Our Habitat Inquiry

“Inquiry evokes the idea of a dynamic process, a journey that involves the uncertainty and chance that always arises in relationships with others. Project work grows in many directions, with no predefined progression, no outcomes decided before the journey begins.

It means being sensitive to the unpredictable results of children’s investigation and research. The course of a project can thus be short, medium or long, continuous or discontinuous, and is always open to modifications and changes of direction.”

~  Carlina Rinaldi on ‘Project work’ from The Hundred Languages of Children.

This morning The Village begun our inquiry into Habitats. Over the term the children have been dedicated to housing the Murray Cod, looking after and learning about the Hopping Mice, exploring their interests in nature, collecting and searching for insects, investigating all their interests in the Fish Farm/MUDLA, bird spotting at Grevillia Reserve, researching animals of their choice and so much more!

All the children’s interests came together this morning as they were invited to explore the provocation, “what is a habitat?”

“It is an animal”- Jacob

“Its for animals to live in habitats”- Yasha

“A place like a cave, a little house”- Zahra

“Like a food”- Viraj

“A habitat keeps the animals safe like the hopping mice”- Dimi

“Habitat means that animals sleep in the winter”- Anabella

“Is drinking”- Arianna

“Habitat is for swimming”- Sahib

“Swimming” – Chase

“A habitat is for like other pets to live”- Yasha

“A cage”- Max

“A house”- Nahom

A job”- Adum

“Sharing” – Annabelle

“Changes people”- Alexa

“A home for animals”- Alexander

“A home for animals, they live and drink and eat food”- Elnathan

“Animals eat food”- Kobe

“Be nice to everyone and be kind and respect others”- Arjan

” A A A apple”- Alexia

“A drink tap” – Bohdi

“Like getting some water and some lunch and being healthy”- Nyok

What are some different kinds of habitats?

“Helping animals” Annabelle

“A horse lives in a farm” – Alexa

“A cow lives in a farm” – Nahom

“A bunny lives in the woods” – Alexia”

“A lobster and yabby lives in water and the fishes and the turtles and frogs” – Elnathan

“Water for fish”- Yasha

“Polar bear on ice”- James

We went on a learning walk to explore habitats in Holy Family Catholic School. Miss Quigley took a group to the MUDLA room where students explored and compared different habitats,  Mrs Nicosia and Miss Roberts took a group of children to investigate habitats in log park and on the oval, and Miss McCarthy, Mr Coad and Mr McCarthy opened the gate to our newly developed pond habitat where students made connections, observed and discussed living and non-living things.  During this time gathered around the pond, students had the opportunity to release tadpoles! wow!

All students had freedom and choice to float between the pond, MUDLA, and log park to engage in all aspects.

We reflected and recorded our learning in our learning journals

After recess The Village used their hundred languages to explore and create their own habitats! Students also used their creativity to design and make kites, manipulated the lego to make habitats (Ethan also used the lego to make Mr McCarthy),  and painting. This opportunity saw the children recreate their understanding of habitats through play.

What did you learn about habitats?

Enrique – I saw tadpoles, they were behind the fish farm.

Nahom – I read a book about where animals live.

Adum – we were looking at tadpoles and the teacher out there, he teached us about them. They can swim and they can turn to frogs. The tadpoles live in the water.

Zac – we put the tadpoles in to have a new home. when they come, we will hear a crunching sound. They’re going to live in a new home with the fish. The fish and the frogs will have a side of their own. The tadpoles will have this side and the fish will have one side. But not for long, because the frogs will go ‘hop, hop’ in with the fish. They have to start off as an egg, so when they lay new ones, they will grow up into a frog too.

Nyok – I saw some lizards and they live in the trees.

Elnathan – in investigations I was making a log with a rabbit inside it and I coloured it in and I made leaves and outside I took photos of every animal and I saw goldfish. I took a photo of a bird and a colourful feather and also a tree and a pigeon feather and also Alexander helped me find the tree and then he told me to take a photo of it. Hayley and Harper and Irin and Emily and Nihal and Jed were with me finding stuff. I took a photo of the big tree near the sand. I took a photo of the yabbies where the goldfish lives and I took a photo in the MUDLA with the hopping mice and lots of other things. I took photos of the tadpoles and the barramundi.

Alexa – when a frog is big, it lays an egg, then a tadpole comes. Then you give it more time and grows into a frog.

 

After lunch, the children went to chant practice for their Sports Day teams. After chant practice The Village engaged in writer’s workshop. R/1MC went to sport with Mr Pearce and R/1EN, R/1MS and R/1EQ visited log park.

What a fantastic day of learning!

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