New Unit: Water Wonders!

How We Share The Planet

Central Idea:

The decisions people make about water affects everyone.

Line of Inquiry:

The water cycle (function)

The impact of humans on water sources (responsibility)

Coast Salish use and connections to the local waterways (connection)

We all met today to talk about the new unit and the summative activity the children will do at the end of the unit; they will create a 3D mural of a landscape featuring bodies of water. The children will work together on the mural to plan and build a community and share a contribution to fishing, housing, drinkable water, ponds, animal life, plants, transportation, and ways to cross the water.

To assess what the children know about water each child offered a fact which was recorded on a rain drop. The rain drops were grouped into common themes: function, what we do with water, and where we find water. This is one way the teachers will launch their planning for the upcoming weeks of inquiry.

what's your idea?

sorting ideas

Is this ALL we know?

Row Row Row Your Boat

Another way to row

Preparing for the Potlatch

Yesterday there were four children in the Fire Group who started stringing bracelets for our gift to give away at the potlatch tomorrow. We needed to make 25 and it seemed like a daunting amount.

Today there were seven children who continued the work. We needed to make 17 more bracelets. After a few minutes the bracelets were finished and Sophia and Simone noticed how quick that was compared to yesterday. Together we concluded that the more people there are to share the work the less work each of us needs to do - a very important discovery amongst people who work and live together!

"I'll help you."

A lovely discussion took place while the children worked, the topic - what work do you want to do when you grow up?

Simone - "A vet"

Alfie - "A fireman"

Sofia - "I like to fix cars"

Esme - "I don't know yet"

Bela - "Don't know"

Grace - "A fireman" (but after icing the cake she decided to be a cake decorator)

Julia - "A gymnastics teacher and a ballet teacher"

The children helped to ice the cake and decided on how it should be decorated.

We're all ready for the potlatch!!

Who Are We Anyways?

The transdisciplinary theme for this unit is Who We Are and while we've been focusing on one aspect (we are generous beings) today's assessment provided an opportunity for the children to connect their understanding of who they are in the world.

The children came up with all these possibilities of who we are.

The children created individual posters expressing who they are and worked carefully and at length both in thinking of who they are and in decorating their poster.

Some of the children felt they couldn't draw a picture to represent the words. Simone came up with the idea to colour in the circle choosing a colour that represents that idea. For example, pink was the colour she chose to represent "I am a ballerina" This idea shows her connection to the previous colour unit and how people use colour. Many of the other children liked this idea and used it too

The children's work is displayed in the room, we invite you to come and see who we are

How Can We Be Generous At Home and School?

The story Piggybook by Anthony Brown is a non-example of generosity, it's about how a family is not generous to the mom who has to do all the work. The Piggot boys didn't appreciate the work Mrs. Piggot did and didn't help.

At the beginning of of group time many of the children couldn't think of how they were helpful at home. Sofia, Esme and Alfie all thought of times they helped their moms cook something.

"I get my clothes ready for gymnastics." - Julia

"I don't really help at home but my mommy helps me. I don't know how I could be helpful but I can be helpful if my mommy asks me to do something I do it." - Simone

After reading Piggybook and watching a Youtube video of a 6 year old girl doing chores at home the children came up with ideas of jobs they can do all by themselves to help and care for their family . . .

"Clean the playroom" - Julia

"Clean the windows" - Simone, Sofia ad Esme

"Clean the furniture with a cloth" - Alfie

How can we show this generosity at school? The children referred to the Service Learning List and remembered all the ways they can be helpful at school.

Choosing a service learning job

Folding towels

Folding sheets

Cleaning chairs

Being generous brings us together

More On Sharing

Opinion Chart: Do You Always Have to Share?

Simone helped create this chart showing her understanding that there are many possible answers to a question. The children expressed their opinion and when Julia claimed she had the "right" answer we were able to talk about how these charts are not about finding the right answer but to better understand each others perspective; it's okay if we have different answers as long as our answer is the right one for us.

opinion chart

What's your opinion?

The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister may seem a simple story about sharing but it is rich for philosophical discussions. When the other fish try to play with Rainbow Fish he ignores them, feeling too beautiful to be bothered by others. When the little blue fish asks for a shiny scale Rainbow Fish's response is sharp and mean "Get away from me!"

"That's not friendly!" - Alfie. 

"Yes, that's rude!" - Sofia

I wondered with the children if the reason behind the other fish refusing to play with Rainbow Fish was because of how he responded to the little blue fish or was it because he wouldn't share. They had mixed responses.

listening to the story

Yesterday the children recognised that they have some things that
they would find very difficult to share.

"I could never share my doggie, it has to stay on my bed for sleeping, it's very important." - Esme

"It's hard for me to share my bed with my mom or my dad because the blankets get stuck down and I can't get my stuffies all around up top." - Julia

Bela agreed, his horse would be very difficult to share.

The children came up with an idea of what they could say if someone wanted to share something that was really important to them and they didn't want to. How could they deliver this message with care?

"No thank you, maybe later when I want to share."

To Share Or Not To Share . . .

The children know that sharing is an act of generosity and they have some definite ideas  

regarding "the rules" of generosity . . . or do they?

I presented two puppets - the scene: they are at school and stay in at recess to help the teacher tidy the room. When they're done the teacher tells them she has a snack for them but she has to go to the office. She wants them to wait until she's gone before they eat their snack. Sofia and Simone helped the puppets lift the lids to reveal the snack and discovered that one of the plates was empty. "Oh no!" exclaimed Alfie. What should they do? Almost simultaneously Simone and Alfie said "Share!" and Sofia picked up the sandwich and quickly ripped it in half and gave one to each of the puppets.

A yummy sandwich!

Oh no! There's nothing!

They should share

I asked the children if that's what they would do and they said yes "We have to share." 

We watched a clip on Youtube called The Sharing Experiment to see an actual experiment where real children were faced with this dilemma. 

Here's the link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUPzr2MGKMs

Why do we share?

Everyone agreed - because it feels good and happy and proud

Do you have to share? "Yes!"they said enthusiastically. Always? "I think so . . . "

After reading Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister we discussed how hard it was for Rainbow Fish to share   his shiny scales. Is there something you have that you wouldn't want to share?

"My stuffie dog." - Sofia

"My bunny rabbit." - Alfie

"My wings, I really like them and everyone wants them and I say no. But I only have one pair of wings and Rainbow Fish has lots of scales so he should share." - Simone

We will explore Rainbow Fish's philosophical dilemma further!

Sharing Our Talents

Sharing Our Talents is an Act of Generosity

We all have talents that we can share with others and we have experienced 

the benefits of others sharing their talents with us.

Yesterday Simone asked me "Wendy, what is your talent?" I shared the story of how growing up my mom made excellent peanut butter cookies and she shared this talent with me and I learned how to make these delicious cookies.

reading my mom's recipe

Today I showed the children how to make peanut butter cookies and they helped measure, pour, mix and roll the dough into little balls and then flatten them with a fork.  We made so many cookies that there was enough to share with all the other children - another act of generosity!

rolling balls

flattening with a fork

Leading a discussion, I asked the children about their parent's talents and if they've shown them how to do something. Here are their responses:

"My dad taught me how to ski at Whistler cabin." - Esme

"My mom showed me how to make cupcakes and cookies, that's her talent. My dad taught me how to ski at Grouse Mountain." - Simone

"My dad showed me how to make sausages and mommy showed me how to paint a picture." - Alfie

"My dad taught me how to make sprinkle cupcakes." - Sofia

"My mommy showed me how to make sugar cookies." - Bela

The children recorded this in their journals.