Authors:                  Jon McNab, Katey Lee Aspin, Adi Pande & Leanne Marsh

Level:                       Grade 3 (AusVELS Level 3)

Length of Unit:      Approximately 5 weeks

 

Rationale 

This iQuest focuses largely on the Physical, Personal and Social Learning domain of the AusVELS curriculum.  Through completing this iQuest students further develop their sense of belonging and self worth, and understanding of how to live and work with others in ways which contribute to a more harmonious social environment.

The AusVELS Level 3 Interpersonal Development curriculum explicitly recognises that "learning which encourages inclusive, rather than exclusive social behaviours is fundamental at this stage of interpersonal development" and that "values education which informs social skills and development is important at this stage of schooling".

 

iQuest Overview

 The underlying themes running throughout this I-Quest are our diversity and differences, the benefits and advantages of diversity, seeing past differences and finding commonalities, and overcoming the difficulties that diversity and differences present to live harmoniously and peacefully together.

Harmony Day is used to introduce the concept of 'celebrating diversity'.  In questioning why we celebrate diversity, students consider how differences and diversity are a good thing and how 'finding out' and getting to know others is the first step in accepting and understanding differences and living harmoniously together.  These issues are initially investigated and considered through a perspective of cultural diversity, and as students progress through the unit, they consider other ways we are all different, and how these differences enrich our lives and make us each unique and special. 

Initially, students in groups, learn about a celebration of another culture.  They are encouraged to become 'experts' about these celebrations as they will need to teach their other classmates and members of the school and local community about these celebrations, through presentations at their Harmony Day Expo.

 Students reflect on what they have learnt about the different cultural celebrations and consider how whilst they are different, they are also very similar in many aspects, such as celebrating with friends and family, foods, the values underlying these celebrations and the symbolic similiarites such as the moon and/or light and lanterns. 

Students then get to know another member of the wider school community.  Each student is paired with another student in another learning community, whom it is believed they have had little or no contact with before.  They find out their differences and discover what they have in common. 

Students consider what actions they can take to overcome and accept differences when interacting with others to make their social environment more peaceful.  

 

Inquiry Model and Thinking Tools

The structure of this iQuest is based on the Murdoch and Wilson (2004) model of inquiry.  This model provided a logical sequencing framework for the tasks and learning activities to lead students towards deeper understandings of the themes and scaffolding for successful completion of tasks.

The iQuest also incorporates and encourages many of the thinking dispositions from the Habits of Mind thinking tool.  Harvard visible thinking strategies are also incorporated into the iQuest through "Why do you say that?" questions, and a "I used to think.....but now I think" reflection activity.

Please refer to iQuest Planning Table for more information.

 

Intended Learning Aims and Desired Outcomes

 Essential Understandings

 Students will understand that:

• Diversity enriches our lives

• Our differences make us unique and special

• Learning about and getting to know and understand others and our differences, is the first step in accepting and valuing our differences

• Our differences can lead to conflicts

 

Essential Questions

• Why celebrate our differences?

• How can we make others and ourselves feel accepted and belong?

• How can we live harmoniously together?

 

AusVELS Curriculum Outcomes

Please refer to

• Task and Activity Outline with Curriculum and Assessment Links

• Teacher assessment rubric for group presentations

 

Thinking Processes and Skills

 Students develop their thinking processes and skills in:

• Wondering, questioning and generating ideas

• Locating, identifying, interpreting and synthesising information to build understanding

• Effectively communicating knowledge and ideas in an appropriate manner to suit intended audience and purpose

• Speaking and listening skills

• Working together in teams

• Finding and making connections between ideas, and concepts and personal experiences

• Reflecting on and assessing personal learning and performance

• Giving and receiving feedback

• Conflict resolution

• Self monitoring and responsibility skills