New Unit: Express Yourself!

Central Idea:

We express ourselves in many ways and this helps us connect with one another.

Lines of Inquiry:

• How language, music and visual arts help us express ourselves and build connections with others (connection)
• Sharing ideas and being good listeners helps us build understanding (perspective)
• Taking time to reflect helps us practice slowing down so that we can make connections with what we see and hear (reflection)

The children shared their beginning understanding of what the words "express yourself" means:

"don't go away"

"think about things"

"don't give away your ideas"

"fly"

"drink water"

I explained that expressing yourself is sharing ideas, thoughts, and feelings and there are many ways we can do this. I asked "If I had a really important idea to share with you how could I do that?" The children's beginning knowledge is "Tell us (with words)" "Take a picture of it" (photography). 

Two great ideas! 

We explored other ways we can express ourselves: literature, poetry, songs, music, dance, and art. Why do we care about expressing ourselves? "It's like being generous." said Pippa. Sharing important ideas, thoughts and feelings helps us connect with one another, helps us understand each other and strengthens our relationships to each other and the world. 

The next 7 weeks of inquiry the children will be choosing topics and ideas that are important to them, researching and learning more about it, and then exploring different ways to express this to help them grow their sense of the arts (performing, visual, written).