Time: approximately 30 – 45 minutes
Grouping: whole class, partners, and individuals
OPENING THE CONVERSATION
- Open the conversation about how we take care of the world by connecting to students’ personal experiences and what they know about ‘looking after…’ and ‘taking care of….’
CONNECTING WITH PERSONAL EXPERIENCES
Who takes care of you at home? How do they look after you?
Ask students to say who takes care of them. [Making connections]
- Offer prompts to stimulate oral sharing and discussion:
– What happens when your Mom and Dad go out?
– Who else takes care of you?
– Do all children have someone to take care of them? How do you know that?
- Ask students to tell a partner what they take care of. Again, offer prompts:
– What kinds of things do you take care of?
– How do you look after… (e.g., a pet, a plant, their toys).
– Why do you take care of…?
Students can discuss in partners and then ask a few partners to share their ideas with the class.
Think about how you take care of something, and make that part of your picture. So, my picture will show me looking after the vegetables in my garden by watering them or weeding around them. What will your picture show?
Invite students to paint or draw pictures of themselves taking care of something or someone. Encourage students to share ideas with a partner.
- As the students paint or draw, circulate and talk to them about their pictures. Encourage them each to write an idea about their picture at the bottom or top of the piece of paper. You may ask students who need more support to dictate their ideas while you scribe them. Always reread a scribed message with the student.
What do you take care of? How do you do that? Why do you do that?
Students can share their pictures with partners. Select a few students to share their paintings and writing with the class. Keep discussion focused and on topic.
INTRODUCING THE INQUIRY QUESTION
In the next few days, we are going to think about, ‘How do we care for the world?’ The first thing we’ll think about is how people take care of animals.
Tell students that the class will be learning about how we take care of animals, people, and nature in our world.