Clean Water and Sanitation - Walk for Water

Drawing inspiration from the labels on the drinking fountains around the school, some of the Kindergarten learners embarked on a journey to the furthest water fountain in school. The aim: to understand how far some people have to walk to have access to clean water.

A few learners found the task a chore, some complained about the heat and the distance while some needed to drink their water on the way. When they arrived in class, some realised that they no longer had any water and would need to turn around and walk back to get more!

Responsible Consumption and Production - Rubbish-Free Wednesday

On Wednesday, both Nursery and Kindergarten learners tried to do their part for the environment by bringing a snack and lunch that was waste-free on Wednesday. We saw learners who had their daily yoghurt in a reusable container, sandwiches without the wrap and a few even wrapped their food with banana and orange peels. The learners were excited to be making a difference in reducing the rubbish at the end of the day. We also took note of how much rubbish we collected on that day and will aim to reduce this throughout the term.

Good Health and Well-Being - Ensure Healthy Lives and Promote Well-being for All

Global Goal #3 connects seamlessly with our Year 1 Unit of Inquiry big idea: ‘Choices Influence Our Well-Being’. The learners made connections with different ways they can ‘be healthy’. They thought of strategies to promote their well-being and reflected on what well-being means to them. Through class discussions and collaborations, the Year 1 hub has been a buzz of rich conversations from calm down strategies, different breathing techniques and a variety of mindfulness exercises. They have experienced the importance of having a bank of ideas to help them to navigate big feelings and making sure they can share those feelings with others.

Year 3 - Taking Action and Becoming Changemakers!

This week, Year 3 spent time learning about the Global Goals and how they are connected to our Unit of Inquiry: ‘People’s Actions can Affect Others’. We discussed the importance of the goals and how as individuals and as a community, we can help to tackle problems such as poverty, hunger, inequality and climate change. They brainstormed possible actions that we can take at home and at school to help with water wastage, responsible consumption and equal rights. Although at times the problems can seem huge, we focused on the small actions we can take and how each action can make a big difference. It has been impressive to see the passion, enthusiasm and creativity they have when coming up with ideas to tackle these problems. The future is in good hands with this group of Changemakers!

Year 4 - Water is an Essential Resource

Year 4 learners have been been considering both direct and indirect ways in which we use water and how water supports life on earth. Through our reading, we became more aware of the current inequality of access to water and we wondered how our lives would change if we did not have immediate access to clean water. We found out that around 28% of the world's population still does not have easy access to safe drinking water and thought about this impact on health and education. We have reviewed ways that we can conserve water in our own daily lives to play our part in managing this vital resource.

After encountering the pollution we regularly see in the canal at the back of our school, Year 4 has been learning more about how Singapore manages its water systems to ensure that our streets are not flooded and how clean water comes about from our taps. Our observations led us to try out our own filtration experiments. Having a better understanding of the systems that enable us to enjoy clean water has helped us consider personal, local and national responsibilities towards maintaining and conserving our clean water supplies.

Together Everyone Achieves More

Global Goals has been a great opportunity for Year 5 learners to reflect how one positive action by someone can be contagious! It inspires and empowers others to join in. A group of learners were passionate about how we could reduce rubbish by encouraging our Nexus community to bring snacks and lunches that are waste-free.

Their research has proven that in just one day, we can change our habits and make better choices. The goal now is to sustain these good habits, not only at school but also at home and when we are out and about in our daily lives. Learner ideas included talking to their families about how sustainable shopping choices could help to reduce or eliminate plastic.

Our unit of inquiry 'Peace and conflict exist within and between communities' links to the global goal of 'Reduced Inequalities'. This week, learners focused on strategies that helped solve conflict and maintain peace. We viewed conflicts from each person's perspective and discussed how the conflict could end peacefully. They reflected on ways to be caring, how to compromise, communicate and show compassion.

Exploring the Past Helps us Understand the Present and Innovate for the Future

Our Unit of Inquiry into the past has given us the opportunity to look at the lessons we can learn from and how we have or have not applied them to our current day-to-day life. This week, the learners explored the Global Goals that resonated with them and identified the challenges we face to succeed in these goals. As we move towards the end of our unit in the coming weeks, we will begin to explore how innovation can help or hinder us in the future. We also enjoyed the 'What I Want to Be When I Grow Up' dress up day on Friday. A great week in all!