Specific Activities for Meeting Learning Objectives

(1) Students complete a a log for  a one week period during, both at home and school, noting ways in which they reduce waste.

This will support in achieving the social development learning objective (4). As students carry this out, and during further recycling activities, the teacher will ask probing questions, including information relating to the impacts of waste. This will contribute towards meeting social development learning objective (1). Also the art part of the STEAM objective.

As part of this, they can note the number of individual items their family recycled each day. Days can then be compared numerically as the log is discussed, which will help meet the mathematics learning objective. This idea could be taken further, with bar graphs for example introduced.

(2) Alongside the completing of the log, the class will work together to sort waste in the classroom, including bringing in recycling from home.

Together (1) and (2) here will also support the Grade 3 students in their objectives of implementing measures to sort waste at school and processes to salvage waste material. The English words, "reduce", "reuse" and "recycle" will be practiced here, for English learning objective (1).

(3) Students will talk to different members of staff around the campus to ask them questions about the waste they produce. The exact questions can be designed by students themselves, with teacher support if necessary.

This is supporting the Chinese (and English) development learning objective (2). It is also practicing the 21st century skill of communication. 

After doing this, they can meet with the Grade 3 students to discuss findings, supporting the Grade 3 students in their goal of identifying how much waste the school is producing. Depending on how closely the timelines of the two projects align, our students could even collaberate with the third graders in interviewing people around school.

(4) As students consider the different properties of materials, they can carry out activities to investigate these. There will be a discussion with students to consider possible activities themselves. Materials could be dropped, bent and stretched, with observations recorded. English could be used as a focus during these activities.

This could support in meeting English learning objective (1). Also the science part of the STEAM learning objectives.

(5) As the core activity students will then work in groups to discuss and design their construction, as outlined.

This will contribute towards meeting the engineering component of the STEAM learning objectives.  The teacher will discuss the work with the students as they go, and much discussion will be done with English input, which will contribute towards meeting English language learning objectives (3) and (4) and also Chinese (and English) learning objective (1). Finally, as they will be practicing their motor skills in the construction, the physical development learning objective will be contributed towards.

Throughout this process, there will be the opportunity for students to meet and discuss work with the Grade 3 students, sharing reflections and experiences.

(6) Once the construction is finished, students can make a digital collage of the photos of their process.

This helps contribute towards the technology learning objective.

(7) Based on student preference, they will now present their work.

They can create an exhibit, showcasing it. However, there will then be flexibility for them to draw pictures of make a book showcasing the process, or even vocally or through music, present it.

There can again be collaberation with the Grade 3 students on showcasing the work.

Throughout the process, the teacher can discuss the work with individual students.

All this will help meet the arts learning objective as well as Chinese (and English) language objective 1.

(8) As a project conclusion, students will do a self-assessment and peer-assessment. This helps them meet the Social Development learning objectives (2) and (3).