What is a Pioneer?
Our first Unit of Inquiry theme is that Pioneers Drive Change!!!
Our challenge: How can we make a change in the world around us?
We read the story Ada's Violin and learned how her world changed.
From award-winning author Susan Hood and illustrator Sally Wern Comport comes the extraordinary true tale of the Recycled Orchestra of Paraguay, an orchestra made up of children playing instruments built from recycled trash. Ada Rios grew up in Cateura, a small town in Paraguay built on a landfill. She dreamed of playing the violin, but with little money for anything but the bare essentials, it was never an option...until a music teacher named Favio Chavez arrived. He wanted to give the children of Cateura something special, so he made them instruments out of materials found in the trash. It was a crazy idea, but one that would leave Ada and her town forever changed. Now, the Recycled Orchestra plays venues around the world, spreading their message of hope and innovation." GOOGLE
Throughout the year, please make connections with our International Baccalaureate themes in your daily conversations. Encourage your child to be independent. Ask them questions like: What could we do here? What is the best choice? Have them discuss different ways solve their problems. Encourage them to be Open-Minded and Think about other perspectives.
THINKER
Take initiative to think about problems critically and creatively to make reasonable, ethical decisions.
We learned that Benjamin Franklin was a Thinker and an Inquirer.
We learned that Benjamin Franklin set goals for himself. We set some of our own goals.
INQUIRER
Have a natural curiosity and learn to acquire skills necessary to research independently. You actively enjoy and love learning and want to continue to do this throughout your lifetime.
We used our Inquiry skills and Thinker skills to make a plan for a change. We read the story The Three Billy Goats Gruff and inquired how they could make a change and get from the land with no food to the land with food. This story is similar to our THINKER text The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind because they both needed to make a change to provide food for their family. The students worked in collaborative groups to communicate about how they can solve this problem.
They made a plan, built, discussed ways to improve, and then built again.
We can build a tunnel to get from the side with no food to the side with food.
We can build a swing to get across.
We can build a transporter to go inside and get transported to the other side with food.
We could tickle the troll with funny hair and make him laugh so that he will let us go to the side with food.
PRINCIPLED
Act with integrity and a strong sense of integrity and respect for the dignity of all people and groups. You take responsibility for your own actions and the resulting consequences. Ask questions to help your student take responsibility for their learning. Have your child be responsible for their school materials such as daily folders and agenda.
We worked with partners to solve problems and share how we can be principled.
CARING
I care about how other people feel. I help people when they need me. I make a positive difference in the world around me. What can I do as a parent to help promote this attribute? Volunteer with the school, classroom, or PTA/PAWS events. Ask the teacher how you can support him/her in their classroom.
We brainstormed ways that we can show caring for others.
COMMUNICATOR
Understand and express ideas and information confidently and creatively in more than one language and in a variety of ways. You are willing to work in collaboration with others. What can I do as a parent to help promote this attribute? Communicate with your student about their day. What did you learn today? Can you show me how to do that math problem? Always email or call the teacher with questions, concerns, or positive messages!
Here are some new vocabulary words that we learned when reading our text.
We practiced working in collaborative groups to communicate our ideas using kind and respectful voices. We will continue to practice working together as a team.
We are keeping our inquiring minds on task throughout the day by taking mini brain breaks throughout the day to help us stay Balanced and focused.
Students are learning to be reflective through morning and afternoon meeting activities. Please help your learner reflect on their learning daily and encourage them to extend their learning at home.
We are continuing our baseline assessments and plan to start our differentiated math and reading groups in the next week. Please be on the look out for our data folders soon and let me know if you need additional resources to practice skills at home.
Thank you for your continued support to make EVERYDAY a FaNtAsTiC ToDAy!! :0)