Oak Learning Update
Central idea: Personal choices can impact the environment.
Line of Inquiry One: An inquiry into different things that affect the environment.
We started our transdisciplinary theme, Sharing the Planet, with a knowledge harvest. We spoke about everything we know about environments.
Jude: An environment is everything that is around us.
Oscar: The temperatures can feel very different in different environments.
It was a delight to hear children reflecting on a previous transdisciplinary theme while discussing prior knowledge about the rainforest. The conversation between friends was rich. They conversed about rainfall and high temperatures before using visual prompts to compare this to other regions.
Niamh: The polar region looks freezing. If I went there I would wear lots of clothes to keep warm.
In total, we looked at four regions: rainforest, polar, desert and ocean.
Using the text 'The odd fish' we researched the impact of plastic pollution in our oceans and the impact that we, as humans, make on the global environment.
The children were shocked to know that some sea life eat the plastic in the ocean as they think they are fish, resulting in ill health.
Jaxon planned his learning during a class discussion, he wanted to make and test a water filter. He had seen this at home and spoke about how this could help the fish and sea life to live in clean oceans.
He set to work.
Firstly, we gathereed a paper towel and some plastic containers. after securing the paper towel in the plastic container he poured water, sand and rocks over the paper towel and watched in anticipation as the water passed through the towel. The paper towel ripped but Jaxon wasn't phased, he tried a different material - fabric. Success. Jaxon successfully passed dirty water through his filter, resulting in clean water.
We soon learnt that no matter where you throw litter, it will find its way back to the ocean. As a result ocean habitats and sea life are affected. Team Oak decided to tidy our school and we conducted a litter pick.
Freddie said: I can't believe how much litter is in our school!
