Journeys
Where we are in place and time
We are excited for the holidays, but this means that we are thinking about our next unit for the new year. As many of you will be taking trips to visit family around the world over the holidays, our next unit of inquiry will be "Journeys", which will begin in January. We will be looking at how we get to school, how we travel around our city, different types of transport, and previous holidays we have had. The inquiry will depend on the journeys the children wish to explore. Maybe some children will explore travel to other countries, while others will explore travelling into space! Perhaps you already have some ideas to share with your child.
Unit Length:
Beginning 4th January 2016, for 6-8 weeks.
Central Idea:
Journeys and explorations can influence us in a broad range of ways.
An inquiry into:
- Different kinds of journeys and explorations
- Reasons for journeys and explorations
- Reflecting on the ways journeys and exploration can affect us
The learner profile attributes we will be focusing on are:
- Knowledgeable
- inquirer
Students can explore this theme through some of the following:
Where in world have we been?
Starting with exploring Berlin, and talking about different countries we have travelled to;
- How long was the trip?
- How many modes of transport did it take?
- Is there a time difference?
We can build our own city!
By exploring Berlin we can look at the different ways people can travel around the city, and build our own;
- How are train tracks designed?
- How many trains run in Berlin?
And make our own vehicles!
Looking at what vehicles need to work and designing our own modes of transport;
- What materials can we use?
- How many wheels does it need?
How can you help?
There are many ways in which parents can support the unit of inquiry at home:
- Researching in books; on the internet; discussing the theme over your evening meal,
- When on trips, or on the way to school, look for different modes of transport; Who can find the most?
- Timing how long it takes to get to school in the morning; or using different modes of transport
- Contact your child's teacher for further ideas