Continuing Our 'Sharing the Planet' Journey

Dear Gecko Class Families,

What a fantastic few weeks it’s been in the Gecko class! We’ve been continuing our exciting journey through our "Sharing the Planet" unit, and the children have been learning so much about their world and how they can make a difference.

Creating Our Earth Art

We explored a creative technique using rolling marbles to create beautiful Earth backgrounds. The children were then asked to make a representation of what they care about the most in the world. The results are simply stunning! We were so impressed by their creations that we had to display them for everyone on the K2 floor to enjoy. It’s amazing to see how much love and thought they put into their artwork!

       

Protecting Animals and Saving Our Planet!

A lot of our class cares deeply about animals, so we decided to dive deeper into learning more about them. The children have been curious about different species and their habitats, and we’ve had some wonderful discussions on how we can help protect animals and their environments. We've also been making superhero masks because we’re going to use our superpowers to protect animals and save our planet! Feel free to ask them about it—they’ve come up with some great ideas on how they plan to save the planet from all the rubbish!

I would love to see how they are using their knowledge from school to take action. If they’re doing anything to save the planet at home, please feel free to share photos here [LINK] so we can celebrate their efforts with the whole class!

Creating Our Own Non-Fiction Books

Gecko class has been loving story time, so we decided to write our own non-fiction books! We’ve been using our knowledge to write about facts we know about our favorite animals, and when we don’t know something, we become researchers—looking for information in non-fiction books or by asking Google!

The children are excited to share their work with the class first and then bring it home to show you. It’s been wonderful seeing them take ownership of their learning in such a creative way! 

Designing Homes for Animals

Not only do we know a lot about animals, but we also understand how to care for them. Last week, we’ve been making homes for animals, focusing on their need for food, water, a comfy bed, and places to play! These creations are all the children's own ideas, and it's incredible to see their creativity shine through in each one.

  

STEM Challenge

Even though we know animals don't belong in zoos or behind fences, we gave our brains a fun challenge this week. The children worked together to build fences to protect animals from tigers and crocodiles that might try to eat them. It was a great way to practice problem-solving skills while thinking about animal welfare!

Collecting Data with Tally Marks

We have been learning how to collect data! The children decided on their own topics and went around to all the K2 classes to gather information. Using tally marks helped us keep track of our counting, and we even learned a fun song to remember how to use tally marks: "1, 2, 3, 4, line across, make a 5 is so much fun!" Throughout this activity, we were brave in approaching classmates we don’t usually talk or play with, always speaking in a polite and friendly manner. It’s been fantastic to see everyone grow in confidence while learning to organize information and improve their counting skills.

Practicing Focus with Hong Kong-Themed Board Games

To practice our patience and focus, we played a variety of fun Hong Kong-themed board games. From a number-counting game using Snake and Ladder to a Bingo game featuring transportation found in Hong Kong, the children were full of energy and enthusiasm. They were especially excited to tell me that they had been on most of the transportation featured in the game! It was a great way to practice important skills while having fun together.

Update on Our Cat Grass Plants

Our cat grass plants have been growing wonderfully! Thanks to how caring the Gecko class has been, watering them every day and making sure they get enough sun, look how much they've grown! This week, we are exploring where our food comes from. We've been dissecting fruits and gathering seeds from them to plant. Feel free to ask the children what they’ve been eating and planting—it’s been a fun and engaging way to learn about our food sources!

We have been caring, inquiring, and reflecting on our actions as we continue our journey of learning about the world around us and how we can make a positive impact.

The children have made incredible progress in their understanding of our local environment and the importance of caring for the planet, and we are so proud of all their efforts.

As always, thank you so much for your continued support.

Wishing you a wonderful weekend ahead!

Warmest regards,
Penney