Weekly Update 1- 5 April 2019

Dear Parents,

View our class Album here

The main focus of the inquiry this week was to explore habitats within our environment
and to realize the positive and negative impacts faced when humans share these natural
habitats with other living things. For students to make authentic connections and to provoke
their wondering and questions we try to provide authentic, real life experiences for them to
gain new understandings.

The week kicked off with a viewing of a documentary on Cart Blanch named "Could the great insect extinction impact human survival?"

Students reflected on the documentary, had class discussions and made connections to our Lines of inquiry:

• How living things and humans interact
• The positive and negative effects human actions have on the environment/habitats

Key Concepts: Causation, Function, and connection.

Causation - Why is it like this.
Questions discussed: What will happen if insects die out? Why is there a 40% decline of insects?
Some student answers: Ecosystems cannot function well. Insects habitat loss, Pollution (including insecticides) and climate change.
Function- What are the functions of insects in habitats and ecosystems?
Some student answers: insects are pollinators, they collect and spread pollen from flower to flower, they are decomposers and Bees make honey.
Connection: How is human interference affecting insect habitats? What can we do to save the insects?
Some student answers: Humans use animal habitats to build on, They use the land for farming and cultivating on. Human cause a lot of air pollution (CO2) that lead to climate change. Use fewer insecticides, plants vegetable gardens, allow grass to grow longer in your back yard, do not cause air pollution.

If possible please watch this episode on DSTV now/Catch Up shows. Have discussions at home on how it is related to our unit Sharing The Planet. https://now.dstv.com/

Cart Blanch: Sundays on Mnet channel  
S31, Episode 52. The episode will be available for viewing until Monday 15 April.
Title: Could the great insect extinction impact human survival?


Students sorted pictures of animals into categories of their own choice. Some of their groupings were animals living in the same habitats. Wild and Domestic animals, different Animal Species,  Mammals, Reptiles, Amphibians, Arthropods, Birds and Fish. Students also discussed different habitats (natural and man-made) in the world.



Why do some animals live in houses?
Some student answers:
For people that cannot see (Guide Dogs) Mimi
For companionship- Hazel
To guard our houses- Gui
A friend for your pet- Vivian
Pets catch other wild animals- Mika
For competition purposes-Reuben
To rescue animals from shelters and give them a home- Tashia
Chickens are kept to have eggs, Goats can be kept for milk- Teachers


In Math students work on their number concepts by playing picture card games with the ten base blocks. In and out boxes, fact families, word problems and number bonds to reinforce and revise on number concepts. Here is a link for students to practice place value with the Base 10 blocks.



In Literature we worked on" Book Talk". Students took home White booklets to read with a question card. One of the books that were used is Weird Bird Beaks.
These were the questions asked:
Did it make you Wonder?-  Why do Toucans eat eggs?- Tashia
Did it make you laugh? It was funny to see the pouch of skin under the pelicans beak-Laith
Did it confuse you? That a Spoonbill eats from mud-Tashia
What was your favorite part? To see the Toucan bird because they are also found in Brazil- Carolina
Did it remind you of something?- The spoonbill beak reminds me of a wooden spoon-Laith

The class read aloud the Magician of the Sea was used to do an activity on Visualizing.

Visualizing questions

Can you describe in your own words what the setting might look like?
Full of corals-Dino, beautiful ocean- Helmina, Rocky- Laith, You will see deep sea divers and coral reefs-Reuben, Blue with Puffer fish, sea caves and a cloud of Ink- Hazel.

Describe the picture you saw in your mind of one of the problems identified in the story.
I see the arm that fell off flapping around- Alessandro. A shark hiding behind a rock- Ausribel. The Octopus escaping from a net-Mika. The arm of the Octopus falling off then growing back very quickly- Vivian. Arm floating around in the sea-Dino. The Octopuses arms changes colours and looks like an sea snake.

Show me the look the Octopus had on his face when his arm fell off.

Students used flash cards to describe themselves, it was interesting to see that they all have positive thoughts of themselves. Those same describing cards were used to think of opposite meanings. This lead us to some more activities on antonyms, synonyms, and collective nouns. It was interesting for students to learn that there is also a shoal of fish.

 Homework for the next week 8-12 April.

1. Find pictures of different habitats, name the living things that live in the habitat.

2. Sort pictures or (name) into natural and man-made habitats.

3. Collect supplies to make a model of habitats in class. (There are boxes in the class)
Students can play some games on Games on Habitats Brainpop jr

4. Animal sounds

5. Have discussions at home on how humans play a part in sustaining living things and our planet. What are our responsibilities?

6. Talk about the advantages and disadvantages of keeping animals in a cage, zoo, animal sanctuary, wildlife resort etc. This might help to provoke wondering for conversations. Mclaren Circus Tour to Namibia.
 7. Find out if parents know an easy way to remember the 2x,5x, and 10x tables for sharing.
Multiplying 2x numbers up to 30
Multiplying 2x whole tens

Place values

8. Resources for literature practice.

Enjoy your weekend.