One of the recent topics capturing the students' imaginations is the Earth's layers. Students have begun showing great excitement and interest in learning about the layers of the earth. Senses were engaged when making play-dough. Students rotated in groups through 4 key learning activities. For English, students needed to handwrite a science experiment for the process of making play-dough. For Maths, students needed to research and price the total cost of the ingredients, before calculating the change from $20. To further ignite creativity, students were asked to draw the layers of the earth with labels, before using the playdough they had made to create this as a model.
Throughout the learning experience, students modelled their inquiry mindset by commenting the below observations:
- ‘Earth's crust is the smallest at 8-40km in depth.’
- 'I found calculating change is easiest when adding to the total rather then taking the total away from $20.00'.
- 'The 'method' told us what to do when making play-dough.'
- ‘The headings and sub-headings made the science experiment text easier to read and understand.’
These experiences highlight the power of cross-disciplinary learning in fostering critical thinking and real-world application of knowledge. Guided by their teacher, Mrs Murphy, students not only demonstrated academic growth but also exhibited empathy, care, and respect for each other's learning journeys. Mrs Murphy expressed pride in her students' joy and enthusiasm, emphasising the impact of collaborative inquiry on holistic development.
S2M class's exploration of the Earth's layers exemplifies the potential of integrated inquiry-based learning to nurture curiosity, critical thinking, and empathy, paving the way for students to become engaged, resilient learners prepared to navigate the complexities of the future. Here's to S2M’s continued journey of discovery and growth, serving as an inspiration for educators and learners alike in the pursuit of meaningful and engaging education.
See the photo album: https://jindabyne-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/gallery/2024-s2m-inquiry-learning.html
