Changes From Past to Present

 Last week, Grade 1s chose a topic that they interest them and explored its history. They looked at the photos of it from past to present. To show their findings, they learned google slideshow in the class.  It was a new experience for all of them that it was challenging at the beginning, especially getting pictures posted on the slides. In the end, they were all proud that they can already do it without assistance.

Good job, Grade 1s.

After completing their slideshow work, they were asked to THINK of the different reasons why things changed from past to present.

The Grade 1s offered genius answers. 🤩🤩🤩

Field Trip To Minpaku Museum of Ethnology

 One of the best ways to understand life in the past is to see evidence of its existence. This is what the museums are for - to keep the treasures of the past for people in the future can see them for themselves and appreciate what had been, what is and what will be. 

Grade 1s enjoyed seeing different items from the past found around the world. They compared them to what we have at present. The museum is rich with things to explore. The time we have to go around is not enough to enjoy the beauty of the displays, thus a second round of visit is a good idea.

                                      Jeepney - a mode of transportation found in the Philippines

                                                 different masks made out of various materials

                                                    ancient calendar used in the Americas

                                                        A model of houses in the past

             This was where they cooked food in the past. They stored their food supplies in those large jars.

How does communication happen now?

 One of the wonderings that the Grade 1 learners have is to find out how people who live in different parts of the world communicate using the technology we have now.

It is not an easy question and it is totally burning our Grade 1's curiosity. To help us with this, we invited an expert in IT from our school - Mr Huber.

Mr. Huber went to the class last Monday to show the students about the internet and its history. He also explained to them how our voice from Japan travels overseas and reaches our loved ones who live far from us.

It was great to hear an expert talk about it.

How does it feel to be in the school in the past?

 How does it feel to be in the school in the past? This is a common question among most of the Grade 1 learners. To grant them the answer, we had a simulation of school in the past.

On 11th of November 2022, Grade 1s came to school fully dressed up in classic dress and clothes. They were welcomed by their very strict teacher who was holding a long stick and talking in a very straight, firm and low commanding voice. 

Everyone had to sit straight, had to place their hands on the table and be quiet the whole time. Anyone who did not follow the rules had to stand up and do a squat position.🧐

It was a 2-block period of silence with only the teacher speaking and a once in a while sound of the stick hitting the board or the table. 🤨

When the simulation was over, there was a huge sound of relief from the Grade 1s! 😂

When asked, the Grade 1 learners said that they were lucky to be in the school at present because they can freely express themselves.

 

Clothing in the Past and Present

 It is an obvious fact that fashion from before and now is different. We noticed the changes as well with the fabric, the cuts, the colours, texture of the cloths and materials used. Some ideas of modern fashion were re-invented fashion of the past.

One thing is entirely different though is the process of how we commonly acquire new clothes now.

We started the inquiry by asking the learners what steps do they do when they want to buy new clothes.

This is what they came up with:

Then we read the story of Charlie Needs A Cloak. In this story, Charlie needed a new cloak as his old one looks shabby and rugged. The Grade 1s listened to the story read aloud to them. As a class, we listed the steps mentioned in the book.

The Grade 1s realised how lucky they are that they can get new clothes in a faster and easier way now than before.

Then they were given the chance to experience doing crochet. Ms Mari taught them the steps in knitting and crocheting.

'It was a lot of hard work to make clothes before.'- Grade 1s

Daily Life Then

 When we unpacked some terms from the central idea, Children in the past lived differently from how we live today, one phrase that we clarified is children in the past. We defined this phrase by asking 'Who are the children in the past?' and 'Who are the children in the present?'

The learners immediately connected themselves to the children in the present and pointed out adults at present were the children in the past.

To be able to know how children in the past lived their lives, the grade 1s asked their parents to share to them a photo of themselves when they were young and the story behind it. Then the learners shared the pictures and the stories to the class. 

We categorised the information we got by writing them under the following COMPONENTS of DAILY LIFE: FOOD, TRANSPORTATION, MUSIC, JOBS/RESPONSIBILITIES, TOYS & GAMES, CLOTHING and MACHINES/GADGETS

They also asked staff whom they think are children in the past about their daily activities on a non-school day when they were young.

Next week, we will explore school then and now.