Learning here at the Primary Campus is in full swing as our students dig deep into a whole range of learning across the school. Recently I have been inspired by so many Year 4 students visiting my office to share with me their learning about Animals including Humans.
This unit seems to have raised student interest and enthusiasm for learning to very high levels. The students have been learning about teeth, digestion and food chains.
The students have been exploring a range of big ideas. These have included what types of teeth humans have, how our mouths and teeth help with digestion and whether teeth can tell us what animals eat! They have learned about the different parts of the digestive system and how it works. In addition to this, they are about to explore food chains; finding out what these are, how to construct a food chain and finally learning about the connection between food chains, teeth and digestive systems. The unit has been packed full of learning and it has really provoked students' curiosity.
This unit has exposed the students to a wide range of rich and interesting vocabulary including words such as canine, peristalsis, enzyme and incisor. Whilst discussing their learning with me, I was very impressed with their ability to use so many technical words in context as well as explain them to me.
Whilst learning about teeth, the students looked at how the mouth and teeth help with digestion and they compared and analysed the teeth of herbivores and carnivores. The students really enjoyed examining animal skulls and hypothesising about what the skull told them about what the animal might eat. We had some amazing predicting and reasoning during this section of the unit.
Learning about the digestive system has stimulated even greater levels of enthusiasm and curiosity amongst students. I was again very impressed by their understanding of how our digestive system works, their knowledge of the key areas and roles within different parts of the system and most of the students’ work comparing and contrasting human digestive systems with those of common ruminants such as cows, giraffes and goats.
The next part of the unit will allow the students to explore food chains and make connections across all of their learning within this unit. I think I am as excited about this, as much as our students!
Alan McCarthy
Primary Principal