Unit of Inquiry
Students attended a session by an independent environmental service professional and an author, who is closely involved in tiger conservation campaigns in India. Ms Shovana Upadhyay talked about environmental changes and human activities that are affecting tiger population in India and across the world. This session helped students make meaningful real-life connections with the third line of inquiry for the unit.
To further their inquiry, students discussed and researched about the reasons for extinction of certain animals like dinosaurs. They recorded their findings on a place mat.
To foster a culture of thinking using practical strategies, learning engagements were organised wherein students conducted and observed experiments on different topics such as oil spill, deforestation, mining and marine pollution under the guidance of their facilitators. They analysed and evaluated the effects of environmental changes and human activities on various species and their life cycles using different graphic organizers.
Teamwork being a crucial aspect for developing social skills, students were encouraged to work in groups to research about the loss of habitat of different animals. Their research work was backed by multiple resources like iPads, books and factsheets. Students organised their work by choosing different Visible Thinking Routines thereby facilitating opportunities to exercise student agency and take ownership of their learning and action.
English
Students were introduced to procedural writing where they observed the life cycle of a plant. Using their thinking skills, students sequenced their understanding in a step by step procedure with the help of the ‘river flow’ graphic organiser.
To enhance their listening skills, students listened to the story titled – ‘A bird story’ which described the life cycle of a bird. Later, they summarized and recorded their understanding using padlet, an ICT tool used to create an online bulletin board.
Further, students articulated their understanding on the reasons for the loss of habitat of various animals using padlet.
Math
Students further strengthened their concept on patterns by creating various patterns using numbers, shapes, alphabets and colours.
Students were introduced to shapes and their properties with the help of a mystery bag activity and they recorded their observations using ‘think-pair-share’ visible thinking routine.
To facilitate the recap of previously covered math concepts on number system, addition, subtraction, measurement, shapes and patterns; stations were set up having multiple resources and manipulatives for each concept. Students were given a choice to select the concept(s) and attempt the given tasks using displayed resources. Later, they extended their understanding with the help of a graphic organiser.
Hindi
To enhance their speaking skills, students read ‘bas ek pal’. They were introduced to grammar concept of singular and plural.
Students further developed their writing skills by creating words and sentences with the same. They read ‘Meetha pahad’ aloud to enhance their reading skills.
ICT
Students worked on their coding skills using an iPad app Bee-Bot.
They were introduced to padlet, an online organizational tool and displayed their understanding of the unit on the same.
Students explored different life cycles using an iPad app and illustrated their understanding of different life cycles with the help of Book Creator or Scratch Jr.
Music
During music lessons, students learned about notes on a keyboard. They practiced the correct finger movement patterns with right hand to play a keyboard/piano.
Students played music scale of key C using the correct finger technique.
They learned and practiced playing the basic notes for the ‘Happy Birthday’ song on the keyboard.
Physical Education
Students developed their basic motor skills with the help of different lead-up activities and recreational games, which included jumping, running and hopping. Students have begun to learn new skills of push pass in soccer.
Skating lessons were focused on walking, balancing, and speeding on skates.