Launching our new unit of inquiry: Signs & Symbols

Launching our new unit of inquiry: Signs & Symbols
  • Kindergarten
  • Parent Information
Serrin Smyth

As we move into our new unit of inquiry, students in Kindergarten will be exploring the central idea: Signs and symbols can be used to communicate ideas and information to people. They will be inquiring into:

  • Signs and symbols around us

  • Purposes of signs and symbols

  • Ways signs and symbols help us to communicate locally and globally 

SOLO Taxonomy &Word Vocabulary List

This parent version of the SOLO taxonomy may support you to have discussions with your child by asking some of the guiding questions. The questions develop across the SOLO from a shallow understanding where factual knowledge is developed to a more deeper understanding where conceptual understandings are formulate. The Vocabulary Lists are a guide for the possible vocabulary that may be explored throughout the unit of inquiry. It is encouraged that you explain and explore the words within this list with your child in their mother tongue. Perhaps you may talk about the concept of some of the words in English and also in your home language in order to deepen their understanding of them.

What can you do at home to connect with learning about signs and symbols? 

Idea: When you are out walking with your children in the neighborhood, notice signs and symbols around you. Students can draw or photograph any signs they see. At school, students might share their drawings or photos with their friends. You might try and categorize signs you see into different groups, such as signs that warn, signs that give directions, signs that tell people to stop, etc.

Idea: Take a walk around your home or your neighborhood with your child. Have your child point to different signs or special symbols on labels and discuss what they mean. How do the signs use color or shapes to communicate? What do the symbols mean? How do you know it means this? Discuss different safety rules with your child.

Idea: Discuss symbols and signs that mean stop or go. There are many symbols that mean stop, such as the stop sign, a red traffic light, a red blinking light, or a yield sign. Draw different symbols for stop and go on separate pieces of paper. Challenge: Can you create a playful game using the stop and go signs you made?

ACTION:

Additionally, 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 contact our PYP Coordinator (ssmyth@seisen.com) or your daughter's homeroom teacher.

 

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