Hello Everyone,
This week in our Unit of Inquiry about the 3Rs, our young learners had a meaningful and exciting time exploring ways to care for our Earth! We wrapped up our first line of inquiry, “The Purpose of the 3Rs,” by reviewing the meaning of Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle through provocation, discussions, sorting activities, watching videos, and our lively 3Rs song (attached at the end of this blog). Singing together helped students become enthusiastic and reflective about how small actions can make a big difference for the environment. To deepen their understanding, students worked independently to draw different ways they can help the Earth by practicing the 3Rs. Their creative illustrations showed wonderful understanding and thoughtful connections to real-life situations. Teachers then supported students in turning their ideas into words, helping them express their thinking with confidence. During this activity, students demonstrated the learner profiles of being Knowledgeable by applying what they had learned about the 3Rs into their drawings, Thinkers as they came up with solutions to help the environment, Communicators as they shared and explained their ideas, and Caring as they showed concern for protecting our planet.
We were also very fortunate to welcome two staff members from the Ministry of Environment who visited our class to talk about recycling. Students learned that many old materials can be transformed into new useful items through recycling. For example, old plastic can become hangers, and used paper can be recycled into tissue paper. The presentation helped students make real-world connections to our inquiry and inspired them to think more deeply about how recycling helps protect the environment.
We then began exploring our second line of inquiry, “How Waste Affects the Environment.” To introduce this topic, we had a class discussion and created a mind map together to understand the meanings of the words waste and environment. Students eagerly shared their prior knowledge, ideas, and experiences, showing curiosity and excitement for learning.
Our class had a wonderful and exciting bus trip to Matsumoto Alps Park! The weather was beautiful, and everyone was full of energy and excitement from the very beginning. After getting off the bus, we carefully walked together toward the observatory tower while enjoying the fresh air and beautiful scenery around us.
When we arrived at the observatory tower, we explored each floor with curiosity and excitement. On the first floor, we saw interesting displays about nature, animals, and the environment around Matsumoto. The students enjoyed looking at the pictures, maps, and exhibits. One of the most interesting parts for many students was the emergency supplies display, where they saw the water rations, food packs, and other items prepared in case of emergency in the mountains. It helped them realize that the mountains are not only beautiful, but also a place where people must be prepared and careful.
On the second floor, the students learned even more about the Northern Alps and life in the mountains at higher altitudes. The exhibits introduced the alpine environment and how people adapted to living in these areas. The students explored displays of traditional crafts, clothing, farming tools, and everyday items used in old mountain villages around Matsumoto, helping them better understand the culture and daily life of the people who once lived there. The children enjoyed observing the exhibits and talking together about what they noticed. Finally, we climbed up to the top deck observatory, where we were amazed by the breathtaking panoramic view. We could see the beautiful mountains, the city of Matsumoto, and the wide blue sky. The students happily pointed at the scenery and enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere while appreciating the beauty of nature. After visiting the observatory tower, we walked to the play area where the students had so much fun exploring the play structures appropriate for their age. Laughter and excitement filled the park as the children climbed, slid, balanced, and played together happily with their friends. During their play, many students also became fascinated with the different insects they discovered around the park. They carefully observed the insects, excitedly shared their findings with friends and teachers. This helped the students become inquirers by showing curiosity and enthusiasm in learning more about the natural world around them. When it was time for lunch, everyone enjoyed eating the delicious lunch boxes prepared from home. The students sat together, shared conversations, and enjoyed a relaxing picnic surrounded by nature. Thank you so much, dear parents, for preparing the students’ lunch boxes. Your care and support helped make our bus trip even more special. After lunch, we continued our learning by walking around the park to pick up garbage. This activity was connected to our Unit of Inquiry about the 3Rs — Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle — as we want to help keep the Earth clean and healthy. The students carefully looked for waste and recyclable materials around the park and threw them into the recycling bins on our way to the bus parking area. Through this meaningful activity, the students demonstrated the learner profile attributes of being caring and knowledgeable by taking action to care for the environment and applying what they learned during our class discussions. After picking up the garbage, we spent time playing at the children square area where the students had another opportunity to run, climb, and enjoy active play together. After so much fun and exercise, almost all of students had already finished the water and tea in their bottles, so we refilled them at the water fountain inside the park. On our way down, we took the long roller slides and enjoyed the scenic views of the surrounding nature and the beautiful Matsumoto Valley. At the end of the day, we headed back to school tired but very happy, bringing home lots of wonderful memories, meaningful learning experiences, and joyful moments with friends.
We have writing this week as students practiced writing CVC words on the baseline three times. This activity helped the children strengthen their handwriting skills, letter formation, pencil control, and understanding of proper spacing.
During writing time, the students showed the learner profile of being Principled by carefully following the correct writing procedures, practicing neatly, and doing their best to write properly on the lines.
Lastly, during our phonics lesson, we reviewed the short vowel sounds a, e, i, o, and u. The students sorted pictures of CVC words according to their middle vowel sound. They showed the learner profile attribute of being inquirers as they carefully listened, thought critically, and identified which vowel sound each word should have.
Next week, we will continue our inquiry into how waste affects the environment. We will visit the Clean Center to deepen our understanding of how we can care for the Earth and manage waste responsibly. The students are excited to learn more about protecting our environment through real-life experiences.
We are also looking forward to our rice planting activity next Friday, where students will have the opportunity to experience planting rice and appreciate the importance of nature, farming, and caring for our resources.
The 3Rs song-https://youtu.be/5V3ap8QrLJg?feature=shared
Have a wonderful weekend ISN families!
