Thank you for Sharing the Planet with us!!!
We (the grade 2 classes at the American International School in Kuwait) have started a blog to share our learning about conserving water. If your class is interested in sharing your learning, please let us know by leaving a comment below and I can make you an ‘author’-we love guest bloggers. We’d also love to read your thoughts on our posts.
Transdisciplinary Theme –Sharing the Planet: An inquiry into rights and responsibilities in the struggle to share finite resources with other people and with other living things.
Central Idea: Survival depends on conservation of resources.
Focus: Earth Science; Chemistry; Language; PSPE; Social Studies; Math
An inquiry into:
- the properties of water
- how living things depend on water
- the availability and distribution throughout the world
- our responsibility toward the conservation of water
Assessment Strategy: Performance Assessment
The students will create a persuasive media piece about conserving water. The media piece must include an overview that details the properties of water, how living things depend on it and why it is important to conserve this resource. The media piece must also include recommendations about how to conserve this resource. Students will be given guided framework for their research.
Internationalism: Students will be encouraged to inquire into global issues related to the usage and conservation of water.
Transdisciplinary Skills:
Research Skills: Students will formulate questions, collect data, organize data, and record data. Students will keep record of their usage of water. They will find ways to conserve water. They will also research different animals and plants to inquire into the ways they use/need water.
Thinking Skills: Students will think about themselves, their learning, and those around them. They will carefully consider the ways they use water and how to persuade those around them.
Learner Profile Traits:
Reflective: Students will reflect on their water usage, how they can conserve it and the importance of water to all living things.
Principled: Students will be encouraged to reflect upon their usages of water in their daily lives and improve their practices.
Attitudes:
Integrity: Students will be encouraged to start making better choices and to inspire others to make better choices when using water.
Commitment: Students will be committed to conserving water throughout the rest of the year. Classes will be encouraged to create a contract about water conservation.
Sharing the Planet in Grade 2 
Looking forward to reading your posts! We are a Grade 2 class (7 & 8 year olds) in Ontario, Canada.
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Hey Ms. Balestrin! Is there anyway your class could see what happens when a cup of water is left outside for a day? Overnight? Document the changes you see? I think it would be interesting to see what happens to water in different parts of the world. Thanks! 🙂 -Mrs. Kira’s class in Kuwait!
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Ms. Balestrin/Mrs. Kira,
That sounds like a great idea. I would add that you could show the water cycle by leaving a clear container of water that is covered with clear plastic. This could be connected to where they live and their climate.
Ms. Lioba’s 2nd grade class, Kuwait
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Grade 2B LCS Ghana – Our thoughts
1.We need water to help us survive.
2.Water helps you to be healthy.
3.In Ghana we need clean water to help us survive, which is not always easily available.
4.We need water to help us grow.
5.We cannot drink water directly out of lakes because it has dirt.
6.If we do not have water we are going to die.
To be continued.
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Grade 2B LCS Ghana- Our thoughts
7.In Ghana you should not drink water directly from the taps because the water is not always purified.
8.There is nay 2% of clean water in the whole world.
9.Water gives you energy.
10. In the heat one needs to drink a lot of water so that you do not get dehydrated.
11. Cloud are made of water.
12. You need water to was your hands and bath.
13. In most areas in Ghana people now use bore-holes for water.
14. In Australia, England, India, Canada and Portugal you are allowed to drink the tap water.
To be continued.
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My class is excited! We are a 2nd grade class in San Jose, California and are experiencing a severe drought. Looking forward to reading your posts!
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Good morning Ms. Foster, I’d love to hear what your class is doing to help conserve water, especially since you’re in a severe drought. Can you add a post in the conservation category? Thanks! -Mrs. Kira’s class in Kuwait.
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I was going to suggest that the 2nd graders seek out students from drought stricken areas of the world so I’m glad to see they’ve already found some. I’m sure your students know already about the need to conserve water. It might be interesting for the students in Kuwait to hear what your students do in their everyday lives to reduce the amount of water they, and their families, use.
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Our class is so excited to be a part of this fun blog! We are a second grade class in Randolph, Utah.
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Way to go Grade 2s! What an amazing way to take action and share your learning with the world! I look forward to celebrating your discoveries and learning with you. Love, Miss Taryn
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