The Shape Test

A paper cube that Oliver made after the paper experiment led to a discussion about 3-dimensional shapes.

The team wondered about the strength of paper shapes and decided to test their theories.

The team wondered:

  • if some paper shapes were stronger than others.
  • which shapes they could make to test their theories.

The team recalled a previous learning experience of going on a shape hunt and decided to refer back to the activity to choose the 3-dimensional shapes they wanted to make and test. When choosing the shapes Oliver stated, “Sphere is impossible for me cause how can you fold the paper round. I want to make a cylinder!”

Eli pointed at the pentagonal prism, “I want to make that one.”

Having thought about their options for paper, they decided to choose card stock instead of paper for their test as they believed it would be stronger than the A4 paper.

Oliver made his first paper cylinder by rolling up the paper and fastening it with tape. However, he quickly noticed that the edges weren’t flat and realised that this would impact the test. He decided to make a second cylinder, taking care to keep the edges of the shape levelled. During testing, Oliver discovered that the top and bottom edges of his first cylinder were not stable enough, so he decided to make a new cylinder.

 

Having looked at the pentagonal shape, Eli realised that to fold a pentagon, he needed to divide the paper into five equal parts. Eli initially used a ruler to draw lines but found that the width of one ruler was too narrow, which resulted in a lot of extra space at one end.

Then, decided to use the width of two rulers, but each section was too wide and there wasn’t enough space on the card for 5 equal sections.

Eli shared this challenge with the teacher, explaining that he wanted to divide the long edge of the paper into five equal parts.

Having heard Eli’s challenge, the teacher decided to bring Eli’s attention to the concept of measurement to think about what he already knows about the function of hash marks and numbers on a measuring tool.

Ms. Eileen “How long is that edge? How did you measure it?”

  • Eli thought about this and then pointed to the ruler and said, “Use ruler.”

Eli used the ruler to solve his measurement challenge, learning that the length of the paper was about 30 centimetres.

Ms. Eileen “How can we divide 30 into 5 equal parts?”

Eli found the unit cubes and counted out 30 unit cubes to represent the 30cms. Then, he divided them into 5 equal parts, with each part being 6cm.

Finally, Eli drew out the lines and folded his paper pentagonal shape for the test. The researchers were now ready to test their shapes!

The team decided to choose books that were of a similar size for their test. As they placed one book at a time on the shapes, they began to see that although the shapes were made with paper, they were extremely strong.

The team had enough books to reach a total of 19 books for each shape. Then, they ran out of books!

As they didn’t have enough of the same books in the classroom to support the progression of the experiment, they decided to test their shapes in the library.

The team’s paper and shape experiments have allowed them to think about the function of shapes and materials in design and engineering and the impact of forces like compression and tension that act on structures. Through their experimentation, they continue to explore how the design can impact the strength and stability of structures.

The Garden Plots – Making Decisions 

The gardening group (composed of student representatives from each class) gathered to discuss their project. Their task for the day was to document what was still growing in the garden and how they might organise the garden plots.

Thirteen gardeners joined the meeting with Ms. Hannah. They began by revisiting their agreements. The gardeners reflected on what it means to be a respectful listener “We talk one at a time and listen to others as they share their ideas.”

Then, they reflected on what they did during the previous session.

  • Emma “We don’t have many plants.”
  • Oliver “Some plants survive when it was snowing, it means when it’s snowing they are not very scared of the cold. The big plant is dead because it’s not cold protection.”

The team wondered about the ‘temperature’ and what plants ‘need’ to ‘survive’ and thrive.

Which plants might grow in the different seasons?

Which ones will survive?

  • Jacob “Because that big plants got too much water and it would die and too much worm pee pee it will die too.”
  • Logan “Earthworm poo, could it help?”
  • Jenny “Not too much water, not too dry (in Mandarin)”
  • Adelyn “Not too much sun”
  • Oliver “If you get a dragon fruit then dig a whole and then a plant will grow and the flower will grow and it is actually a dragon fruit. If you use the outside part of the strawberry seed and put it in the dirt it will grow strawberries. I know how to grow a watermelon to a shape that you want. If you get a square shape cube and dig a hole and then open it and then close it and then it will be the shape.”
  • Albert “If you grow watermelon then you will get a watermelon tree.
  • Keira: “In my home, there are orange trees.”
  • Jacob “Watermelon black and watermelon white seeds. People can eat the white seeds and plant the black seeds.”
  • Emma: “At my home, I have a paprika tree.
  • Albert: “At my home, I have a bamboo tree.”

Teacher “This is a shared space. We have 5 classes. Which means we need to find a way to share the plots. How might we do this?”

The gardeners gathered their clipboards with paper and writing tools. They looked at the plants in the plot and began to draw to share their observations and thinking.

Teacher” How do you know something is still alive?”

  • Emma “Because the seeds were still in the mud. And it didn’t fall out. Some was out but some not.”

We noticed that the team considered the size and shape of the plots when documenting their thinking. The gardeners were encouraged to think about and explain how they knew the plants were still alive. They used their senses to observe carefully, sharing their theories about the growth of plants and the weather. As they visualised the space, they began to share suggestions on how the plots may be allocated to the different classes in the Early Years.

The gardeners gathered to share what they had learned and to decide on what they would do next.

  • Oliver “One is a bigger plot and one is smaller.”
  • Sophia “Prek-K1 has more children so they use the bigger plot and K2 use the smaller plot.” (in Mandarin)
  • Emma “Also we need to plant so many new plants because only in some places there are plants.”

The gardeners agreed with Sophia’s suggestion.

  • Emma “PreK-K1 has 3 classes and K2 has 2 classes.”
  • Albert “The bigger one to PreK K1 and the smaller one to K2.”
  • George “One class has one space.”

The children took a vote and agreed with George’s idea.

The team’s suggestions were based on the number of classes in each grade level and the number of students in each of them. The teachers wondered how they might encourage the gardeners to show the division of a space.

Games

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?”.

  • Jeongyoon “Rules and tag.”
  • Motong “If we don’t have rules and we don’t know how to play.”
  • Oxford “”

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?

  • Jeongyoon “If the game has no rules, it’s not a game, because it’s not fun.”
  • Motong “Because we don’t know how to play if we don’t have rules.”
  • Oxford “Rules let us know what we can do and what we can’t do.”

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…

  • How might we gather information to learn about the games that the EY children like to play?
  • What does a game need to have to make it exciting and fun?

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.

  • Question 1: Do you like water in the maze game?
  • Question 2: Do you like easy games or hard games?

The Gift – Coming together to build and create. 

Ms. Eileen had placed an order for new crayons and markers. We were surprised to learn that the supplier also sent us a gift! The gift was a new easel. However, the easel needed to be assembled. We placed the materials and tools in the classroom for the children to decide what they wanted to do.

  • Wyatt “What is this?”
  • Oliver “It is for us. We have to fix it.”

The next day, we left the materials on the floor and invited the children to problem-solve.

3 children offered their expertise. They gathered the materials and began to look at the instructions. The team of furniture assemblers began their work, taking turns, sharing ideas and tools and working to assemble the new easel.

The bell rang for break time play, but one child decided that he wanted to continue his work. He worked on the task throughout playtime.

The rest of the team came in after play and continued their work.

They persevered, looking through the instructions to learn about the different parts and tools to know how the easel was put together. In the end, they were excited to test it out.

The other children celebrated their accomplishments and thanked them for their hard work and dedication to the task.

We noticed the interest the children had in assembling and building. We noticed how they paid close attention to the instructions, and skilfully worked to assemble the piece of furniture.

We wonder how they might use these skills in new situations.

Approaches to Learning (ATL’s) 

  • observe carefully
  • analyse and interpret information
  • listen actively and respectfully to others’ ideas and listen to information
  • negotiate ideas and knowledge with peers and teachers
  • play cooperatively in a group: sharing, taking turns, helping
  • be aware of own and others’ impact as a member of a learning group
  • choose and complete tasks independently
  • follow the directions of others
  • share responsibility for decision-making
  • demonstrate persistence in tasks
  • use strategies to problem-solve

The Pipes – How can we make the balls go faster?

We have noticed the children playing and experimenting with the PVC pipes.

  • Liz “This (the slide) is so long it goes to Ms. Hannah’s class.”
  • Eli “I was balancing the crystals. Looking which one is more heavier.

  • Because the side will fall down if it is more heavier.”
  • Howie “I made a tunnel, the balls can go inside.”
  • Morning “Me and Wyatt building the blocks.”
  • Eunbyul “It’s no heavy, it’s no long. If it’s not too low the ball goes faster. The slide is faster and the ball is faster.”
  • Motong “When the slide is tall, the ball will go fast. Next, I want to make a hotel with the slide. I want to make it alone.”
  • Eli “Next, I want to make a slide that goes straight, like a mountain, then the ball will go down and up and fall down. Then, I will put a stop there.”

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?

  • Eunbyul “The ball jumped out of the pipe.”
  • Eli “Because there was something blocking it and it went over the side. The ball fly out. They can put nothing on the track.”
  • Lydia “The ball is come down from the house. Keira and Jacob and me.”
  • Eli “The ball will go faster if it is more uphill.”
  • Eunbyul “Very long is very fast and it will go up, down and out.”
  • Motong “Very tall is very fast.”
  • Eli “Because it has more time to go fast.”

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?

Homes for the Birds – The Nests

Over the last few weeks, the children have been looking for ways to solve problems and take action to help the community.

We used the design thinking process introduced by Ms. Jo, to explore how we might use the process to solve the problems we see in the Early Years garden, specifically with the dying birds.

Empathise:

who are you trying to help?

  • The Birds

What do they need?

  • A safe home – nests

Define:

what is the problem you are trying to solve?

  • The nests in the garden are falling down.
  • The birds are falling from the nests.
  • The birds in the garden are dying.

Ideate:

How many ideas can you come up with?

  • The nest should have walls (Oliver)
  • a strong nest on a high tree (Eli)
  • make a nest with sticks (Wyatt)
  • Put cotton inside the nest to keep the birds warm in the nest when it is cold and snowing (Oliver)
  • use a basket because its tall (Motong)
  • Make the basket with sticks (Wyatt)
  • You stand in water to make nests (Morning)
  • use plastic to make the nest the bird won’t get hurt or fall down (Eunbyul)

Prototype:

which ideas will you try first what will you design to test your idea?

The children decided to use 4 different materials to create their prototypes.

  • clay or mud
  • sticks
  • materials for baskets
  • plastic

We noted all these ideas down on chart paper.

Then, the children went back to their first and second design ideas for the nest to see how they could improve on their initial ideas. They used drawings and labels to share their ideas with others. They made improvements to the structure, thinking about the materials they might use and how they could make the nests warm and safe for the birds.

The children created the prototypes of their nests, to help them decide on what works well and the improvements they could make in their final design.

  

 

Through this process, they had opportunities to:

  • Identify needs and opportunities for designing, through exploration. (Design: Ideating)
  • Select tools, materials and processes for specific purposes. (Visual Arts: Creating)
  • Use all senses to observe and notice details. (Research Skills: Data Gathering)
  • Use trial and error to make changes, solve problems, or incorporate new ideas from self or others. (Design: Making)  

 

Ramps: The Prototypes

The children have been using a range of materials and manipulatives in the construction area to consider the concepts of height, speed, forces, and energy.

As part of this investigation, a team of young designers have been planning, designing and creating prototypes of ramps in their design class. The team began by discussing their ideas and creating a plan for their slides.

They know that designers need to source and test materials for different purposes and make choices about the materials they use for projects.

After careful consideration, the teachers decided to offer the children ‘clay’ as a material for the structure. Clay is malleable and easy to use when creating structures yet offers many opportunities for challenge and problem-solving. The children tested the different tools, making careful decisions about the size, height, width, and foundation of their structure.

While creating, the young designers followed the natural cycles of design as they planned, created, reflected and improved their structures. Through trial and error, the children have reached the first stage of their design work.

Design

Through this experience, the children had opportunities to:

  • identify needs and opportunities for designing, through exploration
  • generate ideas from their experiences and interests
  • add to others’ ideas
  • choose an idea to pursue

Design Learning Outcomes:

  • choose tools and materials
  • make a product using known procedures or through modelling of others
  • use trial and error to make changes, solve problems, or incorporate new ideas from self or others
  • develop their skills and add new ones through play and collaborative work
  • explore the use of simple, available tools and technologies to extend their capabilities

Nests: How can we help?

We went out to the corridor to look at the documentation about the ‘dead birds’.

The children revisited some of their past observations and theories.

  • Lydia “Cats have eat the birds.”
  • Liz “Cats eat the birds. I think big birds eat small birds.”
  • Eli “I think birds flying and when they are sleeping the cat is down and the cat climbed the tree and then he the ate birds. Birds are in the nest.”
  • Jeongyoon “Nests on the tree.”
  • Liz “I think bird fell down from the nest. Its dead.”
  • Oliver “I think the baby bird fall down and then hits its dead.”
  • Morning “Maybe they rolled and fell down the tree.” 

What new ideas do we have? What can we do to help?

  • Howie “Put the soft things under the tree. If they fall down it will be soft.”
  • Oliver “Feathers, cotton.”
  • Eli “Maybe something bouncy. Maybe grass.”
  • Morning “Paper.”
  • Oliver “I see something white that is outside but it is not cotton.”
  • Oxford “Take the birds to the doctor. Take them home and look to see what is wrong.”
  • Oliver “I think the nest is a little bit not safe for the birds. I think it’s a little bit small. We can build one more.”
  • Morning “Use cotton to make the nest. Maybe grass.”
  • Oliver “Use sticks. Sometimes we can just put a bowl.”
  • Howie “And put inside some soft things.”
  • Oliver “I think they make them with water and mud. To make the sticks not fall off the nests. First, we need to find some stick. Then put some water in the sand. Cover the nests with the mud and then the baby birds can live on them. Not mud, we can use clay.”
  • Eli “I saw lots of sticks outside. I saw a special place that has lots of sticks.
  • Howie “Then we can put them on the tree. We can put them like on the fire trucks, to put the ladder and climb up and put the nests on the tree.”
  • Oliver “If we stick the clay to the tree then the nest will never fall off. Then we don’t have to worry about it anymore.”
  • Eunbyul “Children feed the birds and one more bird is fly and two more birds fly back. Feed the birds seeds.”
  • Motong “We can find some sticks and make a nest. Put paper on the nest because the snow flowing the nest. Put the paper on the top.”
  • Wyatt “Put the bird nest on the tree and the bird is going to the house. And the bird is go there and going to the house. If it’s cold, then there is snow. Snow is body is fall down. Help bird, help to put on a jacket to put on the bird.”

The children ran outside to collect the sticks they needed to build the nest. Oliver found some cotton-like material and put it in another tub.  

 

We wonder what we might need to think about when creating nests for the birds.

An Inquiry into Ramps

A group of kindergarteners explore a range of concepts while building ramps. They collaborate with each other, thinking, planning and testing their theories (Forces and energy).

They explore how speed, distance, and height may change the result of the experiment. Curious investigators are drawn to the testing ground as laughter and celebration ripple across the learning space. 

Through experimentation, the children begin to explore how a variety of factors including size and shape, can impact the way objects move (Physics).

  • We wonder what variables impact the design of ramps. 
  • How are ramps used in the world around us? 

An exploration begins… 

Creating Essential Agreements

Over the last few weeks, we have been taking photographs and videos of the children engaging in different spaces around the Early Years. These images have helped us highlight and make observations visible.

At times, the images focused on celebrating learning, community and engagement. On other occasions, the images helped us hone in on challenges and problems that require attention.

Over the last few days, we have discussed these ideas in small and whole group situations, talking about what we see, think and wonder.

See, Think, Wonder is a ‘thinking routine’ that places emphasis on the importance of observation as the basis for thinking and interpretation, through looking closely at an image, object or video.

After many discussions, we gathered to create our ‘Essential Agreements’. We noticed that the conversations often focused on the idea of feeling ‘safe’ in a ‘caring’ and ‘respectful’ environment.

Some of the key points were:

  • Expressing and communicating emotions in respectful ways and asking for an adult’s help when needed.
  • Being aware of how we touch others when speaking or playing with them.
  • Using manipulatives and resources in a safe and respectful way.
  • Moving our bodies safely in and around the different spaces.
  • Cleaning up after playtime to ensure we respect people, materials and spaces.
  • Using kind and thoughtful words to express ourselves.
  • Being inclusive by collaborating sharing and inviting others to play.

The key ideas by the children highlight the concepts of well-being, interaction, participation, belonging and inclusion.

As a learning community, we will continue to revisit our essential agreements to help us make appropriate choices that help us work and learn together as a community.

We are learning that by following agreements and sharing space we can participate safely in our community.

The Bike Park Signs

Over the last few weeks, a team of young designers worked together with Ms. Eileen and Ms. Jo, to create signs for the bike park. After conducting their research, they decided to create the signs using wood, as this was a material that could be used outdoors in all types of weather. After considering many options for the message, the team decided to use the wood-burning tool to burn the message onto the wood instead of using paint, markers or other writing tools. 

They began by planning their message out using pictures and words, to inform the early years community how to park the bikes safely in the bike park area. Their pictures served to remind the children where to park and in which direction the bikes needed to be stored at the end of playtime.

The team considered the type of wood and the size of the sign. Then, they used sandpaper to make sure the edges of the wood were smooth. 

They learned how to use the wood-burning tool to burn the messages on the pieces of wood. They had to think about staying safe and focused throughout the task.

Finally, their signs were ready to be mounted in the bike park area. They talked to each other about the best place to put up the signs and what materials they would use to attach the signs in the different spaces. Noah decided that his sign should be placed standing upright in the bike park. Mason, Sean and Eunice decided that their signs should be attached to the wooden fence dividing the play area. The team were proud of their hard work, and were excited to see that the Early Years community were now well informed about safe parking in the playground.

K2 students are aware of the impact they can have on the community. They understand how they can actively engage in various stages of learning: including thinking about, planning, modifying and creating for a purpose. Through active discussion and questioning, they were able to direct their own learning. The ‘Bike Park’ project helped them make connections to the real world. Through a range of experiences, they could consider perspectives, possibilities and outcomes that would benefit the community. They considered their own responsibility in shared spaces, and were able to use their voice and actions to bring a sense of purpose and belonging to these community spaces.

Organising the Shed: Sorting and Data Collection  

A team of children went to the shed to begin sorting the toys. They placed tubs for the sand toys, put the kitchen and cooking items on one rack and all the trucks and diggers on the shelves.

Next, Doho and Sean went to look for Mr. Jamie, to ask him if he could help the team mount the hooks on the pegboards.

Sean and Doho explained the problems they had, and then they went out to the shed with Mr. Jamie. Together, they were able to problem-solve and make a plan to mount the hooks.

A team of K2 mathematicians went to the shed to gather more information to plan the next step of the project. We needed to find out how many hooks, tubs and racks we will need to sort and organise the different toys in the shed.

 

The team began to think about the different ways we can record data. We decided to divide the paper into four to record the number of kitchen items wheelbarrows trucks and sand toys.

Then, the data collectors used pictures, words and numbers to record their information. 

We observed the children:

·     gathering, recording and organizing information

·     listening actively and respectfully to others’ ideas and listening to information

·     using mark-marking to convey meaning

·     taking responsibility with tasks

·     using strategies to problem-solve

The Bike Park Plan

The teachers set up a time lapse video after playtime to provoke the children’s thinking. We watched the video during our class meeting and discussed what we noticed.

We reflected on what Noah had said about blocking the emergency entrance. We also noticed how Kenan and Noah parked the bikes, making sure they are parked in reverse.

Noah used the iPad to show the class how we could keep the walkways in the playground clear of tricycles.

He thought about what he had learned through his research about the school parking lots, and then used the iPad to show how the lines could be marked on the floor. The yellow lines would be a ‘NO PARKING’ area. The class gave him feedback as he made the plan.

 

 

 

 

The messages and signs team are ready to begin their work on the signs to help the EY community know how to park the bikes.

Another team will present their ideas to the facilities department and relevant personnel in school, to help them make the changes they need. They will need to convince the facilities team that their suggestions will ensure we have a safe and organised playground.

The Bike Project – Research Groups

Our Bike project continues, with children leading research projects to help them make the best decisions for their outdoor space.

 

Name for the Parking Spot: Conducting a Survey

from our brainstorm on the different A group of mathematicians interviewed the Early Years community to find out their preference for the name of the parking spot. The two choices were BIKE PARK or BIKE GARAGE.

The team used tally marks to record the data on the survey.  

Then they worked together to calculate the total for each choice.

Through their research they learned that more people preferred the nameBIKE PARK!

 

NO PARKING area: Field Visit

The children wanted to find a way to create a ‘No Parking’ area near the emergency exit. We know the school has many NO PARKING areas and areas where you can park. Noah went on a field visit to learn more.

  • What do we notice in the parking spaces?
  • How is the space organised?

Noah created a video to share what he learned from his research. We wonder how we might use these ideas to help us organise the tricycle park.

  

Signs and Messages:

Another team of researchers brainstormed ideas for the signs. They began by looking for signs around the Early Years Centre.

  • What materials are signs made of?
  • How are colours, shapes and words used to share messages?
  • What messages and actions do they communicate to people?

They used the iPads to record their observations and brought photographs back to the team.

The researchers discussed their observations while Ms. Eileen documented key points on chart paper. 

The team decided that ‘plastic’ would not be an appropriate material to use as they didn’t know how to make plastic.

They didn’t want to buy plastic from the shop as it was their own project. They wanted to make the sign all by themselves.

 

Paper’ and ‘card’ were not the best materials for the signs as it breaks and tears easily.

Although card is stronger, it will get wet when it rains as the signs will be outdoors.

 

Yet another choice were ‘stickers’. They may last longer and are waterproof, but they might come off after a while.

The team decided that stickers were not a suitable choice either.

 

They noticed that the ‘wood’ was very strong and wouldn’t rip. If they used thicker wood, it would make the sign stronger.

The team decided that wood would be the perfect material for the signs.

They wondered if someone used stone to carve the wood, or fire to draw the sign. They decided that their next step would be to meet Ms. Jo and Mr. Danny to ask them more about the sign. Other ideas the team would consider:

  • How big does the sign need to be?
  • Where will the sign be placed?
  • How will it be fitted safely?

The team wondered how they might use what they have learned about traffic rules, signs and important messages in their own planning.

We look forward to our next steps as we begin to use what we have learned to organise the ‘BIKE PARK’.

The Bike Project: Fixing the Tricycles

We held a class meeting to talk about our nest steps with the Bike Project.

Mr. Danny and Mr. B joined our meeting and took note of the problems the children shared about the older bikes in the playground.

  • The front wheels are wobbly.
  • Some bikes don’t have the pedals.
  • Some bikes don’t have the rubber sleeves on the handles.
  • The seats are moving around.
  • The back tyres are wobbly.
  • Some of the screws at the bottom of the trikes are not tight enough.

A team went back to the design room to bring the tools they needed. They were HEAVY!

Then, the expert mechanics got to work with their eager assistants, tightening nuts and bolts, fixing the wobbly seats and adjusting the wobbly wheels. 

The mechanics took the bike for a test run to see if there were any more problems that needed their attention. The ride was smooth!

Organising the Bikes

Two photographs of the bikes in the Early Years playground were presented to the class.

What do you notice?

The children looked carefully at the bikes and shared their observations.

They noticed that:

  • The bikes are squished and people might bump into each other when they ride.
  • They might break the bikes when they try to get them out.
  • The bikes are parked all over, (messy) and it is hard to move the bikes out when needed.
  • Some of the accessories for the bikes are not put away safely.
  • People can bump into the exit doors because there is no space to ride them.
  • The bikes are blocking the fire exit and people might fall over the bikes when trying to get out in a hurry.

The children suggested that we:

  • Make big signs to tell people what to do.
    • ‘Park the bikes straight’
    • ‘NO bikes in the water and sand’
    • ‘NO Parking’ sign near the emergency exit.
  • Add lines to show the no parking area.
  • Make a list of all the things we need to fix on the bikes.
  • Conduct a survey to find the most suitable name for the park. The two choices are BIKE PARK and BIKE GARAGE.

Next Steps… 

The Bike Project

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).

The Bikes

(Organisation, Collaboration, Function of Spaces)

Kenan saw bikes in boxes in the shed. The group of problem solvers wondered who can help them assemble the new bikes.

Mo asked his dad Mr. Danny if he could help. Mr. Danny agreed and asked Mr. B, the Design teacher to help too.

A group of children went over to the Design room to inspect the space.

Would it be a good space to assemble the bikes?

They met the two teachers and had a look around.

Mr. B had many different tools in the room.

Some were very big and heavy. Mr. B showed the young designers some of the tools that we might need to assemble the bikes. We noticed that the children used measurement vocabulary (big/small/heavy/lighter/long/shorter) to describe the different tools.

They decided that the Design room was a great space to assemble the bikes as it had so many tools and plenty of space to work in. Mr. B suggested that we bring one bike to the Design room to begin the process.

Patrick, Mason and Tracey borrowed a wagon from the Library and used it to transport the box with the bike parts to the Design room.

It was a challenge to steer the wagon, but the team worked together and also had some fun along the way!

The designers in the Early Years will take turn to help with the bike assembly.

We wonder what the new bikes look like.

Are they bigger than the ones we have in the EY playground?  

Are they one or two-seater bikes?

The Stool – Ongoing Project

Ms. Shemo purchased a stool from one of the Eco-friendly projects at NIS. One morning the stool fell and broke. The children considered the problem for a while.

When Ms. Jo. Came in to class, Noah reminded Ms. Jo that the stool was broken.

Designers are also problem solvers. Ms. Jo asked the young designers if they could fix the stool. They thought this was a good project. The children went to the Primary School Design Pit to find materials to fix the stool.

The designers agreed that they should use “some sticky things” to fix the stool. Glue sticks, masking tape, duct tape, transparent tape, glue tack, a hot glue gun, and white glue were the “sticky things” they could find in Design. They thought that the hot glue gun, duct tape, clear tape, glue tack, and white glue were good fixing materials for wood, and were good materials for fixing the stool, but they couldn’t decide which would work the best. Designers sometimes test materials and then decide on the most suitable ones.

After picking the materials for fixing the stool, our young designers started to test these materials. The first one was the Glu Tack.

The young designers brainstormed different ways to apply the Glu Tack either on the seat or stool legs. Whilst testing the Glu Tack they found some other problems, for example, the seat wasn’t put evenly on the stool legs.

They didn’t forget to fix these problems as well. Finally, the young designers got the seat back on the stool. They will leave the stool in K2A until the next lesson to test and see if the Glu Tack worked well.

 

Test two…

The second material the young designers decided to test was the duct tape. The children used the green tape and pasted the sides down to fix the stool.

Right away they could see that the plastic top moved around. It did not look like a safe choice.

They decided to add a sign to let people know that it was not safe to sit on. The designers will need to reflect on their choice and decide what they need to do next.

 

Test three…

We reviewed our last test and decided that duct tape wasn’t a good solution. Next, we used hot glue to fix the stool.

Before gluing, the designers brainstormed the advantages and disadvantages of using hot glue.

Mason and Patrick thought the hot glue would make cracks in the seat because the glue was hot. What do you think?

Let’s give the hot glue a bit of time and see if it will make cracks in the plastic seat.

Our problem-solving continues…

Documentation by Ms. Jo and Ms. Eileen

The Nest Project

Big Idea: Designs grow out of natural curiosity.​

We gathered as a group to talk about a piece of outdoor equipment. The children typically refer to this space as ‘The NEST’. The young designers were invited to share what they notice and think about the image.

The first step was to ‘Empathise‘, to learn more about the people who we are designing and creating for. In this instance, it was for the children in the Early Years. 

 

  • Allen “Ms. Bella like to look this house is broken. Ms. Bella look, said, not good.”
  • Kenan “It is broken and Ms. Bella is looking and she is so sad because it is broken. Boys and girls sit there and kick there.”
  • Eunice “This sticks are broken.”
  • Tae Woo “Ms. Bella is standing and looking fix the sticks.”
  • Chloe “Broken”
  • Tracey “The sticks are broken because the boys and girls are sitting on the sticks.”
  • Noah “I think it is a nest.”
  • Patrick “It is a big stick house.”

After the designers shared their observations, we began to ‘Think’, to find as many solutions as we could to solve the problem with ‘The Nest’.

The young designers went outdoors with their clipboards, paper and thin line markers, to look for innovative ways to solve problems and better utilise this great space.

Then, the young designers presented their ideas to the class as we documented these proposals on large chart paper.

Through our observations, we noticed that the children named and suggested many different design and construction materials and tools in their plans.

They made these suggestions by tapping into their prior knowledge about the properties of materials used for building structures.

Some designers visualised the space in unique ways, bringing in design ideas and elements that would offer comfort and purpose. Their sketches included pictures, words, symbols, and numbers. Essentially, they used what they know about writing to communicate ideas as they documented their thinking on paper.

When presenting their ideas to the class, the designers listened and engaged with interest. We noticed how they made connections with what they see, what they heard, and what they know, while looking for ways to understand and solve problems through authentic experiences.

The children suggested including a title on the chart paper, ‘K2A’s ideas to fix the NEST!’.

 

We are excited to dive into our next step, to create prototypes!

Design

Through this experience, the children had opportunities to:

    • identify needs and opportunities for designing, through exploration
    • generate ideas from their experiences and interests
    • add to others’ ideas
    • choose an idea to pursue

The Garden Boxes

(Responsibility, Ownership)

Three children went out to document a task. What was happening out in the playground? Their responsibility was to observe what was happening, gather the information and inform the rest of the children. There were 4 new garden pots in the Early Years garden. What were they for?

The 3 children observed the activities and used the class iPads to take photographs. They used the photos to create 3 short videos to share their information in English, Korean and Mandarin.

The children shared the videos with the class, informing others about the events. We had 3 plants left. We went outside to decide on our next step.

 

Noah “I see 3 trees.”

Kenan “Me see 3 trees.”

Tracey “I see some lines on the branches.”

Olivia “I see a box.”

Tracey “But that one don’t have it because we didn’t put.”

We had to decide who would get to put the plants in the boxes. We tried various groups to decide on the right number of people that would work together.

The children made suggestions on the number of children in each group.

  • What about 3 in each group?
  • Can we do 7 and 7?
  • Can we have 6 and 7 and 1?
  • Can we have 4 in each group?      

This seemed the best number for each group. We had one person left over and she joined one group of 4. Then we were ready to plant.

Ms. Dora helped us put the plants into the boxes. Then, we added more soil to the left-over garden box and planted the 3 plants. Then, we watered the plants.

We sat down to take notes and sketch our thoughts on our notebooks. While drawing, we thought about the questions we had about the plants and the garden boxes.

Patrick “Why are there no leaves on the plants? It is only October, is it too cold?”

Conceptual Understandings:

Living things: Students understand that living things have basic needs, including food and water.

Inquiry Skills

  • Pose and respond to questions.
  • Participate in guided investigations and make observations using the senses.
  • Share observations and ideas.

A Research Story: The Paper Airplane

@N has been trying to make a paper airplane using a piece of A4 paper. He approached the teacher and said, “Can you show me how to make a paper airplane?” The teacher noticed several creases on the paper, showing his many attempts at making the paper airplane. After some thought and discussion, @N decided to visit the library to see if there were any books that could give him more information on how to make paper airplanes. He met Ms. Tina in the library and asked if she could help. Ms. Tina showed @N where the books on craft and origami were in the library. Together, they began to look for the books they needed.

The first book on paper crafts and origami did not include directions on how to make a paper airplane. Ms. Tina looked for another book. She looked through the contents section of some books to see if she could find information about paper planes.

@N and Ms. Tina were excited to see that there was a book about paper planes!

@N checked out the book and brought it back to class. He quickly browsed through the pages. He was trying to decide on the type of paper airplane he wanted to make. Others came to see what @N was doing as they were curious about the paper airplane craft book.

@N first tried to follow the instructions to make a plane. He was not sure if he was following the directions correctly. He approached the teacher for help. @N and the teacher worked together to follow the instructions to make a paper plane. When they were both happy with the paper airplane, @N took his airplane outside to test it. A few friends gathered to see what he was doing. They also wanted to make the paper planes.   

@N took the book home to try a few different models. We look forward to his paper plane creation.

  • We wonder which paper airplanes Noah might make.
  • We wonder how far his paper airplanes will travel.

Our story continues…

Presenting the Prototypes!

The students have been working on their prototypes over the last few weeks. They were ready to present their prototypes to the class. 

Success Criteria

Then, the students reflected on their learning journey.

Design Challenge – Obstacles and Prototypes

If you could design any structure in the world, what would it be?

The students began to create their design plans, labelling and providing important information about the ‘purpose’ of their structure.

Challenges and Obstacles:

The students shared their first plans with a learning buddy. They interviewed each other, asking challenging and thought-provoking questions about the design, materials and its purpose.

Then, they were encouraged to think about the ‘challenges’ or obstacles they foresee in their own design. They identified this using a red sticker. The students presented their challenges to the class.

Their next step would be to create a prototype of their design. They would need to apply the knowledge they have about materials, and use the skills they have gained through the different design challenges they have experienced during the unit, to complete the task.

Conceptual Understandings:

– we solve problems during the creative process by thinking critically and imaginatively

– designs grow out of natural curiosity 

Taking ACTION!

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

 

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 Ramp

We gathered to think about a MATH provocation.

  • How might we solve this problem?
  • What strategies can we use?
  • What tools would we need?
  • What would be the first step?
  • How can we use pictures, numbers or models to solve math problems?

We worked through the task together and recorded our thinking in our Math Journals.

We thought about the different tools we would need to solve our problem. The students discussed their thinking and worked through their task using math vocabulary related to number, measurement and data-handling.

Next, they worked on creating and testing their own ramp. They needed to work in teams, solving problems and negotiating ideas.

The students thought about the materials they would need, the height and placement of the ramps as well as the objects they would test.

Then, they recorded their data on a table and discussed and shared a question they could ask about the data they collected.

Through this experience the students had opportunities to:

  • conduct research
  • work as a team
  • think
  • cooperate
  • listen
  • persevere
  • problem solve
  • have fun and celebrate learning together!

Waste

The students have been discussing the concept of ‘WASTE’ over the last few days. They have been exploring how waste affects, pollutes, and impacts ecosystems. Today, we began to create a visual that captures our thinking. It began by looking at the different choices ‘WE’ make that can affect the environment and ecosystems.

We began by drawing an outline of a student on large chart paper. We documented our ideas about the different ways we contribute to the issue of waste, around the outline of the human figure. The students shared their observations and views on human consumption and its impact on the environment. They noted how certain materials such as paper, plastic, oil and food, add to this global issue.

Next, we looked at the different ways ‘WE’ can make a difference. The students shared many ideas and then made a commitment to take ‘action’. Some students chose to focus on using less paper, being more mindful of food waste, and look for ways to repurpose plastic.

During lunch break, the students discussed the choices they made when purchasing food from the cafeteria. They talked about choice, size of the potions and their own actions that lead to waste. They have decided to inquire into this further, by working in teams to conduct interviews. They hope that their inquiry would lead to suggestions that would reduce food waste.   

We look forward to observing the different ways the students take action on their learning.

The Scale

Why do we need a scale?

The students concluded that a scale is needed as it is not possible to use actual measurements to draw objects on the chart paper map. All measurements would be rounded to the nearest 10 to make it easier to work out the measurement of the different objects. 

Why should all the groups use the same scale?

The students have been discussing and deciding on the scale that should be used in the final map. They agreed that everyone should use one scale as then the objects drawn would be measured using the same scale. To demonstrate this idea, we used two different scales to draw the height of ‘HANNAH’. The students could see that using two different scales resulted in two different heights of the same object. 

Next, we decided on the different colours we would all use for the different objects in the garden. We reviewed what we had done so far and what our next steps would be. 

The students finally agreed on the scale 5cms = 100cms. They worked out the different measurements using the scale. 

The students then began to round all their measurements to the nearest 10. Then they worked in their teams to draw and create all the objects needed for the final map. 

The Memory Book – Final Steps

Our next step in creating the Memory Book was to decide on the layout of the stories. The students suggested that the stories should be presented in ‘alphabetical order’ (student names).

They shuffled their bodies, standing one behind the other, organising themselves into the correct space.

When the students checked their list, they realised that they had not included the 3 students that had left NIS at the end of the last semester. The adjustments were made.

Then, we included the final page with the ‘Author Interviews. Each student decided what they wanted their readers to know about them and their stories. The interviews were included with photographs of the authors, as suggested on the plan.

Next, the students dictated the information that would be included in the blurb, on the cover at the back of the book. They discussed their ideas, deciding on the most relevant information that would hook the readers. A photograph of the mural was included on the back cover.   

Then, the page numbers were included, and the contents page was created.

The Draft Memory Book has been completed. We were ready to send it off to the printer!

The Memory Book and Mural Project encouraged the students to see themselves as authors, illustrators, readers, and decision makers. Through this journey, the students developed an awareness, and an appreciation for different forms of expression. They have worked collaboratively to create artefacts that celebrate the culture, values, and community of Second Grade.

Memory Book (Click to read)

Theme:

How We Express Ourselves 2020-21

Central Idea:

Communities come together through expressions of culture.

Lines of Inquiry:

  • Ways cultures are expressed (Form)
  • Similarities and differences of expression (Connection)
  • Why we communicate cultural stories (Perspective)

Key Concepts: form, connection, perspective

Related Concepts: Expression, communication

The Project Plan

The students were working in groups to create a project plan to help them design a map of the Community Garden Plots. They went out to the garden plots to document their thinking and inquiry. 

They discussed their ideas, deciding how they want to work as a group to create the map. Some initial wonderings:

  • What will we include?
  • How will we measure around the pots?
  • When were the garden plots created?
  • How will we measure the plots inside the greenhouse?
  • What should we include in a map key?
  • What might the scale be?
  • How long is the whole community garden plot area?
  • How is the recycle bin used?

We used flags to demarcate the different areas each group will measure. 

The teams decided on the different materials and tools they will need to complete this task. 

The Project Plans 

Through this project the students have opportunities to develop a deeper understanding of mathematical concepts. They will explore how:

  • objects and events have attributes that can be measured using appropriate tools
  • estimation allows us to predict and check our measurements

  • position can be represented by coordinates on a grid

Approaches to Learning:

Communication Skills/ Research Skills:

  • Ask relevant questions that can be researched
  • Make a plan for finding information
  • Gather information
  • Use senses to find and notice details
  • Record observations by drawing, note taking, charting, tallying, writing
  • Sort and categorize information
  • Present information in different ways

Social/ Self-management Skills:

  • Plan tasks and set goals
  • Use time effectively
  • Be organized
  • Cooperate

Thinking Skills:

  • Observe carefully in order to recognize problems
  • Make “thinking visible”
  • Make connections
  • Reflect on learning by asking questions

The Prototypes

Over the last few weeks, the students have been creating their prototypes based on their design plans and related research. They have continued to add more details and descriptions to their initial plans, thinking deeply about the different materials that are available and how they might use them to create the ‘MOST CHALLENGING‘ part of their design. The task would need to meet the following criteria. 

Design Plans and Prototypes

The House with a Pool (Challenge: The waterfall)

The Hotel on the Water (Challenge: The Slide with 2 loops)

The Prototypes

The students have been moving between the design rooms and the classroom, testing and choosing from a range of materials to fit a purpose. The students persevered, working at their own pace, talking to others about the challenges and how they were learning through trial and error. 

Personal Reflections  

The students have been documenting their learning journey, reflecting on challenges and how they have found solutions through the design process. 

We consider reflection an import part of the learning process. Therefore, students were encouraged to document their own learning journey while reflecting on the following:

  • what has been done (process)
  • the materials (What materials did you use? Why?)
  • the challenges (difficult parts/jobs)
  • the solutions (What did you do? What made it work?)
  • the skills (research, thinking, self-management, social and communication skills)
  • what has been learned (What have you learned from/through the steps/tasks?)
  • feelings and emotions 

The students are working on putting together a Design Journal to share their individual learning story. These will be presented at their final presentation to the community. 

Conceptual Understandings: Students understand that:

  • a push or a pull affects how an object moves or changes shape (Physics).
  • different materials can be combined for a particular purpose (Chemistry).
  • science involves observing, asking questions about, and describing changes in, objects and events.
  • we solve problems during the creative process by thinking critically and imaginatively.
  • designs grow out of natural curiosity.
  • skills can be developed through play.
  • technologies are tools that extend human capabilities

Students were able to:

  • demonstrate control of tools, materials and processes.
  • identify, plan and make specific choices of materials, tools and processes.
  • to identify the stages of their own and others’ creative processes.
  • make predictions, experiment, and anticipate possible outcomes.

Prototype Research

The students have been conducting their research, discussing their findings and making plans that will help them create prototypes of their structure designs

They continue to reflect on and document their own process of learning. 

The students have been reading books, watching videos about structures, forces, energy and materials to help them make decisions on their own plans. 

The students put their initial ideas on paper. They made plans, using words, diagrams and information that they would require in order to create their prototype. Their aim is to create a prototype; an early sample, model, or a product built to test a concept or process. 

Throughout this process the students will have opportunities to:

  • be actively engaged in various stages of learning, including: thinking about, planning, modifying and creating
  • be actively involved in discussion and questioning, and be more self-directed in their creating
  • apply their understanding of concepts through the construction of their projects
  • make connections to the real world by taking past experiences into their investigations/projects
  • face challenges, and will be given the freedom to independently overcome these or fail through trial and error or experimentation

The Community Garden Plot Project

24 March 2021

We have been using manipulatives to explore measurement. We have been measuring the Perimeter and Area of different shapes. 

Mr. Danny, the Activities Director needed some help. He asked the students if they could create a map of the ‘Community Garden Plots‘.

We began by brainstorming what we already know about maps. We documented our thinking and ideas on chart paper. 

Next, we thought about the map of the ‘Community Garden’.

  • What should it include? 
  • What would we NEED to create the map?

The students wrote down their ideas. They shared their ideas with each other.  

A plan was beginning to unfold. 

Then, we went to the garden to take a closer look at the garden plots.

  • What else do we need to think about?
  • What steps do we need to take to complete the task?

The students continued to document their ideas on paper. They discussed their ideas with each other. 

What skills would we need to complete the task? The students shared their thinking. 

(Developing the Approaches to Learning​)

  • Kavel “You have to manage yourself. I think we should use thinking skills because we need to think how we need to measure the right proper way. We need to put the tool on the ‘0’ or it will be the wrong measurement.” 
  • Carlotta “You use thinking skills, to think about how you are going to measure things. You also need to use your social skills because you are already measuring one thing then you got to tell other people that they should not measure again.”
  • Chanwoong “We use communication skills because we all have different ideas so we have to communicate ourselves. We also need research skills because we have to ask questions about it and we have to gather and research the information on the garden.”
  • Reg: “You have to use your communication skills when you have already done a task you have tell others you have already done it. We also have to use Math skills because when we make the plot when we make the area around the garden plots, the perimeter, so we know the area of the plots. It will help us when we make the map. Like 1 meter of it can be like 30 or 20 cms.”
  • Hannah “You will need to use your mathematical skills, to write down the things like ideas and then count because we need to count how many plots.”
  • Sky “We need to count, because we need to know how many of the trees, pots and plots we need to draw on the paper. We need thinking skills because if we don’t think and we just say its like 2 cms (estimate) then we will get the wrong answer. If you measure it correctly then you will get the right answer. We need to be mathematicians because we need to add all the meters and cms. together. If you don’t you will have the wrong answer. ” 
  • Stella “We need Math skills, because you need to make a map you still need to think of math. 
  • Changhyeong “We need thinking skills because we need many ways to measure the ground.”

 

24 March 2021

Over the last few weeks, the students have been collaborating in their groups to plan how they will create the map of the ‘Community Garden’ at NIS.

We created a table to list the materials we will need to complete the task. Students populated the table based on the needs of their individual group.

Next, we sourced the materials from the resource room.

Then, we went out with our tools and resources to begin measuring. The students had to decide how they will manage their task and document their learning. Through this experience, the students have many opportunities to use the skills and knowledge, for an authentic purpose.

We wonder what our next steps would be….

Area and Perimeter

We have been measuring the length of different objects around us. We know that objects have attributes that can be measured using appropriate tools.

First we watched the BrainPop Movie to learn more about Area and Perimeter

Calculating Perimeter 

Square Units

Calculating Area

Calculating Area in Meters 

The students were presented with two tasks to help them explore Area and Perimeter

TASK 1:

TASK 2:

Challenges and Obstacles

The students have continued to add more detail to their design plans. It was time to think about the next step.

Mr. Jacobson came in to help us think critically about our designs. First, we watched a short video featuring different mega structures.

Mr. Jacobson encouraged us to think about the ‘challenges’ the designers may have had when designing these structures.

The students wondered if the designers may have had challenges when creating the curved roof in the first structure (picture below).

Next, the students were invited to identify 2 challenges and obstacles they foresee in their own design plans. They used stickers to mark the parts of the structure that would require critical thinking and problem-solving.

Then, they worked with partners, sharing their challenges, gathering feedback and suggestions.

Finally, we came together, listening to the students present their own design plans, identified challenges and obstacles.

  • Carlotta “How will I make the pool free standing?”
  • Reggie ” How will I get enough water to come out to make it spin? How will I pump the water to the top?”
  • Sky “How will I make the roof curved?”
  • Hannah “How will I make the stone foundation free standing?”
  • Sam “How can I make the underfloor heating work?” 
  • Changhyeong “How will I get the wifi up the mountain?”
  • Eunseong “How will I make the stone stairway?”
  • Chanwoong “How will I get the lake to go across the two structures? How can I make the pool cover push and pull? 
  • Stella “How will I make 2 loops in the water slide?”
  • Dohyun “How will I make the plants go around the house?”
  • Seungje “How will I make the water come out of the crocodiles’s mouth?”
  • Elena “How will I make the machine for the water fountain drip and flow?”
  • Kavel “How will I make the electricity and the hand work? 

We continue to plan our next steps in creating our structures and solving our design challenges. 

The Newspaper Challenge

The students worked in groups to create a structure with newspaper. They first planned and tested the materials and then reviewed their plan before building the structure. They had to built the newspaper structure within 30 minutes. 

  • Let’s make a triangle. (Sky)
  • It’s tilting. (Carlotta)
  • Let’s stick this together. (Sky)
  • Everybody working so good so fast. (Carlotta)
  • Don’t stick here because…(Hannah)
  • This is so hard. We can do this! Come on team! (Reggie)
  • If we don’t do win this, it’s ok. At least we do this. (Elena)
  • The small one or big one? (Kavel)
  • We can make a hole then put more stick in. (Sky)
  • This is smart! (*responding to Sky’s idea) (Reggie)
  • I know why it’s always falling. Let’s tape this first. (Carlotta)
  • That’s good. (Elena)
  • We need to cut this smaller. (Carlotta)
  • I got 16 tape out. (Stella)
  • We are not ready. It’s still tilting! (Carlotta)
  • It keeps on falling. (Elena)
  • No more cylinder! (Kavel)
  • Can someone hold this area? (Reggie)
  • Good job! You make more to have stable bottom. (Carlotta)
  • More stand under here.
  • We are changing ideas. (Reggie)

The next day, the students were tasked with discussing and documenting their learning during the activity.

They needed to: –

  • introduce the team
  • share what was done (process)
  • reflect on the problems and solutions
  • explain what was learned
  • develop plans for next time

We wonder what we might do next…

The Museum

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:

  • how technology has changed
  • how technology has affected our lives
  • the positive and negative impacts of technology

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! 

Creating Sets and Groups

We have been exploring multiplication and division in Second Grade. The students began with a warm up activity to discuss what they noticed and wondered about this image.

The students used whiteboards to document and share their thinking.

We watched a short video on Multiplication as groups of objects to help us create sets and groups using materials in the classroom.

The students worked together in teams to create different sets of 2’s, 3’s, 4’s 5’s and 10’s.

They included multiplication equations to explain their groupings. 

Our research with number helped us complete a multiplication chart.

Multiplication

What do you notice?

What do you wonder?

 

The students shared their ideas about the images. 

We concluded that 8 is an even number, because 8 counters can be placed in sets of 2 with no leftover counters.

Next, we discussed the following images. What can we count? How might we count?

We documented our thinking.

 

Key ideas:

  • exploring the concept of odd and even numbers
  • examining equal groups related to repeated-addition equations (e.g., 5 + 5 + 5 = 15)
  • visualizing equal groups with arrays and area models

Unit Vocabulary

Then, we used manipulatives to create our own arrays. 

Making Arrays

  • Make arrays with square tiles and record the repeated-addition and multiplication equations.

12

 

 

16

 

18

21

24

30

 

 

Same & Different: Rainbow Arrays

How are pictures A and B mathematically the same, and how are they different?

The students shared their thinking and reasoning. 

Finally, we shared our ideas about the following picture. 

Spring Garden

  • Show what is happening using pictures, models, or numbers.
  • What do you notice? What do you wonder?
  • What math questions can you ask about this situation?

Click on image to play an Online Game

 

Storytellers in the Community

We have been creating stories that we want to share with our community. These stories are significant as they have a message or an important idea to communicate to the reader.

The students used a story planner to help them decide on the important elements of their story.

Then, they wrote their stories and shared them with the class. After making changes and editing their writing, they were ready publish their work. Many of the students decided to create their own short stories. These stories will be included in a Grade 2A Memory Book.

The class had discussed the idea of creating a collaborative piece of art or artifact, that communicates our stories and culture to the community. We had a large piece of canvas in the classroom. We wondered how we could use this piece of canvas to create an artifact.

  • How big should it be?
  • How would we draw on it?
  • Where will we display the mural?

We made a plan. The students shared their ideas and perspectives. What if each student drew a picture from their story, on the canvas? We would have 16 stories!

The students wondered how big each section would need to be. One student measured the width of the canvas and shared his suggestion for dividing the canvas.

The students agreed that each section would be 35cms. wide. But what about the length?

The students began to suggest different lengths. 45cms in length? 50cms. in length? We created a chart to document the data as the students voted for their choice. 

Then, we drew two of the most popular measurements on paper.

Next, the students voted to decide on the best length.

An agreement was reached. Each section of the canvas would be 35cms. X 55cms.

We will have 16 sections and 16 images that share what we value as a community.

We are finally ready to divide our canvas and begin to draw our stories to create the mural.

We have a plan to guide us as we create together.

The students used Book Creator to publish their short stories. These stories will be included in a Grade 2A Memory Book.

Here are a few published books:

Each student painted an image on a mural that represented their individual story. The students enjoyed this collaborative project that tells a story about the culture and values we share as a community.

Our Learning Story continues…

Oggie Doggie Tags for the Circus

We have been learning the words to our songs, practicing the actions and creating make up and costume designs.

Grade 2 will play the ‘Oggie Doggies’ in the show. We had to create dog tags for the characters. We decided to use wood cookies for this purpose. We had to decide on the ribbon we will need for the tags. The students began to suggest different colours for the ribbons. There were clearly too many choices as Ms. Heidi said we could only have 5 choices. We had a problem. Which 5 should we choose?

First, we listed all the colours the students suggested. We had 9 choices. How should we organize this information?

The students suggested we create a chart and record the data on it.

(Information can be expressed as organised and structured data)

We had a clear first, second and third choice. However, three colours were competing for the 4th and 5th choice. The students suggested that they take a second vote to find the fourth and fifth colour. We recorded this data on a second table.

Now, there was a clear choice for the remaining two colours.

We finally had our 5 choices for the ribbons. Next, we voted a third time to find out the quantity of each colour we had to purchase. We created a third table to record this information.

Then, we created a column graph to record the data. We decided that each square would represent 2 people as there wasn’t enough space for the highest number.

We gave Ms. Heidi the information she needs, the chosen colours and the quantity of each colour.

When the wood cookies arrived, the students used a wood-burning tool to write their names on the wood cookie.

Then, they used acrylic paints to paint their wood cookies.

Finally, the DOG TAGS are ready for the SHOW!

Research Skills:

  • ask relevant questions that can be researched
  • make a plan for finding information
  • gather information
  • record observations by charting, tallying, writing

Patterns with Cubes

What do we know about patterns?

We are exploring patterns by discussing, extending and thinking about growing patterns.

What do you notice? What do you wonder?

The students help extend the pattern to show what the next few pictures might look like. 

They justify their answers by using manipulatives, drawings and oral language to express their thinking.

We documented our thinking on chart paper.

This led to a conversation about odd and even numbers. We wonder where this learning might take us next…

Problem Solving Strategies

We have been talking about problem-solving strategies that we can use to solve word problems. 

* Read the problem 2 or more times.

* Underline the facts. {numbers, key actions, vocabulary}

* Circle the question.

* Model a problem. {counters, base-ten blocks}

* Act out the problem. {Students act out, use technology} (Acting out 5+3=)

* Create drawings or diagrams.

* Retell or use graphic organizers. (Beginning, Middle and End)

* Solve the problem.  {Draw a picture.}  

* Write the answer. {Number sentence + Sentence.}

We continue to use different strategies to show our thinking and problem-solving.

Problem Solving Strategies

Counting Collections

We began by looking for patterns in numbers. We skip counted in 2’s, 5s, 10s, 3’s and 4’s starting from 0.

  • What do we notice?
  • How might we use what we know about skip counting, in other situations?

TASK!

What do we have a lot of in the classroom? Come up with a way to count your whole collection. You will have to be organised and think about how you can keep track. You might need to create sets or use containers.

  • Once you know how many in your set, take a of it.
  • Use the tool and explain your strategy in your Maths Journal.
  • Complete Page 2 on the activity template.
  • Use the tool to show how you worked out the total and prove that your answer is right.

 

Sorting, documenting and explaining our strategies! 

The Card House

What did you notice?  What do you wonder?

  • Carlotta “I wonder how the cards come out of the bag in triangles.”
  • Dohoon “How many cards did they use? How many are odd numbers? How many shape cards?”
  • Eunseong “How tall is it?”
  • Sam “How many cards? How many triangles?”
  • Chanwoong “How did they stick the cards together? Which one is the joker card? Can this be a village?”
  • Hannah “What is it? What are they making?”
  • Seungje “Where did he buy the cards?”
  • Ryder “How many triangle cards? If there are more cards, how many more buildings could he make? Is there a triangle cards that are 4,4,4 and 2,2,2? Is there so much cards, can they make a whole country?”
  • Kavel “How did they make the video so fast?”
  • Sky “How do they stick one card and one card to a triangle? If they have more cards, can they build a tower?”
  • Jiwan “How many cards all together?”

How many cards? How many card triangles?

We watched the video to help us solve the problem. 

We documented our thinking and strategies in our Maths Journals.

Together, we worked out how many cards were used to create the ‘Card House’.

Then, we counted the number of triangles used to create the ‘Card House’.

We realised that counting in 3’s was a great strategy to use!!

Maths Talks – Cards

  • What do you see that you can count?
  • Can you count in different ways?
  • Does the placement of the objects give you ideas?
  • What groups do you notice?
  • What equations could you write to describe how many?

First, the students noted down observations and ideas in their Maths Journals. They were encouraged to use pictures, words and numbers. Next, they presented their thinking and reasoning to the class.

Finally, the students documented 3 or more explanations provided by others, in their Maths journals.

Maths Provocation: Jimmy’s Ramp

Jimmy set up a ramp for his toy cars. He and his brother Joe each sent one car down the ramp. 

We gathered to think about the provocation. Here are some of our initial wonderings.

I wonder…

  • … whose car is faster.
  • … whose car goes straight
  • … if the car falls down
  • … how the ramp is made
  • … if the cars fall down from the side of the ramp
  • … what Jimmy used for the ramp
  • … who pushed it down first
  • … whose car is slower

Joe’s car rolled 15 centimetres farther than Jimmy’s.

1) If Joe’s car rolled 27 centimetres (cms), how far did Jimmy’s car roll?

How could you get started?

2) Does this problem make you think about addition or subtraction?

3) Whose car rolled farther? Draw a number line to model the problem.

4) Follow Up:

Make your own ramp with books, cardboard, or other materials you find. Roll 6 different objects down the ramp and measure how far they go.

5) Record your data on a table.

6) Make up your own story problem with the results.

We began to construct some questions that we might want to ask about the data in our table. 

Mr. Matt worked with the students to help them create questions using ‘Question Words’. 

Sample Student Questions:

we wonder what YOUR ramps might look like…

The Lego Graph

Lego is popular and fun to play with. It is also a great resource to explore learning.
The students were invited to create one object using 20 pieces of Lego.
They displayed these creations in the atelier.

We all noticed how different the creations were.

Next, we took a photograph of our creation.

We wondered how we might sort the pieces we used in our creation. The students suggested three possible sorts.
-by colour
-by the number of ‘dots’ a piece of Lego had
-by length (long and short)

Then, we decided how we might document our sorts on a table. Here are two possible options. The students decided that a tally table would be the best way. We decided that we would have colour on one column and tally marks in the next.

We know that information can be expressed as organised and structured data. We constructed and labeled a vertical graph to document our data.

Finally, we wrote 3 questions that we might ask our friends about our graph.
What questions can YOU suggest?

Each student worked on their own creation, to follow the different steps needed to document their own learning.

Here are two examples:


The Block Tower Challenge!

We were excited to take on a Design challenge!

We used pictures, words and numbers to express our ideas and thinking visually. We used mathematical language to explain our thinking to our friends.

We documented out thinking in our Maths Journals.

We worked in teams to create our own Maths Tower Challenge!

Here are some of our challenges for YOU

During this task, we had opportunities to:

  • understand questions
  • use mathematical skills, knowledge and understanding
  • solve problems independently
  • use appropriate mathematical language
  • share thinking clearly in words, symbols, numbers, pictures
  • identify the key information to solve a problem
  • choose and use appropriate problem-solving strategies
  • explain a process – how the problem was solved

Second Grade Mathematicians

How do Mathematicians think, work and show their understanding? We have been reviewing and learning how to document our problem-solving and thinking using manipulatives, drawings and words.

Providing explanations helps us reflect and justify our reasoning. It helps us see patterns and make connections. 

We used our maths Journals to document our thinking and learning. We shared ideas on how we can use this resource to stay organised. 

Throughout our discussions, the students were using their mathematical skills, knowledge and understanding to solve problems. They were describing patterns, identifying rules and using appropriate mathematical language to discuss their thinking.

We observed the students helping each other share their thinking. We noticed how they used the manipulatives as a tool to discuss strategies. They discussed the level of challenge and how the activities were ‘stretching their brain’. 

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