Exploring vast valleys, mountains and other incredible landforms is always an engaging Unit of Inquiry for the Grade 3 students.
This year’s class took it to the next level by making “Action” to highlight their learning. Their incredible curiosity is the building block for bringing together communities in the classroom and beyond, and is why Action is an integral part of the IB Programme philosophy.
What is Action?
In the Primary Years Programme (PYP), Action is when students make connections to their learning outside of the classroom, and share their discoveries with their teachers, their classmates and sometimes the greater SJS community. It is when students apply their learning to make a positive difference by moving from understanding to doing that connects classroom learning to real-world impact.
Taking action is explicitly taught throughout the PYP and is important because it teaches students how to identify topics of personal interest in the lead up to their Grade 5 Exhibition, and how to make a positive impact on the community related to their learning. It also builds skills in forming personal connections with bigger themes, laying the groundwork for when students participate in service initiatives in the Middle Years Programme (MYP) and preparing for their Grade 10 Personal Project.
Action is a core component of the student’s learning in the PYP. It’s a student-driven effort that is enthusiastically encouraged by teachers to support students’ curiosity and critical thinking. And we are incredibly proud of the Action the Grade 3s took this year.
The Passion of the Grade 3s
When it came to landforms, the Grade 3s found sparks of inspiration in all kinds of places. Some students brought in their own rock or gemstone collections to show to their classmates, while others showcased photographs of landforms they saw on their vacations that they connected back to their lessons. Some connected the lesson to a favourite book they had read, while others made detailed paintings of their learning.
Action isn’t always about artefacts for show-and-tell. One student wrote a letter to Ms. Carpenter over their winter break, detailing how they had gone gold-mining on holiday and how it connected to what they learned in class. Sharing experiences is also a great way to take Action in the PYP.
These connections even expanded across units, and students were able to bring together what they learned in their previous unit about animals and their habitats with what they learned about landforms.
Ana went above and beyond to make her own booklet highlighting a favourite species of shark during the winter break. She then personally coordinated with the Kindergarten, Grade 1 and Grade 2 teachers to showcase to their classes before donating her work to the Junior School library.
Action is really a community effort, as parents and guardians play an important role in encouraging and supporting these connections. Whether it’s helping their child bring in their connection to share with the class, reading books together that connect to the Unit of Inquiry, or even changing habits at home to benefit the environment, Action is a great way for families to get involved in their child’s learning as well.
We’re so proud of the students for showing their excitement and passion for their interests. thank you to Ms. Carpenter and Ms. Ko for sharing the student’s Action and making the wonderful slideshow.
