News from K1/Hummingbirds February 4 to February 22, 2013

Our Unit of Inquiry for the 3^rd term ‘Air, Food and Water’

Transdisciplinary theme of ‘Sharing the Planet.’

Central Idea:  ‘We share resources of air food and water with other living things.’

Over the past three weeks we have exploring:

What are living and non-living things and what do they need to live?

How do living things use air, food and water where do they come from?

·         Ocean and pond animals

·         Plant and animal life

·         Growing beans

·         The simple water cycle – clouds, rain, evaporation

·         Observing flowers in and out of water

·         Dissolving salt in water and observing evaporation

·         The food chain

·         From farm to market

·         Completing assessment tasks

AIR, FOOD and WATER DIARY

Thank you for working with your child to complete the air, food and water diary showing how your child used these resources at home during one day or over a week.   Thank you to those people who have completed the diary already.  Your support helps to build your child’s awareness of the importance of our earth’s air, food and water.   Please use pictures, photos or drawings.

(sample attached)

IMPORTANT NOTICE:  Please be reminded that Show and Tell is a very important part of the program.  Show and Tell is your child’s special time to tell us about something he/she has brought in.  Show and Tell this term must be something relating to ‘Air, Food and Water’.  Please look at the inquiry schedule to help you and your child choose something related to the current week’s study. 

PE is Monday and Wednesday:  Your child must wear shorts and PE shoes.

Library books:  Please kindly encourage your child to take responsibility for the library book that they choose each week.  Each week the book must be returned so they can choose another one.

Thank you

K1 Team

Happy Chinese New Year to all children and parents!!

Observation and Discovery road trip to the MBC on way to International Day February 1st 2013

News from K1/H’birds January 14 to Feb 1, 2013

Welcome back to Semester 2, Term 3.   

Thank you to those who brought in show and tell items from your Christmas holidays or relating to our new unit of inquiry.  Please be reminded that Show and Tell is a very important and necessary part of the program.  Show and Tell is your child’s special time to tell us about something.  

          The central idea of our inquiry is into:   

‘We share resources with other living things’.  

An inquiry into: What living things need;

How our air, food and water can change; and

Showing responsibility for our air, food and water.

Please collect pictures, photos or information about air, food and water for your child to show and tell about. You have already received a schedule of our program in your communication folder.

Thank you for your participation in our International Day celebrations and completing our road trip observation form.  From feedback I have received, it was an enjoyable and beneficial activity on the way up to the MBC.  The group of children that came with the teachers also observed an abundance of resources just around the buildings on campus. 

The children also made us proud singing ‘It’s a small world on the stage.’ It was an enjoyable and happy day with so much delicious food from different countries.  Thank you to all parents who cooked food and to all parents who attended.  Your support is much appreciated. 

This term’s Unit of Inquiry, Air, Food and Water is our science unit and teaches very important topics to stimulate your child’s interest in our environment. We ask for your cooperation to work with your child in different parent/child observation activities this UOI. 

In the coming 2 weeks, you will also receive an A3 diary page to complete with your child at home showing how you observed and/or used air, food and water.  You may use drawings, photos or written words.

K1 Hummingbirds Library day is Friday: 

PE is Wednesdays and Fridays:  Your child must wear shorts and PE shoes.

Thank you,  

K1 Team

A letter to parents

January 18, 2013

Dear Parents,

Our Unit of Inquiry for third term, 2^nd semester beginning January 28, 2013 is,

“Air, Food and Water”

The central idea is: 

                 “We share resources with other living things”!

Our inquiry is into: 

What living things need…  (air, food & water)

How our resources can change

Show responsibility for our resources

We encourage all parents to discuss this unit at home.  Some things to try: 

• Share stories about air, food and water.
• Discuss the different ways you use air, food and water as a family (such as breathing, eating, drinking and washing).
• Where does our air, food and water come from?
• Discuss ways your family can protect and save our air, food and  water in your home and in our environment.

Please have your children think about the above questions and please help them to collect pictures, photos or information about air, food and water to show and tell about.

Your support for your child’s learning is greatly appreciated.

Thanking you,

Kdg. 1 Team

หัวข้อที่นักเรียนจะได้ศึกษาในเทอมนี้คือ อากาศ อาหารและ น้ำ ซึ่งภายใต้หัวข้อนี้นักเรียนทุกคนจะได้เรียนรู้ว่าสิ่งมีชีวิตต้องการอะไร อากาศ อาหาร และน้ำสามารถเปลี่ยนแปลงเป็นอะไรได้บ้าง การแสดงความรับผิดชอบต่อการรักษาสิ่งแวดล้อมนั้น(อากาศ อาหารและ น้ำ) ควรทำอย่างไร

                                                                                                                     ขอบคุณค่ะ

Air, Food and Water

UNIT OF INQUIRY    SEMESTER 2 TERM 3              JANUARY 2013             

TRANSDISCIPLINARY THEME: Sharing the Planet

TITLE:  ‘Air, Food and Water’   

Central Idea:  ‘We share resources with other living things.’

(8 weeks)

An inquiry into:    

What living things need ….. (air, food and water)

How our resources can change

Showing responsibility for our resources (air, food and water)

SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITIES

January  28  –  February  8       

Tuning in:

1.  What is alive and not alive?  (living things and non-living things)

2.  What do living things need?  And why?      (2 weeks)

Mind map of what we need and why?

What do other living things need and why? (animals and plants)

Exploring air, food and water

Plant and animal life – in oceans, ponds and on land

Preparing flowers in water and not in water

Planting beans and watching them grow –

Make a magic water bottle!

Observation and discovery road trip to MBC for International Day Friday Feb 1^st, 2013.  What did I learn about the air, food and water resources in the area. 

(Reflection picture of road trip to MBC)

February  11 to  March  1

1. How do living things use air, food and water and where do they come from?   (3 weeks)

a.  Mind map of how living things use air, food and water?

Air –  breathe

Food – Eat to live/grow – Food chain

Water - Drinking, cooking, washing and cleaning

Watering plants and crops 

Living creatures in oceans, ponds (salt water and fresh water) and on land

b. Finding out where air, food and water come from;    

Air - What is it? Where is it? Can you feel it? Can you smell it? When is it good and bad.  (smell)

Food – Where do you get your food from?  Farms, markets – Food chain

Water - Simple water cycle principle.  Clouds - rivers - oceans

    

March 4  - March 8   

3.  How do air, food and water change?  (1 week)

Liquids changing – physical, shape, gases and solids – (ice, steam) 

Experiments 

Fruit juice smoothies

Dehydrated foods

How food/plants/animals decay (circle of life)

March 11 – 22   How can we look after what we need (air, food and water)?  (2 weeks)

Assessment                                                                         

Talking about and reflecting on;

 How can we help to keep the air clean?

 How can we help to save and protect food sources?

 How we can save water and keep it clean?

Classroom focus:  Tell our families NOT to light fires

Recycle your paper, plastic and bottles

Don’t put rubbish into rivers and canals

 Reflect on unit: What we have learned/discovered

Students will choose pictures and match them to the Teacher Questions on a mind map.

 Evaluated with a rubric and self assessment rubric  

CLOSURE

End of term March 29,  2013

4^th Term begins April 22,  2013

Mark your calendar:   Student Led Conference May 1, 2013

Children having fun on Christmas Day with their parents, friends and Santa!!