Grade 3B Blog
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8th – 19th May 2023
Unit of inquiry:
Transdisciplinary theme: Who we are
Central idea: Living things use senses to find out about themselves and their environment.
Lines of inquiry and key concepts:
- How the sense organs function (Function)
- How we use our senses to connect to the world around us (Connection)
- Taking care of our senses (Responsibility)
Going further with the unit on senses, learners displayed their understanding of the second line of inquiry, by revisiting the senses’ station and tasting salt. They were able to make a connection with the key concept of responsibility as they delved into the third line of inquiry. They explored deeper into taking care of sense organs with class discussions and brainstorming in groups to create posters.
English:
Learners utilised the RAFT (Role, Audience, Format, Topic) strategy and used idioms and similes in a writing form of their choice. They also identified the key ideas in procedural writing as well as its purpose. They practiced procedural writing on a variety of topics using a co-constructed checklist. They gained knowledge about contractions and framed sentences using them to hone their writing skills.
Math:
As they advanced in their understanding of 2D shapes, learners identified the difference between symmetrical and asymmetrical shapes using Geoboards. Introduction of 3D- shapes using everyday items helped them understand the attributes of 3D shapes. They practiced creating 3D shapes using Jodo straws and enhanced their critical thinking and analytical skills by attempting riddles, puzzles, and online quizzes.
SEL:
Learners listened to the story ‘What if everybody did that?’ This book showed how each person’s small, everyday choices (good or bad) have consequences. This story enhanced their thinking skills as there were examples showing cause and effect relationship on behaviour. It encouraged learners to reflect if everybody obeyed rules; the world would become a better place. They demonstrated the ability to use decision-making skills to create positive personal relationships.
Library:
To evaluate students’ reading progress, their reading logs were assessed by asking questions about the stories they had read. The purpose was to ensure that they comprehended the content and could recall important details.
Art:
Learners were introduced to elements of art like shape, form, texture, etc. Out of the seven elements, the focus was on texture followed by discussion about different types of textures.
ICT:
During ICT classes, learners continued to work on the block-based visual programming language- Scratch. They learned to use motion, looks, events and control blocks of code. They created a project on animating the initials of their name using different coding blocks.
Furthermore, learners were apprised of the importance of giving a break to the eyes while working online and the importance of limiting digital time.
PHE:
Learners worked on their agility and speed while doing plyometric drills. During tennis lessons, students played games and attempted an aptitude test. During swimming lessons, students worked on their freestyle skills.
French:
Students started the week by recapitulating time and asking questions about the same (Quelle heure est-il?). In the subsequent lesson, learners learned about the weather (Quel temps fait-il? Il fait chaud.).
In the subsequent week, the learners wrote about different seasons in French by watching videos.
Additionally, they sang a song about seasons and weather.
Reference link-https://wordwall.net/resource/54599265
Spanish:
Learners were introduced to adjectives with a video. They reflected their understanding by listing various adjectives in their journals. Later they were introduced to various hobbies in Spanish and an audio-visual presentation was shared for recapitulation.
Hindi:
During their Hindi lesson, students read a letter ‘एक प्यारा-सा पत्र’. The focus of the lesson was on informal letter writing (अनौपचारिक पत्र लेखन). Learners learned the format of informal letter अनौपचारिक पत्र. They were also assessed on their reading and writing skills.
Dance:
Students gained knowledge about some basic dance elements such as time, energy, space, body, and action with demonstrations and discussions. They understood how to combine these elements to create a sequence of movements.
Later, students were divided into groups of four or five and each group brainstormed and drew their choreography sequence on paper. Then, they practiced and performed their routines.
Music:
Learners were introduced to intervals and their importance in music wherein they learned how the distance between two different notes plays an important role.
Crowned Owl Ceremony:
“Reading can take you places you have never been before.” – Dr. Seuss
The Crowned Owl ceremony at DPSI embodies a student’s love for reading and zest for reading at least 70 or more books in an academic year. The young voracious readers were crowned for their reading wisdom. The wise owls dressed in pyjamas to laze around and participated in some fun activities to mark the celebrations.
Inter House Tennis Competition
“Every champion was once a contender who refused to give up!”- Rocky Balboa
An Inter House Tennis Competition was held at school. Geared up and full of energy to compete with the opponent team, each house played making a commendable effort. It was a splendid day which ended with an enthusiastic crowd cheering for their houses. The winners were awarded medals for their performance by Mr. Zeeshan Ali, the Head of School Ms Rima Singh and the primary school principal Ms Kamal Shah.
World Dance Day Celebration:
‘Dancers aren’t made of their technique, but their passion.” – Agnes de Mille
With an endeavour to promote different art forms, an Inter House Dance Competition was held to celebrate ‘World Dance Day’. The little champs showcased their talent by performing various dance forms with zeal and enthusiasm. The engagement from the audience proved that it was an enriching experience for the audience as well.
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April 24 – May 4, 2023
UOI:
Going further with the unit on senses, students learned about the structure of eye and how all its parts function together to form an image.
During a classroom discussion, students suggested various ways to maintain good eye health.
The provocation to the sense organ that aids hearing was done with an insightful activity wherein students prepared a chart listing sounds that they found pleasant and unpleasant.
Furthermore, they learned about the structure of the ear and how it functions. The students brainstormed various ways to take care of the ear.
Students were assessed on their understanding of the sense organs – eye and ear.
English:
Students were introduced to the concept of interjections and onomatopoeia. Through classroom inquiry, students learned the difference between the two. To deepen their understanding, students created comic strips using interjections and onomatopoeia.
Math:
Students delved deeper into the concept of time by practicing reading and writing time with various activities.
The concept of temperature was explored through an engaging activity that involved students reading the thermometer after placing it in water at varying temperatures. Furthermore, students practiced reading and writing temperature.
ICT:
During ICT classes, students were introduced to a block-based visual programming language- Scratch. They were made aware of the interface of the application. Furthermore, they learned to use the basic blocks of code.
Hindi:
During their Hindi lesson, students displayed their understanding of the poem ‘नहीं व्यर्थ बहाओ पानी’ by creating posters and spreading awareness about water conservation. Additionally, the students were assessed on a reading comprehension task (अपठित गद्यांश).”
Hindi Ab initio:
Students introduced themselves in Hindi, enhancing their speaking skills. They listened to the story ‘किसके दांत’ and attempted oral comprehension. They also wrote new words from the story.
PHE:
During PHE lesson, students practiced layups, shooting, and dribbling the basketball between the cones. They worked on their eye-hand coordination by making long passes while moving with the ball. During swimming lessons, students practiced freestyle whereas in tennis students practiced hitting forehand and backhand.
Library:
Students celebrated World Book Day, by participating in the ‘Character Parade’. The parade was organised by the primary school librarian, who encouraged students to dress up in their favourite character costumes. The parade started with students introducing who they represented from their favourite book, which could have been a classic story, traditional tale, science fiction, or any other. The global concept of international mindedness and sustainability were deemed as the underlying theme of the parade where students were encouraged to put together a costume made out of reused or recycled materials. Each one of them received a badge of appreciation that awarded them the title of either the most innovative, extravagant, or environment-friendly costume. Students paraded around the school to bring much joy and colour to onlookers and adults.
French:
Students started the week by showing their understanding of numbers through a snake and ladder game (les jeux de serpent). In the subsequent lesson, the learners enhanced their listening skills by listening to an audio and answered questions. In the subsequent week, students showcased their understanding of time using their prior knowledge of numbers in French. They watched a presentation on songs and played games. (EX-Il est sept heure).
Reference link-https://wordwall.net/resource/9119281
Spanish:
Students started the class by naming different objects in the classroom. Later they saw a video on classroom objects in Spanish and reflected on their understanding. They started the subsequent class with a Spanish song on possessive adjectives. They explored more about possessive adjectives with an audiovisual and reflected their understanding of the same in their journals.
SEL:
Students learned a practical lesson about how to firmly stand up for themselves when faced with a bully. By reading the story ‘The not so friendly friend’, students learned an essential lesson about setting boundaries in friendship. Further, a listening activity helped them to enhance their social communication skills.
Dance:
Students learned about the contemporary style of dance. Basics of contemporary dance were introduced with the help of videos and demonstrations. Students presented their solo contemporary routines to their peers keeping certain characteristics in mind.
Art:
Students continued their work inspired by David Hockney and recreated their work according to their understanding. Through this, they learned how to use perspective in creating a composition.
Music: Students participated in a singing session wherein each one practiced singing ‘Viva La Vida’ song by Coldplay while maintaining intonation. They were also assessed on their understanding of the musical scales and were asked to form a major scale
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April 10 – April 21, 2023
UOI:
Students dived into the third line of inquiry, ‘Rebuilding healthy and resilient systems’ by attending a guest speaker session by Ms. Sutanuka Bhattacharjee, MYP facilitator for INS. She apprised the students of how to prepare a disaster management kit.
Students celebrated World Creativity and Innovation Day by campaigning and raising awareness for different types of crises. They created poems, posters, PowerPoint presentations, and role-plays to explain disaster management to various grades.
The unit culminated with a summative assessment wherein students analysed the chosen scenarios and exhibited their understanding by answering the guiding questions.
An inquiry into the new unit ‘Senses’ began with a provocation wherein students made a self-portrait and were able to make connections with the Transdisciplinary theme- ‘Who we are’.
Sensory stations were created in the corridor and students used various senses to observe and reflect on the items kept at the stations. Provocation to the sense organ eye was done with the story of ‘Three Blind Men’ narrated by the students of grade 5.
English:
To assess prior understanding of adverbs, students highlighted the adverbs in the given sentences. This activity followed a discussion on what adverbs are and how they help describe verbs. Finally, to strengthen their understanding, they listened to the story ‘The Big Problem’ and sorted adverbs and adjectives from the story.
Integration with the third line of inquiry, ‘How to construct a story’ of the yearlong unit ‘Stories’ was done through a learning engagement where students used the story mountain template to create a story based on picture prompts.
Students were assessed on informal letter writing skills wherein they wrote an informal letter on any of the given topics.
Math:
Students continued measuring weight and capacity by practicing conversions of both, respectively. This was followed by the application of measurement of units through word problems.
As a provocation to the concept of ‘time’, students watched a story and reflected on the same Then, students played the game ‘I have, who has’ to understand time and showcased their prior understanding. Furthermore, they were introduced to the units of time and their relation.
ICT:
During ICT classes, students built their homes using a Minecraft application. They learned to decorate their homes by selecting the materials from the inventory and placing them inside and outside the home.
Furthermore, integrating with the unit on crises, students were made aware of how various technologies are used to predict disasters.
Hindi:
During Hindi class, students were engaged in a variety of activities related to the poem ‘नहीं व्यर्थ बहाओ पानी’. They analysed and interpreted the poem and used newly acquired vocabulary to construct sentences. Additionally, they enhanced their comprehension skills by displaying their understanding of the poem through illustrations. To further develop their speaking skills, students participated in the ‘bas ek pal’ (बस एक पल) activity, where they spoke about a topic assigned by the teacher.
Hindi Ab initio:
Students practiced the use of ‘है और हैं’ words which was followed by sentence writing. They also practiced ‘कि और की’ words and enhanced their communication skill through writing practice. They attempted a spelling challenge too.
PHE:
Students learned fundamental three-man passing, practiced layups and worked on their shooting form.
In tennis, they practiced forehand hitting and receiving. In swimming, they learned to kick and breathe underwater.
Library:
During the library lessons, students drew their favourite book characters, showcasing their creativity and imagination. From classic tales like Red Riding Hood to modern-day favourites like Harry Potter, the activity allowed students to share their thoughts on why the character was important to them and how it related to their own lives. As an extension, they also provided a learner profile for their favourite character.
Students are eagerly looking forward to the ‘character parade’ to be scheduled at school to mark the celebration of World Book and Copyright Day 2023 and their excitement is palpable.
French:
Students started the week by recapitulating numbers 1 to 20 and learned numbers from 21 to 50. Then, they exhibited their understanding by solving math sums (addition, subtraction, and multiplication) in the target language. In the subsequent lesson, they strengthened their reading and speaking skills by reading texts and performing role-play in class. Finally, they wrote their reflection on the same. During the following week, they learned irregular verb “être-to be”. They applied their understanding to make sentences using adjectives (prior knowledge) in their journals by describing themselves and others. Additionally, they sang an être verb song to enhance their listening skills.
ex-Je suis belle.- I am beautiful.
Il est intelligent. – He is intelligent.
Reference link-https://wordwall.net/resource/596374
https://quizlet.com/488807888/french-etre-adjectives-flash-cards/
Spanish:
Students started the class with a recap of likes and dislikes (gustar in Spanish). Later, they made sentences using the word gustar. Students watched a video on how to introduce themselves in Spanish. This was followed by a class discussion. Students also practiced using interrogative words in Spanish.
SEL:
Students developed problem-solving skills and learned the steps to solve a problem effectively. To achieve this, they watched and reflected on the story, ‘Building Resilience with Hunter and Eve’ and shared their ideas using ‘Intention- Action-Reflection’ visible thinking routine. To strengthen their understanding, they were given some real-life problems, wherein they had to find a solution to the problem keeping the process in mind.
Dance:
Students learned about the contemporary style of dance. The basics of contemporary dance were introduced with the help of videos and demonstrations.
Students presented their solo contemporary routines in front of their peers keeping the characteristics in mind.
Art:
After understanding of one point perspective, students were introduced to the artist David Hockney. They saw a few of his works and selected one of his works to study one point perspective through masters study ie; remaking an artist’s work to understand his perspective and colours.
Music:
Students learned the concept of major scale, focusing on the formula and the application of the formula in different major scales. Later they sang their favourite songs on the mic.
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27th March – 6th April ,2023
UOI:
Students delved deeper into the second line of inquiry, ‘The impact of crises on human and natural systems’. They brainstormed the impact of droughts using opinion cards. They also analysed the impact of wars during a group discussion.
A connection was established between the causes that lead to climate change and impact of waste management on human and natural systems.
Students attended a guest speaker session led by by Ms. Sakshi Narula, ICT teacher. She explained the meaning of digital crisis and risks involved in the use of internet. Enthusiastic and curious students had many questions to ask the guest speaker, and the answers helped in enhancing their understanding.
The first and second lines of inquiry culminated with a formative assessment on different types of crises and their impact.
English –
During English lessons, students exhibited their understanding by framing sentences using different types of conjunctions.
They gained knowledge about the purpose of informal letter writing and its format. Students wrote letters of appreciation to their friends from class.
Math:
Students explored various tools of measurement and exhibited their prior understanding of the concept by using the ‘KWL’ strategy (what I know, what I want to know, what have I learned).
Standard units of measurement were recapitulated and conversion of units for measuring length was understood. ‘Flying self-made paper planes’ activity was exciting and helped them understand the concept of measuring distance in metres.
To develop their fine motor skills and strengthen the concept, a measuring station was set up, where students measured various items using appropriate tools and recorded their observations.
Recapitulation of division helped students gain confidence in dividing numbers and they attempted a summative assessment too.
ICT –
During ICT classes, students built their virtual homes using Minecraft. They learned to select materials from the inventory, place and break the blocks. They also learned different keyboard controls to move forward, backward, left, right, fly, jump, and sprint.
Furthermore, students learned to change the time and weather using a code builder.
Spanish-
Students were introduced to numbers from 21 to 50 in Spanish. A practice task was attempted too. In the subsequent lesson, another number game was played to strengthen their understanding.
French-
Students started the week with an assessment of their reading comprehension skills, wherein they read aloud a few words and single sentences paying attention to correct pronunciation and pitch.
In the subsequent lesson, students were assessed on their understanding of vocabulary related to personal information and basic conversation through a written task. An exciting activity was done to introduce an irregular verb “avoir-to have’’. Students enjoyed playing the Fortune Teller (Tippi Tippi Top) to predict what they perceived in the future. They used their prior knowledge of colours, subject pronouns, articles, and nouns to create it, and displayed their creative thinking skills.
To strengthen their understanding further, they made summary notes in their journal while framing sentences using the verb avoir. ex- J’ai un crayon. Additionally, they sang a song that includes the verb avoir.
Reference link- https://wordwall.net/resource/36265249
PHE –
Students practiced dribbling and passing variations. They also learned to perform layups in basketball. They practiced warm-up activities based on speed and agility. In tennis, students practiced forehand and backhand drive and volley. In their swimming class students practiced kicking and freestyle.
Hindi –
During their Hindi lessons, students engaged in a comprehensive reading activity that involved reading an unseen passage and subsequently answering questions based on it.
They analyzed the story ‘रंगा सियार’ to enhance their reading and comprehension skills. Their knowledge of picture description and understanding of pronoun concepts was evaluated with a summative assessment.
Hindi abinitio:
Students practiced ’ओ’ maatra words by framing sentences with them. Students learned names of colour in Hindi with the story ‘लाल बरसाती’. They attempted a spelling challenge to enhance their comprehension and writing skills.
SEL:
The SEL session focused on how students can boost their self-confidence. Through an engaging activity named ‘the reflection in me’, they were empowered to look inside and love themselves as they are.
Later they brainstormed why it is better to have a growth mindset than a fixed one. They recognised the fact that they can develop and improve their abilities.
Library:
Students challenged themselves to test their reading skills by exploring different genres of books in the library. From mystery and adventure to science fiction, they had an opportunity to explore different types of literature and new authors. They were able to identify books to read and had the opportunity to discuss the books they read with their peers. This challenge encouraged students to step out of their comfort zone and try something new.
Students found joy in reading genres they had never read before and had the chance to explore new interests.
Art:
After understanding the basics of one-point perspective, students completed their landscape drawing and coloured it. Later students were introduced to post-impressionist artist David Hockney and started a study work by looking at the artist’s work to understand composition and perspective.
Dance:
Students learned about the contemporary style of dance. Basics of contemporary dance were introduced with videos and demonstrations.
Students are now in the process of choreographing solo contemporary routines keeping style characteristics in mind.
Music –
Students participated in breathing exercises where each one was asked to make “SS FF” sounds followed by a blow to enhance their breathing technique and singing. Later they sang a song in groups to apply the techniques.
Celebrations-
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March 13th – 24th, 2023
Unit of inquiry:
Transdisciplinary theme: How we organize ourselves
Central idea: Crises disrupt human and natural systems.
Lines of inquiry and key concepts:
- Different kinds of crises (Form)
- The impact of crises on human and natural systems (Change)
- Rebuilding healthy and resilient systems (Responsibility)
The students understood the essence of the new unit through the game ‘Floor is Lava’. Through a classroom discussion and reflection on the game, students were able to arrive at the word ‘crises’. By analysing different crises, the learners understood how crises can take different forms. The central idea and the conceptual lens were explored through a visual thinking routine. The learners used sources of their choice to research natural and man-made disasters and later penned down their explanations. They delved further into their understanding of natural disasters like earthquakes and floods by exploring their cause, effects, and precautionary methods that can be used.
English:
The students enhanced their writing skills by writing a paragraph . A grammar recap was done as they underlined parts of speech in their paragraphs. Students learned rules for use of prepositions of time and practiced the same. Listening skills were developed by following instructions to draw an illustration ; keeping prepositions in mind.
Introduction to informal letter writing was done as students understood the format and purpose of letter writing.
Math:
Going further with their understanding of fractions, the students learned about like/unlike fractions and how to compare them. They were then introduced to the concept of equivalent fractions wherein they understood how different-looking fractions could have the same value. The students then practiced word problems based on fractions. They participated in ‘Fractions on the floor game’ followed by identifying like and unlike fractions. Their understanding of like and unlike fractions was assessed through Formative Assessment by peers.
Library:
The book fair at school is an exciting time of the year for students who explore different genres of books. They discovered new authors and broadened their horizons from fiction and fantasy to science fiction and non-fiction. They found books on history, science, math, and even those about the future. There were also books about art, music, and the world around us.
They found various books and enjoyed discovering books that piqued their interest. They also enjoyed the atmosphere of the book fair, as it provided an opportunity to connect with other book lovers. In the end, they felt a sense of accomplishment after finding the perfect book for themselves.
Art:
Students were introduced to a one-point perspective technique, wherein they were shown some samples of the technique in the form of a landscape. This was followed by a practical demonstration of the technique through construction drawing, bridging ideas, and implementing the practice of documenting ideas.
ICT:
During ICT classes, students continued their learning on Minecraft. They learned to place and break the blocks, select the material from inventory, and change time and weather.
Furthermore, they are learning to build a house using the blocks from the inventory.
PHE:
The students practiced low and high dribble. They also learned to perform chest and bounce passes. In tennis, students practiced forehand and backhand drives. In their swimming class, students practiced bubbling, floating, and kicking.
French:
Students started the class with indefinite articles (un, une, des) using mind mapping strategy. They learned the use of different articles with different nouns according to their gender. They also did a practice task to show their understanding of the topic. In the subsequent lesson, they learned adjectives. To extend their understanding they did the show-and-tell activity to describe their friends using different adjectives.(ex- il/elle est beau/ belle.)
Resource link- https://quizlet.com/476166195/learn
Spanish:
The students spoke about their likes and dislikes in English through a fun activity. Later they were introduced to the verb ‘gustar’ which means to like. They learned the conjugation of ‘gustar’ and made sentences in their journals. They presented it in class as well.
Hindi:
The students engaged in a comprehensive activity that involved reciting the poem ‘वीर तुम बढ़े चलो’ and analysing its meaning. They not only recited the poem but also demonstrated their understanding of the vocabulary by writing down the meaning and using them in sentences. They also learned gender-specific language. They honed their language skills by using feminine and masculine words (स्त्रीलिंग और पुल्लिंग) in sentences with the appropriate form of the verb.
Hindi ab-initio:
Students were introduced to ‘ऐ’ maatra words through various learning engagements. They enhanced their vocabulary of different ‘ऐ’ maatra words followed by writing practice.
Dance:
Students learned about the contemporary style of dance. Basics of contemporary dance were introduced, with the help of videos and demonstrations.
Students are now in the process of choreographing solo contemporary routines keeping its characteristics in mind.
Music:
Students presented their final notes on the lives of musicians who had migrated and discussed how migration influenced their work in music and opened doors for multicultural genres in music.
SEL: Students watched a unique story, ‘The Reflection in Me‘ to appreciate their talents, hard work, and passions. They did an activity wherein they created a collage that shows their interests, skills, and accomplishments. The goal of this activity was to empower students to find the courage to look inside and love themselves as they are
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February 20, 2023 – March 3, 2023
UOI:
Tuning into the third line of inquiry, ‘What we can experience and learn through migrations’ was done through a learning engagement, wherein students read real-life migration stories and expressed their perspective on an ‘empathy map.’
To reinforce the concept, students attended a guest speaker session by Ms. Tania Smith, a tutor at DPSI, who migrated from the UK. She shared her bitter-sweet experience of migrating to India. She also elaborated on the IB learner profile attributes and the ATL skills that one must possess as a migrant. Another guest speaker session by Ms. Arpita Saxena, who migrated from Gurugram to Japan, gave a different perspective and students understood the opportunities and hurdles faced by her due to this move. Enthusiastic and curious students had many questions to ask the guest speakers, and their answers helped in enhancing their understanding.
A few students of grade 3 took ownership of their learning by preparing a PowerPoint presentation and sharing their experience of migration with their peers and teachers. Later, students reflected on these sessions by answering the guiding questions.
The unit culminated with a summative assessment, wherein students used OPVL (Opportunities-Purpose-Values-Limitations) strategy to exhibit their understanding of the central idea.
English:
During the English lessons, students exhibited their understanding of pronouns and verbs by attempting a task sheet, which had questions based on the novel ‘The Eyes of the Eagle.’
To enhance and showcase their speaking skills, students engaged in ‘Take and Talk’, wherein they researched about a famous migrant and presented their speech in class. Students were introduced to declamation. They chose a topic for declamation and did research using the given links. Students prepared for the narrative keeping De Bono’s thinking hats in mind. The checklist for writing the speech was constructed by the students. Students confidently participated in the declamation.
Math:
Students were introduced to fractions using manipulatives like Jodo cubes and paper cut-outs. Students exhibited their prior understanding of the concept by using the graph sheet. They were then guided to represent fractions on the number line. Students used their fine motor skills to represent fractions on graph paper. Links to online fractions manipulatives, quizzes, and games reinforced the concept.
ICT :
During ICT classes, students were introduced to a game-based learning application called Minecraft. They learned to use the different keys to move forward, backward, left, right, and placing and breaking the blocks. Furthermore, they also learned to select the material from the inventory.
Spanish:
The students started the week with an interesting activity called BINGO, where they identified the different interrogative words and strengthened their writing skills by framing questions using the same in English. Later, they were introduced to the interrogative words in Spanish where they matched them to their English names. ((How-Cómo, Wha-Qué)) etc. They made questions using all the interrogative words to understand their application. They also played a fun word search in Spanish to enhance their vocabulary.
French:
Students started the class with hands-on activities. They wrote a noun of their choice and identified and sorted it according to their gender and number. In the subsequent lesson, they decoded the meaning of different interrogative words and used their research skills to make their questions. To extend their inquiry, they co-created a conversation.
PHE :
Students in their PE class learned to balance and walk on the balancing beam. They also practiced front rolls and splits during their class.
Hindi :
During their Hindi lessons, students engaged in a comprehensive learning activity on picture description. The lesson included a detailed discussion of the essential points to consider when describing a picture effectively. Students then collaborated in groups to apply their newfound knowledge and skills, presenting their picture descriptions and providing constructive feedback to their peers using a checklist.
Hindi abinitio:
Students were introduced to ‘ए’ maatra through various learning engagements. They recapitulated ‘ऊ’ matraa words followed by writing practice. They also enhanced their reading skills by reading a short story.
SEL:
The class started with a discussion on the importance of creating classroom essential agreements to recapitulate their understanding of taking responsibility for their actions and decisions and accepting the consequences. Students created a responsibility self-assessment chart of their classroom essential agreements. This activity helped them develop a responsible mindset and made them aware of the cause-and-effect relationship between their thoughts and actions.
Library:
During library lessons, students listened to the story “Amma, tell me about Holi” and joined Klaka and his family, who were gearing up for Holi, the festival of colours. They also inquired about the significance of the colour-filled Holi celebration. They were able to form personal connections and exchange ideas about how they would commemorate the festival.
In extension, they also observed how various countries around the globe celebrate colours with distinct festivals in accordance with their traditions.
Story link: Amma, tell me about Holi!
Art:
After completing the doodle on migration, students started to do object study. They were introduced to still-life drawing where everyone drew a cup kept in front of them. They learned how to draw an object live through observation and later they gave a background to the work.
Dance:
As a part of their unit integration students learned and discussed how migration can bring changes in a dance form. They learned how the classical dance form ‘Kathak’ changed with the influence of Mughals and British coming to India. Students revised their freestyle dance routine on the song ‘Can’t Stop the Feeling’.
Music :
Students integrated music with the current unit on migration, wherein they discussed the impact of migration on musicians and wrote down some of the challenges and opportunities faced by them. This enhanced students’ understanding of the central idea, ‘Migration is a response to challenges and opportunities’.
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February 6, 2023 – February 17, 2023
UOI:
Tuning into the second line of inquiry, ‘Migration throughout history’ was done using an audio-visual presentation. Through the video, students were able to understand the origin and migration of humans overtime. They marked the migration journey of humans on the world map. This was followed by research and inquiry about the big migration that has taken place in the past due to India-Pakistan partition.
Guest speaker session:
Students attended a guest speaker session, wherein Ms. Eva Sud was invited as the speaker to share the migration journey of her father. Students were intrigued to find out the reasons that led him to migrate from Hungary to India.
Field trip:
Students visited the Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary to inquire about the different types of migratory birds. They were elated to spot various birds at the sanctuary. They were able to make connection with their classroom learning and discussed the reasons why birds and animals migrate.
English :
During the English lessons students continued reading their novel – The Eyes of the Eagle. As they read the novel, they engaged in reflection using various visible thinking routines like compass point, De Bono’s thinking hats, and NSEW (need to know, stance/opinion, excites, worries). In their jolly phonics lessons, students identified ‘ue’ words that make a ‘yoo’ sound, for example, argue, value, tissue, etc. Students strengthened their understanding of pronouns with various drill sheets.
Math:
Students were introduced to division. A discussion was held on the meaning, usage and vocabulary related to division. Students learned different strategies for dividing numbers such as equal grouping, and repeated subtraction using the number line. They also understood the inverse relation between multiplication and division and used multiplication to recheck their answers. Long division method was also introduced to the students. Regular practice helped students gain confidence in dividing numbers and they attempted a formative assessment on the same.
ICT:
During ICT class, students continued their learning by making posters using the elements of the graphic tool Canva. Furthermore, they were introduced to personal data privacy and security. They learned the importance of firewall, antivirus and accessing through secure channels. They also learned the difference between firewall and antivirus with a video.
Guest speaker session on digital citizenship: Students attended a session conducted by the Cyber Ambassadors of DPSI to create awareness about responsible use of the internet and the importance of being safe online. Students were also sensitised about playing child-appropriate online games.
Spanish:
Students comprehended the classification of nouns into masculine and feminine & singular and plural. They identified the exceptions and the rules to distinguish between singular, plural and masculine, feminine. They strengthened their viewing and presentation skills by playing noun-related games. They also did an activity wherein they enhanced their vocabulary related to birthdays.
French:
Students enjoyed, sang and danced to a French song, ‘Jean petit qui danse’. Later they played a game in the class ‘touch right body part’. They inquired about the names of the body parts and designed a well-labelled diagram in their journal. In the subsequent lesson, they recapitulated the names of the family members and strengthened their understanding of adjective possessives to say ‘my’. They observed and differentiated nouns according to their number and gender. They displayed their understanding by attempting ‘Blooket’ quizzes online.
Reference video link- https://youtu.be/n0j1oKhVPYE
PHE:
Students practiced and rehearsed for the athletic meet during their PE lessons. They also learned some skills of gymnastics wherein they tried to balance themselves on a balancing beam and jump from a horse vault.
Hindi:
During their Hindi lesson, students were introduced to pronouns (सर्वनाम). They comprehended the concept using a PowerPoint presentation. Later, they participated in a sorting activity, where they sorted out pronouns from a list of given words. The students read a story titled “टिमटिम आया धरती पर” and evaluated their reading skills. To further enhance their understanding and skills, the students participated in a chalk-talk activity wherein they read the story in pairs, created questions, and asked their classmates.
Hindi abinitio:
Students practiced ‘ए’ maatra words by reading the poem ‘मेला’. They also practiced creating sentences using ‘ए’ maatra words. They enhanced their reading skill by reading paragraphs on different maatras.
SEL:
During the SEL session, students listened to a story “The Ant and the Grasshopper”. Through this story, they recognized the behaviour of a responsible student. They also discussed the importance of taking responsibility for actions and accepting the consequences of our actions and decisions. They generated examples of how to be responsible to self, family, friends, and the community.
Library:
“If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.” – Nelson Mandela
In light of the global linguistic problem and the disappearance of many languages, International Mother Language Day was celebrated to raise students’ awareness of linguistic and cultural diversity and to encourage a love of their mother tongues. The students were amazed to discover that strange creatures sometimes lurk under our beds in our wild imaginations. As a part of the celebration, they listened to Anupa Lal’s Hindi story “Mere Palang ke Neeche,” where she played with the wild imagination of a young child. In an extension, they were encouraged to share their mother language with the class. Through a range of library resources, they also investigated the variety of languages spoken around the world.
Art:
Students continued their doodle on migration and completed it by colouring it. Later students did free expression and drew a composition of their choice.
Students learned how to draw a still life, which enhanced their observational skills.
Dance:
This week students started their classes with basic warm-up routines focussing on joint rotations. They also explored different bodily movements to hone their motor skills. Students learned a new freestyle dance routine on the song ‘Can’t stop the feeling’. As a part of their unit integration students researched about a famous dancer who migrated to a different country for various reasons and became a prominent artist.
Music:
Students learned the concept of music scales wherein they learned the importance of accidental notes and two different types of steps (whole and half) in formatting the major scale.
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January 16, 2023 – February 3, 2023
Unit of inquiry:
Transdisciplinary theme: Where we are in place and time
Central idea: Migration is a response to challenges and opportunities
Lines of inquiry and key concepts:
- Reasons for migration (Causation)
- Migration throughout history (Change)
- What we can experience and learn through migrations (Perspective)
Learners commenced their lessons online by identifying the transdisciplinary theme connected to the new unit. They used the ‘Visual Word Association Strategy’ to display their knowledge of the term migration. Students watched videos that enhanced their knowledge on animal migration and came to the realisation that human beings also migrate for various purposes. Students tuned into the reasons for migration by comprehending push and pull factors that cause people to move from one place to another. To extend their understanding, they analysed case studies of immigrants.
English:
In their jolly phonics lessons, students identified ‘qu’ words that make a ‘k’ sound, for example as in conquer, technique etc.
Learners began a novel study on ‘The Eyes of the Eagle’ by Ruskin Bond. They used De Bono’s white hat to list facts about the author at the beginning of the book, and De Bono’s black hat to analyse the challenges faced by main character after a few chapters were read.
Math:
Students solved multiplication equations and used the CUBES strategy to solve word problems. They challenged themselves to learn their times tables and used a multiplication grid when they needed assistance in solving the given equations. The students used manipulatives to solve multiplication equations. They displayed their understanding by attempting a formative assessment.
Library:
During library lessons, students boosted their communication skills by taking part in World Read Aloud Day activities. They chose a task card and read aloud the instructions to finish the given task. They also read a book named ‘Giggle, Giggle, Quack’, which developed the IB Learner Profile of becoming a Communicator. They culminated the session by reading out loud to their peers. Reading aloud is a powerful tool for change. When students read aloud with others, as they strengthened their literacy skills that bring communities together.
“Reading is the gateway for children that make all other learning possible.” – Barack Obama
Art:
We started the lesson by understanding migration and relating it to the context of Visual Art.
Students discussed and reflected upon different images and objects they can relate to migrations and drew a text and image doodle on migration in their own ways which enhanced their understanding of migration.
ICT:
During ICT classes, students reiterated the concept of repeat loops while practicing coding activities. They were introduced to a graphic designer tool known as Canva. Learners are in the process of creating posters using the various elements like templates, photos, text, background, and animations.
PHE:
Students participated in events such as flat races, hurdles, obstacle races and relays to get ready for the upcoming athletic meet.
French:
Students began their lessons with interesting games to recapitulate their understanding of the language. They revised the names of classroom objects and colours. Students gained knowledge about subject pronouns through audio-visuals and displayed their understanding of pronouns in class. In the subsequent week, they learned about different members of their family and their relationship with each other.
Spanish:
Students learned about personal pronouns. In the subsequent week, they drew a portrait and marked the different body parts on the same. They learned to make simple sentences using numbers and body parts, such as- I have two eyes.
SEL:
Students identified their New Year resolutions with good intentions. They also wrote their reflection using the triangle, square circle strategy. Students developed self-awareness skills for learning about themselves while discovering their true capabilities. They reviewed different areas of their lives from the past year and rated their level of satisfaction (“looking back”). Then they decided which of those they needed to work on improving during the New Year (“looking forward”). Goal setting helped students take charge of their own learning.
Hindi:
During their Hindi lesson, students spoke and wrote about their winter break. They practiced forming grammatically correct sentences by arranging jumbled words and using the appropriate verb forms. They also watched a video “अनोखी यात्रा” and engaged in a listen-and-answer activity, wherein they wrote answers to questions about the story. The students learned the difference between conversations and interviews by conducting interviews of their classmates and teachers on their migration journeys.
Hindi ab-initio:
Students introduced themselves through fun learning activities, recapitulated the maatras covered in the previous term (‘इ’, ‘ई’, ‘उ’ and ‘ऊ’). They were introduced to new maatras ‘ए’, ‘ऐ’, ‘ओ’ and ‘औ’ along with writing practice.
Dance:
Students began their classes with basic warm up routines focussing on joint rotations. They also explored different body movements to hone their motor skills. Students learnt a new freestyle dance routine on the song ‘Can’t Stop the Feeling’.
Music:
Students learned the concept of music scales wherein they were exposed to different scales and how each scale produces different emotions. They also practiced the DPSI school song during their music lessons.
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December 5 – December 16, 2022
Unit of inquiry:
Transdisciplinary theme: Sharing the planet
Central idea: Human activities create waste which can affect our environment.
Lines of inquiry and key concepts:
- What waste is (Form)
- Effects of waste on our environment (Causation)
- Waste management (Responsibility)
To further deepen the understanding of the second line of inquiry, case studies were read and discussed in class. Students reflected on their understanding of the same. Students showcased their understanding of the second line of inquiry by attempting a formative assessment.
Provocation into the third line of inquiry, ‘waste management’ was initiated through videos; further discussions helped the students enhance their understanding of the concept. Students exhibited their thinking in groups using the visible thinking routine, ‘compass point’. An inquiry into the 7Rs through research helped them gain an understanding of sustainable lifestyle. Students made posters to display their understanding and create awareness.
English:
In continuance of jolly phonics, students practiced the correct pronunciation and spelling of words, where ‘ou’ makes the ‘u’ sound.
Students were assessed for their reading and comprehension skills, wherein students chose books based on their ORT levels.
Math:
Students tuned into multiplication through the story ‘One Hundred Angry Ants’. They reflected on their understanding through the visual thinking routine ‘Connect Extend Challenge’. An introduction to different strategies of multiplication was done through manipulatives. Students created illustrations in their journals depicting various strategies and solved multiplication equations.
Library:
“Be like the Christmas tree; evergreen, shining, full of lights and full of gifts.” – Shri Shri Ravishankar
Students inquired about sustainable Christmas trees during their library lesson. They drew a connection between the book tree displayed in the library and the 7Rs. They also brainstormed about finding responsible ways to dispose of trees once used.
As an extension to the discussion, students listened to a beautiful and heart-warming story of ‘Madeline’s Christmas’ and learned about the importance of kindness. They also shared how they would celebrate the festival at home.
Art:
Students practiced how to develop a landscape out of the plastic waste live during their unit presentation. They took inspiration from the famous Indian artist, Manveer Singh Gautam and did a fabulous performance showing the idea of ‘Reuse, Reduce, and Recycle’.
Furthermore, students did free expression in the class and reflected on the presentation.
ICT:
During ICT lessons, students observed coding week, ‘Hour of Code’. There was a wide range of coding activities through which students learned the fundamentals of coding. Students participated in coding games in which they arranged blocks of code to complete an assigned task. During this activity, the students developed their computational thinking skills.
Furthermore, they were introduced to the importance and creation of strong passwords.
They are also in the process of creating a presentation on waste management using the online tool Buncee.
PHE:
Students learned about taking a proper stance and running movement in athletics. They also practiced various obstacle courses which enhanced their speed and agility.
French:
Students practiced singing the song “Trois petit pas” (Three small steps) with correct pronunciation and rhythm for the UOI presentation. In the subsequent week, they learned about classroom objects. Students learned how to ask ‘Qu’est-ce que c’est?’ (What is this/that?) and answer ‘c’est’ (This is/that is) through conversations and pairing up activities.
Spanish:
Students practiced singing the song ‘Tres pasos’ (Three small steps) with correct pronunciation and rhythm for the UOI presentation. In the subsequent week, the students were introduced to the names of animals and played ‘Juego de los animales’ wherein they listened to the sounds of animals and matched the flashcards with correct names.
SEL:
Students collaborated and brainstormed their understanding of the term, ‘kindness’. They also shared their experiences with their peers. Through class discussions, they understood the power of a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or a small act of caring. Students were encouraged to practice love and kindness in their daily lives to build relationships. They enhanced their self-awareness skills through this learning engagement.
Hindi:
Students enhanced their reading and comprehension skills as they read the poem ‘पेड़ और पौधे’ and interpreted it. They displayed their prior knowledge of paragraph writing by writing a paragraph. Further, elements of paragraph writing (अनुच्छेद लेखन) were reinforced through a PowerPoint presentation. Students wrote paragraphs on topic of their choice. (like मेरा जन्मदिन, मेरा परिवार और तितली etc.)
Hindi ab-initio:
A recap of vyanjans was taken up. Reinforcement of words with ‘aa’, ‘ee’, and ‘ae’ ki maatra was done. The students created words with maatras using manipulatives.
Dance:
Students were introduced to historical and cultural dance forms through audio-visual presentations. They enthusiastically learned about different dance forms, including their origin and history. A discussion on similarities and differences helped students understand and appreciate various dance forms. Further, students learned a few basic steps. Finally, students created a short dance sequence that combined steps from different styles.
Music:
Students practiced and performed a French and Spanish song named ‘Trois P’tits Pas’ for the UOI presentation.
They also prepared a rhythmic rendition on the buckets and performed in the auditorium.
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November 21 – December 1, 2022
Unit of inquiry:
Transdisciplinary theme: Sharing the planet
Central idea: Human activities create waste which can affect our environment.
Lines of inquiry and key concepts:
- What waste is (Form)
- Effects of waste on our environment (Causation)
- Waste management (Responsibility)
Students were tuned into the second line of inquiry through a provocation activity. They observed the effect of waste on the environment and expressed their point of view using the placemat strategy. Going further, discussions were initiated on the causes and effects of various kinds of pollution (air, water, and land). Students reflected on their learning using various visual thinking routines.
English:
As a progression of jolly phonics awareness, students practiced the correct pronunciation and spelling of words with the m (lamb, hymn) sound. They recapitulated regular and irregular verbs through various learning engagements.
Students read articles on effects of waste and answered related questions thereby enhancing their reading and writing skills.
Math:
Going further with their understanding of bar graphs, students analysed and interpreted graphs by answering questions related to them. As a unit integration activity, students analysed and interpreted bar graphs related to waste.
Library:
Students explored different fiction genres in the library. They immersed themselves in reading and explored many different authors (Bear Grylls, Roald Dahl and Ruskin Bond) and series (The Magic Tree House, Rainbow Fairies and Famous Five).
Art:
After collecting plastic waste material, students engaged in a segregation activity wherein they divided waste according to colours. Students also saw a few examples of how to use plastic waste to create landscapes and creatures.
ICT:
During ICT classes, students explored a presentation tool – Buncee. They learned to add colour backgrounds and different items like text, photos, animation, stickers, drawings, and shapes.
Furthermore, they learned to download images from the internet and use them in their presentation.
PHE:
In their PHE class, students worked on the starting stance for sprints and did skipping as the warm-up activity. In tennis, students worked on forehand and footwork on the court.
French:
Students learned vocabulary related to fruits and colours. They were able to identify and communicate colours of various fruits. They practiced the song ‘Trois petits pas’ (Three Small Steps) for their UOI presentation. The teacher explained the meaning of the lyrics and helped the learners with their pronunciation. They were able to relate the song to their unit on waste management.
Spanish:
Students shared their understanding of the song ‘Tres pasos pequeños’ (Three Small Steps) with the teachers and peers. The teacher recapitulated the meaning of the song and they practiced singing it with correct pronunciation and coordination.
Hindi:
In their Hindi lesson, students learned ‘ऋ’ matraa and wrote words and sentences with the same. They read a passage with ‘ऋ’ matraa. They learned the grammar concept, verbs (क्रिया). Students sorted out kriya shabd from the poem ‘सोने का अंडा’. Students also enhanced their writing skills as they wrote sentences and paragraphs based on the given picture and identified verbs (क्रिया) and nouns (संज्ञा) with the same.
Hindi ab-initio:
‘ऐ’ matraa was introduced to the students. They discussed and then wrote words with ‘ऐ’ matraa. They also practiced reading and writing words with all previously done matraas (अ, आ, इ, ई, उ, ऊ, ए).
Dance:
The students enthusiastically practiced dance routines for the UOI presentation. They learned to dance to the beat and coordinate their actions with their peers.
Music:
Students learned different notes and played them on percussion instruments. They also participated in vocal warm-ups to improve their intonation.
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