Where We Are in Place and Time

Students in grade 5 have started a new unit of inquiry, Where We Are in Place and Time. As a tuning-in activity, students were given 10 big events in human history and had to place them on a continuum from oldest to most recent. 

First, students did this individually, allowing time for each student to develop her own ideas and form connections amongst events.  After some time, students were paired up to share their thinking and discuss their continuums, justifying and explaining their reasoning for each choice. 

Finally, each partnership was given an event to research. After researching, we organised the events into a more accurate class continuum.

After completing the timeline, students were asked to rank the most important milestones from human history.  A lively debate ensued as students defended their choices and challenged their classmates to go deeper in their thoughts and reasoning.

Two students discuss and debate their ranking.

 Here is one student's ranking and defence of her choice.

After getting a better understanding of the time period we are inquiring into, students investigated some of the key vocabulary words and concepts connected to the unit. Students showcased their understanding of these words in a variety of ways. One is through a "concept character." Students created a fictitious character that exemplifies the concept or word being studied.

 

Fertile Girl shoots seeds and roots from her hand. Of course, her favorite color is green.

Mr. Curious represents archaeology. His head is a magnifying glass to better examine details.

As a next step, students will explore some of the complex systems that characterize early civilizations and investigate how these systems impacted the civilizations and our modern world.

Click HERE to visit the 2017 Where We Are in Place and Time unit.