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WISS Grade 2 revel in Mini Expo

WITH the Shanghai World Expo only 400 days away, WISS 2nd graders celebrated their own Mini Expo on December 17, 2008, joined by their parents, students and teachers in other grades.

The Mini Expo was a culmination of students' self-directed inquiry. Students transformed their tables and chairs to create "Ambassador Stalls" for their chosen country of interest. Adorned with visual displays, traditional music, architectural models, local food, authentic fabric and artifacts the classroom space was changed into a melting pot of cultural knowledge. The 2nd graders took on the role as cultural ambassadors through detailed presentation and active interaction with appreciative and supportive visitors who asked questions and shared their own experiences related to the specific country.

Prior to the Mini Expo, students were involved in a range of discoveries and explorations inviting them to focus on the central idea of their learning; "Humans have discovered unique features of various places and have adapted and altered these in different ways."

As a Primary Years Program (PYP) candidate school, the Grade 2 teaching team worked collaboratively to engage students. "A key component of the Primary Years Program at WISS is to develop Inquiry through the use of questions," said Renee Peitsch, Grade 2 teacher. "By giving students the opportunity to ask their own questions and direct their own inquiry, each individual is able to extend on the global knowledge they, in an international community bring to the classroom."

The Grade 2 cohort began this learning journey with a field trip to Pudong's Oriental Pearl TV Tower where the students had a chance to overlook the main features of their host city, followed by a visit to Shanghai History Museum tracking the city's history and dramatic changes in the past hundred years. "It's great. All students have in interest in the world around them. And this inquiry expanded their knowledge and understanding of the outside world," said Nigel Pritchard, Grade 2 teacher.

The parents also gave high marks to this Mini Expo. "It was a great project to develop my daughter's research and presentation skills.Some of the research related to mathematics, such as populations, distance, measurement of a building, temperature, time zone?and so on, so it also?enriched their understanding?in this area.?She was very proud of her work and had shown much enthusiasm," said Rita Kung. "As the whole family were involved in this process, we all gained some knowledge out of it."

As the students sail through their learning journey ahead, it is unquestionable that the skills and hands-on experience gained will stand them in good stead as lifelong learners.




 

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