As our kindergarten learners grow throughout the year, we want them to be able to practice habits such as designing and collaborating. We also strive to design opportunities to connect each subject to shining their light for Christ. One of our teachers shares a great example from a recent science lesson:
We have begun a new science unit on climate and weather. Students are learning about UV rays and how animals protect themselves from the sun (through mud, shade, living underground, etc.). Part of the process includes conducting an engaging experiment where students create animals and place a UV bead on them. They also constructed a shelter designed to help protect our animals from the sun's rays. If the bead is exposed to UV rays, it will turn colors. The goal was to create a structure that does not change our beads' color, thus protecting our animals from the sun’s rays.
We connected this to real people by discussing with our students the seasons and how we, as people, need to protect ourselves from the sun. Our Storyboard for kindergarten is "Let Your Light Shine," so we used our learning as an opportunity to talk about the positive and negative effects of the SUN and compare that to the fact that there are only positive effects of the SON, emphasizing to students that the light of Jesus only has benefits.
Teachers invited a dermatologist to class to enrich this learning, allowing students to interact with a professional in the field. Each class wrote booklets sharing how to protect yourself from the sun and will hand them out to others. In this way, students learned about the weather, but also designed something, worked with real people, and practiced sharing what they learned with others!
