T4+Inquiry-The+Solar+System

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** Planning **
** Riverslea **** School **** Inquiry Plan T4 2015 **
 * ** The Solar System **
 * Science, ICT ** || ** Insights – What do the words Solar System mean? (Meaning) **
 * What can you do to find out ? **
 * Who are experts that can help us learn about the Solar **
 * system? **
 * What do we want to know about Space and the Planets? **
 * How can we find out about space, planets, earth and the **
 * galaxy? **
 * What actions can we take to show our understanding? **
 * How can we and others survive in space or the Solar **
 * system? **
 * What do I want to learn most? ** ||
 * ** Skills (LOs) developed during the inquiry process **
 * Key competencies-Thinking & Using language symbols & texts. **
 * At the end of this Inquiry: I will know what a Solar system is &show/demonstrate my understanding to others **


 * others ** || ** Concepts (AOs) **** Children will be able to **
 * : talk about and discuss understanding of what a Solar System means **
 * : recognise features about the solar system **
 * : be able to research planets, space, galaxy **
 * : Relate other planets & spaces features to earth, animals and things **
 * : set criteria to be able to assess how and if they have reached their **
 * goals and understandings. **
 * have achieved their goals and understanding **
 * about being a Survivor. ** ||


 * ||  || **__ Curriculum links __**
 * ||  || **__ Curriculum links __**


 * Health and PE **
 * ODE **
 * ( Outdoor Education) **
 * Literacy Links **
 * Oral language, **
 * Written and visual language **
 * Science **
 * Social Studies **
 * ICT/ ipads/ computers **
 * Te Reo **
 * Numeracy/ **
 * Literacy eg National Standards ** ||  ||


 * ** Assessment/Rubric focus area: Understanding **


 * Teacher conference and self/peer assessment ** || ** Goal achievement – Show/discuss understanding of The Solar System and what is in it **
 * Discuss and understand about the solar system, planets, space, galaxy etc **


 * ( Task based Inquiry) **
 * ** Choose, with teacher guidance,areas to research/discuss **
 * ** Look on google,use library to access information about Solar system **
 * ** Present orally and visually understandings about planets, space etc **
 * ** Discuss what changes may need to be made, and why, to help people, animals, things survive in space ,the solar system **
 * ** Present orally and visually understandings about the Solar system ** ||


 * ** Key Competencies **


 * Relating to others


 * Managing self


 * Participating and contributing


 * Thinking


 * Using languages, symbols and text || ** Visual Maps **


 * Te Ihi Wk 1**


 * He Patai Big question /wonderings Wks 1-2**


 * Whaka aroaro ( what can we do now) Wks 2-4**


 * Whakamarama (Enlightened/ research) Wks 3-6**


 * Whai koreo (communicate to peers)**
 * ( and audience)**
 * Wks 7**


 * Te Mahi ( action)**
 * Wks -7-9**


 * Aromatawai ( assessment)**


 * Whaiwhakaaro (reflection)** || ** Key Words and Concepts **


 * PE and Health **
 * Outdoor Education **
 * Science **
 * Social Sciences **
 * Arts **
 * ICT **
 * Action/ he ohomauri **
 * (Kiplings seven servants) **
 * what, how, when where ,which, why,who **
 * De Bonos hats **
 * Inquiry **
 * Connections-shared experiences **
 * Persistence/commitment **
 * Research **
 * Google ** || ** Resources **

ICT cameras/ ipads/videos etc Computers ipads self whanau community Literacy
 * ICT **
 * youtube (R1) ** ||
 * ** Motivating question/ scenario (Fertile question) – What will capture our kids? **


 * What is in the Solar System? ** ||

**What we did **
For our inquiry on ‘The Solar System’, in Term 4 Miharo (Room 1) focused on Science and Technology and ICT. We discussed what the solar system was, where it was and what planets were in it. We also focused on other questions from Kipling's seven servants such what each planet looked like and had eg water, moons, distance from the sun. Also why we wanted to learn about them, when we could do it, as well as which information types we could use to find out what we were curious about. Students were active participants in deciding what we would inquire about and were very enthusiastic about learning and finding out about the Solar system and related components. We then did our wonderings to ask questions about what we wanted to find out and further questions relating to those. Near the end of the Inquiry we visited the Planetarium in Napier. We learnt a lot more as well as asked many questions and saw videos and a solar system above us in a darkened room. It was a very valuable educational visit.

**What I did **
I worked with the students to help them find out what they were interested in.  Students chose different planets to focus on and find out about. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">I questioned them so that they could think about what they wanted to find out. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">I gave them ways of finding out eg (google) information access, you tube videos, books, charts etc so that <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">they could say and discuss about what they had found out about different planets and the solar system. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">All students were keen to continually share what they were finding out about and were fascinated by many of the facts.. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">We talked about what we had found out and where to next, again through guided questioning.

**<span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">What we did, learning that took place and impact of that learning **
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">The students were able to reflect upon, ask more questions and share what they have learnt about the solar system. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">They understood why some planets eg Pluto were colder as they were further from the sun. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">They enjoyed discussing how many moons each planet had and how big they were <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">and how long it would take us to get there, if we could. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">They all made their own collage planets, which were the same colour as they had researched them to be. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;"> They added features, rocks etc and they were displayed on the wall (in stand out form.) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">They could talk about where to next, especially in relation to what they wanted to find out. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">The students developed holistic learning especially skills in literacy, problem solving, ICT, <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;"> and social skills as they worked in buddies to share their learning. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">We used a new app Explain Everything to record their findings. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Some were pictorial and others included writing as well. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Although I helped to conceptualise, plan and implement appropriate learning programmes, <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">as well as use critical inquiry and problem solving skills, <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">the students helped me lead it through their own inquiries and reflections and plans of action. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">We were also flexible in the student’s inquiry as they became very interested in astronauts in space. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">We watched many videos on you tube about the effects of no gravity in space and saw <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">eg a woman washing her hair with dry shampoo as when she added water it (the water) flew away. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Also her long hair stood on end. We also saw how the astronauts have to tie themselves down <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;"> to go to the toilet or sleep in space. When they sleep their arms go up straight unless tied down. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">The students also found out extra things from home and looking at charts and books around the room. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">We will keep referring to the knowledge that they learnt especially when <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">topical news comes on TV or youtube eg a new planet etc

**<span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 14pt;">our Inquiry. **





 * Planetarium Visit. Youtube video of astronauts sleeping in space**




 * Explain Everything app Nevaeyahs and Whiores independent presentation which they read to Assembly.**

**<span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Teaching as inquiry. **
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">I looked at where my students were at, what they knew and what was important, establishing a baseline and a guided direction for the inquiry. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">By seeing what they already knew I could determine some of the things that they wanted to and needed to learn next. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">We did wonderings which also showed what the students knew and what they were interested in finding out. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">I also looked at strategies for achieving these aims and the results of our Inquiry on The Solar System, helping to decide on implications for future teaching.

**<span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Encouraging reflective thought and action **
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">By establishing many connections the students, therefore, had many opportunities to reflect and assimilate new ideas, information, learning and experiences. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">They were able to relate this to what they already knew, adapt it relevantly and translate thought into action. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">As a result more experiences and learning took place organised by both the students and the teacher. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Students were also able to access and view information, videos, photos etc from google and websites as well as charts and books.