This week, we completed our fifth IB Unit Of Inquiry - "Sharing The
Planet". The central idea of this unit was, "Living things survive only
in environments that meet their needs."
We completed our unit with a focus on five of Earth's major habitats - desert, polar, rainforest, ocean, and grassland.
- In small groups, the students worked cooperatively to create paper murals to represent a habitat of their choice. Together, they created the background (landforms, plants, scenery, etc.) of each environment.
- The students generated wonder questions about their chosen habitats. Each child selected one of these wonder questions and wrote it on a cloud shape. This was added to their habitat mural.
- Each student selected an animal from their chosen habitat that they would like to learn more about. Individually, the students researched these animals to find out the basics, interesting facts, and (hopefully) the answers to their wonder questions.
- The students took their research and compiled it into an animal reports as a way of presenting the information.
- Each child chose one fact from their research and wrote it in a speech bubble to accompany their animal on the mural.
Just in case you can't get up to school to see them in person, the habitat murals are pictured below:
| The Rainforest Habitat by Quinn, Marie, Paul, & Adrian Poison Dart Frog by Quinn Capuchin Monkey by Marie Jaguar by Paul Gorilla by Adrian |
| The Desert Habitat by Connor, Farrah, Cami, and Camron Meerkat by Connor Fennec Fox by Farrah Roadrunner by Cami Rattlesnake by Camron |
| The Polar Habitat by Abhi, Evelyn, Dominic, and Hanna Narwahl by Abhi Penguin by Evelyn Polar Bear by Dominic Snow Leopard by Hanna |
| The Grassland Habitat by Asher, Venkat, and Sammy Ostrich by Asher Tiger by Venkat Wildebeest by Sammy |
| The Ocean Habitat by Jack, Charlotte, Antonio, and Elaf Seahorse by Jack Whale by Charlotte Shark by Antonio Dolphin by Elaf |