This week in the Savanna Class, we began exploring the idea of what a family is. The children shared their thoughts and experiences, helping us understand that families can look different for everyone. Through discussions and activities, we started identifying who is in our families and how we are connected to the people who care for us.
To begin the unit, we engaged in a provocation activity by looking at pictures of families doing different activities. The students carefully observed each image and shared what they noticed, what they liked, and what they thought was happening. They also discussed what kind of group the people might be. The children shared thoughtful ideas such as, “They are washing something,” “Hugging a baby,” and “Someone has a bag.” Some students also added, “They are good people” and “They are wonderful people.” This helped us begin thinking about relationships and roles within families. The children also chose one picture and acted out what was happening, making the activity even more engaging and meaningful.
To assess their prior knowledge about families, the students drew pictures of their own families and talked about each member. They answered questions like: “Who is in your family?”, “What do you do at home?”, and “Who helps you at home?” This encouraged students to think more deeply about the different roles people have at home.
In another activity, “Who lives in your house?”, the children created a craft. First, they made a house by folding an A3 paper, following step-by-step instructions from the teacher. They were very proud of themselves when they successfully created their houses. Then, they cut out and pasted pictures of their family members inside. As they worked, they thought about who lives in their house, who sleeps there, and who shares meals together. This hands-on activity helped them express their understanding of family structures in a creative way.
During our phonics lesson, we played a fun and interactive Letter Match Hunt to build letter recognition skills. The children were given uppercase and lowercase letter cards and worked to find matching pairs. After finding their matches, each child recited the letter and its sound. Everyone participated actively and showed great enthusiasm for learning.
The students also enjoyed both indoor and outdoor play. Indoors, they had fun using playdough to create different shapes such as candy, dresses, and stars. Outdoors, they especially enjoyed playing in the sandpit and engaging in pretend play, such as hosting parties, cooking, and making cakes with their friends. Others loved running, chasing games, and playing with hoops.
It has been a wonderful start to our unit, with students actively participating, sharing their ideas, and learning more about the important roles people play in their lives. We look forward to continuing this journey as the children deepen their understanding of themselves, their families, and the world around them.
