Celebrating the Grade 2 Unit of Inquiry: Materials & Matter

How The World Works: Materials & Matter

Students in Grade 2 have concluded their unit with a focus on developing an understanding; 'Materials have properties which can be manipulated for different purposes'.

They investigated:

• Properties and uses of materials

• How materials can be changed

• Manipulating materials for a purpose

(Read more about how the unit began with provocations, defining key vocabulary and beginning the initial stages of the investigation here: https://www.seisen.com/connect-link/news/setagaya/~board/ib-pyp-at-seisen/post/grade-2-units-of-inquiry-celebrations-traditions-materials-matter)

Making Connections through Art

Students took a field trip to the High School Art Room where Ms Kotowich (HS Art teacher) demonstrated how to manipulate clay on the pottery wheel. 

 Ms Kotowich modeled how the students could create their own mini pinch pot by manipulating clay. 

Students embossed their own pots by stamping their initials inside. 

They reflected on what knowledge they had gained on the properties of clay throughout this experience. 

In their art class, they explored how paper is made by creating their own paper from pulp. 

Teaching each other about the Properties of Materials

Students became an expert on a specific material by researching, collaboratively designing and creating a 'poster to teach' and then teaching their class about the properties of that material.

Science Experiments!

Throughout the unit, students engaged in a wide variety of science experiments to understand the properties of materials through hands on learning.

Making 'shrinky dinks', watching the material shrink inside the microwave: 

Which materials sink or float and why?

Which materials are magnetic?

Which materials repel or absorb? 

Which material will keep water hot the longest?

A field trip to the Science Lab was where students watched the changing states of matter through an experiment: 

Line of Inquiry 3: Manipulating materials for a purpose

At the conclusion of the unit, students considered the different ways materials can be manipulated. 

It was then time to put all of their learning into action through a design process challenge! 

 

After selecting which challenge they would try, students began by researching materials:  

After sketching their design, it was then time to 'build their solution'. 

Testing their design to see if the materials and manipulation of these materials was successful:

As scientists, they documented the science investigation throughout: 

To conclude, it was time to reflect - Was their experiment successful? Why or why not? What would they change or do differently from what they had learnt? 

 ACTION!

"Action, the core of student agency, is integral to the Primary Years Programme (PYP) learning process and to the programme’s overarching outcome of international-mindedness. Through taking individual and collective action, students come to understand the responsibilities associated with being internationally minded and to appreciate the benefits of working with others for a shared purpose. When students see tangible actions that they can choose to take to make a difference, they see themselves as competent, capable and active agents of change." (Oxfam 2015 citied in My IB, The Learner, Action & International Mindedness)

Students in the PYP demonstrate action when they have linked their learning to real-life issues and opportunities and applied this in their lives. 

Below are some examples of students taking action outside of school, in response to their learning from this unit of inquiry. 

Action Example 1: A student conducts their on design challenge with their family at home and posts the process on their Seesaw: 

 

Action Example 2 & 3: Students enjoyed applying their knowledge by asking questions on the Snow Day and inquiring further into how snow is made:

Email from a parent, explaining their child's steps of action at home:  

Action Example 4: A student conducts an experiment at home showing how static electricity works: 

Action Example 5: A student inquires into how you turn milk into plastic: 

Thank you to our Grade 2 families for supporting the unit of inquiry by extending their child's learning further at home!

If you see your child taking action as a result of their learning at school, we would LOVE to hear about it! As action is often taken outside of the learning environment, we often don't know about these opportunities that you as parents are witness to, even a short email telling us about something your child did or said at home as a result of their learning helps us know how the PYP is supporting the development of life long learners that take action! (Please email Ms Smyth, ssmyth@seisen.com or your child's teacher to share these moments.)