Courtyard Blitz

The context of the class project is a courtyard area which contains a table and chairs for sitting and a garden in much need of some fresh ideas. The children continuously asked questions about planting plants in the area and how they could change the area. Change constantly occurs to us and all around us. Why and how do these changes occur? What makes living things thrive? In this unit, students explore the needs of living things, focusing on plants in particular. Students design and create a sustainable garden within their school. Research-sharing and collaborative decision-making enable students to make informed choices and work together in this cooperative, practical project. A Garden Tea Party is the culminating event for this unit, where feedback from visitors is sought, and students consider how they will sustain the garden. Focus of unit

What will we see in the classroom? The student created vision for this unit results in them engaging in an authentic project. Within the design of the project the children will be: consolidating information about plants researching gardens and plants designing and creating the garden showcasing the garden – The Garden Tea Party. I want this unit to provide the opportunity for children to engage in a cooperative and practical project. The project will engage them in group and individual learning to develop their knowledge and to connect their knowledge at each stage of the learning cycle. For myself as teacher, I want to facilitate their learning and for the students to take responsibility for their own learning. Also, for them to be immersed within the framework of curriculum framing questions to guide their learning.

Gauging Student Needs Assessment Teaching and Learning The Gauging Students Needs assessment will identify the children's prior knowledge about gardens. This information will be connected to a whole class brainstorm about the court yard garden. The information will be collected in three categories: how to make a garden including safety aspects, where they have learned previously about gardens, and their knowledge of plants. The students will use the assessment as a point of reflection about what they have learned about gardens during and at the end of the project. The information will inform teaching and learning activities undertaken as part of this unit.

Essential Question: How do we see change? Unit Questions: What do living things need to change? How do we create change? How can we measure change? Content Questions: What do living things need? What happens to living things when change occurs? How do living things grow? How can we plan for our garden? How can we make our garden? How do we tell others about change? © The State of Queensland (Department of Education and the Arts) 2008 Curriculum Framing Questions