to accept Oliver’s suggestion. Next, we documented the responses from the class, then we posted the table on the wall.
At the end of the day, the children invited their caregivers to add to the table. The children were excited to find out how many people would respond to their survey.
We are learning that we can:
– use all senses to observe and notice details
– gather information from a variety of sources
– sort and categorise information
Mr. Andy, the Athletics Director at NIS, wondered if the K2 students could join the rest of the Primary school, to adopt and cheer for a team of participants taking part in the ASAMIS Volleyball tournament. We put this idea across to the children.
We shared a photograph of the TIS teams (International School of Macao) with the children.
We began to document our ideas, thoughts and suggestions on chart paper.
Oliver was not sure if he knew the game of ‘volleyball’. Lydia compared the two lines and noticed that there were more girls than boys.
We decided to share a video of NIS students playing the game.
We asked the children if they knew how we might support the TIS teams that come to NIS. They began to make a list of possibilities.
The TIE team need a place to keep their belongings. The children decided that we could ‘help’ the team and make them ‘feel welcome’. They need a place to keep their belongings! We noticed that their comments and suggestions were centered around belonging, care and friendship.
What do we do when we want to let others know that space or materials have been reserved for us?
We went around the classroom to look for this evidence. The children quickly noticed that we used a name tag to save space or show work in progress.
A name tag is too small. We decided to create a ‘BIG’ name tag!
The children were excited about creating a poster that can be used for this purpose, it will be displayed in the Hutong for the team to know where to leave their belongings.
A group of children from K2A volunteered to work on the poster. They gathered to share their ideas and make a plan with the teacher and the K2B volunteers.
First, they looked at the two chart papers.
What do you notice?
What are some similarities?
The children had many ideas to share. They were invited to draw to share their suggestions for the poster.
Then, they discussed their ideas. Deciding on the key information that needed to be included on the poster.
The poster group worked to create the pictures and colour in the pictures.
A second suggestion by the children was to create a map to let the TIS team know where to go. We could invite them to our class!
The Grade 5 student designers were looking for several design opportunities to serve our school community. Their plan is to design games for students and teachers. As we would like to have some student-designed projects for our class, we invited them to interview the children.
They gathered in groups, asking the children questions to learn more about their specific interests and the skills they would like to develop through the games. We look forward to their project ideas/plans and hope to see them in the near future!
Stay tuned for an update!
The Early Years community were excited to be back at school. The children ran outdoors to explore the garden, to see what was new and what has remained the same. They noticed a piece of equipment covered with a large black cloth, with a red ribbon at the side. What was under the fabric?
The children were excited. They ran around the structure, sharing their ideas and guessing what might have happened to the piece of equipment that was in this area of the garden.
We gathered closer to listen to what Ms. Jacqui was saying.
Ms. Jacqui “Last semester, the Early Years students said they would like a nest. They worked on a design and they said we want to sit inside. They wanted rainbow colours. I wonder what the nest looks like now?”
We were ready to unveil the playground equipment.
The children walked in. They gathered around the table and stood on the circular bench, laughing and talking to each other about the new design.
They were excited to see how the suggestions they had made had become a reality. As they walked inside the new nest, they noticed that there was water on the floor.
Oskar G recalled his design and suggestions and quickly reflected on the changes that had taken place and the ones that didn’t.
Oskar G “I don’t see Rosemary.”
The teachers acknowledged his observations, making a quick note of the importance of ‘voice’ and ‘process’ in learning.
Oliver G “There is water on the bench we also need some windows we can also use lots of umbrellas.”
We look forward to observing how this redesigned space meets the needs of our young learners and how it evolves over time. We wonder what stories the children tell around this space, and how it contributes towards their learning experiences in the Early Years.
Every Friday afternoon, the adults and children gather on the green doughnut to sing, dance and be with each other. We took some time to reflect on the time we spend together.
The children discussed their ideas and then made their thinking and ideas visible on paper.
As a class, we took time to reflect on what the children said. We documented these ideas on chart paper. Next, we discussed suggestions for the EY gathering.
What would YOU like to do more of during this time?
Going forward, we wonder how we might use some of these suggestions to make our EY Gathering an exciting, fun learning experience.
Field Trip PLAN
We are planning a field trip to the Insect Museum. We gathered to discuss important information to help us plan a safe learning expedition. Some questions on a planning template helped the children draw, write and discuss their ideas.
What will we need to take on the trip?
The children decided that they will need:
The teachers will take clip boards and writing tools for drawing and writing.
It would be a good idea to put on some insect repellent spray before arriving at school! 
What would we do at the Museum?
Many of the children were curious about the creatures that live in the Insect Museum.
They hoped that they could touch, feed and look at the insects and reptiles. They also wanted to make animal homes and eat a picnic lunch together.
What would we like to learn?
We are excited to learn more about insects and reptiles!
How might we be safe?
The children suggested the following actions that will help us stay safe:
What would kind behaviours look like?
Our Brainstorm!
We wonder what we might see, learn about on our field trip…
We wonder what action we might take as a result of our learning…
Watch this space!
An invitation to create and build.
A group of young mechanics went to the Design centre to look for experts who can help them assemble the new tricycles.
Mr. Danny and Mr. B volunteered to help them with their project. Their task was to assemble a bike that was safe and worked well.
The bike mechanics began by looking closely at all the different components that were needed to assemble the tricycles.
The expert mechanics Mr. B and Mr. Danny worked alongside the children, helping them find the correct parts, the appropriate tools and the nuts and bolts that held the structure together.
The tricycles did not include instructions on how to assemble them, therefore, the mechanics had to work together to solve problems along the way. We noticed that the young mechanics asked the adults questions in order to learn more about the process.
They were deeply engaged in their inquiry, collaborating, testing, and thinking as they learned and applied new skills.
Volunteers from the Early Years classes have assembled all four of the tricycles.
They were excited and proud to ride them in the Early Years playground during their breaks.
The process of assembling the tricycles helped the children explore the concepts; structures, materials, mechanics, tools, safety, purpose, design and collaboration.
Action!
Following the project, the children have begun to notice some maintenance issues with some of the bikes and trikes in the playground.
Attention was also brought to how the bikes are parked each afternoon (systems and organisation). We wonder what steps they would take to help keep the bikes organised and maintained. We wonder what action the children may take as a result of their experience (initiative).
A group of children worked with Ms. Hannah to create a flower arrangement for each class in the Early Years. This is an ongoing project that different groups of children work on every few weeks.
This time, the florists worked on creating a Chinese style flower arrangement with the focus of balance. Joon and Mason were our K2A florists for the week.
The florists had several pointy stands to use with their flower arrangement.
They decided who will use the different stands by pulling paper that were of different lengths.
Ms. Hannah showed the children how to place the flowers on the pointy stand.
Then, the florists had to choose one flower and put it on their stand. Thy had to consider balance, the length of the stems and how the flowers were going to be arranged.
When they placed the second flower, they needed to work out how they can balance both flowers. Then, the florists included the leaves. The florists had to take turns and collaborate, using their skills of observing, thinking and decision making to complete the arrangement beautifully.
The young florists stood back to decide if their arrangements were done well. Finally, they had to agree on which flower arrangements will be presented to the campfires and which ones will remain in the Atelier.
Joon and Mason proudly shared their arrangement with their classmates and placed it next to the class journal to welcome everyone to K2A!
The children at NIS know their voices are powerful and that it can impact their choices and opportunities for learning. Therefore, we have been designing, planning, creating and discussing ideas for ‘The Nest’. Our next step was to think about the different ways we can use ‘The Nest’.
We began by discussing the ideas shared by PreK-K1B students.
Then, we used paper and fine-line markers to document our own ideas. The children began to discuss their thinking, drawing and adding labels to express ideas.
We collated the suggestions on a chat paper and noted the key points. They presented their ideas to the rest of the class. Some of them included:
The children in the other EY classes presented their own ideas to the group.
Their next step would be to present the ideas to Ms. Patrick and Mr. Arek. They will consider the suggestions and look for ways to incorporate the ideas presented by the children in the Early Years.
Approaches to Learning (ATL’s)
We noticed the Support staff clearing out the sandpit. We were curious and decided to investigate. A few of the children who frequently play in the area, building dams and waterways, went out to speak to the staff to inquire about the work being done.
Later, Patrick and Noah shared the photographs with the class and explained the situation to everyone.
When it was outdoor playtime, Patrick ran out to the waterway and began to clear out the drain and waterway.
Noah quickly joined in to help. Olivia and Kenan joined in.
When the water started running down the waterway, they all cheered and squealed with joy!
When children have agency they reflect on their actions and take ‘action’. They understand that they have an active voice and stake in their classroom and community.
The children documented their play scenarios through their drawings, they presented them to the class.
We used this information to create a visual of the different games and groups the children played in.
The children began to talk about the different games and play experiences they had outdoors. Some of the children asked if they could join other games. The students thought about the language they could use to invite others or to ask to join a group at play.
– “Could I play with you?”
– “Can I play with you?”
– “Do you want to play?”
Next, we read the story ‘Strictly NO Elephants’ by Lisa Mantchev, illustrated by Taeeun Yoo. This is a story about a boy who has a pet elephant. When the local Pet Club won’t admit a boy’s tiny pet elephant, he finds a solution. The story focuses on The story focuses on friendship, inclusion and community.
We revisited the play scenarios chart to see how we might invite others to our play and games.
When the children went out to play, we noticed a change in the groups as they played and explored different parts of the playground. There were more children on bikes, less in the waterway and more playing imaginary games with new friends. We used a different colour (orange) to document what the children shared.
Where does all the waste go?
The students had differing views on what happens to the waste we produce. We gathered to discuss and document these ideas on chart paper.
The Power of Images
Our inquiry into waste has been thought provoking and engaging. We watched 2 videos to help us tune into the ways we produce waste and the impact it has on the world around us. The first, was a video to mark ‘Earth Day’ and the second, a documentary on the journey of plastic bottles. While watching the video, the students took notes, using pictures, labels, sentences and words, to capture important ideas shared in the video.
Next, an image with icons was shared.
The students were asked to work in teams to guess what messages the icons conveyed. They worked with their partners to decide on the labels they would attach to the images. The students explained their ideas, making connections with what they have seen, think or already know.
The students have been writing questions to help them learn more about waste management. They have been conducting interviews, gathering data and taking notes to capture different perspectives and information shared by the community.
The students will continue to document their learning and present their findings on waste. Focused literacy sessions on word choice and grammar helped the students improve their pieces of writing.
We continue to discuss and explore the impact our actions have on the environment as we consider the action we can take as a result of our learning.
We launched the new unit using the visible thinking routine ‘See- Think- Wonder’ to explore the concepts of transformation and change over time. The students were presented with different pictures of objects. They worked in groups to discuss ideas and document their own observations, thoughts and questions.
The thinking routine ‘See – Think – Wonder’ helps us…
WHAT WE DID
WHAT WAS CHALLENGING
WHAT WE LEARNED
18 February, 2022
The Sharing Assembly
The Second-Grade students engaged the community in the visible thinking routine ‘See- Think- Wonder’, to help them explore the concepts of transformation and change over time.
The routine helped students ….
We wonder what our next steps might be…
The students have been reflecting on their ‘powerful word‘ to explore how they can use it in meaningful ways.
They decided to take action by planning and creating movies, posters and models that share important messages about our ‘powerful words’ and ‘actions’.
PROTECT
Action by Grace “My powerful word is protect. I made a poster about protect. This poster is for the people who see another people hurting each other. If the people don’t know how to protect those people then they can look at my poster.”
Plan
Poster
Action by Agata “My powerful word is protect. I made a poster to tell people to protect themselves. And when you are in danger maybe somebody will protect you from the danger. So you need to protect yourself from danger or you or someone can get hurt. And protect everyone protect the people that is in danger Protect everybody. And protect the people that are mean to you. After you do that then you are proud and happy of yourself. And you need to protect people everywhere and everyone.”
Plan
Poster
Action by Federico “My powerful word is protect. I am going to tell you to watch out for rocks when you are walking down the street. Kind regard’s For the Parents and Students.”
Plan
Poster
Yuchan “Protect fish by not throwing hard things like metal and rocks where the fish live, like the sea, pond and river.”
Plan
Poster
Model
Action by Ethan and Diego “Our powerful word is protect. We made this poster and a video in three languages because we want G1 and G2 students to know that they should not throw rocks to the big rock.”
Plan – Storyboard
Poster
Action by Ella and Hera “Our powerful word is protect. Ms.Delia and Ms.Shemo helped us to take the video. At first we took the video, and then we made a poster. We are going to share our video with pre-K to G1 students. Our message is “Do not fight! Protect your self !”
Plan
Poster
FIRM
Seungbin “Hold the monkey bar firmly or you will get hurt and other people can get hurt and your veins will get hurt.”
Plan
Model
Poster
HELPFUL
Action by Amber “My powerful word is helpful. I created a poster to share it with pre-k to let them know what it means to be helpful to others. First, I made a plan for my second plan. Then, I made my poster plan to make the drawings. Next, I typed it on a computer. Finally, I printed it. Please, be helpful to others!”
Plan
Poster
DANGEROUS
Action by Lawrence “My powerful word is Dangerous, I made a poster for Pre-k ～K2. My message is keep away from Dangerous things.”
Plan
Poster
SMART
Seoyeon takes ACTION “My Powerful Word Is SMART. I created a poster to share with pre-k, k1 – Grade 3. My Message is about Why smart is a powerful word and how we can be smart and about when l am smart what are my feelings.”
Plan
Poster
FIGHT
Action by Seolah “My powerful word is fight. I made animation. First I made the characters with paper and sticks and then I made the animation with stop motion.”
Plan
Poster
Plan
Poster
Gihyeon “My powerful word is fight. Two sharks are fighting because they want to eat the fish but fighting is not good because when you fight then you can get hurt. If you fight hard then your bones will break.”
Plan
Poster
Model
Action by Yuki “MY powerful word is fight. I made poster to everyone don’t fight.”
Plan
STRONG
Hayoon takes action “My powerful word is strong. I made this animation to show people to be healthy and strong.”
Yuchan, Gihyeon and Seungbin create models and posters to share their powerful words and messages:
– Yuchan “Protect fish by not throwing hard things like metal and rocks where the fish live, like the sea, pond and river.”
– Seungbin “Hold the monkey bar firmly or you will get hurt and other people can get hurt and your veins will get hurt.”
– Gihyeon “My powerful word is fight. Two sharks are fighting because they want to eat the fish but fighting is not good because when you fight then you can get hurt. If you fight hard then your bones will break.”
What are YOUR powerful words and how do you use them?
The students went on a field trip to ‘月亮院子’ ‘Moonyard’ to learn more about words and images. Moonyard is a cultural center in China that showcases calligraphy.
The teacher introduced the students to the space, showing them many different images displayed around the gallery.
The students were invited to choose an image that they want to learn more about. They were fascinated with the colours, shapes, pictures and presentation of ideas. They walked around, sat alone or with groups to take a closer look at the images, and put their thinking down on paper. They used the thinking routine ‘See, Think, Wonder’, to document their ideas and questions. Then, they gathered to share some of these ideas with each other.
Ella “Are these characters from a long time ago?”
Grace “Something is like a wall. It looks like thunder. Why is the thunder that shape?”
Ethan “It makes me think it looks like water, like a river.”
Diego “It looks like an elephant.”
Alejandra “Why is there a line? It looks like an eye. Wonder why the line is in a different place.”
Hyun Seo “I think it is a deer.”
Yuchan “I see an eye but the eyelashes are not good.”
The teacher explains “All the ancient Chinese characters, they copy a model of what they see, like a picture. That is how it starts. As time passes by, we are getting smarter so the character becomes more modern. So the modern characters are more detailed. There have been 5 different changes. This is a picture of a head. Our eyes exist in the body of the head. The top is the hat! If you put it together it is a man with a hat travelling on a road!”
Ella “It looks like a flower and might mean ‘beautiful’. Why do the ancient Chinese characters look different from the new ones?”
Teacher “This is fire. If you do not have the dots it is a tree.”
The students were very excited about creating their own copy of their favourite image or word. They were given a choice of materials they could use to create their image.
After having a quick snack and thanking the teachers for the exciting experience, we came back to school.
We are learning about the Power of 'Images' and 'Words' @NISChina with @BellaZhangBo #culture #inquiry pic.twitter.com/LaG3fGWXXg
— Shemo Gani (@shemogani) November 2, 2021
The students reflected on what they had learned through their experience and included this on their activity sheet. We gathered to share our reflections with each other.
Our learning journey continues…
Over the past few weeks, we have been digging deeper into the concept of ‘identity’. We have discussed and documented our identities as readers, writers, mathematicians, and learners. We understand that every person is an individual, and that knowing ourselves, can learn help us connect with others around us.
Self Portraits
We understand that people communicate feelings and ideas through the arts. Therefore, the students were invited to create self-portraits using different materials. First, they drew portraits on large card. Then, they chose different mediums to complete their artwork.
Next, we reflected on the questions:
The students began to gather their ideas on paper, drawing and writing to express their identity.
The students listened to a favourite story by Todd Parr ‘It’s OK to be Different’. Todd Parr continues to inspire and empower children around the world with his bold images and positive messages.
After the read aloud, the students were invited to create their own page for a class picture book that would communicate thoughts, ideas, and messages of appreciation for our individuality and diversity. They could use different mediums or materials to design their page, which also encouraged their creativity.
Conceptual Understandings:
Students understand that:
(PSPE)
(ARTS)
The students continue to work on their research projects for their Unit of Inquiry ‘How the World Works‘. Their task is to create a museum to show how technology has changed over time and how it has affected people’s lives.
What is a museum?
We began by visiting a virtual museum by the National Museum of Natural History. The students noticed and commented on the objects, descriptions, information and significance of the objects scattered throughout the museum. We wondered how WE might create a museum to share our learning and discoveries. It was time to make a plan!
As the students planned and designed their artefact/object, they went back and forth to the information documented in their poster. They conducted interviews, read books and watched videos to learn more about their chosen area of interest.
We noticed how they added and/or re-evaluated the information they have gathered to show their understanding of the concepts change, connection, technology, systems and transformation. Their artefacts/ objects need to show how technology has changed over time.
The following visual rubric was shared with the students to help guide the task.
The students began creating descriptions about their topic, providing information about:
They had an opportunity to share their learning journey with their friends in Grade 2B. The students listened to each other, asked questions and also gave the students feedback.
Research Posters
The students have competed their report writing and editing. They are creating an informational poster that would be included in their final museum presentations.
We look forward to their final creations and presentations!
We gathered to talk about the two images.
We had a discussion on the ways our lives are affected by technology.
Next, we discussed the following concepts.
Then, we began to plan our own research project.
The Steps
The students began to follow the steps in order to develop a Research Plan
We wonder what we will uncover through our inquiry.
Watch this space to learn more…
We sat together, to gather our thoughts, to explore where our learning has taken us.
What have we learned through our research?
Over the last few weeks, we have been diving deep into our Unit of Inquiry. We have been generating ideas, sorting through information, conducting our research and making connections between concepts and ideas. Together, we have developed a deeper understanding of our unit under the Transdisciplinary Theme ‘How We Express Ourselves’.
The students have been asking questions, reading books, conducting surveys, documenting data, presenting findings, sharing ideas and taking action.
We took a closer look at our Central Idea ‘Communities come together through expressions of culture’.
Our deep dive into the different themes, vocabulary, concepts and ideas, have helped us uncover the Central Idea.
The students quickly made connections with what they have been learning. We documented our thinking on chart paper.
We wonder how we might take ACTION!
How do we express ourselves? What is expression?
The students began to share their ideas and we documented their thinking on chart paper.
“We express ourselves through, dance, music, games, drawing, painting…”
(Creative thinking: Generating novel ideas and considering new perspectives)
We wondered what we ‘value’ as a community in Grade 2A. We documented our discussion on chart paper.
We discussed why teamwork, kind words, sharing, turn taking and group work was important to us. We agreed that this was the culture of our classroom or ‘how we did things’ as we worked and learned together.
(Creative thinking: Generating novel ideas and considering new perspectives)
Three students shared photographs of different objects, experiences and artefacts that they valued (in their home/ as a family/ in their culture).
(Communication Skills: Exchanging information-Listening, interpreting and speaking)
We reflected on the discussion we had about the different ways we express ourselves. The students began to think about the different aspects of expression they could learn more about. What tools can we use to conduct our research? How might we present our research?
(Information literacy: Formulating and planning, data gathering and recording, synthesizing and interpreting, evaluating and communicating)
The students agreed that they could conduct their research by:
We continue to wonder ‘how communities come together through expressions of culture‘.
The students were invited to look around their home and post photographs of the different expressions of culture. These could be artefacts, traditions and customs.
The students were excited and energised from the Tug-of-War team activity. They laughed and shared their feelings with each other as they came back into the classroom.
We gathered to reflect on our experience. We watched a short video of the team game. How did we feel? Why did we feel that way?
First, each student wrote down their own reflections on paper. Then, while each child shared their ideas, we captured the main points on chart paper. Together we made our ‘thinking visible’.
The students continued to expand on each other’s ideas. One student said, “We do it because we want to be all together!”
Next, we wondered what ‘all together’ meant. We decided it could be a ‘community’. The students began to add their thinking.
“We are together as a class. As a family, as a country, as a whole world!” They explained that it was important to be together.
Why is this important?
Watch this space to learn more…
Thinking Skills
Communication Skills
The students began by posting a photograph of their dinner. We gathered in a group to talk about the photographs.
First, the students chose a photograph from the selection. They could NOT choose their own.
Then, they worked in a team of two, or on their own to complete a visible thinking activity. Their task was to write what they ‘see, think, know or wonder’ about the photograph.
Next, we gathered again to share our initial thoughts and ideas. We documented what we heard and noted the different concepts and ideas on chart paper.
We gathered again to share our initial thoughts and ideas. We documented what we heard and noted the different concepts and ideas on chart paper.
Finally, the student who posted the photograph provided information on their own picture.
What do we have in common with each other? What makes us unique?
What IS EMPATHY?
How do we develop empathy?
We read the story ‘Cleversticks’ by Bernard Ashley, illustrated by Derek Brazell.
I think the authors message is…
What do you do when you feel sad or when something terrible happens? What would you do if you notice someone else feeling sad?
We listened to a story ‘The Rabbit Listened’ by Cori Doerrfeld
In this story, something terrible happens to Taylor. While he is trying to manage his feelings, his friends try to give him some solutions. One by one, the animals try to tell Taylor how to work out his feelings, and one by one they fail. Then the rabbit arrives and something wonderful happens…
After listening to the story, the students documented their thinking, reflecting on how and why their thinking changed.
I used to think ‘EMPATHY’ was…NOW I think ‘EMPATHY’ is…
What does empathy mean to you?
We are ready to start our learning journey in Second Grade! There are spaces to read, create, design, investigate and problem-solve.
This week in 2A, we have spent time settling in, learning new routines that help us stay safe and organised as we work and play together. We have been discussing our behaviour and actions that support our learning. We have engaged in activities that help us get to know the class community, and have visited some of our specialist teachers.
During class meetings, we have been talking about appropriate behaviour both indoors and outdoors. We have explored feelings and emotions using a wonderful story by Cherryl Kachenmeister titled ‘On Monday When It Rained’.
We have begun to gather and document our thinking, feelings and wonderings using different routines. Here is one we used to talk about what playtime might ‘look’, ‘feel’ and ‘sound’ like. We will continue to develop our ideas and add to our documentation.
We explored feelings and behaviours that help us learn and play safely. We discussed appropriate behaviour for different times in the day, places we might be in or the events we might be part of. We wondered and talked about how feelings change, and how we can regulate our own behaviours. Here are the ‘Zones of Regulation’ that help us manage these behaviours more independently.
Here are some strategies we can use to get back to the ‘Green Zone’, if we are in a different zone that is not helpful to us or the others around us.
We all agreed and signed the ‘NIS Essential Agreements’.
We are learning that being kind, feeling safe and being helpful, are essential to creating a positive learning environment.
We aim to work together to create a wonderful NIS experience!
Through our discussions and activities the children had many opportunities to reflect on their own actions and move between the different ‘zones’. In P.E. they were excited, and energised while playing games and taking on challenges. After outdoor playtime, they chose spaces of ‘calm’ and huddled with a book. We are learning that there is a time, place and situation where these emotions fit naturally.
Online Learning
Focus:Observation, Creativity, Thinking Skills, Communication Skills
We have been observing nature and wondering about the trees around us.
I went on a walk and found a leaf skeleton. I am wondering about trees🌳🌲🌴 and their leaves🌿🍂🍀. How are leaves different or the same? How do leaves and trees ‘change’ over time?
An invitation from the Atelier with Ms. Anna Mila:
Yesterday I went on a treasure hunt. I looked for what treasures I could find outside. I had help from Ms Karen, Ms Shemo, Ms Tasha and Ms Victoria. Everyone found something and I thought carefully about what I wanted to create. I looked at the sticks I found and started to arrange them. Next I decided to tear Ms Tasha’s orange peels into smaller pieces. They reminded me of leaves in the fall. Ms Shemo had found beautiful leaves that had worn away until they were just skeletons. I loved how they looked against the black paper and reminded me of winter. Ms Karen found tiny pinecones so I added them to make my tree more full. Ms Victoria had found beautiful blossom petals which reminded me of spring so I put them on the bottom. While I was making my community tree I thought about the life cycle of trees and the seasons we all go through. I found items that represented each season except summer. Summer is on its way and I wonder what I will add. What would you add to represent summer?
This invitation encourages children to:
Approaches to Learning (ATL’s)
Research Skills
Different grades have shared a collection of artwork for Chinese New Year. We went on a walk to explore the artwork. There were lanterns…
…portraits of children in Traditional Chinese festive clothes…
…paper cuttings…
…books and decorations.
We wonder if we can create our own Chinese New Year artwork…
How might WE be inspired to share of creativity?
Ms. Cherry read The Story of NIAN to the children.
We watched the story of Nian too.
The children were inspired by the story and created their own dragons. They explored shadow puppetry using their own creations. Some children were happy to colour copied pictures while others designed their own dragons. They coloured in the pictures carefully and used scissors, markers and sticky tape to create these pieces of art.
https://twitter.com/shemogani/status/1219554766403051521
Happy Year of the RAT!
Through these experiences we are learning:
how rituals and traditions contribute to own and others’ cultural identity
We looked at a picture on the screen. Michelle quickly stated that she recognised the picture. She has been there before. There were many animals there.
Felix recognised the writing on the sign and said “ZOO!”
Yes, the word Zoo was at the beginning of the word. The place we were planning to visit is called ‘ZOONANA’.
We had a few pictures of Zoonana. We first looked at the pictures to see what animas we might see on our visit. The children called out the names in English and Mandarin.
They shared their thinking and ideas:
Everyone thought it was a good choice.
Everyone agreed that the children should stay together.
We recalled signing up to go on the bus. A group of children from PreK-K1B came by a while ago to collect the data, to see how many busses we needed to order. They have booked the bus for us.
We talked about the things we will need to take on the bus. Our lunch and a water bottle. We knew some parents will join us on the trip to help us stay safe and have fun as we learn about animals; how they grow and change and what they need to survive.
We agreed that the children will take their own bags. We talked about the journey, how we travel on the bus, that we need to wear our seatbelts and not run away from the adults.
We reminded the children that only some of the parents will join us on the trip. But we knew that this was ok.
We are excited about our trip…we wonder what we might learn on our visit.
A group of children visited the garden and came up with many ideas about growing. They wanted to plant apples, flowers and bananas. They also drew pictures to explain what plants need.
Although the children were excited to grow their own plants, they were not sure how to get started. They had many questions about growing. They went to Ms. Hannah to learn more about seeds as she is the ‘growing expert’ in the EY.
The children received different seeds from Ms. Hannah. She also provided the children with lots of useful information about plant growth. When the children came back to class, some students helped document the information they gathered.
1 tomato 2 salad 3 sunflower 4 cucumber 5 broccoli
Some students helped make pop-up labels which will be inserted in the garden beds to help identify the different plants.
The children reflected on their learning journey and sequenced the events.
Next they shared their experiences with the whole class.
Sarah “就是一个小种子，如果人们给它浇水，出太阳，它就会发芽，然后它发芽之后会变成花。草和土，是因为生长需要土，这些草它也要土也要水也要太阳，它会长得像花朵一样大。” [This is a small seed, if you water it, and the sun comes out, it will shoot, then it will become a flower. Grass and soil, because it needs soil to grow. This grass needs soil, water and sun, it will grow as big as flowers.]
Felix “I draw the seeds and the soil and sun and rain. It was growing, so high like up to the wall. First, put the seed into the soil, then you going to put the soil on the seed, it’s going to rain, so the plant will grow. And the sun comes out, the plant will also grow.”
Charlotte “首先先有小草刚生长出来，然后有个人没看见小草就洒在小草上了，雨天来了，哗啦啦哗啦啦啦，然后扔了一个种子，又重新开始生长，然后又哗啦啦哗啦啦，然后晴天又来了，然后长成了一朵漂亮的小花。” [Firstly, the small grass come out, then somebody watered the grass without seeing it. It’s raining, ‘hualala’ (the sound of rain), then put a seed inside, it begins to grow again. Then ‘hualala’, then the sun comes out, then it turns to be a beautiful flower.]
Tyson “这里有太阳有种子长出来，之后就长了大大胖胖的种子，还有太阳出来了，还有小草长出来了。” [Here is sun, the seeds grow up and become big and fat. Then the sun comes out, and the grass comes out.]
Michelle “这个是一个东西，是水果，去看种子的东西，我们带了很多种子，我们去种种子，去农民伯伯那里种种子。我和Charlotte挖呀挖呀，然后我们浇水。” [This is a thing, it’s fruit. We went to see some seeds, we took some seeds, we go to plant some seeds. We go to the farmers to plant the seeds. Charlotte and I dig, dig and dig, then we have to add water.]
What do seeds need to help them grow? How do living things grow and change here is our learning story about seeds @NISChina with @TinaHua16112229 @hannahispb @NISPreKK1 pic.twitter.com/i1qTw6p6IY
— Shemo Gani (@shemogani) October 31, 2019
We have so many ideas, we are now ready to plant our seeds!
The community have been spending time during their breaks, creating different items using the different materials provided by the children.
They have used wooden blocks, clay, glue and nails to create a variety of items.
Some of the projects were in the ‘construction’ stage, some of them were completed and labelled.
The children frequently visited the space to see the many projects being carried out.
They discussed the projects and decided to share their thinking and questions with the creators.
Felix “Thank you for build tree house.”
Sebastian “A car. A tool for pushing the car. Then the car put there.”
Tyson “这个是车子。谢谢。因为你们给我们做了很多东西。”[This is car. Thank you. Because you help us make a lot of things.]
“这是一个美国的飞机。” [This is an America airplane.]
Felix “This is a ipad. You can measure everything how heavy it is. And it can look under the floor.”
We wonder what else we can make with the different materials we have around us.
How might you be inspired to create?
Approaches to Learning (ATL’s)
We had a second step ladder in the classroom. But again, we had to assemble it!
This time we decided to ask our community to support us. We placed all the pieces of wood, screws and tools in the corridor, along with the instructions. We included a ‘message’ to the community.
A week went by. Nothing happened. The step ladder was still in the box. A few days later, we saw a student working on the project. He was assembling the step ladder during his lunch break.
The next day, a few other children joined in to help. A week later, the step ladder was completed. The community helpers posted their own ‘message’.
We decided to send them another ‘message’. We thought that they may like to paint the step ladder they have assembled. The quickly joined in to help.
The step ladder was beautiful.
The children in PreK-K1C were excited to see the green, white and silver step ladder.
What other ‘messages’ can we send them?
The students began to share their ideas. Can we ask them to help us again?
The children used paper to draw their designs.
They collected the material the community may need to use to create the different items. Craft sticks, twine and scissors for the tree houses.
Play dough for the garden.
Pieces of wood, a hammer and nails for the chairs.
Will the community see our messages?
We wonder what will happen next…
https://twitter.com/shemogani/status/1174867793679773696
Approaches to Learning (ATL’s)
We gather as a group each morning to welcome the day, to greet each other, to share news and to talk about the projects that we might want to follow or complete.
Our Morning Meetings are a time to learn about each other. A time to share our individuality, diversity and common aspirations. We sit in a circle, where there is no hierarchy. We are all the same in this space. Together we find ways to create a democratic environment where we respect, care and learn about each other’s perspectives.
During this time, a member of the community checks in with others to place the lunch order. While completing this task, we learn each other’s names. We learn how to listen to others, respond to questions and collect data.
One member of the community then goes over to the cafeteria to deliver the cards to the staff, placing the order for lunch. They bring back the fruit snacks, which we eat together at the snack table.
At lunch time, a few children go over to the kitchen to set the table, to prepare for our meal together. We all sit together to eat our ‘school’ and ‘home’ lunches. We focus on independence, encouraging and learning good table manners. We pass the food platters around, serving only what we can eat, talking about balanced diets and good hygiene. We discuss waste and care for the environment. After lunch, we pack up all the cutlery, crockery and clear away the dirty dishes. Taking responsibility for the spaces we use is an important part of our learning together.
Being caring and accepting others is one of our Essential Agreements. We seek out and celebrate instances when these agreements come to life in the community.
The teachers frequently sit together with the children, sharing what they have noticed.
Making invisible actions public and celebrating instances when the community have been able to solve problems together through dialogue and collaboration. These are great opportunities to highlight the role of kindness, empathy and care in communities.
The children frequently create with blocks, loose parts and other materials in the classrooms. Sharing the materials as we create can be a challenge for some of us. It is important to be able to capture instances when we act as a community.
In the picture below, the students noticed that there were many people crowding around the library check out counter.
When the teacher shared her observations, the children quickly lined up behind one another, waiting patiently for their turn to check out their books. Being mindful and respectful of different behaviours in different places helps us create a calm and positive learning environment.
In order to make this happen we spend a lot of time, learning about ourselves; our actions and behaviours, how they affect us and the others around us, how we can manage these emotions.
The Zones of Regulation help us visualise and verbalise emotions. We refer back to this language to help us learn how to manage our feelings, emotions and actions.
Here are some examples of kindness in the Early Years.
We aim to seek out opportunities that bring us together as a community. In order to celebrate our PreK-K1 community, we worked together to bake muffins that we then shared with our friends.
Our community is more than just our PreK-K1 friends. The children frequently visit the other campfires in our Early Years space, to play with the other children and explore the different centres. In the picture below, a K2 student reached out to a K1 student, when he could see that she was unhappy in the playground.
Caring for others helps us develop a safe, kind and positive environment where everyone feels valued and empowered to learn.
During free choice, @F drew a picture of a tree house. He was interested in making his own tree house.
There were some tree houses made by older students in the Design Room. Three children were excited to visit the space to learn more about the tree houses.
They looked at the tree houses very carefully and had a discussion with
Do you know how to make a tree house? We have a design and wonder if we can make our own @NISChina @NISPreKK1 @TinaHua16112229 @feefeefeeloo @terSonya @MrZachG pic.twitter.com/Evfu4ACsIg
— Shemo Gani (@shemogani) September 3, 2019
On the way back to the Early Years Centre, they passed by Mr. Zach’s design room and talked about the tools they saw through the window.
When they came back to the Centre, they had more ideas about tree houses. They decided to draw pictures and included many interesting details.
Other children decided to create their own designs too!
During outdoor playtime, some children decided to create ‘bird tree houses’. They used different materials around the playground to make the house.
We wonder where our interest in tree houses would lead us..
Students have AGENCY when they…
I can make my own tree house @NISChina It needs a door, some electricity and a fireplace! @feefeefeeloo @TinaHua16112229 @NISPreKK1 pic.twitter.com/6dmQeNyomG
— Shemo Gani (@shemogani) September 11, 2019
Our new campfire has tall curved shelves. They are great for storing our resources and creations. However, we realised that we cannot always reach the top of the shelves. Even the teachers were not tall enough!
We decided to order a step ladder from IKEA. It came in a box. It was in pieces! We had to fix it ourselves.
A few of the children took up the challenge. @S stated that she knows how to do it as her grandpa and grandma always fix the furniture in the house. She knows how it’s done.
@S wanted to be in charge of the screws. @F wanted to read the pictures in the instruction manual. It was decided that he would be the person telling the team where the screws fit, and which wooden pieces were needed.
We received wooden steps that will help us reach the highest shelves @NISChina. But we had to fix them ourselves! We worked together, to assemble the steps. Do you know how to fix them @MrZachG? We can show you how to!! @NISPreKK1 @TinaHua16112229 pic.twitter.com/InAlHYWFzR
— Shemo Gani (@shemogani) August 21, 2019
The children wanted to know the name of the tools we were using. We invited @MrZachG the Design teacher, to come over to the Early Yeas space to help us. He told us the tool was a type of wrench!
The children talked about the pictures they saw in the booklet. They noticed the sequence of steps and the need to follow them.
@F noticed that there are different kinds of screws. He looked closely at the different pieces of wood to see where the screws needed to be inserted. This was a challenge. There were so many different pieces!
He wondered in which direction the screws needed to be turned. After many attempts, @F said…
“Because it’s harder and harder, so I know I’m right.”
Others joined in to see how they can help. The project allowed for opportunities to learn through trial and error.
We are still working on assembling our step from #ikea @MrZachG Thank you for coming in to help @NISPreKK1! @TinaHua16112229 @NISChina pic.twitter.com/94OkzLua3H
— Shemo Gani (@shemogani) August 24, 2019
Conversations revolved around size, measurement, purpose and safety. We wonder what other tools people use to create different objects…
Through this project we had opportunities to …
Approaches to Learning (ATL’s)
Each morning we gather in a circle to greet each other using our words and gestures. It is a time to be part of a community, sharing our feelings, cultures and stories. It is a time to celebrate our diversity while being respectful and inclusive.
Each morning one student checks in with each member of the class to place the lunch order. Student ID’s are assembled in a graph to help sort the information collected.
The cards are then taken to the cafeteria by the student helper. The lunch order is placed, and snacks are brought back to the Early Years kitchen.
After we wash our hands, we line up to get our snack boxes.
We are now ready to have our healthy snacks!
Approaches to Learning (ATL’s)
After many weeks of planning, the students were finally able to go on their trip to Golden Eagle.
The PLAN:
Many of the parents and guardians were able to accompany their children on their field trip from NIS to the playground.
First, we gathered together and discussed the agreements we had made on how to be safe and kind.
We remembered to collect the first aid kits. We had our school ID cards, snacks, hats and water bottles.
Parent supervisors took charge and helped the students safely across the roads and onto the train.
The students were excited to be on the train, even though they were getting off at the next stop.
We enjoyed the short walk from the metro station to the park. We all abided by the traffic and safety rules and were excited to finally arrive at the playground.
The students laughed and played in the sun under the supervision on the parents and teachers.
After a while on the play equipment, we all had a picnic. The students in PreK-K1A had prepared snacks for us to eat. Yummy cookies and apples were passed around.
After a snack and lots of water, the students ran back to the play equipment.
All the fun games under the mid-day sun made everyone very hot. PreK-K1B had another surprise for us, ice pops! It was just what we needed to cool down!
It was almost time to get on the bus to return to school. The parents helped the children walk over to the pick-up location. After thanking the parents and guardians for their help we set off back to school.
We were glad that PreK-K1A had booked the buses for us. We were happy that we all had a seat on the bus. The mathematical inquiry we did at school helped us calculate how many busses we needed to book. We were delighted that our research helped us make the right choices that kept us safe and happy.
We would like to thank all the parents and guardians who helped us stay safe on our trip.
During our next few days at school, we sat down to reflect on our experiences. Some of the students drew pictures to help them reflect on the trip. Here are some of the memories they wanted to preserve.
Alejandra “My name is rainbow. Two rainbows come out. It’s in Golden Eagle. The ice-cream. Two people drinking in the Fanta and then a rainbow change colour the colour is pink and green and blue and purple. The backpack of teachers. The yellow sun is still yellow, but then the sun change colour into rainbow colour and then the teacher here drink Fanta too. The ice-lollipops. One is chocolate, another one is bubble gum. And then inside have a small Pikachu.”
Amber “第一个是坐school bus。第二个是跟妈妈牵着手去Golden Eagle。第三个是过马路。第四个也是走过马路。第五个是在那里玩滑滑梯。第六个是爬蜘蛛网。第七个是吃snack，吃了一个饼干。第八个是可以爬蜘蛛网，脚抬在一个地方。第九个是太阳公公底下吃ice cream。然后妈妈送我们去school bus。然后我们坐在school bus上和妈妈说bye-bye。第12个就是回到教室了。”[The first picture shows we take the school bus. The second picture shows I go to Golden Eagle with mum hand in hand. The third picture shows we are crossing the road. The fourth picture shows we are crossing the road too. The fifth picture shows I’m playing on the slide over there. The sixth picture shows I’m climbing the spiderweb. The seventh picture shows I’m eating snack, I ate a cracker. The eighth picture shows that we can climb the spiderweb, you have to put your feet in one place. The ninth picture shows we are eating ice cream under the sun. Then mum sent us to the school bus, then we sat on the school bus and said bye-bye to mum. The twelfth picture shows we went back to the classroom.]
Seungbin “This one apple, two bus. This one mummy, this one me. This umbrella, raining. The is rainbow.”
Chaewon “This turn around, here sit here and turn around, then here flying the balloon. This sand.”
Ruby “This is the sandpit, you know I see candy, it’s very invisible, but I can’t touch it because it’s real. I saw it in the sand area. I see the slide and I also buried the Pikachu but Nicolas didn’t see it. I see a rainbow inside the sky and do you know actually that is sandpit and also I did something very, very, very beautiful, a sand castle.”
Michelle – A map that shows you how to get to the playground.
Lawrence “The Golden Eagle, we are here and Golden Eagle is here, we walk to here, here and here. We on the train is so fast, and we see the other colours make the water black. It has blue, yellow and green water, and black water. Here this one I got a crisscross, it means not go to the water, and this is we walk here to Golden Eagle and there, there, there…… Go to the playground and I saw the Eagle house.”
Nicolas “This is the slide, and this is the food, I ate one cracker and one cake from home. Then this is the ice-reams. This is the rainbow under the sunshine. That is the sandpit, I made a castle there. That’s the grass, that’s the ball.”
Approaches to Learning (ATL’s)
Research Skills
Data gathering and documenting (audio recording, drawing, photographing)
• Record observations—drawing, charting, tallying—using emergent writing skills, when possible, to write comments, annotate images, and so on.
Communication Skills
Speaking
• Express oneself using words and sentences.
Reading, writing and mathematics
• Use mark-marking to convey meaning.
Social Skills
Interpersonal relationships
• Practise empathy and care for others.
• Listen closely to others.
• Be respectful to others.
• Play cooperatively in a group: sharing, taking turns.
• Help others.
Social and emotional intelligence
• Be aware of own and others’ feelings.
• Manage anger and resolve conflict.
• Be self- and socially aware.
Self-management Skills
Organization
• Share responsibility for decision-making.
Mindfulness
• Take responsibility for own well-being.
While planning our trip to Golden Eagle, the students shared an interest in exploring traffic and safety signs. To learn more about signage, a few groups of students went out across the road to explore the neighbourhood.
The students quickly pointed to and shared their knowledge about the different signs.
The students were looking very carefully at the arrows and shared their ideas about what those mean.
The students were curious about the pop-up policeman.
They asked Ms. Tina to read the information presented on the sign. They shared their own ideas about the safety sign:
Ethan and Jiwoo explained that if there was a fire in the hotel, the fireman would pop up the top of the hydrant and then use the water to put out the fire.
Jasmine wondered what this sign was for. Ethan explained that it was to measure your height.
He stood in front of the sign and explained how it is used.
Seungbin and Ruby pointed to a sign with a picture of fire crackers.
The students explained that the green sign shared lots of information about the area.
On the way back, the students found more signs. They read the pictures and shared their ideas about each picture.
When the students came back to school, they used their own card to get back in through the gates. They continued to notice and talk about the different signs and messages posted around the school grounds. 
We have been exploring signs and symbols around us. We wonder if we can make our own sighs and messages!
https://twitter.com/NISPreKK1/status/1135010920558518273
Approaches to Learning (ATL’s)
Communication Skills
Listening
Speaking
Thinking Skills
Analysing
Generating novel ideas
Research Skills
Data gathering and documenting (audio recording, drawing, photographing)
A group of students went out to learn more about the Metro. When they returned, they shared their experience with the rest of the class.
Teacher “What do we need to do if we want to get on the train?”
The students said we need use the machine to buy the tickets.
Several students tried to use their lunch cards to pay for the rickets, but it did not work. Then they got money form Ms. Angie and put the money in the machine.
The students wanted to use the escalator, but there was a sign explaining that it is under construction.
When the students were on the platform, they found some signs immediately. They discussed the signs on the bin.
They wondered what the yellow sign is for.
The students took a closer look at the map to find out where they are.
Felix noticed there are two different signs on the screen. They decided to go from the green one.
The teacher put the tickets inside the machine and the students went through the gates.
They talked about the ticket recycling machine and then left the metro station to return to school.
How do you travel to different places?
Approaches to Learning (ATL’s)
Communication Skills
Listening
Speaking
Thinking Skills
Analysing
Generating novel ideas
Research Skills
Data gathering and documenting (audio recording, drawing, photographing)
How can the medicine help people feel better?
Ethan, Alejandra and Jasmine shared their inquiry about the ‘nurse’ and the ‘first aid kit’ with PreK/K1B.
They shared what they have seen in the nurse’s room. PreK/K1B students were interested in the items in the ‘nurse’s bag’.
They took turns to explain to their friends in PreK/K1B, the different products and items that were included in the first aid kit. Later, Luke posed a question “How can the medicine help people feel better?”
Jasmine, Alejandra and Ethan were not sure about the answer. They decided to bring the question back to the classroom (PreK/K1C) and have a discussion with their friends.
Alejandra, Jasmine and Ruby wanted to draw their ideas down and share their findings with Luke.
Here are their ideas:
We were excited to share our answers with Luke ……
Approaches to Learning (ATL’s)
Thinking Skills
Generating novel ideas
Research Skills
Data gathering and documenting (audio recording, drawing, photographing)
Communication Skills
Listening
Speaking
We have been wondering about money since creating our ‘PLAN’ for the trip to Golden Eagle’. Jiwoo and Si Hyun brought in their own money to share with the class.
We held a class meeting to share what we know about money.
There were many notes and coins on the floor.
What do we notice about the money? What do we know about money?
Ms. Shemo showed the students a coin.
Ruby “Yours are 100.”
Where do you think the money is from?
Many students believed that it is from Indonesia.
Next, Chaewon shared the note she had in her hand.
The students agreed that it was 100. They believed the note was from Sri Lanka as there was a dancer on the note.
Jiwoo shared his note next.
Teacher “Who is that?”
Jasmine and Alejandra noticed that they both had the same picture of a face on their money.
The students began to talk about and compare the money they had. Was it 20? 10?
Jooeon shared his money.
Several students thought that the money was from Taiwan.
Charlotte, Michelle and Sarah noticed that they all have a picture of a lion on their money.
They believed that the money was from China. This connection was made because they recall seeing so many lions at NIS and in China.
Alejandra shared her note.
Amber shared her note.
Seungbin shared his note.
Felix shared his coin.
Freida shared her money.
The students noticed and commented on how all their notes have numbers.
Where do we get money from?
SLO’s
While planning the trip to Golden Eagle, many students wondered about safety; what would happen if they got hurt and who would help them.
Three students followed up on these questions, they interviewed the school nurse. On their return, they presented their learning and key points to the rest of the class.
https://twitter.com/NISPreKK1/status/1128886274234785792
Approaches to Learning (ATL’s)
Thinking Skills
Analysing
Generating novel ideas
Research Skills
Data gathering and documenting (audio recording, drawing, photographing)
Communication Skills
Listening
Speaking
The students decided that they ALL wanted to go with PreK-K1B to Golden Eagle and signed up on the clipboard chart.
They drew their own pictures to help them plan the trip. The students had many different ideas. It was time to create 1 plan to help us make the trip a reality. We sat down together at a class meeting to create ‘The PLAN’. 
The students have had many experiences and knew that ‘A Plan’ was an important part of all our ‘projects’. We began by looking closely at the individual plans.
What are the most important things we need to remember? What shall we include on our trip plan?
First, we looked at some pictures of Golden Eagle that Ms. Hannah took. We were excited!
The students took it in turn to share their key points.
Who are we going with, when we go to Golden Eagle?
What if we got hurt? What would we do?
SiHyun suggested that we should take the classroom chime, which is used in class to gain attention. When it is rung, it means the students need to sit and be ready to listen. Si Hyun thought we needed this on the bus, to help the students remember to sit down in the bus. (agreements)
Approaches to Learning (ATL’s)
Thinking Skills
Evaluating
Considering new perspectives
Research Skills
Formulating and planning
Data gathering and documenting (audio recording, drawing, photographing)
Communication Skills
Listening
Speaking
Reading and writing
George, Sophia and Justus from PreK-K1B spoke a group of students in PreK-K1C about a plan they were making to go on a trip out of school.
George explained that they were planning to visit Golden Eagle.
George agreed that taking our own food was a good idea.
The K1B students explained that they had gone to Mr. McLellan to ask for permission to go on the trip.
George explained that there are “47 seats on the bus.”
Mr. McLellan explained that the Teachers and children have to fill in the form together to see if we can go.
We looked at the poster created by PreK-K1B. They were brainstorming ideas on all the different ways they can earn money to pay for the bus ride.
Ms. Hannah suggested that we check to see if we need money, when we fill in the form.
The Students wonder where their discussions will take them…stay tuned…
Central Idea:
Lines of Inquiry:
Key Concepts: form, perspective
Related Concepts: gesture, movement, voice, communication, self-expression, creativity
The time has come to plan our ‘Showcase‘. How will we choose to share our expressions, feelings and ideas? The students sat down to discuss the choices they wanted to include in the Showcase. They decided on 6 different acts.
The groups joined an expert to help them learn more about the different ways we can express ourselves.
The Sri Lankan dance group joined Ms. Shemo to plan the performance. There were 6 students who wanted to choose this form of expression. We decided to call it the ‘Asian Dance’ but then changed the name to ‘Sri Lankan Dance‘. We gathered to talk and document our thinking and ideas on chart paper. 
The students decided that they need to think about the following points:
The students decided that they need six bindi’s (1 for each of them) and 1 for the teacher. They wanted big ones ‘just like Ms. Shemo wore’ during the Sri Lankan dance performance. They also wanted to wear a saree and have nice makeup.
The students wanted to think about the different dance moves. They began to draw the different moves and then showed the moves using their bodies.
Next, they stitched their costumes using a sewing machine.
https://twitter.com/NISPreKK1/status/1118117868334243840
https://twitter.com/NISPreKK1/status/1118117402443534336
The ‘Hip-hop‘ dance group were inspired by the X-Block students who came in to perform on the Early Years stage.
https://twitter.com/NISPreKK1/status/1109034660724531201
The Hip-hop dance group of 4 students joined Ms. Tina to discuss their thoughts and plan their performance piece for the ‘Showcase’.
Together they:
https://twitter.com/NISPreKK1/status/1118121876130189312
The ‘Cat Song‘ group started with a group of 14 students. They planned their performance with Ms. Hannah.
The group members all agreed with the decisions. The children decided on the costumes and designed makeup for the Showcase. 
Yet another group of students joined Mr. Cal to explore sound, rhythm and beat using drums. They were curious about the different sounds they can make with the different drums.
They decided on a song they would like to play while they performed in ‘The Band‘. The group practiced with Mr. Cal to the song ‘Wavin’ Flag’.
Two students decided to join the ‘Taekwondo‘ group with Ms. Victoria. After a discussion they decided on the:
They needed costumes and a ‘cool’ soundtrack. They decided to use the song ‘Kung fu fighting’!
The costume for the performance.
One student decided to teach and lead the dance group.
Ruby and Freida decided to express themselves through paints. Ms. Pam led the ‘Painting‘ group as they prepared for their showcase.
Ruby decided that purple hairspray would be a wonderful addition!
The Exhibition
The students eagerly practiced for the showcase. They wheeled the display boards through the gym to the foyer near the Library. The decided where to place the boards and tables that would display their learning journey.
https://twitter.com/NISPreKK1/status/1119101429715619840
https://twitter.com/NISPreKK1/status/1119102317603639297
https://twitter.com/NISPreKK1/status/1119101186638901248
https://twitter.com/NISPreKK1/status/1119081846925447168
Approaches to Learning (ATL’s)
Thinking Skills
• Identify strengths and areas for improvement.
Research Skills
• Ask or express through play questions that can be researched.
• Select information sources and digital tools.
• Gather information from a variety of sources (people, places, materials, literature).
Communication Skills
Listening
• Listen to information.
• Listen actively and respectfully to others’ ideas.
• Ask for clarifications.
Speaking
• Express oneself using words and sentences.
• Participate in conversations.
• Negotiate ideas and knowledge with peers and teachers.
Reading, writing and mathematics
• Understand that mark-making carries meaning.
• Use mark-marking to convey meaning.
Social Skills
Interpersonal relationships
• Practise empathy and care for others.
• Listen closely to others.
• Be respectful to others.
• Play cooperatively in a group: sharing, taking turns.
• Help others.
Social and emotional intelligence
• Be aware of own and others’ impact as a member of a learning group.
Self-management Skills
• Choose and complete tasks independently.
• Follow the directions of others.
• Share responsibility for decision-making.
Mindfulness
• Take responsibility for own well-being.
• Be aware of body–mind connections.
Perseverance
• Demonstrate persistence in tasks.
Resilience
• Show ability to adjust to new situations.
Agency: When learners:
(IBO, 2018)
The journey began with a discussion.
“What do you know about chopsticks?”
Students shared their own knowledge and experiences about chopsticks.
After the discussion, students played a relay game of picking pompom balls and placing them inside a tray using chopsticks. They were all eager to try and had a lot of fun!
When the students came back to the classroom, they were so excited to share their thoughts about the game, and they had further questions about chopsticks. Ms. Tina noted them down on chart paper.
https://twitter.com/NISPreKK1/status/1108265829844475906
We wonder how these chopsticks might be the same or different…
ATL’s
Communication Skills
Listening
Self-management Skills
Perseverance
SLO’s
