Yokohama International School- Summer 2009
During my summer holidays of 2009, I was fortunate to be able to volunteer in the international school I graduated from. It was a great learning experience as I wish to teach in one in the future, and for me to learn more about how the IB Primary Years Programme worked in practice. I was very lucky to be in a grade 2 classroom with a wonderful teacher who had years of teaching experience. In fact, it was her last year of teaching in a classroom as she is now the curriculum co-ordinator and Deputy principal at the elementary section.
Endangered Species Awareness Day
In the endangered species unit of inquiry, students chose an endangered animal to become an expert on. They researched about the animal, its habitat, and why it is become endangered, and how we can help for the animal not to go extinct, using books and the internet.
They compiled the collected information and presented it in their mode of choice: they could be the animal and present from that animal's perspective, be an expert on that particular animal, or be a safari/zoo worker specialist on the chosen animal.
The children's efforts and hard work was celebrated on one day where the whole day was devoted to a Endangered animals Awareness Day, where not only other grades came too see, but teachers, principals and parents came to see and hear about endangered species.
They compiled the collected information and presented it in their mode of choice: they could be the animal and present from that animal's perspective, be an expert on that particular animal, or be a safari/zoo worker specialist on the chosen animal.
The children's efforts and hard work was celebrated on one day where the whole day was devoted to a Endangered animals Awareness Day, where not only other grades came too see, but teachers, principals and parents came to see and hear about endangered species.
Math- Estimating and Measuring Capacities
On a beautiful day towards the summer, my co-operating teacher decided to do a lesson on capacities using different containers and water. Students were to make an estimate on how many of one container would fit on one bigger container, to experience estimating and measuring. The students made an estimate, wrote it down, then made the measurement and recorded their measurement.
Nuts! K-2 Musical
As I was student teaching during the end of the school year, I had the opportunity to help out in school wide events as well. One of these events was the Nuts! musical, where all the students from Kindergarten to grade 2 participated. I helped the music teacher with reminding children of the lyrics and the movements, as well as in creating costumes for the productions.