Year 2
Investigations
LEARNING EXPERIENCE OVERVIEW
Investigations provide opportunities for students to be active participants in their learning. Students express interest in provocations that allow them to explore, experiment with, and investigate topics of their own choosing while being scaffolded and supported.
Students benefit from the social and collaborative aspects of participating in cooperative play while still pursuing their individual interests and building on their own skills.
As students choose an area based on interest, they aim to become more flexible in their practices, and willing and able to collaborate with peers outside their friendship groups.
Our main intention was for students to be aware of the transfer of skills, thinking routines and knowledge, across all their learning areas.
WHOLE
The introduction focus changes depending on the day. On Monday, we focus on English, on Wednesday, on Maths, and on Friday, on Wellbeing.
Each Investigation session begins with a question for the class around our focus.
This particular day, the focus was on Wellbeing and creating an environment of acceptance of others' differences, inclusivity, and kindness in practice.
Our whole class question was:
What welcoming language might you use to show kindness and inclusivity?
Turn to the person next to you to try it out.
Students turned to a person next to them to role-play what that might look, sound, and feel like. As a class, we discussed our different responses.
SMALL
During a session, those students not assigned a specific role, will join others in their selected area.
Focus Children:
Every session, three Focus Children present to the class, sharing their wondering, idea or interest. They are encouraged to bring in an item that will directly engage the audience. For example, one child brought in a dancing skeleton because they wanted to know how many bones are in the human body.
Reporter and Photographer:
As well as Focus Children, every session has a Reporter and a Photographer role.
They are assigned a task, depending on their needs and the focus for that day.
The Reporter and Photographer report back to the class, during our Reflection time.
Example of Focus Children's findings:
WHOLE
About 40 minutes before the end of the session, "Tools Down" is called, to signal that it is time to come together as a class, to report on findings and discoveries, and to reflect on our learning.
Focus Children present, and the Reporter and Photographer might present at this time or during a Reading, Writing or Maths lesson.
What you can do now to continue the learning at home, from this experience:
- When the Investigation Roster comes home, put aside some time to discuss what they might investigate when they are Focus Child
- Help them be prepared on the day by ensuring that they remember their item or have a written version of their wondering or question.
- Follow up after their session, to see what they discovered.
- Encourage curiosity in the world around them.
- Perhaps organise an outing to a museum, aquarium, science centre or an art gallery, to investigate the idea further.
Jocelyn and Steph
Year 2 Team