Kindergarten
Sharing the Planet
A New Unit of Inquiry for Term 4: Sharing the Planet
A new term means a new unit. We will continue to explore our How we Express Ourselves Unit, but this term we are also starting an additional unit of inquiry. This unit is designed to build the children’s awareness of the environment and resources, our rights and responsibilities in relation to each other and nature, and continue to build the children’s sense of community and how we function in a community. This exploration will occur through the children’s play and interests and the teachers will scaffold their thinking through questions, challenges and sharing conceptual ideas linked to the choices we make and why make them.
The unit:
Central idea: The choices we make impact the world in small and big ways.
Through this central idea we will extend children’s thinking as individuals and a cohort through our daily experiences, choices and observations.
To build understandings we will inquire into:
1. Understanding the concept of choice (causation / function)
2. The responsibility we have to other people, the environment and the future (responsibility)
3. The interconnectedness of humans and the natural world (connection).
The central idea and lines of inquiry create a lens for teachers to explore and support children in extending their thinking, their wonderings and to develop skills and knowledge.
To begin this unit we asked the children about the choices that they make in their world. They shared that they made big choices, small choices, choices about what they like. They linked the choices they make to the routines at kindergarten. Some children. Could even explain the choices they make that they shouldn’t, “I choose to take the iPad to bed when I am not allowed”. Another child connected the choices we make that effect the environment, “We need to make big choices to plant all around the world.” Some children shared the choices they make to be independent, “I choose the jacket I want to wear to kindergarten.” Or another child shared “I want to run from the last gate by myself.” This is a powerful start to the unit and shows the way the children are able to consider how they think and reflect on their daily choices, and ultimately their responsibilities. This is the start of a journey into recognising how we each can impact our world.
Lara Ronalds, Poppy Woodhouse
& Courtney Booth
Kindergarten Teachers
lara.ronalds@preshil.vic.edu.au