Hello Everyone,

We warmly welcome you to another exciting week of learning in the Milky Way class! As we continue our inquiry under the Transdisciplinary Theme: How We Organize Ourselves, students have been discovering how teamwork enables people to achieve common goals. Through meaningful learning experiences, they are beginning to understand that successful teamwork is built on communication, cooperation, shared responsibility, and respect for one another’s ideas.

This week, our inquiry focused on Line of Inquiry 1: There are roles and responsibilities in a team.

Students worked collaboratively in small groups to create and perform role plays. Each group leader selected a different scenario, and together, the children discussed the problem, explored possible solutions, decided on roles, planned their dialogue, and prepared their performance.

Throughout this process, students naturally developed their Approaches to Learning (ATL) Skills, particularly their Communication Skills and Social Skills. They practiced listening to different perspectives, expressing their own ideas with confidence, encouraging one another, negotiating roles, making shared decisions, and working cooperatively toward a common goal. It was inspiring to see students applying their understanding of teamwork in authentic situations, demonstrating that collaboration is about valuing every team member’s contribution while working together to achieve success.

As we revisited our KWL Chart, students continued to deepen their inquiry by asking thoughtful questions, including:

• Why is teamwork important?
• How can I be a good teammate?
• What happens when everyone helps?
• What happens if people do not work together?

Students also reflected on their growing understanding by sharing ideas such as, “Teamwork helps us finish cleaning faster,” and “Good communication makes teamwork better.” These reflections became valuable additions to our KWL Chart and showed how students are constructing new understanding through discussion and experience.

One of the highlights of this unit has been watching the children’s confidence as inquirers continue to grow. Their questions have become increasingly thoughtful, demonstrating stronger Thinking Skills as they wonder, predict, reason, and make meaningful connections between classroom learning and everyday life.

To further strengthen these skills, we continue our daily ATL goal-setting routine. During our Morning Circle, students select one ATL skill they would like to intentionally practice throughout the day. Using real-life situation photographs, they identify authentic situations and set personal goals such as:

“Today, I will practice my Social Skills by sharing toys with my friends.”

“Today, I will practice my Communication Skills by using a loud and clear voice.”

“Today, I will practice my Thinking Skills by trying again when something feels challenging.”

At the end of the day, students revisit these goals during our Afternoon Circle. They reflect on how they demonstrated their chosen skill in real situations, celebrate their successes, and recognize areas where they can continue to grow. Their efforts are celebrated with a special medal, reinforcing that learning is a journey of continuous growth rather than perfection.

These daily reflections have also helped students develop the IB Learner Profile Attributes of being Open-minded, Communicators, and Reflective learners. By intentionally practicing these attributes each day, students are learning that positive actions, thoughtful choices, and caring relationships help create a strong learning community where everyone can succeed together.

 Upcoming Sports Festival: Growing Through Teamwork

Our learning about teamwork extended beyond the classroom as students continued preparing for the upcoming Sports Festival.

The cooler weather this week provided comfortable conditions for practice, allowing students to remain focused, energetic, and fully engaged during the rehearsal. This rehearsal provided meaningful opportunities to strengthen Social Skills by cooperating with others, Communication Skills by listening carefully and responding to instructions, and Thinking Skills by remembering sequences and adjusting their movements when needed. We were delighted to see students encouraging one another and celebrating each other’s progress along the way. We are incredibly proud of how much confidence the children have already gained. Every practice is helping them become more responsible, cooperative, and reflective learners.

 Learning Through Real-Life Experiences: Earthquake Drill at the Pool

One of this week’s most meaningful learning experiences took place during our school pool water play.

While students were enjoying the water, the earthquake alarm suddenly sounded as part of our emergency drill. Immediately, students stopped playing, remained calm, and gathered safely in the designated corner of the pool while waiting for further instructions. Once the shaking had “stopped,” teachers guided students out of the pool safely before gathering together on the artificial turf beside the pool. Rather than simply practicing the procedure, students were encouraged to think deeply about why each safety step is important. Together, we discussed what could happen during a real earthquake. Students considered possibilities such as buildings or playground structures collapsing, pool water shaking and splashing, and why moving to a wide, open space like the parking lot would be the safest choice. One question quickly captured everyone’s attention:

“What should we do about our shoes if they are still inside the collapsed building?”

The discussion that followed beautifully demonstrated students’ growing Thinking Skills and student agency. They explored different possibilities, evaluated each other’s ideas, and worked together to solve the problem. One student suggested asking firefighters to come with a hammer tool to break through obstacles when the building collapse to retrieve the shoes. Another proposed wrapping towels around their feet for protection. Finally, one student suggested bringing their shoes outside with them before pool time so they would already be available if an emergency occurred. The class thoughtfully considered the different ideas and agreed that bringing their shoes outside with their towels was the safest and most practical solution. It was wonderful to see students taking ownership of their learning and recognizing that everyone can contribute valuable ideas when solving real-life problems together. This experience reminded us that inquiry does not only happen during lessons, it also happens when students reflect on authentic situations, ask meaningful questions, and work collaboratively to make informed decisions. From our next water play session onward, students will bring their shoes outside together with their towels before entering the pool area. This small but important change demonstrates how their thinking and inquiry have led to a practical action that helps keep everyone safe and prepared in the event of a real emergency.

 Play at the Park

Although we were unable to enjoy our scheduled water play because of the morning rain, we were fortunate that the weather became cloudy in the afternoon, allowing us to walk to the park instead. Before play began, our Milky Way class leader confidently reminded everyone of the playground agreements, demonstrating responsibility and leadership by helping our class stay safe while having fun. During free play, an interesting moment of student agency emerged. While some students explored the playground equipment, a few decided to practice for an upcoming race. Their enthusiasm quickly inspired others to join in, and soon classmates were encouraging and cheering one another as they practiced together. It was wonderful to see students making their own choices, supporting their peers, and recognizing that everyone’s encouragement can help others grow in confidence. Through these authentic interactions, students continued to develop collaboration, communication, and a sense of community while learning through play.

Vineyard Visit: Learning Through Nature

Last week, our Milky Way class had a wonderful visit to the vineyard! Students carefully protected their own Shine Muscat grapes by placing specially decorated paper bags over each bunch. Seeing their names and grape drawings hanging in the vineyard made the experience even more meaningful and helped students feel connected to the grapes they are caring for. We are excited to return to the vineyard in September to harvest the grapes and see how much they have grown. The vineyard also became a place for joyful exploration. Students excitedly discovered frogs and eagerly shared their findings with teachers and classmates. They demonstrated wonderful Social Skills by taking turns observing the frogs, respecting living things, inviting friends to join in the discovery, and celebrating each other’s excitement. Moments like these help children build positive relationships while developing curiosity and appreciation for the natural world.

 Harvesting Our Cucumbers

After eight weeks of caring for our cucumber plants, we were excited to harvest two large cucumbers from our school garden. The kitchen staff kindly helped us slice them into enough pieces so that everyone could enjoy a taste, choosing either mayonnaise or miso as a dipping sauce. This special experience allowed students to see the results of their patience, care, and responsibility throughout the growing process. It was heartwarming to see students appreciating the fresh vegetables that they had helped nurture from seed to table.

Learning Beyond the Classroom

Please continue listening to this month’s songs at home. Singing together is a wonderful way to strengthen language development, build confidence, and create joyful family moments. Thank you for partnering with us in making learning meaningful beyond the classroom.

 Looking Ahead

Next week, our inquiry into teamwork will continue through cooperative games that encourage students to communicate, solve problems, and work together toward shared goals. We will also continue preparing for the Sports Festival and enjoy our music lesson as we build confidence and teamwork through movement and song.

Thank you for your continued partnership in your child’s learning journey. We appreciate your support in helping our young inquirers grow into caring, reflective, and confident learners.

We wish you a wonderful weekend, and we look forward to another exciting week of learning together!