As they begin their Wildwood journey in kindergarten, our youngest students are encouraged to explore and “try on” different interests, and to dig deeper when something sparks their imagination. Sometimes this exploration occurs alongside a planned unit, igniting a whole new path of inquiry.
As part of a lesson on opinion writing, kindergarten teacher Elana Fruchtman encouraged students to think about problems they see in the world and noticed their passion for speaking about endangered animals. As a class, they then embarked on a study of endangered animals, with each student selecting one endangered animal to learn about and become an “expert” in that species. Working with their 4th grade student “buddies,” they then created posters and collages with information about their chosen animals and their habitats to share with their classmates.
The opinion writing unit continued to evolve into sharing information on how to protect these endangered animals. For Wildwood students, however, sharing knowledge isn’t the end of the journey. The kindergarteners decided to create petitions and organize a march to get the school community involved in the effort. Once they decided on everything they needed for the march (crowns, flags, signs, and chants), students planned a march around campus!
We’re excited to see how this curiosity and advocacy builds as our students continue to learn and grow.
- Spring 2021
