25.06.2021

G4 students make posters as the action for the Unit of Inquiry

“Students take action in response to their inquiries or motivation to make a positive difference, bring about positive change (Boix Mansilla, Jackson 2011) or further their learning. As an integral part of the learning process, action can be embarked upon at any point and can take many forms, depending on individual development, learning and experiences.”(www.ibo.org)

When G4 students started to investigate animals within the Unit of Inquiry “Animals Around the World,” many children thought the animals lived in zoos. So the teachers began to place their quotes, questions, doubts, hypotheses, and discoveries on the board to make their development visible and guide the work as well. Then, after investigating and learning about animals throughout the Unit, they revisited the board so children could check on their own quotes again.

With that, many provocations were thought to foster their curiosity and reflection on the theme: conversations about zoos, Google Maps to show the habitats from above, comparing to the zoos from above, Art activities with pictures of animals in the wild, and video of animals in zoos, books related to the theme, and a game they created. All the activities were addressed in both languages: English and Portuguese. Sometimes one teacher would start a learning engagement, and the other would continue, or vice-versa; sometimes, one would read a story and talk to them. The others would participate in the conversation afterward. 

While playing the “Zoo Catch” game, some children felt scared and did not want to go to the “zoo,” which triggered a conversation about their feelings and how the animals in the zoos might feel. The children then decided to make a poster asking people not to put animals in zoos anymore for they would feel sad and scared and because zoos are not their home. That is how the group started the process of writing a collaborative poster.

The children then chose the places where they wanted to put them, copies were made, and all the process was done with everybody together. Two children gave the idea of taking the posters home as well, so they could show them to the family, and one even said he felt like putting the poster “na entrada do zoológico pra todo mundo ver.” They asked the teacher to put one poster outside the school so people on the street would also be aware of it, and they did it! Copies were also made to every child, and they all proudly took it home in an envelope.

“For early years students, the foundation of action comes from an understanding of self and responsibility towards relationships with peers and the wider community. Members of the learning community support this understanding by modeling the appropriate use of language and social behaviors. At this stage of development, action may start with small adjustments of behavior, which may include developing responsible dispositions towards themselves and others and making appropriate choices. Action is responsive to experiences that are personally meaningful and, as with all action, is authentic, reflective, and mindful.” (www.ibo.org)