Year 3

Where We Are in Place and Time

UOI 5 Culmination Project

Year 3’s fifth unit of inquiry was Where We Are in Place and Time. The central idea of this unit is “Exploration leads to discoveries about the world and its people”. The lines inquiry for this unit:

• The different reasons to explore.

• The contribution of explorers and exploration to changes in society.

• The ways people continue to explore the world in which they live.

At the end of the unit, students created a culmination project and presented it to their peers in their class. In the culmination project, students chose an explorer from the past, then they did research, after that, they created a presentation about their chosen explorer. To present their explorer, they chose their presentation format such as PowerPoint presentation, video, role, play, etc. Students presented their project enthusiastically to their classmates. Students demonstrated pride in their presentations.

The Arts in Me

In art lessons, Year 3 were the inquirers creating drawings of landscapes that people may have explored in real life. Then, we also drew the vehicles that people may use to explore these certain landscapes. We used pastel crayons for colouring. We watched tutorial videos from the easiest to the most complicated ones and challenged ourselves to follow the drawing and colouring.

The Shadow Puppets

After doing some simple science experiments about light, Year 3 students expressed their creativity about how light may alter an image. Students researched, explored, practised for a week and recorded their findings. A week after, students presented their shadow puppets confidently and creatively. Science happens every day, and they know it. This activity proved that learning can bring so much fun and meaning. Congratulations, Year 3 students!

Indonesian Studies - Indonesian Traditional Dance and Song

In Indonesian Studies lessons, students who are not Indonesian were showing their open-mindedness when learning Indonesian cultural art form. We explored Indonesian traditional dances and songs from the different provinces. Students were being an inquirer when practicing doing the dance and singing the song. Some of the dances are Tari Piring from West Sumatra and Tari Saman from Aceh. Anshu was singing the Sipatokaan from North Sulawesi and Eden sang Burung Kakatua from Maluku. It was very fun being a dancer and singer!

Here is their performance:

Learn From Famous Artists

For our last unit of inquiry, how we express ourselves, students explored their knowledge of many great artists and their artistic techniques. Students learned about many artists and their contributions to many important art movements. Students were able to expand their understanding through attempting to create their own version of famous art pieces. Students created Vincent van Goghs' Starry Night, Edvard Munchs' The Scream, Gustav Klimts' The Kiss, Leonardo da Vincis' Mona Lisa, and Georgia O’Keefees' Flowers. We also used music meditation to help guide our students' artistic process. Students approached these learning tasks with enthusiasm and creativity. This learning task was a nice ending to a challenging school year. Fortunately, in the end, our year 3 GJS students showed how exceptional and adaptable they can be.

Consolidation of a Challenging, Yet Successful School Year

Year 3 finally had the opportunity to come together in person, even if for a short period of time. The year 3 team created a safe socially distanced get together. Parents and students were able to drive up to four stations to finally meet their teacher in person. The four stations involved role playing, singing, drawing and finally an end of the year souvenir. The station choices were based on our final unit of inquiry, how we express ourselves. This final learning task helped year 3 to consolidate this challenging, but successful school year. Everyone involved was clearly happy to see the other members of the GJS community in real life. We all reiterated our enthusiasm for someday finally being together at school again.