Who We Are 2015/16

Central Idea:

Our class is a community within a wider community.

Lines of Inquiry:

There are different and similar roles in our communities.
We have responsibilities as part of a community.

Concepts: connection, responsibility

Related Concepts: identity, causation, roles, community

Learning Story #1

The Bike Park!!

A group of students in K2 were brainstorming ‘our jobs’. This led to a discussion about the types of ‘jobs’ they can do around the classroom.

We focused on the concept of ‘responsibility‘.

They worked in groups to dig a little deeper. One group wanted to focus on ‘The Bike Helper’. We had many questions…

What does this person do?

How will we know where to park the bikes?

We have responsibilities as part of a community.

The students decided that they need a sign. They wanted a sign that says ‘Bike Park’. We decided that some pictures of the bikes and trikes would need to be used to make the sign. Students went outdoors with their clipboards and paper to draw the bikes and scooters.

Observing and describing became part of the task. Students enjoyed drawing pictures of the scooters, trikes and wagons in the playground.

They made a sign in English and Chinese and mounted their pictures on card. Two students went with Ms. Linnie to laminate the pictures. The students thought that this would protect the signs from the rain.

The students discussed the best place for their sign. Near the bushes? Mounted on a pole in the ground? On the floor?

They decided that the only place that would protect the signs from the rain would be the outdoor garden shed. The roof would protect the signs from the rain.

The students mounted the signs.

Who will help to put the bikes away?

Student Learning Outcomes

Understandings:

people have rights and responsibilities within the social systems they are directly connected to (i.e. family, school)
their roles and responsibilities within the family and class
how they can make a difference in the classroom
respect for people and things

The students decided that they would need helpers. They would take turns to put the bikes away.

The students made a ‘helpers wheel’. They would rotate the ‘jobs’ to make sure everyone takes responsibility for the jobs within the community.

The story continues…

Lunch Helper

There were many other jobs that needed to get done in our classroom community. The teachers need helpers to set up lunch.

The students wrote up a job description.

Here is the process.

Take the Lunch out of the box.

Put the drinks/milk on the table.

Place the lunch boxes on the table.

Give every student a spoon and a fork.

Give every student a bottle of milk/youghurt.

The students watched a video of themselves during lunchtime. Their reflections led to the creation of Essential Agreements.

Library Helpers

Here is the job description for the ‘Library Helper‘.

Two children take the Library books to the Library.

Take the folders to the Library.

Put the folders on the sofa.

Water Bottle Helpers

We have been exploring how ‘our class is a community within a wider community’. Students have been brainstorming ideas and identified individual people and groups of people who live, learn and work with us at home and school.

We continued to reflect on the community around us and how we all work together. The students made connections between people, their ‘roles‘ and ‘responsibilities‘.

Our class is a community within a wider community.

The ‘brainstorm’ encouraged the students to create their own mind maps. They used the ideas generated in the class brainstorm to help them create their own maps (posters).