We have officially started our final unit of inquiry for this year: exploring animal habitats and the environments they need to survive. We have an animal-loving group this year, so I get the feeling this one will be a hit! We recently wrapped up our unit on sound with the creation of musical instruments using nothing but recycled materials. First, the students planned out their design by drawing and labeling the different parts they would need. Then, they got to work assembling! It was great fun to see all of the creative instruments they made. Now that our sound unit is finished, we can start learning about animal habitats! The students were given several provocations this week: first, they were challenged to create animal habitats using some learning kits we recently acquired. As I circled around, I spoke with each student and had them explain why they built the habitat the way they did. Their answers were enlightening! They're already thinking about safety and shelter, and we can now reflect on our initial discoveries since the habitats they built were photographed and are now hanging in our classroom. We'll refer back to them as we go, and will continue to document our learning. Secondly, the students were given some 'Mix and Match' animals. With this kit, they could 'build' an animal using different animal parts (head of an elephant, body of a cheetah, etc.). The students created an animal, then drew it along with the habitat it might need. This created some interesting inquiries: if the animal has the head of a lion, what kind of food would it need? Since it has the feet of a crocodile, where might it live? Students defended their answers and created some very silly creatures! We've also been working hard on our CVC words, most recently through the use of word ladders. A word ladder is an activity where one word transforms into another by changing one letter for each rung of the ladder. For example, the word 'cat' could become the word 'dog' like this: cat, cot, dot, dog. The students enjoy sounding out each word, and the extra challenge of finding the letter that changed keeps things interesting. In addition to our musical instruments and word work, the students have been working hard in preparation for our Intercultural Fair. The country we're studying is South Africa (where I did my student teaching!), and the students are creating South African animals out of air dry clay and beans. These will be displayed on our table during the Fair, along with the board displaying all the fun facts we've learned! Learning about the animals in South Africa has also sparked in interest in conservation. When students learned that rhinos are an endangered species, they wanted to take ACTION! We started by making posters declaring the need to SAVE THE RHINOS!, which are now hanging prominently in the hallway for everyone to see. We have plans to create videos and write letters explaining why the rhinos need to be saved, and I can't wait to see just how big our rhino conservation project can get. Spring Break will be here before we know it, and the end of the school year will be here before too long as well. Our incredible students have shown so much growth and excitement for learning; I am thrilled to get to teach them each and every day!
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May 2024
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