Up, Up and Away!

The phrase "reaching new heights" continues to be evident within the walls of our classroom! Ever since our two Skype sessions with Ms. Callenbach's kindergarten class from New York City, the students in our classroom have not only been very busy writing letters and investigating the similarities and differences between our two communities, but they have used their prior and learned knowledge about the world around them to make incredible connections between our inquiries and their own personal experiences!

But just how far is New York City from Woodbridge?

How could we get there?

These questions led to a rich conversation whereby the following connections were made by some students:

"I went on a plane when I went to Punta Cana." - R.L.

"Me too! I went to Egypt on an airplane." - T.B.

"I went on an airplane to Bahamas with my family." - I.D.

"I went in an airplane and when it closed it moved. Airplanes are really big." - L.D.

"When my Mom went to America she went in a plane." - W.F.

"I watched movies on my plane when I went to Florida." - E.S.

"Airplanes can fly in the clouds because the clouds are air. It looks like fog." - L.D.

"You can fly in the clouds, up in the sky, look outside the window and see houses!"- S.M.

With airplanes becoming the headline of our conversation, our students (with little prompting) came up with the idea to transform our Dramatic Play area into an airport! When asked what we could use our airport for, I.D. replied, "Well, we need airplanes to visit all of the far away places on our "What Can You See?" map because they are just really far." The amazing thing is, our students' thinking didn't stop here. Many of our students began making connections to our Cloud Inquiry and talking about what happens when airplanes fly through clouds. Students also began talking about what airplanes look like and sound like when flying up in the sky and sharing personal experiences with each other! I think it goes without saying that my DECE and I continue to feel inspired by our youngest learners and how they can take their own learning to "new heights!"

Over the past couple weeks, the students in our class have shared many personal experiences and prior knowledge about airplanes, airports and vacations! Below are some of their initial theories around what they see, think and wonder when it comes to airplanes and airports:

What do you see in or on an airplane?

"You put your seatbelt, just like car." - T.B.

"There is a bathroom but it's really small. I saw a place where a conductor steers the plane too. Oh, the pilot is in the cockpit. I know that place because me and my brother we walked right by it." - S.M.

"An airplane has wings." - R.F.

"Windows." - T.D.

"You see lots of things when you see out the window." - J.S. (JK)

"There is like you have a number in your seat, so you know where you sit." - I.D.

"I saw tv's, magazines, books and stuff." - S.M.

"Jets make it go (turbines)." - J.S. (SK)

"To be safe, you have a life jacket and a mask. Something is for the mouth." - T.B.

Signs and posters being made for our airport

Who do you think has special jobs on an airplane or at the airport?

"I think a butler pushes the food carts." - W.F.

"I think people are helping the pilot on the plane." - I.D.

"I think there is another plane but it's called a jet." - L.D.

"I think that when the pilot lands there are people who tells them where to land and helps them where the plane lands." - L.D.

"There are passengers." - S.M.

"I know you need a ticket and bags when you go to the airport." - E.S.

 

As of last week, students have begun to create special job tags, vacation books, airport signs and giant wordles to make their thinking visible around their ongoing learning about airplanes and airports! With the giant donated box, our students have amazing and innovative plans to turn it into either a "baggage scanner" or the side of a giant airplane! Even our cockpit is under construction! Similarly, we have begun to create individual student passports to make being a passenger feel even more real since one of our students enthusiastically shared that you need a passport in order to go on an airplane! We know we are only just scratching the surface right now in our airplane inquiry, but we can't wait to see where we fly off to next with it! 

Our Cockpit under construction

Stay tuned for another update this week as we also have a "Surprise Visitor" coming in to teach us more about airports! 

New York City...China...Germany...Winnipeg...Mexico...British Columbia...and more - the sky is truly the limit in our classroom!