Transdisciplinary Theme : How the World Works

An inquiry into the natural world and its laws; the interaction between the natural world (physical and biological) and human societies; how human use their understanding of scientific principles; the impact of scientific and technological advances on society and on the environment.

Central idea: When natural materials undergo change, they may provide challenges and benefits for society and the environment.

Concepts: Change, Function,Reflection

Related concepts: natural materials, transformation, matter

Lines of Inquiry:

• Conditions that cause chemical and physical changes in materials
• How societies take advantage of the properties of materials
• The impact of retrieval, production and the use of materials on the environment.

Summative assessment task(s):

What are the possible ways of assessing students’ understanding of the central idea? What evidence, including student-initiated actions, will we look for?

What (knowledge): to know what type of natural material they choose and how it is processed.

Why (conceptual understanding): in order to understand the challenges and the benefits when the natural materials are processed.

How (situation): As environment activists, students will propose strategies to minimize the challenges and the negative impacts of processing a product made from natural resources.

Content:

• Choose a product and describe how it is processed (from Natural Resources)
• Identify the challenges in the process that affect the society and environment
• Proposes eco-friendly process to minimize the challenges of processing natural material

Process:

• Any media that can support the presentation. (Communication skills)

Assessment Tools: Checklist

Assessment Strategy: Performance assessments

 

The focused learner profile within the Unit of Inquiry :

Inquirers, Caring and Balanced

Inquirers: Some science experiments will be done in this unit to show the students of different changes of matter. They will develop their curiosity on what the changes of matter look like and how they change. They will also develop some skills such as thinking and research skills which are needed to do the inquiry on the advantages people take from natural materials and the impact of retrieval, production and use of the natural materials on the environment.

Caring: It is really important to be a caring person not only to ourselves or to other people but also to the environment. Throughout the unit, the students will learn that there are a lot of advantages human get from the nature. Thinking and applying some strategies to keep the balance of nature in our daily life is one way to show that we care to the nature.

Balanced: Life will be balanced if we can keep everything works naturally in the world. By learning the advantages human get from the nature, we hope that the students will be able to give their best to their environment as well. We would like to build a sense of belonging to the nature into our students’ mind that if we cut some trees to make some chairs means that we also need to replant more trees.

Things parents can do to support their children to live the focused learner profile above at home:

• Have a visit to some interesting places which can give opportunities for your child to build their curiosity about their surroundings ( such as visiting museums, zoos, or botanical gardens).INQUIRERS
• Provide some different  bins at home to teach your child ways to sort out garbage.CARING
• Be a good role model for your child to show them that you are a balanced person  by having time to do your hobbies although you spend most of your time for working.BALANCED
• If you visit a country for holiday with your child, explore the culture of the country with your child instead of spending most of your time for going shopping.INQUIRERS
• Guide your child to do research of certain topics using books or trusted websites.INQUIRERS                                                       
• Provide time to ask your child what they have learned at school to check his/her understanding.INQUIRERS
• Respect all people in your family  by talking to him/her politely including to your husband/wife, to your child/children, maids and drivers. CARING
• Donate new and useful things regularly to the orphanages. God gives us a lot of things and we have responsibility to also share them to other people who need it.CARING and BALANCED
• Go to bed earlier, it will help us to stay fresh in the morning. Teach your child to do so.BALANCED