Central Idea:

“Communities make efforts to create systems that meet their needs”.

Key Concepts: Form, Function, Change

Learner profile: Inquirers, Thinkers, Balanced

Provocation

Erin: I liked learning about different systems because they help us live.

Joseph: I liked at the beginning of our unit when we had to make a city with transport systems.

Lucas: I like using systems and I can’t wait to use Canberra’s new light rail system.

Leo: I loved going on an excursion to Kingston, Oaks Estate and Queanbeyan. The bus wash was the best.

Grace: I like systems because they are very helpful.

Tesia: When we went on our excursion we got to see a train system, light rail system and bus system.

Matthew: I like the light rail system the best because you could see the new stations, the power lines and the poles. I also like the “TC” symbol which means Transport Canberra.

Emily: I liked the task where we had to create an island for all of Year 1 to live on with our families. It was fun designing an education system, transport system and garbage system.

Why drive when you can catch the train?

Year 1 students discovered the answer to this question during a school excursion in week 7.

As a culmination to our Unit of Inquiry into how Communities Make Efforts to Create Systems that Meet Their Needs, Year 1 students rode on a train, had lunch in the park, took a drive past Canberra’s fast-developing light rail network and even had a ‘bath’ in a bus wash – all in the space of three hours.

The short train ride from Kingston to Queanbeyan doubled as many students’ first trip by rail.

The excursion provided an opportunity for students to reflect on their learning and see concepts covered in the Unit of Inquiry take real-life shape.

Transport is an example of a system that meets communities’ needs and takes substantial effort to create and maintain.

Other systems explored during our Unit of Inquiry included government, education, communication and supermarkets.

Here are some student quotes about the day:

“This is so much fun!” Ava

“Can we order from the menu?” Maddie, upon discovering the train’s canteen menu.

“Can we please keep going? Do we have to get off here!” Liliana