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Learning and Inquiry Studies 2010-2011
Learning and Inquiry Studies 2009-2010
Learning and Inquiry Studies 2008-2009
Learning and Inquiry Studies 2007-2008
OLYMPIC
HEIGHTS SCHOOL
Learning and Inquiry Studies
2008-2009
Grade 2 - Mr. Bohn
Click image to watch "Mindstorm Robots in Grade 1"
Homes Around Africa | African School Inquiry | Colour Inquiry | Wasps
Homes around Africa
In our inquiry of homes, the children were learning about the important elements of a home. As part of our global citizenship, we studied different types of homes that you would find in Africa.
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The children shared the different types of houses by making pictures on the computer.
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We talked about the fact that many of these houses are found in villages through out Africa. We also discussed the concept that all people in Africa don’t live in traditional homes. Millions of Africans live in modern homes just like ours, especially in the cities.
South Africa
In South Africa, many different types of beautiful designs are painted on some of the houses.
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In Togo, castles made of mud are built.
People in many countries in Africa including Malawi and Rwanda build grass houses.
In Tanzania, the people make mud huts.
In North Africa, tents made out of skins are used.
They also use houses made out of clay.
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In Tunisia, some people live in caves carved into the stone.
In Senegal, some people live in grass houses with an inverted roof to catch water.
In our discussions about raising money for African schools through UNICEF, the children were wondering what a school in Rwanda might be like and how it compared with our school. To get a better idea of what a school in Rwanda might look like, a group of “experts” guided by Mrs. Macaulay (grade 6 students from room 25) came and talked to our class. The children studied our school very carefully to get a clear idea of how it was built. We came up with a design for both schools. Everyone worked collaboratively to build models of each school. Using these models the children were really able to compare the schools.
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We started our colour inquiry by reading literature and going outside and studying the colours in our environment. The children were asked to be thinking of questions about colour that they were wondering about. The children shared their questions. We worked together to find answers to these questions through books and mini-lessons. The children chose questions that inspired them the most, and worked collaboratively in groups to create a project that would share what they learned.
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Let children walk with Nature, let them see the beautiful blendings and communions of life, their joyous inseparable unity, as taught in woods and meadows, plains and mountains and streams. ~John Muir~
Peace comes from the gentle combining of the people and the planet, for children to respect nature they must first have a relationship with nature and it is up to us to make the introductions.
Rooms 24 and 25 have been working together to build peaceful relationships not only with each other, but with the natural environment around them.
Olympic Heights students spend a lot of their recess and learning time in and around the nature parks. During late summer and early fall wasps can sometimes become aggressive, dangerous and distracting. Students in rooms 24 and rooms 25 worked together to find a peaceful solution to the problem.
Two student leaders researched paper bag wasp nests and became resident experts on this topic. They then created a presentation for the rest of the grade six class so that they could then properly guide their grade one buddies during the creation of the wasp nests.
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