Newspaper Challenge!

 Inquiry: Sharing The Planet

As part of our Inquiry, we worked in small groups to build a tower out of newspaper.   We had only 20 minutes and had to work collaboratively to build the tallest tower, that could stand by itself for one minute! The only resources we had were newspaper, masking tape and scissors. 

                                     
                                      

Some of us had limited resources and had to trade our newspaper to get extra tape and scissors! 

    

And our finished towers!!

                                                               

                                 
                                                  
                                                 

                                                  

And our winners, with a tower that stood steady at 55 centimetres!!

                                                   

Today our teachers set us a challenge. We had to colour the pieces of an ice cream using four different colours. Then we had to cut the pieces out and glue them together on a spare piece of paper.  We got put into seven groups. This is what our teacher gave each of the groups:

Group one: the ice cream pieces and 7 blank pieces of paper
Group two: the ice cream pieces, 1one highlighter and 1 glue stick
Group three: the ice cream pieces, 2 scissors, 3 highlighters
Group four: the ice cream pieces,1 glue stick, 1 scissors, 
Group five: the ice cream pieces, 2 scissors
Group six: the ice cream pieces, 2 glue sticks, 1 highlighter
Group seven: the ice cream pieces, 2 highlighters

The teacher then set the rules that we could not access any other resources from the resource shelf. She said we would have to think like global citizens, communicate and collaborate.

At first we were very upset, how were we supposed to do the activity if we didn't get all the things we needed.

Then our teacher started to hear people saying things like:
 "I will give you a glue stick if you give me scissors"
"Could we please have one of your highlighters?"
"I am going to go and find what we need."

Henry: "we traded"
Isla: "we went to other groups and we asked if we could use their resources"
Lachlan: "we got paper from Jasper's group"
Jasper: " we gave them paper and they should have traded us something"

Sharing The Planet Rubric

Below is the rubric for our Inquiry Unit: Sharing The Planet.  We are learning about our responsibilities towards sharing and sustaining the world's resources.

Sharing the planet

We have a responsibility to share and sustain the world’s resources

Advanced	I can name 3 or more examples of the world’s resources I can explain how these can be sustained using personal examples of what they can do and how they can be sustained globally I can demonstrate an understanding that the world’s resources need to be shared and that we need to share our resources	I can explain the reasons we share resources from within our classroom and beyond I can give 3 or more examples of consequences of ‘not-sharing’ resources from within my classroom and beyond. I can give 3 or more examples of what happens if we do not sustain resources in my own classroom and beyond.	I show leadership by actively teaching others to share and sustain resources in a variety of contexts.	I understand and appreciate the importance of the environment for human life and survival. I care about environmental issues and can think about  sustainable solutions that affect the planet and its inhabitants..
Proficient	I can name at least 2 examples of the world’s resources I can explain how these can be sustained using personal examples of what they can do and/or how they can be sustained globally I can demonstrate an understanding that the world’s resources need to be shared and that we need to share our resources	I can explain the reasons we share resources from within our classroom and beyond. I can give 2 or more examples of consequences of ‘not-sharing’ resources from within my classroom and beyond. I can give 2  examples of what happens if we do not sustain resources in my own classroom and beyond.	I actively share resources with peers I actively sustain resources.	I understand that caring for the environment is important for our survival. The solutions created take into account the environment and the dangers it is facing. I understand that what happens in one part of the world affects other parts as well. I know that injustices exist, and want to help make a difference in others’ lives and the world.
Consolidating	I can name at least 2 examples of the world’s resources I can explain with support, how these can be sustained using personal examples of what they can do and/or how they can be sustained globally I can demonstrate an understanding with support, that the world’s resources need to be shared and that we need to share our resources	I can explain reasons with support, why we share resources from within in my classroom and beyond. I can give 2 examples with support, of consequences of ‘not-sharing’ resources I can give  2 examples with support, of what happens if we do not sustain the world’s resources	I actively share resources with peers (with reminders) I actively sustain resources with reminders.	I am beginning to understand that caring for the environment is important for our survival as human beings. The solutions created take into account the environment and the threats it is facing. I am beginning to understand that what happens in one part of the world affects other parts as well. I know that injustices exist, and want to help make a difference in others’ lives and the world.
Beginning	I can name an example of a resource and say how this resource can be sustained and shared (may need teacher support to do so)	I can explain reasons with support. I can share resources from within my classroom and beyond. I can give an example with support, of a consequence of ‘not-sharing’ resources I can gives an example with support, of what happens if we do not sustain the world’s resources	I actively share resources with peers (with reminders)	I have a low level of awareness and caring about environmental issues, and I tend to see them as someone else’s problem.
Lines of inquiry	How do we share and sustain the world’s resources? (function)	Why is it important to share and sustain resources? (causation)	What is my responsibility as a citizen to share and sustain resources?	Genuine interest in human and environmental sustainability
Key Concepts	Function	Causation	Responsibility and Perspective	Citizenship

Sharing The Planet

Today we started our new Inquiry unit....Sharing the Planet.

Our Big Idea for this unit is "that people have a responsibility to work together to share and sustain the world's resources".

Today we met with Mr C and he talked to us about our vegetable garden and how we share and sustain these resources.  We are all going to have a turn helping Mr C sustain the vegetable patch this term.